West Virginia State Flag

The West Virginia state flag is the official civic flag of the state of West Virginia. A pure white field forms the background. A blue stripe borders the flag on all four sides. The state coat of arms sits in the center with rhododendron branches below.

An unfurled red ribbon with the words State of West Virginia tops the coat of arms. Another red ribbon below displays the Latin motto Montani Semper Liberi. The Legislature adopted the current design on March 7, 1929, aligning the flag with West Virginia's official motto page.

The West Virginia state flag meaning comes from symbols depicting West Virginia's Civil War origins and industrial heritage. The design reflects West Virginia's separation from Virginia during the Civil War.

The white field symbolizes purity. The blue border represents the Union. The coat of arms shows agriculture and industry as the state's principal resources. The crossed rifles illustrate the importance of West Virginia's fight for liberty as the 35th state, while the natural imagery ties closely to West Virginia's state tree.

West Virginia became a state on June 20, 1863. The Legislature commissioned Joseph H. Diss Debar to design the Great Seal in 1863. The state officially adopted the seal on September 26, 1863. No official state flag existed until 1905.

The need for a state flag arose in 1904. The West Virginia State Commission attended the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis. The commission designed a flag with mountain laurel on a white field with a blue border. The Legislature adopted this design with a red fringe on February 24, 1905.

The 1905 flag proved impractical. The coat of arms on the reverse showed through the white field. Lettering on one side read toward the staff. The Legislature amended the flag on February 25, 1907. The new design placed the coat of arms on the front with a State of West Virginia banner. The rhododendron moved to the reverse. The fringe changed from red to old gold.

The 1907 flag was costly to reproduce due to different designs on each side. The state needed an inexpensive flag for public schools. The Legislature adopted the current single-sided design on March 7, 1929. The new flag integrated the coat of arms and rhododendron on both sides.

The West Virginia state flag uses white and blue as primary colors. The coat of arms contains additional colors including red, green, gold, and flesh tones.