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Wyoming (U.S.)

image by Mario Fabretto, 24 February 1998

Description
Old Wyoming flag
Legal Descriptions

Municipal flags:

See also:

In 1891, a star was added, representing Wyoming, bringing the total number of stars on the U.S. flag to 44. There were thirteen stripes representing the thirteen original colonies.

Description

The Wyoming state flag was designed by Verna Keyes and was adopted on January 31, 1917. The great seal of Wyoming is on the bison, once the monarch of the plains. Colors of the flag are the same as the national flag.

The red border represents the Indians and the blood of the pioneers who gave their lives reclaiming the soil.

White is for purity and uprightness over Wyoming.

Blue of the sky and mountains is symbol of fidelity, justice and virility.

Dov Gutterman, 11 October 1998

Old Wyoming Flag

image by Antonio Martins, 4 November 1998

The original design of the Wyoming flag had buffalo facing the fly, but the design was changed since the buffaloes weather the blizzards, etc. on the Great Plains by facing *into* the wind. Therefore the buffalo on the flag was reversed on the field to face the hoist.
Albin Wagner, 21 January 1998

Legal Description

WYOMING STATUTES
8-3-101. Great seal of the state of Wyoming. There shall be a great seal of the state of Wyoming, which shall be of the following design, viz: A circle one and one-half (1 1/2) inches in diameter, on the outer edge or rim of which shall be engraved the words "Great Seal of the State of Wyoming." The design shall conform substantially to the following description: A pedestal, showing on the front thereof an eagle resting upon a shield, the shield to have engraved thereon a star and the figures, "44," being the number of Wyoming in the order of admission to statehood. Standing upon the pedestal shall be a draped figure of a woman, modeled after the statue of the "Victory of the Louvre, "from whose wrists shall hang links of a broken chain, and holding in her right hand a staff from the top of which shall float a banner with the words "Equal Rights" thereon, all suggesting the political position of woman in this state. On either side of the pedestal and standing at the base thereof, shall be male figures typifying the livestock and mining industries of Wyoming. Behind the pedestal, and in the background, shall be two (2) pillars, each supporting a lighted lamp, signifying the light of knowledge. Around each pillar shall be a scroll with the following words thereon: On the right of the central figure the words "Livestock" and "Grain," and on the left the words "Mines" and "Oil." At the base of the pedestal, and in front, shall appear the figures "1869-1890," the former date signifying the organization of the territory of Wyoming and the latter the date of its admission to statehood.

8-3-102. Adoption, use and specifications of state flag; penalty for misuse. (a) A state flag is adopted to be used on all occasions when the state is officially and publicly represented. All citizens have the privilege of use of the flag upon any occasion they deem appropriate. The width of the flag shall be seven-tenths (7/10) of its length; the outside border shall be in red, the width of which shall be one-twentieth (1/20) of the length of the flag; next to the border shall be a stripe of white on the four (4) sides of the field, which shall be in width one-fortieth (1/40) of the length of the flag. The remainder of the flag shall be a blue field, in the center of which shall be a white silhouetted buffalo, the length of which shall be one-half (1/2) of the length of the blue field; the other measurements of the buffalo shall be in proportion to its length. On the ribs of the buffalo shall be the great seal of the state of Wyoming in blue. The seal shall be in diameter one-fifth (1/5) the length of the flag. Attached to the flag shall be a cord of gold with gold tassels. The same colors shall be used in the flag, red, white and blue, as are used in the flag of the United States of America. (b) All penalties provided by the laws of this state for the misuse of the national flag are applicable to the state flag.

8-3-114. State territorial flag. (a) The state territorial flag shall be a flag with a field of blue, the name "WYOMING" printed across the top of the flag and the phrase, "CEDANT ARMA TOGAE" printed across the bottom of the flag. In the center of the flag shall be a shield with a border of gold divided into three (3) parts: (i) The top half of the shield shall have the numbers "1869" across the top and depict mountains and a train; (ii) The lower left part of the shield shall depict a staff, shovel, plow and pick; and (iii) The lower right part of the shield shall depict an arm and hand holding a sword. (b) The provisions of W.S. 8-3-102(a) on the display and use of the state flag shall be applicable to the display and use of the state territorial flag.

Joe McMillan, 22 February 2000