# Best and worst state flags in North America **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 21, 2001, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-state-flags-in-north-america/69694 "2001-06-21T21:45:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2001, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-state-flags-in-north-america/69694/41 "2001-06-23T21:12:43Z")
Actually, the link I meant to give was this one: [http://fotw.vexillum.com/flags/us-ga.html](http://fotw.vexillum.com/flags/us-ga.html) ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2001, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-state-flags-in-north-america/69694/42 "2001-06-23T21:19:16Z")
> [@](#): > > Actually, the consensus seems to be that the South Carolina flag is one of the best, and the removal of the Confederate Battle Flag seems to have helped it aesthetically. Just to clarify: the Confederate Battle Flag was never incorporated into the design of South Carolina’s flag (the way it has been into Georgia’s and Mississippi’s flags); rather, the CBF was being flown over the statehouse along with the palmetto-and-crescent state flag. > [@](#): > > The problem with Georgia’s flag is that it’s ugly, not that it’s PC. The other low ranked flags are generally ones that are blue with the state seal in the middle. Yeah, I was all for getting rid of Georgia’s old flag, but I loathe the new one. (Actually, I have a beef with the Georgia flag in addition to its esthetics, but this thread is already in some danger of being hijacked.) [South Carolina](http://www.fotw.ca/flags/us-sc.html), [Alaska](http://www.fotw.ca/flags/us-ak.html), [Arizona](http://www.fotw.ca/flags/us-az.html), and [New Mexico](http://www.fotw.ca/flags/us-nm.html) are among the best state flags, IMHO. [Maryland](http://www.fotw.ca/flags/us-md.html)’s is striking, but maybe a little too busy. Among Canadian provinces, I like the flag of [Nova Scotia](http://www.fotw.ca/flags/ca-ns.html). [New Brunswick](http://www.fotw.ca/flags/ca-nb.html) is also very striking, though I’d hate to have to draw it. ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2001, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-state-flags-in-north-america/69694/43 "2001-06-23T21:23:31Z")
> [@](#): > > If we are judging flags solely on graphical merit, not on what they represent, surely one of the most visually stunning designs of recent history WAS the flag of the Third Reich - it’s really an excellent design by all of the guidelines NAVA suggests. Simple enough for a child to execute from memory, three colors, etc. This is a good point. Flags aren’t _only_ about esthetics. The flag of the U.S.S.R. was also pretty striking, from a graphical point of view. Whereas by NAVA’s design standards, I think the U.S. flag might be a bit over-complex. Yet there’s no doubt which one _I_ personally prefer. ---
**Author:** ![AtomicDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@AtomicDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AtomicDog)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2001, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-state-flags-in-north-america/69694/44 "2001-06-23T21:48:24Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by yabob_ > \*\* > > BTW, AtomicDog’s likening of the stars-and-bars to a swastika got me thinking: > > If we are judging flags solely on graphical merit, not on what they represent, surely one of the most visually stunning designs of recent history WAS the flag of the Third Reich - it’s really an excellent design by all of the guidelines NAVA suggests. Simple enough for a child to execute from memory, three colors, etc. I wonder how much of the appeal of neo-nazism to certain segments to the population is attributable to that arresting piece of symbolism. Would we have fewer skinheads today if the Nazi’s had adopted some sort of fussy bric-a-brac emblem instead? > \*\* I had originally thought about mentioning that, but you did a better job than I could. Both the Stars and Bars(Yeah,I know-it’s really the St. Andrew’s cross, but the other name has attached itself) and the Nazi flag are stunning examples of symbology, but they represent equal abominations to the peoples their regimes subugated. In my opnion the old Georgia flag had to go, by any means necessary. If it was put up to a referendum, the same thing would have happened that did in Mississippi - and why should it have been, when there was no referendum on the original change? ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2001, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-state-flags-in-north-america/69694/45 "2001-06-23T22:09:03Z")
I dunno, I grew up in **Ohio,** and I always felt ripped off by the swallowtail design. All the other states had REAL flags, and ours looked like something you flew off the back of a motorboat. I’m really partial to **South Carolina,** which came in tenth. There’s something mysterious and rather _spooky_ about it, which is a definite plus in a State Flag. ---
**Author:** ![waterj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@waterj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waterj2)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2001, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-state-flags-in-north-america/69694/46 "2001-06-23T22:37:31Z")
Whoops. Sorry, I remembered seeing [this](http://fotw.vexillum.com/flags/us-sc.html#sccsa) flag, and forgot what it was. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2001, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-state-flags-in-north-america/69694/47 "2001-06-23T23:03:23Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by yabob \* > As a bystander, I’ll note from the history at fotw that Georgia only added the stars and bars to the flag in 1956 anyway, and they’ve had a succession of flags that pretty much sucked_\* Actually, they _removed_ the Stars and Bars (well, actually only the bars part) from the flag in 1956. The flag on the flag from 1956-2001 is the Confederate battle flag or Southern Cross. ---
**Author:** ![whiterabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/cab0a1/32.png) [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2001, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-state-flags-in-north-america/69694/48 "2001-06-24T00:38:01Z")
The new Georgia flag SUCKS. If they just had the seal, that’d be fine, but WTF is with all the other flags on it? I might have expected that from Texas, having lived there for ten years, except they’d never stoop this low. The old one was bad, but this one is actually WORSE. Why not just have the seal on the blue background? That’d be boring but it wouldn’t be the horrible mess it is now. ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2001, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-state-flags-in-north-america/69694/49 "2001-06-24T02:40:28Z")
Just an observation … when I was living in [New Mexico](http://fotw.vexillum.com/flags/us-nm.html) and [Colorado](http://fotw.vexillum.com/flags/us-co.html), I noticed the state flags flying just about everywhere. Same thing in [Texas](http://fotw.vexillum.com/flags/us-tx.html) too – the Lone Star was omnipresent. However, in my home state of [New York](http://fotw.vexillum.com/flags/us-ny.html), the only state flags that one saw flying were usually at state office buildings; they were rarely seen in other places. I think [Florida](http://fotw.vexillum.com/flags/us-fl.html) has a pleasant flag design, but like New York, I rarely see the state flag up and flying. What are the states where the state flag is frequently displayed? How about those where you seldom see it? ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2001, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-state-flags-in-north-america/69694/50 "2001-06-24T03:06:06Z")
The California flag is flown in a lot of places. It flies over every school that I’ve ever seen. We all seem to have a distinct fondness for the bear. It seems so friendly. ---
**Author:** ![Doobieous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/da6949/32.png) [@Doobieous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doobieous)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2001, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-state-flags-in-north-america/69694/51 "2001-06-24T04:46:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by yabob \* > **If they would remove the “California Republic” and adjust the bear and star a bit so as not to leave a gap in the design where the text was, the flag would have to be in the top 10. I kind of agree with NAVA on avoiding text on flags - it’s tacky.** The Sutter flag had a red stripe along the bottom and a single green star centered on the white field. I do agree, the flag would look better if the bear and star were adjusted and the text removed. I may be biased, but the prettiest flag in my book is the flag of the Philippines: a white triangle on the left side, with an 8 rayed sun in the center, and three stars at each corner. The rest of the flag is blue and red. It also has a neat function: when at war, the red stripe is flown at top. During peace time, the blue stripe is flown at top. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2001, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-state-flags-in-north-america/69694/52 "2001-06-24T04:59:29Z")
A new entry might be the new Canadian territory on [Nunavut.](http://www.fotw.ca/flags/ca-nu.html) - the blue star is on the side opposite the staff (which isn’t good) but other than that it’s really cool. ---
**Author:** ![Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bad_News_Baboon)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2001, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-state-flags-in-north-america/69694/53 "2001-06-24T05:14:39Z")
being from Texas, I have to admit being partial to it. I think from a graphical it’s nifty, too. but yes, I agree, we have a passion for our flag here. nothing says Texas like the HUGE flags you see flying over car lots. (and by huge, I mean HUGE!). and on a side note, we adore our state’s shape, too. Texas-shaped pasta, Texas-shaped cookies, Texas-shaped cobblestones… We have (I Think) the most recognizable shape in the union. maybe California would be next. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2001, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-state-flags-in-north-america/69694/54 "2001-06-24T14:33:30Z")
> [@](#): > > Incroyable! On est le troisième! > > _danse de joie_ not only that, but if only a few more from Quebec had voted, you might have been first: > [@](#): > > In a surprise result, the combined NAVA-public rankings handed the top flags a three-way tie, with less than 1/100th of a point separating their scores (that margin is so small that one person changing his vote could alter the first-place score). I agree with most of the comments about the flags, but I have to say I disagree with those who like Newfoundland’s flag - to me, it really looks like a committee job. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2001, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-state-flags-in-north-america/69694/55 "2001-06-24T14:59:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by elmwood \* > **However, in my home state of New York, the only state flags that one saw flying were usually at state office buildings; they were rarely seen in other places** There’s one flying outside the Brooklyn Museum of Art on Eastern Parkway, next to the US flag, and some other flag, possibly the flag of the City of New York. Visitors from out-of-city often ask just what the heck that ugly blue flag is, and residents usually answer “Fuck if I know.” ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2001, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-state-flags-in-north-america/69694/56 "2001-06-24T16:23:05Z")
**Ike** - isn’t that what they’re supposed to say, considering the source of the state motto? > [@](#): > > A youth, who bore, ‘mid snow and ice, > A banner with the strange device, > **Excelsior!** ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2001, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-state-flags-in-north-america/69694/57 "2001-06-24T16:46:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bad News Baboon \* > > … > > and on a side note, we adore our state’s shape, too. > > Texas-shaped pasta, Texas-shaped cookies, Texas-shaped cobblestones… > > We have (I Think) the most recognizable shape in the union. maybe California would be next. \*\* Lot of Wyoming shaped stuff out there, too … ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2001, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-state-flags-in-north-america/69694/58 "2001-06-24T17:11:32Z")
“Beware the pine tree’s withered branch! Beware the awful avalanche!” One of my favorite couplets. I don’t mind the State Motto so much, but the Seal is so damn goofy…Liberty and Justice boogieing down around boats on the Hudson River. Sheesh. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2001, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-state-flags-in-north-america/69694/59 "2001-06-24T17:28:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by yabob \* > Lot of Wyoming shaped stuff out there, too … Including the flag of Texas! ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2001, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-state-flags-in-north-america/69694/60 "2001-06-24T18:03:46Z")
> [@](#): > > Lot of Wyoming shaped stuff out there, too … How do you know it’s not Colorado shaped, huh? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-state-flags-in-north-america/69694.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-state-flags-in-north-america/69694.md?page=4)