# Coolest U.S. state flag **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 15, 2005, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-u-s-state-flag/321782 "2005-09-15T14:25:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-u-s-state-flag/321782/1 "2005-09-15T14:25:42Z")
I have some favorites: \*\*Ohio \*\* - The only pennant or burgee-shaped state flag - red, white and blue, with a bold design (and yes, I’d say that even if I weren’t from Ohio!). \*\*Arizona \*\* - A striking design with good colors; evocative of the desert sun. \*\*Arkansas \*\* - Also a bold design, simple but effective. \*\*Indiana \*\* - Classy-looking, with good balance to the stars and torch. \*\*Maryland \*\* - The most heraldically-authentic flag, I’d say, with the arms of the Calvert and Crossland families properly displayed. An interesting mix of colors and patterns. **District of Columbia** - Not a state, I know. The flag is based on George Washingtons coat of arms, and is a simple but powerful design in red and white. Perhaps a more computer-skilled Doper might set up links to these designs…? Thanks. What do YOU think is the coolest state flag? ---
**Author:** ![Bruce\_Daddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@Bruce\_Daddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bruce_Daddy)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-u-s-state-flag/321782/2 "2005-09-15T14:30:58Z")
I admit to [bias](http://p.vtourist.com/1449566-SC_state_flag-South_Carolina.gif). ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-u-s-state-flag/321782/3 "2005-09-15T14:44:51Z")
VA, of course. It has a naked bood on it. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-u-s-state-flag/321782/4 "2005-09-15T14:51:17Z")
My fave: Ohio by a mile. Looks like it could represent a whole country. Also best use of an initial. The Texas flag is bold, simple and looks fantastic flying on a bright day. The Maryland flag is quite striking until you realize it looks like op art, or bad 1970s wallpaper. ---
**Author:** ![Ponder\_Stibbons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponder_stibbons/32/343_2.png) [@Ponder\_Stibbons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponder_Stibbons)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-u-s-state-flag/321782/5 "2005-09-15T15:03:54Z")
Being in Texas, I must admit a certain bias in believing in the coolness of our flag. Aside from Texas, though, the coolest flag has got to be New Mexico. Simple yet readily identifiable. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-u-s-state-flag/321782/6 "2005-09-15T15:06:37Z")
Alabama. Just England’s Cross of St. George. How original. Virginia, Kansas, Minnesota, Utah, or any plain blue flag with just a circular state seal on it. Also, Nevada, why make the seal so small? Are you ashamed of it? Oregon. This one’s got _two different sides_ and still isn’t that interesting. Just go with the beaver. Maybe with **1859** under it if you must. West Virginia and Wyoming. A flag with a border around it is not a flag. It’s a big flying placemat. On a happier note, kudos to Washington for the only _green_ state flag, and once again to Ohio for the only flag that would make a decent [kite](http://www.kitesonline.com/flags/state.html). ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-u-s-state-flag/321782/7 "2005-09-15T15:32:30Z")
I’m not a fan of the Ohio flag. I guess I’m just a traditionalist for the standard rectangle. I also don’t like the whole “put the state seal on a piece of blue cloth” school of flag design. South Carolina’s looks like it belongs to a jihad. The Maryland flag is just confused. Colorado’s and Alabama’s are too simple. New Mexico’s is nice but a little too minimalist. Arkansas’ is good but it looks a little amateurish. Tennessee’s is nice except for the blue stripe. Hawaii’s and Arizona’s are both good. But overall, the Texas flag is my favorite. ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-u-s-state-flag/321782/8 "2005-09-15T15:45:57Z")
> [@plnnr](#): > > VA, of course. It has a naked bood on it. _Bood?_ I don’t know, but I suspect I meant to write **boob** instead. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-u-s-state-flag/321782/9 "2005-09-15T15:51:07Z")
Texas’ flag by a country mile. Next would be the old “Don’t tread on me” but that doesn’t actually belong to a state, does it? ---
**Author:** ![Homebrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Homebrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homebrew)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-u-s-state-flag/321782/10 "2005-09-15T15:52:38Z")
If you throw in the territories, [Puerto Rico](http://www.census.gov/robos/www/images/puerto-rico-big-flag.jpg)’s is in the running. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-u-s-state-flag/321782/11 "2005-09-15T16:20:18Z")
I’ll say either Arizona or California. I like the bear and the California Republic. Ohio is up there too. Texas is just too hard for me to judge now that I live here and see the TX flag everywhere. ---
**Author:** ![olpeculiar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/34f0e0/32.png) [@olpeculiar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/olpeculiar)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-u-s-state-flag/321782/12 "2005-09-15T16:27:14Z")
I’ve never cared for any flag where they feel the need to put the name of the territory right on the flag. I mean, how strong can your design be if you have to come right out and tell people what flag it is? Also, the really intricate, coat-of-arms designs of many of the non-confederate states puts me off as well. They’re too busy, you know? Nobody ever gets a close enough look at a flag waving on a pole to make such designs practical. They may not be the coolest, but I’ll give Alaska and New Mexico a nod for simplicity of design and ease of recognition. Recognition being the whole point of displaying a flag, yes? ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-u-s-state-flag/321782/13 "2005-09-15T16:29:51Z")
No love for South Carolina? I think it’s lovely, simple, and elegant. [http://www.scstatehouse.net/studentpage/flag.htm](http://www.scstatehouse.net/studentpage/flag.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-u-s-state-flag/321782/14 "2005-09-15T16:30:22Z")
Tennessee and New Mexico are the only two states with cool flags. All the rest are either too plain (I hate the state seal on blue cloth design aesthetic) or just outright suck although Texas’ isn’t \*too \* bad. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-u-s-state-flag/321782/15 "2005-09-15T16:30:45Z")
Alaska! ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-u-s-state-flag/321782/16 "2005-09-15T16:31:59Z")
My fave: New Mexico’s. I also like North Carolina’s, Alaska’s and DC’s. Wyoming’s would be good if they took the state seal, or whatever that is, out of the outline of the buffalo. I’m not a big fan of the ‘state seal on a blue field’ school of design, nor do I like flags with a lot of words–though I’ll make an exception for California’s in this respect. I find Texas’ flag too close to that of [Chile](http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/flags/ci-flag.html). ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-u-s-state-flag/321782/17 "2005-09-15T16:34:07Z")
> [@Beware of Doug](#): > > Alabama. Just England’s Cross of St. George. How original. Boy, did I goof this one. St. George’s Cross is a plus sign. Alabama uses the Scotch-Irish [Cross of St. Patrick](http://www.ulsternation.org.uk/cross_of_st_patrick.htm). ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-u-s-state-flag/321782/18 "2005-09-15T16:46:38Z")
I’d have to say it’s the [Bear Flag](http://www.helicon.co.uk/images/samples/0019N056.gif) from California. I also like: Texas Maryland New Mexico Ohio ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-u-s-state-flag/321782/19 "2005-09-15T16:58:38Z")
I have seen an “alternate” Pennsylvania flag that looked pretty sharp. It may be a county flag, though. Powder blue top bar, center white bar with the state seal in black inside of a gold circular shield, black lower bar. I cannot for the life of me find a picture of it on line. I don’t see it often; maybe it’s the Sunday home day game flag. ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-u-s-state-flag/321782/20 "2005-09-15T17:02:00Z")
The top 5 are: 1. California. Elegant, tasteful and professional looking. The epitome of what a state flag should look like. 2. New Mexico. Simple, classy. 3. South Carolina. Original design, great colors - but a bit too dark for my taste. 4. Alaska. See South Carolina. 5. Texas, I suppose. Boring design - oooh, look. Red, white and blue with a star. BFD. But it doesn’t have a state seal on it and isn’t hideously garish, so it’s the best of what’s left. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-u-s-state-flag/321782.md?page=2)