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flag of Oregon
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flag of Oregon Oregon flag: reverse side
The video thumbnail image shows the existing Maine state flag, a blue background with the state seal, potentially being replaced by a new design, a tan background with a star and pine tree.
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flag of Oregon

United States state flag
Written by
Whitney Smith
Former Director, Flag Research Center, Winchester, Massachusetts. Author of Flags and Arms Across the World and others.
Whitney Smith
Fact-checked by
Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
Britannica Editors
History
flag of Oregon
flag of OregonU.S. state flag consisting of a dark blue field (background) with the phrase “State of Oregon,” the date 1859, and an emblem in golden yellow on the obverse side; on the reverse is a representation of a beaver in golden yellow.
Oregon flag: reverse side
Oregon flag: reverse sideA representation of a beaver in golden yellow is on the reverse side of the Oregon state flag.

A number of U.S. state flags, based on the military colours of local militias, originally had different designs on the obverse and reverse, but the expense and complexity of their manufacture gradually led to their replacement by simpler banners. Oregon is now the only state with such a flag, just as Paraguay is the only country to have a national flag with a different design on each side.

The video thumbnail image shows the existing Maine state flag, a blue background with the state seal, potentially being replaced by a new design, a tan background with a star and pine tree.
How to Design a New State FlagFlying a flag with a complicated design is like trying to read the Encyclopædia Britannica to someone from across a highway by screaming.
See all videos for this article

The Oregon state flag became official on February 26, 1925. In addition to the name of the state and the date of its admission to the Union (1859), the flag features elements from the state seal on the obverse side. The Pacific Ocean with ships, mountains, and symbols of agriculture, as well as a pioneer covered wagon and the phrase “The Union,” are represented. The 33 stars around the outside of the shield correspond to Oregon’s order of admission to the Union. The beaver emblem on the reverse side recalls the importance of the animal to early trappers and hunters in the Pacific Northwest.

Whitney Smith