Flag of Utah

The flag of the U.S. state of Utah was adopted on March 9, 2024, and is one of the official flags of the state. It is a horizontal tricolor of irregular blue, white, and red bands, with the white band featuring a gold-outlined blue hexagon containing a gold beehive above a five-pointed white star.

The former design (1913–2024) was re-designated as the "Historic State Flag" and retains co-official status in the state. It continues to fly year-round at the Utah Capitol, as well as on special occasions statewide. It can be flown at any time by private citizens.|File:Utah's pioneer flag.png|Digital reconstruction of the flag carried by a group of elderly pioneers, 1849

As allegedly designed by council in 1848, this flag was the first flag designed to unify the Saints as they celebrated their first pioneer day. This flag was lost in the 1850s but later recreated by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 2002 and has flown on Ensign Peak since. Contemporary reports describe similar flags being flown in 1877 at the funeral of Brigham Young and in 1880 at the Golden Jubilee of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. There is currently no historic documentation available to support this flag. The pioneers also carried a banner that was described as bearing a portrait of Joseph Smith and angel holding a scroll with the names of all the pioneers.

Flag of the State of Deseret

According to most descriptions, the flag of the State of Deseret was similar to the flag of the State of Utah, but as it was not standardized, multiple other secular and religious alternatives were also used.

Utah Territory

The territorial flag was the Stars and Stripes with a unique canton, it contained 13 stars with a bald eagle. The bird had its wings spread out and was perched on top of a beehive. Underneath it was a large 5 pointed star representing the territory. There was a variant of the territorial flag with blue fabric and the old coat of arms of Utah Territory. There is currently no evidence that the Utah Territory flag was made into an actual flag to fly during the Territory's existence (1850–1896), though copies have since been made. In the early years of the Territory, many of the pioneers flew unique homemade American flags. During the Utah War, Latter-day Saints flew a flag described as a "...flag of their own, representing a beehive and embellished with portraits of Brigham Young, (Joseph) Smith and other (Latter-day Saint) dignitaries..."

State of Utah

Statehood flags

When Utah became the 45th state in 1896, American flags across the country flew 45 stars. In Salt Lake City they produced a massive American flag, one of the largest in the world at the time at around 74 feet high and 132 feet long. It hung from the ceiling of the Salt Lake Tabernacle, and one year later was moved to the south wall of the Salt Lake Temple where it was flown until 1903. In Monticello, a lady on horseback rode through the middle of town carrying a blue banner with a white beehive. The first state flag was flown in 1894, although its design is not known. The Another state flag was flown 3 years later, It bore the coat of arms of the state. In May of 1899, members of the Signal Corps went to the top of Ensign Peak and raised a state flag. Once again, there is no mention of the details of the flag.

1903 design

thumb|upright|right|A display at the [[Utah State Capitol describing the history of the flag]]

The flag's basic design uses the Seal of Utah which was adopted by the state legislature on April 3, 1896. The seal was designed by Charles M. Jackson, a crime reporter for the Salt Lake Herald, and Harry Emmett Edwards, an artist and bartender, and has similarities with the seal of the Utah Territory. The state's first flag was created in March 1903 to be used at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis, Missouri. Heber M. Wells, the governor of Utah, asked the Utah State Society Daughters of the Revolution (not to be confused with Daughters of the American Revolution) to oversee the creation of a flag. The flag was blue, with the state seal and the year "1896" hand-embroidered in white thread in the flag's center. Initially, this flag was known as the "Governor's Flag" until Senate Joint Resolution 17 was passed by the legislature on March 9, 1911, making it the official state flag.

1913 design

thumb|200px|The Utah state flag as depicted in the 1976 bicentennial postage stamp series.

thumb|Early state flag with a hand painted seal (obverse)|200x200px

thumb|(reverse)|200x200px

In 1912, the Sons and Daughters of Utah Pioneers ordered a custom made copy of the newly adopted flag to be presented to the recently commissioned battleship . When the flag arrived, the group discovered that the shield on the flag was in full color instead of white, and the manufacturer had added a gold ring around the shield. Rather than have the flag remade, Annie Wells Cannon introduced HJR 1 and the Utah legislature changed the law to allow the manufacturer's changes to become part of the official flag. Prior to being received by the ship on June 25, 1913, the new flag was displayed at the state capitol in January 1913, then in the ZCMI windows on Main Street and at a ball held in honor of the flag.<gallery mode="packed" heights="120">

File:Flag of Utah (1924).png|State flag from 1924

File:Flag of Utah (1935).png|Variant of the state flag from 1935

File:Flag of Utah (April 7, 1940).png|State flag from 1940

File:Flag of Utah (1943).png|State flag from 1943

File:Flag of Utah (1973).png|State flag from 1973

</gallery>During the 59th state legislative session in 2011, a Concurrent Resolution (HCR002) was adopted requiring flag makers to fix a mistake found on all then-current Utah state flags. Over 1,000 designs were submitted, with the top 35 selected for judging. However, no flags from this contest were adopted by the state.

2024 design

alt=Proposed flag of Utah (2019)|right|thumb|200px|Proposed flag of Utah (2019)In 2018, State Representatives Steve Handy and Keven Stratton proposed 2 different approaches to updating the Utah flag. Representative Handy proposed creating a flag commission to receive input and designs from the public, with the ultimate goal of proposing a new flag to the legislature. Representative Stratton sponsored separate legislation to adopt a specific flag design. The Utah House of Representatives was more amenable to a proposal to involve the public with a commission, but both efforts ultimately failed in 2019.

Representative Handy proposed another bill in 2020, this time keeping the 2011 design as a "historical flag". However, the effort stalled in the House Political Subdivisions Committee on a tie vote.

After a failed 2020 redesign effort, State Senator Daniel McCay started a bill in the Utah Senate. To prepare for the debate, the House and Senate watched a TED Talk by Roman Mars, "Why city flags may be the worst designed thing you've never noticed." In addition to the Ted Talk, the lead designer for the Utah Jazz, Ben Barnes, shared a set of prototype designs for lawmakers.

In 2021, Senator McCay sponsored a bill to create a task force to redesign the Utah state flag. The bill also designated an official flag to commemorate the 125th anniversary of Utah's statehood. The bill passed in the House and the Senate

In 2022, the Utah State Flag Task Force accepted design submissions from the public. 5,703 designs were submitted, 2,500 of which were submitted by students. In September, 20 semifinalist designs were announced and Utahns were asked to submit their feedback. During the month-long comment period, 44,000 survey responses were given.

On November 10, 2022, the Task Force submitted a final proposal to the Utah State Legislature for adoption as the official state flag.

alt=2023 Utah Flag design|thumb|200x200px|Final chosen design

On January 30, 2023, the State Senate approved the bill 17–10, which advanced to the State House of Representatives for approval. However, the flag was slightly modified; the eight-pointed star, intended to represent the eight federally recognized tribal nations in Utah, was replaced by a five-pointed star after an Indigenous constituent expressed concern that it looked like an asterisk from a distance. The five pointed star, in addition to the five newly added mountain peaks in the background, were added to represent the five original tribal nations of Utah (Navajo, Shoshone, Goshute, Paiute and Ute).

On March 2, 2023, the Utah House of Representatives approved the bill 40–35, and the State Senate passed the concurrence vote 19–9–1, sending the bill to the governor's desk for signing. The bill was signed by Governor Cox on March 21, 2023, along with an executive order formalizing the change.

thumb|upright|The historic state flag (top) and the new state flag (bottom) flying over the [[Utah State Capitol in 2023, prior to the new flag's official adoption.]]

The bill—and the new flag—went into effect on March 9, 2024, thus providing a one-year phase-in period to gradually transition to the new flag. The bill also designates the prior design as the official historic flag which may continue to be used by all. The executive order mandates that the historic state flag be flown above the state capitol every day of the year and once the bill goes into effect, the two flags should be flown from different flagpoles on capitol grounds. The order also petitions the legislature to amend the bill to have the new flag flown beneath the historic state flag when flown on the same flagpole, rather than above.

A public opinion poll conducted by the Hinckley Institute of Politics in March 2023 found that 48% of respondents supported the new flag, 35% opposed it, and 17% didn't know.

On May 17, 2023, the Utah State Capitol raised the new flag for the first time.

Attempts to remove the 2024 flag

Opponents of the new flag announced a campaign to initiate a 2023 ballot referendum on the adoption on the flag, hoping to retain the old flag, in spite of language in the bill that retains the historic state flag. The signature campaign failed, ultimately receiving only 21,030 verified signatures, with official verification being halted after fewer than 50,000 of the 134,298 required signatures were submitted to county clerks.

Flag opponents launched a second signature campaign to put the issue on the 2024 ballot as an initiative. That campaign also failed, gathering 99,125 signatures. (The lieutenant governor's office had only validated 81,992 before the deadline, the remaining 17,133 signatures left unvalidated would not have been enough to cross the threshold of 134,298 signatures to qualify for the ballot.) On February 8, 2024, a group linked to the campaign filed a federal lawsuit against the lieutenant governor, alleging that ten separate provisions of the citizen initiative process that the legislature created were unconstitutional. The group sought injunctive relief for the alleged violations, but were denied on all counts. Subsequently, the group withdrew the lawsuit two days later.

During Utah's 2024 legislative session, Representative Phil Lyman put forward House Bill 436 in the Utah House of Representatives. The bill would have repealed the new flag, but it failed to advance out of committee.

Flag of the National Guard

During the Territorial days the militia carried their own flags. The flags were not standardized; they often contained religious symbols and mottos of their faith, with most of the flags being based on the American flag. The flags carried by the militia were usually made by locals of the community.

Utah National Guard currently carries the state flag. The first regimental flag used by the National Guard was in 1894 but its design is unknown. Before 1895 regiments carried their own distinctive flags, but after 1895 the regimental flag was standardized. The size was of the flag was 6 feet by 6 feet. All other distinctive regimental flag were abosted.

During the Spanish-American War, several Utah units played a role, with some seeing action in the conflict. The Utah Light Artillery took part in the Battle of Manila and stayed unit August of 1899. The regiment was given a 2 guidons for batteries A & B by Governor Wells. The Governor was planning on giving them an old Mormon Battalion flag from the 1840s. The guidons bore a red field with 2 crossed Yellow cannons with the inscription "U.U.S.V" and the battery's name. After the war the guidons came back torn up with the colors on them being faded. Company I of the 2nd United States Volunteer Cavalry also known as "Torrey's Roughriders," composed mainly of men from Utah, they served in Florida. The company was given a guidon by the Governor. <gallery widths="320">

File:Utah Light Artillery flag.png|The Utah Light Artillery guidon for battery A, 1898

</gallery>

1905 flag

thumb|Military wedding at Fort Douglas with the regimental flag at altar, 1905

thumb|Digital reconstruction of the 1905 flag

In August of 1905 Adjutant General Geoghegan and Colonel Lund adopted a regimental flag to be used by the state. The flag was described: "...The field is blue silk with gold fringe and cords and tassels. The coat, of-arms and motto of the state in colors, on a white background, occupies the center of the field of blue..."

1st Utah field artillery

thumb|Flag carried by the 1st Utah field artillery during World War 1During World War I the War Department ordered the state to organized regiment of light artillery. The regiment was designated 1st Utah Field Artillery Regiment. On October 9, 1917 the regimental flag was presented to the regiment by Youth Group from Phillips Congregation Church in Salt Lake City, with the Governor in attendance. They were also given guidons for each of the batteries.

In 1918 a party was being held at Fort Douglas between officers and their wives. During the party they carried out a regimental flag described as being blue and Yellow. It is unknown what regiment it belonged to.

1924 flag

In 1924 the National Guard adopted a new design for their regimental flag. The flag was similar to the state flag but with a white state seal and a red scroll below it. The flag were describe as: "...Regimental colors, to be blue with the arms of the state embroidered in white silk on the center, underneath this a red scroll with the number and name of the regiment, the fringe yellow, cords and tassels blue and white intermixed..."

Flag of the governor

thumb|Reconstruction of [[Brigham Young's personal flag]]Utah does not currently have a flag that represents the governor. The first governor flag was used in 1854 by Brigham Young at his residence. It was described as an American flag but with a lion in its canton.

References

External links

Utah State Flag