The Flag of Idaho: History, Meaning, and Symbolism

To many flags are simply brightly coloured objects which can be found all over the world. But the truth is they’re actually much more than that. Flags can represent many different things – they can represent power, peace, war, loss, history, and even hope for the future. In fact, when when you take a closer look at them, flags can actually tell you a lot through their colours or symbols. So what does the flag of Idaho symbolize? Let’s find out!

History of Idaho

Located in the Pacific Northwest, Idaho is the fourteenth largest state in the US by area. However, it has actually gone through many periods of change to become the state that we know it as today.

Idaho has long been inhabited, with estimations suggesting that people have lived there for as long as 16,600 years. Native American tribes were predominant and Idaho was one of the last areas of the US to be explored by Europeans.

From 1818 Idaho formed part of Oregon Country and as such was part of a major dispute between the US and the UK. However, when Oregon became a state in 1849 Idaho then became part of Washington Territory. Idaho didn’t become part of its own territory until 1863 when the new Idaho Territory was formed which also included much of present-day Montana and Wyoming.

However, it was still was not plain sailing for Idaho. It had to overcome a tumultuous change to its capital and almost being split in two before it could eventually achieve statehood in 1890. The capital of the territory was Lewiston but it was changed to Boise in 1866 as the result of a one vote margin at the Territorial Supreme Court. Changing the capital then caused upheaval because of how much further south Boise is. There was also an attempt to divide the territory between Washington Territory and the state of Nevada. In part this was to do with a lack of communication between the north and the south. This resulted in some land from Idaho being transferred to other areas. Luckily this attempt was unsuccessful though and Idaho managed to survive.

History of the Flag of Idaho

The flag of Idaho consists of a dark blue field with the seal of Idaho in the center and the name of the state underneath. The flag was adopted in March 1907, although the design initially consisted of only the blue field and the name of the state. However, the Adjutant General of the state had control over the final design. Instead, it was decided to honor the First Idaho Infantry by using their battle flag which had been carried into battle during the Spanish-American War in 1899. Therefore, the state seal was added to the center of the initial design to replicate this flag, albeit with the name of the state rather than the regiment written on it.

The Seal of Idaho

Of all the states in the US, Idaho is the only one that has a seal designed by a woman. The original version of the seal was designed by a woman named Emma Edwards who visited Idaho’s capital – Boise – in the summer of 1890 at around the same time that Idaho officially became a state. Although her visit was only supposed to be for the summer she fell in love with the area and decided to stay permanently.

Emma was a talented artist. She had just spent a year at art school in New York and began to offer art classes to young locals. Shortly after she began teaching, Emma was invited to enter a competition to design the seal of Idaho. Although artists from all over the country entered the competition Emma’s design was the winner. So it was lucky for Idaho that she decided to stay!

Symbolism and Meaning

In the early years of the flag there were several different variations of the great seal. This also means that there were several different versions on the flag. However, in 1957 a law was passed setting a standard design for the seal which is still used today.

If we take a closer look then we find that there’s actually a lot of things depicted on the seal and these all mean something to the state. For a start, there is a woman and a miner. The miner represents the mining industry which was one of the biggest industries in Idaho when the seal was designed, while the woman represents equality, justice, and liberty.

The elks head represents wildlife, while the mountains within the shield below represent the natural beauty of the state. The winding river symbolizes the Snake River that runs through Idaho. Furthermore, several of Idaho’s other main industries are also represented. The trees represent the forestry industry, while the horse and plough and a sheaf of wheat symbolize farming and agriculture. Also, either side of the sheaf of wheat are two cornucopias – also known as horns of plenty. These symbolize abundance given that they are overflowing with produce.

As well as the visual symbols there is also a scroll across the top of the elk’s antlers. This reads “Esto Perpetua”. This translates to “let it be perpetual”. It means “never ending” or “forever” and is a symbol of hope for the longevity of the state.

Up Next

• Every Flag in the World: Photos, History, and More
• The Flag of Alaska: History, Meaning, and Symbolism
• Discover the 10 Largest Animals in Idaho, and Where You’ll Find Them

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Xrmap / Public Domain – License / Original