Indiana State Flag

Date adopted: May 11, 1917

The flag of Indiana, designed by Paul Hadley and officially adopted in 1917, has remained largely unchanged since its inception. To mark the state's 1916 centennial, a contest was held to create an official state flag, with Paul Hadley emerging as the winner. The flag features a gold torch symbolizing liberty and enlightenment, surrounded by rays signifying their influence. Nineteen stars represent Indiana as the nineteenth state to join the Union, with thirteen outer stars representing the original Thirteen Colonies and five inner stars denoting subsequent states. A single large star above the torch signifies Indiana. In 1955, a statute standardized the flag's dimensions and renamed it from a state banner to a state flag.