Brief History of the Iowa State Flag

The Iowa flag is a simple yet elegant design. It features a vertical triband of blue, white, and red, with the state seal in the center. The flag was adopted in 1921 and has been flown over the state capitol building ever since. Let’s take a look at the history of this striking flag.

The first known flag to represent Iowa was a simple blue banner with the word “Iowa” hand-painted in white. This flag was used during the Mexican-American War by a regiment of Iowa volunteers. In 1865, another blue banner was created to serve as a regimental color for an Iowa cavalry unit during the Civil War. This flag featured a golden eagle in the center and the words “1st Regiment Iowa Cavalry Volunteers” around the edge.

In 1917, Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) chapters across Iowa began campaigning for a state flag. They sent dozens of designs to lawmakers in Des Moines, but none of them were quite right. Finally, in 1918, DAR member Posey Sherwood created a design that everyone could agree on. Sherwood’s design featured a triband of blue, white, and red, with the state seal in the center. This design was officially adopted by the legislature in 1921 and has been flown over the state capitol ever since.

The Iowa flag is a beautiful representation of our state’s history and heritage. From its humble beginnings as a simple blue banner to its current status as a symbol of pride for Iowans everywhere, the Iowa flag has come to represent everything that makes our state great. So next time you see it flying high over our capitol building, take a moment to appreciate all that it stands for.