Unique in form, the only U.S. state flag that is not a rectangle. A swallowtail burgee of red, white, and blue, with stars and a red disc at centre, the “O” for Ohio and rising sun. Nautical, distinctive, and proudly singular.
Burgee design with 17 stars, circle, and stripes.
Ratio: Swallowtail (5:3 ratio)
Flag at a Glance
- Designer
- John Eisenmann
- Ratio
- Swallowtail (5:3 ratio)
- Text on flag
- No
- Animals
- None listed
- Design type
- Swallowtail burgee
- Complexity
- 4/10
- Readability
- 9/10
- Seal-based design
- No
Colors used
Flag Symbolism
Red And White Stripes
Represent the roads and waterways.
Blue Triangle
Symbolizes Ohio’s hills and valleys.
White Circle With Red Center
Represents the ‘O’ of Ohio and a buckeye.
Design Breakdown
The Ohio flag can be described in a simple build order. This is useful for students learning how flags are constructed.
- Start with the base field described in the construction.
- Add the main shapes first (large stripe, field divisions, or background forms).
- Place the primary symbol(s) in their main position(s) (centre, canton, etc.).
- Finish with details like text, small emblems, and final color fills.
Construction note: Burgee design with 17 stars, circle, and stripes.
What Makes This Flag Unique
A lot of state flags share common themes. This one stands out for a few reasons:
- Only U.S. state flag that is not rectangular
- Uses stars to encode exact order of statehood
- One of the most distinctive state flags by shape alone
Praised and Criticised
Common praise
- Only non-rectangular U.S. state flag
- Highly distinctive shape
- Clear symbolism without text
- Excellent visibility in motion
Common criticism
- More complex to manufacture
- Often mistaken for a maritime or military flag
Modern Discussion
Redesign debate: No
For Teachers & Students
Classroom-ready prompts, printables, and citation info for studying the Ohio state flag.
Subjects
Learning objectives
- Explain uniqueness of the burgee shape.
- Identify the symbolism of stars and circle.
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Printable classroom handouts for this flag page.
Cite this page
Copy and paste a ready-made citation.
MLA
APA
Note: Citation formats can vary by school. These are common classroom defaults.
Seal Deep Dive
Swallowtail
A distinctive swallowtail (burgee-style) flag shape.
Attributes: Triangular swallowtail with circular cutout
Meaning: Uniqueness, movement, and Ohio’s break from standard state flag conventions
Circle And C
A red disc with a white ring and blue center forming an implied letter 'O'.
Attributes: Red circle, White ring, Blue center
Meaning: The letter 'O' for Ohio and reference to Native American earthworks and the sun
Stars
Seventeen white stars arranged around the central emblem.
Attributes: Thirteen stars in a cluster, Four additional stars
Meaning: The original thirteen states and Ohio as the 17th state
Stripes
Red and white horizontal stripes extending to the fly.
Attributes: Red and white stripes
Meaning: Patriotism and unity with the United States
Historical Timeline
Ohio admitted as the 17th state.
Burgee design flag officially adopted.
Vexillology Notes
Design type: Swallowtail burgee
Complexity: 4/10
Readability: 9/10
Fascinating Facts
Only U.S. state flag that is not rectangular.
Stars represent Ohio’s order as the 17th state.
The flag is a swallowtail design called a burgee.
The large white star represents Ohio itself.
The circle around the star resembles the letter ‘O.’
Red, white, and blue reflect national colors.
Thirteen stars represent the original colonies.
The flag was officially adopted in 1902.
State Information
- Population
- 11,799,448
- Area
- 44,826
- Founded
- 01 Mar 1803
- Region
- Midwest
