New York (U.S.)

Last modified: 2002-11-30 by rick wyatt
Keywords: new york | united states |
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by Mario Fabretto, 24 February 1998

• Legal Description
• Governor's flag
• Colonial flag
• State Military Crest

Subdivisions

See also:

• Clickable map of New York City
• New York Colonial/Rev. War Flags
• Port Authority of NY & NJ
• NY State Facts
• United States of America
• States of the United States

One of the original 13 colonies, New York is represented by a star and a stripe on the 13 star U.S. flags.

New York State Consolidated Laws
Chapter 57, Article 6
Section 70. Description of the arms of the state and the state flag. The device of arms of this state, as adopted March sixteenth, seventeen hundred and seventy-eight, is hereby declared to be correctly described as follows:

Charge. Azure, in a landscape, the sun in fess, rising in splendor or, behind a range of three mountains, the middle one the highest; in base a ship and sloop under sail, passing and about to meet on a river, bordered below by a grassy shore fringed with shrubs, all proper.

Crest. On a wreath azure and or, an American eagle proper, rising to the dexter from a two-thirds of a globe terrestrial, showing the north Atlantic ocean with outlines of its shores.

Supporters. On a quasi compartment formed by the extension of the scroll. Dexter. The figure of Liberty proper, her hair disheveled and decorated with pearls, vested azure, sandaled gules, about the waist a cincture or, fringed gules, a mantle of the last depending from the shoulders behind to the feet, in the dexter hand a staff ensigned with a Phrygian cap or, the sinister arm embowed, the hand supporting the shield at the dexter chief point, a royal crown by her sinister foot dejected. Sinister. The figure of Justice proper, her hair disheveled and decorated with pearls, vested or, about the waist a cincture azure, fringed gules, sandaled and mantled as Liberty, bound about the eyes with a fillet proper, in the dexter hand a straight sword hilted or, erect, resting on the sinister chief point of the shield, the sinister arm embowed, holding before her her scales proper.

Motto. On a scroll below the shield argent, in sable, Excelsior.

State flag. The state flag is hereby declared to be blue, charged with the arms of the state in the colors as described in the blazon of this section.

by Joe McMillan, 25 February 2000

Here are the Governor's flags, from State Military Regulation 16, section 2, 8 April 1966:

a. The flag of the Governor is of blue wool bunting, 10.2 feet hoist by 16 feet fly. In each of the four corners is a white five-pointed star with one point upwards, and in the center of the flag is the coat of arms of the State.

b. The color of the Governor is of blue silk, 4 feet 4 inches hoist by 5 feet 6 inches fly, of the same design as that of the flag of the Governor and trimmed on three edges with a knotted fringe of blue and gold bullion 2.5 inches wide. The device and stars are embroidered. The staff is of wood, ebony finish, single screw jointed, 10 feet 3 inches in length, including gold-plated head and ferrule. The head is a spear 7.75 inches in height. Attached just below the head of the staff is a cord 8 feet 6 inches in length, with a tassel at each end. Cord and tassel are of blue and gold silk strands.

c. The boat flag of the Governor is of blue wool bunting, 3 feet hoist by 4 feet fly, of the same design as that of the flag of the Governor.

d. The automobile flag of the Governor is of blue silk or other suitable material, 1 foot 6 inches hoist by 2 feet 2 inches fly, of the same design as that of the flag of the Governor, and is trimmed on three edges with a knotted fringe of blue and gold silk strands 1.5 inches wide.

In use since circa 1900 [smi75a]; current regulation 1966.
Joe McMillan, 25 February 2000

Arms on blue, just like state flag today. [ric82]
Nick Artimovich, 2 May 1996

by Joe McMillan, 21 April 2000

The state military crest, which is the crest used in the coats of arms of units of the National Guard, as granted by the precursor organizations of what is now the Army Institute of Heraldry. The official Institute of Heraldry blazon is "The full-rigged ship Half Moon all proper. [The Half Moon was the flagship of Henry Hudson, first European explorer of New York.]"
Joe McMillan, 21 April 2000