West Virginia (U.S.)

Last modified: 2002-09-28 by rick wyatt
Keywords: west virginia | united states |
Links: FOTW homepage | search | disclaimer and copyright | write us | mirrors

by Mario Fabretto, 24 February 1998

• Flag Description
• Coat of Arms
• State Military Crest

See also:

• State Emblems
• Clarksburg
• Dunbar
• United States of America
• States of the United States

In 1863, a star was added, representing West Virginia, bringing the total number of stars on the U.S. flag to 35. There were thirteen stripes representing the thirteen original colonies.

The West Virginia flag is a white field bordered in dark blue and containing the West Virginia coat of arms in the center.
Dov Gutterman, 9 October 1998

The COA is also a part of the state seal.
The Coat of Arms was designed by Joseph H. Diss Debar of Doddridge county. The COA contains the Latin motto: "Montani Semper Liberi" (mountaineers are always free) , a large stone with the date on which West Virginia was admitted to the union (June 20,1863), A farmer (=agriculture) , a miner (=industry) , two crossed rifles which hold the "Cap of Liberty". The flowers are Rhododendron Maximum ("Big laurel") which are the state flowers.
Dov Gutterman, 9 October 1998

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 "A slip of mountain rhododendron in full bloom and leaved proper."
Joe McMillan, 21 April 2000