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Maine Flags Prior To 1909 (U.S.)

image by Rick Wyatt, 6 November 2008
Maine State Flag, 1901-1909 (Design reconstructed)

First Maine flag
Earliest State of Maine Militia Flag
A hand-painted 1822 Maine Cavalry Color
Maine Trade Banners
Merchant and Marine Flag of Maine

See also:

First Official Maine State Flag

On March 6th, 1901, "An act to establish a State Flag" was read in the State House of Representatives and referred to the Military Affairs Committee. It was read the next day in the State Senate and also referred to Military Affairs. The first draft of this act reads as follows:

"The State Flag is hereby declared to be blue, charged with the Arms of the State in the colors and as described in the Resolves of the State of Maine from 1820 to 1828, Volume I, Chapter IV.
'Resolve for providing a Seal, June 9th, 1820
Description of the Device, &c., of the Seal and Arms of the State of Maine.'"

The Military Affairs Committee read their report on this act in the House on March 15 and in the Senate on March 19; this report contained a new draft and was read by Frederick Walls of Vinalhaven with the recommendation, ought to pass. The new draft reads as follows:

"The State Flag is hereby declared to be buff charged with the emblem of the State, a pine tree proper in the center and the polar star (a mullet of five points), in blue in the upper corner. The star to be equidistant from the hoist and upper border of the flag, the distance from the two borders to the center of the star equal to about one quarter the hoist. This distance and the size of the star being proportionate to the size of the flag."

This act passed both houses and on March 21st, 1901 was Engrossed - Chapter 233 - State Law. No picture of this flag is known to exist and it is not known whether it was much used. It should be noted that one of the earliest military flags of Maine is that of the First Regiment of the Brigade commanded by Colonel Cobb of Portland in 1790 and that its field was buff.
Dave Martucci, 6 September 1996

An image of an actual 1901-09 Maine flag can be seen here.
Dave Martucci, 30 August 2010

As Maine citizens gear up for the State Bicentennial in 2020, there has been a decided grass-roots uptick of interest in the 1901-1909 Maine State Flag (buff bearing a green or green and brown pine tree and a blue star in the canton). News articles have been written; television segments have been produced; a bill is being introduced in the Legislature to readopt the design; and no less than five companies are offering their version for sale. A sixth company is offering a different variant printed on clothing and other gift items. [Click on images for larger versions.]

image by Rick Wyatt, 6 November 2008

CRW Flags of Glenburnie, Maryland (https://www.crwflags.com/page0660maine1901.html) is offering an exact copy of the only known design from 1901-1909 in seven sizes ranging from 4” x 6” (10 x 15 cm) to 6’ x 10’ (1.8 x 3 m).

image located by Dave Martucci, 23 December 2018

The Bath Flag Company of Bath, Maine (http://www.bathflag.com/) offers its design in three sizes ranging from 2’ x 3’ (0.6 x 0.9 m) to 4’ x 6’ (1.2 x 1.8 m).

image located by Dave Martucci, 23 December 2018

Dog Not Gone of Skowhegan, Maine (https://www.dognotgone.com/shop-1/1901-antique-state-of-maine-flag) offers its design in just one size, 3’ x 5’ (0.9 x 1.5 m).

image located by Dave Martucci, 23 December 2018

Gettysburg Flag Works of East Greenbush, New York (https://www.gettysburgflag.com/flags-banners/original-maine-historic-flag) offers its design in two sizes, 12” x 18” (30 x 46 cm) and 3’ x 5’ (0.9 x 1.5 m).

image located by Dave Martucci, 23 December 2018

The Maine Flag Company of Portland, Maine (http://www.maineflagcompany.com/) offers its design in four sizes raging from 12” x 18” (30 x 46 cm) to 3’ x 4.5’ (0.9 x 1.4 m).

image located by Dave Martucci, 23 December 2018

In addition, Cafe Press of Louisville, Kentucky (http://www.cafepres.com; search for "Maine Flag 1901") offers the Flag Research Center Reconstruction design that appeared in Dr. Whitney Smith’s 1975 “The Flag Book of the United States” [smi75a] printed on Tee Shirts, Boxer Shirts, Mugs, and other gift items.
Dave Martucci, 23 December 2018

This image of the First Official Flag of Maine is based on information provided by Dr Whitney Smith at the Flag Research Center. The correct design of the Maine state flag adopted in 1901 has a background color which Whitney equates to PMS 1215 yellow. His information is based on having access to the actual law document.
Rick Wyatt, 6 November 2008

image located by Dave Martucci, 29 March 2020

A TV News reporter and I corresponded and he sent me an image I had never seen before, which he said was in a book at the Maine Historical Society Museum Library. It appears to be an official pattern from 1901 or thereabouts. Current circumstances prevent me from following up right away but I will follow this lead up as soon as I can.
Dave Martucci, 29 March 2020

image located by Dave Martucci, 29 March 2020

A buddy of mine was at a second-hand sale a couple of months ago and bought an item he was sure I’d be interested in and gave it to me (Thanks, Bill!). I believe it is a militia uniform button dating from 1901 or 1902. The Adjutant General of Maine reported in 1902 new uniforms were purchased for Maine’s staff officers as well as a new State flag.
Dave Martucci, 29 March 2020

image located by Dave Martucci, 29 March 2020

I also have a photo sent to me (but I do not remember from whom) of a circa 1901 Rail Road Uniform Button from the Maine Central Rail Road, also known as the Pine Tree Route. They later dropped the star and changed the wording to “MAINE” at the top and “CENTRAL” at the bottom but kept the tree.
Dave Martucci, 29 March 2020

image located by Dave Martucci, 29 March 2020

The existence of the new flag was noticed to the Maine National Guard on 2 April 1901 by General Order #6 issued by the Adjutant General John T. Richards and was first raised at the Annual encampment of the Guard in Augusta on 10 August 1901.

Richards is credited as the flag’s designer by numerous news accounts, for example the Cincinnati Enquirer on 6 April 1901, p. 12. Quoting the Boston Herald, it also states “The background of buff, the old colonial color, will harmonize with the green tree and the blue star, making a most attractive combination of colors.” and gives an unusual image.

The Oxford Democrat of South Paris, Maine on 9 April 1901, p.3, also quoting the Boston Herald, stated “It is said to be as beautiful as the State it represents, which ought to be enough to make it float most proudly.”
Dave Martucci, 29 March 2020

image located by Dave Martucci, 29 March 2020

The Bridgeton pioneer of Bridgeton, New Jersey stated in its 11 April 1901 issue, p.4, “Maine’s new State flag bears green tree and a blue star on a buff ground—a combination never before seen in any other State.”

Besides the State Capitol building, the 1901 flag was flown at the bow of the State Launch “Sea Gull” starting in 1904. A news article about this craft was published in the Boston Globe on 17 April 1904, p. 39, which included an image of the vessel flying the flag but you really cannot see any details.
Dave Martucci, 29 March 2020

Earliest State of Maine Militia Flag

Center panel from one of the 1822 printed Maine Militia Colors
image by Dave Martucci, 30 August 2010

Shortly after achieving Statehood in 1820, the legislature passed a law regulating the military forces of the State, the Maine Militia. In 1822, the Quartermaster General (QMG) was directed by the legislature to furnish the regiments with the "appropriate colors" of the new State. To accomplish this, they appropriated the sum of $200, which in 1822 could buy one, maybe two, hand painted silk flags for the regiments, which numbered many more than two.

The QMG, however, was a resourceful man. He contacted some friends of his in Boston, who, in turn, put him in touch with the Prang Art Company. They had never made anything out of cloth before but they were experts at printing multi-color designs on paper. They did some tests on some silk (purchased for $2 out of the QMG's own pocket) and offered to make the fifty flags being sought for $200. They were a four-color lithographic print on white silk of the Maine State Arms, the artistic design taken from the Colors of the Westbrook Light Infantry Company (described by the "Eastern Argus" as "the handsomest in the state.") which was painted by John Penniman of Boston, the foremost Military Standard painter of the day. The order was placed and the flags were supplied - The State Arms was printed twice for each flag and one print was appliqued to the reverse of each flag.

The design shows the shield of the Maine Arms with a White Pine Tree and a Recumbent Moose on white with the State Motto "Dirigo" on a ribbon above the North Star (with one point down) over a torse. Below, on another ribbon, is the name of the State, "Maine." Below that is another ribbon that was printed to read "__ Regt. of Infy. __ Brige. __ Div." with space for the insertion of the appropriate numbers of the regiments.

Two existing examples of these flags are known to exist, one in the collections of the Maine State Museum in Augusta and one in the collections of the Maine Historical Society in Portland. In addition, all the official papers regarding their original purchase (and an additional purchase in 1828) are in the Maine State Archives.
Dave Martucci, 6 September 1996

A hand-painted 1822 Maine Cavalry Color

image by Dave Martucci, 30 August 2010

A hand-painted (by John R. Penniman) 1822 Maine Cavalry Color.
Dave Martucci, 30 August 2010

Maine Trade Banners

In the 1840s Maine's Charitable Mechanics Association held events that featured processions of their members carrying decorative and symbolic banners of their respective trades. The full collection of these banners still survives and will go up for auction in late August. Here is an article about that event and the controversy it is generating. The banners illustrated are Carpenters (reverse), Blacksmiths (obverse) and if you click on the link, Shoemakers (obverse).
www.pressherald.com/news/
Dave Martucci, 26 July 2010