Indiana State Symbols

Versions of this pioneer scene are found on official Indiana papers as early as 1801. A state seal was provided for in the 1816 and 1851 Indiana constitutions, but it was not until 1963 that the Indiana General Assembly provided an official description for the state seal.

The design consists of a woodsman chopping a tree with his ax, a buffalo jumping over a log, sycamore trees, hills in the background and a setting sun with fourteen rays.

The leaves of the Indiana state tree (tulip poplar) border diamond shapes in the outer circle. The words "Seal of the state of Indiana" appear at the top of the outer circle and the date Indiana entered the union (1816) appears below.

The flag's dimensions shall be three feet fly by two feet hoist or five feet fly by three feet hoist or any size proportionate to either of those dimensions.

The field of the flag shall be blue with nineteen stars and a flaming torch in gold or buff. Thirteen stars shall be arranged in an outer circle, representing the original thirteen states five stars shall be arranged in a half circle below the torch and inside the outer circle of stars, representing the states admitted prior to Indiana and the nineteenth star, appreciably larger than the others and representing Indiana shall be placed above the flame of the torch.

The outer circle of stars shall be so arranged that one star shall appear directly in the middle at the top of the circle, and the word "Indiana" shall be placed in a half circle over and above the star representing Indiana and midway between it and the star in the center above it.

Rays shall be shown radiating from the torch to the three stars on each side of the star in the upper center of the circle.