Nevada State Flag
Nevada's flag says 'Battle Born' — the state entered the Union on October 31, 1864, in the middle of the Civil War. Silver star for mining heritage, sagebrush for the landscape. Cobalt blue, adopted 1929.
Nevada State Flag
Official State Flag of Nevada
- Adopted
- 1929
- Standardized
- 1991
- Status
- Official flag
How the Nevada State Flag Is Designed
The Nevada state flag is the official banner of Nevada. A cobalt blue field covers the background. A five-pointed silver star sits in the upper left corner. Two sprays of sagebrush cross beneath the star.
A gold scroll wraps around the sagebrush sprays. The words Battle Born appear on the scroll. The word Nevada curves across the top in gold capital letters. Government offices, schools, and public sites in Nevada display this flag, while formal wording is covered on the Nevada state motto page.
What the Nevada Flag Communicates
The flag represents Nevada's admission to statehood during the Civil War. Battle Born refers to Nevada becoming a state in 1864 while the war raged. The phrase became Nevada's unofficial motto.
The silver star symbolizes Nevada's mining industry. Silver mining drove Nevada's economy and settlement. The sagebrush represents Nevada's official state flower adopted in 1959; compare with the Nevada state flower page.
Cobalt blue stands for Nevada's clear skies. Gold represents the state's natural wealth. Silver acknowledges the metal that built Nevada's fortune and aligns with Nevada's official state colors.
Nevada Flag History and Adoption
Nevada introduced its current flag in 1929. The legislature replaced an earlier design that had been in use since 1915. Governor Fred Balzar signed the new flag law. Louis Shellback III designed the winning submission after a state design competition.
Before 1929, Nevada had used two other official flags. The first from 1905 showed silver stars spelling NEVADA in the canton. Clara Crisler designed the second flag in 1915. That version placed the state seal in the center surrounded by 36 stars representing Nevada as the 36th state. The seal's many colors proved too expensive to produce.
The legislature modified the flag in 1991. Officials moved the star and sagebrush higher on the field. This repositioning improved proportions. The word Battle Born got standardized spacing. These changes refined the 1929 design without altering core elements.
Earlier Versions of the Nevada Flag
First State Flag
The first official flag featured silver stars spelling NEVADA in the canton with a wreath and scroll.
Second State Flag
Designed by Clara Crisler, this flag showed the state seal in the center surrounded by 36 stars but proved too expensive to produce.
Third State Flag
The 1929 redesign by Louis Shellback III introduced the single star, sagebrush sprays, and Battle Born scroll.
Current State Flag
The current flag repositioned the star and sagebrush higher on the field and standardized Battle Born spacing.
Key Symbols on the Nevada Flag
Silver Star
A five-pointed silver star appears in the upper left. The star symbolizes Nevada's silver mining industry. Silver mining attracted settlers to Nevada Territory in the 1850s and 1860s.
The Comstock Lode discovery in 1859 sparked Nevada's mining boom. Silver made Nevada wealthy. The metal became synonymous with Nevada's identity as the Silver State.
Sagebrush Sprays
Two sprays of sagebrush cross beneath the star. Sagebrush grows abundantly across Nevada's high desert. Nevada designated sagebrush as its state flower in 1959.
The plant represents Nevada's natural landscape. Sagebrush covers much of Nevada's terrain. It thrives in the dry climate that defines the state.
Battle Born Scroll
The words Battle Born appear on a gold scroll. This phrase refers to Nevada's admission to the Union on October 31, 1864. The Civil War was still being fought.
President Abraham Lincoln wanted Nevada statehood to support the Union cause and the Thirteenth Amendment. Nevada became a state in the middle of the war. Battle Born became Nevada's unofficial motto celebrating this unique timing.
Nevada Text
The word Nevada curves across the top in gold letters. This text identifies the flag clearly. Many states added their names to flags in the early 1900s.
The gold lettering matches the scroll color. It creates visual unity across the design.
Cobalt Blue Field
Cobalt blue covers the background. This shade represents Nevada's clear blue skies. The desert climate creates distinctive sky colors.
Nevada State Flag Colors
The flag uses cobalt blue, silver, gold, and green. Cobalt blue forms the field. Silver appears in the star. Gold shows in the scroll and text. Green depicts the sagebrush.
Nevada State Flag Facts
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