The first official flag for the state of Maine, adopted in 1901, consisted of a blue North Star shining down on a pine tree on a buff-colored background. Eight years later, the Maine legislature approved a new Maine flag design, one featuring the Maine Coat of Arms on a blue field. The shade of blue is identified as the blue used in the United States flag. A farmer and a seaman represent Maine’s traditional reliance on agriculture and the sea. Above the shield and beneath the North Star is the word, “Dirigo,” the state’s motta meaning “I lead.” A banner beneath the shield bears the state’s name. |
