A white field with a blue border, the state coat of arms in the centre, and a wreath of rhododendron — the state flower — encircling it.
The design
The Flag of usa-state/west-virginia/" data-it-autolink="1">West Virginia is a national emblem rendered in the colours and proportions defined by the country’s flag law. Its official aspect ratio is 10:19, the height-to-length ratio that fixes how the flag should be cut and flown. The colour scheme uses white, blue, gold, brown, with each shade specified to particular Pantone or RGB values for official reproduction.
Colour palette
| Colour | Name | Common symbolism |
|---|---|---|
| White | white | Commonly represents peace, purity, honesty or snow-capped landscapes. |
| Blue | blue | Frequently symbolises sky, sea, freedom, vigilance or perseverance. |
| Gold | gold | Stands in for sunlight, mineral wealth or sovereign authority. |
| Brown | brown | Suggests soil, indigenous heritage or the working land. |
Symbolism & heraldry
The shield shows a farmer and a miner flanking a stone inscribed "June 20, 1863" — the date West Virginia was admitted to the Union after seceding from Virginia during the Civil War. Two crossed rifles and a Phrygian cap below symbolise the right to defend liberty.
Heraldic elements on the Flag of West Virginia — bands, charges, emblems or stars — each carry meaning agreed at the moment of the flag’s adoption. Re-readings happen across generations: a colour or a symbol that began with one meaning often picks up further layers as the country’s history unfolds.
Adoption & history
The current flag was adopted in 1929. Earlier banners flown by Flag of West Virginia reflected the politics of their day; each redesign typically marked a moment of independence, regime change or constitutional reform. The current flag was chosen, debated and codified through the country’s official channels and is now protected by flag law.
Etiquette & protocol
The Flag of West Virginia should be flown with respect: never allowed to touch the ground, never used as drapery for ceremonies it was not made for, and lowered or removed at sundown unless illuminated. When flown alongside other national flags, it takes precedence on home soil and is hoisted first and lowered last. On days of national mourning, the flag is flown at half-mast in line with directives from the head of state. These conventions are common to most nations and are usually written into the flag’s founding statute.
Specifications
| Field | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Country | Flag of West Virginia | — |
| Continent | North America | — |
| ISO alpha-2 | 2-letter code | |
| ISO alpha-3 | 3-letter code | |
| Adopted | 1929 | year of current design |
| Proportion | 10:19 | height : length |
| Colours | white, blue, gold, brown | — |
| Designer | — | |
| Emoji | Unicode codepoint sequence |
Did you know?
West Virginia is the only US state created during the Civil War — formed when 50 western counties of Virginia broke away in 1861, opposing Virginia's secession from the Union.
