New Hampshire has an official flag consisting of the state’s seal against a blue background. It’s commonly displayed in courthouses and other municipal buildings throughout the Granite State. You can identify the New Hampshire flag by its seal. The seal depicts the USS Raleigh frigate in the center. Around the USS Raleigh is a laurel wreath with an arrangement of stars. Here are five facts about the New Hampshire flag.
#1) The Blue Symbolizes Water
The blue background of the New Hampshire flag symbolizes water. As previously mentioned, the New Hampshire flag depicts the USS Raleigh frigate. The USS Raleigh was one of over a dozen ships authorized by the Continental Congress. With its rich history — particularly its role in shaping the modern-day United States — the USS Raleigh is included in the New Hampshire flag. The blue background symbolizes water, thus creating the appearance that the USS Raleigh is sailing across the sea.
#2) The Seal Was Changed in 1932
The New Hampshire flag received a makeover in 1932. Previously, it featured a different seal. The New Hampshire flag was originally designed with the state’s old seal, which it used from 1909 to 1931. In 1932, however, lawmakers revised the seal. The new seal placed a greater emphasis on the USS Raleigh. It removed other graphics from the seal so that the focus was placed on the USS Raleigh.
#3) Features 9 Stars in the Wreath
When inspecting the New Hampshire flag, you may notice that it has nine stars in the wreath. Around the USS Raleigh is a laurel wreath. There are a total of nine stars in this wreath. New Hampshire, of course, was the ninth state to join the Union. Therefore, its official seal was designed with nine stars in the wreath, and this same nine star-wreath is now used in the New Hampshire flag.
#4) Features the Year 1776
In addition to nine stars, the New Hampshire flag features the year 1776. It’s displayed at the bottom of the wreath. 1776 is the year in which New Hampshire declared its independence from Great Britain. It’s also the year in which the USS Raleigh was built.
#5) A New Design Was Recently Proposed
Lawmakers recently proposed a new design for the New Hampshire flag. Rather than using the state’s official seal, they proposed switching the design to the Old Man of the Mountain. The Old Man of the Mountain was a series of granite ledges in New Hampshire. It collapsed on May 3, 2003, following many years of freezing and thawing.
