top of page
TARTANS OF THE UNITED STATES
Apart from natural features in the landscape and native flora and fauna, many state tartans take their colors from tributes to state flags and seals.
Care has been taken to correctly identify official or note de facto state tartans. Please contact the site developer regarding any errors.
- in development -
Scroll down to see the tartans in order of state adoption into the Union.
UNITED STATES TARTANS
Click on any tartan for more tartan details - tartan origins, adoption dates and design inspirations, including state flags and state seals!
Georgia
January 2, 1788
The Peach State
"Wisdom, justice, and moderation"
Alaska
January 3, 1959
The Last Frontier
"North to the future"
Utah
January 4, 1896
The Beehive State
"Industry"
New Mexico
January 6, 1912
The Land of Enchantment
"Crescit eundo" (It grows as it goes)
Connecticut
January 9, 1788
The Constitution State
"Qui transtulit sustinet" (He who transplanted sustains)
Michigan
January 26, 1837
The Great Lakes State
"Si quaeris peninsulam amoenam circumspice" (If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you)
Kansas
January 29, 1861
The Sunflower State
"Ad astra per aspera" (To the stars through difficulties)
Massachusetts
February 6, 1788
The Bay State
"Ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem" (By the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty)
Arizona
February 14, 1912
The Grand Canyon State
"Ditat Deus" (God enriches)
Oregon
February 14, 1859
The Beaver State
"Alis volat propriis" (She flies with her own wings)
Ohio
March 1, 1803
The Buckeye State
"With God, all things are possible"
Nebraska
March 1, 1867
The Cornhusker State
"Equality before the law"
Texas
February 19, 1846
The Lone Star State
"Friendship"
Florida
March 3, 1845
The Sunshine State
"In God We Trust"
Vermont
March 4, 1791
The Green Mountain State
"Freedom and Unity"
Maine
March 15, 1820
The Pine Tree State
"Dirigo" (I lead)
Maryland
April 28, 1788
The Old Line State
"Fatti maschii, parole femine" (Manly deeds, womanly words)
Louisiana
April 30, 1812
The Pelican State
"Union, justice, confidence"
Minnesota
May 11, 1858
The North Star State
"L'Étoile du Nord" (The star of the North)
South Carolina
May 23, 1788
The Palmetto State
"Dum spiro spero Animis opibusque parati" (While I breathe, I hope Ready in soul and resource)
Rhode Island
May 29, 1790
The Ocean State
"Hope"
Wisconsin
May 29, 1848
The Badger State
"Forward"
Tennessee
June 1, 1796
The Volunteer State
"Agriculture and Commerce"
Kentucky
June 1, 1792
The Bluegrass State
"United we stand, divided we fall"
Arkansas
June 15, 1836
The Natural State
"Regnat populus" (The people rule)
West Virginia
June 20, 1863
The Mountain State
"Montani semper liberi" (Mountaineers are always free)
New Hampshire
June 21, 1788
The Granite State
"Live Free or Die"
Virginia
June 25, 1788
The Old Dominion State
"Sic semper tyrannis" (Thus always to tyrants)
Idaho
July 3, 1890
The Gem State
"Esto perpetua (Let it be perpetual)"
Wyoming
July 10, 1890
The Equality or Cowboy State
"Equal Rights"
New York
July 26, 1788
The Empire State
"Excelsior" (Ever upward)
Colorado
August 1, 1876
The Centennial State
"Nil sine numine" (Nothing without the Deity)
Missouri
August 10, 1821
The Show Me State
"Salus populi suprema lex esto" (Let the welfare of the people be the supreme law)
Hawaii
August 21, 1959
The Aloha State
"Ua mau ke ea o ka aina i ka pono" (The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness)
California
September 9, 1850
The Golden State
"Eureka" (I have found it)
Nevada
October 31, 1864
The Silver State
"All For Our Country and Battle Born"
South Dakota
November 2, 1889
Mount Rushmore State
"Under God the people rule"
North Dakota
November 2, 1889
The Peace Garden State
"Liberty and union, now and forever, one and inseparable"
Montana
November 8, 1889
The Treasure State
"Oro y plata" (Gold and silver)
Washington
November 11, 1889
The Evergreen State
"Al-ki" (By and by)
Oklahoma
November 16, 1907
The Sooner State
"Labor omnia vincit" (Labor conquers all things)
North Carolina
November 21, 1789
The Tar Heel State
"Esse quam videri" (To be, rather than to seem)
Illinois
December 3, 1818
The Prairie State
"State sovereignty, national union"
Delaware
December 7, 1787
The First State
"Liberty and Independence"
Mississippi
December 10, 1817
The Magnolia State
"Virtute et armis" (By valor and arms)
Indiana
December 11, 1816
The Hoosier State
"The Crossroads of America"
Pennsylvania
December 12, 1787
The Keystone State
"Virtue, Liberty, and Independence"
Alabama
December 14, 1819
The Yellowhammer State
"Audemus jura nostra defendere" (We dare defend our rights)
New Jersey
December 18, 1787
The Garden State
"Liberty and prosperity"
Iowa
December 28, 1846
The Hawkeye State
"Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain"
bottom of page