Flag History
Although it was the first state of the nation, Delaware took a long time in deciding on a state flag. Finally, state officials authorized a design that combined elements from previous flags. The diamond shape stands for an early nickname, the Diamond State, which referred to the perception that Delaware was small, but like a diamond, it was worth a great deal and had a lot to offer. The blue and buff colors represent the uniforms that some minutemen wore in battles during the Revolutionary War. The blue is also that of the blue hen, the official state bird. Within the diamond, a soldier and a farmer stand casually looking toward each other, signifying cooperation to maintain liberty and independence, the words below them.
Flag Adopted: 1913
State Nickname: The First State or The Diamond State
State Motto: Liberty & Independence
Area: 2,044 square miles
Approximate Population: 595,000
Capital: Dover
Largest City: Wilmington
Major Products: chemicals, processed food, livestock, corn
State Bird: Blue Hen Fighting Cock
State Tree: American Holly
State Flower: Peach Blossom
