Flag History
Illinois has had two state flags. In 1913 a contest was held for the best state flag design offered by one of the Illinois chapters of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Lucy Derwent's winning design took elements from the state seal designed by Sharon Tyndale, the secretary of state in 1868. When an American officer in Vietnam complained that the flag laced distinction, the wheels were in motion for some changes. The flag was replaced in 1970 by a flag that was revised by Mrs. Sanford Hutchinson. It contains an exact copy of Tyndale's state seal, with the word "Illinois" in blue letters below.
Flag Adopted: 1970
State Nickname: The Prairie State or Land of Lincoln
State Motto: State sovereignty - national union
Area: 56,400 square miles
Approximate Population: 11.5 million
Capital: Springfield
Largest City: Chicago
Major Products: food products, coal, livestock, corn
State Bird: Eastern Cardinal
State Tree: Oak
State Flower: Meadow Violet
