Flag of Maine (1901–1909)
Open-knowledge reference entry
The flag of the U.S. state of Maine from 1901 to 1909 was the first official flag to be used to represent the state other than its militia; it was replaced by Maine’s current flag, featuring the state’s coat of arms, in 1909.
The flag has seen a revival of interest due to local Maine vexillologists advocating for its re-adoption and businesses selling reproductions of it. There has been a movement for Maine to readopt a version of this flag design since at least 1991, with an unsuccessful referendum on the issue having been held in November 2024.
Design
Although the official pattern for "Embroidered or Painted Bunting" was published by the Legislature, the 1901 legislative document simply states “buff charged with the emblem of the State, a pine tree proper in the center and the polar star (a mullet of five points), in blue in the upper corner.” As long as this criterion is met, the flag should be considered a Maine state flag. Some flags today might have stylized pine trees or various shades of “buff” (beige). The pine tree is a traditional symbol of New England and has been featured on New England flags since at least 1686, notably the Pine Tree Flag.
A modern popular version of the flag uses a tree design from the Maine merchant and marine flag.
History
Although Maine had a semi-official militia flag from the 1820s to at least the 1860s, an official design was first proposed at the time the State House was being enlarged.
Adoption
On March 6, 1901, An act to establish a State Flag was read in the State House of Representatives and referred to the Military Affairs Committee. It was read the next day in the State Senate and also referred to Military Affairs.
Begin with the source’s own compact description: “Flag of Maine (1901–1909)” is open-knowledge reference entry. The dossier treats that line as a proposition to test through Flag, Maine and Open-knowledge, not as a finished interpretation.
Why this record matters
The phrase “open-knowledge reference entry” supplies a clear boundary for inquiry. It also exposes the unanswered questions: who defined that boundary, when it became stable and which sources sit outside it.
Vocabulary and entity names are the principal evidence signals here, because they determine the precision of every later search. The source revision retrieved here is dated Aug 23, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q56275734. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 1901, 1909, 1991 and 2024.
Overview language is designed for orientation and should not be treated as a substitute for the evidence cited beneath it. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.
- Subject orientation
- Search vocabulary
- Locating named sources
The closest primary source, responsible institution and strongest cited specialist reference.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Flag of Maine (1901–1909)”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Flag of Maine (1901–1909) primary sources, Flag of Maine (1901–1909) archive and Flag research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Flag of Maine (1901–1909)”?
- Which institution is responsible for the underlying evidence?
- Which cited source is closest to the event, object or claim?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Flag of Maine (1901–1909)” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.