The flag of the state of New Hampshire consists of the state seal centered on a blue background. The Great Seal depicts the frigateUSS Raleigh and is surrounded by a laurel wreath with nine stars. The Raleigh is one of the first 13 warships sponsored by the Continental Congress for a new American navy, built in 1776, at Portsmouth. The seal is surrounded by a laurel wreath. The wreath is an ancient symbol of fame, honor, and victory. The nine stars within the wreath show that New Hampshire was the ninth state to join the Union. The water stands for the harbor of Portsmouth, and in the yellow-colored spit of land is granite, a strong igneous rock, representing both New Hampshire's rugged landscape and the sturdy character of her people.
At least one elected official has suggested replacing the state seal in the center of the flag with the Old Man of the Mountain, to memorialize its collapse in 2003, but no official action has been taken on the proposal.
NH Flag Proposal "Pimsleurable 2" edited by Zolntsa
NH Flag Proposal "FlagFreak"
NH Flag Proposal "FederalRepublic"
NH Flag Proposal "Edward O'Connor"
NH Flag Proposal "ironchefshark"
NH Flag Proposal "J'raxis"
NH Flag Proposal "Catilina"
NH Flag Proposal "VulcanTrekkie45"
NH Flag Proposal "Frank Pastore"
NH Flag Proposal "Carlos Thompson"
NH Flag Proposal "Sammy"
NH Flag Proposal "VT45 1"
NH Flag Proposal "VT45 2"
NH Flag Proposal "Marmocet"
NH Flag Proposal "Leonardo Piccioni"
NH Flag Proposal "Tibbetts"
NH Flag Proposal by Kermitdefrog
NH Flag Proposal "Ben Karnell"
NH Flag Proposal "BigRed618"
New Hampshire flag proposal 1 by Hans. Jan 2014. (details)
New Hampshire flag proposal 2 by Hans. Sep 2015. (details)
New Hampshire flag proposal 3 by Hans. Oct 2015. (details)
New Hampshire flag proposal 4 by Hans. Oct 2016. (details)
New Hampshire flag proposal 5 by Hans. Oct 2016. (details)
New Hampshire flag proposal 6 by Hans. Oct 2016. (details)
New Hampshire flag proposal 7 by Hans. Oct 2016. (details)
New Hampshire flag proposal 8 by Hans. Oct 2016. (details)
New Hampshire State Flag Symplistic Proposal. The number one represents New Hampshire’s status as the first colony to break away from Great Britain in 1776. By Ed Mitchell. 2013.
Updated New Hampshire state flag proposal by Ed Mitchell. 2016.
New Hampshire Flag Proposal No. 5 Designed By: Stephen Richard Barlow 19 MAY 2015 at 0845 HRS CST (Canton Design Credit to: Vulcan Trekkie45)
New Hampshire Flag Proposal No. 6 Designed By: Stephen Richard Barlow 19 MAY 2015 at 0845 HRS CST (Canton Design Credit to: Vulcan Trekkie45)
New Hampshire Flag Proposal No. 7 Designed By: Stephen Richard Barlow 19 MAY 2015 at 0903 HRS CST (Canton Design Credit to: Vulcan Trekkie45)
New Hampshire Flag Proposal No. 8 Designed By: Stephen Richard Barlow 19 MAY 2015 at 0922 HRS CST (Canton Design Credit to: Vulcan Trekkie45).
NH Flag Proposal, August 2015
New Hampshire Flag Proposal No. 9 Designed By: Stephen Richard Barlow 07 AUG 2015 at 0912 HRS CST (Canton Design Credit to Vexillographer Vulcan Trekkie45)
NH flag proposal by 5thEye
New Hempshire Flag Proposal by TheMaster001
NH Flag Proposal "The Granite Banner" by paris1871
New Hampshire state flag proposal by James Dignan, October 2015, based on the flag of the English county of Hampshire
A proposal for the Flag of NH designed by State Representative Caleb Q. Dyer. 5 stripes for the 5 original counties; alternating blue and green to signify the importance of our natural resources (sea, lakes, and forests). A white canton to signify the purity of the values of the state constitution and our peoples' commitment to peace and prosperity. A green pine to represent the Pine Tree Riot of 1772. 10 gold stars to represent the 10 counties of the state.
A New Hampshire flag proposal by Chip. The blue represents the lakes, rivers and ocean. The green represents the lush landscapes seen in the spring and summer seasons, and a strong economy. The purple represents the beauty of the fall foliage and the state bird & state flower. The white represents the winter season and four of the largest NH ancestry groups (English, French, Irish, Italian). The mountains represent the White Mountains (and other mountains) in NH. The horizontal stripe layout represents the fifth-largest NH ancestry group (Germany).
9 horizontal stripes for NH beign the 9th state in admission. In white, granite and gold. Gold hollow star on blue hoist 1/3rd vertical stripe. Design by Rotten Ali.
New Hampshire state flag proposed by Ken Morton. My original design had a blue field with thirteen stars set within a cross of Saint George, symbolizing both New Hampshire's status as one of the original thirteen states, and its history as one of the colonies of New England. However, that original design seemed to lack a proper visual balance, so I modified the cross of Saint George into a nordic cross.
Green forest background with the White Mountains. Crossed muskets to suggest "Live Free or Die". By DmitriMcD, 2018.
NH Flag Design featuring Old Man in the Mountain, by "Rooztr"
Proposed by Ken Morton. My original design for a New Hampshire flag Thirteen stars set within a cross of Saint George, symbolizing both New Hampshire's status as one of the original thirteen states, and its history as one of the colonies of New England.
Symbolism
Flags of the Second New Hampshire Regiment
Blue flag
Buff flag
The Second New Hampshire fought in the American Revolutionary War from 1775 to 1783. The unit fought at Boston, Trois-Rivières, Trenton, and Princeton, and was based at Fort Ticonderoga during 1776 and 1777. The fort was abandoned on July 5, 1777, in the face of advancing British troops. On July 8, British forces captured part of the regiment, including two regimental colors. The flags remained in the family of the British commander, Lt. Col. John Hill, for many years. Author Gherardi Davis located them in 1907 while doing research on early American regimental colors. In 1913 Edward Tuck bought them and donated them to the New Hampshire Historical Society, where they remain on display on either side of the main staircase. A number of proposals for a new state flag use elements from these colors.
The Old Man of the Mountain
The Old Man of the Mountain was an iconic rock formation in New Hampshire's White Mountains. In 1945 New Hampshire declared it the official state emblem, and it appears in official iconography such as state highway signs, the state quarter, state police cars, and logos for government departments. Signs that the Old Man was growing unstable were observed as early as 1906, and despite almost a century of efforts to preserve it, the entire formation collapsed on May 3, 2003. Shortly after that, there was a failed effort to redesign the state seal around the Old Man symbol.
Purple lilac
The purple lilac is New Hampshire's state flower, and some proposed flags incorporate the flower or its leaves into their design. Use of the color purple may represent both the lilac and the purple finch, New Hampshire's state bird.
Paper birch
New Hampshire's state tree is the paper birch. Some proposed flags contain symbols that represent the leaves or bark of this tree.
White Mountains
Some flag designs incorporate mountains or the color white to represent the White Mountains, a range covering about a quarter of New Hampshire that is the most rugged in New England.