Maine's 1901 Pine Tree Flag Finds New Fans Eager to See It Fly Again

Maine did not rush into a flag. Statehood came in 1820, but the pine tree design most closely tied to the state's identity did not appear until 1901, and even then it was short-lived, soon set aside for a state seal. Now Maine voters are pushing to see that early design return, a preference for the plainer, more graphic mark over the seal that replaced it. The renewed interest treats an early piece of state design as something worth restoring, not merely archiving.

With reporting from The Collector.