State Flag

The Alaska state flag has one of the most interesting (and famous) stories behind its creation of all our states.

The Flag of the State of Alaska consists of eight gold stars, forming the Big Dipper and the North Star, on a dark blue field.














It was designed in 1927 by Benny Benson, a 13-year-old Alaska Native residing at an orphanage in Seward, for a contest to create a flag for the then-Alaska Territory. Up to that time, Alaskans had flown only the U.S. flag since the territory was purchased from Russia in 1867. Benson's design was chosen over roughly 700 other submissions from schoolchildren territory-wide in grades 7–12. Most other entries featured variations on the territorial seal, the midnight sun, the northern lights, polar bears, and/or gold pans.

To celebrate his achievement, Benson was awarded $1,000 and an engraved watch. Benny looked to the sky for the symbols he included in his design, and he submitted this description with it:

"The blue field is for the Alaska sky and the forget-me-not, an Alaskan flower. The North Star is for the future state of Alaska, the most northerly in the union. The Dipper is for the Great Bear—symbolizing strength."

The Alaska Legislature adopted Benson's design as the official flag for the Territory of Alaska on May 2, 1927. It was retained as the state flag upon statehood in 1959.

The North Star design also works nicely with Alaska's state motto: "North to the Future."

This memorial to Benny Benson was erected in Seward.