Indiana Statehood: December 11, 1816, and Its Flag

Indiana became the 19th state on December 11, 1816. Its first constitution had been completed at Corydon earlier that year. The blue-and-gold design associated with Indiana today came from the statehood centennial era and was adopted as the state banner in 1917.

Indiana state flag with a gold torch and nineteen stars on a dark blue field.
FORTISVEX catalog illustration of the modern Indiana state flag. The flag design is separate from the statehood date.

When is Indiana's state birthday?

Indiana's statehood anniversary is December 11. The Indiana Archives and Records Administration identifies December 11, 1816, as admission day. Indiana joined an existing Union; this date was not one of the original thirteen states' ratifications of the U.S. Constitution.

Why does Corydon matter to Indiana statehood?

Corydon was the setting for Indiana's first constitutional convention. After Congress authorized a state constitution and government on April 19, 1816, delegates met from June 10 to June 29. Their work established a framework for the new state's government.

The State Archives' account of the 1816 constitution makes an important distinction: the constitution took effect on June 29 and was never submitted to the public for ratification. State elections followed in August, before formal admission in December. A timeline that gives only one of those dates misses part of the transition.

How the centennial led to Indiana's flag

During the movement to commemorate a century of statehood, the Indiana Daughters of the American Revolution sponsored a design competition. Mooresville artist Paul Hadley submitted the winning design. The legislature adopted it in 1917, adding the word Indiana.

The Indiana Historical Bureau's documented flag history clarifies the terminology: the design was officially the state banner in 1917 and became the state flag in 1955. Calling 1917 its adoption year is useful shorthand, but the banner-to-flag distinction explains why both years appear in historical accounts.

What do Indiana's torch and stars mean?

The torch represents liberty and enlightenment; its rays express their influence. The stars tell the admission story: thirteen around the outside stand for the original states, five inside stand for the next states admitted, and the larger star represents Indiana as number nineteen. These meanings are documented by the Indiana Historical Bureau.

Was the Indiana flag used in 1816?

No. Hadley's design belongs to the centennial period, a hundred years after statehood. Use it for a modern anniversary display, but do not identify it as an original 1816 flag. A caption can explain how the nineteen stars connect a later symbol to the earlier admission date.

Explore Indiana flags and other state birthdays

For a statehood display, compare the sizes, materials and mounting options in our Indiana state flag collection. For more anniversary dates, visit the U.S. state birthday calendar.

Sources and further reading

Oct 24th 2026 Taylor S.

Recent Posts