Thursday, May 4, 2023

Looking Back: Dorchester Lawmaker, Crete Woman Gave Us State Flag

Florence Hazen Miller of Crete, right. 

Nebraska's official flag should always fly a little bit higher in Dorchester and Crete.

That's because the individual most responsible for convincing the Nebraska Legislature to approve of our state flag (or banner, as it was called in 1925) was State Sen. Charles Meacham Jr. of Dorchester.

Sen. Meacham was steadfast in his legislative efforts primarily because of the consistent urging of constituent Mrs. Florence Hazen Miller of Crete, a staunch advocate to establish an official Nebraska flag. 

In fact, the first place Nebraska's state flag flew -- at least following its official designation in the mid-1920s -- was in Crete. 

According to the State Historical Society, "At one second after midnight on July 1, 1925 -- the day the banner law took effect -- a small Nebraska flag with a fifteen-inch-diameter state seal embroidered in gold and silver was hoisted on a pole in Crete, probably by Mrs. Miller, and it remained flying until 8 a.m."

Interestingly, this adoption of a state flag was a fairly big deal back in the day, mostly because Nebraska was the last state at that time to get its own banner. 

As of 1920, each of the other 47 states had already adopted a flag. 

Read about it at the Nebraska History Museum's website.

Then go fly your Nebraska flag high!

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