GORHAM (NEWS CENTER Maine) — Maine's state flag comes to us from the Civil War. Like about 20 other states, Maine regiments put the state seal on a blue background.
Earlier, before the days of standardization, Mainers used a different flag. It featured a pine tree and North Star on a buff background. Earlier accounts had the color buff being similar to the color of a burlap bag.
The Gorham Flag Center and The Maine Flag Company are offering versions of the flag.
They are seeing increased interest since stories ran in the Bangor Daily News and Down East magazine.
"It's really exciting to see our flags in what we call 'the wild,'" said Bethany Field of Maine Flag.
She hand sews appliqués of pine trees and North Stars on flags. She thinks a new order would take six weeks.
The Gorham Flag Center offers a silk-screened Maine flag.
Maine and Massachusetts are the only states with two official flags. Maine also has a Maine merchant and marine flag, which features a pine tree and an anchor with the words "Dirigo" and "Maine" at the top and bottom.