State Seal, Song and Symbols

Del. Code tit. 29, ch. 3
in effect

Del. Code tit. 29, § 301 Great Seal.

The seal now used as the Great Seal of this State and bearing the arms of this State shall be the Great Seal of this State. It is emblazoned as follows: Party per fess, or and argent, the first charged with a garb (wheat sheaf) in bend dexter and an ear of maize (Indian Corn) in bend sinister, both proper; the second charged with an ox statant, ruminating, proper; fess, wavy azure, supporters on the dexter a husbandman with a hilling hoe, on the sinister a rifleman armed and accoutred at ease. Crest, on a wreath azure and argent, a ship under full sail, proper, with the words “Great Seal of the State of Delaware,” the dates “1704, 1776, and 1787,” and the words “Liberty and Independence” engraved thereon.

Del. Code tit. 29, § 302 Seal of state officials, courts and public officers.

The seals of the Secretary of State and Auditor of Accounts and of the several courts of this State and of the several public offices and officers in the several counties, now established and used, shall be the seals of such courts, offices and officers respectively and shall be so received and used. The seal of the office of the clerk of peace shall be the seal of the county government of Kent and Sussex Counties. The seal of the office of the clerk of the county council shall be the seal of the county government of New Castle County.

Del. Code tit. 29, § 303 State song.

The official state song shall consist of the poem “Our Delaware” containing 3 verses, each verse in honor of a county of this State, written by George B. Hynson; a fourth verse in praise of the State and pledging the loyalties of its citizens, written by Donn Devine; and a musical score composed specifically for the state song by Will M. S. Brown.

Del. Code tit. 29, § 306 State flag.

The design of the official state flag shall be as follows: A background of colonial blue surrounding a diamond of buff in which diamond is placed the correct coat of arms of the State in the colors prescribed by law and in accordance with § 301 of this title, with the words, “December 7, 1787,” to be inscribed underneath the diamond. The official state colors, colonial blue and buff, are designated by the Textile Color Card Association of the United States, Inc., New York, as “arno blue” Cable No. 10663, and “golden beige” Cable No. 10781 respectively; the color shades having been determined by Colorimetric Specifications of the National Bureau of Standards, United States Department of Commerce, in Test No. 2, 1/140565, dated November 18, 1954, which is on file with the Delaware Public Archives, Dover, Delaware. The colors of the coat of arms and other elements of the state flag shall be the following: Husbandman, trousers of gray brown, shirt of red, hat and hilling hoe of brown; rifleman, suit of green, binding, bag and leggings of buff, hat of brown, powder flask and feather of gray; shield, frame of shaded yellow, top panel of orange, center panel of blue, lower panel of white, ox of red brown, grass and corn of green, wheat and branches underfoot of yellow, heraldric wreath to be blue and silver (twisted); ship under full sail to have a dark hull and white sails; date, December 7, 1787, to be white; cord and tassels to be blue and gold.

Del. Code tit. 29, § 307 Governor’s flag.

The official flag of the Governor of the State shall be identical to the official flag of this State except that it shall also bear a fringe of gold surrounding the edge of the flag and the pole upon which the Governor’s flag is carried shall have mounted thereon a model of a blue hen’s fighting cock.

Del. Code tit. 29, § 308 State flower.

The peach blossom, as originally adopted as the floral emblem of the State on May 9, 1895, shall be the official state flower.

Del. Code tit. 29, § 313 State herb.

Solidago odora, commonly known as “sweet golden rod,” shall be the official herb of the State.

Del. Code tit. 29, § 315 State butterfly.

The tiger swallowtail ( Pterourus glaucus ) is the official butterfly of the State.

Del. Code tit. 29, § 316 State soil.

Greenwich loam (a coarse, loamy, mixed, semiactive, mesic, Typic Hapludult) is the official soil of the State.

Del. Code tit. 29, § 317 State star.

The official state star is Delaware Diamond, located in the constellation of Ursa Major (Great Bear), with coordinates of right ascension 9 h 40 m 44 s and declination 48°14′2″.

Del. Code tit. 29, § 320 State macroinvertebrate.

The stonefly (order Plecoptera ) is the official macroinvertebrate of the State.

Del. Code tit. 29, § 324 State shell.

The shell of the channeled whelk (Busycotypus canaliculatus) shall be the official shell of the State.

Del. Code tit. 29, § 331 9/11 Remembrance Flag.

(a) The 9/11 Remembrance Flag is designated as the symbol of our State’s concern and commitment to remembering all of the lives lost as a result of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Among those lost were members of the military, police, fire, and other rescue and first-response personnel acting in the line of duty. Each year on September 11, schools are encouraged to offer instruction on the events of that day, and the role of the many military, police, fire, and other rescue and first-response personnel in responding to the attacks. (b) The chief administrator of each governmental building or facility within this State, as defined in subsection (c) of this section, is encouraged to display the 9/11 Remembrance Flag on September 11 of each year. (c) For purposes of this section, “governmental building or facility within this State” means the following locations: (1) The Delaware Legislative Hall, the Office of the Governor and each other Delaware constitutional office, the chambers of the Delaware Senate and the Delaware House of Representatives, the Delaware Supreme Court Building and each Delaware trial courthouse, as well as any official State of Delaware veterans’ memorial, Delaware veterans’ home, or Delaware veterans’ cemetery; (2) To the extent authorized by federal law and regulation, any United States veterans’ cemetery, veterans’ memorial, post office, or other federal building, as well as any United States Department of Veterans Affairs medical center, veterans service center, and veterans’ community-based outreach center; (3) Any appropriate local government building or facility, as determined by the governing body of that local government. (d) This section may not be construed or interpreted to require any employee to report to work solely for the purpose of providing for the display of the 9/11 Remembrance Flag or any other flag. (e) If a governmental building or facility within this State opts to display the 9/11 Remembrance Flag, the chief administrator of that facility shall prescribe procedures necessary for the display. (f) The 9/11 Remembrance Flag is permitted to be flown beneath, and is not in place of, the American Flag. (g) Any named public office or public official may accept a donation of 1 or more 9/11 Remembrance Flags for the purpose of this section.
Source: DE Code (Official Site)URL: https://delcode.delaware.gov/title29/c003/index.htmlFetched: 10/4/2026

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