On Nov. 28, 1901, “a token of appreciation” was announced as an honorarium for one man, and this symbol’s importance would be realized in the creation of a Maine state flag.

Gen. John Tudor Richards was born in Gardiner on July 23, 1841. Richards had served in the 2nd Massachusetts Cavalry during the American Civil War and served in the Spanish American War in 1898. Gen. Richards also served as the 24th adjutant general of Maine from 1897–1901.

Before leaving his position, Richards designed what he envisioned as the official flag of Maine, a cream-colored background with a blue star in the corner and a green tree at the center. Richards also pushed for legislation to canonize his design in Maine state law.

When Richards left the adjutant general’s post in 1901, his many friends in the Legislature sent him off with a great “token of appreciation” by passing Richard’s legislation and formalizing Maine’s first official flag. These men then bestowed a gift of “a belt buckle, studded with diamonds” and replete with a “gold pendant … of the new state flag.”

Richards’ design harkened back to his days serving the State of Massachusetts. The design he created for Maine’s flag was a variant of the Massachusetts Navy Ensign, which had been in use since 1776 and was in wide use throughout New England prior to the War for American Independence.

Since Maine’s statehood in 1820 and “long before the Civil War, the state provided banners” or state bunting, “which carried the seal of the state in the center.” By the time of the Civil War “Maine regiments carried silken state colors on which the seal of the state or [Federal] insignia of the particular regiment was emblazoned” against a blue background.

After Gen. Richards left the state in the fall of 1901, the Pine Tree Flag “failed to have a sponsor” and did not become popular, and very few were ever made or displayed. By 1909, the sentiment of appreciation had long since faded, and Richards’ design was replaced by our current and official flag of the State Of Maine.

The general feeling of a majority of Maine’s veterans and citizens “believed that the flag which served the Maine regiments during the civil war, and later the Spanish War, should be the official flag of the state.”

By September 1909, having heard the voice of Maine’s people, the 74th Maine Legislature had moved to make “the old flag” of Maine — which had previously been the official bunting of the Pine Tree State — Maine’s new and official state flag.

And the design of this new Maine flag was permanently set under law with the original Maine state seal, which had been appointed by Maine’s constitutional framers at the time of statehood, centered against a “Union blue” field.

“And, thus, the new flag of the state” one newspaper wrote, “… is really the old flag,” and the arrival of the new state flag was seen as “… a decided improvement.” “The Union Blue of the traditional Maine flag honors the legacy of our forbearers and the sacrifices [made] to save the Union and Free the Slaves.”

“In 1866, by resolution, flags from ‘the late rebellion’ [were] preserved” and were later “placed on display in the central hall of the State House” where “flags of Maine units … in World War I, World War II and the Korean War, were added to the display.”

Today, the many flags of our Maine servicemen and women, who have and continue to serve our nation and our state, are still displayed in the Hall of Flags at the Maine State House in Augusta and at places such as the Maine Military Museum in South Portland.

The “Pine Tree Flag,” with a blue star in the upper corner and a “buff background,” harkens back to the days of British rule, when Maine was a part of Massachusetts and Massachusetts was a part of Great Britain.

This pine tree symbol remains in use today in Maine Maritime Academy’s ensign and has flown proudly as the Massachusetts Naval and Maritime flag since 1776. And the state flag of Massachusetts also displays a star in the upper corner of their current state standard.

Today, our “Dirigo Flag” flies high as the emblem of the state of Maine, as it has for the last 115 years. Together with yesteryear’s Pine Tree standard, each are ensigns of Maine, both displayed with pride, and each proudly serving our great state as the most displayed and more patriotic of our Stories from Maine.

Lori-Suzanne Dell is a Brunswick author and historian. She has published four books and runs the “Stories from Maine” Facebook page.