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Missouri’s state emblems are among the most heraldically elaborate in the nation. The Great Seal, designed by Judge Robert William Wells and adopted on 11 January 1822, features two grizzly bears supporting a shield divided between the state arms (a crescent moon and bear) and the US eagle, topped by a helmet with 24 stars and bearing the motto “United We Stand, Divided We Fall.” Below, the Latin Salus Populi Suprema Lex Esto (“The Welfare of the People Shall Be the Supreme Law”). The flag, designed by Mary Elizabeth Oliver of Cape Girardeau and adopted on 22 March 1913 after three legislative attempts, is a red-white-blue tricolor with the coat of arms encircled by 24 stars — the stripes evoking Missouri’s French colonial heritage.
| State | Missouri (24th state, admitted 10 August 1821) |
|---|---|
| State seal | Two grizzly bears, shield with crescent/bear and eagle, helmet, 24 stars |
| Seal designer | Judge Robert William Wells |
| Seal adopted | 11 January 1822 |
| State flag | Red-white-blue tricolor with coat of arms and 24 stars |
| Flag designer | Mary Elizabeth Oliver (Cape Girardeau, DAR) |
| Flag adopted | 22 March 1913 |
| Motto | Salus Populi Suprema Lex Esto (“The Welfare of the People Shall Be the Supreme Law”) |
| Capital | Jefferson City |
| Nickname | The Show-Me State |
| State flower | White hawthorn blossom (Crataegus) |
Great Seal of Missouri — Salus Populi Suprema Lex Esto — since 1822
The Missouri seal is one of the most symbolically dense in the nation, combining heraldic tradition, frontier imagery, and classical Latin.
Two grizzly bears serve as heraldic supporters, flanking a central shield divided vertically. The left half (the state side) shows a silver crescent moon and a grizzly bear. The right half displays the US coat of arms eagle with stars and stripes. The shield bears the inscription “United We Stand, Divided We Fall.” Above the shield, a knight’s helmet sits beneath a large star surrounded by 23 smaller stars, representing Missouri as the 24th state.
In heraldry, the crescent is the mark of a second son. On Missouri’s seal, it denotes that Missouri was the second state formed from territory outside the original boundaries of the United States (after Louisiana). It also symbolizes the growing situation of the state — its expanding population, wealth, and power.
Salus Populi Suprema Lex Esto (“The Welfare of the People Shall Be the Supreme Law”) is derived from Cicero’s De Legibus. It expresses the principle that government exists to serve the people.
The seal was designed by Judge Robert William Wells and adopted on 11 January 1822, less than five months after Missouri became the 24th state on 10 August 1821.
Flag of Missouri — Tricolor with coat of arms, adopted 1913
The Missouri flag is a red-white-blue tricolor bearing the state coat of arms — a design that took three legislative attempts to adopt.
Mary Elizabeth Oliver of Cape Girardeau began the flag project in 1908 as chairperson of a Daughters of the American Revolution committee. Her friend Mary Kochitzky rendered the painted paper flag. Bills were introduced by Senator Arthur L. Oliver (her nephew) in 1909 and 1911, but failed. The third attempt succeeded when Governor Elliot Woolfolk Major signed the Oliver Flag Bill on 22 March 1913.
Three equal horizontal stripes — red (valor), white (purity), and blue (permanency, vigilance, justice) — with the state coat of arms at center, encircled by a blue band bearing 24 white stars. The three colors also highlight the French influence on the state during its early years as part of French Louisiana.
The 24 stars on the blue band encircling the coat of arms represent Missouri’s position as the 24th state admitted to the Union.
Two grizzly bears support a shield divided between a crescent moon/bear (state) and eagle (US). A helmet with 24 stars sits above. Mottos: “United We Stand, Divided We Fall” and Salus Populi Suprema Lex Esto. Designed by Robert William Wells, adopted 11 January 1822.
Latin for “The Welfare of the People Shall Be the Supreme Law,” derived from Cicero’s De Legibus. It is Missouri’s official state motto.
The grizzly bears symbolize the state’s strength and its citizens’ bravery. Grizzly bears were once native to Missouri’s frontier territories.
Mary Elizabeth Oliver of Cape Girardeau designed the flag in 1908 for the DAR. Her friend Mary Kochitzky painted the prototype. It was adopted on 22 March 1913 after three legislative attempts.
The crescent denotes Missouri as the second state formed outside the original US boundaries (after Louisiana) and symbolizes growth. The 24 stars represent Missouri as the 24th state, admitted 10 August 1821.
Last reviewed by the Emblema Mundi editorial team on 2026-06-27.