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The beehive has been Utah’s defining symbol since Brigham Young chose it for the provisional State of Deseret in 1848 — a word from the Book of Mormon meaning “honeybee.” The Great Seal, designed by Harry Edwards and C. M. Jackson and adopted at statehood on 3 April 1896, places the beehive beneath the motto INDUSTRY, flanked by sego lilies and guarded by a bald eagle. For 111 years, the state flag was simply this seal on a dark blue field. On 9 March 2024, Utah replaced it with a bold new design — a blue-white-red tricolour with a gold beehive in a hexagon and a five-pointed star — while granting the old flag co-official “Historic State Flag” status. Unlike Minnesota’s divisive change, Utah’s transition was smoother: two referendum attempts by opponents failed to gather enough signatures.
| State | Utah (45th state, admitted 4 January 1896) |
|---|---|
| Nickname | The Beehive State |
| State seal | Eagle, six arrows, beehive, sego lilies, INDUSTRY, dates 1847/1896 |
| Seal adopted | 3 April 1896; designed by Harry Edwards & C. M. Jackson ($65) |
| Motto | Industry (official since 1959) |
| New flag | Blue-white-red tricolour, beehive in hexagon, star (adopted 9 March 2024) |
| Old flag | Dark blue with seal (1913–2024); now “Historic State Flag” |
| Flag task force | Established 2020 (Sen. Dan McCay); 7,000+ submissions |
| Capital | Salt Lake City |
| Referendum attempts | Two failed (21,030 and 99,125 sigs vs 134,298 needed) |
Great Seal of Utah — Beehive, eagle, sego lilies, INDUSTRY
The Great Seal was adopted on 3 April 1896 at the first session of the Legislature, designed by Harry Edwards and C. M. Jackson for $65 (about $2,500 today).
Flag of Utah — The 2024 Beehive Flag
For 111 years, Utah flew a dark blue field bearing the state seal — a classic “seal on a bedsheet” design, often criticised for being indistinguishable from dozens of other state flags at a distance.
The new design is a horizontal tricolour of irregular bands:
At the centre sits a gold-outlined blue hexagon (evoking honeycomb) containing a gold beehive, with a white five-pointed star below — honouring both the five original tribal nations of Utah and the state’s position as the 45th star on the American flag.
In 2020, Senator Dan McCay established the Utah State Flag Task Force. The task force received over 7,000 submissions, hired professional artists and vexillologists to refine the designs, and presented options for public review. The bill passed the House 40–35 and the Senate 19–9–1, and was signed by Governor Spencer Cox on 21 March 2023. The new flag took effect on 9 March 2024.
Unlike most flag replacements, Utah chose to preserve the old flag as the “Historic State Flag,” granting it co-official status. It continues to fly year-round at the Utah State Capitol and on special occasions statewide — a gesture that helped ease the transition.
The seal features a bald eagle, six arrows, the motto INDUSTRY, a beehive, sego lilies, American flags, and the dates 1847 (Mormon settlement) and 1896 (statehood). It was designed by Harry Edwards and C. M. Jackson and adopted on 3 April 1896.
The beehive has been Utah’s symbol since 1848, when Brigham Young chose it for the provisional State of Deseret — a Book of Mormon word meaning “honeybee.” It symbolises industry, cooperation, and collective effort in Latter-day Saint theology.
Utah adopted a new flag on 9 March 2024, replacing the 1913 seal-on-blue design. The old flag was re-designated as the “Historic State Flag” and retains co-official status — it still flies at the Utah Capitol.
Blue = skies and lakes; white (with five peaks) = mountains; red = desert canyons. The gold hexagon evokes honeycomb (strength), the beehive = industry, and the star honours the five original tribal nations and Utah’s 45th star on the American flag.
Opponents launched two signature campaigns for a referendum, but both failed — gathering only 21,030 and 99,125 signatures against the 134,298 required.
Last reviewed by the Emblema Mundi editorial team on 2026-06-25.