| The official state flag of
New Mexico was chosen from a flag competition
in 1920, which was held to replace an older
New Mexico flag. The winner was Dr. Harry Mera,
a doctor and archeologist from Santa Fe, New
Mexico. Dr. Mera's design is an interpretation
of an ancient Sun symbol called a Zia (this
symbol was found on a water jar made in the
late 1800s in Zia Pueblo). Since four is a sacred
number for the Zia, there are four rays coming
from each side of the stylized Sun. The colors
red and yellow are used because they were the
colors of the flag of the Spanish conquistadors
who went to New Mexico in the early 1500s.
Capital: Santa Fe
Nickname: Land of Enchantment
(1999)
Motto: Crescit eundo (It grows
as it goes)
Flower: Yucca (1927)
New Mexico was the 47th state in the USA; it
was admitted in 1912.
For more information about New Mexico click
here. |
