Colorado State Tartan
Colorado Tartan
Adopted on March 3, 1997.
The Colorado General Assembly passed a resolution adopting an official state tartan on March 3, 1997. The tartan is comprised of a pattern and colors that symbolize Colorado's splendor and history. The pattern or sett consists of primary blocks of forest green and cerulean blue separated by broad dividing bands of black, with the forest green checks containing two pairs of tram tracks consisting of lavender and white and with the cerulean blue checks containing a gold stripe with red guard lines. The official state tartan is a Celtic and a "district" tartan that may be worn by any resident or friend of Colorado whether or not of Celtic heritage. July 1st is designated as "Tartan Day" in Colorado under House Joint Resolution 96-1014. An image of the tartan will be available on this site after the tartan is registered with the International Association of Tartan Studies. Citation: House Joint Resolution 97-1016.
Colorado State Tartan: Colorado Tartan
The Colorado tartan is registered with the International Association of Tartan Studies.
Colorado State Tartan thread count, which may be verified on the website of the Scottish Tartans Authority:
- [Y/8] R6 MB34 K40 G4 W6 Lv6 W6 [G/64]
Tartan refers to fabric woven into plaid patterns representing clans (families) or regions in Scotland. In old Scotland, the tartan was used for clothing and as a banner or flag. Because a family or community worked the cloth together, their clothing was made of the same patterns, and so a person could be recognized by the tartan plaid that he wore. Tartans can also be designed as a symbol commemorating a special event or person.
First Regular Session Sixty-first General Assembly
LLS NO. R97@0643.01 TDG State of Colorado
BY REPRESENTATIVES McPherson and Hagedorn;
also SENATOR Alexander.
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 97-1016
WHEREAS, Many Coloradans of Scottish, Irish, and other Celtic descents have made significant contributions to the development and cultural richness
of Colorado before and since the granting of Colorado's statehood in 1876; and
WHEREAS, July 1 has been designated as "Tartan Day" pursuant to House Joint Resolution 96-1014 and the people of Colorado should have an official tartan
to wear on that day; and
WHEREAS, The official tartan is not only a Celtic tartan but also a "district" tartan that may be worn by any resident or friend of Colorado, whether
or not of Celtic heritage; and
WHEREAS, The official state tartan is comprised of a pattern and colors that are symbolic of Colorado's splendor and history; and
WHEREAS, The crispness of the color blue captures the beauty of the clear Colorado skies and the coolness of forest green renders images of pine and
spruce that grace the mountains with dignity; and
WHEREAS, The contrasting colors of lavender and white are reflective of the granite mountain peaks and the snow that crowns them in the winter months,
inspiring the song "America the Beautiful" and its references to "purple mountain majesties", and are found in the state flower, the white and lavender
columbine; and
WHEREAS, The brilliance of the color gold signifies the vast wealth of mineral resources to which the mining industry was attracted and on which the
state's early economy was built; and
WHEREAS, The essence of the color red distinguishes the "C" on the state flag and also signifies the red sandstone soil which gave the area its name
Colorado, meaning red in Spanish; and
WHEREAS, In order to officially register a tartan in the International Association of Tartan Studies, legislative action must first be taken; now,
therefore,
Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Sixtyfirst General Assembly of the State of Colorado, the Senate concurring herein:
That we, the members of the Colorado General Assembly and the people of Colorado, officially declare and recognize the tartan having a pattern or sett
consisting of primary blocks of forest green and cerulean blue separated by broad dividing bands of black, with the forest green checks containing
two pairs of tram tracks consisting of lavender and white and with the cerulean blue checks containing a gold stripe with red guard lines, to be the
official state tartan.
