Missouri’s 200-Year-Old Typo (That No One Wants to Fix)

Why The State Flag Has A Major Error Hidden In Plain Sight

If you have ever sat through one of my “Missouri Legends” talks, you know I can get a bit… passionate. Today, I’m leaning into some (mostly) faux internet outrage because I’ve uncovered a historical glitch hiding in plain sight.

I am genuinely baffled as to how this glaring chronological error has survived for over two centuries without a major protest at the state capitol. Before I reveal the “mistake” that should make every Missourian double-check their calendar, let’s look at how these symbols came to be.

---

The Anatomy of the Great Seal (1822)

In 1822, Judge Robert William Wells of St. Charles sat down to draft the visual identity of a young Missouri. He didn’t hold back on the symbolism.

The seal is a masterclass in 19th-century branding:

• The Celestial Map: A ring of 23 small stars encircling one large star—marking Missouri’s entry as the 24th state.
• The Guardians: Two grizzly bears (representing bravery and strength) supporting a belt emblazoned with the iconic “United We Stand, Divided We Fall.”
• The Legal Creed: The Latin motto Salus Populi Suprema Lex Esto (“Let the welfare of the people be the supreme law”).
• The “Problem” Child: At the very bottom sits the Roman numeral MDCCCXX.

Enter the “Betsy Ross of Missouri”

Fast forward to the early 1900s. Missouri had a seal, but it lacked a flag. Enter Marie Watkins Oliver.

Born into a wealthy Ray County family and highly educated, Marie eventually moved to Cape Girardeau. As a leader in the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), she took it upon herself to give the state a banner. She spent years researching and sewing, eventually placing the state seal front and center on a red, white, and blue tricolor. In 1913, her design became official, earning her the nickname the “Betsy Ross of Missouri.”

---

The Glitch: A Year Off?

Here is where the history gets messy. As we all (hopefully) remembered during the bicentennial celebrations in 2021, Missouri officially joined the Union in 1821.

So, why does the state seal—and by extension, the flag—shout 1820 (MDCCCXX) in bold Roman numerals?

If you ask state historians, they’ll tell you that 1820 was the year Missouri “officially began doing business.” We had a constitution and a functioning government, but thanks to the political firestorm of the Missouri Compromise, we weren’t actually admitted as a state until a year later.

The Verdict

I’ve combed through the seals of other states and it seems like Missouri is alone on this one. Missouri, in true “Show-Me State” fashion, decided to start the clock early.

Is it a crisis? Not really.

Is it a delightful quirk of our stubborn history? Absolutely.

The odds of us changing the seal now are slim to none, but at least you are now prepared if you ever find yourself on a game show facing a category called “Statehood Blunders.”