This historical
coat of arms of Indiana is an illustration from
State Arms of the Union by Henry Mitchell, published by Louis Prang in 1876. The sun rising over the
Allegheny Mountains suggests that
Indiana has a bright future. The woodsman represents civilization subduing the wilderness, while the
American bison represents the wilderness fleeing westward away from the advance of civilization. This design is also used on
the state seal, introduced in 1816, the year in which Indiana became a U.S. state.
Illustration credit: Henry Mitchell; restored by Andrew Shiva