In 2002, Ann Gerdts, President, Scottish Heritage Society of Iowa, talked to Nydia Osweiler, representing Clans Guthrie and MacAlister in Minnesota. Nydia's husband Mark, a native Iowan, wanted to assist us in designing and registering a tartan for the State of Iowa. Mark completed one for Minnesota. The process starts with colors representing those seen or symbolic to the State. Yellow for corn or State bird, Green for corn or grass, Brown for the earth, Red for barns or State flower, White for snow, Blue for water or sky. Mike coordinated the colors into 30 tartan designs and brought them to the 2002 CelticFest in Cedar Rapids. The tartan choices receiving the most votes for Regular and Dress were selected. Our selections were presented to the SHSI Greater Des Moines chapter and the American Scottish Society of the Quad Cities. They approved of the selections and each chapter donated $90 to help fund the process.
The Iowa Tartans were approved by the Iowa Senate and House on Tartan Day, April 6, 2004. The Scottish Tartan Board approved the Iowa Tartan as "official" in September 2004. Each tartan requires a minimum of 60 yards before a batch can be woven.
History
September 30, 2004 - Iowa Tartans are approved by Scottish Tartan Council as official registered tartans.
From Ann Gerdts, SHSI President: I heard today that the Iowa Tartans have been approved by the Scottish Tartan Council. After two years, the process is finally complete. The fee for registering the tartans was 200 pounds sterling, which was paid by the Scottish Heritage Society of Iowa (SHSI).
June 28, 2004 - the "dress" tartan has been ordered and will go into production shortly. ISHS President Ann Gerdts gave the go-ahead to start procedures to register both tartans with the Tartan Council in Scotland.
April 6, 2004 - the Iowa Tartans are approved as official State of Iowa Tartans by the State Legislature.
May, 2003 - the tartans are available for purchase on-line (see top of page)
March 19, 2003 - Senate Concurrent Resolution 10, was filed by Iowa State Senator Maggie Tinsman of Davenport, as "a concurrent resolution designating the Iowa tartan and the Iowa dress tartan as the official state tartan." However, the process was delayed and not voted upon in 2003.
Dec 7, 2002 - SHSI President, Ann Gerdts reports that the 3 yard samples of the tartans are being woven.
The process takes 6 to 8 weeks. Framed samples are being prepared for presentations and a State legislator has been contacted to prepare the resolution for approval by the State The remaining yardage will be divided into 3 pieces and each Chapter will receive about a yard of each sample to frame, cut up as they wish.
Nov 26, 2002 - SHSI President, Ann Gerdts reports that the Quad Cities and Des Moines Chapters of the Scottish Heritage Society of Iowa (SHSI, our state governing organization), have also approved the proposed tartans.
Nov 2, 2002 - HAGGIS membership in Cedar Rapids voted and approved the choices for the Iowa Tartans at their Guy Fawkes Night
October 14, 2002 - Mark Osweiler, tartan designer, was present with about 30 samples of tartans.
A vote was taken from people present at the festival and two tartans were selected as the regular and dress Iowa tartans.
Order Rosettes & Chevrons - Ann Gerdts, SHSI President has volunteered to make "Rosettes" for those in Iowa that wish to order them. She will also make "Chevrons" for men that want to sport the Iowa Tartan.
