Photo courtesy of Anita Gaul Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon presented Anita Gaul with the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) Medallion Award on Saturday. Gaul was one of four Minnesotans honored for their work in designing and selecting a new state flag and seal.

It was the retirement of one Minnesota state symbol, and the unfurling of another. At dawn Saturday, a small crowd of people were gathered in St. Paul to see Minnesota’s new state flag design raised over the Capitol building for the first time.

“It was a very respectful ceremony. It was beautiful,” said Marshall resident Anita Gaul. Gaul, who served on the commission charged with selecting a new state flag and seal last year, traveled to St. Paul this weekend to attend ceremonies for Minnesota’s Statehood Day.

Minnesota’s new state flag and seal designs became official on May 11, Statehood Day.

Gaul said the changing of the flag at the Capitol was done early in the morning, following official flag etiquette. Members of the State Emblems Redesign Commission, the Minnesota National Guard and the Minnesota Historical Society were among the people gathered outside the Capitol before 5 a.m.

“It was a small, low-key ceremony,” but still very solemn, Gaul said.

Members of the National Guard lowered the former state flag before sunrise, Gaul said. They then carefully folded the flag and presented it to the state Historical Society. The flag was placed in a special archival box for preservation by the Historical Society, Gaul said.

At sunrise, the new flag was raised over the Capitol, she said.

Later that day, Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon unveiled the new Minnesota state seal in a Statehood Day reception.

“There were a lot of people there,” Gaul said. Attendees included state legislators, the Minnesota State Auditor, and former Minnesota Secretaries of State Joan Growe and Mark Ritchie.

In addition to unveiling the new Minnesota state seal, Secretary of State Steve Simon presented a total of four people with the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) Medallion Award.

Gaul, who served as vice-chair of the State Emblems Redesign Commission, was presented with one of the medallions. Also receiving the NASS Medallion Award were State Emblems Redesign Commission chair Luis Fitch, new state flag designer Andrew Prekker, and new state seal designer Russ Bruggink.

“It is the highest award a secretary of state of any state can give to someone,” Gaul said.

“It was kind of overwhelming to be given that award,” she said. However, Gaul said it was nice to be recognized for the many hours of work that she and fellow commission members put into the selection process. All the State Emblems Redesign Commission members served as volunteers, she said.

Gaul said it was also exciting to see Andrew Prekker at the Statehood Day reception. Prekker, a Luverne resident, submitted the flag design that was eventually chosen by the commission.

“It was wonderful to meet him for the first time in person,” she said. During the selection process, Prekker had kept a low profile, and didn’t do media interviews.

It was hard to describe the feeling of seeing the new state flag and seal become official, Gaul said.

“The whole day, I felt, was one of great pride,” she said. “I’m very proud I could be part of this.”

We should see Minnesota government agencies and buildings start to use the new flag and seal designs over the course of this year, Gaul said. They have until January to display the new designs, which should allow some time to use up current supplies, she said.

In Marshall, some buildings, like the Minnesota State Patrol and Minnesota Department of Transportation office along Highway 19, are already flying the new flag.

Gaul said there are some vendors online selling Minnesota state flags with the new design, if members of the public are interested in buying one. Those vendors include the American Flagpole & Flag Co., at www.aflag.com, and Flags For Good, at flagsforgood.com.