THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE RESOLUTION

INTRODUCED BY O'NEILL, READSHAW, BRADFORD, BRENNAN, CALTAGIRONE, DiGIROLAMO, EVERETT, FABRIZIO, GINGRICH, HAHN, HARKINS, HENNESSEY, HESS, HORNAMAN, KILLION, KORTZ, KULA, MARSICO, MIRABITO, MURT, MUSTIO, MYERS, QUINN, ROCK, SCAVELLO, STEVENSON, VEREB AND YOUNGBLOOD, JANUARY 26, 2012

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, JANUARY 26, 2012  

A RESOLUTION

Designating the Pennsylvania Tartan as the Official Tartan of

this Commonwealth.

WHEREAS, Since the 17th century, Scottish families from both

the Highlands and Lowlands of Scotland have settled in this

Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, Scots became a major element of the population of

this great Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, Kilted Scottish soldiers were instrumental in

gaining the western half of the Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania Tartan is based upon the tartan

worn by these soldiers; and

WHEREAS, A tartan is a woolen cloth with a woven pattern of

colored strands of varying width crossing in straight lines over

a solid background, each unique to a clan, district, state or

group; and

WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania Tartan was designed by William H.

Johnston in 1992 in Skippack, Pennsylvania, and was registered

with the Tartan Educational and Cultural Association, now known

as the Scottish Tartans Authority, USA, on March 10, 1993; and

WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania Tartan is defined as a reversing

horizontal and vertical pattern of sixty threads of blue, four

of gold, four of blue, four of gold, ten of blue, ten of green,

thirty of black, ten of blue, forty of green, four of red, six

of black, four of red, forty of green, ten of blue, thirty of

black, ten of green, forty of blue, four of gold and four of

blue; and

WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania Tartan incorporates the colors of

the Pennsylvania State flag and honors the contribution of the

Scots to Pennsylvania; and

WHEREAS, Scots have made major contributions to all aspects

of our culture as we know it today; and

WHEREAS, The many Scottish organizations in this Commonwealth

annually hold events and celebrations, not limited to Highland

Games, where tartans are worn and are on display; and

WHEREAS, Since 1981, tartans have been designed for other

states and at present the Scottish Tartan Authority recognizes

25 state tartans; and

WHEREAS, The United States Senate and the United States House

of Representatives have separately passed resolutions

recognizing each April 6 as National Tartan Day for the purpose

of celebrating the contribution of Scots and Scottish-Americans

to American culture and history; therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate the

Pennsylvania Tartan as the official Tartan of this Commonwealth.