The city of Chicago is home to many rich historical events that many people know about. But how many know the history behind its iconic four-starred flag?
Chicago Mayor Carter Harrison, Jr., decided that it was time for the city to adopt its own official flag in 1915. He saw over 1,000 proposals before settling on a flag design by Wallace Rice — a lecturer in heraldry and flag history at the Art Institute of Chicago.
Chicago’s Iconic Flag
Originally, Rice’s flag had only incorporated stars to symbolize the 1871 Chicago fire and the Columbian Exposition. He chose six-pointed stars to distinguish them from the commonly seen five-pointed stars seen on national flags. To make them stand out from the Star of David each point forms a 30-degree internal angle.
Rice aligned the stars to the left side rather than having them centered to allow officials to add more if they wanted. In the 1930s they added two more to symbolize Fort Dearborn and the 1933 Century of Progress Exposition.
Since then there have been numerous campaigns to add a fifth star. They have attempted to honor Chicago’s role in the creation of the atomic bomb to the city’s place in the history of the Special Olympics. The flag has remained unchanged since 1939.
Flag Day
In 2017, Chicago’s City Council passed a resolution to make April 4 “Chicago Flag Day.” The resolution was introduced by Alderman Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35th) and his 48 co-sponsors. The day was chosen because it marked the 100th anniversary of Rice’s design being chosen.
The white base of the flag is divided into thirds to symbolize the North, West, and South sides of Chicago. The two blue bars dividing the flag represent Lake Michigan and both branches of the Chicago River.
Furthermore, Chicagoans are proud of their city’s flag and it’s been the topic of many articles. The Chicago Magazine once said the iconic symbol was a bigger deal than any other city.
Many residents feel a deep civic pride in the municipal flag that they have tattooed onto their bodies.
Flags Production
For over 100 years the city’s flag has been produced and distributed by the W.G.N Flag and Decorating Company located in the South Shore neighborhood. And no the WGN doesn’t stand for the TV station. It stands for William George Newbould, the man who started the company in 1916.
In an interview with WTTN, Newbould’s great-grandson stated, “The company actually started by my great-grandfather purchasing a stick flag from a street merchant, walking down the street, and selling it for twice what he paid for it.”
One-hundred-and-eight years later the company is still prospering and sewing flags, including the iconic municipal one. They even make banners and flags for the Chicago Blackhawks hockey team.
“We’ve also done all of the championship banners that hang in the United Centers. So the Bulls, the Blackhawks. Every dynasty in Chicago ends up coming back here,” stated Porter. Additionally, the company has even been called upon for flag emergencies such as preparing Chicago for a funeral of a figurehead or draping a flag over the coffin of a fallen police officer.
Take Pride in its History
Furthermore, Chicago’s iconic flag and its rich history give people one more reason to be proud of their city.
By Sheena Robertson
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WTTW: Family-Owned Chicago Flag Company Has Been Supplying Symbols of Civic Pride for 108 Years
DNA Info: Chicago’s Iconic Four-Starred Flag Now Has Its Own Holiday
Chicago Tribune: WILLIAM G. NEWBOULD, 90, CHICAGO`S DECORATOR
Top and Featured Image Courtesy of Daniel Huizinga’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of WBEZ‘s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
