I love the color palate, I love the stars and bars and I love that the city and its residents proudly fly it everywhere.
But this emblem of the city is more than just an attractive decorative element. Each part of the classically, simple design is symbolic and commemorative.
- The white bars represent the north, west and south sides of Chicago.
- The top blue bar represents the Lake Michigan and the north branch of the Chicago river.
- The bottom blue bar represents the Canal and the south branch of the Chicago river.
- The stars represent Fort Dearborn, The Chicago Fire, The World's Columbian Exposition and The Century of Progress Exposition.
And if you really want to get technical each point of each star represents something specific. But if I'm being honest, I don't want to get that technical. If you do, you can right here.
The Chicago flag was adopted in 1917 but its timeless design still looks fresh, modern and current. It's a good thing too, because it's tough to go a few blocks in Chicago's loop without a flag sighting. Perhaps that's why I love it so much.
Are you a fan of your city's flag?
