Few city flags inspire as much devotion as Chicago's. It appears on tattoos, bar signs, sports gear, and the sides of buildings, and its design is simple enough to recognize from a block away. Behind that simplicity is a deliberate system of symbols.
Origins
The flag was designed by Wallace Rice, a Chicago writer and a member of the city's Municipal Flag Commission. A design competition in 1915 drew more than a thousand submissions, but the commission settled on Rice's concept, which the City Council adopted in 1917. His goal was a flag that was bold, easy to read, and rich in meaning without being cluttered.
The Colors and Stripes
The flag has two horizontal light blue stripes separated by three white ones, with white at the top and bottom and the blue stripes inset.
The blue stripes represent the city's waterways. The upper stripe stands for Lake Michigan and the North Branch of the Chicago River. The lower stripe stands for the South Branch of the river and the Sanitary and Ship Canal, the engineering project that famously reversed the river's flow. Water has shaped Chicago's commerce, transportation, and growth from the start, so it earns a place of honor.
The white stripes represent the land, specifically the North, West, and South Sides of the city. Lake Michigan forms the eastern edge, so there is no East Side to represent.
The Four Red Stars
The red six-pointed stars mark four events that shaped Chicago's identity:
- Fort Dearborn (1803): The military outpost that marks the city's earliest beginnings.
- The Great Chicago Fire (1871): The disaster that destroyed much of the city and sparked its remarkable rebuilding.
- The World's Columbian Exposition (1893): The world's fair that put Chicago on the global stage.
- The Century of Progress Exposition (1933): A second world's fair, held during the Great Depression, celebrating the city's centennial.
The original 1917 flag had only two stars, for Fort Dearborn and the Fire. The Columbian Exposition star was added in 1933, and the Century of Progress star in 1939.
What the Points Mean
Rice also gave meaning to the six points of each star. The points have been interpreted as representing political entities Chicago has been part of: France, Great Britain, Virginia, the Northwest Territory, Indiana Territory, and Illinois. They also stand for ideals and attributes, including transportation, labor, commerce, finance, populousness, and health. Another reading assigns civic virtues to the points: religion, education, aesthetics, justice, beneficence, and civic pride.
Why It Endures
Chicago's flag is often ranked among the best city flags in the country. Vexillologists praise it for following good design principles: few colors, meaningful symbols, and no lettering or complicated seal. The result is a flag that residents proudly display and can explain, which is the real test of a civic symbol.
Over the years, people have proposed adding a fifth star, with suggestions ranging from O'Hare Airport to other milestones. So far, the flag has stayed at four, a compact record of the city's history.
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