![[Flag of Cedar Rapids, Iowa]](../images/u/us-iacdr1.gif)
image located by Rick Wyatt, 31 October 2021
Last modified: 2022-09-17 by rick wyatt
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image located by Rick Wyatt, 31 October 2021
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Designed and selected by our community, for our community.
To select a
flag that best reflects the community, we asked residents to tell us what
colors, shapes and symbols best represent Cedar Rapids. More than 200 residents
sent design ideas.
Several volunteer designers used the input gathered
from the community to create a series of concept flags. The concept flags were
ranked and refined through feedback from members of the North American
Vexillological Association and a local committee.
Cedar Rapids residents
ranked four final designs to arrive at a new flag for the City of Cedar Rapids.
Design Considerations
Designs for the new Cedar Rapids flag follow the
five basic principles of good flag design published by the North American
Vexillological Association:
Keep It Simple: A flag should be so simple it
can be drawn from memory.
Use Meaningful Symbolism: A flag’s images, colors,
or patterns should relate to what it symbolizes.
Use 2-3 Basic Colors: Limit
the number of colors on the flag to three which contrast well and come from the
standard color set.
No Lettering or Seals: Never use writing of any kind or
an organization’s seal.
Be Distinctive or Related: Avoid duplicating other
flags, but you can use similarities to show connections.
Dissecting the
Flag
The primary colors of the Cedar Rapids Flag are blue, green and white.
The flag's primary color is blue.
Blue water forms a backdrop for the
Cedar Rapids flag. It represents the Cedar River as it courses through Cedar
Rapids, splitting at iconic Mays Island.
Resting atop the blue canvas is
a rounded green shape, which emerges from either edge of the hoisted end of the
flag.
A green field forms a rounded shape, emerging from either edge of the
flag's hoisted end, and coming to a point just to the right of the flag's
center. This shape depicts Mays Island and represents all of the wonderful green
space and recreational areas of our city.
The green shape is bordered in
white, and meets at a point just to the right of the flag's center.
A white
arch forms a border between the blue water and green field. This shape
represents the city’s homes, businesses and infrastructure, including long-term
flood protection, which both interacts with and protects the community from the
river. The rightward pointing direction of the arch indicates progress and
symbolizes the city's promising future.
Centered within the green shape
is a white five-pointed star.
A white, five-pointed star sits in the middle
of the green field. The star represents the historic structures built on Mays
Island. The five points illustrate the five seasons in the City's motto — City
of Five Seasons — spring, summer, fall, winter, and extra time afforded to
residents of Cedar Rapids to enjoy all of the other seasons and life.
Provided by flag designer, Bo, 31 October 2021
![[Flag of Cedar Rapids, Iowa]](../images/u/us-iacdr-l.gif)
3:5 image(s) by permission of David B. Martucci
image(s) from American City Flags,
Raven
9-10 (2002-2003), courtesy of the North American Vexillological Association,
which retains copyright.
Text and image(s) from American City Flags, Raven 9-10 (2002-2003), courtesy of the North American Vexillological Association, which retains copyright. Image(s) from American City Flags by permission of David B. Martucci.
The field of the flag of Cedar Rapids is white. Across approximately
the central third of the field horizontally, extending seven-eighths
of the flag’s length, is a symbolic city skyline in blue. Beginning
at the hoist side is a historic mill, separated from the church with a
steeple that follows it by three corn stalks. In the center is a representation
of the city’s Memorial Coliseum. On the fly side is a factory with
two smokestacks, then three more stalks of corn, and finally the girders
of an unfinished rectangular building. Above the mill is a cloud; another
is behind the upper part of the Coliseum; and smoke wafts from
the smokestacks toward the fly. The scene is enclosed on the sides and
above by three curved lines with the first indentation at the church
steeple and the second at the factory smokestacks. The scene rests on
a blue heraldic ribbon on which the city’s motto appears in white (with
quotation marks): “PROUD of YESTERDAY [below the mill and
church] PROGRESSIVE TODAY [below the Coliseum] PROMISING
TOMORROW” [below the factory and unfinished building].
Above the scene, running across the field nearly the same length as the
scene is CEDAR RAPIDS; below, centered below the central segment
of the scene is IOWA, all in large red letters.
John M. Purcell, American City Flags,
Raven
9-10, 2002-2003
Red, white, and blue are the three basic colors because they are the basic colors of both the American flag and the flag of Iowa. The ribbon on which the slogan of Cedar Rapids appears represents the Cedar River which has been and probably always will be an important part of Cedar Rapids. The structure on the left [hoist] represents the first mill built in Cedar Rapids along the river in 1842. The role of agriculture is represented by the stalks of corn on both the left [hoist] and right [fly] of the design. The church pictured represents the many churches for which Cedar Rapids is famous and proud. The Memorial Coliseum is symbolic of the progressive city which Cedar Rapids is today. This building houses both our city government and the Chamber of Commerce. The factory illustrates the role of industry in Cedar Rapids today and in the future. The steel girders of an unfinished building represent the promising future of our great city.John M. Purcell, American City Flags, Raven 9-10, 2002-2003
A contest was held among the four high schools
of the city.
Flag adopted: 8 October 1962 (official status uncertain).
John M. Purcell, American City Flags,
Raven
9-10, 2002-2003
Fred Easker, Jr.
John M. Purcell, American City Flags,
Raven
9-10,
2002-2003
After the flag was adopted, 114 were
made. Two were kept for the mayor’s office and council chambers; the
remainder sold for $3.35 each.
John M. Purcell, American City Flags,
Raven
9-10,
2002-2003
![[Flag of Cedar Rapids, Iowa]](../images/u/us-iacdr-csd.gif)
image by Daniel Rentería, 14 August 2022
In
https://www.kwwl.com/news/cedar-rapids/data-personal-information-potentially-accessed-in-cedar-rapids-school-district-cyberattack/article_a847a480-0e93-11ed-aff8-e3616ed1de43.html
is an article which contains a picture of a flag for the Cedar Rapids Community
School District.
The drawing above of the flag uses the school district
logo from its website at https://crschools.us
and the flag flying (from the article
mentioned).
Daniel Rentería, 14 August 2022
