![[Flag of Grand Rapids, Michigan]](../images/u/us-migrp-l.gif)
2:3 image(s) by permission of David B. Martucciimage(s) from American City Flags, Raven 9-10 (2002-2003), courtesy of the North American Vexillological Association, which retains copyright.
Last modified: 2022-10-01 by rick wyatt
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2:3 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.
See also:
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 flag of Grand Rapids is a vertical tribar of equal dark
blue, white, and dark blue stripes. Centered on the white stripe is the
city seal, consisting of a white field bordered by two concentric circles
of dark blue dots, forming solid rings. On a field of 2 units by 3, the
seal is about 1 unit in diameter. In the ring, curved over the top clockwise
from 9 o'clock to 3 o'clock is CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS
MICH. in dark blue. Curved below from 7 to 5 o'clock counterclockwise
is the Latin motto, MOTU VIGET. ("Strength in Activity"). In
the center of the seal is a bald eagle, in flight toward the hoist, bearing
an American shield, and clutching several arrows, all in dark blue and
white. Centered over the eagle are Scales of Justice, held by a hand
reaching down from the clouds, all in dark blue and white. Nine separate
"bundles" of three gray rays each are spaced evenly behind the
eagle and scales, emanating outward from a baseline that forms the
horizontal midpoint of the seal. Centered below the eagle, resting on
the inner beaded ring, is 1850 in dark blue.
John M Purcell, American City Flags,
Raven
9-10,
2002-2003
Joseph Penney, a member of the common council
in 1850, suggested the design of the seal. Adopted: 26 July 1915 (official).
John M Purcell, American City Flags,
Raven
9-10,
2002-2003
Aaron B. Turner, the city clerk in 1850, designed the
seal. The designer of the flag is not known.
John M Purcell, American City Flags,
Raven
9-10,
2002-2003
From the official city website, www.grand-rapids.mi.us/:
"The Grand Rapids City Seal was designed and engraved by Aaron Turner, the City Clerk in 1850. The motto, "Motu Viget," means "strength in activity." Officially adopted by the City Council on June 25, 1850, the seal depicts a hand reaching down from the clouds holding the scales of justice. Centered on the seal is the American Eagle protected by a shield. At the eagle's feet are the points of arrows."Ned Smith, 22 February 2008
![[Flag of Grand Rapids, Michigan]](../images/u/us-migrpl.gif)
image by Pascal Gross, 6 March 2002
A blue flag with a central device comprising a ring of yellow disk overlain by an irregular red shape, and a broad blue wavy line across it.
Dov Gutterman, 6 March 2002
Grand Rapids uses a "city banner"
more often than the official
flag. The Grand Rapids
banner has a field of blue with
the city's logo in the center. The
logo is oval, wider than high,
and measures about 1.5 units
across its horizontal center on
a field of 2 by 3 units. The field of the logo is yellow, representing the
sun. Across the lower third of the field is a narrow, blue undulating
stripe representing the Grand River that courses through the city. Resting
on this stripe is a horizontal figure, .5 units at its widest and slightly
more than a unit in length, that begins about one-fourth of the way
from the oval's hoist edge and extends to its fly edge. The figure represents
the Alexander Calder sculpture in the city, La Grande Vitesse, which
on the logo resembles a large chess pawn lying on its side. The logo was
designed by Joseph Kennebrew, a sculptor and painter.
John M Purcell, American City Flags,
Raven
9-10,
2002-2003
The logo flag is seen more these days than the official flag.
John Purcell, 22 July 2004
![[Flag of Grand Rapids, Michigan]](../images/u/us-migrpo.gif)
image by António Martins-Tuválkin, 17 August 2017
The former flag of the City of Grand Rapids, Michigan, was adopted 09.03.1896.
Valentin Poposki, 24 June 2012
It is a rectangular flag, maybe 3:5, white with a broad darkest blue horizontal stripe, apparently taking 1/3rd of the flag's height; on each of the white stripes, at the hoist, a dark red trapeze filling the flag corners and extending off the hoist along the edges ~9/14ths of the flag's height and only ~4/9ths at their shortest base, these trapezes separated from the blue stripe by a narrow (white) gap.
On the blue stripe the words "Furniture City" set in golden serifless capitals with thick white fimbriations. On each of the two red trapezes, the same facade view of a local factory, with a pointy pediment, two smoking chimneys, and rows of windows in two stories, all in white with golden details.
The original image shows a golden fringe along all three free edges, as well as a golden flag staff and a golden cord with a tassel, but I think that it is not integral to the design. I think it is (was!) an interesting design, passible of simplification for a good vexillographic result.
António Martins-Tuválkin, 17 August 2017
![[Municipal seal]](../images/u/us-migrp).gif)
image located by Paul Bassinson, 9 September 2019
Source:
http://www.historygrandrapids.org/
Paul Bassinson,
9 September 2019
