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Flag of Portland, Oregon

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City of Portland
UseCivil and state flag Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flagSmall vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flagReverse side is mirror image of obverse side
Proportion3:5
AdoptedSeptember 4, 2002; 22 years ago (2002-09-04)
DesignNordic-style Brigid's cross design with Blue stripes/arms double-fimbriated by gold on white esquarres, in the center a white astroid hypocycloid, on a green background.
Designed byDouglas Lynch

The city flag of Portland, Oregon, consists of a green field on which is placed a white four-pointed star (a truncated hypocycloid) from which radiate blue stripes, each bordered by L-shaped yellow elements (esquarres). Narrow white fimbriations separate the blue and yellow elements from each other and from the green background. The official ordinance specifies a height of 3 feet and a length of 5 feet for the flag.

Design and history

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City ordinance 176874, adopted September 4, 2002, designates the design and its symbolism. Green represents "the forests and our green City"; yellow represents "agriculture and commerce"; and blue represents "our rivers".[1] Portland straddles the Willamette River near its confluence with the Columbia River. City Ordinance 186794, adopted September 3, 2014, updated the proportions and the Pantone color specifications: White, PMS 279 (Blue); PMS 349 (Green); and PMS 1235 (Yellow).

The flag was designed in 1969 by R. Douglas Lynch, a longtime Portland resident and noted graphic designer (1913–2009) who was chairman of the Portland Art Commission. The original version of the flag was adopted on December 17, 1969, and included a dark blue canton featuring the city seal in yellow and white.[2] The design was criticized for not including a rose (a traditional symbol of the city) or a depiction of Mount Hood; its abstract design was compared to "flags of Socialist countries" and a "fallen cross symbolizing the anti-Christ" by the organization Mothers for Children.[3] Attempts were made to revise the flag to include a new rose shortly after the adoption.[4] The official flag was first displayed on January 30, 1974, after funds to produce the first batch of 100 flags were approved by the city government at the behest of new Art Commission chairperson Libby Solomon.[5]

In 2002, members of the Portland Flag Association successfully lobbied the Portland City Council to simplify the design, aligning it more closely with Lynch's original vision. The revised design—without the city seal—was adopted on September 4, 2002.[6]

Fans waving the flag at a Portland Timbers (Major League Soccer) Game.
The Portland Flag flying—upside-down.

The flag's design ranked seventh among the flags of 150 US cities in the North American Vexillological Association's "American City Flag Survey of 2004".[7]

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  • (1950)
    Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag (1950)
  • (1958–1970)
    Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag (1958–1970)
  • (1970–2002)
    Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag (1970–2002)
  • (2002–present)
    Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag (2002–present)

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Chapter 1.06 Official Flag". The City of Portland, Oregon. Retrieved 2018-07-11.
  2. ^ Stern, Henry (August 26, 2002). "Portland seal removal from flag gets enthusiasts' seal of approval". The Oregonian. p. B7. Retrieved October 31, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ Ostergren, Jack (December 18, 1969). "City Approves Basic Flag Design Over Heated Protests". The Oregon Journal. p. 4. Retrieved October 31, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ Rocchia, Andy (September 4, 1970). "City Flag Question Returns". The Oregon Journal. p. 6. Retrieved October 31, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "City's new flag, ex-mayor saluted". The Oregonian. January 31, 1974. sec. 1, p. 1. Retrieved October 31, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ Stern, Henry (September 5, 2002). "City Council Watch". The Oregonian. p. D2. Retrieved October 31, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "2004 American City Flags Survey" (PDF). North American Vexillological Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 July 2019.

Further reading

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  • Purcell, John M.; James A. Croft; Rich Monahan (2003). "Portland, Oregon [by Mason Kaye]". American City Flags (Part 1: United States). Trenton, NJ: North American Vexillological Association. pp. 274–279. ISBN 0-9747728-0-1.
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