Flag of Rochester, New York

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City of Rochester, New York
Flag of Rochester, New York.svg
Adopted1934

The flag of Rochester, New York was designed in 1910 and adopted as the city's official flag in 1934. The design consists of a rectangle with blue, white, and yellow vertical stripes. The middle white stripe displays the Rochester family coat of arms, featuring a crane above three crescents. [1] [2]

Contents

Interest in a flag for the city was raised by the local chamber of commerce during an industrial exhibition in 1910. A design by David E. Spear, Jr. was designated by Mayor Hiram Edgerton on September 15, 1910. [3] The city council later adopted this design as an official flag in 1934. However, the flag was seldom displayed; by the late 1950s, only four locations in the city flew it. [4] [1]

Mayor Malik Evans announced plans to change the city flag in 2026 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Rochester city mark. [5] The new flag will feature the city's iconic, trademarked "flower" logo, which is commonly mistaken for the official flag. [1]

Symbolism

The Rochester Public Library gives the following description of the flag's symbolism: [1]

Colors

Symbols

City mark

In 1975, Lee Green, a graphic designer employed by the City of Rochester, created the Rochester city mark as part of the Federal Design Improvement Program, a national initiative to enhance visual identity for local governments. [6] The mark combines a stylized water wheel, representing Rochester's historic identity as the "Flour City," with a five-petaled lilac shape, representing its later identity as the "Flower City." [6] The mark was officially approved by the Rochester City Council in 1976. [6]

Beginning around 1979, a blue flag bearing the city mark came into widespread informal use, and it is this flag—rather than the official 1934 tricolor—that is most commonly displayed at city buildings and events. [1] [4]

In 2026, the city plans to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the city mark with a documentary film, public art installations, and a new "Flower Fest" artisan festival. [6]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Rochester's 'official' flag is not the one you think it is". RochesterFirst. July 15, 2021. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
  2. ↑ "Rochester, New York (U.S.)". www.crwflags.com. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
  3. ↑ Ogden, Charles E. (1914). History of the Rochester Flag (PDF). T. T. S. & Co. Print. pp. 1–2.
  4. 1 2 "Flag of Our Founders: The Curious Case of Rochester's City Flag". Local History Rocs. May 17, 2016. Retrieved February 19, 2026.
  5. ↑ "City of Rochester plans multiple moments to celebrate 50th anniversary of Rochester City Mark in 2026". City of Rochester. November 24, 2025. Retrieved December 12, 2025.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "Celebrating 50 Years of Rochester's City Mark". City of Rochester. Retrieved February 19, 2026.


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