Flag of Cincinnati facts for kids
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| Use | Civil flag  |
|---|---|
| Proportion | 2:3 |
| Adopted | 1940 (unofficially in 1896) |
| Designed by | Emil Rothengatter |
The flag of Cincinnati is the official banner of the city of Cincinnati, Ohio, in the United States. It's a special symbol that represents the city and its history. The flag's design was chosen in a contest back in 1896. It officially became the city's flag on June 15, 1940.
Contents
What the Cincinnati Flag Looks Like
The Cincinnati city flag has a rectangular shape with a white background. In the middle, you'll see a big red letter "C". This "C" stands for Cincinnati.
Symbols on the Flag
On each side of the "C", there are three wavy blue lines. These lines represent the Ohio River, which is very important to Cincinnati's history. The city was founded right on its banks.
Inside the red "C" is a smaller version of the city's official seal. This seal has several symbols:
- A winged rod, which stands for trade and business.
- Snakes, which represent wisdom.
- Scales, showing justice and fairness.
- A sword, symbolizing authority and power.
Above the "C", there's a cluster of five red buckeye leaves. These leaves are a symbol of the State of Ohio, which is often called the "Buckeye State."
The Flag's Motto
The flag also has a special Latin phrase: Juncta Juvant. This motto means "Unity Assists" or "Strength in Unity." It reminds everyone that working together makes the city stronger.
How the Cincinnati Flag Was Chosen
The idea for a city flag started on November 23, 1895. A local newspaper, The Cincinnati Times-Star, suggested a contest to design a flag for Cincinnati. They even offered a $50 prize to the winner!
The Design Contest
The city's mayor, John A. Caldwell, created a special Flag Commission. Their job was to look at all the designs submitted by local artists. More than 50 different flag ideas were sent in. Many designs were turned down because they were too fancy or used a crown, which the mayor felt wasn't right for an American city.
On January 24, 1896, the commission picked a winner. The $50 prize went to a designer named Emil Rothengatter (1848–1939). He was known for designing posters for circuses. His design is the flag we see today!
Making the Flag Official
At first, not everyone agreed about having a city flag. Some people worried it might take away from the American flag. Others were concerned that businesses might try to use the flag's design without permission.
However, the flag became quite popular over time. For example, the Reds baseball team even ordered flags for their ballpark. Finally, on June 15, 1940, the city officially adopted Rothengatter's design as the flag of Cincinnati.
Flag Recognition
In 2004, a group called the North American Vexillological Association (which studies flags) held a poll. Cincinnati's flag was voted the 22nd best design out of 150 U.S. city flags. It was also named the best city flag in Ohio!
More recently, in 2016, fans of the soccer team FC Cincinnati started using blue and orange versions of the flag. They use these special flags to show their support for the team.
