Flag of Fort Wayne, Indiana facts for kids
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| Adopted | June 26, 1934 |
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| Designed by | Guy Drewett |
The flag of Fort Wayne, Indiana is the official symbol of the city. The City Council chose this flag on June 26, 1934. It has a cool design with two white stripes that meet in the middle. These stripes look like a "Y" shape. The flag is mostly navy blue. You'll see a red Miami Native American head, a French fleur-de-lis (a special flower symbol), and a British lion. In the very center, there's a red blockhouse and the year "1794," which is when Fort Wayne was founded.
History of the Fort Wayne Flag
The idea for a city flag started in 1916. This was during Indiana's 100th birthday celebrations. The Journal Gazette newspaper held a contest. They wanted people to design a flag for Fort Wayne.
A person named Guy Drewett won the contest. His first design had the white "Y" stripes on a blue background, just like today. But it also had two white stars. These stars were where the French fleur-de-lis and British lion are now.
Drewett updated his design in 1934. He worked with a historian named Col. Clyde Dreisbach. They decided to remove the two stars. The stars used to show that Fort Wayne was the second-largest city in Indiana. Instead, they added symbols that told more about Fort Wayne's history. This new design was officially chosen by the City Council on June 26, 1934.
What the Fort Wayne Flag Symbols Mean
Every part of the Fort Wayne flag tells a story about the city's past.
- Blockhouse: This red building in the middle shows the early days of settlement. It reminds us of the pioneers who first lived there.
- Miami Indian head: This symbol honors the Miami tribe. They were the first native people to live in the Fort Wayne area.
- French fleur-de-lis: This special flower symbol represents the time when France controlled the area.
- British lion: The lion shows the time when Great Britain had control over the land.
- Three white stripes: These stripes look like a "Y" shape. They stand for the three rivers that meet in Fort Wayne: the Maumee River, the St. Joseph River, and the St. Marys River.
- Colors: The flag uses red, white, and blue. These are the same colors found on the flag of the United States.
- 1794: This number is the year Fort Wayne was founded.
