Flag of Cleveland, Ohio
Encyclopedia
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It consists of three vertical stripes, of equal width, in red, white and blue respectively. The center white stripe bears the American shield with the word "Cleveland" across its center, and the year 1796 in red, at its base, surrounded by a laurel wreath. The outline of the lower half of the shield is in red and of the upper in blue. In the upper left-hand corner of the shield are an anvil, hammer and wheel, and in the upper right-hand corner an anchor, windlass and oars. Under the shield is the city's motto, "Progress and Prosperity."
History
The Cleveland flag was designed in 1895 by Susan Hepburn, then a Cleveland high school student. Repetitions against the flag stalled its establishment, but by October 21, it was approved by Cleveland City CouncilCleveland City Council
Cleveland City Council is the legislative branch of the government of the City of Cleveland in Ohio. Its members are elected from 19 wards to four-year terms. The number of council members has decreased over the years...
. On February 21, 1896, the year in which celebrated its centennial, an ordinance was put in place on the banner. Mayor Robert E. McKisson
Robert E. McKisson
Robert Erastus McKisson was an American politician of the Republican party and served as the 33rd mayor of Cleveland, Ohio from 1895 to 1898....
approved it on February 26. The city's motto of "Progress and Prosperity" was not added until the 1960s.
Symbolism
Both the colors and the use of the American shield represent patriotism, something that many felt would unite the city. 1796 is the year in which Cleveland was founded by Gen. Moses CleavelandMoses Cleaveland
Moses Cleaveland was a lawyer, politician, soldier, and surveyor from Connecticut who founded the U.S. city of Cleveland, Ohio, while surveying the Western Reserve in 1796.-Early life:...
. The anvil, hammer and wheel represent the city's heavy industry. The anchor, windlass and oars represent maritime
Sea
A sea generally refers to a large body of salt water, but the term is used in other contexts as well. Most commonly, it means a large expanse of saline water connected with an ocean, and is commonly used as a synonym for ocean...
interests (Cleveland is a major port on the Great Lakes
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
). The city's motto, "Progress and Prosperity" refers to the substantial boom period Cleveland experienced through the first half of the 20th century.