cleveland flag
about flag 19
Moses Cleaveland established the city of Cleveland, Ohio, where the Cuyahoga River empties into Lake Erie on July 22, 1796. This Cleveland flag recognizes the city’s founding and celebrates the many important milestones and contributors that have helped Cleveland to flourish.
The nineteenth Cleveland flag features a ring of 16 six-point stars. The stars encircle a larger six-point star. Together, the 17 stars represent Cleveland’s 17 wards and Ohio’s place as the 17th state in the Union.
Each of the 16 outer ring stars have six points, for a total of 96 points. This number, when combined with the total number of stars get the year of the Cleveland’s founding 1796.
Each star holds a unique meaning. The first star is for Lake Erie, which connects the Cleveland to the world. The second star is for the Cleveland Metroparks, which encircle the city. The third is for iron and steel, which made Cleveland an industrial powerhouse in the first half of the twentieth century. The fourth is for the Brush electric light which illuminated Public Square; the first outdoor space to be lit in the United States. The fifth star is for Ohio City, which became part of Cleveland in 1854. The sixth is for the Cleveland Museum of Art. The seventh star is for the Cleveland Orchestra. The eighth star is for the world-renowned Cleveland Clinic. The ninth is for the Cuyahoga River, which, yes, caught fire (more than once) and lead to the EPA's creation. To illustrate how much Cleveland has improved, the Cuyahoga River was named "River of the Year" in 2019. The tenth star is for Cleveland’s streetcars. The eleventh is for the Great Lakes Expositions of 1936 and 1937. The twelfth is for Playhouse Square. The thirteenth star is for the Westside Market. The fourteenth is for Public Square and the Terminal Tower. The fifteenth star is for Alan Freed and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The sixteenth star is for both progress and prosperity, Cleveland’s motto.
The seventeenth star, larger and set apart from the stars in the circle, represents the generations of people who call Cleveland home. More than any historical event or natural resource, its the people that make Cleveland a great city.
Tried and tested, there is no pride like Cleveland pride and it is represented here in a field of fiery red.
Two white vertical stripes represent Cleveland’s east and west sides, with the Cuyahoga River flowing between them in blue. White stands for hope. Blue represents unity.
The red, white and blue color scheme connects this Cleveland flag redesign to both the Ohio and United States of America flags. The new Cleveland flag design is built on an irregular grid. Compare this Cleveland flag design to other Ohio city flags.
