City Flag Information HOW THE CITY OF DUBUOUE FLAG CAME ABOUT
In the year 1967 the City Council began a project to be known as "OPERATION
FLAG", The original request came from Girl Scout Troop No. 54 and their
leader, Mrs. Madeline Ragatz. There were 3 age brackets as to which individuals could
enter. Those were grades 0-8, Grades 9-12 and those
out of school or others. A panel of citizens consisting of Miss Catherine M. Seitz, County
Librarian; Professor $oseph Flynn, Retired Superintendent of Schools; Mr. Arthur Furlong, Past
President of Dubuque Jaycees; Mr. Thomas Loosbrock, Architect and Mr. Allen Stoltz, Designer
were chosen to review all entries and be the final jury for the selection.. They complied a
statement "WHAT WERE WE LOOKING FOR IN A FLAG DESIGN?" and asked those interested
in designing the flag to use the following criteria.
"We realized that our selection must be of such, that it would endure through an ever changing
future, and at the same time resound with the honor of a proud historical past. It must be of a
design immediately recognizable as "The Flag" of the City of Dubuque, and of a color that would
"fly tall" and significant in its prescribed place on the flag pole. It must be a flag that the citizens of
Dubuque would be proud and happy to point out to all as "Our Flag". Dubuque is a proud city,
and the image created, as our flag flutters in the breeze for all to see, must be a proud image.
The winner was Mrs. Al Frommelt who submitted her entry with the following statement.
"This flag represents the City of Dubuque in the past, present, and future. Our past
was famous for not only its founder, Jnlien Dubuque, but also its position on the
Father of Waters, the Mississippi River. In line with this thinking, the outer strip of
this flag is blue. One of the most significant features of our town today, as has
always been, is the remarkable scenic beauty. I indicate this scenic beauty with the
green stripe. The color green represents verdant bluffs, trees, and overall beauty of
the City. I feel the future of the City of Dubuque is not only progressive, but
extremely 'bright'. In keeping with the bright future that we have in store, I indicate
this future with the yellow sq~are - the center of the flag. In the center is the Seal of
Dubuque. The complete idea of this flag is symbolized by its layout. The
progression of thought exemplifying our significant past (blue), our beautiful present
(green), and our bright future (yellow), leads up to and is unified by the official Seal
of the City".
At the Council meeting held on July 3, 1967 the Council did officially adopt two resolutions, one
commending the Girl Scout Troop for their untiring efforts in the creation of public interest of the
design for the official flag and the second resolution approving and accepting the design as
submitted by Mrs. Al Frommelt as the official flag for the City of Dubuque.
At a Council meeting held on June 7, 1982, the Council adopted by Ordinance, the following
Specifications for the City Flag.
The flag designed by Maureen E. Frommelt, selected through an open competition in
1967, and which flag being rectangular in shape consisting of a United Nations blue
border followed by an Irish green band with a gold center upon which the city Seal is
imprinted in black lettering, as such design is displayed on the flag in City Council
Chambers in City Hall, is hereby adopted as the official city flag, for use on all
occasions where the official city flag may be appropriately displayed.
USE. Such design may be used as the official flag and may as such be displayed on
all proper occasions where the city is officially represented, such display shall be
subservient to the display of the Iowa state banner and/or the national flag"
EXPLANATION OF COLORS FOR CITY FLAG
COLOR BLUE REP--S
THE "FATHER OF WATERS" (MISSISSIPPI RIVER)
COLOR GREEN REPRESENTS
THE VERDANT BLUFFS, TREES, AND OVERALL BEAUTY OF TIlE CITY.
COLOR YELLOW REPRESENTS
THE FUTURE OF ~ CITY OF DUBUQUE IS
NOT ONLY PROGRESSIVE,
BUT EXTREMELY "B I__~HT"
THE PROGRESSION OF THOUGHT E~MPLIFIES OUR SIGNIFICANT PAST (BLUE),
OUR BEAUTIFUL PRESENT (GREEN) AND OUR BRIGHT FUTURE CYELLOW),
LEADING UP TO AND UNIFH{D BY THE OFFICIAL SEAL OF TFiF~ CITY.
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