The flag of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is a green rounded shape with a star inside over a blue background separated by a white arch.
Symbolism[]
According to the city's website, the blue represents the Cedar River as it courses through Cedar Rapids, splitting at iconic Mays Island, the green depicts Mays Island and represents all of the wonderful green space and recreational areas of the city, the white arch represents the city’s homes, businesses and infrastructure, including long-term flood protection, which both interacts with and protects the community from the river, while its' direction of the arch indicates progress and symbolizes the city's promising future, and the white star represents the historic structures built on Mays Island. The five points illustrate the five seasons in the City's motto — City of Five Seasons — spring, summer, fall, winter, and extra time afforded to residents of Cedar Rapids to enjoy all of the other seasons and life.[1]
Former flag (1962-2021)[]
Former flag
The former flag is a white background with a skyline of the city inside a cloud shape, and the words "Cedar Rapids", and "IOWA" in red on the top and bottom.
Symbolism[]
Again, according to the city's website, the Veterans' Memorial Coliseum symbolizes Cedar Rapids as a progressive city, the church represents the numerous churches on the city, the corn stacks are for agriculture, the factory symbolizes the area industry, the early structure symbolizes the first mill built in 1842, the unfinished buildings symbolize Cedar Rapids’ promising future, the blue, white, and red, are the colors of Iowa, while the ribbon symbolizes the Cedar River.[2]
2004 NAVA survey[]
The flag ranked 142nd on the 2004 NAVA city flag survey, with a score of 2.23 out of 10, making it the 8th worst city flag. behind Montpelier, and ahead of Provo.
Flag redesigns[]
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