Wallace Rice designed the original two-star flag which was adopted in 1917. This key to the symbolism comes from a description provided in 1928 by Mr. Rice. The Municipal Flag of Chicago consists of three White stripes separated by two stripes of Blue with four Red six-pointed stars on the center stripe of White.
The White Stripes:
- Top White Stripe represents the North side of the city.
- Center White Stripe represents the West side of the city.
- Bottom White Stripe represents the South side of the city.
The Blue Stripes:
- Top Blue Stripe represents Lake Michigan and the North Branch of the Chicago River.
- Bottom Blue Stripe represents the South Branch of the Chicago River and the Great Canal.
The Red Stars:
The First Red Star represents Fort Dearborn (added by City Council in 1939).
The Points of the First Red Star Signify:
- Transportation
- Labor
- Commerce
- Finance
- Populousness
- Salubrity
The Points of the Second Red Star Signify:
- Religion
- Education
- Esthetics
- Justice
- Beneficence
- Civic Pride
The Points of the Third Red Star Signify History of the Area:
- France 1693
- Great Britain 1763
- Virginia 1778
- Northwest Territory 1798
- Indian Territory 1802
- Illinois Statehood 1818
The Points of the Fourth Red Star Signify:
- World's Third Largest City
- City's Latin Motto
- “I will” Motto
- Great Central Market
- Wonder City
- Convention City