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Montpelier, Vermont (U.S.)

Washington County

image located by Vexi-News, 11 July 2017
Source: www.sevendaysvt.com

Description of the flag
Former flag
Seal

See also:

Description of the flag

From Seven Days:
Vermont's Capital City Gets a New Flag, Because Why Not?
This evening, Montpelier City Councilor Anne Watson and City Clerk John Odum unveiled the state capital's new flag during the annual July 3rd celebrations.
The minimalist winning design, by East Montpelier native Chet Larrow, features rolling green hills topped by a navy-blue sky. Centered in the blue field is a circle of 14 golden stars. Larrow is an industrial designer for Key Technologies in Baltimore, Md.
In a press release issued earlier today, Larrow is quoted as saying his entry "emphasizes Montpelier's representation of the 14 counties as well as [Vermont] being the 14th state to join the union. The gold stars are displayed in a circle to subtly represent the iconic round dome that both visitors and locals come to associate the city with."
Larrow's design was one of three finalists, chosen from about 60 submissions, said Odum.
The new flag is a replacement for a hasty design implemented in 2001 to satisfy a request for a city flag to be used in California's Rose Parade. Up until that point, Montpelier didn't have one.
The banner will be formally adopted on Wednesday, July 12, at the next city council meeting, then will be raised in front of city hall to proudly wave.
VexiNews, 9 July 2017

Former flag

image(s) by permission of David B. Martucci
image(s) from American City Flags, Raven 9-10 (2002-2003), courtesy of the North American Vexillological Association, which retains copyright.

Design

The flag of Montpelier has a white field with a rectangular box outlined with a narrow black line. The field is approximately four times wider at the sides of the box than at the top and bottom. Within the rectangle is MONTPELIER inscribed across the top in yellow outlined in black; the “M” larger than the other letters. Below, in much smaller black letters, is CHARTERED IN 1781. A double line in yellow and black underlines this inscription. In the lower half of the rectangle is a representation of the city. To the left is a dark green mountain and to the right is a medium green mountain. A wavy light blue stripe flows across the lower part of the rectangle at the base of these two mountains. Below the blue stripe and filling the bottom of the rectangle is another dark green area. On the left mountain, toward the hoist of the flag, is a white church with two windows, a door, and a window in the steeple, all in dark green; to its right is a representation of the statehouse in white with its yellow dome. To the right of the statehouse are three white small rectangles, one immediately to the right of the dome, the second one to its right and above, and the third, further to the right and below the first one.

The mountain toward the fly has another white church with two black windows; to its right are three more white rectangles, the first to the right of the church, the second to its right and slightly above it, and the third, which is about twice the size as the other two, is immediately below the second. To the right of these buildings is a brown barn silo and to its right a brown building with three black windows.
James Croft, American City Flags, Raven 9-10, 2002-2003

Symbolism

The flag depicts the city of Montpelier, looking north. Montpelier is situated in a valley surrounded by mountains that feature prominently on the flag. Vermont is the Green Mountain State, and these mountains are part of the Green Mountain range. Montpelier is also the capital of Vermont, (it is the smallest capital city in the United States), indicated by the statehouse building with its yellow dome. The light blue stripe at the bottom of the flag symbolizes the confluence of the North Branch and Winooski Rivers in the valley where the city is situated. The white rectangles represent the residential and commercial buildings in the city, as well as Vermont College. White church steeples complete the scenery. The city was chartered in 1781.
James Croft, American City Flags, Raven 9-10, 2002-2003

Selection

The Montpelier Travel and Tourism Committee, chaired by Jon Anderson, completed a project in 2000 to have welcome signs created and located at the major gateways to the city. Linda Mirabile, of Mirabile Designs of Montpelier, designed the signs and a city flag was created to match the signs.
James Croft, American City Flags, Raven 9-10, 2002-2003

Designer

Linda Mirabile.
James Croft, American City Flags, Raven 9-10, 2002-2003

More about the Flag

In late autumn of 2000, while working on establishing welcome signs for the city of Montpelier, the city received a request for a Montpelier city flag that could be flown at the 2001 Rose Bowl Parade in Pasadena, California. Since the city had never had a flag, either official or unofficial, it was suggested the design for the new welcome signs be incorporated into a flag. This occurred as part of the initiatives by Mayor Charles “Chuck” Karparis to increase the viability and visibility of Montpelier. The design evolved out of a desire to depict key features of the city.

The flag was first presented during the general business segment of the city council meeting on 22 December 2000 by Ms. Beverlee Pembroke Hill, assistant manager to the city and liaison to the Montpelier Travel and Tourism subcommittee of the Montpelier Business Association. To date, in addition to the 2001 Rose Bowl Parade, it has flown as part of the annual Independence Day celebrations; in December 2001 it flew along American and foreign flags during the Olympic Torch Run through the city and onto the statehouse steps.
James Croft, American City Flags, Raven 9-10, 2002-2003

Seal

image located by Paul Bassinson, 31 January 2020

Source: https://www.badges-etc.com/
Paul Bassinson, 31 January 2020