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Yonkers, New York (U.S.)

Westchester County

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.

Current Flag
Amended flag
Police Department
Fire Department

See also:

Current Flag

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

Design

The flag of Yonkers centers the city seal on a white field. The city seal portrays a bust of George Washington facing toward the fly with a furled United States flag below. On an outer ring, CORPORATION runs over the top of the seal clockwise and OF THE CITY OF YONKERS runs counterclockwise below, separated by five-pointed stars. The outlines of the seal, the lettering, and the bust are dark blue on white; the stripes of the flag are red.

According to An Ordinance Adopting the Code of the Ordinances of the City of Yonkers, Article I, Section 1. Corporate Seal (Code of Ordinances of the City of Yonkers), adopted 26 December 1911: "The corporate seal of the city shall consist of the device of the bust of Washington with the American flag folded underneath, surrounded by the words Corporation of the City of Yonkers."

However, an even earlier description appears in the Bylaws and General Ordinances of the Village of Yonkers amended and adopted as amended on 28 June 1860: "The seal of this corporation shall be of some suitable metal, with the words Corporation of Yonkers engraved around the same, and the head of Washington with the American flag folded under the figure."

The seal's design used by Yonkers as a village was apparently carried over when it was incorporated as a city on 1 June 1872.
James Croft, American City Flags, Raven 9-10, 2002-2003

Symbolism

No official symbolism is assigned to the flag. George Washington's image may have been chosen for the seal because during the American Revolution he led the Continental Army, which was often in the area of today's Yonkers.
James Croft, American City Flags, Raven 9-10, 2002-2003

Selection

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

Designer

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

More about the Flag

Indoors, the flag has dark blue fringe. The flag dates at least from 3 February 1956 when it appeared in the Yonkers Herald Statesman.
James Croft, American City Flags, Raven 9-10, 2002-2003

Amended flag

iamge by Zachary Harden, 25 February 2023

An amendment to this flag appears to have it only use blue and white on the seal and does not use red anymore on the stripes of the American flag that is below Washington's bust.
Source: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php
Zachary Harden, 25 February 2023

Police Department

image by Randy Young, 3 August 2015

Quoting from the Department's website, "The Mission of the Yonkers Police Department is to enhance the quality of life in our city - by working in cooperation with the public we serve to maintain a feeling of mutual safety and security - by enforcing the law within the framework of the Constitution - and by providing those services which will protect the people, preserve the peace and contribute to a safe environment for all."
www.cityofyonkers.com/live/public-safety/police-department

Photographs of the Department's flag can be seen being carried by the YPD Honor Guard at www.cityofyonkers.com/live/public-safety/police-department/police-history/honor-guard. The flag features the New York state coat of arms in gold in the center of a dark blue field, mimicking the YPD shoulder patch. Arched above the arms in yellow/gold letters are the words "CITY OF YONKERS," with the words "POLICE DEPARTMENT" below the arms in similar letters.

Randy Young, 3 August 2015

Fire Department

image located by Valentin Poposki, 24 June 2012

A light blue flag with the logo centered and name in black.