With all of us taking more walks, have you noticed the navy blue nautical looking flag hanging on many front porches? I did and I wanted to find out the story. Turns out, it’s the City of Buffalo flag making a resurgence from 1923 .

Mayor Frank Schwab held a contest for a new flag. Louis Greenstein won the $250 prize for a flag that he designed. I mean, 250 dollars back then was big money because it’s nothing to sneeze at now. Greenstein said that the 13 stars on the flag stood for America’s 13 original colonies, while the 13 electric flashes were symbolic of Niagara’s electrical power. “This flag should be significant to every real Buffalonian,” Buffalo Mayor Schwab said on Flag Day 1924, before it was run up the flag pole at City Hall. “The city flag is meant to illustrate the energy and zeal behind the spirit of Buffalo”, the mayor continued. The lighthouse, the boat, the early use of electricity, being situated on a Great Lake in the state of NY are all illustrated. Wow, fly that Buffalo flag. The flag resurgence began in 2006 from the Community Beer Works crew and some others who decided that it was time to bring the flag back into view. You can find quite a few flying on Clarendon Place. 

They are available for purchase at Ace Flags. 

Something else I have been noticing are the vintage felt pennants in widows saying “Together We Will See It Through”. These are the creation of a local company located on Main Street in Buffalo called Oxford Pennant. The banner was designed during this Covid19 pandemic encouraging people to post the message in their windows, similar to the rainbows many have displayed to spread cheer and hope. Proceeds from Oxford Pennant’s “Together We Will See It Through” banners are going to the World Health Organization’s COVID-19 Response Fund. The pennant is $35.00 and are wool felt complete with suction cups to display on exterior window. That is just the kind of reassuring message we need to see!

Tags : Banners, Buffalo, Covid19, Flags, Living Through Tough Times, Neighborhoods, walking, WIndows