A flag for Davis, California
Yesterday was flag day in the United States. So it seems a fitting time to launch my idea for a flag for the city of Davis, California. Davis currently has a logo, which incorporates a Penny Farthing bicycle, but this is not a good choice for a flag as it breaks many rules of good flag design.
Here is my proposed design (you can also download a larger version without the border):
This post used to link to a video that explained more about the design choices, but that no longer exists. So over a decade after posting this I am now (in August 20267) providing a quick update on what the design symbolised.
- Two stars - the smaller one represents Davis and the larger one Sacramento (the state capital). The red star is also part of the California state flag, so it is also referencing that.
- Davis is due west of Sacramento so the stars capture that relationship
- The position and size of the stars are meant to represent the shape of the penny farthing cycle (a symbol for Davis which is used all around the city)
- The green strip is partly another reference to the green colour used on the state flag, it is also meant to represent the beautiful green belt land that surrounds much of Davis (where I've personally spent many hours walking and cycling)
Flags can be rallying symbols that a city can unite behind. Flags can also give people a sense of pride about where they live. So let's have a flag for Davis, California!