College Park Flag
After last year’s Maryland Municipal League summer conference, Councilmember Dennis, who was the City’s flag-bearer, suggested it might be time to get new flags.
At Last night’s Council meeting, the Council discussed purchasing a lighter-weight, nylon version of the existing flag (black and gold logo) however deferred the consideration of a new flag design at a later time.
The history book “The First Twenty-Five Years of the City of College Park, Maryland 1945 – 1970” by Charles R. Davis, Sr. provides the background on how the current flag was first introduced. In October of 1959, It was suggested that it would be appropriate for College Park, home of a great university and of the historic airport, to have not only a City Seal, but a Flag. They may also consider installing in-ground high wind flagpoles to carry the new flags.
In order to stimulate wide interest and participation in the design and selection of a Seal and a Flag, the Mayor and Council decided to put this project on a competitive basis. Entries were judged by a committee of eight selected from prominent, long-time residents. Five entries were received as seal designs. The judges selected the one submitted by Mr. Mel Havenner and recommended it to the Mayor and Council.
The Havenner design was adopted as the official Seal of the City of College Park on April 10, 1962. The Seal is a circle divided into quarters. Each section represents an important aspect of the City of College Park: 1. The chapel represents religion; 2. The books, education 3. The airplane and landing field, this historic airport; and 4. The wheels, industry. The City Flag was designed by a flag manufacturer using the City Seal as the central part of the design. The Yarrow Civic Association was instrumental in obtaining the original City Flag which was presented to the Mayor and Council on October 24, 1964