Two stripes, four stars, a white background. A design that could potentially be overly simple comes together in perfect harmony for the Chicago flag.

In this video we’ll explore the hidden meaning of the Chicago Flag as well as its history and the stars explained.

Back in 1892, there was no Chicago flag — in fact, US city flags weren’t really a thing. At a meeting for the World’s Fair of 1893, artist F.D. Millet suggested that the city should adopt municipal colors ahead of the event.

The Chicago Tribune ran a contest, and the winning entry of Terra Cotta & White was submitted by architect Alfred Roewad. The Chicago ‘Y’ was also part of his design, symbolizing the three branches of the Chicago river. You can still find this Y hidden in plain sight all over the city!

In 1917, Wallace Rice (author & writer for the Chicago Tribune) submitted his entry to a flag design contest held by city council. It was the design we all know and love today … well, sort of. Watch until the end to find out the rest of this amazing story!

This video was filmed on Chicago’s Museum Campus I hope you enjoyed this Chicago History Vlog!