Our town’s colorful history (or where did we find that black and gold?)

By Patricia Lowry, Sunday, February 26, 2006

Hey there, you in the black-and-gold sweat shirt, jacket, baseball cap, socks and probably underwear: Any idea why you’re not wearing, say, red and black or blue and white?

Well, says you, Pittsburgh’s colors are black and gold.

Right, but have you any idea why?

Not a clue, says you.

Then allow me to buy you one: One hundred and seven years ago this week, a committee of Pittsburgh councilmen rejected blue and white, red and black, and a number of other chromatic pairs and settled on black and gold as appropriate colors for the city flag.

Post-Gazette Illustration by Stacy Innerst. 

For the rest of this educational story, go to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Hat Tip to TDF Friend Fred Goodwin of San Antonio, for this colorful story.

What’s the story behind Hawaii’s flag?

by Chris Bailey,  October 21, 2008

 

 

You ask. We answer.
Pat Duffus of Clearwater, Florida writes: What is the story behind the Hawaiian flag? When I see it I am reminded more of Britain than Hawaii. Is there a Hawaiian flag that precedes it?

Pat’s right about the British connection. King Kamehameha I flew a British flag throughout his kingdom in the late 18th century, given to him as a token of friendship from fellow ruler King George III.
However, during the War of 1812, an American flag was raised over Kamehameha’s home to placate American interests. It was soon removed after British officers in Kamehameha’s court opposed to it.

Instead, Kamehameha commissioned a new flag—one that incorporated elements of both nations.

For the rest of this story, go to HAWAI’I MAGAZINE.COM.

By the way, I’m bookmarking this magazine website. They have volcano news!

Flag flying again, thanks to precision steeplejack

By DeAnn Smith, October 22, 2008

O’ say, does that Star-Spangled banner yet wave, o’er the land of the free and the home of the Kansas City Council? Yes it is does again today after being MIA for three-plus months. All thanks to a third-generation steeplejack who flew in yesterday from California.

The wind was blowing hard. A news chopper hovered overhead as a clutch of rooftop spectators stared up as Jim Phelan swayed on a flagpole 520 feet above the street.

It took about 90 minutes but when Phelan was done, the 15-by-10-foot Old Glory was waving again atop the roof at City Hall for the first time in months.

Photography by Todd Feeback for the Kansas City Star

For the rest of this dizzying story, more photographs, and video, go to the Kansas City Star