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Augusta, Georgia (U.S.)

image by Blas Delgado Ortiz, 8 December 2001

Description of the Flag
Former city flag
Augusta National Golf Club

See also:

Description of the Flag

The flag of the City of Augusta, Georgia was adopted upon consolidation of the municipal and county governments in 1996. The flag may be found at augusta.co.richmond.ga.us.
James T. Smith, Jr., 6 December 2001

Former City Flag

image by António Martins-Tuválkin, 24 January 2008

From http://augustachronicle.com/stories/120800/met_073-5796.000.shtml (image archived here)

Augusta adopts new city flag
Green, gold standard reflects consolidated government
Web-posted Friday, December 8, 2000
By Heidi Coryell, Staff Writer

The city's got a brand new flag. On Tuesday, Augusta Commissioners adopted an updated consolidated government banner to replace city flags that have flown over downtown for 15 years. The bisected red and white flag with its blue circle of stars and city seal will be swapped out sometime early next year for a green banner adorned with the consolidated government's gold Old Government House seal. Commissioners were unsure of the exact history behind the old city flag, but local historians say the standard has a story.

During the mid-1980s, a local engineering firm was hired to plan downtown's riverwalk. Blueprints showed three flagpoles in the center of the walkway: one for the American flag; one for the state flag; and one for the city flag. "But Augusta didn't have a flag as far as we knew," said Tom Robertson, an engineer with Cranston, Robert & Whitehurst. Enter the city's own Betsy Ross: Rozelle "Rockie" Dinwiddie. She and her husband, Gray - then a dean at Augusta College - were charged by Mayor Charles DeVaney with creating a flag. Mrs. Dinwiddie recalls working into the midnight hours for five days, piecing together the pattern with scraps of fabric from the shelves of her sewing room. And on May 6, 1986, the flag was adopted by the city. "I was really tired after it was over because I didn't get too much sleep," said the now 77-year-old Mrs. Dinwiddie. "But I really enjoyed the process, and my husband did, too."

The flag design was updated from one they found on the cover of a 1939 Work Progress Administration publication. The city's blue circular seal was added at the mayor's request. But since the county and city combined in 1996, officials have talked of a new flag design, while the supply of old city flags has steadily diminished.

The gold emblem [in the new flag] represents prosperity. The green background stands for the Garden City. The color scheme also matches that of the Masters Tournament, he said.

Dov Gutterman, 6 January 2003

The former flag was a ~3:5 red flag with a dark blue cross throughout and 13 white upright five-pointed stars (12 set in lying ellipse incl. 4 on the cross arms and 2 on each quadrant, and a central one on the cross core), and a white hoist panel with the city seal in shades of dark blue centered on it. This seal included a house between two trees and around it lettering saying "City of Augusta, Georgia" (above) and "1736" (below), inside a ring line - i.e., including essentially the same elements and symbolism of the post-2000 version and differing only in the chosen color (blue on white to black on yellow) and shape (circle to horizontal ellipse).

If I understand correctly, this flag change reflected a change in governmental and administrative structure, already occurred in 1996, although one wonders that sometimes flag designs are changed just because the City Hall runs out of stock…? After all, the text and basic elements did not change…Here's the relevant quote: "since the county and city combined in 1996, officials have talked of a new flag design, while the supply of old city flags has steadily diminished."
António Martins-Tuválkin, 24 January 2008

image by António Martins-Tuválkin, 24 January 2008

The ~1985-2000 flag was apparently made from a previous one, which lacked the white panel, according to the article from the Augusta Chronicle website (2000.12.08): "The flag design was updated from one they found on the cover of a 1939 Work Progress Administration publication. The city's blue circular seal was added at the mayor's request." My speculative reconstruction of this ca. 1939 design attached as <us-gaau0.gif>. (Any harder data about this flag?)
António Martins-Tuválkin, 24 January 2008

Augusta National Golf Club

image by James T. Smith, Jr., 6 December 2001

I have attended the Masters Golf Tournament for several years, and have seen this flag there. I have drawn it from several photos I have taken during practice rounds at the golf tournament. It flies from the pole in front of the clubhouse. Based on photographs, and in making a comparison with the U.S. Flag flying above the ANGC Club flag, I believe the club flies a 6' x 10' U.S. flag, and that the size of the club flag is 5' x 8'.

The course was designed by Bobby Jones and Alister MacKenzie in 1931, and opened for play in 1932. It is a private club, and is the site of the Masters Tournament, held annually during the second week of April. President Dwight D. Eisenhower was a member during his terms in office as President of the United States.
James T. Smith, Jr., 6 December 2001