^{This page is part of © FOTW Flags Of The World website}

Topeka, Kansas (U.S.)

image by António Martins-Tuválkin, 1 June 2008

based on NAVA website

Description of the flag
Detail of Coat of Arms

See also:

Description of the flag

History of the Topeka City Flag
[Originally posted at http://www.topeka.org/ourcity/city_flag.htm, site no longer available.]
Due to the efforts of an enterprising 13-year-old Eagle Scout named Dana Villeme, Topeka, Kansas received its first official city flag after 123 years of its founding. In 1975, Villeme, along with his scout troop #43, decided to take on a community bicentennial project. Villeme began the project by first contacting then Mayor Bill McCormick's office. At that time he was instructed to meet with a group of local architects to assist them with the design of the flag. After consulting with these individuals, a design was approved. Then Villeme and troop #43 went to work. It was the responsibility of Villeme's scout troop to produce a handmade, embroidered flag to present to Mayor McCormick and the citizens of Topeka. Villeme and the troop spent many long hours in the sewing and embroidery of the flag. The goal for the project was to utilize the city crest. The crest was to be sewn on the left side of the flag while the city colors of green and gold were to be added in color blocks on the right side. After two years, the goal was achieved thanks to Villeme's initiative along with the troop's hard work. The finished product, a poplin flag, two by three and one-half feet, was presented to Mayor McCormick and the City Council in 1977. The city flag flies Monday through Friday from 7:15 a.m. until 5:30 p.m."
Dov Gutterman, 2 November 2002

The flag is 4:7 (original ratio: "two by three and one-half feet"; NAVA uses 2:3) made of three panels: the hoist half, divided vertically, is white and the rest is horizontally divided golden yellow over light green. On the white area the city coat of arms, which is per Or on a chevron Vert between three representations of local landmarks Sable a chevronel indenty Or flanked by nine bezants. The shield is edged in green with an additional golden yellow panel is in the chief position, reading "Golden City", and golden scroll below the shield reading "Topeka" — both loosely set in black serifed capitals with an “open” typeface.
(This is my attempt of treating this as a real coat of arms, but there is a palar line from chief to core, so it would be more accurate to think of this as tierced by pall Or, Or, and Or, all thinly bordured Vert or some such… In this case the "Golden City" area can be seen as an actual chief.)
On the flag, as depicted in the NAVA image, landmarks and letters are shown in green.
António Martins-Tuválkin, 1 June 2008

Detail of Coat of Arms

image by António Martins-Tuválkin, 1 June 2008

At http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:TopekaCityCrest.png is a large image of the coat of arms. On the flag, as depicted in the NAVA image, landmarks and letters are shown in green.
António Martins-Tuválkin, 1 June 2008