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

Illinois Anniversary Flags (U.S.)

Centennial, Sesquicentennial

Centennial flag
Sesquicentennial flag

See also:

Centennial flag

image by António Martins-Tuválkin

From ilstatehouse.com:

"In 1918 Springfield artist George H. Schanbacher painted the eagles and shields between the corbel statues in the upper rotunda as part of Illinois' centennial celebration. Mr. Schanbacher also decorated the ceiling of the State Library (now Senate Minority offices) with murals of owls in 1888. He returned in 1923 and painted over his earlier work when the Library was converted into a legislative lounge. The aforementioned shields have 10 stars on either side of a blue ribbon with a large white star in the center. This represents 10 northern and 10 southern states at the time Illinois was admitted to the Union, with the large white star representing Illinois, the 21st state. This banner was designed by Wallace Rice of Chicago in honor of the 100th anniversary of Illinois statehood. Mr. Rice also designed the city flag of Chicago."

Dov Gutterman, 28 December 2002

image located by Jim Ferrigan, 15 September 2010

In a photo of the centennial flag, the blue colour is much lighter than shown above. I do not know if this is due to fading or to the use of a paler blue in the original. This flag was an eBay offer by "edwinart" (aka Edwin's Stuff) no. 390012521647, ended 4 Dec 2008. Comments (edited): "Roughly 2 x 3 FEET / Wool with Screenprinted graphics. Parade flag with general wear, stains and soiling. Would look great framed!"

Contemporary comments found by googling "official flag of the Illinois centennial" (Google Books from Popular Mechanics, June 1917) plus drawing. Interestingly the blue stripe is said to represent Lincoln whereas the white ones represent peace and justice:

"STATE FLAG FOR ILLINOIS CENTENNIAL YEAR
The State of Illinois was admitted to the Union in 1818 and fitting centennial celebrations are planned for next year by the centennial commission, which has adopted a distinctive state flag to be flown during the year below the stars and stripes on public buildings. It was designed by a Chicago poet, and shows a broad blue horizontal bar, typifying union, between two white ones, which symbolize peace and justice. Ten blue stars above and ten below the central bar represent the ten northern and ten southern states admitted before Illinois, which was the 21st state, and is represented by a large white star on the blue bar. This blue bar of union is symbolic of the work of Lincoln, the greatest of all Illinoisians."

Googling ""Illinois centennial flag" almanac 1918" yields the following from ebooksread.com, leading to a Chicago Daily News National Almanac for 1918, text only. Full quote:

"ILLINOIS CENTENNIAL FLAG.
The Illinois legislature passed an act, approved June 25, 1917, authorizing the state centennial commission to use a state banner or flag commemorating the centennial anniversary of the admission of the state of Illinois into the federal union. The banner or pennant shall consist of three horizontal stripes in proper proportion as to length and width, the upper and the lower stripes being white in color and the middle stripe national blue in color, the stripes being of such dimensions that they will appear of equal width. At the staff end of the flag or emblem there shall be ten stars blue in color in the upper white stripe and ten stars blue in color in the lower white stripe, each group of the ten stars being arranged in four rows as follows: Four blue stars in the first row near the staff end of the flag or emblem, three blue stars in the second row, two blue stars in the third row, and one blue star in the fourth or last row, in such a manner that four of the blue stars in each white stripe shall face the staff end and four of the blue stars shall also face the middle or blue stripe. In the center blue stripe, near the staff end of the blue stripe, and in a proper relative position between the two star fields on the two white stripes, there shall be one single white star of a larger size than the stare on the white stripes representing Illinois, the twenty-first state admitted to the union."

So: stripes of equal width but "national blue" in colour. Are the hues in our two photos faded or is this a mistake? In any case we now know the approval date and have more information on the stripes including their symbolism.
Jan Mertens, 15 September 2010

More details in Google Books:
"The centennial of the state of Illinois: Report of the Centennial ..., Volume 6 By Illinois. Centennial Commission "For a contemporary legal description and period image at: books.google.com
Jim Ferrigan, 17 September 2010

Vertical orientation

image by António Martins-Tuválkin, reoriented by Peter Hans van den Muijzenberg, 21 March 2009

As the original version of the flag of Chicago is a [vertical] banner, a hanging flag, I would suggest that the Illinois Centennial flag, which is also by Wallace Rice, may likewise have been a vertical design. This would explain why the elements appear to cling to the hoist.
Peter Hans van den Muijzenberg, 21 March 2009

Sesquicentennial flag

image located by Valentin Poposki, 27 January 2009

Another postcard on flags theme. Here you'll find a postcard showing the Illinois sesquicentennial flag: www.cardcow.com/99700/....
Valentin Poposki, 27 January 2009

The flag is dark blue, with ring of stars, one removed and enlarged. In center a large letter I, with a red map of Illinois on it.