FEBRUARY 28, 2025 — In New York, a college student is leading an effort to establish Ithaca’s first official city flag and is inviting the community to help shape its design, says Ithaca Voice.
Benjamin Anderson, a college student from Dryden, has spent months creating flag concepts inspired by Ithaca’s natural landscape. His proposed designs center on a waterfall motif, which he believes is a unifying and apolitical symbol for the city.
“Waterfalls are part of nature. Nobody owns them. They are symbolic of the city,” Anderson said.
His design incorporates blue to represent Cayuga Lake, while red and gold hues reference Ithaca High School’s colors and a nod to the Golden Record, the space-bound time capsule championed by Cornell University astronomer Carl Sagan.
Anderson has also considered incorporating elements that reflect Ithaca’s name, which originates from the Greek island.
Guided by principles outlined in the vexillology book Good Flag, Bad Flag, Anderson emphasized the importance of simplicity, symbolism, and a limited color palette.
While he has a personal design in mind, he wants community input before presenting a proposal to the Common Council. He has invited residents to submit their own ideas to ensure the flag reflects the city’s identity.
Anderson has already discussed the project with Ithaca Mayor Robert Cantelmo and hopes to engage more residents in the process.
If approved, he envisions it flying at City Hall and becoming a recognizable emblem across the city.
Image: change.org
