MARCH 22, 2026 — Oregon City has launched a formal process to replace its municipal flag, a design so cluttered and indistinct that it is currently absent from both the city’s website and the grounds of City Hall, says OregonLive.
Adopted in 1989, the existing banner features a complex city seal on a blue field. The current seal contains a dense hodgepodge of imagery, including an ox-drawn wagon, a schooner, a salmon, and the face of the city’s founder, making it nearly impossible to distinguish from a distance.
Local business owners and members of the North American Vexillological Association (NAVA) have lobbied for the change, arguing that a functional flag must prioritize simplicity and recognizable symbolism over an exhaustive historical narrative.
To ensure the new design remains respectful of the area’s complex history, the city is seeking input from residents and has welcomed potential consultation with the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde.
Parallel to the flag update, the City Commission is refining a new municipal seal. A preliminary concept approved in March simplifies the imagery to focus on the Arch Bridge, the Willamette Falls, and the municipal elevator.
However, adhering to vexillological best practices, the final flag is expected to move away from these realistic depictions in favour of stylized graphics.
Following a public poll that ended on March 19 to gather feedback on preferred visual elements, NAVA volunteers will develop several design options for the commission to review.
Local officials intend to have the new ensign finalized and flying by early July.
Image: City of Oregon City
