AUGUST 2, 2026 — Beauregard Parish in Louisiana, United States, has selected a design by resident Thomas Lee Bethke as its new official flag following a local redesign contest, reports the American Press.
The competition, themed around local pride spanning the past, present, and future, sought to create a unifying symbol for school and community events.
Explaining his artistic choices, Bethke noted that “less is more” and that he avoided the cluttered look of other regional banners.
“After drawing some stuff out it was just the pine cone and I felt like something was missing so then I added the pine branch and I felt like it brought it together better — it connects it to Louisiana and the parish,” he said.
Bethke developed his winning entry using his children’s coloured pencils and markers. He selected earth-toned shades, incorporating two distinct greens alongside brown, to align with the natural environment of Beauregard Parish.
He selected the pine cone because it represents the parish’s forestry while capturing life being protected and prepared.
The contest simultaneously brought to light a forgotten municipal vexillological effort from 1975, when a teenage student named Buck Duplechin won a similar local design competition that ultimately went undocumented.
Local officials integrated Duplechin’s recovered design into the historical archives alongside the adoption of Bethke’s contemporary creation.
Once manufactured, the flag will be submitted to the Louisiana Secretary of State for formal state approval, with plans to display it in the Police Jury board room and utilize travel versions for parades and public functions.
Image: American Press
