“Seattle (/siˈætəl/ⓘsee-AT-əl) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest region of North America. It is the 18th-most populous city in the United States with a population of 780,995 in 2024, while the Seattle metropolitan area at over 4.15 million residents is the 15th-most populous metropolitan area in the nation.”
“Seattle is situated on an isthmus between Puget Sound, an inlet of the Pacific Ocean, and Lake Washington. It is the northernmost major city in the United States, located about 100 miles (160 km) south of the Canadian border. A gateway for trade with the Asia-Pacific region, the Port of Seattle is the fourth-largest port in North America in terms of container handling as of 2021.”
“The Seattle area has been inhabited by Native Americans(such as the Duwamish, who had at least 17 villages around Elliott Bay) for at least 4,000 years before the arrival of the first permanent European settlers.” When European settlers came, they moved the settlement to the east side of Elliott Bay and name their place Seattle after Chief Seattle, a prominent 19th-century leader of the local Duwamish and Suquamish tribes. He was a warrior and leader of most of the local tribes. He was feared for his physical stature, well over 6 feet tall, and strong speaking style.
“After the death of his son and his conversion to Christianity, Seattle began to seek cooperation with American settlers, retiring from fighting. He welcomed pioneers, inviting them to settle and trade with his people. Seattle began seeking contacts with businessmen and community leaders and gained a reputation as a “friend of the whites” among settlers. Seattle and the Duwamish helped many early American settlers, guiding them along the Duwamish River and its tributaries, providing them with safe transportation, and helped clear forests for the cultivation of crops, and provided labor in early sawmills and farms.”
When it came time to develop a sign/symbol to represent the city, political leaders sought input. One of the first efforts was created by the sculpture James Wenn. His ‘portrait drawing’ was proposed for the official seal.
In 1943 a city councilman took the image on the seal and created an ‘unofficial’ flag for the city. It was never adopted but did fly ‘unofficially by businesses and a few city buildings. The seal on a green bedsheet (green the color of the Washington State flag),
In 1973 James Wenn is tragically killed by a drunk driver. A design group takes Wenn’s basic idea and stylizes the drawing.
Then in 1990 Ted Turner organizes ‘The Goodwill Games’ and they are played in Seattle. The committee designs a flag for this event and the council thinks, what the heck, let’s just adopt that flag and stick our name on it and call it good.
“The municipal flag of Seattle is teal and white, [teal being the color of the Puget Sound at dusk] featuring the Seattle city logo (a portrait of Chief Seattle surrounded by two lines), with the words “City of Goodwill” above and “Seattle” below.
The flag was designed by architect David Wright and endorsed by Seattle City Councilmember Paul Kraabel. It was adopted on July 16, 1990, for use during the Goodwill Games.”
But, the Goodwill Games has gone out of business after losing millions of dollars. Then on August 6, 2021, the Sauk-Suiattle tribe said to the mayor of Seattle, ‘Why do you have Seattle on your flag when you have not kept your word on treaties you signed protecting fishing rights and other environmental issues that Chief Seattle negotiated with you?’
Designer Jackson Ridl said, since the Goodwill Games are over, we should have a new flag. His keeps the teal color and drops all lettering in favor of rings representing waves in the Puget Sound and how everyone is interconnected. He is pushing this design aggressively.
More redesigns have entered the arena. I lean heavily to Riley Raker’s effort. A simple vertical triband, Seattle is in the middle of two mountain ranges and two bodies of water, and Chief Seattle is in the middle. Distinctive, simple, ascetically pleasing. This would my vote for a redesign.
deliriouslove1970. The life & times of Gary and Denise Flanders. (Free and worth every penny. If you would like to compliment the editor, send to garytheflan@deliriouslove1970.com. If you would like to complain, call your mother.) 
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