Last modified: 2006-02-05 by rick wyatt
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The flag was chosen in a contest in the early 1970's and, of course, had to please the two main industries of the city, the world famous Mayo Clinic, and IBM, and then still say something about the town.
Therefore, it includes a city landscape with 2 Mayo Clinic buildings, the old, ornate & the new modern building, the words Rochester in "computer type style" (thanks IBM), both viewed from the artificial lake, Silver Lake, created by a dam and used to cool the electrical generating power plant.
The power plant produced enough heat to keep the small lake from freezing in winter (not a easy job when the temperature is -35 F/ -38 C). The open water meant that the Canadian Goose did not have to fly south for the winter, but could stay in Rochester all winter, a tourist attraction. Somewhat close to 30,000 large birds flock in when the weather turns cold. Hence, the 3 flying Canadian Geese over the city on the flag.
Colors:
1. Royal blue to match the state flag of Minnesota,
2. white circle to match the state flag (the white circle is an historical reference to the original Minnesota flag which was white on the obverse-blue reverse).
3. Light brown to match the old clinic building.
4. Light blue for the sky
5. Black trim and outline and letters
The emblem has a thin lt brown circle, a wide white circle inside, a thin brown circle inside, a landscape inside: pale blue sky, buildings, lake and birds overhead. Blue field. The center emblem looks like a "seal", but it is not. The city has a different official seal. However, because it looks like a seal, some city departments have adopted it as a seal & it is used on city police cars.
Of course, the flag is rare, only the official city buildings and parks use it.
Lee Herold, 21 June 1997