A new flag for Colfax

Three designs for the City of Colfax flag representing different factions of the community will go before the city council for a vote at its July meeting. The designs, featuring the Skunk River, a water droplet and an osprey, each show symbols of the community in a unique, artistic way.

Skunk River

According to city documents, the design is “simple with meaningful symbolism, three colors, looks good at a distance and is distinctive.” It can be interpreted in a couple of ways including the sky, the Skunk River, the hill and spring water beneath the hill or the new water (Quarry Springs), the Skunk River and the legendary mineral spring water.

“Many flag designs utilize straight horizontal or vertical lines. Our wavy lines design sets this flag apart while staying within the confines of good design principles,” design documents said. “The history of Colfax is all about water, so choosing blues from our color palette to symbolize water is the right move. The classic, off-white color from our palette that fills the space visually representing the Skunk River gives us a nice contrasting color element that not only looks good, but also fits with the rest of our branding.”

Water droplet

The design is simple with meaningful symbolism, in two colors and will look good from a distance, documents said. It relates to Colfax’s past in several ways including a pennon flag flown off same building where the Secondary Logo Shield and wayfinding signage takes its inspiration, uses a water droplet which symbolizes mineral water, Quarry Springs, Skunk River and the water droplet cleverly forms a C for Colfax, which when turned vertically also forms a hill.

“Color palate is consistent with other branding elements (seal and website) We also prefer the water drop in the darker blue. It will stand out more when flying in the sky,” design documents said.

Osprey

“Visually, the flag design has interesting symbolism relating to Colfax’s past, present and hopes for the future,” documents said.

The flag design is identical in proportion to the Iowa flag, with the white field being twice as wide as the blue areas. The blue areas represent Colfax’s historic connection to mineral water and the new connection to the lakes found at Quarry Springs Park. Also, it plays in with the history of Colfax’s mineral springs.

“A century later, Western Osprey (Pandion haliaetus), which are birds-of-prey known for fishing, came to Colfax to fish at Quarry Springs Park, whose lakes are spring-fed and have much less turbid water than other Iowa bodies of water,” design documents said. “These birds came to experience the abundant fishing of Colfax’s bodies of water, much like past human tourists flocked to Colfax for the mineral water industry.”

A variety of color options are also available with each flag. While the designers have selected what they think is the best option, the others are available for the council to view.

The flag design joins the city’s new logo and seal approved earlier this year.

Contact Jamee A. Pierson at 641-792-3121 ext. 6534 or jpierson@newtondailynews.com