Wheeling Flag

Banners only - poles not included.

Symbolism of the Wheeling Flag

The 2 horizontal blue bars represent the Ohio River and Wheeling Creek. The 2 blue bars and the white bar between them represent the 3 major modes of transportation that helped build Wheeling - river, road and rail. Each of the 5 stars represents a major era in Wheeling's past:  

1. The INDIGENOUS STAR - Local tribes including the Wyandot, Shawnee, Delaware (Lenape), and Mingo were the first inhabitants of the area. The name "Wheeling" is derived from the Lenape word "Wee-lunk" which translate "place of the skull";

2. The FRONTIER STAR - Zane brothers settlement of the area. Fort Henry and its 1777 and 1782 sieges;

3. The TRANSPORTATION STAR - Wheeling as a hub of early modes of transportation;

4. The STATEHOOD STAR - Wheeling as the birthplace and first State Capital of West Virginia - the only state born of the Civil War and abolishment of slavery; and 

5. The INDUSTRIAL STAR - Wheeling as manufacturing center (iron, steel, cut nails, glass, tile, etc.); immigrant influx (Germany, Ireland, Poland, Italy, Lebanon, Greece, and others) as a result of growing industry, formation of the labor movement and unions.

An 8-sided "navigation" star was chosen as a nod to Wheeling's having been a major transportation hub and to reinforce the concept of river, road, and rail.  As Wheeling is the birthplace of West Virginia, the official state colors of navy blue for the bars and "old gold" for the stars were used.