Last modified: 2024-03-16 by rick wyatt
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image by Masao Okazaki, 9 July 2021
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Lawton OK has had at least 2 different flags in the past decade. Since about
2020, the city has used a flag that is based on a city seal that's been used
since at least 2012.
https://www.facebook.com/CityofLawton/photos/3543702135734233
https://www.facebook.com/CityofLawton/photos/3437657069672074/
https://z94.com/mayor-stan-booker-and-councilman-jay-burk-facing-recall/
Masao Okazaki, 9 July 2021
After asking the city, I received the resolution adopting the first city
flag. The former city flag was adopted as official on September 13, 1983.
The resolution provides reasoning for its adoption and reads: “WHEREAS, the
City of Midwest City has need of a focal point for its civic endeavors”. It was
also created in need of a city flag for its official acts.
Daniel Rentería,
6 February 2024
image located by Paul Bassinson, 13 November 2019
Source:
https://www.lawtonok.gov
Paul Bassinson, 13 November
2019
image by Masao Okazaki, 9 July 2021
The flag used since 2013 had a city seal with a yellow border.
https://townsquare.media/site/127/files/2015/07/Lawton.jpg?w=980&q=75
https://www.facebook.com/CityofLawton/photos/a.195077007263446/447180692053075
A close up view of this flag can be seen on the website of a Tulsa flag
company called Liberty Flags:
https://libertyflags.com/pages/custom-flags-gallery
https://cdn.shopify.com
Masao Okazaki, 9 July 2021
Lawton adopted its first official city flag on August 7, 1963 after being
presented to the city by the Altrusa club, which previously agreed to pay for
it. Mayor Wayne Gilley suggested the idea of a city flag and entrusted the
planning of a city flag to a committee headed by Mrs. Frances Curb, Lee School
principal.
The design is in six colors, which are yellow, blue, brown,
red, black, and white. The background is mountainous, representing the Wichita
Mountains National Wildlife Refuge. The ring is yellow and displays the city and
state name, as well as the year of incorporation. The detail of the device
displays: buildings, an olive branch, a star, buffalo, a missile, and arrows.
Respectively, each represents progress, peace, faith in God, preparedness,
natural resources, and Native heritage. As for who the designer is, I am unsure.
Some possible reasons the seal changed include: because the star
representing faith in God is something the ACLU would sue the city over, change
in taste, or the council itself disagreeing with its symbolism.
Daniel Rentería, 9 February 2024
image located by Daniel Rentería, 9 February 2024
Image from the August 7, 1963 issue of the Lawton Constitution.
image located by Daniel Rentería, 9 February 2024
Detail of flag from the December 12, 1963 issue of the Lawton Constitution also
attached.
Daniel Rentería, 9 February 2024
The flag was a mixture between designs created by local artist Harvey Freeze
and Central Junior High ninth-grader Sandy Wallander, as the committee only had
two weeks in April to select a flag because the mayor wanted the design in time
for the opening of the city hall in May and the flag prepared for the city's
anniversary in August.
Daniel Rentería, 16 February 2024