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Scottsdale, Arizona (U.S.)

Maricopa County

6:11 image(s) by permission of David B. Martucci
image(s) from American City Flags, Raven 9-10 (2002-2003), courtesy of the North American Vexillological Association, which retains copyright.

Current Flag

Design
Symbolism
Selection
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More about the Flag

Seal
New Flag Competition

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Current Flag

Text and image(s) from American City Flags, Raven 9-10 (2002-2003), courtesy of the North American Vexillological Association, which retains copyright. Image(s) from American City Flags by permission of David B. Martucci.

Design

Scottsdale’s flag has a white field with a large city seal in the center. On a field of 6 by 11 units, the seal is 4 units in diameter. The seal’s field is a dark blue. The outer edge of the seal is a narrow gold band from which emanate 72 evenly-spaced tiny triangles, in imitation of the cut edge of an embossed seal. Two parallel narrow blue lines encircle the gold band. Within the gold band is another band, in dark blue, the inner edge of which is a beveled gold ring. On the blue band is CITY OF SCOTTSDALE arched clockwise over the top half, and ARIZONA centered counterclockwise on the lower half, all in black block letters. Both before and after “ARIZONA” are three black four-pointed stars. Another blue ring is inside the beveled gold circle, bordered in a narrow black line on both sides. The outer black edge is flush with the inner side of the beveled gold ring. On this ring, in small black letters centered counterclockwise on the lower half, is THE WEST’S MOST WESTERN TOWN. Yet another blue ring, slightly narrower, also with black edges (the outer edge of this ring is the inner edge of the preceding ring) is next. The inner portion of the seal, in blue, has a bucking bronco and rider in white detailed in black, facing the hoist. In traditional rodeo fashion, the rider is holding on with his left hand and raising his hat into the air with his right. The horse’s mane and tail are black.
John M. Purcell, American City Flags, Raven 9-10, 2002-2003

Symbolism

The seal bears the city’s motto, “The West’s Most Western Town”, and depicts a well-known symbol of the west, the bucking bronco. The rider was inspired by a long-time wrangler Gerbacio “Harvey” Noriega, who was the “head honcho” at what was then Brown’s Ranch in Scottsdale.
John M. Purcell, American City Flags, Raven 9-10, 2002-2003

Selection

The flag evidently resulted from a sense in city hall that there should be a city flag, and the city’s seal was simply placed on a white background. The seal was adopted about 1951, the same year as the city’s incorporation (on June 25). The flag was developed some time after that (records are unavailable), and is apparently unofficial.
Flag adopted: After 1951 (apparently unofficial).
John M. Purcell, American City Flags, Raven 9-10, 2002-2003

The City of Scottsdale has named 10 finalists in a competition to potentially design the city's new flag. More than 260 designs were submitted, the city said. The public can vote for their favorite through Feb. 28. The public input will then go before City Council, who can decide to accept one of the designs or none of them. The design rules were: keep it simple; use meaningful symbolism; 2-3 basic colors; no lettering or seals; and be distinctive or related.

Dave Fowler, 1 February 2018

image located by Dave Fowler, 19 February 2019

Source: https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/scottsdale/2019/02/19/see-what-scottsdale-has-mind-its-new-city-flag/2910478002/

Two finalists for a new Scottsdale flag detailed here: https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/scottsdale/2019/02/19/see-what-scottsdale-has-mind-its-new-city-flag/2910478002/.
Dave Fowler, 19 February 2019

Scottsdale, Arizona (U.S.)

Maricopa County

Current Flag

Design

Symbolism

Selection

Designer

Seal

New Flag Competition