City Flag

Martin Luther King Jr. Events

Johnson_City_Flag

The City of Johnson City Board of Commissioners unanimously voted to adopt a new City flag during its regularly scheduled meeting on September 1, 2022.


This flag design is comprised of elements that derive meaning from Johnson City’s past, present, and future. The converging green lines represent the rails of the original railroad track Henry Johnson leveraged as an opportunity for building a business and what would ultimately become Johnson City. Green symbolizes prosperity, stability, growth, and environmental stewardship. The rails border a yellow triangle that symbolizes the City’s pathway into the future. Yellow symbolizes optimism and originality – fitting for the eternal hope and tenacity of our community’s entrepreneurial spirit.

The rail element leads to a blue horizon featuring three stars – or the Tri-Cities – with Johnson City represented at center. The stars are a nod to the Tennessee state flag “tri-star” designed by Johnson City native Col. Lee Roy Reeves. The blue symbolizes trustworthiness and security, while white symbolizes unity. The three stars placed above the green and yellow elements serve to reinforce the flag’s connection to the City seal.

The rails and pathway combined resemble a mountain, which is a crucial component of the City’s logo and seal. The triangular shape and green and yellow also pay tribute to the City’s original flag design.

This design encompasses the North American Vexillological Association’s five principles are good flag design: simplicity, meaningful symbolism, two or three basic colors, no lettering or seals, and distinctiveness.