Municipal device of Chicago

The municipal device of Chicago is a symbol used officially by the city of Chicago, Illinois, as well as unofficially by various agencies and companies associated with the city. As defined by city code, it consists of a Y shape inscribed inside of a circle.^[2] The symbol represents the north, south, and main branches of the Chicago River, and their confluence at Wolf Point. It was designed by Danish-born architect and civil engineer Alfred J. Råvad (Roewad).^[3] Its earliest known appearance was in 1892 for a contest to design the city's flag held by the Chicago Tribune.^[4] While this was ultimately not used for the flag, in 1917 it was officially adopted along with the flag and seal as symbols of the city of Chicago.^[5]

The municipal device appearing on a traffic control box in the city. Note that the device is used upside-down.

Sketches for the Chicago flag for a contest held by the Chicago Tribune in 1892. The Y-shaped mark ultimately became used for the municipal device in 1917.

Flag proposed by Francis Davis Millet in 1892, based on Alfred Jensen Råvad's winning design for the Chicago Tribune contest. Despite never being approved by the city council, it became widely used as an unofficial city flag during the World's Columbian Exposition (1893) in particular. It was ultimately superseded by Chicago's first official flag in 1917.

The municipal device of Chicago as it appears in the background of the marquee of the Chicago Theatre.

A Y-shaped symbol is also featured on the new Cook County Flag, adopted September 22, 2022.^[1]

The municipal device was widely used in the early twentieth century on civic vehicles and buildings but fell out of favor in the latter half of the century. The exact reasons for its decreased use are unknown, but was possibly motivated by concerns it would be confused with the peace sign, especially as some agencies purposefully flipped the device to celebrate the reversal of the Chicago River.^[6] In addition, as affordable vinyl printing made detailed signage more accessible, the device lost popularity on city vehicles in favor of printing the full seal.^[5] It is still used prominently in the seal of the Chicago Public Library and can be found on buildings throughout the city such as the Chicago Theatre.

References

1. "Cook County Announces New County Flag". www.cookcountyil.gov. Retrieved 2022-10-25.
2. City of Chicago (March 18, 2020) [originally published 1990]. "1-8-070 Municipal device – City vehicle identification". Municipal Code of Chicago (Municipal code). American Legal Publishing Corporation. sec. 1-8-070 – via American Legal Publishing’s Code Library.
3. "Why is "Y" everywhere in Chicago?". Chicago Humanities Festival. Retrieved 2023-03-02.
4. Rumore, Kori (June 13, 2016). "Chicago's flag: The history of every star and every stripe". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
5. Gill, Andrew (June 11, 2013). "Chicago's municipal device: The city's symbol lurking in plain sight". WBEZ. Chicago Public Media, Inc. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
6. Bukowski, Doug (November 9, 1999). "City spurns its old symbols; has "I will" become "I want?"". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved September 22, 2020.