We already had a flower; now we got a flag!

ROCHESTER - The city's unofficial flag has hung next to the state flag in City Council chambers for many years, but on Tuesday its unofficial status was upgraded as the council voted unanimously to adopt it as the city's official flag.

The recent move to make it official began with Public Works Director Peter Nourse, who wanted to install the flag alongside the U.S. and New Hampshire flags in the vehicle storage bay at the new DPW facility.

As chair of the public works committee, Deputy Mayor David Walker brought a motion forward to make it the official flag at Tuesday's meeting, and with little discussion it was approved.

The flag depicts two settings, one at the top that reflects an agrarian setting with a pastoral backdrop and another at the bottom that symbolizes the city's industrial roots with a train passing by factories and smokestacks. The two scenes are separated by the city's name writeen in large red lettering.

Encircling the flag's center ring are important years in the city's history such as the year of its first town charter (1722), being settled (1728), organized (1737) and first city charter (1891).

Beside being on display at the DPW, the flag will also continue to have its place in City Council chambers and at city events such as parades.

The initial plan was to purchase four but Mayor Elaine Lauterborn informally suggested it might be prudent for the city purchase at least one other as a spare.

Rochester has long been known as the Lilac City for its proliferation of lilac bushes that grace its countryside.