Ponca City to Celebrate 80th Anniversary of Oklahoma Flag Design

The 80th anniversary of the distinctively designed Oklahoma flag is April 2, 2005, and Ponca City will be honoring the flag's designer, Louise Funk Fluke, in an all-day celebration.

"I'm very excited about this event. We have one of the most magnificent state flags and I think it is only fitting to honor the woman who gave us that beauty," said Sen. David Myers, R-Ponca City. "Mrs. Fluke lived in Ponca City for many years after her flag was adopted in 1924, so we consider her one of Ponca City's daughters."

The first flag flown at the State Capitol in Oklahoma City will be on display at Ponca City's City Hall on that Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The flag will be brought from Houston to Ponca City by George and Virginia Fluke, son and daughter-in-law of the designer.

The banner is a large impressive hand-painted silk flag edged in gold fringe. The flag is one of the first signed by Louise Fluke. Her signature can be plainly seen in the lower right hand corner. The Flukes recently had the flag treated and framed in a pressurized gilt frame to preserve its original beauty.

In addition to viewing the historic flag, a premier musical celebration will be presented in the Commissioners Chamber at City Hall. The dramatization "An Oklahoma Flag….Designed by a Fluke" will take place at 2 p.m. Directed by Leslie Rardin, private music studio teacher, it will feature musical vignettes which portray the history of the Oklahoma flag. Earl Sutton, local historical skit writer, created the script based on the monograph written by Marquetta G. Brown, a former Ponca City resident.
Characters portrayed in the musical include: Louise Fluke, flag designer; Mrs. Fred Hickman, Oklahoma State DAR Regent in 1924; Dr. James Thoburn, secretary of the Oklahoma Historical Society in 1924; Senator Joe M. Whittaker from Eufaula in 1937; and Mrs. Fred Neff, Oklahoma State DAR Regent in 1937 as well as other DAR members.

While Oklahoma was admitted as a state in 1907, the Legislature did not adopt a flag until 1911. It was not readily accepted by the citizens. It was a red flag emblazoned with a white star which was imprinted with the number "46". Some critics regarded the flag as a sign of quarantine. Oklahoma soldiers called it a "socialist rag". In 1924, Dr. James Thoburn, secretary of the Oklahoma Historical Society, asked the State Regent of the Daughters of the American Revolution to sponsor a contest to find a new design for the state flag. The result was the present state flag designed by Louise Fluke, an artist. It was adopted April 2, 1925.

Many months of planning has taken place with several sponsoring organizations coordinating the events for the 80th anniversary celebration. These sponsors include the City of Ponca City, the Ponca City Chapter of the Daughters' of the American Revolution, Twentieth Century Club, Ponca City Library, Friends of the Marland's Grand Home Foundation, Inc. and North Central Oklahoma Historical Association, Inc.

Admission to the performance is free, but tickets must be obtained in advance from the City Manager's office at the City Hall of Ponca City. To obtain tickets, please call the City Manager's office, 580-767-0339. City Hall is located at 5th at Grand Avenue. No tickets will be held for later pickup. There is a limit of four tickets per person for the performance. Seating is limited in the Commissioners Chamber. Refreshments will be served after the performance.

Children's activities centered on the Oklahoma flag are also planned on April 2 at the Ponca City Library. In addition, the Ponca City Library will feature Louise Fluke's creativity and artistry in two of the display cabinets on the main floor of the library. This exhibit will be available for viewing for several weeks. Included will be Mrs. Fluke's recipes, paintings and personal mementos from the Fluke family and area historians. This display was coordinated by Marquetta Brown, Paula Denson and Sandy Graves.

"This is a wonderful opportunity to learn a little bit about our state's history," noted Myers. "And I encourage and invite everyone to come visit us in Ponca City and partake in this fun and educational event."