The story of Raleigh's city flag dates back to 1899, when the Board of Alderman (later known as the City Council) commissioned it as a gift for the USSRaleigh cruiser. The ship's crew had presented the Aldermen with a gun they captured from a Spanish warship during the Battle of Manila Bay. Moved by the gesture, the Aldermen contracted a young local artist to complete the flag's design. By the time the flag was finished, however, the USS Raleigh had been decommissioned. Shortly afterwards the flag disappeared from the public record, only to be rediscovered over 50 years later.
As one of 450 municipalities with a flag, Raleigh continues to proudly fly this symbol of its heritage.