HomeNAVA 57 (2023)

NAVA 57

NAVA 57: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry Armory
October 6–8, 2023

NAVA met for the first time in Philadelphia, a city full of history and flags.

NAVA 57 Flag

Ryan Warrick designed the flag for NAVA 57. The colors are the same as those of the American flag. This references Philadelphia's history as the city where the Declaration of Independence was signed, and the Continental Congress was held. The Liberty Bell is an iconic symbol of Philadelphia, including the famous crack. There are 13 white and red v-shaped stripes, a reference to the American flag and the original 13 colonies, but also to the NAVA flag.
Nolan (Elaenia) Eickhoff chaired the flag design committee, which comprised Bill Aldrich, Tyler Amick, John Bertrand, Will Levin, Carlos Morales Ramírez, Tara Stark, and Cindy Williams.
See all 66 proposed designs here.

For additional photos, videos, and documents from NAVA 57:
NAVA 57 Photo Gallery
NAVA 57 Video (24 mins.)
NAVA 57—Individual Presentation Videos

NAVA 57—Program Booklet

NAVA 57—Vexi-Sites Nearby

NAVA 57—Saturday Tour (guided)

NAVA 57—Northern Tour (independent)

NAVA 57—Southern Tour (independent)

NAVA 57—Flags in Washington Square

Volunteers
Organizing Committee:
Steve Wheatley (chair), Peter Ansoff, Amber Atteberry, Al Cavalari, Stan Contrades, Ted Dahlburg, Art Etchells, Ted Kaye, Melvin Mason, Simon Pennon, Tara Stark
Flag Design Committee:
Nolan Eickhoff (chair), Bill Aldrich, Tyler Amick, John Bertrand, Will Levin, Carlos Morales Ramírez, Tara Stark, Cindy Williams
Key Assistance:
Mary Ansoff, Tom Berryhill, Pat Contrades, Alan Cooper, Joseph Latshaw, Tom Mason, Chris Maddish, Vinson Nash, Cait O’Donnell, Andy Richardson, Bill Trinkle

NAVA 57 Attendees at the Whitney Smith Dinner in the Ballroom of the 23rd Street Armory

The 23rd Street Armory is home to the historic Markoe Standard and its museum was a must-see for the visiting vexillologists. The historic building dates from 1900.

The "First City Troop" is a private military organization, a unit of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard, one of the oldest units in the United States still in active service, and among the most decorated units in the U.S. Army. It was founded in 1774 as the Philadelphia Light Horse. See its website for more information.

NAVA 57 Tours
Philadelphia presented a wealth of vexillological riches. The tour on Saturday afternoon visited several sites in and near the Independence National Historical Park, including Carpenters' Hall and the Museum of the American Revolution. Tours took public transit to lunch first at the Independence Beer Garden. Registrants also received guidance on how to visit other flag-related sites within walking distance, such as the Betsy Ross House, the National Constitution Center, the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Macy’s Wanamaker Organ Hall of Flags, and the Tomb of the Unknown Revolutionary War Soldier.

The George Henry Preble Lectures
Liberty and Fame: The Standard of the Light Horse of the City of Philadelphia – Virginia Whelen, Jennifer Mass, & Dennis Boylan
The Philadelphia Civic Flag: The First Official City Flag in the Nation! – Brenda Embrey Exon

Accommodations
Most NAVA 57 attendees stayed at one of two nearby locations:

The Union League of Philadelphia, a private club whose main building was built in 1865; its Heritage Center displays Civil War artifacts, including flags. See its website for more information.
The Sonesta Philadelphia Rittenhouse Square, an upper-middle-range hotel.

The Presentations
- Souvenirs of the Sea: Flags Over the Waves – Nick Artimovich, Columbia, Maryland
- More Than a Flag: Utah’s Adoption of the People’s Flag – Brian Craig, Logan, Utah
- Birds in Vexillology: Welcome to the Aviary – James Croft, Enosburg Falls, Vermont
- Capture the Flag: The Grim Reality Behind a Child's Game – John Emond, Silver Spring, Maryland
- Dawn’s First Light: A New Flag Rises Over Syracuse, New York – Andrew Frasier & Winn W. Wasson (presenter), Syracuse, New York
- Myths of Maryland: The Calvert, the Crossland, and the Civil War – Zachary Gardiner, Hummelstown, Pennsylvania (Driver Award Winner)
- The State of Identity – Michael Green, Indianapolis, Indiana
- Evasion and Escape: The Blood Chit Story of World War II – Dale Grimes, Sparrows Point, Maryland
- States Rights and State Flags: How Constitutional Change Influenced State Flags – Anna Jankowski, Plymouth, Minnesota
- The New American City Flags Survey of 2022 – Edward B. Kaye (presenter), Portland, Oregon & Minh Tan (via Zoom), Halifax, Nova Scotia
- A Drumbeat Through History – Craig Nannos, Villanova, Pennsylvania
- Flags Happen: A Critical Discussion on Flags and Design – Laura Scofield, Brooklyn, New York
- The Unexpected History of the Schenectady ‘Liberty’ Flag: The True Story – Gwen Spicer, Delmar, New York
- Flags of Our Founders: A Study of Fraternal Organization Flags – Curtis Tarver, Greensboro, North Carolina
- Variances in Flag Manufacturing: Sacrificing Accuracy for Expediency – Dean Thomas, Beebe, Arkansas

NAVA 57—Presentation Videos

Vexibits
Vexi-Bits, short “show-and-tell” flag-related stories and displays of flags of interest, were presented by several NAVA members and moderated by long-time NAVA member Bill Trinkle after the President's Reception.

Awards and Honors

Captain William Driver Award – Zachary Gardiner
Vexillonnaire Award – Utah State Senator Daniel McCay

Fiscal Sponsors:

President’s Reception & Flags: CRW Flags
Driver Award: Bear Flag Museum, CRW Flags, The Flag Guys, Herold Flags, Jeff R. Bridgman Antiques, and smALLFLAGs.com
Meeting Host: First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry

Sponsors: Tex Aitchison, Paul Alexander, Claudia Allemeier, Levi Barraclough, John Bertrand, Avanti Borucki, Jake Bullock, Tom Carrier, Tom Edwards, Mabon Finch, Bill Gentes, Joseph Giambrone, Lee Goodson, Thomas Griesedieck, Holly Gustavson, Gabriel Johnson, Bea Jones, Rich Leibson, Greg Matson, Daniel McCloskey, Tim McCloskey, Corbin McDonald, Jonathan Meade, Matt Payne, Karen Rose, Chris Sweet, Howard Wilk, Nick Wrbican

In Person Attendees: (133)


Phil Allen Adib Altallal Mary Ansoff ¹ Peter Ansoff Lucas Apicella Nick Artimovich Amber Atteberry Emil Backes P. M. Backes ¹ Meg Bassinson ¹ Paul J. Bassinson Dennis Boylan ² Kyrie Bradley Jay Bright Kathy Carroll Mike Carroll Al Cavalari Pat Contrades ¹ Stan Contrades Alan Cooper Bard Cosman Brian Craig Jim Croft Ted Dahlburg Luca Daigle Abby Dalton ¹ Greg Dean Zack Deery Luca Demirağ Chiara Dennis Ericka Dennis ¹ Fred Drews John Emond	Art Etchells Brenda Embrey Exon Randall Exon ¹ Jim Ferrigan Arlo Foley ¹ Brennan Foley Coleen Foley ¹ Timothy Foley ¹ Daniel Galgano Zachary Gardiner Michael Green Dale Grimes Louise Grimes ¹ Alan Hardy ⁵ Lee Herold Miles Hinshelwood Jennifer Holder ¹ Matt Holder ¹ MJ Holder Graham Houser Anna Jankowski Joni Jankowski ¹ Thaddeus Jankowski ¹ Santé Johnson Claire Johnson-Croft ¹ Dylan Jones Simon Pennon Debbie Kaye ¹ Ted Kaye Steve Knowlton Elaijah Lapay R. Joseph Latshaw III Stuart Ledbetter	Alan Legarreta Will Levin Jack Lowe Karen Lowe ¹ Grant MacArthur Christopher Maddish Dave Martucci Janet Martucci ¹ Melvin Mason Thomas Mason Jennifer Mass ² Janice McCall ¹ Aubrey McKenzie ¹ Maxime Meka Meka ³ Patricia Meka-Essapo ¹ Maya Grace Misra Rich Monahan Carlos A. Morales-Ramírez Jim Mundy Carver Murphy ¹ Kevin Murphy ¹ McQuillin Murphy Craig Nannos ² Vinson Nash Dennis Nelson ¹ Erika Nelson ¹ Nava Nelson TJ Nickerson Cait O'Donnell Ikechukwu Okereke David Ott Jeanette Palmer ¹	James Petrick Kristin Petrick ¹ Rachel Phelan ⁴ Andy Richardson Joe Rockenbach Colleen Rosby ¹ Peggy Rose ¹ Laura Scofield Clyde Simpson Collin Simpson Anu Slorah ¹ Gwen Spicer Tara Stark Bruce Stewart Brian Stokle Jonathan Sussman ¹ Curtis Tarver Dean Thomas Gus Tracchia Bill Trinkle Ryan Warrick Winn W. Wasson Chris Weicker Nate Whalen Shawn Whalen ¹ Steve Wheatley Virginia Whelan ² Cindy Williams Jae Williams ¹ Paxton Wills ¹ Georgia Wyatt ¹ Rick Wyatt Alex Zimmerman Alexia Zuliani ¹

Footnotes: ¹ Companion
² Speaker
³ Attendee from Cameroon
⁴ Attendee from Ireland
⁵ Attendee from United Kingdom

Streaming Attendees: (21)


Pat A Claudia Allemeier Cybil Artimovich Dave Carter Brian Cham	Meghan Curtin Andrew Frasier Richard Gardiner Joshua Hodge Elena's iPhone	Liam's iPhone James Johnson Rich Leibson Estelle Miller Matt Renzelmann	Chris Sweet Minh Tan Alexander Tomberlin Mihai Turcu Stuart Wamsley Anonymous