Steven Chester 4/10/25 Steven Chester 4/10/25

The Flagpole Vol 3: The Latest Flag of Denver - Union Station

Union Station Neighborhood Flag - Flags of Denver

Union Station: A Flag for Denver's Crossroads

When I first moved to Denver in 2008, Union Station and the surrounding area was a shadow of its former glory. The grand old building stood there, weathered and desolate, reduced to a nearly vacant office building, with its iconic "Travel by Train" sign legitimately flickering like a forgotten beacon with vast stretches of barren land extending to the Central Platte Valley—empty but brimming with untapped potential.

What I didn’t fully grasp at the time was just how much history the building carried. The original Union Station opened in 1881, built to bring together several smaller depots into one central hub for a growing frontier city. It burned down in 1894 (fun fact: the fire started in the women’s restroom), and was rebuilt, eventually getting its now-iconic Beaux-Arts makeover in 1914—complete with the arched windows, great hall, and that grand façade.

*The original Union Station built 1881 .*

For much of the early 20th century, Union Station was the gateway to Denver. It was where people arrived, where soldiers departed, where telegrams were sent and families reunited. In 1952, the glowing orange “Travel by Train” sign was added, a bold piece of typography that became an icon all its own.

But like so many American train stations, Union Station fell into decline as rail travel lost popularity to air travel and the personal automobile. By the time I got here, it was a mostly empty office building with one daily train, its glory days a distant memory.

Then came the vision: a massive investment by the City and RTD through the FasTracks plan. It took years of planning and design, but what rose from that process is one of the most impressive urban transformations I’ve ever seen. Today, Union Station is the multimodal hub of Denver—connecting Amtrak, RTD light and commuter rail, regional buses, bikes, pedestrians... and surrounded by a neighborhood full of life. It’s a new gateway and heart for the city, but one that still beats with its original rhythm.

*Union Station Neighborhood 2008 vs 2021*

This profound metamorphosis inspired me to create the Union Station Neighborhood Flag.

The design centers on those beautiful arched windows, pulled right from the Beaux Arts 1914 façade. The color palette is taken from the warm orange of the “Travel by Train” sign. I wanted the flag to capture the sense of movement, memory, and momentum that Union Station represents.

I’ve produced a limited run of 10 flags , ready to fly, available now in the Narrative Designs shop. A small tribute to a big transformation.

Secure yours here →

Curious about the other flags of Denver?

Explore all the Flags of Denver and learn the stories behind each design → View the collection

Thanks for following along and flying flags that tell stories. More soon.

– Steve

Steven Chester 3/4/25 Steven Chester 3/4/25

The Flagpole Vol. 2: Reintroducing Flags of Denver

Whether you’ve been following the Flags of Denver project from the very beginning or this is your first time learning about it, welcome! For those of you who’ve been with me from the start, I’m excited to share more about where this project has gone and where I hope it’s headed. And for those of you just joining in, I’m thrilled to introduce you to the project and the inspiration behind it.

It’s been a bit since I first launched Flags of Denver in 20167 and received a decent amount of press coverage—including features from Denverite, Westword, and 9News. Looking back, the headlines probably should have been “Denver man has idea,” since, well, here I am—still working on it, six years later. But hey, great things take time, right?

The Inspiration Behind Flags of Denver

When I first came up with the idea for the Flags of Denver project, my fascination with flags had been growing for years. As a kid, I spent hours staring at my "Flags of the World" placemat, deciding which flag I liked most, marveling at how these simple, colorful designs could represent entire countries and their histories. That fascination stuck with me, and it wasn’t until I heard Roman Mars’s 99% Invisible episode and his TED Talk "Why City Flags May Be the Worst Designed Thing You've Never Noticed" that the idea for neighbohrood flags really clicked. Mars’s passionate plea for better city flag design struck a chord with me and got me thinking: Why don’t neighborhoods have flags that represent their unique story?

Placemat of flags of the world — *Not the actual placemat of my childhood, though one I bought for my kids to inspire the next generation of vexillologists*

*Maybe a Flags of Denver placemat is next?*

Roman Mars is obsessed with flags — and after you watch this talk, you might be, too. These ubiquitous symbols of civic pride are often designed, well, pretty terribly. But they don't have to be. In this surprising and hilarious talk about vexillology — the study of flags — Mars reveals the five basic principles of flag design and shows why he believes they can be applied to just about anything.

But even earlier than that, I had been inspired by a lecture in my "Art of the City" class at Middlebury College where I learned about the city of Siena, Italy, and its neighborhoods, known as "contrade." Each contrada has its own flag, and these neighborhoods participate in the annual Palio horse race, a centuries-old tradition that is as much about identity as it is about competition. The way the contrade are tied to the community and the pride they take in their history—expressed in their flags, colors, and banners—made me think about how flags can serve as a source of neighborhood pride. The Palio, with its deep ties to neighborhood identity, showed me how flags could bring people together, giving them a visual language to express where they’re from and who they are. That idea stayed with me and became part of the inspiration for Flags of Denver.

Bringing the Idea to Life

That’s where the Flags of Denver project was born—a way to celebrate the identity of Denver’s diverse neighborhoods through flag design. Each neighborhood, with its own history and culture, deserved to have its own visual representation, and I was excited to bring that idea to life.

The Flags of Denver project had always been a passion project, but with the launch of Narrative Designs, I’m excited to take it to the next level. My goal is twofold: first, to make my flags available for people to fly proudly, and second, to collaborate with neighborhood groups to co-create flags that truly represent their communities.

Challenges Along the Way

On the retail side, I took my first steps about a year ago, launching an Etsy store and experimenting with drop shipping. It’s been a learning experience—some sales here and there, but mostly figuring out what works. Along the way, I stumbled upon my flag designs being sold on Amazon—printed on everything from hats to throw blankets to vanity license plates—by companies with names that look like a cat walked across the keyboard. Frustrating? Absolutely. But at the same time, I couldn’t be too upset. My love for flags comes from the fact that they’re open-source symbols—no one owns the U.S. flag, after all.

That said, I’m someone who obsesses over quality, and I want to bring that same level of care to the flags I sell. Right now, I’m testing materials and working with different flag printers to find the best production method. Soon, I’ll be launching a limited-edition drop model, producing small batches of high-quality flags that will be available through my website. Each flag will come with a signed and numbered print detailing its design and meaning—something truly special for those who want to own a piece of Denver’s story.

*Washington Park neighborhood flag flown with pride at the Narrative Designs HQ.*

If you’re part of a neighborhood group and would like to collaborate on a flag design for your community, I’d love to work with you. I offer flag design workshops where we can co-create a unique flag that truly represents your neighborhood’s identity. Contact me here to learn more or get started!

As I continue this journey with Flags of Denver, I’m filled with excitement about the potential for growth and collaboration. The project has evolved from a passion to something I truly hope will connect communities and foster pride in neighborhood identities. Through the launch of Narrative Designs, I can now bring these flags to a broader audience, while also working directly with neighborhoods to co-create something truly special.

Let’s Create Something Together

Whether you’re here to discover a flag that resonates with you or interested in working together to design a flag that represents your community, I’m thrilled to have you along for the ride. Stay tuned for the upcoming drops, and don’t hesitate to reach out if you want to be part of the flag-making process. Together, we can create something that tells a story—a story that’s uniquely yours.

Thank you for being part of this journey. I can’t wait to see where it takes us.

As a thank you for following The Flagpole, enjoy 20% off your next order in the Narrative Designs online store. Use promo code FLAGPOLE at checkout to shop a selection of Flags of Denver and other locally inspired flags.

Steven Chester 2/3/25 Steven Chester 2/3/25

The Flagpole Vol. 1: Stories of Place by Narrative Designs

Introducing The Flagpole: Stories of Place by Narrative Designs

Every place has a story. This newsletter is where I share how those stories come to life—through fcreative projects, flags, and maps that celebrate neighborhood identity. But it’s not just about my work; it’s a space to highlight the incredible ways others are telling their own stories, too.

What You’ll Find in The Flagpole:

New Flags & Creative Work
Get an exclusive first look at new work from the Flags of Denver collection and other projects I’m working on—whether that’s neighborhood maps, custom flags, or fresh takes on visual storytelling.
Spotlight on Cool Sh*t
I’ll be amplifying creative work from others—community-driven projects, unique city-led planning initiatives, and people doing incredible things to bring places to life through planning and storytelling.
The Stories Behind the Designs
Dive into the history, culture, and inspiration behind each design. It’s not just about making things look good; it’s about telling the unique story of a place.

Who is Narrative Designs?

Narrative Designs is a passion-driven business dedicated to amplifying the stories of place. My focus is twofold: providing place-based consulting services to help communities, organizations, and developers uncover and share their unique identity, and creating hyper-local goods like neighborhood flags and artistic maps. My mission is simple: Every place has a story... I help tell it.

As a one-person business, Narrative Designs is small by design, which means every project is handled with care and intention. I believe that staying small allows me to give each project the focus it deserves—ensuring the results are not just good, but meaningful.

Whether designing a flag that tells the unique story of a neighborhood or developing a strategy to enhance a town’s sense of place, everything I do is rooted in the belief that good design has the power to connect people to their communities in lasting and impactful ways.

Why Subscribe to The Flagpole?

If you’re into hyper-local design, creative placemaking, or simply love seeing how neighborhoods and communities share their stories, this newsletter is for you. It’s part behind-the-scenes look at my work, part inspiration from others, and all about celebrating the places we call home.

I plan to send roughly two updates a month, so you’ll always have fresh ideas and stories to look forward to—without overwhelming your inbox.

Whether you're looking for a flag to represent your neighborhood, ideas to inspire your next project, or just want to follow along on this creative journey, I’m glad you're here.

Let’s tell some stories together.