The Muskingum County Commissioners have launched a contest, allowing residents to try their hand at designing the next official county flag. The contest was created after at least two requests were made for the flag to be updated, the most recent being from Camren Zimmerman of Nashport, who submitted his design concepts to the commissioners in January.
Muskingum County’s current flag was designed in 2002 by Roger Penos using ideas from residents of the Muskingum County Home. According to a short history piece written about the flag for the muskingumcountyoh.gov website, residents of the County Home, Helen Bartick and Lucille Wilson, worked on the project since the planning stages and presented the finished flag design on behalf of the residents. The flag has seven white graphics on a maroon background. Each of the graphics on the flag symbolizes different things that Muskingum County is known for, such as the Y-Bridge, pottery, the Lorena Sternwheeler, etc.
The contest is open to all Muskingum County residents; submissions from individuals and groups are encouraged. A few design guidelines have been set; the design must be simple and bold, it should use two to four colors, and it must represent Muskingum County.
The chosen design will become the official Muskingum County flag and will be permanently displayed at the county offices. The commissioners plan to choose a winning design by Flag Day, June 14, 2026.
A deadline of May 1, 2026, has been set. Submissions can be sent by email to mjbell@muskingumcounty.org or mailed to Muskingum County Commissioners, 401 Main St., Zanesville, OH 43701.
