Portland collector has more than 500 flags

The flag above is the flag for the city of Portland. 

(JUNE 21, 2024) Ted Kaye from Portland loves flags. He is a vexillologist, which means he studies and collects flags. He has over 500 flags from all around the world. Every day, he hangs a different flag from his window and shares information about it with his neighbors.

Kaye's collection started over 40 years ago. He collects flags only from places he has visited. His flags have taken over a lot of space in his home. During the COVID-19 lockdown, he began displaying them daily to entertain his neighbors. He chooses flags to match special days or simply picks ones he likes.

Flags are important to Kaye. He believes they tell stories and represent identities. He has even helped design flags for cities and tribes. 

Oregon’s flag is unique among U.S. state flags because it has two different sides. One side shows the state seal on a blue background, while the other side features a beaver, the state animal. This makes it special but also more expensive to produce. Ted Kaye points out that the detailed seal can be hard to see from a distance, which is why he and other flag enthusiasts believe it might be time for Oregon to consider a redesign. Despite these challenges, the dual-sided design makes Oregon's flag a special flag.