Boys Town's Logo History
The essence of Boys Town, the very heart and spirit of Father Flanagan's Boys' Home has been captured in the Home's symbols and logos over the years. Here is a brief overview of the Boys Town logo's history:
1934
In the early 1930s, Father Flanagan decided his Home needed a symbol and commissioned Jimmy Webster, a resident of the Home, to create it. Webster created the Homeless Boy symbol of a homeless boy in tattered clothing reaching out for help. This first figure became the symbol of the Home in 1934 and was used through 1943.
1943
In December of 1941 a friend brought Father Flanagan a copy of the Christmas issue of The Louis Allis Company's "Louis Allis Messenger." In this publication was an image of Two Brothers with the caption, "He ain't heavy, Mister he's m' brother!" Father Flanagan was inspired by how similar the image was to a photograph of two Boys Town youths from the 1920s. He wrote to the publisher and obtained permission to use the figures as the new logo for the Home. All of the representations of the Two Brother's symbol from 1943 to the early 1970s are based upon this painting.
1983
Father Robert Hupp had the Two Brothers symbol updated in the 1970s. In turn, a new Two Brothers logo was introduced a few years later.
2000
Father Val Peter extended the name of the Home to Girls and Boys Town, which required a new logo. At that time two figures of girls were added to an updated Two Brothers symbol.
2007 (Current)
In 2007 the name of the Home was changed back to Boys Town and a new logo was released which features a girl being held by a boy. This icon continues to represent the girls served by the Home, and furthers the symbolism to include the families served by Boys Town.