In 1948, a slightly eccentric multi-millionaire American and a group of like-minded adventurers set off for Antarctica on a private ship laden with supplies. Weatherproof shelters, greenhouses and plant soils, generators and heaters with ample supplies of fuel, and food to last for 1 year. They are off to realize a daring dream. To found a permanent settlement in Antarctica.
They land on the coast near the Ross Ice Shelf and trek their supplies inland. They set up their settlement, called Kadath, on the Onyx River in Wright Valley, building permanent shelters over a period of a few months, using greenhouses and livestock to procure food, and the river for water.
After their initial fuel begins to run low, they begin experimenting with solar, wind, and biomass power. This is a huge success, as wind energy is ample at all times in the Antarctic and solar energy during the summer is constant.
The colony gains international attention, but the cold war prevents any authorities from caring much about it. However, more colonists come to Antarctica and arrive both in Kadath and in new settlements built along the length of the Onyx.
In 1949, the first Antarctican baby is born, named Notos Onyx Palmerson, and more are to follow in the coming year as more immigrants come in bringing supplies and building new towns.
In honor of its first anniversary, the colonists meet in their impromptu governing council building and declare the Republic of Onyx, with Kadath as its capital, claiming the entire area of the Onyx River and Lake Vanda within a radius of 20 miles. They draft a constitution and design this flag, raised over the government hall on 29th November, 1949. This gets the UN talking...
