Last modified: 2004-12-22 by rick wyatt
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My impression of Alabama city flags, with the exception of Mobile, Montgomery, and Ozark, is that if there is a perceived need for a city flag the community simply resorts to the time-honored practice of putting the city seal on a bedsheet. I have not described the various civic and municipal seals of Alabama as separate flags. In other words, apparently all the Alabama civic seals which I have described below are in effect nascent municipal flags.
Ron Lahav, 20 March 2004
Website at www.cityofalabaster.com
shows a city seal.
Ron Lahav, 5 February 2003
The website at
www.cityofalbertville.com shows a city seal consisting of a heraldic shield
or depicting a sailing ship argent cupped in two hands of the same, the whole
surmounted by the Scales of Justice or, with an illegible blazon and date azure,
all surrounded by a double circle azure fimbriated doubly gules, with six
blossoms (unclear) arranged crescent fashion three on each side, the words City
of at the top of the inner circle and Albertville, Alabama at the bottom, both
azure.
Ron Lahav, 5 February 2004
This description threw me for a loop. Albertville sits on top of the 1000
foot (330 meter) high ridge known as Sand Mountain. The nearest body of water
capable of accommodating anything resembling a sailing ship is Guntersville
Lake, more than 10 miles (16 km) away. So why a sailing ship?
Answer: I think what is being cupped by the two hands on the shield is instead a
stylized representation of a group of people--the symbolism presumably being
that the city protects and cares for the citizens.
Joe McMillan, 6 February 2004
On the city website at
www.alexandercityonline.com the city seal appears to be attached to some
sort of flag-like drawing.
Ron Lahav, 5 February 2004
Andalusia uses a diagonally divided blue (upper fly) over red (lower hoist)
flag with the city seal on it -
http://www.andalusianet.com
Dov Gutterman, 23 October 2002
Attalla has the state flag on its seal -
http://www.cityofattalla.com/assets/images/citysealcolorss.jpg
Dov Gutterman, 23 October 2002
City seal in circular format consisting of two concentric circles. Outer
circle ochre fimbriated black. At top of outer circle City of Attalla in large
black capital letters; at bottom Founded 1870 in smaller capitals. Inner circle
consists of a landscape bisected with a highway argent marked black; alongside
the highway are several symbols representing agriculture and industry, but they
are too indistinct for me. In chief is a sky azure, bisected in dexter by the
Alabama state flag. All in all, a very complicated but effective seal.
Ron Lahav, 6 February 2004
Based on their web page,
http://www.informationbirmingham.com Birmingham does not appear to have a
city flag. The Web Site contains a simple black and white
line drawing of the municipal seal, which is in circular format and depicts a
plowed field dominated by a statue of Vulcan (the official symbol of the city,
reflecting its industrial heritage, as does the fact that it is named after
Birmingham, England). In the background is an urban cityscape.
Ron Lahav, 6 February 2004
The city of Boaz is named after the Biblical figure of Boaz, who appears in
the Book of Ruth as the eventual husband of Naomi and who is considered in
Jewish tradition to be either the grandfather or great-grandfather of King
David. The city seal of Boaz appears on a separate page within the municipal Web
Site, in both a coloured format and a black and white line drawing. Heraldically
the seal is in circular format, consisting of a solid concentric circle azure
surrounding a scene symbolic of the community. In the foreground is a plowed
field of the last with what are termed 'heads of grain' in the seal description.
In the middle ground is an urban cityscape of the last, silhouetted against
three mountain peaks drawn in outline. Above the central peak (Sand Mountain),
is a rising sun or, above which is a blazon on a ribbon gules. In the very
foreground is the date 1897 of the last. Within the concentric circle are the
words City of argent at the top and Boaz, Alabama of the same at the bottom.
Along the sides of the circle are two wheat sheaves bowed or.
All in all, a very busy device for what appears to be a busy little town.
Somebody has obviously given some serious thought to the design of the seal as
well as to the composition of the explanatory text, which appears underneath the
depictions of the seal on its separate page and which reads as follows:
The sun rises over Sand Mountain, symbolizing a new day and a new era for this city, which is so rich in the history of Sand Mountain and the Northeast Alabama Region. Silhouetted in this 'new dawn' are the myriad elements which characterize Boaz, beginning in the foreground with its founding in 1897 out of a pioneer spirit in an agrarian society and progressively moving through foresight and diligent labor to the modern-day City of Boaz. The silhouette of the 'New Boaz' encompasses the many significant facets of this progressive community - including business, industry, education, religion, patriotism, and quality of life - all a part of the rich traditions of the city. The heads of grain symbolize the fruits of these elements, in terms of growth and prosperity for the community and for its citizens and their families. And surrounding it all is a city government dedicated to tradition, justice and progress. The banner which is unfurled over this scene heralds the Latin phraseology best summarizing the story of Boaz:
TRADITIO IUSTITIA PROGRESSUS [Tradition Justice Progress]
Source:
http://www.boaz.net/city/officialseal.html
Ron Lahav, 10 February 2004
The web page (www.childersburg.org) shows the municipal seal which depicts a rich history. The seal exists as a black and white line drawing in a standard circular format. It consists of two concentric circles with the date 1540 in between the two circles at the bottom, the whole surrounding a a Castilian plumed helmet of the 15th Century, the same superimposed upon a sword and a halberd crossed saltire, the sword with hilt to dexter and the halberd with head to sinister.
The History Page of the Municipal Web Site claims that Childersburg is the
oldest continuously inhabited community in the United States, having already
been a settlement of the Coosa Indians when the Spanish explorer Hernán de Soto
(Hernando de Soto) arrived there in 1540. He left teN members of his party there
when he departed, giving rise to Childersburg's claim to antiquity.
Ron Lahav, 10 February 2004
The municipal website (http://www.clanton.al.us)
shows a standard circular format seal consisting of a field or encircled by two
concentric circles fimbriated black, the fimbriation on the outer circle much
thicker than on the inner one. Within the whole and following exactly the inner
fimbriation are what appear to be a number of very small mullets (details
unclear) also black. In the centre of the field is an American bald eagle
perched with wings partly spread and facing sinister of the same, with an
illegible blazon in chief. Beneath the eagle are three small mullets (number of
points illegible), while within the rings of the concentric circles are the
words in capital letters CITY OF CLANTON at the top and CLAYTON COUNTY, ALABAMA
at the bottom, with a mullet of five at both dexter and sinister, all black.
Ron Lahav, 10 February 2004
Seal in standard circular format. Outer ring gules with SEAL OF THE CITY OF
DAPHNE, ALABAMA in capital letters argent at top and JUBILEE CITY same argent at
bottom; the two words at bottom are separated by a stylized fish of the same. At
lower dexter and sinister are what appear to be two stylized laurel leaves ('daphne'
is the ancient Greek word for laurel). The whole encompasses a square building
brick red in colour, roofed and windowed argent and shuttered black, in front of
which is a flagstaff black from which is hoisted a United States flag rippling
dexter, the same on a lawn vert containing an oak tree leaved and trunked proper
with two indistinct figures underneath. Above all is a sky azure, and in the
foreground a small stream, also azure but in a deeper shade.
A representation of this seal can be seen affixed to the wall of the City
Council chamber over the heads of the council members, on this same page.
Sources:
http://www.daphneal.com/seal-forborder.gif and
http://www.daphneal.com/council.htm
Ron Lahav, 10 February 2004
Based on the web page at
www.digitaldecatur.com/index.htm, Decatur seems to have a logo. It consists
of the stylised word 'Decatur', written between two parallel lines, with the
lines running through the capital letter 'D' at the beginning of the word. The
remainder of the word is placed between the two lines, with ALABAMA in small
capitals beneath the bottom line.
Ron Lahav, 13 February 2004
At the www.digitaldecatur.com
home page are several partial pictures of the Decatur seal. The device is a
portrait of Commodore Stephen Decatur, the early U.S. naval hero after whom the
city is named. Also, on the photograph of Decatur Hospital is a white flag with
what appears to be a yellow seal with the design on it in a dark color, possibly
black.
Joe McMillan, 15 February 2004
The municipal seal is only available in a black and white line drawing on
their web page at www.dothan.org. It
consists of what appear to be two sheaves of grain forming the outer ring of a
concentric circle. At the bottom these sheaves are linked by a thin fimbriation,
but there is a small open space at the top, thus making this an imperfect
circle. Between the first and second rings of these circles is written OFFICIAL
SEAL in large capitals; this is separated from the bottom of the seal by two
dots, and beneath these in smaller capitals are the words CITY OF DOTHAN,
ALABAMA. The inner circle is divided into three triangular sections: the section
to the left contains a cotton boll, that to the right two interconnected gear
wheels, and at the bottom a Lamp of Learning, with a flame issuing from the top.
As the depiction of the seal on the Dothan Web Site is in black and white, it is
difficult to determine whether the three triangular sections and the devices
depicted on them are in fact coloured, although my hunch is that they are. The
three devices reflect the traditions of the city - the cotton boll the
agricultural tradition, centred around cotton growing; the cogwheels represent
the industrial heritage of the city; while the bottom triangle exemplifies the
city's commitment to education.
Ron Lahav, 13 February 2004
Web page at www.cofairhope.com shows
a standard concentric circular format seal with double outer fimbriation. The
outer ring is in black and white with CITY OF FAIRHOPE in large capital letters
at top and ALABAMA at bottom. The innermost circle is in colour, depicting a
scene on Mobile Bay with three sailboats on the bay itself in the middle
distance, two to the right and one to the left, all outlined in black. The
waters of the bay are a deep blue, fimbriated in black and drawn so as to give
the appearance of waves. Over this scene is a cerulean blue sky, while at the
top of the circle is a large golden sun, partially obscured by a thin white
ribbon of cloud; the outer edge of the sun almost touches the top of the inner
circle. In the foreground is a white gull with wings extended, outlined in black
and facing to the right; the tips of its wings extend into the space between the
two concentric circles.
Ron Lahav, 13 February 2004
The city seal can be found on the home page of the Florence Police Department
(www.florencepd.org). This page also
shows both the U.S. and Alabama flags displayed from a staff in front of Police
Headquarters. It consists of a cityscape with a rising(?) sun behind.
Ron Lahav, 18 February 2004
The municipal seal is displayed on the home page of the municipal web site (www.guntersvilleal.org).
However, it is too small for me to make out many details other than it seems to
consist of a lake with a small sailboat on it, with a blazon (illegible) on a
ribbon running diagonally dexter to sinister across the base.
Ron Lahav, 21 February 2004
Hueytown has no less then three flags on its seal. The S&S and two chequered
racing flags (http://www.hueytown.org/images/colorhtn.gif)
Dov Gutterman, 23 October 2002
The racing flags allude to the Allison family of Hueytown, famous drivers on
the NASCAR stock car racing circuit for many years.
Joe McMillan, 24 October 2002
A small impression of the municipal seal is to be found on the home page (www.ci.huntsville.al.us),
while a much larger one can be seen on
206.166.230.7/Agendas/PublicAnnouncements/Index.htm It shows a space
shuttle against a starry background, reflecting
Huntsville's importance as one of the centres of the U.S. aerospace industry. No
flag is shown.
Ron Lahav, 25 February 2004
No municipal seal is found on the home page (www.cityofirondale.org),
but
there is a photo of the Irondale City Hall showing three flagstaffs with the U.S.
and Alabama flags plus a third flag which is indistinct and may be the municipal
flag.
Ron Lahav, 25 February 2004
The Web Site of the local
Chamber of
Commerce there is a full-colour representation of Jackson's city seal. It is
directly underneath a photo of City Hall, and the seal itself appears to be made
either of cast iron or some ceramic material, suggesting that it might be
affixed in some manner to City Hall.
Ron Lahav, 25 February 2004
A large version of municipal seal is on the
municipal web site. Seal is in contrasting shades of green, with city motto in outer ring of seal.
The inner ring of the seal features a wide variety of objects supposedly
emblematic of the community, all drawn in bright primary colors. Included are a
river, a handshake, two gears, two dramatic masks, an apple, drafting equipment,
a house and a tree.
Ron Lahav, 25 February 2004
Marion uses the state flag and CSA flag behind a formal building and the date
1822 on its seal
http://www.marionalabama.org/marionseal2.jpg
Dov Gutterman, 23 October 2002
On www.midfield.org, a city seal of the
kind we have come to recognize as symbolic (or perhaps symptomatic!) of some
types of contemporary American heraldry.
Ron Lahav, 25 February 2004
[The village has since redesigned its website, and appears to have removed all
graphics.]
On www.cityofmillbrook.org, a
black and white line drawing of city seal - straightforward and relatively
uncluttered showing a waterwheel in a forest setting.
Ron Lahav, 25 February 2004
On www.cityofnorthport.org the
municipal seal is displayed. A circular framework contains a coat of arms, but
it is far too small and indistinct for me to identify any
elements.
Ron Lahav, 3 March 2004
It's simply the state coat of arms surrounded by a ring bearing the city's own name, etc.
Joe McMillan, 3 March 2004
On www.1customer.com/oneonta
the city seal is displayed on Home Page. Simply an open circle containing the
city name and the words 'Corporate Seal.' Not much symbolism there!
Ron Lahav, 3 March 2004
Web page at http://www.oppal.com displays the
municipal seal by itself and also on highway marker in rapid flash a photography
sequence. It consists of a green map of Alabama, a red star locating Opp, inside
a golden ring with Opp - Alabama and Founded 1901 on it.
Ron Lahav, 6 March 2004
Web page at www.oxfordalabama.org
displays the municipal seal at the top of the page, showing cross roads beneath
a map of Alabama.
Ron Lahav, 6 March 2004
Web page at www.pelhamonline.com
shows the municipal seal with an outline map of Alabama, the word Pelham written
in an elaborate script over it, surrounded by a double ring. A photo of City Hall shows only the U.S. and Alabama
flags flying.
Ron Lahav, 6 March 2004
Web page at www.fiac.net/pcpd shows
the Phenix City arms reproduced on the shoulder patch of the Phenix City Police
Department, which is rectangular in shape and which has the arms depicted on a
map of Alabama, which is itself nearly rectangular in shape, with only Baldwin
and Mobile Counties dangling down at the left, so to speak.
Ron Lahav, 6 March 2004
No actual municipal Web site found. The municipal seal was found on the
Home Page of local
business enterprise Web Site. The seal is incorporated into the city logo, and
because of this any details are indistinguishable.
Ron Lahav, 6 March 2004
The city seal of Roanoke, Alabama, is at
http://www.roanoke-al.com/welcome.htm. It is an outline map of the state
inside a wreath with the location of Roanoke marked on it.
Ron Lahav, 12 March 2004
Web site at www.saraland.org shows a
very impressive municipal seal in gold, purple, and white displaying a cityscape
and the motto "Gateway to Progress".
Ron Lahav, 13 March 2004
Based on cityofsatsuma.com, the
municipal seal is of vexillological interest as it depicts crossed U.S. and
Alabama flags over a landscape, with a two-lane blacktop highway and a
single-track railway line disappearing into the far distance (and seeming to
merge), with an indecipherable object/figure in the foreground.
Ron Lahav, 13 March 2004
Web page at
http://www.cityofsouthside.com shows a very large clear image of municipal
seal displaying a bridge over water. At the top of the page are two waving
U.S. and Alabama flags - it is doubtful a city flag exists. Photo on home page of
City Hall shows one flagstaff with U.S. flag flying above Alabama flag.
Ron Lahav, 13 March 2004
Web page at
http://www.sylacauga.net/government/governmentintro.html has a very clear
depiction of the civic seal on the City Government page. It shows a red outline
map of Alabama, with radiating lines from the location of Sylacauga, placed on a
blue double ring.
Ron Lahav, 13 March 2004
Web page at www.talladega.com shows no
actual civic seal; instead, a formal coat of arms in a bronze shade. The shield
is quartered, but it is very difficult to make out details because the city name
is superimposed on it. The upper right-hand quarter appears to consist of
the Alabama state flag, while the lower left is a date 1839(?), presumably when
the city was founded. Beneath the shield is the word TALLADEGA, while there are
two U.S.(?) flags mantling it and some sort of crest above.
Ron Lahav, 17 March 2004
At the bottom of the page at
www.tallassee.al.us/community.htm is a full
achievement of arms, with shield, blazon,
mantling, and crest. Unfortunately this
appears only as a line
drawing with no information as to coloring. The shield bears a letter T, 5
arrowheads, and a winged device. Furthermore, a fountain, which is
apparently a local landmark,
appears as a logo on the Home Page.
Ron Lahav, 17 March 2004
The page at www.troyalabama.com shows a
civic seal consisting of a stylized head of a Trojan warrior in black and gold,
with the name of the city in gold inside a narrow golden circle, all on a blue
field.
Ron Lahav, 17 March 2004
The page at
www.trussville.org/historical shows a civic seal with a black and white line
drawing of what appears to be a local landscape with one of the two city mottos,
'Gateway to Happy Living', in the sky over the landscape, while the second
motto, 'City With a Future' is at the bottom of the outer ring of the circular
seal.
Ron Lahav, 17 March 2004
Website at www.ci.tuscaloosa.al.us
shows the civic seal on the Home Page of the municipal Web Site. It is in the
usual circular format, with the inner circle quartered as follows: upper left,
on a red field a cotton boll outlined in white; upper right, on a white field
the Administration Building of the University of Alabama in black. The fields of
the two bottom quarters are reversed, but I am unable to interpret the emblems.
The main campus of the University of Alabama and the headquarters of the
university system are both located in Tuscaloosa, hence its appearance on the
municipal seal.
Ron Lahav, 20 March 2004
Website at
www.cityofvalley.com/commprofile.html shows the civic seal in the form of a
logo in an irregular circular format. The logo itself is in black, and depicts
what appears to be a live oak tree attached to the ring itself. Underneath the
logo are the words 'TREE CITY USA.' in capital letters.
Ron Lahav, 20 March 2004
The seal (image can be seen here) carries the
name of our city "Valley Alabama" on the outside ring. It also is labeled with
the date the city was legally incorporated - May 20, 1980. We incorporated four
textile mill villages - Fairfax, Langdale, River View and Shawmut - into the
city of Valley. The seal carries the names of the four mill villages on the
inner circle shaped as a ribbon. On the interior are three sections. The section
with the factory and a spinning wheel represents the textile industry which
created the four towns for the workers who worked in the four mills that were at
the center of each town. The section with a church, a house, and the sun
represents our close knit family and religious (predominantly Southern Baptist)
community life. The last section shows geese, an Alabama map with a star that
marks the approximate location of Valley, and a jumping fish. These symbols
represent the rich wildlife and natural features relating to the Chattahoochee
River. The Chattahoochee forms the border between Alabama and Georgia. It also
is the eastern border of Valley. So, the three sections represent those factors
most important to our citizens - industry, community and nature.
Arnold Leak, Mayor of City of Valley, 28 March 2004
Website at
www.vestavia.org shows an interesting example of civic heraldry. The civic
seal is in the usual circular format, with the center being light blue in color.
On it is a representation of the Temple of Sibyl (a local landmark) in gold; a
photograph of the Temple is also prominently displayed on the Home Page. At the
upper left of the Temple appear to be two dogwood blossoms in white and stemmed
and leaved green, while at the lower left and lower right of the Temple are two
small five-pointed golden stars fimbriated in dark blue. Beneath the Temple is
the red-white-blue shield marking the receipt of an All-America City award.
Beneath the chief of this shield is a yellow pale with an indecipherable slogan
written in miniscule dark blue. The name of the city is written in small dark
blue capitals at the top of the outer ring of the seal, while at the lower right
and lower left are two small blue dots, with the state name ALABAMA also written
in small dark blue capitals at the bottom of the ring.
Ron Lahav, 20 March 2004
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