Seal of Cincinnati explained

Seal of Cincinnati, Ohio
Armiger:City of Cincinnati
Year Adopted:May 19, 1819
Crest:Weighing scales, sword, caduceus
Supporter:None
Motto:Latin: Juncta Juvant
Use:Municipal flag, official correspondence, insignia of city agencies and institutions

The seal of Cincinnati is the official insignia of the city of Cincinnati, Ohio, in the United States. Adopted in 1819, the seal incorporates scales, a sword, and a caduceus. The seal is featured prominently in the flag of Cincinnati and the insignia of city agencies and institutions.[1] [2]

Design

The seal's design is defined by city ordinance:

1788 is the year that Mathias Denman, Colonel Robert Patterson, and Israel Ludlow settled present-day Cincinnati. The year is a relatively recent addition; several insignia based on this seal omit the year, including the flag of Cincinnati and the seal of the mayor of Cincinnati, as seen on mayoral proclamations.[3]

The motto Latin: [[List of Latin phrases (I)#iuncta iuvant|Juncta Juvant]] is a Latin phrase variously translated as "unity assists", "strength in unity", "together we assist",[4] "united they aid each other",[5] or "together they strive". It derives from the legal principle, Latin: quae non valeant singula, juncta juvant ("What is without value on its own, helps when joined"). Two of the elements in the seal are associated with Lady Justice: the scales represent justice, while the sword represents authority and power. The caduceus is the traditional symbol of commerce; its serpents represent wisdom.[6]

Though the city ordinance defining the seal does not specify any colors, the seal is traditionally colored blue and white,[7] and a separate ordinance defining the city flag specifies these colors as well.[8]

History

The 1802 act granting Cincinnati its first town charter included a provision for a corporate seal.[9] The first town seal was adopted in a town council meeting on July 17, 1802. It was made of copper and bore the following design:

The sun and agricultural implements were common in seals around the time of Ohio's statehood.[10] After Cincinnati received its second town charter in 1815, the town council readopted the 1802 seal.[11] On April 10, 1815, the town council adopted the recommendation of Oliver M. Spencer, Jacob Burnet, and Joseph Warren, adopting the council's seal as the town's corporate seal, replacing "1802" with "1815".

On May 19, 1819, shortly after being reincorporated as a city, Cincinnati adopted the current seal with minor differences.[12] [13] A flag by Emil Rothengatter that incorporates the seal was adopted as Cincinnati's municipal flag unofficially in 1896 and officially in 1940. The year of settlement "1788" was added sometime between 1945 and 1983. It does not appear on the municipal flag.[14]

On December 15, 1967, state law for the first time required all municipalities in the state to adopt the state seal as their own corporate seal. However, the act contained a grandfather clause exempting existing seals, including Cincinnati's.[15]

Usage

The seal appeared on most city vehicles, signs, and letterheads until 2009, when the city adopted a distinct logo by Cincinnati-based Libby, Perszyk, Kathman. The city continues to use the seal on some official documents.[16] [17] The seal appears above the entrances to several historic public buildings, including City Hall and the old Water Works building.

The coat of arms is found on the flag of Cincinnati. It has also been incorporated into the University of Cincinnati's seal[18] and the Cincinnati Police Department's badge, as well as the police department's unofficial flag.[19] The original seal of the Cincinnati Public Library incorporated the municipal seal, surmounted by two hands exchanging a candle.[20]

Fort Wayne, Indiana, adopted a nearly identical seal, designed by mayor Franklin P. Randall, in 1858. Instead of "1788" and the motto Latin: Juncta Juvant, this seal bears the name "Ke-ki-on-ga", a reference to the former Miami capital that was located at present-day Fort Wayne.[21] [22]

Further reading

Notes and References

  1. Book: American City Flags: 150 Flags from Akron to Yonkers. John M.. Purcell. James A.. Croft. Rich. Monahan. 1. North American Vexillological Association. 2003. 77–78. 0974772801. PDF.
  2. News: Yes, Cincinnati Has Her Own City Flag; Here It Is — Official By Act Of Congress!. The Cincinnati Enquirer. 95. 351. March 26, 1936. 10. Newspapers.com.
  3. For example, see the seal on Web site: Energy Efficiency Day proclamation. John. Cranley. John Cranley. Cincinnati Department of Environment and Sustainability. October 5, 2017. May 6, 2018. Twitter.
  4. Book: Sixty-Sixth Annual Report of the Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce and Merchants' Exchange for the Year Ending December 31, 1914. Cincinnati. Robert T. Morris Printing Company. 1915. 32. 2027/mdp.39015069428095?urlappend=%3Bseq=68 . HathiTrust.
  5. Medals of the Grand Army. American Journal of Numismatics. American Numismatic Society. 36. 2. October 1901. 56. 2027/mdp.39015084379059?urlappend=%3Bseq=28 . HathiTrust.
  6. Web site: Flagpole. Fountain Square. Cincinnati Center City Development Corporation. September 8, 2014. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20141012084517/http://myfountainsquare.com/features-of-the-square/flagpole/. October 12, 2014.
  7. American Municipal Arms. Howard M.. Chapin. Americana. National Americana Society. 26. 1932. 353. Internet Archive. —Argent in chief a pair of scales, in base a sword and a caduceus in saltire points downwards, azure. Motto—Latin: Juncta juvant..
  8. https://library.municode.com/HTML/19996/level2/TITICOCOMI_CH104COSEBOST.html#TITICOCOMI_CH104COSEBOST_S104-3OFFL Sec. 104-3. Official City Flag
  9. Book: Goss, Charles Frederic. Cincinnati—the Queen City (1788–1912). Charles Frederic Goss. Cincinnati. S. J. Clarke Publishing Company. 1. 1912. 94. Google Books.
  10. News: Is state-seal story fact or fiction?. Rita. Price. The Columbus Dispatch. September 10, 2003. 3D. 1074-097X. .
  11. Book: History of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, Ohio; Their Past and Present. Cincinnati. S. B. Nelson & Company. 1894. 243–244.
  12. As seen in Book: Second annual report of the chief engineer of the Cincinnati Fire Department for the year ending April 1, 1855. Gazette Company. 1855. yes. Front cover. 123535957 . Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County.
  13. As seen in Book: Mayor's Annual Message, and Reports of the City Departments of the City of Cincinnati, April 14th, 1862. Cincinnati. Johnson, Stephens & Morgan. 1861. yes. Front cover. 2027/umn.31951002483573v?urlappend=%3Bseq=11 . HathiTrust.
  14. Compare Book: Charter, Administrative Code and Code of Ordinances of the city of Cincinnati as in effect March 1, 1945. City of Cincinnati. Al J.. Bechtold. 1945. 75. 2027/mdp.39015070558419?urlappend=%3Bseq=77 . HathiTrust.
    Marian A. . Spencer . Marian Spencer . . November 14, 1985 . 2023-06-17 . Marian A. Spencer. . March 2, 2004 . https://web.archive.org/web/20040302073258/http://library.cincymuseum.org/aag/bio/spencer.html . en-us .
  15. News: General Assembly Solved Ohio’s Great Seal Dispute, Or Did It?. Edson. Whipple. Toledo, Ohio. The Blade. October 15, 1967. A2. Google News.
  16. News: City gets a 'C' for its first logo. Jane. Prendergast. The Cincinnati Enquirer. Gannett. 169. 64. June 12, 2009. B1. Newspapers.com.
  17. News: Macy's pays for new Cincinnati city logo. Akron Beacon Journal. Associated Press. June 12, 2009. May 2, 2018.
  18. Web site: University Seal. Archives and Rare Books Library, University of Cincinnati. May 2, 2018.
  19. News: Civilians designed this police flag to honor Cincinnati officers. Evan. Millward. WCPO-TV. December 4, 2017. May 2, 2018.
  20. Book: Digest of the laws and ordinances of Cincinnati, of a general nature, now in force. Cincinnati. E. Morgan and Company. 1842. 226198341 . Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County.
  21. Book: The Pictorial History of Fort Wayne, Indiana. Bert Joseph. Griswold. Mrs. Samuel R.. Taylor. Chicago. Robert O. Law Company. 1917. 1. 346, 449. Google Books. The present corporation seal of the city of Fort Wayne, designed by Franklin P. Randall, came into use in 1858. It bears the design of a pair of scales, beneath which is a sword and Mercury’s wand. Above the scales are the words, ‘Kekionga,’ and around the outer edge of the design are the words, ‘City of Fort Wayne, Indiana.’.
  22. Web site: The Origins of 'Kekionga' in Fort Wayne's Past, Pt. 1. John D.. Beatty. Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center. June 18, 2013. May 6, 2018.

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