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Municipalities listed below have been researched for municipal flags, mainly by searching their websites. Commonly U.S. cities use the city seal on a plain field as the city flag, so we have included information about the city seal where no
other flag is known.
See also:
A clear image of this seal can be found at www.pacificgrove.com . The seal
consists of a circular format with an outer ring and central image both in dark olive green, the central image having a background color of white. The outer circle contains the words 'CITY OF PACIFIC GROVE CALIFORNIA' in white block lettering. There are two white hyphens at the 5 and 7 o'clock positions respectively. At the bottom of the outer ring are the word and date 'INC. 1889' similarly written. The central image shows a tree of unknown variety and a forester silhouetted against a white sky. As Pacific Grove is known as 'The Butterfly City' this web site is speckled with moving images of Monarch
butterflies, one of which obscures the actual seal.
Ron Lahav, 20 March 2005
The image is very small on the first page, and the butterfly is strategically placed to obscure key details on the second page, but to me the "forester" looks more like two other trees in the background. And if their name includes "Grove" shouldn't we expect more than one tree on their emblems? The name of the image at the www.pacificgrove.com/ page is "City Flag & Butterfly". Does this hint the city flag is a white seal on a bedsheet?
Ned Smith, 21 March 2005
The website at www.ci.pacifica.ca.us/CITYHALL/welcome.html shows the seal in the standard circular format and consists of two concentric circles bordered both externally and internally in black. The outer ring contains the words 'CITY OF PACIFICA' in large black block lettering at the top, with the word 'INCORPORATED' similarly written at the bottom followed by a small B&W outline of a circle separating it from the date 'NOV. 22, 1957'. The central image consists of a full frontal portrait mask of a classical figure in blue shadowed
gray. An alternative version of this seal can be found at www.kell-smith.com/page3.htm ; in this version the seal in its entirety consists of a green line drawing.
Ron Lahav, 20 March 2005
Pacifica does not have a municipal flag. Outside city hall are the U.S. and the California State flags only. Pacifica does have an official city seal, designed by Ralph Stackpole for the 1939-40 exposition. However documents also record
"the official city seal was selected in 1960, on the basis of an artist's competition. The winner was Mr. Ralph Barkey, of Pacifica. The head is a caricature of the statue of Pacifica. The motto, underneath, reads, 'Progress in
Wisdom'"
Nicole Cuadra, Public Services Librarian, Pacifica, 19 July 2005
On http://www.palm-desert.org the municipal logo consists of the letters 'PD' written in a highly stylized form of block lettering colored ocher on a tan background. In the center and separating
the letters is an equally stylized palm frond extending beyond the letters to the left. Within the letters the frond is tan, while externally it is ocher.
Ron Lahav, 29 March 2005
In addition to the logo for this town, I have also found a proper city seal at www.cityofpalmdesert.org. A much larger version is also available at www.pe.com/imagesdaily/2004/06-08/bw_seal04djpg_300.jpg. The city seal has an upper portion a broad semicircle in gold and black, representing the stylized crown of a palm tree. There is a vertical golden line nearly bisecting the central image which represents the tree trunk. The image itself seems to consist of a structure of some kind in terra cotta, with a blue sky above and the crown of a palm tree in green at the roof line. At the very bottom of this image, in the form of two semicircular rows, are the words 'CITY OF PALM DESERT' in miniscule white block lettering, while beneath this is a date similarly written.
Ron Lahav, 31 March 2005
The larger image shows the lower part of the seal contains a mountain next to a golf course, a tennis court, and a desert ...or maybe it is just a huge sand trap on the golf course.
Ned Smith, 1 April 2005
As a follow up- it seems that Palm Desert does have a city flag which incorporates the seal (but perhaps not for long). A Dec. 31, 2004 news story at www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_flag01.a19b9.html [registration required] discusses NAVA's flag survey and guidelines and states "Palm Desert Mayor Buford Crites wasn't happy when told of the group's criteria
for a good flag. Why? Because Palm Desert's flag, 'I'm embarrassed to say now, has the city seal on it,' he said." "Crites said he likes the idea of creating a new flag that reflects his city's uniqueness."
No further word about the flag's design, or plans to change it.
Ned Smith, 2 April 2005
Home page is ci.palm-springs.ca.us, but a larger image of the municipal seal can be found on the web site of a local property company, Blesch and Associates (www.bleschandassociates.com/images/images/palm-springs.jpg ). The seal itself is in the standard circular format with a beaded external border fimbriated blue. The outer ring is separated from the central image by a thin blue internal border, and is gold in color intermingled with white so as to create the effect of a sparkling coin. At the top of the outer ring are the words 'CITY OF PALM SPRINGS' in blue block sans serif lettering, with the word 'CALIFORNIA' similarly written at the bottom. At the 4 and 5 o'clock positions,
and also at the 7 and 8 o'clock ones, are four small blue five pointed stars, two to a side. The central image depicts a desert scene in blue and gold, with three palm trees halved in these colors standing in the foreground, a larger tree in the center flanked by two smaller ones. Behind the trees is a mountain range in yellow outlined blue, with a stylized blue rayed rising sun in a yellow sky. At the foot of this central image is a white ribbon outlined blue and folded into three parts, with a broad central portion on which is written the word 'INCORPORATED' and an illegible date in miniscule blue block lettering.
Ron Lahav, 29 March 2005
The City of Palm Springs' original seal was adopted by the City Council in 1952. In 1978, the City held a contest to update the City Seal. The current seal was designed by Naning San Pedro; who at that time, was an employee of the City
of Palm Desert, California in their reprographics division. In 1978 the City Council adopted the current City Seal. It is codified in the City Charter, along with the City's Municipal Code.
James Thompson, City Clerk, 6 April 2005
At http://www.palosverdes.com/pve is an extremely striking seal. On a borderless black background the words 'CITY OF PALOS VERDES ESTATES' are written in large gold block lettering in a
semicircle across the top of the seal, with the word 'CALIFORNIA' similarly written at the bottom. The central image consists of a large public monument in gold. To the left of this monument is a photograph of a seascape, with birds
flying overhead and a plant with large pink blossoms on the shore. To the right of the monument is another photograph, this one of a bright yellow sun rising over a 'wine-dark' sea into a midnight blue sky, its light being reflected in the waters. Directly beneath the monument, in gold upper and lower case gold lettering, is the word and date 'Incorporated 1939'.
Ron Lahav, 29 March 2005
The home page of the municipal web site is in a partly cartoon style. The municipal logo consists of a horizontal ellipse bordered blue and fimbriated white with a pale green
background. The word 'PARAMOUNT' is written in tall blue block lettering bordered white and with the letters themselves of varying heights. The bottom of the ellipse has a semicircular piece removed, beneath which is a pale green mound on which two palm trees proper, one behind the other, are standing. Between the ellipse and the mound and flanking it are two very thin pale green lines, while flanking the mound and separated by it are the words 'The City', one on each side, in a childish blue printed script. I would have thought that perhaps some sort of arrangement could have been made with Paramount Studios to incorporate their logo of the mountain circled with stars.
Ron Lahav, 29 March 2005
The municipal logo is in black, white, and gray. It depicts a stylized image of a road passing over plowed fields and moving toward the middle distance, into a stylized sunrise. The words 'CITY OF PARLIER' are written in tall thin block
lettering using an Old West font.
Ron Lahav, 29 March 2005
The website at www.ci.pasadena.ca,us/images/cityseal.jpg shows the seal consists of two concentric rings, both having a background color of white and both bordered by silver beads. The outer ring contains the words 'CITY OF PASADENA' in dark blue sans serif block lettering at the top, with two similarly colored five pointed stars at the 4 and 8 o'clock positions respectively. The bottom of the outer ring contains the words 'INCORPORATED JUNE 1886' similarly written. The central image consists of a crown in silver and purple, bisected bendwise dexter by a silver key. I believe that this image is part of the regalia of the Rose Queen, chosen annually as part of the Tournament of Roses festival which culminates in the Rose Bowl American football game held every New Year's Day between the champions of the Big Ten and Pacific-8 Conferences in American college (i e university) football.
Ron Lahav, 10 April 2005
The website at www.prcity.com shows no municipal heraldry.
Ron Lahav, 25 September 2004
The website at www.ci.patterson.ca.us shows an extremely colorful municipal seal in a flattened ovoid format. Both the external and internal borders of this seal are gold, and the outer ovoid is in royal blue with gold block lettering. At the top are the words 'CITY OF PATTERSON,' with 'INCORPORATED 1919' similarly written at the bottom. The central image depicts an agricultural landscape: at both the right and left flanks is desert land, shown in cream, while in the center foreground are five dark green rows of dark green running into the middle distance and representing irrigated land. These strips are separated one from another by four strips of desert land. At the immediate right and left foregrounds respectively are two palm trees with gold trunks and dark green crowns. In the middle of the central image and arranged more or less fesswise is a range of four hills in gray green outlined in gold, while above them is a pale blue sky containing a rising golden sun in its lower left hand portion.
Ron Lahav, 10 April 2005
The website at www.cityofperris.org shows the municipal seal in the standard circular format, but strikingly colored in black and gold, the background color of the outer ring being black, while both the internal and external borders are in gold. This outer ring also contains the words 'CITY' and 'PERRIS' in gold in a Victorian era font, with the connecting preposition 'of' written in lower case italic lettering using a similar font. At the 4 and 8 o'clock positions respectively are two golden sprigs, while the bottom ring contains the words
'INC.1911' also in gold block lettering. The central image appears to be a color photograph of a California Mission building in terra cotta with a red tiled roof. Stretching from the foreground to the structure is a roadway in gray
running through a green lawn, with two pyramidal trees in green flanking the entrance and a taller tree to the right of the structure. These features are surmounted by a blue sky dotted with cumulus clouds.
Ron Lahav, 10 April 2005
The website at www.cityofpetaluma.net shows no municipal heraldry.
Ron Lahav, 10 April 2005
Two web images at john-donne.easytree.org/VanMorrisonCoversBootlegsPart2/1992/1992_12_15_Petaluma_back.jpg
and
wika.webtechplanet.com/police_usa/california/ca_petaluma.gif (police badge) show a seal with a seated female, and various objects of local trade distributed around here, with the date 1858 above.
Jan Mertens, 10 April 2005
The website at www.ci.piedmont.ca.us shows no municipal heraldry.
Ron Lahav, 10 April 2005
The website at www.ci.pinole.ca.us has the city seal depicted in the form of a grey stamp superimposed upon various scenes of local life, but I am unable to make out any details of it.
Ron Lahav, 10 April 2005
The website at www.pismobeach.org/SITE/index/index.html shows for the City of Pismo Beach seal. The minutes of the 6 July 2004 City Council Meeting mention a council member asking to see the design of the city flag and logos, but no further details are mentioned. See www.pismobeach.org/SITE/pdf/council/minutes/070604.pdf.
Ned Smith, 22 April 2005
Based on www.pismobeach.org/SITE/index/index.html the seal is very simple in composition and design, but the clever use of color makes it quite attractive. It follows the usual circular format, with a wide outer ring being bordered externally and internally in blue and having a white background color. At the top of the seal are the words 'CITY OF' in blue block lettering, with 'PISMO BEACH' at the bottom. The central image consists of a rising sun in gold, with eight gold and seven white rays. To the right of the sun is a sheer cliff in bright blue, while the bottom depicts a stylized seashore with alternating dark blue and white waves.
Ron Lahav, 23 April 2005
The City of Placentia website see placentia.org/ has links to an illustration of its seal at placentia.org/500FormsRequests/500index.html or
placentia.org/images/hd_forms_req.jpg.
Ned Smith, 22 April 2005
The municipal seal is in the standard circular format, with both external and internal bordering in orange. The background color of the outer ring is green, with the words 'CITY OF' in orange block lettering at the top and 'PLACENTIA' at the bottom of this circle. At the 3 and 9 o'clock positions respectively are two oranges fruited and leaved proper. The central image depicts an orange grove with the tree crowns visible in green on a plowed field in green. To the right
of the grove is a dirt road in light brown, with some farm buildings in gray flanking it. To the left of the grove is a railroad train (from its red and gold coloring I would guess that it belongs to the old Santa Fe Railway) proceeding
from the middle distance toward the left foreground. In the middle distance fesswise there is also a range of three mountains in purplish grey, with a golden rayed sun rising into a pale blue sky. At the bottom of the central image, written in miniscule black lettering in an arc format, is the word and date 'INCORPORATED 1924.'
Ron Lahav, 24 April 2005
Although Placer County has its own flag, apparently its county seat does not. The municipal seal is very colorful and interesting, and is redolent of the city's past as a center of the California Gold Rush of 1849. The format is circular, with the outer ring in deep blue. At the top of this outer ring are the words 'CITY OF PLACERVILLE' in gold block lettering written in a Ballyhoo font, while at the bottom is the date '1854' in miniscule silver numbers. Beneath the date are the words 'OLD HANGTOWN' in silver block lettering in an Old West font, reflecting the town's history where justice was both quick and rough. The central image depicts a typical '49er' panning for gold in the Placer River. The river itself is a similar color to the outer ring, the riverbank is green, the sky is blue, and a fluffy white cloud frames the miner. To his left a lone tree proper rises vertically, and projecting from it is a branch with what appears to be a lantern suspended halfway along its length and a bird's nest at the very end. The 49er himself is wearing a crumpled brown hat, a red flannel shirt, blue jeans (Levis of course - he would have been one of the original customers!), and black boots. There is no indication however if the miner, 49er, lived in a cavern up a canyon, or if he had a daughter Clementine - dreadful sorry 'bout that!
Ron Lahav, 20 April 2005
The website at www.ci.port-hueneme.ca.us shows a very colorful circular seal, bordered both externally and internally in gold and with white as the background color throughout. The outer ring contains the words 'CITY OF PORT HUENEME' in blue block lettering at the top. There are two blue five pointed stars
respectively at the 3 and 9 o'clock positions, while the words 'VENTURA COUNTY, CA' are similarly written at the bottom. The central image is dominated by a large lighthouse outlined in black and perched on a black islet, with what appear to be black whales swimming in blue water immediately in front of it, all to the left foreground. Behind the islet is a body of water in blue and white, signifying perhaps that a chop is running. Immediately to the right are the bows and foc'sle of an ocean-going vessel, with a black waterline and anchor and a sepia strake running along its hull. Although the ship has not dropped her anchor, she does not appear to be under way. Behind the vessel is the view of a hilly shoreline in sepia, with two seabirds outlined against the sky.
Ron Lahav, 5 May 2005
Continued: California Municipal Symbols R
