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Lincoln, Massachusetts (U.S.)

image located by Ivan Sache, 30 June 2007

Source: http://www.townonline.com

Description of the flag

See also:

Description of the flag

On 18 June 2007, Ben Aaronson reports in "Lincoln Journal" the unfurling of the new flag of Lincoln.
"Lincoln’s newly designed town flag will soon take its rightful place in the State House, hoisted among the 287 other city and town flags proudly hanging in the Great Hall of Flags. The Lincoln flag was officially presented at a small ceremony at the State House last Wednesday, June 13, the day before Flag Day. A group of about 20 Lincolnites, including several Lincoln Minutemen, attended the ceremony to see the unveiling of the new flag, which features the town seal situated on a blue and green backdrop.

See http://www.townonline.com/lincoln/homepage/x1163562326, showing a video of the inauguration of the flag in the State House, and a big image of the flag, which is diagonally divided blue-green with the municipal seal in the middle. The caption says "The final town flag design incorporates elements residents said they liked best from the seven earlier designs".
The final design is close to proposal #2, a green flag with the municipal seal in the middle, modified with the addition of the blue triangle and the light blue background (instead of green) in the seal.

Please notice that the shades on the real flag are lighter than on the drawing (reproduced above). See: http://www.townonline.com/content/sites/lincoln/flag/0/g1060c4330b5c5643eae91cd961a40cb97e8704145c6794.jpg for a photograph of the flag.

Ivan Sache, 30 June 2007

Flag proposals

The town of Lincoln (8,056 inhabitants in 2000; 3,890 ha) is located in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. Lincoln was incorporated in 1754, comprising parts nipped from the neighbouring towns of Concord, Lexington and Weston, therefore its nickname of "Niptown". Chambers Russell, one of the most prominent supporters of the incorporation of the new town, named it after Lincolnshire, England, from where his family originated.

"The Lincoln Journal", 15 February 2007, presents the seven designs selected by the Lincoln Flag Committee:
"[...] While the town seal on a green background is among the seven possibilities, other designs include variations that include the seal of Lincolnshire, England, the town’s namesake, and a flag that depicts the memorial eagle, a bronze eagle found on the library grounds. One of the non-traditional designs included is the image of a minuteman in a field, gazing over stonewalls toward the metaphorical future. Some designs are the product of the committee itself, as members looked into vexillology, the study of flags, before coming up with options.[...]
The flag committee is asking each resident to offer a first, second and third choice for a town flag, as well as any comments on possible modifications to designs.[...] Votes will be tallied after the ballot closing date of March 5, with a final preference being presented to the community at the Town Meeting."

Better images of the seven proposals are shown on the official survey leaflet, downloadable from the Lincoln municipal website.

Ivan Sache, 2 March 2007

Proposal A

image from Lincoln municipal website located by Ivan Sache, 2 March 2007

"Fields & Dark Skies: With two fields of blue and two fields of green, this design represents the natural richness of the town. The central element of the design comes from the seal of Lincolnshire England, after which Chambers Russell named the town (for the home of his forbears). It consists of a large red Cross of St. George, with a gold fleur-de-lis in the center, and represents the town’s English roots. Two fields of dark blue and two of “Lincoln Green” are similar to a flag recently adopted by Lincolnshire England. The green represents Lincoln’s fields and woods, and the blue its streams, ponds and dark skies initiative."

Ivan Sache, 2 March 2007

Proposal B

image from Lincoln municipal website located by Ivan Sache, 2 March 2007

"Town Seal: This design incorporates Lincoln’s Town Seal on a “Lincoln Green” field, symbolizing Lincoln’s agricultural and open space traditions. The Town Seal was adopted by the town in 1897. At that time, Lincoln’s new Town Hall (now Bemis Hall) was only five years old, and it is depicted at the base of a heraldic shield. Above it is a red cross with gold fleur-de-lis, taken from the seal of Lincoln, England. An old chestnut tree that stood on the Town Common (below Bemis Hall) is used as the crest of the shield. Symbolic of Lincoln’s long-standing appreciation of its trees and landscape, that tree was also once fondly remembered by many Lincoln children, who played on or around it during their school recess. Behind the shield, two crossed shepherd’s crooks reflect Lincoln’s agricultural heritage. Many towns have used their town seals on their town flags."

Ivan Sache, 2 March 2007

Proposal C

image from Lincoln municipal website located by Ivan Sache, 2 March 2007

"Green Field: The upper left canton of this design encompasses the symbol of Lincoln England, after which the town was named and representing the town’s roots in the English tradition. The remaining dominant field is “Lincoln Green” signifying the open space, agricultural heritage, and landmark land conservation programs which are so much a part of the town’s identity."

Ivan Sache, 2 March 2007

Proposal D

image from Lincoln municipal website located by Ivan Sache, 2 March 2007

"Open Space Scene: In perhaps the least traditional of the flag designs presented, this free form design depicts a minuteman, representing Lincoln’s historical heritage, gazing toward the future over stonewalls, fields and woods representing Lincoln’s long tradition of preserving open space. The image is colorful, bold and striking, and will stand out as unique among the other town flags at the Hall of Flags in the State House. It will read well even when furled. The message is that Lincoln has an important historical heritage and a much envied record of open-space preservation. We boldly look to the future with pride and optimism."

Ivan Sache, 2 March 2007

Proposal E

image from Lincoln municipal website located by Ivan Sache, 2 March 2007

"Values: This design connects Lincoln’s past with the limitless possibilities of its future, by depicting Lincoln’s most cherished values in 4 quadrants connected by the heraldic symbol of Lincoln England, for which the town was named. The field in the upper left contains the old Chestnut tree that once stood on the town common, and represents open space, manifest in the town’s agricultural tradition, its landmark effort at land conservation, and its continuing priority to preserve open space into the future. In the upper right quadrant is a citizen expressing his opinion, representative of Lincoln’s open Town Meeting, the quintessential embodiment of Lincoln’s participatory tradition and the symbol of working together as a community through the process we have come to revere as “the Lincoln way.” In the lower left is a Minute Man, one of Lincoln’s “embattled farmers” whose actions in defense of self-government started the American Revolution, and who symbolizes the town’s enduring faith in its historic traditions. And in the lower right is a lamp of learning, symbolizing the town’s strong embrace of education and its deep commitment to the possibilities it represents for the future of its young people. These 4 values, which are connected by the red Cross of St. George and gold fleur-de-lis representative of Lincoln England, make up the collective soul of the town, and provide the compass bearings by which to navigate the future."

Ivan Sache, 2 March 2007

Proposal F

image from Lincoln municipal website located by Ivan Sache, 2 March 2007

"Memorial Eagle: This proposal for Lincoln’s flag depicts the bronze Eagle, located on the Lincoln Library grounds. The eagle is of course symbolic of the nation, but it is also a prominent part of Lincoln’s green landscape which we may also associate with the library and the town’s soaring quest for learning. Most significantly, though, it is Lincoln’s War Memorial. Dedicated on Armistice Day, November 11, 1929, the eagle was designed by Boston sculptor Fortunato Tarquino (1893-1949), a native of Italy, and cast by the T. F. McCann & Sons Co. of Boston. The idea of erecting a war memorial had initially been encouraged by Lincoln’s Girl Scouts. It is the town’s official memorial, honoring “for all time” those who have served “in their country’s defense” in all wars."

Ivan Sache, 2 March 2007

Proposal G

image from Lincoln municipal website located by Ivan Sache, 2 March 2007

"Traditions: This design represents Lincoln’s rich traditions. It incorporates several of the key elements of alternative designs in a layout which includes an upper left canton, common among flags from places with roots in the English tradition. Overall, the field is “Lincoln Green,” representing Lincoln’s sustaining agricultural and open space tradition, which is so much a part of the town’s identity. The canton contains the heraldic symbol of Lincoln, England for which the town was named in 1754. It consists of a red Cross of St. George with a gold fleur-de-lis on a white background. This symbol is also found in our town seal. On the field of green, is a peaceful, rural landscape with trees, fields, and a stone wall, representing the town’s landmark programs and continuing commitment to preserving open space. A minute man, symbolic of Lincoln’s deep, enduring faith in its historic traditions is marching through this landscape into the future."

Ivan Sache, 2 March 2007