The Seal of New Haven

The following image was scanned from the cover of a City document, Capital Budget and Five-Year Plan, 1998-1999, which was published by the Capital Projects Committee in 1998. The colored background of the scanned image was converted to white using digital editing.

Option: view the seal on its own page

About the Seal

In History of the City of New Haven to the Present Time (Edward E. Atwater, ed., 1887; p. 458), a slightly different design is depicted with an inscription above the disk that reads "MARE LIBERUM." On the same page it is mentioned that the original seal was lost and that there had been "a good deal of discussion as to the lost seal formerly used, but its history has become covered with obscurity."

In Three Centuries of New Haven, 1638-1938 Rollin Osterweis wrote the following about the original seal:

When our citizens look upon the original seal of their city, they are inspecting the joint handiwork of two distinguished New Haveners, Ezra Stiles and James Hillhouse. Collaborating with them was Josiah Meigs, clerk of the city administration and a tutor on the college faculty. The story of the designing of the seal emerges from entries in Stiles' Diary, during February, 1785. On February 3 the president noted: "With Messrs. Hillhouse and Meigs devising a City Seal." Eight days later he wrote triumphantly: "Finished the City Seal. The Devise, the Harbour of New Haven, a Ship at the Entrance, and an Ionic Pillar entwined with a Grape Vine. Under the Ship at the Mouth of the Harbour, MARE LIBERUM; and round the Seal SIGILL. CIVITAT. NOVI-PORT. IN REPUB. CONNECTICUTENSI. 1784."

Both books quoted above, as well as copies of Ezra Stiles' diaries, are available in the Library's Local History Room.

Revised February 1, 2002