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The website at
www.carefree.org shows a civic seal is in the usual circular format, colored blue, gold, and white, and consists of three concentric circles. The outermost circle appears to be a Native American frieze in white and gold, set off by a blue border from the outermost edge as well as from the middle ring. This ring has the words 'SEAL OF THE TOWN OF CAREFREE' in small blue capital letters across the top. The lower part of the seal is separated by what appear to be two railway cars in gold stretching across the entire bottom of the seal and crossing both the middle and the outer rings. The lower part of the middle circle contains the word 'ARIZONA', also in small blue capitals. The center of the seal itself depicts a desert scene, with a range of mountains in blue in the background, a saguaro cactus in white in the left foreground, and an
indecipherable object in gold in the right foreground.
Ron Lahav, 6 April 2004
Casa Grande originally used a conventional circular seal, developed as a part of the City of Casa Grande's centennial celebration in 1979. It honors the city's roots (railroad) and depicts the community's first train depot. This was superseded by a monogram style that was developed through a competition set up between graphic arts students at Arizona State University and the University of Arizona. The winning design came from an ASU student.
Scott Barber, 6 April 2004
The website at www.cavecreek.org shows the seal in the usual circular format. The upper half of the seal is bronze, with the dates of the town's settlement and incorporation blind-stamped in silver, as on
an ingot. The bottom half of the seal is desert sandstone, with the word 'Arizona' in small capitals in silver and a rose stem along the edge. The center of the seal is multicolored, featuring a deep blue-pink sky above. To the left is a rock outcrop in reddish brown; standing on the cliff is a saguaro cactus in its natural color, while to the right of the cactus is a coyote, also in its natural colors. The cliff and the figures on it jut out into a copper-colored sunset, with a hazy
coppery yellow sun in the foreground. Running the entire width of the seal and bisecting it completely is a brown bar with the words 'Cave Creek' in an Old West type face and. All in all, a very striking emblem.
Ron Lahav, 8 April 2004
The website at www.clarkdale.az.us shows a standard circular format seal, with the words 'CLARKDALE, ARIZONA' in copper-colored capital letters in the top half of a black outer circle; the lower half of this circle consists of six small five-pointed stars in the same color. The center is multicolored, and features a rayed five-pointed star as in the Arizona state flag and in the same colors. This is set in a blue sky; in the center of the seal are the buildings of a smelter complex, colored adobe with copper colored roofs, set on a green meadow, In the center foreground is a golden ore car filled with copper and with the capital letters 'U.V.C.', also copper colored, on the side, and on either side the numbers '19' and '57'. This represents the United Verde Copper Company, which operated a smelting plant at this town for many years; Clarkdale was originally a 'company town.'
Ron Lahav, 8 April 2004
The website at www.coolidgeaz.com shows a black outer ring with 'City of' in white capitals at the top of the circle and 'Coolidge . Arizona' at the bottom. The center shows a desert sunset in shades of brown and gold, with a brown and black mountain range in the middle distance and the Casa Grande Ruins Archeological Preserve in the foreground. The structure consists of a gabled roof and pediment in white, supported by splayed legs at
each corner, the entire edifice in white, over a brown ruin.
Ron Lahav, 4 April 2004
The website at www.ci.cottonwood.az.us indicates there might be a municipal flag, as the town logo seems to be displayed on a white rectangle. The design of the emblem is semi-elliptical in form, with the bottom left of the ellipse cut away to show a stream flowing from the left-hand portion of the ellipse, past a cottonwood tree, and forming a blazon with illegible words written in white in a miniscule script at the bottom of the ellipse. The ellipse is sky blue, with a brown cottonwood tree leafed in green to the right of the ellipse; the aforementioned stream flowing to the right of the tree. Just to the right of the tree is the word 'Cottonwood' written in stylized green lettering, with Arizona written in small blue capitals beneath it.
Ron Lahav, 4 April 2004
The logo is a blue background with a green cottonwood tree, and a darker blue river. Within the river are the words 'Heart of the Verde Valley', The city of Cottonwood was named for the cottonwood trees along the Verde River, which goes
through Cottonwood. Cottonwood is one of 5 communities within the region known as the Verde Valley. It was designed in 1987, as part of a contest. I don't recall the name of the company that won the design, the company is no longer in
business, to my knowledge.
Brian Mickelsen, 7 April 2004
The depiction of the logo at the head of the Adminstrative Departments page on the Cottonwood Web Site shows the emblem in a white rectangular frame, but Mr Mickelsen has not replied to my query as to whether this can be taken to imply a
flag.
Ron Lahav, 7 April 2004
The website at www.cityofelmirage.org shows the city seal in old gold and black. A large black and white line drawing can be found at www.cityofelmirage.org/index.asp?NID=92&ART=1466, the Administrative Departments page. The city name is to be found at the top of the outer ring in gold capitals, with the state name at the bottom. Additionally, two small
five-pointed gold stars at the lower right and lower left respectively. The center consists of a black field, and along the top and sides are strands of barbed wire in gold. In the center of this field is a coat of arms in the form of a golden shield divided horizontally and with the chief divided vertically, both parts featuring symbols in gold. The upper right of the chief depicts a house facing a road junction with a tree to the right of the house, while the upper left shows an irrigated field with a sun rising in the background and a hoe and rake crossed saltire superimposed over the field. The lower half of the shield consists of a scroll in black with the word and date 'INC 1951' inscribed in gold.
Ron Lahav, 4 April 2004
The website at www.ci.eloy.az.us shows a striking combination of modernistic and Native American symbology. Circular format, divided into two halves, by a copper separator, orange and gray-green, with a v-shaped indentation in the center of the lower half. At the top of the upper half is a rayed sun in Native American style, with two blue triangular mountains at either side. The mountain on the right is sharper and protrudes slightly above the uppermost line of the sun's rays, while that of the other mountain just touches the uppermost ray. The lower half of the circle is inscribed 'ELOY, ARIZONA' in white capital letters. All in all, a very striking and dramatic seal.
Ron Lahav, 10 April 2004
The website at www.flagstaff.az.gov shows a circular seal; in the center of the white outer ring are the words 'CITY OF FLAGSTAFF' in black capitals. Separated from this by the flagstaff which gives the city its name (q.v.) is the word 'ARIZONA' written in a similar fashion. At the lower right and lower left respectively of this outer ring are two small black dots, while at the very bottom of this ring is the alphanumeric 'ESTABLISHED 1882', in the same format as the words at the top of the outer circle. The most distinguishing feature of the seal is the very tall flagstaff, based on a cliff to the right foreground of the seal and extending some distance outside the seal itself; flying from the peak is a U.S. flag blowing to the left. To the left of the staff is an elk facing front. The principal design of the center of the seal, which is multicolored, is a pale blue sky with white clouds, located at the top. Beneath the sky is a range of mountains in the background, in a very dark shade of green. A field in pale blue (snow-covered?) is in the center foreground, with a rail fence curving toward the mountains. In the lower foreground is a river with rocks.
Ron Lahav, 10 April 2004
The website at
www.ci.fountain-hills.az.us shows a seal with a blue dodecahedral border. The outer ring is white, with the words 'Town of FOUNTAIN HILLS, Arizona' in black. At lower right and lower left respectively two small black dots, while at the very bottom of the outer ring are the words in black 'All that is Arizona'. The center of the seal is blue, black, and white. In the center foreground is a fountain in pale blue atop a white cone, with a pale blue plume of water rising from it. This plume bisects the center of the seal and extends slightly into the outer ring. At the top of the center portion is a large white desert moon, with two pale blue slivers of sky on either side. Beneath the moon and divided into two unequal parts by the plume of water from the fountain is a range of mountains in black. Beneath the fountain is a lined field, with alternating black and white stripes. At the bottom of the white cone supporting the fountain are the words 'EST. 1909' in black.
Ron Lahav, 10 April 2004
The website at www.guadalupeaz.org shows a cluttered seal, done in the form of a blue line drawing. At the top of a very narrow outer ring are the words 'Town of', with what appear to be two branches of differing lengths at the right and left sides of the outer ring. The bottom of this outer ring seems to contain the word
'Guadalupe'; all inscriptions in the outer ring are in blue. The center of the seal depicts a golden circle rising over a mountain range. As the sky to the left of the sphere is dark blue, while that to the right is clear, it is uncertain whether the sphere is the sun or the moon. The mountain range is also dark blue in color. There is also a large blue saguaro cactus on a white semicircle, with what appears to be Spanish colonial style structures also in blue on either side of the semicircle. There is also some sort of figure in the center foreground, but I am unable to tell what it may be.
Ron Lahav, 17 April 2004
The website at www.townofkearny.com shows a seal with a simple circular format. The outer ring has the word 'KEARNY' at its top in black capitals and the word 'ARIZONA' in a similar format at the
bottom. The center is multicolored and is divided into five sections by a Native American symbol in cinnamon. The middle is also circular and depicts the Arizona state flag in its proper colors above a canyon in light blue and overlooked by a
rock formation in green. In chief there appears to be a covered wagon in gold on a blue field, with a lowering sky streaked in blue and black. To the left of the central circle is a blue field displaying a sun or full moon in gold; this is bisected into two unequal parts by a saguaro cactus, with its proper green color cast in a golden glow. In the background is a slate gray mountain range, while to the right of the cactus is a black tumbleweed. To the right of the center circle a white smelter chimney marked with three thin black lines jutting across a black horizon band of mountains into a blue sky. The chimney seems to arise from a green range of mountains, with a yellow cliff face. In the center foreground of this section there appears to be a Western urban townscape in blue.
Ron Lahav, 17 April 2004
The website at www.ci.kingman.az.us shows a circular seal in a multicolored format. The inner and outer rings are demarcated by thin blue lines. At the top of the outer circle are the words 'CITY OF KINGMAN' in red capitals. At either side of the outer ring is a very small five- pointed blue star. while the bottom of the outer ring contains the words 'FOUNDED 1882', also in red capitals. Underneath the seal, but following its curves, is written in ordinary red lettering 'Kingman, Arizona 86401'. The center of the seal is rayed in chief in red and yellow after the manner of the Arizona state flag, while the center foreground consists of some sort of object in a blue line drawing which is indecipherable to me.
Ron Lahav, 17 April 2004
The website at www.ci.lake-havasu-city.az.us shows a very modern stylized seal in a circular shape but not in a traditional format. The seal depicts a recreational scene on Lake Havasu,
whose waters in the foreground are slate blue in color. On the shore to the left is a stand of trees, with what appear to be some sort of public building in the midst of them; a very high flagpole with a U.S. flag blowing to the right stands in front of this structure, indicating its public status and causing me to wonder whether it might in some way be connected to Boulder Dam; Lake Havasu is the outflow from this dam. To the right of this scene is the old London Bridge, acquired by a rich American and donated and transported to the new community sometime in the 1980s; this structure is shown in
light gray. At the top of this scene is a very pale blue sky. Outside the artwork but in a circular format are written in modern sans serif black capitals 'LAKE HAVASU CITY, ARIZONA'. At either side of the seal itself are two small black circles, and at the bottom, in the same circular format and using the same type face and colors is the word and date
'INCORPORATED 1978'.
Ron Lahav, 17 April 2004
The website at www.litchfield-park.org shows a modernistic seal in black, white, pink and green. Within a circle composed of black dots is a triple-domed structure framed in black, with straight sides and bottom, all within a black frame. This structure contains what appear to be four plants in pink with green stalks. They are separated by three tree trunks, represented as thick black lines and with the tree tops themselves in
green. Within the upper part of the circle are the words 'CITY OF LITCHFIELD PARK' in black capitals in a modern type face. Beneath the domed structure, also in the same black capitals and type face, is the word 'ARIZONA'.
Ron Lahav, 21 April 2004
The website at www.marana.com shows a very modern seal befitting a town incorporated only recently. In an outer ring fimbriated with a thick black line at the edge of the outer circle and a thinner one at the edge of the inner one are the words 'TOWN OF' in black capitals, while at the bottom the word 'ARIZONA' is written in the same manner. The sides of the outer ring contain the numerals '19' to the right and '77' to the left respectively. The centre of the seal is divided by a wide fess in old gold and fimbriated by thick lines at the top and bottom, and with the word 'MARANA' in large black capitals written across its length. This fess stretches the entire length of the seal. Above the fess is a slate blue sky over a jagged mountain range in deep blue fimbriated white. In the foreground are two structures in brown also fimbriated and windowed white. Below the fess at the right is a stylised lake in blue with equally stylised waves in white. This image takes up 2/3 of the bottom part of the seal, and is separated on the right by a white line from another stylised representation, this one in green divided by white lines and suggesting a plowed field.
Ron Lahav, 21 April 2004
The website at www.cityofmaricopa.net shows within the standard circular format a white outer ring with the words 'City of Maricopa' in black at the top. There is a five-pointed black star at
either side of the outer ring, while at the bottom are the words 'Incorporated 2003' similarly written. The centre consists of an old gold background, with an image of a traditional Western stagecoach unharnessed in brown which fills virtually the entire centre of the seal.
Ron Lahav, 21 April 2004
See also: Maricopa County
The website at www.cityofnogales.net shows a very unusual seal combining the
traditional circular format for the outer ring with a heraldic coat of arms in the centre. The outer ring is green and gold, with a golden border and with a white fimbriation at the inner edge. Within the green and gold outer ring are the words 'CITY OF NOGALES' in golden capitals, at either side are three golden five-pointed stars, and at the bottom the word 'ARIZONA', again in golden capitals. The centre of the seal is heraldic in nature: On a gold background is a triangular shield divided per bend vert with a golden device thereupon, with a stylised U.S. flag above the bend displayed so that the canton is in chief and the stripes are paly, while below the bend is the Mexican flag, likewise reversed in structure and displayed in a horizontal format green- white-red, with the national symbol displayed on the white. The bend represents the border between the U.S. and Mexico, which divides Nogales, Arizona, from Nogales, Chihuahua.
Ron Lahav, 21 April 2004
The website at www.ci.parker.az.us shows a multicolored circular seal featuring a narrow yellow outer circle fimbriated black with the words 'TOWN OF PARKER' in small black capitals at the top and 'ARIZONA' written in the same manner at the bottom. The center features an Arizona state flag in its proper colors on a white staff bendwise in the foreground. At the top is a midnight-blue sky, beneath which is a range of mountains in the
background; flowing past is the Colorado River in dark blue. In the center foreground is the control center of Parker Dam in black with yellow lights; this in turn rests on the dam spillway itself which is gray. At the foot of the dam is the white foam of the river flowing into Lake Havasu, whose waters are depicted in blue. Canyon walls in brown flank the dam on the right and left. The bottom fifth of the inner circle is divided from the scenic portion by a thin black line, and is colored the same shade of midnight blue as the sky at the top of the center portion. On this bottom section the date
'1908' is written in black. A larger image of the Parker seal can be found at http://www.angelfire.com/ca/mineryhomepage/riverpage.html.
Ron Lahav, 25 April 2004
The website at www.cityofprescott.net shows the municipal seal very much resembles an English police badge. On a gray diamond (i.e., a square set on one of its points) a similar gray square is superimposed. Each square is in the form of a grid rather than being solid. In the center of the uppermost square is a circular seal whose circumference touches each facet of the square. The seal itself is composed of two concentric circles, both fimbriated in black. The outer circle is white, and at the top are the words 'CITY OF PRESCOTT' in black capitals, with the word 'ARIZONA' written in a similar fashion at the bottom. The center of the seal is multicolored; underneath a pale blue sky and occupying the center foreground is a butte in shades of brown. To its right is a pine tree in green and brown, while a river in deep blue flows from the butte toward the foreground, flanked on both sides by green fields.
Ron Lahav, 25 April 2004
The website at www.ci.quartzsite.az.us shows an unusual seal. The center of the standard circular format consists of a large white capital letter 'Q', the tail of which extends outside both the center and also an outer concentric circle. The upper part of the circle within the 'Q' consists of a golden canyon wall beneath a dark brown mountain range fimbriated in gold, with a gold Q inscribed on it, both under a dark blue sky. The small space within the tail of the 'Q' is colored dark blue. This inner circle is encircled by an outer ring in black with
the words 'THE TOWN OF QUARTZSITE' in golden capital letters at the top of the ring, and the word 'ARIZONA' at the bottom, separated by the tail of the letter 'Q' from the top. Above the upper part of the outer ring is a small semi-rectangular label, the curved top of the seal acting as the bottom of the label. The frame and the lettering within it are golden, while the background is white. Written inside the label in gold is the alphanumeric in capitals 'FOUNDED 1867'. At the bottom of the outer ring is a similar label with 'INCORPORATED 1984', also in gold on a white background.
Ron Lahav, 28 April 2004
The website at www.ci.sahuarita.az.us shows a triangular shield with the apex pointing downwards. The outer portion is brown fimbriated black, with two bosses with black spirals and with swallowtails also fimbriated black. The entire effect is to create the appearance of leather. The top of the triangle rises to a peak in the middle. On the left side of this peak the words 'TOWN OF' are written in black capitals, while on the right the word 'SAHUARITA' is similarly written. At the apex of the triangle the alphanumeric 'INCORPORATED [ILLEGIBLE]' is written in miniscule black capitals. The center of the triangle depicts the rising sun as in the Arizona state flag, with rays of red and gold. The golden disk of the sun is located to the upper left; it rises from a slate colored mountain range which in turn looms over a blue desert floor. In the left foreground stands a green saguaro cactus, and at its foot are six desert flowers, white with green leaves and centers.
Ron Lahav, 2 May 2004
The website at www.ci.show-low.az.us shows a simple seal in the standard circular format. The outer ring is white fimbriated black, with the words 'CITY OF SHOW LOW ARIZONA' in black capitals at
the top of the circle and the date 1953 at the bottom. The center of the seal is extremely unusual; it is multicolored and duplicates the Arizona state flag, with the exception that in the center of the flag, instead of a star, there is a playing card bendwise. The card is the Deuce of Spades in black, and in most card games is the lowest value in any suit within a deck. Given the colorful history of the Old West, I can almost guarantee that there was at least one casino in the town!
Ron Lahav, 6 May 2004
Show Low was named as the result of a card game played around 1876. Corydon E. Cooley, a government scout with General George Crook in 1872 and 1873, married the daughter of Chief Pedro of the White Mountain Apaches and in 1875 established his home on Show Low Creek. His place soon gained A NAME for having comfort and cleanliness not often found by pioneer travelers. Marion Clark was his partner in the venture, but later Clark decided that the venture would not work. The two men agreed to play a game of Seven-Up to decide who should move. As the last hand was dealt, Cooley needed a single point to win. Clark, running his eye over his cards, is believed to have said, 'If you can show low, you win.' Cooley threw down his hand and remarked, 'Show low it is.' The words immediately became the identifying name for the location.
Philip Heikkonen, Director of the Show Low Public Library, 13 May 2004
The website at www.southtucson.org shows a very strange emblem, part logo and part seal. At the top is a yellow lasso fimbriated black and what appears to be a knot or loop at the lower left. Within the lasso are the words 'SOUTH TUCSON' in two rows of black capitals, the upper row being written in smaller letters than the lower. The lower part of the emblem is an incomplete semicircle, with the left end attached to the lasso and the right hanging off into space. In the center foreground is a saguaro cactus in green rising from a brown desert floor and isecting a mountain range in dark blue. To the right of the cactus are two clouds in white and gray, while to the left is an orange sun depicted in Native American fashion. Along the bottom arc of the semicircle are the words of the city motto, written in small black capitals: 'A PUEBLO WITHIN A CITY.'
Ron Lahav, 8 May 2004
The website at www.tollesonaz.org shows a seal that is quite different from most
other Arizona municipal seals, although it retains the circular format. However, the basic colors do not appear on any
other seals in Arizona. The basic color of the outer ring, which is semicircular in shape, is light green with the words 'CITY OF' in black capitals. The circle itself is bisected by a golden fess fimbriated black with 'TOLLESON'in large black capitals. The center of the inner circle has a background color in light gray. In the midst of this background is a large torch in gray, separated from the background by black fimbriation once again; there is also a lip to the torch similarly set off. From the top of the torch a large stylized golden flame projects upward, penetrating the green semicircle between
the letters 'T' and 'Y' in the word 'CITY.' The pointed base of the torch is held in a forked receptacle, also light green fimbriated black, and with a narrow gold band similarly delineated and containing an illegible date in miniscule numbers. Beneath this base is a label in light green fimbriated black and arc-like in shape, containing the word 'ARIZONA' in black capitals. At either side of this label, in black and green, are four cactus flowers, two a side.
Ron Lahav, 13 May 2004
The website at www.willcoxcity.org shows a standard circular format seal with a blue outer ring in which the words 'CITY OF WILLCOX' are written in golden capitals at the top of the circle,
and 'INCORPORATED MAY, 1915' are written similarly at the bottom. The inner circle consists of a plain background, in the
midst of which is an Arizona state flag in its proper colors. Above the flag there appears to be a herd of cattle in
gray, to the left an early steam locomotive in black, at the bottom in gray and black an early view of the town, and to the right a cowboy on a gray horse.
Ron Lahav, 13 May 2004
The website at www.winslowarizona.com showed the city seal, which appeared to be some kind of Native American symbol. On the municipal Web Site it appears as part of a police shoulder patch/badge. I was unable to clarify the details.
Ron Lahav, 13 May 2004
The website at www.youngtownaz.org shows the municipal seal only in the form of a large black and white line drawing. In an outer circle are the words 'TOWN OF YOUNGTOWN' in large capitals, with two stylized ivy leaves to the right and left of the outer ring; these leaves separate the words at the top of the outer circle from the word 'ARIZONA' likewise written in large capitals at the bottom. The center of the seal is divided into three triangular portions: in chief is part of the state flag of Arizona (I assume it appears in its
normal colors in the seal proper). To the left is a desert scene with a sun in a cloudless sky, above left of a mountain range. On the desert floor beneath the mountains is a small lake or reservoir. The right hand triangular section depicts an outline map of Arizona, with a black dot indicating the town's geographic location.
Ron Lahav, 13 May 2004