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California Municipal Symbols, L

Last modified: 2006-08-05 by rick wyatt
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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:



La Cañada Flintridge

The website at www.lacanadaflintridge.com shows the logo - rounded at the top with vertical sides and a horizontal base. At the bottom of the logo are two white mountain peaks which form the base of the design, with the words 'CITY OF' written is in all black block letters, followed by 'LA CAÑADA FLINTRIDGE' in two rows of large black block letters in an Art Deco font, again with a tilde. Above the peaks is a light blue sky with white striations, apparently representing cirrus clouds. In the left foreground is a large brown tree branch with green leaves.
Ron Lahav, 21 November 2004


Lafayette

The website at www.lovelafayette.org does not show any civic heraldry, but one of the recent minutes of the City Council mentions someone having been appointed to the Banner Committee.
Ron Lahav, 21 November 2004


Laguna Beach

The website at www.lagunabeachcity.org shows the municipal seal depicted as a gold circular wafer, such as is used to notarize documents. Both the lettering around the outer ring and the central image are embossed in gold. The outer ring has the words 'CITY OF LAGUNA BEACH' embossed in block letters at the top and 'CALIFORNIA' at the bottom. The central image appears to be some sort of landscape.
Ron Lahav, 21 November 2004


Laguna Hills

The website at www.ci.laguna-hills.ca.us shows a very pretty seal. The outer ring is dark blue edged in gold externally and in white internally. At the top of the outer circle are the words 'CITY OF LAGUNA HILLS' in gold block letters. The central image consists of a multicolored landscape with a cowboy wearing a black sombrero, a light blue shirt, and blue jeans mounted on a brown horse with black mane and tail. These figures stand on an ocher cliff in the right foreground overlooking the landscape. Facing them in the center foreground is a blue canal stretching into the middle distance, with gray rocks in the immediate foreground and in the left center. There are also some green bushes in the left center, and a tan mountain in the right background behind the horse and rider. Above all is a blue sky with what appears to be a brown condor flying from [heraldic] right to left.
Ron Lahav, 21 November 2004


Laguna Niguel

The website at www.ci.laguna-niguel.ca.us shows the seal in the standard circular format, with the outer edge bordered by a blue and gold rope, hawser laid. The outer ring is deep royal blue,with 'CITY of LAGUNA NIGUEL' in gold block and lower case letters at the top and the date '1989' similarly written in gold at the bottom. The central image depicts a landscape in natural colors, featuring a pale turquoise sky containing a golden sun overall. In narrow golden block letters at the very bottom of the central image are the words SEA COUNTRY.
Ron Lahav, 27 November 2004


La Habra

The website at www.ci.la-habra.ca.us shows the logo as a vertical ovoid outlined in blue, with a white background field. In the center of the ovoid is what appears to be a hibiscus blossom in deep red with green stem and leaves and blue stamen and pistil. At the top of the ovoid are the words CITY OF' in blue block letters, with the words 'LA HABRA' written in large blue script upper and lower case letters immediately above the blossom. Beneath the blossom is a label in the form of a scroll with the cord 'CALIFORNIA' written in block lettering; all the letters of this word are in blue except for the last letter 'I', which is silver. The date '1925' is written in blue beneath this label.
Ron Lahav, 27 November 2004


La Habra Heights

The website at www.la-habra-heights.org/home.htm shows a very pretty seal. A black outer circle is edged externally in terra cotta. The words 'CITY OF LA HABRA HEIGHTS' are written in white block letters using what one source describes as an 'Old Castilian' font around the top, with the date '1978' similarly written at the bottom. The background color of the central image is also terra cotta, and it depicts a galloping horse in white racing over a stretch of ground also in white, with snow-capped mountains in the background.
Ron Lahav, 27 November 2004


Lake Elsinore

Lake Elsinore, Riverside County, appears to have a flag bearing the city logo on white with an inscription below the logo. The flag can be seen at http://www.lake-elsinore.org/images/CollageCityHall.jpg and a vague logo can be seen at http://www.lake-elsinore.org/images/mosaicfade.gif.
Dov Gutterman, 19 October 2002

The website at www.lake-elsinore.org shows a very basic logo consisting of four curved white lines and three similarly curved blue lines, suggesting the surface of a lake, with two stylized white sailboats at the upper right of the logo.
Ron Lahav, 27 November 2004


Lake Forest

The website at www.city-lakeforest.com shows another striking seal: a horizontal ellipse with a white outer oval edged black both externally and internally, the words 'CITY OF LAKE FOREST' written externally therein in black block letters and two black dots at either end of the outer ellipse. At the bottom of the outer ellipse the date 'DECEMBER 20, 1991' is similarly written. The central image depicts a deep blue lake in the lower right foreground, abutting onto a green shore at the lower left. On the shore are three trees of different heights placed at staggered intervals; the trunks of the trees are brown, while their crowns are a pale blue green. Overlooking the lake is a mountain divided irregularly into brown and beige portions, with a blue sky overall. The tops of the trees divide the sky into two irregular portions.
Ron Lahav, 27 November 2004


Lakewood

The website at www.lakewoodcity.org shows a very basic and simple logo. On a light green background a suburban cityscape of buildings, shrubbery, etc., is suggested in yellow outline. At the top of this cityscape is a stylized solar disc, also outlined in yellow, with a solid yellow flag on a yellow staff rising from one of the buildings and protruding into the lower left portion of the solar disc.
Ron Lahav, 27 November 2004


La Mesa

The website at www.cityoflamesa.com shows the municipal logo with a curved top, two vertical sides, and a horizontal base. The upper portion of the logo has a white background color, divided sinuously from the green lower portion. In the upper portion there is a yellow sun with dark gray shading along the bottom, and to the right of this are two green palm trees of differing heights arising from the green lower portion. Along the curved top portion of the logo the words 'CITY OF LA MESA' are written in blue block letters. The bottom of the logo is green, and this in turn is divided into two irregular portions by a curving white line, above which is written the city motto in white upper and lower case letters, 'Jewel of the Hills'. The URL address http://www.cityoflamesa.com/news/FlagDayParade.htm contains a
description of this event, which is apparently an annual occasion.
Ron Lahav, 27 November 2004

According to http://www.reelectruthsterling.com/pages/bio2.html and http://www.cityoflamesa.com/Government/CityCouncil_RuthSterling.htm La Mesa does seem to have a city flag, designed or proposed by Councilwomen Ruth Sterling. unfortunately, neither site has an image of that flag.
Ned Smith, 28 November 2004


La Mirada

The website at http://www.cityoflamirada.org shows a logo that exists in many varieties, and I shall describe three which I have found. The basic design and pattern remains the same, but the colors are very different. What I assume to be the basic version is to be found when one clicks the 'Community News' button on the Home Page of the web site. The central image has a yellow background color, with blue serrated edges. In the center is what seems to be a condor (or else an eagle as drawn by someone who had only heard of one from hearsay), as seen from above. The condor is in blue outline with its head facing to the right. Beneath the tail feathers is the date '1960' (and in a most inappropriate place too, I must say!). At the top of the circle but outside it are the words 'CITY OF LA MIRADA' in thick blue block letters, and at the bottom of the circle are the words 'STATE OF CALIFORNIA' in smaller and thinner blue block letters. This logo also exists in the form of a blue and white line drawing with the outside letters and the condor in white, and the same with the colors and image reversed and in blue.
Ron Lahav, 2 December 2004


Lancaster

The website at http://www.cityoflancaster.org shows a standard circular seal consisting of two concentric circles. The outer circle is white, with with old gold edging both internally and externally. The words 'CITY OF LANCASTER, CALIFORNIA' are written at the top of the circle in large old gold block lettering using an Old West font, while 'INCORPORATED NOV. 22, 1971' are written in smaller lettering but in the same colors and font at the bottom. The central image is multicolored and quartered by thin black lines. The upper left quadrant shows a golden sun in a blue sky, with a jet aircraft describing a sweeping ascending curve from left to right. The upper right quadrant depicts a desert landscape in proper colors, again with a blue sky overall. The lower left quadrant depicts a leaping mountain goat silhouetted in black against an ocher sky, while the lower right quadrant features several tan boulders. At the very bottom of the central image are three orange California poppies with green leaves; the poppy is also used as the city logo. I find the use of the poppy rather than the red rose to be somewhat unusual for a city named Lancaster, even though it claims to be named by someone who originally came from Lancaster, Pennsylvania; after all, that city uses the red rose as its symbol as well.
Ron Lahav, 2 December 2004


La Palma

The website at http://www.cityoflapalma.org/pdf_docs/filmingapp.pdf#search='city%20la%20palma%20california' shows a B&W line drawing of the municipal seal can be found at the top of the on-line application for a filming permit issued by the City Council. The seal consists of a circular format with a narrow outer ring, which has the words 'CITY OF LA PALMA' in block lettering at the top and 'CALIFORNIA' similarly written at the bottom. The central image consists of a clenched fist grasping an illuminated torch rising from a flat plane. To the right of the torch is a palm tree, while to the left there are three very small images, one atop the other. The topmost seems to be a structure of some kind, the middle a grove of three trees planted in a horizontal line, and the bottom yet another structure. There also seems to be some sort of inscription written in miniscule type beneath the torch. The central image seems to be divided per fess about two-thirds of the way down from the top.
Ron Lahav, 2 December 2004


La Puente

The website at http://www.lapuente.org shows the seal consists of a very large circle, with an outer ring in slate gray and having golden serrations along its outer edge. The words 'CITY OF' are written in white block letters, with a white dot both before and after the word 'CITY'. Running across the center of the seal from right to left and bisecting it, crossing the entire width of the seal itself, is a large curved ribbon in olive green with gold fimbriation top and bottom. This ribbon contains the words 'La Puente' written in large upper and lower case white script lettering. The lower portion of the outer circle contains the city motto, 'WHERE THE PAST MEETS THE FUTURE,' written in small white block lettering. The background color of the central image is white, and on it are three California poppies in golden yellow, with cerise centers and violet brown edges and with green leaves. One of the poppies is above the green ribbon and faces forwards, while the two remaining poppies are beneath the ribbon and are angled somewhat to the right and left, respectively.
Ron Lahav, 2 December 2004


Larkspur

http://www.ci.larkspur.ca.us indicates there is no actual civic heraldry, but the image on the police badge for the Larkspur Police Department suggests that the department is shared with the neighboring city of Corte Madera, and perhaps the seal is also shared with them.
Ron Lahav, 2 December 2004


Lathrop

http://www.lathropgov.org shows the seal of this small community is very large and quite complex as well as being rather original. It consists of black designs and lettering upon a burnished gold background, and is in the form of three concentric circles, while the central image is quartered. Both the quartering and the outline of the innermost circle are in the form of parallel lines (in the case of the quartering) and double lines (with respect to the innermost circle). This inner circle depicts an outline map of the state of California, with the location of Lathrop indicated by a black five-pointed star. The central image, as noted previously, is quartered; the upper left quarter features a sun rising between twin peaks, with nine stylized rays of different lengths extending even into the upper right quadrant. At the foot of these twin peaks is a checkerboard pattern of agricultural land. The upper right depicts a stylized family group consisting of two adults and a child, with a horizontal tree line in the far distance. The lower left quadrant pictures a steam railway locomotive, of the type common in the US during the period 1890-1920, traveling on two curved tracks. Finally, the lower right quadrant shows what appears to be a prison building, with a high watch tower or smokestack.
Ron Lahav, 2 December 2004

Ms Nancy Rustigian, the City Clerk of Lathrop, California, has informed me that Lathrop does not have a city flag at present, and that the municipal seal was adopted as a result of a local contest. The records as to who designed the seal have vanished over the intervening 15 years, however.
Ron Lahav, 17 December 2004


La Verne

The city seal of La Verne can be found not on the home page of its municipal web site, but rather at http://www.ci.la-verne.ca.us/message.shtml. It consists of the standard circular format, with a brown outer edge and a white outer ring containing the words 'CITY OF' at the top and 'SINCE 1906' at the bottom. A blue ribbon folded into three parts, with each end attached to the outer ring, stretches across the entire diameter of the circle. Above and beneath this ribbon, at each flank of the outer circle, are four five-pointed black stars. The ribbon itself contains the words 'LA VERNE' in large black block letters. The central image is framed by two olive-green laurel wreaths joined at the bottom and top. The central image itself is very busy; it is divided into two broad halves. The upper part consists of a blue sky over an orange grove and agricultural land, indicated in various shades of green with minute orange dots. To the right of this agricultural scene appears to be some sort of Masonic emblem: on a gold background there are two clasped male hands. There also seems to be an academic cap in black just beneath the agricultural land and above the blue ribbon, reflecting the fact that the city is home to a small private university. Beneath the ribbon is a blue sky with the gold disk of a rising sun just visible over some green hills. Silhouetted against the hills is a black airplane, while at the bottom there appears to be a railroad train in black and white.
Ron Lahav, 15 December 2004


Lemon Grove

As shown at http://www.ci.lemon-grove.ca.us the logo consists of the name of the city written in large stylized script letters, lemon yellow in color and edged in black, with the words 'BEST CLIMATE ON EARTH' written in black block letters on the extended tongue of the letter 'L'.
Ron Lahav, 15 December 2004

The page at http://www.ci.lemon-grove.ca.us/clg/directory/Default.asp appears to display a photo of the city seal - or possibly a previous logo? It has the same stylized script letters, but adds a lemon and the tower better seen at http://www.ci.lemon-grove.ca.us/clg/profile/Default.asp to it.
Rob Raeside, 20 December 2004


Lemoore

At http://www.lemoore.com is the site of a major US Naval Air Station, this is nonetheless not reflected in this city's heraldry. The logo consists of a golden solar disc with black borders superimposed on three ultramarine stripes of unequal size, one broad stripe at the bottom and two narrower ones above it - the actual stripes are delineated in black. The bottom of the disk extends onto a stylized image in black of agricultural land, the whole resting on a deep blue background.
Ron Lahav, 15 December 2004


Lincoln

http://www.ci.lincoln.ca.us shows the logo consists of a stylized blossom outlined in blue, with a square geometrical shape incorporated into this outline. In the center of the blossoms are three concentric circles of orange and white, a large innermost circle and a narrower outer circle in orange and a narrow intermediate circle in white between the two.
Ron Lahav, 15 December 2004


Lindsay

At http://www.lindsay.ca.us the Home Page of the city carries no municipal heraldry as such, only the name of the city in black Art Nouveau letters with gray shading. The actual city seal can be found at http://www.lindsay.ca.us/citygov/dev/planning/index.cfm. The circular seal is gray throughout, ranging from silver- ray to the left to deep charcoal gray at the right. The outer ring has the words 'CITY OF LINDSAY' in black block letters at the top, two black five-pointed stars at each side, and the word 'CALIFORNIA' similarly written at the bottom. The central image consists of three oblique triangles, two at the top and one at the bottom, but the overall coloring of the seal makes the items depicted in two of these triangles difficult for me to decipher. The upper left is clear enough, four oranges on a branch proper, but the upper right looks like a green leaf of some kind, and the bottom triangle looks like a yellow atom symbol above a dark object. Lindsay is in Tulare County.
Ron Lahav, 15 December 2004

It is likely that the upper right is an olive branch. Lindsay stylizes itself as the olive capitol, at least of California, possibly of the US.
Michael P. Smuda, 20 December 2004


Lodi

From http://www.lodi.gov, the municipal seal reflects Lodi's position as the center of the California wine growing region. Using a standard circular format there are both an outer ring and a central image. The outer ring is grape colored, with the words 'CITY OF LODI' in white block letters at the top and 'CALIFORNIA' similarly written at the bottom. The background color of the central image is white, and features a cluster of grapes on a vine, all in proper colors. The vine leaves themselves are in a sort of turquoise green, while the stem and grapes are naturally enough grape colored.
Ron Lahav, 7 January 2005


Loma Linda

The city seal, although in the standard circular format, is very complex ( http://www.loma-linda.ca.us ). The basic color is white throughout, with blue fimbriation along the external border of the outer ring and with the internal border in olive. The upper part of this outer ring contains the words 'CITY OF LOMA LINDA CALIFORNIA' in dark blue sans serif block letters, with two small dark blue five-pointed stars at the beginning and end of the phrase. At the bottom of the outer ring the words 'INCORPORATED 1970 are written in much smaller dark blue lettering. The central image itself is quite unusual in that in consists of a map of the world according to the Mercator projection in olive, with a caduceus entwined around an illuminated torch superimposed on the center of the map. This reflects Loma Linda's position as the home of Loma Linda University, one of the few US institutions of higher education devoted entirely to the health sciences; the university is administered by the Seventh Day Adventist Church, and is responsible for training medical missionaries who serve in most parts of the world. In fact, until the advent of modern development assistance by NGOs, these medical missionaries (whose training was and is of a very high caliber) provided the only medical assistance many communities in the LDCs ever received. Beneath the map there is a curved line of lettering, also in olive, but so small that I am unable to decipher it.
Ron Lahav, 7 January 2005


Lomita

A small illustration of the city seal can be found on one of the inside pages of the web site. It is shown in white outline on a blue background, but the size is such that I am unable to determine many of its details. Within the standard circular format the upper ring has the words 'CITY OF LOMITA' in block lettering at the top, and the word 'CALIFORNIA' similarly written at the bottom. The central image is divided per pale, with the left-hand half further divided per fess. Within the right-hand portion are three palm trees on a knoll or mound, but I am unable to distinguish the features of both the upper and lower halves of the left-hand section.
Ron Lahav, 7 January 2005


Lompoc

http://www.cityoflompoc.com shows neither a municipal seal nor a city flag.
Ron Lahav, 7 January 2005


Loomis

At http://www.loomis.ca.gov is a very small seal. It is in green and white outline form on a green background. The format is circular with a very narrow outer ring, but I am unable either to read the words and date written at the top and bottom of this outer ring, nor to make out clearly any of the details within the central image.
Ron Lahav, 13 January 2005

Posted temporarily at http://home.t-online.de/home/520068460732-0001/63292.jpg (no longer accessible) is an image from which we can determine that the words in the ring say TOWN OF LOOMIS at the top, and CALIFORNIA at the bottom. They are separated by a some sort of motifs, but I can't see them well enough to describe. The central image has a tree in the foreground, in front of a landscape- probably an agricultural landscape, but it is not clear enough for me to be sure- with some hills at the horizon. All in natural colors.
Ned Smith, 16 January 2005

The town conducted a contest for the purpose of requesting public assistance in the design of the seal. The theme for the official seal needed to include part of the Town's heritage, to reflect some or any of the following: foothill terrain, transcontinental railroad that runs through Loomis, gateway to the Sierras, fruit orchards, packing/shipping fruit sheds, livestock ranching, grapevine yards, gold mining, rural lifestyle, several streams that run through Loomis and fishing, etc. Cory Kutsenkow was the winner for depicting the spirit and heritage of Loomis in her design of the official seal. It was adopted May 28, 1985, Ordinance 29.
We incorporated in December 17, 1984. We do not have our own flag yet.
Crickett Strock, town clerk, 19 January 2005


Los Alamitos

At http://www.ci.los-alamitos.ca.us there is a webpage dealing with the symbols of the City of Los Alamitos. No mention of a flag, but they do describe the city seal (which includes 3 flag images): "The City seal of Los Alamitos represents the many factors of its past. The official seal of the City of Los Alamitos was accepted in October 1960, and was designed by William Daniels. The lovely seal consists of a wide, circling band with the words "City of Los Alamitos" interposed on a flat outline of the State of California. In the center of the band is a Cottonwood Tree, for which the City is named. Across the tree trunk are the three flags (Spanish, Mexican, and American) which have flown over the City. ..."

The image of the seal  is at http://www.ci.los-alamitos.ca.us/
Ned Smith, 14 January 2005

The Los Alamitos municipal seal is superimposed on a golden yellow map of California. It consists of a standard circular format of two concentric circles with a white background. The outer ring has the words 'CITY of LOS ALAMITOS' in a mixture of upper and lower case lettering, both in blue. At the bottom of the central image within the inner circle is the word 'Incorporated' in dark red lower case lettering, while at the bottom of the outer ring is the word and date 'March 1 1880' similarly written. The central image itself consists of a cottonwood tree proper; imposed on the center of the tree is the S&S, while to the right and beneath it is a Spanish flag, and to the left and also beneath it is the Mexican Tricolor. Beneath the seal as a whole is a light blue ribbon, with the words 'Founded in 1784 by Spanish Grant' in white lower case lettering. Details regarding the design of the seal can be found in the text accompanying the seal.  The reason why I think that the Spanish flag depicted on the Los Alamitos seal is anachronistic is that the flag appears to be contemporary, rather than that which would have been recognized as Spanish in 1784, when the original land grant was issued. For this reason, in the above description of the seal, I referred to 'a' Spanish flag but 'the' Mexican Tricolor.
Ron Lahav, 15 January 2005


Los Altos

http://www.ci.los-altos.ca.us shows the city seal is quite simple, and consists of a white outer ring with the words 'CITY OF LOS ALTOS' written at the top in black block letters; this is then followed by a small black five-pointed star, which is in turn followed by the word 'CALIFORNIA' similarly written. At the bottom of the outer ring is what appears to be the municipal slogan, but the black block letters are too small for me to make out the text. The central image is multicolored and depicts a landscape in natural or proper colors.
Ron Lahav, 13 January 2005

I think it may be the incorporation date- "Incorporated December 1 1952" - rather than a slogan. The minutes of the city council reveal Los Altos does have a flag, but unfortunately no description or image is included http://www.ci.los-altos.ca.us/uploads/2975/02-04-09.pdf :

"Recognition of Former Mayor Roger Eng (1981-82 and 1986-87)
Mayor La Poll noted that, throughout 2002, the City Council would be honoring former Los Altos mayors for their contributions to the City. The recognition is one of a number of activities leading up to the 50thanniversary of the City's incorporation on December 1, 1952. This night, the Council paid tribute to former Mayor Roger Eng, who served two terms as Mayor in 1981-82 and 1986-87...... He was responsible for the creation of the first City flag, City Medallions, and City pins, which he had made during a personal exploratory sister city trip to Taiwan. The silk City flag in the Council Chambers was his
gift to the City."
Ned Smith, 14 January 2005


Los Altos Hills

At http://www.losaltoshills.ca.gov is the town logo in ochre and chocolate. Above the central image and beneath it are the words 'LOS ALTOS HILLS' and 'CALIFORNIA' respectively in tall black block letters. The words are separated at the bottom and top by thin ochre horizontal lines. The central image itself depicts a stylized mountain range in ochre and chocolate, with an irregularly curved white line separating the two parts. Beneath the hills is a stylized townscape in the form of a horizontal row of buildings and trees in chocolate.
Ron Lahav, 13 January 2005


Los Banos

At http://www.losbanos.org/web/index.html the logo is in the form of a label or nameplate in cream fimbriated red. At the very top of this label is an ellipse depicting a sunrise over a local landscape, in various shades of orange and violet. Across the center of the label are the outlines of two mountains in sepia, and at the base of the label is a green mound from which a five-leaved plant in pale green is sprouting. In the exact center of the label and superimposed over the sepia mountains are the words 'CITY OF LOS BANOS' in red, white, and blue block letters, written in an Old West font. Superimposed over the green mound at the bottom is the word and date 'INCORPORATED 1907' written in large  outline block letters, and with the upper portions of the letters and numbers white and the bottom portions gold.
Ron Lahav, 13 January 2005


Los Gatos

At http://www.town.los-gatos.ca.us the seal is in the standard circular format, with an outer ring in old gold. At the top of this outer ring, in compressed bold- face black block letters, are the words 'TOWN OF', while similarly written at the bottom are the words 'LOS GATOS.' Flanking either side of the central image are two California mountain lions seated gardant; they are outlined in black but appear to be albinos as they are both white except for their features, limbs, etc. Presumably these are the 'gatos' of the town name. The central image itself features a golden sun rising into a pale orange sky, with narrow golden rays emanating from it. The sun is rising from behind a line of trees, while running from the immediate foreground to the trees is agricultural land. Both the line of trees and the plowed ground are in contrasting shades of green.
Ron Lahav, 13 January 2005

Actually the plowed ground is more of a light golden brown, the sky is white, but pierced by numerous golden rays from the sun, and the plants look more like shrubs or maybe grape vines than trees. Also note that here too an incorporation date is included- I think 1883- See the larger image at http://www.got.net/~davidbu/los_gatos/gifs/town_ct.gif . Further, I doubt those are meant to be mountain lions- the town's name was given for the local wildcats. See http://www.los-gatos.org/main/history.html . Several other websites say the cats on the seal are modeled after two sculptures in town, but fail to say what species of cat those sculptures were meant to represent.
Ned Smith, 14 January 2005

The two large felines on the current seal do represent the name of our town, which means 'the cats' in Spanish. The mountain range between Los Gatos and Santa Cruz (on the Pacific Coast) has always been prime mountain lion country. Sightings of the big cats still occur, and are increasing as humans crowd into what was once wildlands. Bobcats also live in our area, but there is little doubt that town's symbol incorporates the image of the larger cat, Felis concolor, the mountain lion.

The town has apparently had several iterations of mountain lions and oak trees on its seals through the years, in fact since the town was incorporated in 1887. In 1839 the Mexican land grant of more than 6000 acres to Sebastian Peralta and José Hernandez was El Rancho Rinconada de Los Gatos, and so references to the big cats go back at least that far. .. . The town has never, to the best of my knowledge, had its own flag. The current logo design, with two cats, a vineyard, the mountains, and the sun, was first used in the 1960s. I find no record of it ever have been officially adopted; I have been told that the town has no official seal as such.

The cats on the seal are probably modeled on those which guard the entrance to 'The Cats' estate just south of town, the home of Colonel Charles Erskine Scott Wood and his wife, the poet Sara Bard Field. The large cement cats were sculpted in 1922 by Robert Trent Paine. They still stand today. . . .
Peggy Conaway, 11 March 2005


Lynwood

The website at http://www.lynwood.ca.us shows a standard circular seal in gold superimposed upon a light blue octagon which frames it. The outer ring of the seal contains the words 'CITY OF LYNWOOD' in light blue block letters at the top of the outer ring, with 'CALIFORNIA' similarly written at the bottom. The central image of the seal itself consists of a number of disparate objects scattered across it, but the entire graphic is too small for me to distinguish what these objects might actually be.
Ron Lahav, 25 January 2005


Continued: California Municipal Symbols M-O