The seal of the City of New York depicts a sailor and a Manhattan Indian, beavers and flour barrels, the sails of a windmill and heralds 1625 as the year the city was founded by the Dutch. However, some historians believe the date has little historic significance, as the first settlers landed on Governors Island in 1624 and Peter Minuit did not make his famous "purchase" until 1626. Author Russell Shorto says that “a more official date would be 1653, when the Dutch formally chartered New Amsterdam as a city”—when the first local government was recognized as independent of the interests of the West India Company. The choice of 1625 as the founding year was not necessarily about glorifying the Dutch. In 1974, City Council President Paul O'Dwyer, a staunch Irishman, pushed through a bill selecting the year, some believe, to diminish the role of the British.[1]
Incorporated, ca 1600
Provincial seal of New Netherland, used by New Amsterdam until 1654
Designed, 1654
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From its founding until 1654, New Amsterdam did not have its own seal and used the seal of New Netherland. After its incorporation in 1653, New Amsterdam requested a seal from the Dutch West India Company. Although an earlier proposal with beavers as supporters was rejected, the final design chosen by the company featured their insignia, a single beaver, and a modified version of Amsterdam's arms. Historians speculate the shield had red and black elements with a mantle likely in the Dutch tricolor of orange, white, and blue.
Although New Amsterdam was surrendered to the British in 1664 and renamed New York, the city's seal continued to be used until 1669. That year, the Duke of York issued new seals for both the city and the province. However, no descriptions or depictions of the 1669 city seal have been discovered, leaving its design a mystery.
Designated, 1686
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In 1683, New York City's Common Council petitioned for an official charter, granted in 1686. The charter gave the city the right to design its own seal, leading to the adoption of a seal featuring windmill sails, beavers, flour barrels, a sailor, a Native American, and a founding date. The crest initially included a ducal crown, although historians are uncertain why it wasn't changed to an imperial crown after James II ascended to the throne. The Native American figure depicted inaccurately wore a war bonnet, not typical of local Algonquian peoples.
In 1735, a dispute between the Common Council and Mayor Paul Richard led to the creation of a new seal for the mayor, in addition to the existing city seals. This "mayoral seal" was circular, unlike the oval city seal, and bore the inscription "City of New York Seal of Mayoralty." A law was passed to determine the specific uses for each seal, with the 1686 seal and the "small seal" remaining as official city seals, while the new one was reserved for the mayor's office.
Redesigned, 1784
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At the end of the American Revolutionary War in 1783, New York City had three official seals. The British crown was removed from these seals, and in 1784, the city adopted a new seal, featuring an eagle crest from the state seal of New York. Changes included a misrepresentation of the Native American’s bow and the removal of the sailor's cross-staff. The new seal design stayed in effect throughout the 19th century, while the Mayor’s Court seal fell out of use by 1821 after the court transitioned into the Court of Common Pleas.
Redesigned, 1915
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Between 1784 and 1915, the New York City seal underwent many unofficial changes, often due to artistic license or errors. Elements such as the sailor, Native American, and eagle were often depicted incorrectly or with additional objects. As the city's 250th anniversary approached, a committee, along with the New-York Historical Society, studied the seal's history. In 1915, they developed a revised seal based on early designs. The new seal was approved by the Board of Aldermen, incorporating historical accuracy and adopting the eagle crest from the 1784 version.
Modified, 1977
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New York City's seal was modified following the efforts of City Council President Paul O'Dwyer, who sought to highlight the city's Dutch origins by changing the founding year on the seal and flag from 1664 to 1625. Though 1625 marks New Amsterdam becoming the seat of government for New Netherland, it isn't the actual year the city was established. Mayor Abraham Beame signed the bill, despite historical objections. The seal has since faced occasional scrutiny, including during the 2020 George Floyd protests.