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City Flags and Seal
The City Seal was adopted more than a century ago by the City Common Council on April 10, 1850. It had been designed earlier that same year by Lieutenant Alfred Sully, son of the celebrated American portrait painter, Thomas Sully, and one of a small group of young U.S. Army officers stationed in Monterey at the time.The shield is green (as the surroundings of the City are always green) and it describes the City as being born separate from the ancient domain of the United States by a bandolier which crosses the shield. The anchor, the sheaf, the horse, and the bull all show how hopeful the founders were for commerce to play an important part of the City's future. The rising sun expresses the hope that Monterey will be a rising city. The motto "Anda" means onward in Spanish and is symbolic of the spirit of the City of Monterey and expresses the hope for continued forward growth.
THE CITY FLAGS - History of the seal and flag
The City of Monterey Flag was officially adopted by the Monterey City Council on January 18, 1977. The bold, simple shapes and the brilliant green and yellow colors of the flag represent contemporary concepts of design and at the same time precisely obey ancient practices of heraldry.
The Monterey flag was designed based on two armorial bearings connected with the City's history, one Spanish and one American. The first, represented in the first and fourth quarters of the flag, is the shield of the Count of Monterey, for whom the City was named in 1602. The second, represented in the second and third quarters of the flag, is based on the City Seal.
DAILY USE FLAG
CEREMONIAL FLAG
Sincere thanks to Communications Intern Eloise Coly, for digitally remastering the flag vector files, and reproducing the document explaining the history of the flag and seal. Summer, 2017
FLAGS OVER THE PLAZA
Located in Simoneau Plaza (Transit Station) are four flagpoles. Flying on each of them, are flags that have flown over Monterey. The flags represent four countries that have unfurled their banners over Monterey, beginning in 1602.
First is the Spanish who arrived here in 1602, and then returned June 3, 1770 to establish the Presidio and Mission at Monterey. For a few days in Oct. 1818 the Argentine Privateer Hipólito Bouchard occupied Monterey during the Argentine war for independence. In Sept. 1822, word reached Monterey that Mexico had won its freedom from Spain and that California, hence Monterey, was now part of the Mexican Empire. The Mexican flag graced Monterey’s sky until 1846 when United States’ forces seized the pueblo during the Mexican-American War. Since that time, the Stars and Stripes has flown over Monterey. The American flag has only 28 stars, representing the number of states in the United States at that time.
Although four countries have had flags fly over Monterey, each of those countries have had changes in their standards that have altered the flags. These changes are often represented by the change in the flag that is flying over Simoneau Plaza on a given day. Therefore, when looking at the flags at the Plaza, keep in mind that each flag represents the period when Spain, Argentina, Mexico or the United States had jurisdiction in Monterey.
