The State Seal

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Connecticut has a state seal. It’s a kind of logo for the state. It appears in the center of the state flag. The seal on a document means it’s official.

The design goes back to the founding of Connecticut. The first version was created in 1639. It represented the Saybrook Company. The Saybrook Company was a group of 15 men from England. They founded the Saybrook Colony. Their seal had 15 grape plants. Each plant stood for each man.

The seal also had a slogan. The slogan was written in Latin. It said, “He who transplanted still sustains.” “He” refers to God. “Transplanted” means a person who has moved to a new place or a plant that has been planted in a new spot. “Sustain” means to continue to support. The men believed God would support them in the new land.

The Saybrook Colony did not succeed. The company sold the seal and their settlement. They sold it to the Connecticut Colony in 1644. The Connecticut Colony adopted the slogan and the seal.

The seal was changed in 1711. The 15 grapevines were reduced to 3. The three grapevines represented the first three towns in the colony: Hartford, Wethersfield, and Windsor.

After the American Revolution, the seal changed again. The Latin phrase for “Seal of the Connecticut Colony” was changed to “Seal of the State of Connecticut.”

Sometimes you see the seal inside a shield. This is the state armorial bearings. It’s like a coat of arms. The Office of the Secretary of the State is the official keeper of the seal.

For more information about the state seal and symbols visit the secretary of the state’s website: ct.gov/sots/cwp/view.asp?a=3188&q=392608.