| Seal of the State of Washington | |
|---|---|
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| Armiger | State of Washington |
| Adopted | 1889 |
| Earlier version(s) | .png)
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TheSeal of theState of Washington contains a portrait ofGeorge Washington, the firstpresident of the United States, as painted byGilbert Stuart. The outer ring contains the text "The Seal of the State of Washington" and "1889", the year Washington was admitted to theUnion. The seal is featured as the main element on both sides of theflag of Washington.
Johnson K. Duncan designed the Washington territorial seal in the 1850s when he was a U.S. Army lieutenant on GovernorIsaac Stevens' surveying expedition.[1][2] On one side it depicts a log cabin in forest and on the other side, a city in the background with the Goddess of Hope and an anchor depicted in the center. The goddess points at the word "Alki" (Al-ki or Alki), which is a Native American word meaning "bye and bye", which is now the state motto of Washington. This now-defunct territorial seal marks the first usage of the phrase in a context for a Washingtonian territorial motto.
The seal was designed byOlympian jeweler Charles R. Talcott,[3][4] based on a painting by Gilbert Stuart. Originally the seal was to be a scene featuringMount Rainier, but Talcott proposed the design featuring George Washington instead.[5]
There is also a seal of the lieutenant governor of Washington, created in 1959. The seal was created to mirror aspects of regional interest that embody the traditions and culture of Washington state. The seal is represented by the official state symbols of thewillow goldfinch, chosen in 1951 by a run-off between themeadowlark and the goldfinch; thecoast rhododendron, voted in by Washington women prior to universal suffrage in 1892; and the twin gavels of the state legislature, representing the bipartisan spirit of lawmaking, all enclosed in a circle. At the center is thestate capitol building inOlympia, one of the tallest masonry domes in the world. Twowestern hemlocks, the state tree since 1947, flank the seal's outer edges.
Al-ki or Alki is a Native American word meaning 'bye and bye.' This motto first appeared on the territorial seal designed by Lieutenant. J.K. Duncan of Governor Steven's surveying expedition. On one side it pictures a log cabin in forest; on the other side, a city in the background; the Goddess of Hope and an anchor is in the center. The goddess points at the word 'Alki.'
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