Seal of Kentucky Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Seal of the Commonwealth of Kentucky

Armiger	Commonwealth of Kentucky
Adopted	December 1792
Motto	"United we stand, divided we fall"

The Seal of the Commonwealth of Kentucky is a special symbol for the state of Kentucky. It was first chosen in December 1792. Over the years, its design has changed a few times.

The seal you see today shows two men. One man wears clothes like a pioneer, made from buckskin. The other man wears more formal clothes, like a suit. They are facing each other and shaking hands. Around the outside of the seal, it says "Commonwealth of Kentucky". Inside, you can read the state motto: "United we stand, divided we fall". The main colors of the seal are blue and gold. You can also see a version of this seal on the flag of Kentucky.

How the Kentucky Seal Was Created
- Who Designed the First Seal?
- Changes to the Seal Over Time
What the Seal's Symbols Mean
Historical Versions of the Seal
See also

How the Kentucky Seal Was Created

Kentucky's state seal design from 1876.

The idea for a state seal for Kentucky came about during the very first meeting of the Kentucky General Assembly. This is like Kentucky's state government. On December 20, 1792, they passed a law. This law said that the Governor needed to get a seal made for the state.

The law also described what the seal should look like. It said it should show "Two friends embracing." Above their heads, it should have the name of the state. Around the edge, it should have the motto: "United we stand, divided we fall."

Who Designed the First Seal?

John Brown, who was Kentucky's first Senator, said the first seal was meant to show "two friends, in hunter's garb." This means they would be dressed like hunters. They would be shaking right hands and resting their left hands on each other's shoulders. Their feet would be at the edge of a cliff. This design was supposed to show the state motto in a clear way.

In 1793, a silversmith named David Humphries from Lexington was asked to design the seal. His design was a bit different. Instead of hunting clothes, the two men wore fancy coats. And instead of just a handshake, they were shown in a full hug. Sadly, this first seal was lost in a fire in 1814. The fire destroyed the state capitol building.

Changes to the Seal Over Time

Because the original law didn't say exactly what the "two friends" should look like, many different versions of the seal were made after the first one was destroyed.

Some seals showed the friends in coats and top hats.
Others even showed them in clothes like Roman togas.
The way they embraced also changed. Sometimes it was clasped hands, sometimes a hug, and sometimes a handshake with hands on shoulders.
Some people even thought that the artists making the seals sometimes created strange poses on purpose.

In 1857, an artist painted the seals of different states for the skylights in the House of Representatives chamber. This artist's Kentucky seal showed one man in buckskin boots and a hat. The other man was in formal clothes. They stood in front of columns and wore toga-like overcoats. A newspaper article in 1952 said they looked like they were "in a halfhearted embrace."

One version of the seal looked very odd. One friend was joining his left hand to the other's right. Henry Ward, a conservation commissioner, said it made them look like they were dancing an Irish jig! In 1954, Ward asked Ernie Giancola, an artist from Louisville, to redesign the seal. Giancola used a neighbor as a model. He created a more natural-looking handshake for the friends.

In 1962, the General Assembly made the rules for the seal clearer. This was to stop so many different versions from being made. They said the seal should show "a pioneer meeting a gentleman in a swallowtail coat."

The seal we use today was designed by Nan Gorman. She is an artist and used to be the mayor of Hazard, Kentucky.

What the Seal's Symbols Mean

Many people believe that the man on the left, dressed in buckskin, is Daniel Boone. He was a famous explorer who helped open up Kentucky. They think the man in the suit on the right is Henry Clay. He was a very famous politician from Kentucky.

However, the official meaning is that the men represent all frontiersmen and statesmen. This means they stand for all brave explorers and wise leaders, not just specific people.

The motto, "United we stand, divided we fall," is very old. It comes from a patriotic song from the American Revolution called "The Liberty Song". It means that if people work together, they are strong. But if they fight among themselves, they will fail.