Seal of Maine
The Great Seal of the State of Maine was adopted in June 1820. The concept of the design is attributed to Benjamin Vaughan of Hallowell, Maine, while the original sketch is credited to Bertha Smouse, the step-daughter of Col. Isaac Reed of Waldoboro, Maine, who purportedly wrote its official description and explanation. There have been variations in the details of the seal, but the overall design and images remain true to the original. The center of the seal is a shield adorned with a tranquil scene of a moose resting in a field bordered by water and woods; a pine tree stands tall directly behind the moose. On either side of the shield, a farmer rests on his scythe, and a sailor leans on an anchor. Above the shield is the motto "Dirigo" (I direct) and a stylized North Star. Below the shield is a banner that reads "Maine". The legislature of 1919 decided that the design of the seal should no longer vary, and the design is still used today.
| Great Seal of Maine | |
|---|---|
| Armiger | State of Maine |
| Adopted | June 15, 1820 |
| Motto | Dirigo (Latin: "I direct" or "I lead") |
| Coat of arms of Maine | |
|---|---|
| Versions | |
Historical coat of arms (1876) | |
Coat of arms according to Ströhl, 1899 | |
| Armiger | State of Maine |
| Adopted | June 9, 1820 |
| Crest | A mullet (the North Star), shining Or |
| Blazon | Argent, charged with a pine tree (Americana, quinis ex uno folliculo setis) with a moose (cervus alces), at the foot of it, recumbent |
| Supporters | On dexter side, a husbandman, resting on a scythe; on sinister side, a seaman, resting on an anchor |
| Compartment | In the foreground, representing sea and land, and under the shield, the name of the State in large Roman capitals, to wit: MAINE |
| Motto | Dirigo (Latin: "I direct" or "I lead") |