Town Seal Review Committee

Update on the Work of the Town Seal Review Committee - October 13, 2022

On October 13, 2022 the Town Seal Review Committee unanimously voted to move forward with the next phase of their charge and engage the public in proceeding with design options for an alternative town seal for the community’s consideration. 

The Town Seal Review Committee sought input from the public on what should be depicted on an alternative Town Seal through a survey, input form and a Community Forum held in May 2023. From this feedback the Committee and the designer chosen by the Committee have begun to develop sketches of alternative seal options. It is anticipated that an alternative Town Seal will be brought to Annual Town Meeting 2024. 

In 1899 Massachusetts passed a law requiring every city and town to establish an official seal to be placed on official documents.  The Commonwealth of Massachusetts and municipalities across the state with official seals that include imagery of Indigenous Peoples have begun the process of reviewing these seals to determine if the seals still accurately reflect the community as a whole.

The Town of Andover recently established a Town Seal Review Committee.  The Committee’s charge is to review the current town seal and solicit public input to assist with developing recommendations that may result in modifications to the Town Seal.  Residents my contact the Town Seal Review Committee at townseal@andoverma.us

Since 1855, the official Andover Town Seal has been modified 4 times. As part of this review process, the Town Seal Review Committee is launched a brief survey which was available to residents and others to take from February 9, 2022 to March 11, 2022.  The survey results will help guide the Committee’s next steps.

A more extensive history of the Town Seal can be found here:

History of the Andover Town Seal

Original 1855 Seal and Current 1951 Seal


Members

  1. Karen Van Welden-Herman

    Chair

  2. Andrew Flanagan

    Town Manager

  3. Tom Adams

    375th Committee


  4. Elaine Clements

    Andover Center for History and Culture 


  5. John Hess

    Memorial Hall Library Trustees 


  6. Melissa Litton

    375th Committee 


  7. Austin Simko

    Assistant Town Manager and Town Clerk - Keeper of the Seal 


View Town Seal Review Committee Agendas and Minutes

Town Seal Review Process

  • Study and review the history of the current seal  
  • Provide background on why the seal is in its current form 
  • Research other town/city seals including those that have been changed recently 
  • Obtain community input 
  • Produce a report detailing findings and recommendations and work with designer to develop draft images should the recommendations include a change or modification 
  • Make recommendations to Select Board and Town Meeting 

Review Committee Composition

  • Two representatives from 375th Committee 
  • One representative from the Town Clerk's Office
  • One representative from Preservation Commission 
  • One representative from the Memorial Hall Library Trustees 
  • One representative from the Andover Center for History and Culture 
  • One representative from the Town Manager’s Office 

TOWN SEAL COMMUNITY FORUM - May 23, 2023

History of the Seal, Survey Results and Design Process Presentation

Andover TV Recording of Forum

Town Seal Community Forum - September 21, 2021

Andover Center for History and Culture Town Seal Community Forum Presentation

Andover TV Recording of Forum

Resources

  1. Andover Commission on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion -The Land Acknowledgement
  2. Andover Town Seal - Memorial Hall Library
  3. Cutshamache and Cochichawick - Ryan Wheeler, Phillips Academy
  4. Discerning Native Placemaking - Edward L Bell
  5. Essex County Seals
  6. Hidden In Plain Sight the Unexamined History of a New England Town and Parish -North Parish of North Andover Unitarian Universalist Congregation
  7. History of the Town Seal - Andover Center for History and Culture
  8. Town Seal Background - Andover Center for History and Culture