NYC Green Book Highlights

City Seal and Flag

The City Seal

Arms: Upon a shield, saltire wise, the sails of a windmill. Between the sails, in chief a beaver, in base a beaver, and on each flank a flour barrel.

Supporters: A sailor on the left, his right arm bent, and holding in his right hand a plummet; his left arm bent, his left hand resting on the top of the shield; above his right shoulder, a cross-staff. A Native American of Manhattan, his right arm bent, his right hand resting on top of the shield, his left hand holding the upper end of a bow, the lower end of which rests on the ground. Shield and supporters rest upon a horizontal laurel branch.

Date: Beneath the horizontal laurel branch the date 1625, being the year of the establishment of New Amsterdam.

Crest: An American eagle with wings displayed, upon a hemisphere.

Legend: Upon a ribbon encircling the lower half of the design the words "Sigillum Civitatis Novi Eboraci," meaning Seal of the City of New York.

The whole is encircled by a laurel wreath. The City Clerk is the custodian of the City Seal.

The Official City Flag

A flag combining the colors orange, white and blue arranged in perpendicular bars of equal dimensions (the blue being nearest to the flagstaff) with the standard design of the seal of the city in blue upon the middle, or white bar, bearing the number 1625, which colors shall be the same as those of the flag of the United Netherlands in use in the year sixteen hundred twenty-five.

The Mayor's Flag

The same in design as the official flag of the City, except that upon the middle or white bar, and above the design of the seal in a semicircle, there shall be five blue five-pointed stars, typifying the five boroughs of the City. The dimensions of such flag are 33 inches by 44 inches.

The Councilmanic Flag

The same in design as the official flag of the City, except that upon the middle or white bar there shall be below the design of the seal, in a straight line, the word "Council;" the dimensions of such flag is the same as the standard size of flags used for state and parade occasions.