![[flag of City of Stockton, California]](../images/u/us-ca-sk-l.gif)
2:3 image(s) by permission of David B. Martucciimage(s) from American City Flags, Raven 9-10 (2002-2003), courtesy of the North American Vexillological Association, which retains copyright.
Last modified: 2022-06-11 by rick wyatt
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2:3 image(s) by permission of David B. Martucci
image(s) from American City Flags,
Raven
9-10 (2002-2003), courtesy of the North American Vexillological Association,
which retains copyright.
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Text and image(s) from American City Flags, Raven 9-10 (2002-2003), courtesy of the North American Vexillological Association, which retains copyright. Image(s) from American City Flags by permission of David B. Martucci.
The field of the flag of Stockton is divided in half, red at the
hoist and blue at the fly. In its center an oversized seal spans the height
of the field. The flag is 26 by 39 units. A white outer ring of the seal, 2
units wide, encloses three concentric rings; the first and third are gold
edged in black, and one-half of a unit wide, and form the outer and
inner edges of the second ring, which is white, and 3 units wide.
STOCKTON FOUNDED JUNE 1849 curves clockwise around the
top portion of the white ring, INCORPORATED JULY 1850 curves
counterclockwise below, all blue. Red five-pointed stars separate these
legends. In the center of the seal is a large, light brown, antlered tule elk
facing the fly. In the background, a dark brown mountain range rises
from the horizontal center of the seal. The range has four peaks, the
highest in the center, and above them is a light blue sky. The lower half
of the scene depicts a blue river below the mountains, about one-third
the width of the scene’s lower half. On the fly side is a small red sailboat
with two white sails and a red pennant, billowing toward the fly. The
lowest portion of the seal shows green grass below the elk.
John M. Purcell, American City Flags,
Raven
9-10, 2002-2003
Developed by the city clerk in 1999, but never
officially adopted. The seal on the flag was adopted 25 July 1994.
Flag adopted: 27 August 1999 (unofficial).
John M. Purcell, American City Flags,
Raven
9-10, 2002-2003
Katherine Gong Meissner, city clerk. The redesigned
seal of 1994 was the project of the previous city clerk, Frances Hong,
who felt that the original majesty of the elk as it appeared on the first
seal had been lost over the years due to poor renditions as it was copied.
John M. Purcell, American City Flags,
Raven
9-10,
2002-2003
When Stockton was a finalist for the
All-America City award in 1999, Meissner developed the flag so that
the city would have a flag with its new seal for the delegates to take
along to the competition in Philadelphia.
John M. Purcell, American City Flags,
Raven
9-10,
2002-2003
"History of the Stockton City Seal and the Stockton City FlagThe flag seems to be bright-red as seen on photos from the city offices.
In November 1850, the City Council authorized an appropriation of $36 and the design for the seal was under way.
A year later, in 1851, the Council adopted the design of the city seal, as sketched by Stockton's first Mayor, Samuel Purdy. Extensive research has not revealed any official documentation regarding the symbolism of the design elements of the seal. Oral tradition has it that the mountain predominant in the background represents Mount Diablo, which would have been a very prominent landmark in Stockton's early days. And yet others have considered the mountains as representing the Sierra Nevada to the east. The water behind the tule elk and the small boat could well be interpreted to reflect Stockton's dependence on water as a main transportation artery for gold rush supplies.
It would be appropriate to say that the symbolism for today's economy could very well reflect Stockton as a sea port not to mention the recreational aspect of 1000 miles of Delta waterways enjoyed by many for fishing, boating and other water activities.
Though the original design of the seal showed a very majestic tule elk, by the 1920s, it had evolved somehow into a creature with somewhat less majesty than intended by the original designers. The City Clerk's archives contain documents from this era that show the elk was redesigned looking back over its shoulder. This seal was used for the next 73 years. Unfortunately, our records lack any indication as to when the City flag was created using the circa 1920 seal.
In 1993, then City Clerk Frances Hong was credited with the idea of having the seal returned to its original, grand stature. A UOP graduate art student was hired to recreate the City seal to depict its original majestic concept. The recreated seal was unveiled in the Council Chambers and presented to the City Council on July 25, 1994.
Up to 1998 the City's flag continued to bear the 1920's version of the seal. In 1999, in light of being named a finalist for the All-America City award, City Clerk Katherine Gong Meissner felt it would be appropriate to have a new flag made with the recreated seal for the Stockton delegates to take with them to the competition in Philadelphia. Since the All-America City competition, we have added a bright background to compliment the colors and bring out the vibrancy of the seal displayed in the City flag today. "
![[flag of City of Stockton, California]](../images/u/us-ca-sko-l.gif)
image(s) by permission of David B. Martucci
image(s) from American City Flags,
Raven
9-10 (2002-2003), courtesy of the North American Vexillological Association,
which retains copyright.
The original seal was designed by Stockton’s first
mayor, Samuel Purdy, in 1850. It is
identical to the current seal, except
that the elk walks toward the hoist,
looking over its left shoulder. This
version of the seal in gold on a green
field was used unofficially as the city’s
flag until 1999.
John M. Purcell, American City Flags,
Raven
9-10,
2002-2003
