![[Seal of Alexander County, North Carolina]](../images/u/us-nc-ax.gif)
image by António Martins-Tuválkin, 27 September 2017
Last modified: 2018-02-11 by rick wyatt
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image by António Martins-Tuválkin, 27 September 2017
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Alexander County's flag appears to be a black and white seal on white as partly seen at www.co.alexander.nc.us/commission/harbinson.jpg. The full color seal can be seen at www.co.alexander.nc.us/emergencymgmt/County_Seal_-_photo_4x4_low_res.jpg.
Dov Gutterman, 29 November 2002
The flag can be seen at www.flickr.com and the seal can be seen at
www.alexander.k12.nc.us.
Zachary Harden, 27 September 2017
This November 2007 photo suggests that the flag itself is 3:5 and that the seal, centered on it and shown in full colors, is sized in such way that the distance between the nearby edge of the seal and the bottom edge of the flag is twice the breadth of the nearby seal rim. The photo shows the reverse, which is (as expected for what seems to be a printed flag of single cloth) mirrored and unreadable:
cf. the position of the chair.
The reports above suggest that:
Around 2002-2005, a white flag with a black-and-white seal rim was used, even though the contemporary seal was already full-color.
Around 2007, a white flag with the seal in full color was in use.
Around 2010, a county flag was still in use.
António Martins-Tuválkin, 27 September 2017
The "Gem of North Carolina" comes from the discovery of precious stones within the county. To quote aurorafossilmuseum.org/post:
"Adopted in 1973 as the State Gem of North Carolina, the emerald is a green gem variety of beryl (beryllium aluminum silicate: Be3Al2(Si6O18)). It was first discovered [in the state] by farmers in Alexander County during the mid-1800s and later in Mitchell County in 1894-95. The "green bolts" were not identified until renowned mineralogist W.F Hidden visited the area (around 1871) to seek platinum for Thomas Edison. North Carolina is currently the only source of gem quality emeralds in the United States."
Zachary Harden, 27 September 2017
![[Seal of Alexander County, North Carolina]](../images/u/us-nc-ax).gif)
image located by Zachary Harden, 27 September 2017
The outer rim of the seal is golden with purple (or dark blue?) sans serif capitals reading "Alexander County" above, from 10 o'clock to 2 o'clock, and below, in smaller type, "Gem of North Carolina", from 7½ o'clock to 4½ o'clock. The inside disc is dark blue (available imagery varies on whether this is the same color as the lettering or not) with a green county map on it; over this map and its background, and slightly overlapping the golden rim, four elements placed in cross: at top a tree with red apples and whitish foliage with two chickens pecking at fallen fruit under it to the hoist side and lettering stating "Established 1847" typeset creatively in small black lettering at its root. At the hoist side a big dark green gem in emerald cut and a pick (as tall as the gem!). At the fly side a whitish church with a tiered steeple tower. At the bottom a whitish upholstered chair, seen in profile and facing the fly. All elements drawn in cartoon style, suggesting clipart was used to create the seal.
This seal is strange in that the two basic discs that compose it are unusually off-centered, with the rim at the upper side being wider than at the bottom; this eccentricity is observed in all known depictions.
António Martins-Tuválkin, 27 September 2017
