![[Flag of Charleston, South Carolina]](../images/u/us-sc-ch-l.gif)
3:5 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: 2019-12-27 by rick wyatt
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3:5 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.
See also:
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 flag of Charleston is dark blue on which is centered
the embellished city seal in white and dark blue. On a flag with a ratio
of 3 by 5 units, it has a diameter of 1.6 units. The seal is described
officially in the ordinance of adoption: On the right in the foreground is a
female figure seated, her right arm raised and forefinger pointing, her left arm down
and left hand holding a scepter; on the left is a ship under full sail; in the background
is a water view of the city, with the steeples towering; immediately below the female
figure are the words, “Carolopolis Condita A.D. 1670”, (Charleston founded
in the year of our Lord 1670). Encircling the whole are the following inscriptions
in Roman capitals: “Aedes mores juraque curat” (She cares for her temples,
customs, and rights) and “Civitatis Regimine Donata A.D. 1783” (Presented with the government of a body politic in the year of our Lord 1783)”.
The seal was first authorized on 13 August 1783. The current design is
based on a version of the seal introduced in 1882 by Mayor William A.
Courtney. There are palmetto branches below the seal and books stacked
along its sides. At the top is a scroll, quill pen, and oil lamp.
John M Purcell, American City Flags,
Raven
9-10,
2002-2003
In the mid-1990s Mayor Joseph P. Riley changed
the existing flag, although no legal authorization for the new design can
be found.
Flag adopted: mid-1990s (unofficial).
John M Purcell, American City Flags,
Raven
9-10,
2002-2003
Unknown.
John M Purcell, American City Flags,
Raven
9-10,
2002-2003
![[Flag of Charleston, South Carolina]](../images/u/us-sc-ch-v.gif)
image by António Martins-Tuválkin, 12 January 2007
In this variant, the seal disc is white on blue instead of blue on white.
António Martins-Tuválkin, 11 February 2008
![[Municipal seal]](../images/u/us-sc-ch).gif)
image located by Paul Bassinson, 25 November 2019
Source:
https://firstlook.org/
Paul Bassinson, 4 March 2019
![[Flag of Charleston, South Carolina]](../images/u/us-sc-cho-l.gif)
3:5 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.
American City Flags records an earlier version of the Charleston flag. The seal here has been amended to reflect that extant in 1882. A good example and some details about it can be found at www.charlestonfootprints.com/charleston-blog/enlightening-latin/2014/01/28/. A very informative history of the seal, "The Seal of the City of Charleston" can be found at www.charleston-sc.gov/DocumentCenter/View/4251.
Ben Cahoon, 5 August 2014
Mayor Courtenay
first unfurled a Charleston city flag in
1882, but the exact design is unknown.
For many years, an unofficial flag of
dark blue with a large white central
disk bearing the unembellished seal
was used.
John M Purcell, American City Flags,
Raven
9-10,
2002-2003
