Seal of Florida

The Great Seal of the State of Florida is used to represent the Government of the State of Florida, and for various official purposes, such as to seal official documents and legislation. It is also commonly used on state government buildings, vehicles and other effects of the state government. It also appears on the State Flag of Florida.

The seal features a Seminole Native American woman spreading flowers in the foreground, a sabal palm, which is the Florida State Tree, along a shoreline. In the background there is a steamboat set against the sun on the horizon with rays of sunlight extending into the sky. The seal is encircled with the words "Great Seal of the State of Florida", and "In God we Trust".

History

An early version of the Florida State seal appeared in 1861, and it featured a palm tree and a broadleaf tree, with Liberty in the foreground sitting with boxes and barrels at her feet. In the background a rendition of the outline of the state of Florida was included, with various boats in the surrounding ocean.

The first instructions for the elements and design of the State Seal were first defined by the Florida Legislature in 1868. Although the basic elements of this seal have remained the same through the years, the depictions of the seal have varied quite considerably, according to different drawings and interpretations of the codified description of the seal. The image of the Florida State Seal of 1868 is incorrect in that the state flag flying on the paddle steamer has a St. Andrew's cross which wasn't added until 1900.

The Seal typically contained many elements that were considered inaccurate, such as the depiction of a Great Plains native American, instead of a Seminole, a Coconut Palm, which is not native to Florida, and the depiction of mountains in the background when there are no mountains in Florida.

Due to these inaccuracies, the description and depiction of the Seal has been modified several times.

In 1970 the description of the seal was changed to require that the palm tree be a Sabal Palm, which is a native tree to Florida, and the state tree which was adopted in 1953.

In 1985, an official rendition of the seal was authorised, to precisely depict the seal and provide an official version of it, and correct many additional inaccuracies, and it was presented to then Governor Bob Graham and the Florida Legislature by Florida Secretary of State George Firestone. This is the current state seal.