About Houston

City Government - City Seal

City Seal

On Monday February 17, 1840 at the regular City Council meeting a resolution was passed authorizing Mayor Charles Bigelow "to procure a seal to be styled, the seal for the City of Houston, Texas."

At the next meeting, February 24th, "On motion of Alderman Stevens, it was resolved, that the seal purchased by F. Moore(e) Jr., Esq., be received as the city seal-."

Dr. Francis Moore, Jr. was a state senator and former mayor of Houston. It was he who had the original seal designed. The top half of the seal bore the words, "City of Houston." The bottom half was originally empty. Dr. Moore was paid $50 for the seal, and "his honor the Mayor, caused the word 'Texas' to be cut on said seal."

The center of the seal bears "The Lone Star, symbol of the newborn nation of the west...... the 'Noble locomotive', heralding Houston's spirit of progress; the humble plow, symbol of the agricultural empire of Texas, from which Houston would draw her wealth - by the iron rails."

The original seal seemed to have disappeared until it was found in December 1939 by assistant city secretary, Mrs. Margaret Westerman, for whom the City Hall Annex is named.