Last modified: 2011-11-05 by rob raeside
Keywords: owen sound | ontario | pioneer | native american | horn | wheat sheaf | gear wheel | anchor | tree |
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image by Darrell Neuman, 28 January 2008
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At the top of the shield on a red background (signifying courage) are two golden
sheaves of wheat that represent the agricultural economy of both the early settlers
and the present day. At the bottom of the shield is a geared wheel to show the industrial
nature of the community. It is placed over an anchor to suggest our marine economy
and also the fact that our location as a city was first charted by Captain, later
Admiral William Fitzwilliam Owen. The spokes of the wheel form a quatrefoil which
could be interpreted as a four bladed propeller. The place of importance on the
shield is reserved for the horn, which according to local history was blown by John
Telfer, our first citizen, to attract the attention of Charles Rankin, the government
surveyor, who was in the bush near the site of our present city hall when Telfer
arrived. The shield is supported on the right by a pioneer who, dressed in the costume
of the early 1800's, rests an axe near his feet. The axe was chosen to signify the
labour in clearing the site for homesteads. The Indian wears the headdress of the
earliest known tribe in the valley. Because of the custom of tying their hair in
a lock at the crown of the head Champlain and the French explorers called these
people "cheveus releves" or high hairs. He carries a bow to indicate a hunting economy.
The ribbon ears the Latin motto "arbor virga fuit" which means the tree follows
the twig or more correctly "as the twig is bent so grows the tree"
Darrell Neuman, 28 January 2008