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East Hartford, Connecticut (U.S.)

Hartford County

image by Peter Orenski, 27 November 2010

Description of the flag

See also:

Description of the flag

East Hartford is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 49,575 at the 2000 census.

In 1659, Thomas Burnham (1617 - 1688) purchased the tract of land now covered by the towns of South Windsor and East Hartford from Tantinomo, Chief sachem of the Podunk Indians. Burnham lived on the land and later willed it to his nine children. The town of Hartford once included the land now occupied by the towns of East Hartford, Manchester, and West Hartford. In 1783, East Hartford became a separate town, which included Manchester in its city limits until 1823." - from Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Hartford,_Connecticut.

The flag is green with full color seal on it, surrounded by two wreaths. It can be seen on a photo on Waymarking website: www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM47A1_East_Hartford_Connecticut_USA.
Valentin Poposki, 10 May 2009

No doubt the flag shown above is an indoor version, given the yellow fringe. See seal and fringed item here: www.ci.east-hartford.ct.us/Public_Documents/Index. I recently realized that "edwinart" aka Edwin's Stuff (eBay Store) had offered this flag, without fringe, some time ago. Description, somewhat edited:
"Roughly 3 x 5 feet / Made by Nyl-Glo ~ 100% Nylon bunting ~ Annin & Co ~ Verona N.J. / Printed graphics. Excellent condition!"

Official description of the seal, including a large black and white image at www.ci.east-hartford.ct.us/Public_Documents/EastHartfordCT_Clerk/seal.

"Following the 1877 Connecticut Statute requiring each town to adopt a seal, East Hartford Town Council voted, on October 22, 1929, "That until otherwise ordered by the Council the seal of the Town shall be circular in form containing in the center the word 'seal' surrounded in circular form the words, 'Town of East Hartford, Connecticut'."

Town officials later decided to adopt a seal with greater artistic appeal, and on April 21, 1930, "Voted: That the resolution passed on the 22nd day of October, 1929 prescribing a form of seal for the Town of East Hartford is hereby rescinded and from this date the seal of the Town shall be as follows, to wit: It shall be circular in form containing an embossed composite design showing the East Hartford Bridge and the Bridge Road connecting the same with Main Street, with the Congregational Church at the corner, together with a reproduction of the Meeting House formerly standing on the South Green where its site is now marked by a commemorative monument; containing also the words 'Incorporated 1783', 'Carpe Diem' and the word 'Seal' all surrounded by scroll work enclosing the words 'Town of East Hartford, Connecticut'."

The flag's green field bears this seal - with some differences in design - accompanied by two yellow laurel branches tied together with a blue ribbon. The seal has a yellow rim bearing the names "TOWN OF EAST HARTFORD" / "CONNECTICUT" in blue sans serif letters. Shown is a view of the town: a blue river crossed by a white bridge (upper half); lower half: green meadows and white-trunked green trees among which we see a white house with yellow roof (must be the Meeting House) at left, and a white building with colonnades (Classic style - must be the Congregational Church), at right; also two white parallel roads running left-right appear, the one in front leading to the house and the other one running past the building and, turning left, over the bridge. In base we read "INCORPORATED 1783" in small yellow letters whereas the motto "CARPE DIEM" ("Seize the day") appears in yellow on a blue ribbon - sans serif.

Photo of this church and the bridge (apparently the Bulkeley Bridge crossing the Connecticut River), respectively: www.city-data.com/picfilesv/picv16508.php, www.kurumi.com/roads/ct/br-bulkeley.html.

Settled by colonists since 1635, East Hartford was founded - after several attempts failed - in 1783, at the expense of the City of Hartford.
Jan Mertens, 14 April 2010