Seal of Alabama

The Seal of Alabama or Alabama Great Seal is the official seal used by the State of Alabama on official proclamations and commissions. The basic design, including a map with the state's system of rivers shown nailed to a tree, was chosen by William Bibb in 1817, while he was the Governor of the Alabama Territory. It was later described as "a rude outline map of the State displayed on a tree, without legend or motto."^1.

That Territorial Seal was adopted as the State's Great Seal by the Alabama Legislature in 1819. It remained in use after Alabama seceded from the United States and joined the Confederate States of America, appearing in various forms on uniform buttons for the state militia and on paper currency issued by the state.

The design was replaced with a new seal on December 29, 1868. The wording of Act 1868-133 was as follows:

The seal is in the form of a circle, and two and a quarter inches in diameter; near the edge is the word 'ALABAMA' and opposite, at the same distance from the edge, are the words 'GREAT SEAL.' In the centre of the seal an eagle is represented with raised wings alighting upon the national shield, with three arrows in his left talon. The eagle holds in his beak a streamer, on which immediately over the wings are the words 'HERE WE REST.' The crest-word, which give name to the State, signifies "The land of rest."^2.

In 1939, at the request of Governor Frank Dixon, the original concept of a map design was returned to use. The new seal was adopted during a special session by Act No. 39-20. The wording of that law was as follows:

The seal shall be circular, and the diameter thereof two and a quarter inches; near the edge of the circle shall be the word "Alabama," and opposite this word, at the same distance from the edge, shall be the words, "Great Seal." In the center of the seal there shall be a representation of a map of the state with its principal rivers. The seal shall be called the "Great Seal of the State of Alabama." The seal shall be kept and used as required by the Constitution and laws.^3.

The use of stars in the border, the specific design of the letterforms and the map image, the labeling of adjacent states and the Gulf of Mexico, and the application of colors to the seal are not described in the law.

The seal's custodian as the Alabama Secretary of State, who is charged with affixing it to official documents and executive records (those signed by the Governor). The colors used above are based on a depiction on the Secretary of State's website.