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Worcester, Massachusetts (U.S.)

Worcester County

10:19 image by António Martins-Tuválkin, 9 June 2008

Current Flag
Seal
Former Flag
Police Department

See also:

Current Flag

Text and image(s) from American City Flags, Raven 9-10 (2002-2003), courtesy of the North American Vexillological Association, which retains copyright. Image(s) from American City Flags by permission of David B. Martucci.

Design

The flag of Worcester centers the city seal on a green field. The seal contains a white disk with a red heart encircled by a green wreath. On an outer white ring runs WORCESTER at the top, clockwise, and A TOWN JUNE 14, 1722, A CITY FEB. 29, 1848 below, counterclockwise, all in gold.

As stated in a city ordinance: "The flag of the city shall bear on both sides a representation of the seal of the city upon a green field in the proportion of hoist to fly of one to one point nine. The diameter of the seal shall be one-half the hoist."
James Croft, American City Flags, Raven 9-10, 2002-2003

Symbolism

Worcester is the geographic center of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and often referred to as “The Heart of the Commonwealth”. This motto was first noted on 4 October 1831, on the 100th anniversary of the incorporation of Worcester County, of which Worcester is the county seat. During the celebrations, Levi Lincoln, Worcester’s first mayor and a former governor of Massachusetts, paid tribute to Chief Justice Isaac Parker of the Supreme Court, who had just died. Mr. Lincoln stated: It was the wish of his heart that the county of Worcester should remain one and indivisible. Whatever changes may in evil times await it, in honoring his virtues there will be no division in the ‘Heart of the Commonwealth’.
James Croft, American City Flags, Raven 9-10, 2002-2003

Selection

Committee.
Flag adopted: 11 December 1967 (official)
James Croft, American City Flags, Raven 9-10, 2002-2003

Designer

Unknown
James Croft, American City Flags, Raven 9-10, 2002-2003

More about the Flag

According to a photograph and article in the Worcester Telegram of 11 December 1968, the city flag “was exhibited for the first time yesterday in the City Council Chambers”, apparently just one day short of a year after adoption. 10:19 are the same proportions as the United States flag.

Alderman Stephen Salisbury headed a committee to adopt a city seal on 18 December in 1848, Worcester’s first year as a city. On 23 January 1849, the city council unanimously adopted the seal.
James Croft, American City Flags, Raven 9-10, 2002-2003

Seal

image located by Paul Bassinson, 21 August 2019

Source: https://i.pinimg.com/...worcester-massachusetts.jpg
Paul Bassinson, 21 August 2019

Former Flag

Although not official, during the Tippecanoe convention in Worcester on 17 June 1840 a flag flew during a parade displaying a heart clasped by joined hands and below it on a scroll: With Heart and Hand and the dates 1674, the first attempt to settle Worcester, and 1684, when Worcester adopted its name.
James Croft, American City Flags, Raven 9-10, 2002-2003

Police Department

image located by Ethan Dubrow, 2 July 2024

The Police Dept. flag for Worcester is gray with a rising black bar from the bottom-left to the top-right corner with the word "POLICE", in white, in the bar. In the upper hoist field is a simplified version of the seal (heart, garlands, white circle) and "WORCESTER" in black along the black bar. The lower field has the Massachusetts state seal.

Source https://patch.com
Ethan Dubrow, 2 July 2024