Seal of Boston at the Boston Public Gardens
Did you ever notice the picture on the Seal of Boston?
There is a gate entrance to the Boston Public Gardens. It's used to open and close the gardens after dusk.
Look carefully at the Center Gate
There is a little secret to the top of the gate.
Above the gate entrance is a small oval which contains a picture what the town of Boston looked like in 1823. This is the official seal of the City of Boston
Six Fun Facts About the Seal and Gate
- The map on the official Seal of Boston is significant at this location because the Boston Public Gardens didn't exist on the map. It was marshland and flats known as Roxbury Flats. The Boston Public Gardens was known as the Botanic Gardens started in 1839 but didn't get fully accepted by the citizens of the town until 1859.
- The City Seal was adopted in 1823.
- The current gate was built around the Boston Public Gardens as part of the park restoration project in July 1974. The budget for fixing and protecting the Boston Public Gardens in 1974 was $1.65 million.
- "SICUT PATRIBUS SIT DEUS NOBIS" is Latin phrase from the Bible - "God be with us as he was with our fathers" ' (1 King's, viii, 57).
- "Bostonia Condita AD 1630" is Latin meaning Boston was founded in 1630.
- "Civitatis Regimine Donata A.D. 1822" is Latin meaning the city was incorporated in 1822.
- Therefore, Boston was founded as a town in 1630 and incorporated as a city in 1822.