Posted inPhoto Friday

Great seal

The first Wyoming Territorial Seal ordered drawn on May 19, 1869, by Territorial Governor John A. Campbell, the day he officially took office. (Wyoming State Library)

On May 19, 1869, John A. Campbell took the oath of office as territorial governor, giving Wyoming an organized government. He called for creation of a territorial seal, describing it in a proclamation.

“A mountain with a locomotive and train of cars crossing over its summit. Near the summit a spring of water, from which flow[s] two streams, one to the east, and one to the west.”

The design sought shovel, pick-ax, shepherd’s crook and plow.  An elk would be at the top and “Let us have Peace” was the motto.

Officials used the seal until the Legislature adopted a new one in December 1869, according to the Wyoming State Library, which published this copy of the seal. Wyoming became a state on July 10, 1890.

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Other territorial officials appointed along with Campbell were Edward M. Lee, secretary; John H. Howe, chief justice; and William T. Jones and John W. Kingman, justices.

For more, see Wyoming State Archives and General laws, resolutions and memorials of the Territory of Wyoming at Google books.

 

Angus M. Thuermer Jr. is the natural resources reporter for WyoFile. He is a veteran Wyoming reporter and editor with more than 35 years experience in Wyoming. Contact him at angus@wyofile.com or (307)...

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Gregory Nickerson worked as government and policy reporter for WyoFile from 2012-2015. He studied history at the University of Wyoming. Follow Greg on Twitter at @GregNickersonWY and on www.facebook.com/GregoryNickersonWriter/

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