NoDestination: The State Seal

The state seal of Kentucky is memorialized in bronze at the Governor’s Circle in the Constitution State Park (Danville). Around the seal is a depiction of each of Kentucky’s governors.

The seal itself has gone through various designs, but was originally an inspiration of the first governor, Isaac Shelby. Shelby, a war hero, was said to have loved the 1768 John Dickinson tune, “The Liberty Song.” The fourth verse reads:

Then join hand in hand, brave Americans all,
By uniting we stand, by dividing we fall;
In so righteous a cause let us hope to succeed,
For heaven approves of each generous deed.

Thus the state motto: “united we stand, divided we fall.” The seal depicts “two (2) friends embracing each other, with the words ‘Commonwealth of Kentucky’ over their heads and around them the words, ‘United We Stand, Divided We Fall.'” K.R.S. 2.020. One of the friends is a pioneer, the other a statesman.

One thought on “NoDestination: The State Seal”

  1. A bit belated with my comment, but I enjoy this post — I'll point it out to people whenever they ask me who the two men on the state seal are! They never seem to believe me when I say they aren't anyone in particular… 🙂

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