The Great Seal of Carroll County

By John T. Marck

The land comprising Carroll County was originally part of Baltimore County, created by the proprietary government in 1659. Carroll County was created from Baltimore and Frederick Counties by an Act of the Maryland Legislature, Chapter 256, Acts of 1835, confirmed by Chapter 19, Acts of 1836 on March 25, which was passed January 19, 1837. The County was named for Charles Carroll of Carrollton (1737-1832). Carroll was a Marylander who was the last surviving signer of the Declaration of Independence, dying in 1832 at the age of 95.

The Carroll County Seal was provided for in the minutes of the Commissioners of Tax for Carroll County on June 5, 1837, and became the county's official seal on July 1, 1977. The seal consists of "three concentric circles, with the inscription 'Carroll County Maryland' inserted between the inner and middle circles also having two stylized six-leaved blossoms located, one each, on opposite sides of the same space between the inner and middle circle, also within the inner circle is a replica of the four-horse freight wagon with the year 1837 imposed above the wagon." When legislation was enacted effective July 1, 1977, there was no mention of colors for the seal, although the colors used are red, white, blue and brown.

Copyright © 1990-2022 by John T. Marck. All Rights Reserved. This article and their accompanying seals, may not be resold, reprinted, or redistributed for compensation of any kind without prior written permission from the author. Maryland County Seals and Baltimore City Seal and their respective origin histories from: Maryland The Seventh State A History, © John T. Marck. All Rights Reserved. All Seals courtesy of the respective county, Office of the County Executive and/or the Department of Tourism. Reprinted with permission.

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