By: Najla Alexander
Union County officials reported that the Union County Board of County Commissioners launched a poll to invite residents to assist them in selecting a new seal for the County of Union.
"As we embark on this journey, we feel it is important that our community has a role in this process and therefore would love your feedback," said Commissioner Chairman Sergio Granados.
"Since 1932, Union County has had a seal unlike any other, with the central image depicting the dramatization of the murder of Hannah Caldwell by a British soldier. After her death, Hannah quickly became a symbol for the fight for independence, and the thought of changing this seal is not to take away the significance of our past but to recognize it in a different way."
"That is why we will be dedicating a page on our County website in honor of the important role she played in the rich deep history of Union County. By doing so, we hope to educate our residents on who Hannah Caldwell was, the role she played in shaping history, and how we can honor her in a more positive way than a dramatization of her death."
According to officials, the County of Union would like to invite its residents to submit their choice for one of the two options on the County website.
To participate in the selection process, visit our website, www.ucnj.org/seal or click the button on the homepage to cast your vote, officials said.
The website includes images showing the two options with an explanation of what each seal represents. Officials say, after much consideration, two new seals were designed to represent the County’s strong roots and diverse present and future possibilities.
When residents view the two seal choices, they will see one seal with a quadrant that includes a portrait of Hannah Caldwell, one that memorializes her in life and places her alongside other strong symbols of Union County - transportation, open space, and the Union County Courthouse.
Officials said the other option is representative of one of our most recognizable landmarks, the Union County Courthouse in Elizabeth, which holds the County seat.
“When you look at individuals like President Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Jr., or President John F. Kennedy, for example, each one of them were leaders in their own right, and all three were assassinated."
"However, when we visit their monuments or view photos of them, we are often looking at the portraits of who they were in life and what significance they played"in our history,” continued Commissioner Chairman Sergio Granados.
Officials said polls will be open Monday, March 27, through Monday, April 24.
A special unveiling will reveal the final result at the Union County Commissioner’s Meeting on Thursday, April 27.