Natick Town Meeting Approves New Town Seal

NATICK, MA — It's out with the old and in with the new in Natick as a new seal was finally approved.

The seal will become official on Sept. 1, 2023 following a multi-year process to try and see a change through.

Natick's Town Seal Review Committee was established in April 2020. According to a GBH report at the time, the initial push to change the town seal stemmed from the old seal's caricature of Native Americans.

The old seal featured John Elliot, who established the town, standing over three indigenous people.

Natick's seal dates to 1951 when the town celebrated its 300th birthday. Natick was established in 1651 by missionary John Eliot as settlement for Native Americans who had been converted to Christianity.

In 1980, Town Meeting voted to adopt the 1951 design, which was created by resident George T. Hutchings, as the town's new seal, according to the Natick Historical Society. Hutchings' design was further enshrined in 1997, when a group of town residents painted a large version of the seal, which is on display at Town Hall.

Read more: Natick Seeks Residents To Explore Town Seal Changes

This decision at town meeting also means there are some procedural changes coming to Natick, and the committee will be discharged.

Additionally, the seal will be printed on town logos and embossers.