Williamsburg

WILLIAMSBURG

Origin/meaning

The arms were adopted on October 17, 1976.

The arms show seven gold blocks (called billets). Sited in orderly rows, four up and three down, these billets symbolize the orderly arrangement of a planned city. But these billets further tie the City of Williamsburg to our history since they appear on the arms of Governor Francis Nicholson, who planned the laying out of the city in an orderly fashion in 1699, and of King William III, after whom the city was named (he was also Stadholder of the Netherlands, hence the billets of Nassau). In the center of the shield, lighting it all, is a "sun in his splendor," symbol of knowledge, development, and enlightenment; it is meant to stand for the beneficent effects of the College, of Eastern State Hospital, and sound government. Around the shield is a gold border representing the rich plantations around the city in its early days.

The artisan and the public man holding up the shield represent, rather than symbolize, their historic predecessors in and around this city. Above them all, and mounted on a conventional knight's helm, issues the crest with Minerva rising from a section of crenellated wall, a usual symbol for a city. Minerva is shown on the City Mace which was presented to the City of Williamsburg sometime in the middle of the 18^th century. (This Mace is on display at the courthouse of 1770.) For may years the City of Williamsburg has used Minerva on its official stationery and city vehicles. Minerva's head, within a sun, will be a badge for the city to use. Under it all a ribbon curls bearing the old motto of the city, "Virtute Et Labore Florent Respublicae" (States flourish through virtue and toil.).

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