Los Angeles County Seal - Old and New

Seal of the County of Los Angeles, Adopted September 14, 2004

This seal, based upon the previous seal, was adopted by a majority of the Board of Supervisors on September 14, 2004, after the American Civil Liberties Union threatened a lawsuit over the presence of a cross in the previous seal. The cross, the goddess Pomona, and the oil derricks were removed and/or replaced.

• The Native American woman represents the early inhabitants of the Los Angeles Basin, standing on the shore of the Pacific Ocean with the San Gabriel Mountains in the background.
• The engineering instruments (the triangle and caliper) represent the county's industrial-construction complex of the .
• The Spanish galleon represents the San Salvador, the vessel commanded by Juan Cabrillo that sailed into San Pedro Harbor on October 8, 1542.
• The tuna represents the fishing industry of the county
• The championship cow, Pearlette, represents the dairy industry.
• The Hollywood Bowl represents county cultural activities, with two stars representing the motion picture and television industries.
• The Mission San Gabriel represents the historic role of the missions in the settlement of the Los Angeles region.

Seal of the County of Los Angeles, Adopted March 1, 1957

This seal was designed by by former Supervisor Kenneth Hahn and drawn by Millard Sheets. It was adopted by the Board of Supervisors on January 2, 1957 and became effective on March 1, 1957.

• The Goddess Pomona, goddess of gardens and fruit trees, holding in her arms a sheaf of grain, an orange, a lemon, an avocado and a few grapes, represents the county's agriculture. She stands on the shore of the Pacific Ocean with the San Gabriel Mountains in the background.
• The engineering instruments (the triangle and caliper) represent the county's industrial-construction complex of the .
• The Spanish galleon represents the San Salvador, the vessel commanded by Juan Cabrillo that sailed into San Pedro Harbor on October 8, 1542.
• The tuna represents the fishing industry of the county
• The championship cow, Pearlette, represents the dairy industry.
• The Hollywood Bowl represents county cultural activities, with two stars representing the motion picture and television industries and the cross representing the influence of the church and missions of California.
• The oil derricks represents the oil fields discovered on Signal Hill.

Seal of the County of Los Angeles, Submitted December 9, 1887

This seal was submitted to the California Secretary of State in 1887.