King County’s current symbol, a crown inside two circles, is the county’s fourth official logo since its creation by the territorial legislature in 1852. The crown logo was adopted as part of a public contest that followed voter creation in 1968 of the new charter form of government for King County. That logo has since gone through two minor revisions. A page showing examples of all past King County logos is linked as an Acrobat PDF.

The proposal directs the County Executive to transmit for Council approval a new logo design in the likeness of Dr. King, along with graphic standards, guidelines and procedures for its use. Existing stocks of letterhead, envelopes and business cards would be depleted before new ones are ordered. For such durable items as vehicles and signage, the proposal calls for replacement to be phased in during the ordinary course of business.

When created in 1852, King County was named after U.S. Vice President and slaveowner William Rufus DeVane King. The County Council in 1986 passed a motion changing the county’s eponym to that of Dr. King. That motion did not have the force of law, however, until the state Legislature approved and Governor Gregoire in April 2005 signed Engrossed Senate Bill 5332 to change the county’s namesake.

If the ordinance is adopted, King County would join Seattle and the state of Washington in having logos that bear the likenesses of their namesakes. Since 1937 Seattle’s corporate seal has borne the image of Chief Sealth. The likeness of George Washington has graced the seal of the state of Washington since statehood in 1889.

Monday’s Council meeting is scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. The logo ordinance is expected to come up at around 2:30 p.m.

Read more about this legislation on the King County Council’s LEGISEARCH system and type in “2005-0492”