Here’s what you need to know about Burlington’s official crest

Burlington is celebrating its 150th birthday this year and while there have already been a few special events and an upcoming flag-raising and crest displaying, do you really know what it is all about?

The City’s crest, for instance, is detailed and has a very specified meaning.

Here then, courtesy of Mayor Marianne Meed Ward’s website is an explanation of the crest’s significance:

Our City Crest carries a lot of our municipality’s story with the symbols included in it:

• The peaks of the dividing line represent our major headlands: Rattlesnake Point, Mount Nemo and Flamborough Head;
• The lighthouse and ship are representative of Burlington’s years serving as a lakeport;
• The cow and apple represent our local farming industry and the importance of agricultural growth — something we continue to take great pride in protecting today; and
• The beehive symbolizes the role industry has played and continues to play in our city’s development.

There are some who believe the heifer (cow) may hold the origins of Burlington’s name — in the Lincolnshire dialect of Old English, the word “burl” was a term used for a heifer/cow. Others also believe the collar on the cow resembles a bridle, leaning to Burlington being derived from Bridlington, a town in Yorkshire, England.

The motto ‘Stand By’ on our crest is also significant — I’ve learned from our local veterans that it’s an old nautical term that means stand with and together to help one another, and to also stand ready for action.

Our city and our residents have demonstrated all these aspects of our City Crest all these past decades and continue to do so today — being committed to serving each other and our community.