The Livingston County Flag
Created in 1971 by Joe O’Dea, the Livingston County flag honors and symbolizes the uniqueness of our landscape and community. The scales of justice and quills represent Chancellor and judicial officer Robert Livingston after whom the county was named and who helped to draft the Declaration of Independence. Yellow represents the fields of golden ripe wheat that grow in our farms. Green represents nurseries and the pine and hemlock forests that grow on our hills and valleys. Ribbons of white represent salt and limestone, two important natural resources that have been important to the regions’ economy since the 19th century. Running through the middle of the flag is a bold swath of azure blue which represents the Genesee River and waterways.
The Genesee River is a defining feature of our community. This river created the “beautiful valley” that the Seneca named Genesee. It provided sustenance and resources to various groups of people and functioned as a highway for travel and transportation. The Genesee River continues to serve as a site of recreation and a source of national pride. Historian Anna Patchett wrote that “through the ages, the Genesee has had a way of endearing itself to the inhabitants of its region.” What role does the Genesee River and other Livingston County waterways play in the lives of people today?