Memorial Union: The Transcendent Tower

Signs, Symbols, and Seals: The Sculpture of Memorial Tower

The Great Seal of Missouri

Judge and Congressman Robert William Wells designed the Great Seal of Missouri in the early 1820s. The banners are inscribed with the phrase "United We Stand, Divided We Fall,” which symbolizes Missouri’s entry into the United States as the 24th state. Standing on the ground next to native foliage, heraldic bears hold a shield decorated with state and national imagery. The crescent moon represents Missouri at the time of the seal’s creation—a state with little wealth and a small population, both of which would grow like a crescent moon. The grizzly bear on all four paws represents the state’s strength and its citizens’ bravery. The U. S. Coat of Arms adorns the right side of the shield.

The Great Seal of Missouri

Memorial Union Exhibition

Exhibition Home

History of Memorial Tower

Making the Memorial

In Memoriam

Signs, Symbols, and Seals: The Sculpture of Memorial Tower

Figured in Stone: The Arcade Sculptures of Memorial Tower

Tradition: Tipping the Cap

Copyright © 2011 The Curators of the University of Missouri | DMCA | all rights reserved
An equal opportunity/affirmative action institution

Museum of Art and Archaeology | College of Arts and Science | University of Missouri
1 Pickard Hall | Columbia, MO 65211-1420 | phone: 573-882-3591 | fax: 573-884-4039 | Email the museum
accredited by the American Association of Museums