Mecklenburg County 250th Anniversary Logo
Overview
For two and a half centuries, Charlotte has celebrated the spirit of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence with parades, speeches, and even cannon fire echoing through uptown. This enduring ritual of pride and remembrance has inspired a visual identity for the 250th anniversary; a logo that honors the past while speaking to the present. Presenting Charlotte’s revolutionary spirit, illustrated in logo form.
Illustration References
The logo is based on the Spirit of Mecklenburg statue in Charlotte, North Carolina. This design captures Captain James Jack on horseback as he carries the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence to Philadelphia in 1775. The original bronze monument, sculpted by Chas Fagan, stands at the corner of 4th Street and Kings Drive as part of Charlotte’s Trail of History, honoring Jack’s daring Revolutionary War ride and the county’s role in America’s fight for independence.
Typography & Logo Sketches
It’s always best to start with several sketches in order to get the rough idea on paper; it’s all about finding a form that everyone loves. Text was mostly decided beforehand, so the focus of the sketches are to highlight different type stylings and tell a story.
The final variations are mostly circular and badge shaped, which works perfectly on pins, coins, stickers, and more.
Once the direction is chosen, we gallop over to Illustrator and use the pen tool to vector the sketch. The usual process is to define the primary outlines and establish a line weight and style, then start on the contours and shadows. There are no shortcuts here, unless the figure is a pristine illustration that can be cleanly image-traced. A sketch is usually good enough for me because my ink work leaves a lot to be desired. ‘We’ll clean it up in post’ as they say.
After the initial illustration is done, extra elements begin to come together. Type lockups, little icons, badges, and more. The fonts used in this have a classical feel with a modern twist.
All these elements finally come together into a finished piece. By layering smaller pieces together, and having an abundance of extras, the logo is flexible enough to be used across all sorts of print and media—even a beer label from the good folks at Lost Worlds Brewing.
MecDec 2” Sticker
MecDec pin
MecDec challenge coin
Wrapping Up
From logo sketches to labels, stickers, pins, and even a celebratory coin, each item extends the story of Mecklenburg’s revolutionary spirit into everyday life. Projects like these show how a single mark can honor 250 years of history while creating fresh, memorable connections today.
