Courthouse Square removed from Noblesville’s city logo

Fishers residents first to see new design

Noblesville Mayor Chris Jensen announced the selection of a new city logo at a Hamilton Southeastern School Board meeting on Tuesday. Jensen told the Fishers group they were the first to see the new design.

In August of last year, the City of Noblesville contracted with Indianapolis-based consulting firm Hiron’s for $20,000 to design a new city logo and to refresh Noblesville’s brand.

The new design replaces the current logo that features the historic courthouse that sits in the middle of Noblesville’s historic downtown square.

In August, Jensen said, “The city is seeking to do a whole refresh of our brand to highlight both the history of Noblesville, as well as promote the progress made and growth to come.”

Emily Gaylord, Communications Director for the City of Noblesville, said, “We just thought it was time for a new brand because the current one is a building that belongs to the county. We’d like something that shows a city with a rich history that is ripe for progress.”

After receiving several design options from Hiron’s, Noblesville offered area residents the opportunity to vote one of five options. The new logo was not among them.

37 Comments on "Courthouse Square removed from Noblesville’s city logo"

  1. Jim Meacham | March 17, 2021 at 10:29 am |

    $20K of your money was paid to Hiron’s, a consulting firm from Indianapolis. Hiron’s submitted five (5) different logos for consideration. (That’s $5 grand per logo idea).

    Our wonderful City Hall then picked a logo that was not even submitted by the consulting firm for consideration… ?

    The new logo was announced & viewed at the Hamilton Southeastern School Board meeting, in Fishers…??!!

    Anyone else see something a bit abnormal, about the selection & announcement of this new logo?

    • William Pierce | March 17, 2021 at 2:18 pm |

      Nice (((logo))) they chose there. Where can I be (((chosen))) for a 20k windfall where I can scribble some doodles down so they can throw them away? Everything is pure cooincidence.

    • Unless I missed something 5 logos for $20,000 is $4000 per logo not $5 grand per logo idea. But still over paid by $19500.

  2. The new logo is horrible and looks like something generated by a logo making app. The new logo does NOT speak to the cities rich history or any new progress. It is a meaningless, lifeless block lacking any creativity.

  3. Wow that is one plain unattractive logo. Too bad every inch f charm is being stripped away. Trying to turn noblesville in to fishers or Carmel isn’t attractive to residents but as usual leadership doesn’t care

  4. Utility companies have better logos. Money not well spent.

  5. Looks like an 8th art project

  6. Debby Stark | March 17, 2021 at 4:40 pm |

    What a waste of money.

  7. Becky Meredith | March 17, 2021 at 6:39 pm |

    The new Brand for Noblesville lacks creativity and is going to make Noblesville the laughing stock of the State. You are taking away everything that makes Noblesville the warm welcoming small town feel with the closeness to a big city

    Why did we being the people who vote and pay taxes not have a say in how our town is represented

  8. This is the worst logo I’ve ever seen, waste of money but than again the city is good at wasting money. The old logo was way better than this piece of cr*^+p

  9. Pennie Baldwin | March 17, 2021 at 7:54 pm |

    When and where were Noblesville residents asked to vote? Then to spend 20k and not even choose amongst the ones submitted? Wow. What a waste and lack of consideration.

  10. Allan Thompson | March 17, 2021 at 8:32 pm |

    Original logo looks fine to me. If it must get revised, why not just add “EST. 1823” below the original logo?

  11. Barry Schultz | March 17, 2021 at 9:42 pm |

    Absolutely ridiculous new logo! What was our “leadership” thinking? GO BACK to the old logo!

  12. Toby Reese | March 17, 2021 at 9:54 pm |

    The new logo is disappointing, underwhelming, boring, lacking personality or connection to Noblesville. It is so generic, it could be for any city in the US.

  13. That logo is a big nothing ! It has no appeal on any score. No input from the public shows the lack of concern by the
    administration. Let’s keep the original logo, which has some meaning, and chalk up the $20K as a bad mistake.

  14. Scott Wright | March 17, 2021 at 11:54 pm |

    This new logo is an embarrassment especially when you realize that the logo wasn’t from the company paid to produce it. I’d like to know where it came from and who designed it. Looks like someone did it themself on their home computer. Please go back to the old one and if you need a change, just add “EST. 1823”.

  15. JoEllen M Hallmark | March 18, 2021 at 11:11 am |

    This new logo is totally vanilla. It lacks the character and uniqueness of Noblesville. Why mess with something that didn’t need to be changed? Keep the old logo it has charm and character.

  16. Lori Armour | March 18, 2021 at 11:35 am |

    The Star of David vs. the hexagram around a large “N”
    Looks weird and not thought out.
    This is a boring boring boring sign. The old sign with the established in 1823 with the River, train and courthouse?
    Sincerely
    Reconsider!

  17. I don’t get it. Do they want to modernize Noblesville while maintaining its charm or make it into an industrial business complex? This is REALLY bad work. Who approved it? I mean it’s not just boring. It’s just bad. It looks like it was done on the old Microsoft paint program.

  18. A new logo being unveiled shouldn’t bring this much anger. I’m not here to pick on anyone as you have every right to voice your opinions, but saying Noblesville is now the laughing stock of the State, because of a logo no one will see is not living in reality. People in Michigan City, Bloomington, New Albany, Plainfield, etc have their own REAL worries and will not be taking the time to “bash” our new logo; I promise you and hope the lack of embarrassment will have you reconsider giving a dang about this “issue”.
    It’s a logo, it can be changed if the city decides to…it was posted on the City Facebook page and another outlet for input for many months. I’ve lived in Noblesville my entire 38 years and love the downtown area and have always strived for it to prosper ahead of the “outer” areas. I do have a unique perspective because I was raised a Wayne Townshipper; meaning I went to HSE schools and let me tell you, the old logo is along the lines of what the rest of our county thinks of our city (old and backward, even though that’s not reality). The new one does look more attractive to the kinds of businesses we are trying to attract and keep that have high paying salaries (tech, infrastructure, bio-sciences (of which we have a unique niche in the county with the former King Systems and Helmer). These companies do business globally and this new logo fiasco should be taken to people like them honestly. It probably was and simpler is many times better.
    Anyway, I urge folks to consider the amount of anger they’re putting toward this and other “issues”, and focus that time and energy on going out and helping a fellow Noblesvillian or two or ten. There’s no reason to churn up so much raw emotion and stir the pot when it won’t effect anyone directly EVER. And if you are that miserable, may I recommend counseling or exercise instead? Maybe call a friend and see if the issue you’re so angry about is worth the energy? I bet they’ll say it isn’t; unless they’re also a miserable person who prefers sucking down Winstons and Mt Dew over getting out and being social/helpful and making a difference.
    Lastly, the Mayor ALWAYS gives his PERSONAL cell phone number and encourages folks to call him. What other Mayor of a city with 70k people has ever done that!? Not one. Call him and I’ll bet he will get lunch with you…even pick up the tab at Syd’s and listen. If you do that, report back how it went and how he didn’t take the time to listen to your concerns before botching here and spreading your misery….oh, and Tell Ricky at Syd’s hello too ?

    • Mike, I’m confused. You’ve kind of contradicted your own argument, so help me understand. We can’t keep the old logo because everyone will think “old and backward” when they see it? Or we could keep the old logo because “ People in Michigan City, Bloomington, New Albany, Plainfield, etc have their own REAL worries and will not be taking the time to “bash”” whatever logo we have?

  19. I do not like the new logo. Wasted money. What was wrong with the old logo. I agree there is no history tied to the new logo

  20. I read the original article from the Star/News from August 2020.. And what was described in that article from city employees is not what we ended up with for a logo. They were originally saying they wanted to have a new graphic feature of a city vs. a county building in the new logo, or something to do with our offerings of outdoor adventures of Noblesville’s trails, and parks.. But that did not happen either… Why did we just settle for a computer generated cut and paste look, with no character, or real thought of the design… And why did we send our money to Indy??? Why venture outside the city, to an Indy advertising company, instead of Noblesville for the work.??? We have so many great artists that live right here in Noblesville. And what happened to our Noblesville colors..?? The colors are all wrong in the new logo for Noblesville as well.. So disappointed in everything about this move.. The new logo is just to sterile looking, maybe that was a Virus mindset from the designer… Having the hand washing, distancing, masking, and such for over a year.. Timing and input on this should have been considered.. And apparently your reach was not far enough to get the best input from your citizens, and get it right… I say DO OVER… And get a refund from the previous designer…

  21. Welcome to Noblesville city government, poorly thought out & poorly executed. The new logo is plain horrible, the original was much better.

  22. Pierre Larche | March 18, 2021 at 9:18 pm |

    What is the point? The original Logo sent a sense of community. Maybe, the city should spend more time figuring out how to get traffic through downtown and not wasting time on this nonsense.

  23. Christy Oakes | March 18, 2021 at 9:32 pm |

    OMG; that’s just bad. It says nothing and doesn’t represent anything about Noblesville.

  24. Michael Wyatt | March 18, 2021 at 9:54 pm |

    It should have been an elementary student contest? Prizes: $20000 scholarship.
    They would have came up with a better design.

  25. Mary Heath | March 19, 2021 at 6:23 am |

    I am very disappointed in mayor Jensen. The new logo is ugly and a waste of money. I agree that the residents should have been able to vote on this. What other bad decisions have been made that has been quietly been done? This is an example of someone who is not being frugal with taxpayer money. And to say that Noblesville needs a fresh look and everyone thinks we are backwards is ridiculous.

  26. Emily Compton | March 19, 2021 at 7:20 am |

    The font used in the new logo is more legible from an accessibility standpoint. I like the idea of using an abstracted star brick shape, but it’s lost because it’s blue. If that star shape at the top was red it would have been clear. I can see wanting to create a logo that represents the City’s heritage and future, not the county’s. I’m just not sure if this one does. It’s “fine” which is another way of saying boring.

  27. the old logo shows one of the best courthouses in the state; it is truly lovely and an icon; I see nothing wrong with old history; the new logo is entirely unimaginative ; something anyone could generate on a software program before they retire for the night. we have an abundance of fine artists and graphic designers in Noblesville who would be happy to submit designs for a new logo for free. The new logo tells nothing of our history, our vision for the future or our current offerings or advantages for new businesses or citizens. Issuing opinions about the logo doesn’t mean we don’t care about bigger more important issues to our citizens.

  28. Wow, I’d like to have a downtown that doesn’t smell like chemicals or a sewer at night more than a new logo.

  29. Maybe the cost could be offset by selling those stupid lights that shine in your face when you are driving over the river.

  30. The old logo could have been updated for a more contemporary look. Not much imagination in the new one. The city got ripped for $20,000. I’m sure that money could have been used.

  31. Larry McMichael | March 20, 2021 at 7:19 am |

    Looks like Sigma Nu at first glance.

  32. Julia Williams | March 20, 2021 at 9:50 pm |

    The letter N on top of a star. What does does that represent? Is there a back story I am missing? I moved here 4 years ago and I love the history and improvements to walking paths. I love the lights on the bridge. This is a great city to walk and enjoy. How can we express that in a logo? I agree with earlier comments that this work could have been sources locally. That it the whole point of supporting our community, right?

  33. Dorothy Catlett | March 23, 2021 at 12:05 pm |

    The char of the city is lost in the new logo…
    Can’t we return to the old one with the courthouse?
    Absolutely disgusting!,,
    .

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