And the winner is: Fall River unveils new city logo — here was your top pick

FALL RIVER — The Braga Bridge and the mills from which the moniker Spindle City was born are two iconic images unmistakably linked to Fall River.

After much consideration via a Logo Design Contest that launched this fall, the public has spoken and they agree.

At a ceremony Tuesday at Government Center, Fall River unveiled its new logo, swag featuring the winning design was given away and the artist behind the top pick was revealed.

One of six finalists chosen from over 200 entries, Nadine Messier was the top vote-getter out of over 6,500 votes that came in online and at in-person ballot boxes since November.

The Tiverton resident was on hand Tuesday to accept a $500 prize from Mayor Paul Coogan and walked away with a giant plaque featuring her winning entry, which illustrated a factory and smokestacks with the Braga Bridge looming behind.

"I almost cried. My heart was pounding," Messier said, as she heard runners up called one by one, waiting for her name. "It's pretty cool. ... It was a great experience."

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Messier, a Virginia native with relatives in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, is a freelance graphic designer whose work has brought her to New York, Los Angeles and most recently to Southern New England.

She currently resides in Tiverton, just five feet away from Fall River on Corys Lane — near the sliver of Fall River that runs along the west side of South Watuppa Pond — so you could almost call her a city resident.

"I probably park two tires in Fall River and two tires in Tiverton," joked Messier, who pops into Fall River everyday to do shopping at Market Basket.

Messier's life has taken her all over, but her family roots trace back to the Spindle City. So for her, the contest win was a personal one.

Polish immigrant in Fall River

In 1904, at the age 16, Messier's great grandmother left Poland and immigrated to the U.S., landing in Fall River where she then found work in one of the city's textile mills before eventually migrating to Rhode Island. Among bins of old family photos, Messier recently came across one of her great-grandmother in a mill as a teenager.

"That's where it all started," said Messier. "That's where she got her life in America going."

Messier said she had always heard this family folklore but it didn't mean much to her because she had never been to Fall River until she moved to neighboring Tiverton two years ago.

"I didn't grow up here but to me it felt like my whole family tree kind of came full circle because my great grandmother came here 100 years ago and I'm here now," said Messier, who moved to Rhode Island to care for her elderly mother who has since passed. "She came here kind of by accident and I'm here by accident too."

Messier came across the contest by chance while scrolling Facebook, and with her graphic design background thought why not throw her hat in the ring.

She said knowing that generations of her family had worked in mills, starting with her great grandmother, was a large part of the inspiration for her logo design.

She may not be a local, but Messier said her entry into the contest offered something maybe others didn't - a new set of eyes on the city and fresh perspective.

"As an outsider looking in, I know that the mills are a bygone industry but I know from my own family history that the mills are the core of the city — Woonsocket too, New Bedford too. It's a very New England thing. Both sides of my family worked in the textile mills in Rhode Island, and I know that's an integral part of Fall River too," she said.

The city was looking for its new logo to draw from geography, industry and culture of the city, so Messier said a light bulb went off and she knew, "it's got to be the mills and it's got to be the bridge."

And it appears a majority of residents felt the same way.

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According to Elaina Pevide, special projects and media coordinator for the mayor's office who spearheaded the contest, the new logo will not replace the official city seal. "That's not going anywhere," she said.

The winning entry has been adapted into a full brand kit for a number of uses. It will be featured on posters, the newly redesigned website, social media, various merchandise, and signage.

The city will begin rolling out use of the new logo throughout the next year and expects the city's redesigned website to launch in late spring.

Seeing folks walk away Tuesday with shirts and stickers emblazoned with her design, Messier said she couldn't be more excited.

As a graphic designer who works remotely from home, Messier said the contest was more of a "social avenue" for her, with winning top prize a bonus.

"I honestly didn't think I was going to win. It was more of a networking opportunity," Messier said. "I just thought it would be a good way to get involved in my neighborhood. After living in big cities most of my life it's nice to be in a small town, in a small city where people know each other and get to talk to each other."

Other finalists recognized Tuesday were City Administrator Seth Aitken (design No. 4),  Thomas Giunta (design No. 1), Lance Gunberg (design No. 5), and Diman students Lylah Thibeault (design No. 3), and Sadie Krauzyk (design No. 6). Sadie was the contest’s runner up, and also received a monetary prize.

In addition to the logo reveal, officials at Tuesday’s event announced a partnership between the city of Fall River and Viva Fall River to utilize an investment of over $600,000 in ARPA funds on local tourism efforts.

“From small projects like the logo contest, to big projects like the website, to new projects like our work with Viva Fall River, we are working to make Fall River a more modern and attractive place to live, work and set down roots,” said Mayor Coogan. “The logo contest successfully engaged the Fall River community and allowed the residents to have a voice in the direction of the City. I thank everyone who entered or voted during our logo contest, and thank our amazing finalists for sharing their talents with us.”

More of Messier's work can be found at her website www.ngmdesignstudio.com.

This article originally appeared on The Herald News: Fall River's new logo features city's landmark Braga Bridge, mills