Erie Insurance is an American property and casualty insurer headquartered in Erie, Pennsylvania, founded in 1925 by H.O. Hirt and O.G. Crawford.[1] Its corporate logo centers on a stylized cupola, an architectural element drawn from the company’s own headquarters building. The mark is registered as a trademark by Erie Insurance Exchange with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.[2]
Design and History
The cupola in the Erie Insurance logo comes from the H.O. Hirt Building at 144 East Sixth Street in Erie, Pennsylvania. Constructed in the mid-1950s, the 50,000-square-foot Georgian-style structure was inspired by Independence Hall in Philadelphia, a deliberate homage to the historic home of American insurance.[3] The building’s cupola, featuring a copper dome and weather vane, was hoisted 80 feet above the entrance and became an enduring symbol of the company’s identity.[4]
Since 1992, a stylized version of this cupola has served as the Erie Insurance logo.[4] That same year, on November 6, 1992, Erie Insurance Exchange filed a federal trademark application for the logo mark, which remains registered and renewed as of March 2024.[2] The company’s own historical account confirms that the cupola atop the H.O. Hirt Building serves as the logo’s source.[1]
The cupola motif has also been incorporated into related Erie Insurance branding. A trademark application for the Erie Insurance Foundation, filed in late 2025, describes a mark consisting of “a stylized view of a building steeple framed in a circular field adjacent to the term ERIE INSURANCE FOUNDATION.”[5]
Meaning and Symbolism
The logo’s symbolism is architectural rather than abstract. The cupola represents the physical H.O. Hirt Building, which was itself modeled on Independence Hall to pay homage to the birthplace of American insurance in Philadelphia.[3] The company’s own historical materials describe the cupola as “an enduring symbol of Erie’s identity” and note that the stylized version “reflects both its historical inspiration and lasting legacy.”[4]
The visual connection between the logo and the actual building remains a point of emphasis in Erie Insurance’s corporate art and architecture. A sculptural installation at the company’s Technical Learning Center, created by artist Michelle Stitzlein, forms a three-dimensional version of the logo cupola using salvaged materials from Erie Insurance’s historic buildings.[6]
Logo Index is an independent educational archive covering logos, visual identities and graphic design history. All trademarks and brand assets remain the property of their respective owners.
