Quirky State Symbols
Quirky State Symbols
Beyond the traditional state symbols that are taught to school children and pictured on postage stamps is a vast array of official foods, flora, fauna, and fribbles that offer a tantalizing glimpse into the true characters of our 50 United States. Highlighting the products and characteristics that are unique to each state, these official symbols go to the very core of a state’s personality and values. From muffins to musicals,microbes, and mushrooms, find out what unexpected object(s) your state holds dear.
Do You Know Your State Muffin?
Exploring Some Unusual State Symbols
Most people are aware that U.S. states have a variety of official symbols, the most common categories of which are birds, flowers, mottos, songs, and trees. Beyond those designations, though, is a plethora of “official state” items, many of which are unexpected, intriguing, and just plain quirky. This lens will focus on some of the more idiosyncratic information I’ve encountered. This means that unless some state has marijuana as its state plant or Methuselah as its official fossil, I probably will not address them.
Not that I wouldn’t vote for Pig Latin in a heartbeat…
Consider this: a number of states have officially declared a state language. Of those who did (I believe Illinois was one of the first to do so, in 1969) most decided to go with… English. This kind of makes me wonder what the other choices were. Not that I wouldn’t vote for Pig Latin in a heartbeat, if that was one of the choices, but Americans are famous for not knowing how to speak anything but English. It’s what makes us such annoying travelers abroad. In any event,
Alaska didn’t pass the English-as-state-language initiative until 1998. And it’s not yet official because the issue needs to be decided in court. (In Alaska, nearly 15% of the population speaks a language other than English. Topping that list are Yupik, Spanish, Tagalog, and Inupik.)
Note: I make light of this topic, but the question of official languages is serious business, without a clear cut solution and with complex considerations. In fact, the United States does not have a declared national language, so a particular state’s choice to have an official language is itself a statement. You will find at least one state in the list below that has an official language other than English (care to guess which?).
The number and variety of categories states choose to deem official differs widely. Some have a state mammal; some have a state equine. Some have both. Massachusetts has a state muffin. Keep reading to see if any other states have designated a state muffin – or other baked good. There are worse benchmarks for picking a place to live than what the people like to eat or what their state legislature chooses to spend its time discussing.
I have culled the things I find especially interesting or curious. I present the information in alphabetical order by state, recognizing that this is somewhat unfair to the states at the back of the alphabet, since some of their choices will have been highlighted previously.
AL-HI :: ID-MI :: MN-OR :: PA-WY :: Comment :: Resources
Butterflies to Bolas — and Beyond
State Symbols: Alabama – Hawaii
ALABAMA. Alabama’s state equine is the Racking Horse. I mention this because when I first read it I thought it said ROCKING horse. That would have been worth writing about.
Here’s a head scratcher. The Alabama state butterfly (and mascot, by the way) is the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail. But the state insect is the Monarch Butterfly. I wonder what the politics of that were. Did the Monarch stage a coup? Did the insects bring in a ringer? I can see the logic of choosing a different bug than the butterfly for a state insect, but to decide that the Tiger is the best butterfly (including the Monarch, presumably) and then promote the Monarch in the larger category seems a little like a slap in the Tiger’s teeny tiny face.
Alabama is big on flora and fauna. It has a state horse, mammal, bird and game bird, fish and marine fish, amphibian and reptile, tree, tree fruit, flower and wildflower, mineral, fossil, and shell. In fact, it has so many animals that when I reached the part about the state SEAL it took me a couple of beats to realize we weren’t talking about something with flippers (although the state seal could have flippers on it for all I know…) There is also an official state soil (Bama soil — not kidding), and state nut.
Alabama has a state drama: The Miracle Worker; championship: Barbecue Cook-off; tournament: State Horseshoe (animals again) Tournament; and spirit (no, not team): Conecuh Ridge Alabama fine whiskey.
ALASKA. Alaska’s symbols generally seem straightforward and state appropriate. As might be expected for such a young state, the overall number of symbols is pretty conservative (and no, I’m not going to pursue the “conservative” theme).
There are two special state HOLIDAYs. Seward’s Day, on the last Monday in March, commemorates the signing of the treaty by which the United States bought Alaska from Russia. Alaska Day, on October 18, celebrates the formal transfer of the Territory and the raising of the U.S. flag at Sitka in 1867. Other items: fossil: wooly mammoth; mammal: moose; fish: King salmon; mineral: gold. My personal favorite: the Alaska state SPORT is dog mushing.
ARIZONA. Arizona is another state with a relatively restrained list that includes a state gemstone (turquoise), fossil (petrified wood), and flower (Saguaro cactus flower). The wild card for Arizona it that it has official state NECKWEAR: the bola tie.
ARKANSAS. Another state with English as the official state language, Arkansas also has a state mineral (clear quartz), gem (diamond), and rock (bauxite). Although it does not have an official grass, its state GRAIN is rice. In common with a majority of states, its official beverage is milk. Arkansas is the first state I’ve encountered with an official INSTRUMENT (fiddle) and the only one with a COOKING VESSEL — the Dutch oven.
CALIFORNIA. Of special interest in California are its two state GHOST TOWNs: the Gold Rush town of Bodie and the Silver Rush town of Calico. With this in mind, it isn’t surprising that the state mineral is gold and the state motto is “Eureka! I have found it!”
California has a state dance (West coast swing) and folk dance (square). In 2001, California adopted its official state TARTAN — the California State District Tartan.
COLORADO. Colorado also has a state tartan, the Colorado State District Tartan. Fittingly, one of its two official state songs is Rocky Mountain High by John Denver.
CONNECTICUT. Connecticut also has a state tartan, so that’s the last time I’ll mention tartans. Once a category appears in three states it moves to the doesn’t-need-to-be-mentioned category. Actually, at least half the states have official tartans.
Connecticut introduces several new “official state” categories, including: Ship, Tall Ship, Aircraft, HERO (Nathan Hale), and HEROINE (Prudence Crandall – so designated in 1995 as a symbol of courage for her stand against prejudice. In 1833, she established the first academy for African-American women in New England).
Lots of states have Poets Laureate; Connecticut is the first I’ve found that has a state TROUBADOUR. Like the Poets Laureate, Troubadours change on some kind of schedule.
DELAWARE. For the most part, Delaware has kept it simple, with a state animal (horseshoe crab), tree, flower, fish, bug (lady), and butterfly. Then it throws in the state MACROINVERTEBRATE — the stonefly. This reminds me that Delaware also has a state fossil and mineral. It’s the first state I’ve found that has an official HERB (sweet goldenrod) and STAR (The Delaware Diamond, located in the constellation of Ursa Major). In fact, Delaware is the first state to have a star on the International Star Registry. A contest was held to name it.
FLORIDA. Florida has lots of categories, most common with other states. Its state beverage is orange juice; the Florida state PIE (new category) is key lime. Florida also has a state RODEO: The Silver Spurs Rodeo. Somehow, I’ve never associated Florida with spurs. I think it’s the flip flops (yes, I am aware that Florida encompasses more than beaches).
GEORGIA. This peachy state is another with a long list of official symbols, including some I haven’t encountered. The official PREPARED FOOD of Georgia is grits. The state POSSUM is the “Pogo Possum” by Walt Kelly, adopted in 1992. Georgia’s official state CROP is peanuts (with the related Georgia State Peanut MONUMENT). Georgia has an official WALTZ and two Championships: the Beef and Pork BBQ Cook-off’s.
HAWAII. The first thing to note is that Hawaii’s official language is not English — it’s Hawaiian (did you guess?). Also, because Hawaii comprises 7 islands, it has not one state flower but seven. Actually, in Hawaii the designation is FLOWERS OR LEI MATERIALS – so this category includes flowers, berries, and shells. Hawaii’s state dance is the Hula. Although most states have official fish, I mention Hawaii’s for the pleasure of including its name: Humuhumunukunukuapua’a. Hawaii’s official TEAM SPORT is outrigger canoe paddling.
Tug-O-War, Moxie and Jousting: Which States?
State Symbols: Idaho – Michigan
IDAHO. Idaho has a rather no-nonsense list of official symbols. I can’t resist mentioning the state fish because of its name: Cutthroat Trout. I wonder if they serve it with huckleberries, the state fruit, and potatoes (surprise!), the state vegetable. Idaho does have a state RAPTOR: the Peregrine Falcon. It also has an official horse, the Appaloosa, and GEM, the star garnet. Although it has been popularly believed that the name Idaho derived from an Indian phrase supposedly meaning “gem of the mountains” (hence its nickname: The Gem State), Idaho is actually a coined word with no attributed meaning.
ILLINOIS. Illinois, whose name is an Algonquin Indian word meaning “tribe of superior men,” is nicknamed the Prairie State. It is the first state (alphabetically) to have an official SNACK FOOD: popcorn. Its state gem is fluorite.
INDIANA. The Hoosier state introduces the category state AWARD: Sagamore of the Wabash, which is awarded by the governor. Sagamore is a Native American Indian term that refers to a person of especial wisdom whom the tribal chief consults on important matters. Indiana’s state beverage is water, the first state (alphabetically) to choose it.
Indiana’s official PIE is Hoosier sugar cream pie. According to Wikipedia, the ideal sugar cream pie, like Santa Claus, “should shake like a bowl full of jelly.” It is also known as “finger pie” because traditionally it’s stirred with the finger during baking to avoid breaking the crust
IOWA. The Hawkeye state has a very short list of “official state” categories and introduces no new ones. Tama is its UNofficial state soil.
KANSAS. Kansas also keeps its list short and frills-free. On that list, therefore, the state amphibian — the ORNATE box turtle — stands out.
KENTUCKY. Kentucky has quite a lavish array of state-designated categories, including the official state TUG-OF-WAR championship. Its musical instrument is the dulcimer and the official dance is clogging. New categories are the state SILVERWARE PATTERN (Old Kentucky Bluegrass) and the WILD GAME ANIMAL (gray squirrel, r.i.p.). It comes as no surprise that the official state music is Bluegrass. In May 2010, Kentucky legislated 2 new symbols. The state SPORTS CAR is the Corvette; the state DISH is Burgoo, which is a kind of thick soup or stew. Contents vary, apparently. Although there is a Kentucky Bourbon Festival, the state’s official drink is milk.
LOUISIANA. Louisiana adds another pastry to the list of official state foods — the DOUGHNUT (beignet), which is best washed down with milk, the official state beverage. Food, in fact, plays a big part in the state’s identity. Among the categories unshared by other states (so far): JELLIES (two!): mayhaw and Louisiana sugar cane; MEAT PIE (Natchitoches ); CUISINE: gumbo.
Now, when I first saw this next item listed, I read it as “HOT DOG Trials”, which is why it follows immediately on the food discussion (I really need new glasses). As it turns out, this official state event, held each year at the end of March, is the world championship of HOG Dog trials. This has to do with hunters and their dogs pursuing wild boars (it is not about killing the hogs, I hasten to add; its purpose is to judge the dogs’ skill in baying and cornering). In addition to two regular state songs, Louisiana has an official state ENVIRONMENTAL SONG.
MAINE. Maine’s state beverage is Moxie soda. Moxie, which predates Coca Cola, has been the oldest continuously produced soft drink in the United States since 1884. Maine introduces the category of state CAT. Theirs is (ready?) the Maine Coon Cat. Although Maine has not adopted an official state language, they do have the Maine State LANGUAGE OF THE DEAF (American Sign Language).
MARYLAND. Like Maine, Maryland has a state cat (Calico). It also has an official state DESSERT, Smith Island Cake, which can be most any flavor. The key feature is its form, which consists of 8 – 12 (relatively thin) layers, thus providing a much higher than usual frosting-to-cake ratio. Wash it down with milk, the state beverage.
Maryland has both an official theater and an official SUMMER THEATER. Other new categories: DINOSAUR (Astrodon johnstoni), DOG (Chesapeake Bay retriever), EXERCISE (walking), and TEAM SPORT (lacrosse). And of course, my personal favorite: The Maryland State Sport is jousting. That is a sport I’d watch. Although the souvenir T-shirts might be on the heavy side.
MASSACHUSETTS. Massachusetts is the state that started me on this exploration of state symbols. I couldn’t resist finding out more about a state that had an official state MUFFIN. It’s the corn muffin, and this surprises me, since the official Massachusetts state BERRY is the cranberry and the state beverage is cranberry juice.
In general, Massachusetts really rocks the state foods category. In addition to the muffin, they have adopted a BEAN (baked navy bean), COOKIE (chocolate chip), DESSERT (Boston cream pie), and DONUT (Boston cream donut). Even their state rock carries out the theme: it’s Roxbury puddingstone.
If I ever ran for a state legislature I think I’d want it to be in Massachusetts. How much fun to debate and vote on the state: CHILDREN’S BOOK AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR (Dr. Seuss), CHILDREN’S BOOK (Make Way for Ducklings), FOLK HERO (Johnny Appleseed), GLEE CLUB SONG, HISTORIC ROCK, INVENTOR, and POLKA. Interestingly, Massachusetts does not have a state hero, but its state HEROINE is Deborah Samson, who fought in the American Revolution as Robert Shurtleff until she was wounded and the masquerade discovered. She was the first woman to receive a military pension).
MICHIGAN. Michigan is another state with an official children’s book: The Legend of the Sleeping Bear. The rest of the list consists of categories previously mentioned. The state motto: “If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you.”
“Hang On, Sloopy”: Where Are We?
State Symbols: Minnesota – Oregon
MINNESOTA. We have another entry in the muffin category! Minnesota officially designates the blueberry muffin. It also has a state grain (wild rice) and introduces the category of state PHOTOGRAPH (Grace by Eric Enstrom).
MISSISSIPPI. In addition to the regular categories, Mississippi introduces the state SHELL (oyster shell) and TOY (teddy bear).
MISSOURI. The “Show Me” state has adopted, as its official dessert, the ice cream cone. They also have a state nut and introduce the state GRAPE (Norton/Cynthiana grape) to our category list. While Missouri hasn’t yet formally adopted David Cook as its state AMERICAN IDOL, I’m sure it’s just a matter of time…
MONTANA. Montana has a state Cowboy Hall of Fame and a state Firefighters Memorial. In addition to a state song, it also has both official LULLABY and BALLAD. It’s one of the states to adopt English as its official language.
NEBRASKA. New category! Nebraska’s state SOFT DRINK is (I love this) Kool-Aid. Perhaps to balance that frivolity, its official beverage is milk.
NEVADA. With Nevada, we have the first instance of a state ARTIFACT, the Tule duck decoy. Nevada also has a state MARCH (Silver State Fanfare) in addition to its state song.
NEW HAMPSHIRE. New Hampshire is one of the few states to choose a state sport — skiing. Refusing to limit itself to one state song, New Hampshire has elevated TEN to official status. It claims English as its official language and has a state tartan. Its state fruit is the pumpkin.
NEW JERSEY. While New Jersey doesn’t introduce any new categories, it is one of the few states with a state DINOSAUR (Hadrosaurus foulkii), shell (knobbed whelk), and TALL SHIP (A. J. Meerwald).
NEW MEXICO. I love that New Mexico’s state aircraft is a hot air balloon. Its state TIE is the bola. Adding to the sugar adoptions, New Mexico claims as its official cookie the biscochito.
Although most states have an official song (or several), New Mexico is the only one so far that adds a SPANISH LANGUAGE SONG to the mix. Titled Asi Es Nuevo Mejico, it appears to be a Spanish version of the state song, O, Fair New Mexico. In addition to the song and Spanish language song categories, New Mexico has a state BILINGUAL SONG: New Mexico – Mi Lindo Nuevo Mexico. No state language has been adopted…
NEW YORK. Hooray, another muffin. The official muffin of the Empire State is the apple muffin and although no size is specified, I’m guessing they would not be small. New York’s state song is I Love New York. Currently under consideration are proposals to name Riesling as the state WHITE WINE and Merlot as the state RED.
NORTH CAROLINA The North Carolina state colors are red and blue, which explains why the Tar-Heel state has both an official BLUE BERRY (yup, the blueberry) and RED BERRY (strawberry). You have to love the state CARNIVOROUS PLANT, the Venus flytrap. North Carolina also has a state CHRISTMAS TREE, the Fraser fir.
The list of official state festivals in North Carolina includes celebrations of watermelon (separate northeastern and southeastern regional), collards, and barbeque. The state POPULAR DANCE is the shag.
NORTH DAKOTA. Questions of identity have been the subject of much debate in North Dakota. Efforts to change drop the word “North” from the state name – to Dakota – were twice introduced and defeated. Its official nickname is The Peace Garden State, after the memorial built on the border of North Dakota and Manitoba, Canada. Over the years, groups have attempted to change the official nickname to The Roughrider State and The Flickertail State (for the native squirrels). No need to cry for the squirrels, though. They might have lost out on the nickname but they do have the state MARCH – The Flickertail March – named for them. The language of North Dakota is English, so designated in 1987.
OHIO. Ohio’s special contribution to the pantheon of state symbols is the ROCK SONG which, for them, is Hang On Sloopy. Ohio is also one of the few states with an official beverage that isn’t milk. Ohio’s state beverage is tomato juice. Ohio’s nickname is the Buckeye State, for the tree which is so prevalent throughout its regions. Its official GROUNDHOG is named Buckeye Chuck. Although the lifespan of the groundhog is two (wild) to ten (domesticated) years, some people contend that the same Buckeye Chuck has been making its predictions for the last 30 years. My theory is that the position is a franchise, much like the Dread Pirate Roberts in the Princess Bride.
OKLAHOMA. Oklahoma ramps it up in the food category, by having an official state MEAL: fried okra, squash, cornbread, barbecue pork, biscuits, sausage and gravy, grits, corn, strawberries, chicken fried steak, pecan pie, and black-eyed peas. Whew! Just as well they don’t have an official cholesterol level, because it would be HIGH, I’m thinking.
Apparently a music-loving state, Oklahoma not only has a state song/anthem (Oklahoma from the musical of the same name), it has an official folk song, rock song, children’s song, country & western song, and waltz. Counter to most popular wisdom and the Merriam-Webster dictionary, Oklahoma has designated watermelon as its state VEGETABLE.
Oklahoma is the first state to have an official CARTOON CHARACTER. Gusty was created by meteorologist Don Wood of KTUL, to illustrate predicted weather conditions.
OREGON. Not only does Oregon have a state MOTHER and FATHER, it also has a state HOSTESS (Miss Oregon). In the agricultural area, it introduces the category of official MUSHROOM: the Pacific golden chanterelle.
Slinky and Jell-o and Harley, Oh My!
State Symbols: Pennsylvania – Wyoming
PENNSYLVANIA. The Keystone State has a playful side, as evidenced by its state TOY, which is the slinky. This isn’t as random as it might appear, though, since the slinky was invented in 1943 by 3 Pennsylvanians and was produced in Pennsylvania for more than 40 years.
Pennsylvania’s state cookie is chocolate chip. Other official state designations include a flagship, a locomotive, and an arboretum.
RHODE ISLAND. Well, 40 states into this, it’s difficult to find categories that haven’t been mentioned, but Rhode Island comes up with one. The Charles I.D. Looff Carousel (also known as the Crescent Park Carousel) was designated the Rhode Island state SYMBOL OF AMERICAN FOLK ART in 1985. Built in 1895, it’s one of the few remaining handmade carousels still in use.
Rhode Island also deviates slightly from the prevailing milk-as-state-beverage trend, naming as its drink COFFEE milk…
SOUTH CAROLINA. South Carolina shares many “officials” with its northern sister state, but it does introduce a couple of new categories. Although its state beverage is milk, South Carolina has added a state HOSPITALITY BEVERAGE, tea. The state was the first place in the U.S. where tea was grown; today, on a tea farm outside of Charleston, descendants of the original tea plants are still “at the root” of this crop.
The Low Country HANDCRAFT is the sweet-grass basket. The official music of the Palmetto state is the spiritual, while its popular music is beach music. As for the state SNACK FOOD, don’t reach into that bowl thinking you’re going to grab a handful of chips. In South Carolina, you’ll be snacking on boiled peanuts.
SOUTH DAKOTA. With South Dakota, we introduce the category of state BREAD — in this case, fry bread. South Dakota also names kuchen as its official dessert. Black Hills gold is the state JEWELRY (another new category). And the state sport is rodeo.
TENNESSEE. As might be expected of the home of the Grand Ole Opry and Elvis Presley, Tennessee has 11 state songs and has designated songwriting as its official ART FORM. The official FINE ART of the state is porcelain painting.
TEXAS. The Lone Star State brings a couple of new categories to the list of official symbols. A 2007 resolution designated the cowboy boot as the official FOOTWEAR of Texas, after a year-long effort by a 7th grade social studies class. That’s one heck of an effective lesson plan! Another first: Texas has selected the buckyball as its state MOLECULE. The Buckminsterfullerene molecule is named for its resemblance to Buckminster Fuller’s geodesic dome. Introducing another new category, Texas has named cotton as its FIBER/FABRIC.
Texas is very thorough in its food categories, designating two PASTRIES (strudel and sopaipillas) as well as fruit, vegetable, bread and state health nut (pecan, not Richard Simmons). The importance of peppers to the local cuisine is clear: in addition to both official pepper and official native pepper, the state SNACK is tortilla chips and salsa and the state DISH is chili con carne.
UTAH. Utah gives us a new SNACK FOOD: Jell-o. It also has designated both an official vegetable (Spanish sweet onion) and HISTORIC VEGETABLE (sugar beet).
VERMONT. In a classic demonstration of Yankee efficiency, Vermont uses the same fruit, apple, for both its state FRUIT and state PIE. Here’s a category we haven’t encountered before. Vermont’s state FLAVOR is maple (its tree is the sugar maple). Vermont has an official gem, mineral, and rock.
VIRGINIA. Virginia’s state BOAT is the Chesapeake Deadrise – a wooden workboat used for seafood harvesting. As with the oysters it was once used to harvest, this example of local handicrafts is disappearing from the landscape.
Surprise! Two new categories. Virginia’s state MEAT is Virginia ham; its state BAT is the Virginia big-eared bat.
WASHINGTON. For about a year there has been push to make Aplets & Cotlets the Washington state CANDY. This candy is a combination of apples (AP), apricots (COT), and nuts in a smooth confection that has been in existence since about 1920. It’s not clear whether the resolution has actually passed or whether it is still being debated.
Most states have an official vegetable, but few are as enjoyable to say as the Walla Walla Sweet Onion. Recently, Washington adopted English as its official language.
WEST VIRGINIA. Only about a dozen states have adopted official state colors. West Virginia is one of them – its colors are old gold and blue. Its adoption of bituminous coal as the state rock is appropriate, since West Virginia is the second largest producer of coal in the U.S. Only Wyoming produces more.
WISCONSIN. Efforts to name Harley-Davidson the Wisconsin state MOTORCYCLE and Lactococcus Lactis the state MICROBE failed last year due to scheduling issues which stalled the legislation. A movement to name cheese as the official SNACK is underway. Wisconsin’s state dance is the polka; its mineral is red granite.
WYOMING. This state has SIX different nicknames – a lot of appellations for the least populous state in the nation. The first state to grant women the right to vote, it became known as the Suffrage State and, later, the Equality State. It is also called the Sagebrush State the Cowboy State, Big Wyoming, and The Wonderland of America.
We’ve reached the end of our brief exploration of state symbols and designations. The choices made – and not made – reflect the individuality of the states and citizens that comprise the United States. That people cherish their unique heritages and take time to recognize and appreciate the places they live is something to be celebrated. What state beauty, tradition, or quirk would you like to see acknowledged? I’ve enjoyed my muffin encounters, but think the NAACC (National Association for the Advancement of CupCakes) might want equal time. Care to lead the charge?
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