While they’re not sovereign entities, each US state has its own flag, state seal, and numerous other symbols. Flags and seals generally date from the state’s admission to the union. Creation of other state symbols has been a little more haphazard. In general, official state symbols are designated as such by the state legislature.
Origin of State Symbols
Some attribute the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago as the inspiration. The fair included a ‘National Garland of Flowers’ with a representative flower from each state. With the exception of Washington, which designated the Coast Rhododendron as its state flower in 1892, all symbols were established after the fair.
State Flowers
Given the inspiration, it’s not surprising that the earliest state symbols were typically flowers. In fact, flowers were the first designated symbol in 44 of the states. Surprisingly, Hawaii’s Yellow Hibiscus (1988) was the last officially adopted state flower. Rhode Island doesn’t have an official state flower, but the Violet, has been the unofficial flower since 1968. Alaska recognized the Forget-Me-Not as their flower more than decade (1949) before becoming a state.
Avian State Symbols
After flowers, most states dove into birds. Unlike flowers, every state has at least one state bird. Seven share the Cardinal. The next two most popular are the Western Meadowlark and the Mockingbird. Eleven states recognize more than one type of state bird. These include gamebirds (turkey), raptors (2 states), and waterfowl (2 states). Additionally, Wisconsin declared the Eastern Morning Dove, the state symbol of peace.
Other State Symbols
Once state legislatures discovered how popular, and politically easy, designating state symols was they went crazy. Many states have dozens of different officially designated state symbols. Here are a few of the more pecurliar state symbols.
State Sport
Maryland’s first designated state sport was jousting. While the sport does feature lances, it doesn’t include armor clad knights charging each other. Each rider uses a slender lance to ‘spear’ rings hanging beneath arches. The rider has 8 seconds to complete an 80-yard course. In the ’90s I watched a jousting event. It was in Virginia, but I suspect the same rules apply.
State Necktie
In 1971 Arizona designated the bolo tie as the official state neckwear. In 1987 New Mexico’s legislature passed a non-binding resolution to make the bolo tie the state’s official neckwear. I have no idea why they bothered.
State Songs
Forty-eight of the fifty states have at least one official state song. New Jersey has never designated an official song. In 2021 Maryland rescinded the official status of Maryland, My Maryland, because of its pro-Confederacy lyrics. At the other end of the spectrum, Tennessee has ten official state songs and a bicentennial rap. New Mexico has both a bilingual and a Spanish state song, while Massachusetts has a state Polka.
As always thanks for reading.
Armen
Note to Pay the Bills: While state symbols play no part in, the Misaligned series, it does include many references to the flora and fauna of NY. If you’ve ever wondered how to mix theoretical physics and Welsh mythology in a YA fantasty story, you can learn more here or find links to purchase books here.
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