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Monday, August 18, 2008
Learn your Georgia state symbols!
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Today, a quick return to fourth grade: let’s learn our Georgia state symbols.
They are people, animals, objects and events designated by our General Assembly because they represent the state. Some are long-standing designations, like the state seal and motto. Others are fresher, like the tree frog, which earned the title of “state amphibian” in 2005 after a group of students from Armuchee Middle School near Rome lobbied for it. (Gov. Sonny Perdue made it official with a real tree frog sitting next to him.)
We have a state plaid, a state dance, a state beef cook-off and a state pork cook-off. Our state ‘Possum is my favorite: Walt Kelly’s Pogo, one of the creatures from the Okefenokee Swamp.
Consider it conversation fodder, and proof that you can accurately refer to Georgia as “The Right Whale State” or “The Knobbed Whelk State.
Check out the list behind the jump and tell me: any other symbols you’d like to see for our state?
Here’s the list from the Secretary of State.
- Amphibian: Green Tree Frog
- Art Museum: Georgia Museum of Art
- Atlas: Atlas of Georgia
- Ballet: Atlanta Ballet
- Beef Cook Off: “Shoot the Bull”
- Bird: Brown Thrasher
- Botanical Garden: The State Botanical Garden of Georgia
- Butterfly: Tiger Swallowtail
- Creed: Georgian’s Creed
- Crop: Peanut
- Fish: Largemouth Bass
- Flag: State Flag
- Flower: Cherokee Rose
- Folk Dance: Square Dancing
- Folk Festival: The Georgia Folk Festival
- Folk Life Play: “Swamp Gravy”
- Fossil: Shark Tooth
- Fruit: Peach
- Game Bird: Bobwhite Quail
- Gem: Quartz
- Historic Drama: “The Reach of Song”
- Insect: Honeybee
- Marine Mammal: Right Whale
- Mineral: Staurolite
- Motto: “Wisdom, Justice & Moderation”
- Musical Theatre: “Jekyll Island Musical Theatre Festival”
- Peanut Monument: Turner County Peanut Monument
- Poet Laureate: David Bottoms
- Pork Cook Off: “Slosheye Trail Big Pig Jig”
- ‘Possum: Pogo ‘Possum
- Poultry: “The Poultry Capitol of the World”
- Prepared Food: Grits
- Railroad Museum: Historic Railroad Shops
- Reptile: Gopher Tortoise
- School: Plains High School
- Seal: Great Seal
- Seashell: Knobbed Whelk
- Song: “Georgia on My Mind”
- Tartan: Georgia Tartan
- Theatre: The Springer Opera House
- Tree: Live Oak
- Transportation History Museum: Southeastern Railway Museum
- Vegetable: Vidalia Sweet Onion
- Waltz: “Our Georgia”
- Wildflower: Azalea
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