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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
Permalink | Comments (16) | Post your comment | Categories: Uniquely Georgia
Comments
By Goober
August 18, 2008 8:44 AM | Link to this
The official state tea should be “sweet tea”
By ATC
August 18, 2008 8:45 AM | Link to this
Where may one purchase the Georgia Tartan Fabric?
By Jeffrey
August 18, 2008 9:44 AM | Link to this
And all this time I thought the state reptile was a Republican politician!
By jgumbrecht_0508aa
August 18, 2008 9:45 AM | Link to this
ATC, that’s a great question. I’ll see what kind of answer I can find for you.
By HB
August 18, 2008 10:06 AM | Link to this
I thought the Jekyll-VSU musical theater each summer was no more. A real shame too — it was great!
By Wampum
August 18, 2008 10:08 AM | Link to this
State Crossdresser: The Lady Chablis
By DecaturAnn
August 18, 2008 10:11 AM | Link to this
The Stone Mountain Highland Games will be held October 18-19 at Stone Mountain Park. Anyone looking for the Georgia tartan or your family’s tartan and history would be able to find them from one of the vendors.
By Zedd
August 18, 2008 10:23 AM | Link to this
So if the State Crop is the peanut, then why are we “The Peach State”??
By John
August 18, 2008 10:32 AM | Link to this
Strathmore, one of Scotland’s premier tartan mills, makes Georgia Modern in a somewhat light (for wool) T7. It seems to be about the only state tartan widely made, very possibly because of the Stone Mountain Highland Games. One could buy the tartan there (about $50/yard at 61” width, plus shipping from Scotland), purchase a made-to-order scarf or something, contact them for a regional supplier, or wait a couple of months for the Games.
By MyOpinion
August 18, 2008 11:19 AM | Link to this
Zedd
The state fruit is “Peach”
By Wampum
August 18, 2008 11:23 AM | Link to this
I thought that was Baton Bob!
By O'Rly
August 18, 2008 12:35 PM | Link to this
I nominate Jeffrey as the state wuss.
By War Eagle
August 18, 2008 1:17 PM | Link to this
It appears that we had so many pines, that with the southern drawl, Pitch tree became Peach tree. Here’s one that they did not have-Official Slogan: Give me Liberty or give me Reparations!
By Julie
August 18, 2008 1:50 PM | Link to this
I was taught that Sidney Lanier was the poet laureate of Georgia. When did that change? Do we get a new one from time to time?
By Get Real
August 18, 2008 1:54 PM | Link to this
State rallying slogan….”Lets get the white man.”
By jgumbrecht_0508aa
August 18, 2008 2:43 PM | Link to this
Hi Julie…my quick search says that Sidney Lanier was never poet laureate, although I see the title before his name pretty often. I’ll dig around and see if I can find an answer for you!