Growing up as a Kid in Maryland, I knew that my State Flower was the Black Eyed Susan, My State Bird was a Baltimore Oriole and that my state song was "Maryland My Maryland" (sung to the tune of Tannenbaum O Tannenbaum or to me, Christmas Tree Oh Christmas Tree).
What I didn't know, is how Official State Symbols come to be, They actually take an act of the General Assembly of Maryland and are numbered Articles or Codes of Government. WOW
Now that I have grown up I've discovered that Maryland has a lot more Offical State Symbols:
A State Sport which is Jousting?,
A State Dog - the gorgeous Chesapeake Bay Retriever (since 1964)
A State Tree - the White Oak (since 1941)
A State Fish (since 1965)- The Striped Bass - We call it a "Rockfish" and it is Delicious
A State Crustacean - (since)1989 The Maryland Blue Crab (nothing in the world like these!)
A State Horse - (since 2003) The Thoroughbred Horse
A State Drink - Milk since 1998
A State Reptile - (since 1994) the Diamondback Terrapin
Also University of Maryland Athletic Mascot since 1933 - Yeah Go TERPS!
A State Gem - The Patuxent River Stone since 2004
A State Folk Dance - since 1994 it's been Square Dancing
A State Boat - The Skipjack since 1985
A State Insect - The Baltimore Checkerspot Butterfly
My biggest surprise is that since 2001 Maryland has had an Offical State Cat? It is a Calico Cat!
"Effective October 1, 2001, the calico cat became the official cat of Maryland (Chapter 194, Acts of 2001; Code State Government Article, sec. 13-317). Its colors of orange, black, and white are shared with the Baltimore oriole (State bird) and the Baltimore Checkerspot butterfly (State insect)."
Just for fun and trivia Do you know what all your state symbols are and what they are all about?
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