### Facts about each US state

Guess the US states

The various state nicknames and so on are well documented on the web. They are usually listed by state, so I thought that I would compare them to each other.

State nicknames and mottos State flowers, trees, grass and fruit State birds, animals, insects and reptiles State fish, amphibians, marine animals and shells State fossils, gemstones, minerals, rocks and soil State drink, fruit, vegetable and others (muffins, etc.) Other State emblems Facts (serious or frivolous) about each US state

State | State nickname | State motto (translation) | Language of motto
--- | --- | --- | ---
Alabama | Yellowhammer State | Audemus jura nostra defendere (We Dare Maintain Our Rights) | Latin
Alaska | Great Land | North To The Future
Arizona | Grand Canyon State | Ditat Deus (God Enriches) | Latin
Arkansas | Natural State | Regnat Populus (The People Rule) | Latin
California | Golden State | Eureka (I have found it!) | Greek
Colorado | Centennial State | Nil sine numine (Nothing without Providence) | Latin
Connecticut | Constitution State | Qui transtulit sustinet (He who transplanted sustains) | Latin
Delaware | First State | Liberty and Independence
Florida | Sunshine State | In God We Trust
Georgia | Peach State | Wisdom, Justice, and Moderation
Hawaii | Aloha State | Ua mau ke ea o ka aina i ka pono (The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness) | Hawaiian
Idaho | Gem State | Esto perpetua (Let it be perpetual) | Latin
Illinois | Land of Lincoln | State sovereignty, national union
Indiana | Crossroads of America | The Crossroads of America
Iowa | Hawkeye State | Our Liberties We Prize and Our Rights We Will Maintain
Kansas | Sunflower State | Ad Astra Per Aspera (To the Stars Through Difficulties) | Latin
Kentucky | Bluegrass State | United We Stand, Divided We Fall
Louisiana | Pelican State | Union, justice, and confidence
Maine | Pine Tree State | Dirigo (I lead) | Latin
Maryland | Free State | Fatti maschii parole femine (strong deeds, gentle words ) | Italian
Massachusetts | Bay State | Ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem (By the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty) | Latin
Michigan | Wolverine State | Si Quaeris Peninsulam Amoenam Circumspice (If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you.) | Latin
Minnesota | North Star State | L'Etoile du nord (Star of the north) | French
Mississippi | Show Me State | Salus Populi Suprema Lex Esto (Let the Welfare of the People be the Supreme Law) | Latin
Missouri | Magnolia State | Virtute et armis (By valor and arms) | Latin
Montana | Treasure State | Oro y Plata (gold and silver) | Spanish
Nebraska | Cornhusker State | Equality before the law
Nevada | Sagebrush State | All for our country
New Hampshire | Granite State | Live Free or Die
New Jersey | Garden State | Liberty and Prosperity
New Mexico | Land of Enchantment | Crescit eundo (It grows as it goes) | Latin
New York | Empire State | Excelsior (higher) | Latin
North Carolina | Tarheel State | Esse quam videri (To be, rather than to seem) | Latin
North Dakota | Peace Garden State | Liberty and Union Now and Forever, One and Inseparable
Ohio | Buckeye State | With God all things are possible
Oklahoma | Sooner State | Labor Omnia Vincit (Labor Conquers All Things) | Latin
Oregon | Beaver State | She Flies With Her Own Wings
Pennsylvania | Keystone State | Virtue, Liberty, and Independence
Rhode Island | Little Rhody | Hope
South Carolina | Palmetto State | Dum spiro spero (while I breathe, I hope) Animis opibusque parati (Ready in soul and resource) | Latin
South Dakota | Mount Rushmore State | Under God the people rule
Tennessee | Volunteer State | Agriculture and Commerce
Texas | Lone Star State | Friendship
Utah | Beehive State | Industry
Vermont | Green Mountain State | Freedom and unity
Virginia | Old Dominion | Sic Semper Tyrannis (Thus Always to Tyrants) | Latin
Washington | Evergreen State | Alki (bye and bye) | Chinook
West Virginia | Mountain State | Montani semper liberi (Mountaineers are always free) | Latin
Wisconsin | Badger State | Forward
Wyoming | Equality State | Equal Rights

Explanations of state nicknames

## State flowers, trees, grass and fruit

The states do not always use the neat categories below. Some states introduce sub-categories, such as wild flower. I have ignored these and clustered them together where necessary. I have also removed Latin names. If you want an accurate description, then I suggest that you access the relevant state government website. This is purely to compare the different states.

State | flower | tree | grass/grain/crop
--- | --- | --- | ---
Alabama | Camellia | Longleaf Pine |
Alaska | Forget-me-not | Sitka Spruce |
Arizona | Saguaro Blossom | Palo Verde |
Arkansas | Apple Blossom | Pine |
California | California Poppy | California Redwood | Purple Needlegrass
Colorado | Rocky Mountain Columbine | Colorado Spruce | Blue grama
Connecticut | Mountain Laurel | The Charter Oak |
Delaware | Peach Blossom | American Holly |
Florida | Orange blossom | Sabal Palm |
Georgia | Cherokee rose & Azalea | Southern live oak | peanut (crop)
Hawaii | Yellow Hibiscus | Kukui |
Idaho | Syringa | Western White Pine |
Illinois | Purple violet | White oak | Big Bluestem
Indiana | Peony | Tulip / Yellow Poplar |
Iowa | Wild Prairie Rose | Oak |
Kansas | Common Sunflower | Eastern Cottonwood |
Kentucky | Goldenrod | Tulip Tree |
Louisiana | Magnolia & Louisiana Iris | Baldcypress |
Maine | White pine cone and tassel | White Pine |
Maryland | Black-Eyed Susan | White Oak |
Massachusetts | Mayflower | American Elm |
Michigan | Apple Blossom & Dwarf Lake Iris | White Pine |
Minnesota | Pink and White Lady Slipper | Red (Norway) Pine | Wild Rice
Mississippi | Magnolia | Magnolia |
Missouri | Hawthorn | Flowering Dogwood |
Montana | Bitterroot | Ponderosa Pine | Bluebunch Wheatgrass
Nebraska | Goldenrod | Cottonwood | Little Bluestem
Nevada | Sagebrush | Single-leaf Pinon & Bristlecone Pine | Indian Rye Grass
New Hampshire | Purple Lilac & Pink Lady's Slipper | White Birch |
New Jersey | Purple Violet | Red Oak |
New Mexico | Yucca Flower | Nut Pine or Pinon Tree | Blue Grama Grass
New York | Rose | Sugar Maple |
North Carolina | Dogwood | Pine |
North Dakota | Wild Prairie Rose | American Elm | Western Wheatgrass
Ohio | Scarlet Carnation & Large White Trilium | Ohio Buckeye |
Oklahoma | Mistletoe & Indian Blanket | Redbud | Indian Grass
Oregon | Oregon Grape | Douglas Fir |
Pennsylvania | Mountain Laurel | Eastern Hemlock |
Rhode Island | Violet | Red Maple |
South Carolina | Carolina Jessamine | Cabbage Palmetto | Indian Grass
South Dakota | Pasque Flower | Black Hills Spruce | Western wheat grass
Tennessee | Iris & Passion Flower | Tulip Poplar |
Texas | Bluebonnet | Pecan | Sideoats gramma Cotton (fibre & fabric)
Utah | Sego Lily | Blue Spruce | Indian ricegrass
Vermont | Red Clover | Sugar Maple |
Virginia | American Dogwood | Flowering Dogwood |
Washington | Coast Rhododendron | Western Hemlock | Bluebunch Wheatgrass
West Virginia | Big Laurel | Sugar Maple |
Wisconsin | Wood Violet | Sugar Maple | Corn
Wyoming | Indian Paintbrush | Cottonwood |

An interesting collection which certainly gives an idea of the different states. I like the grasses!

## State birds, animals, insects and reptiles

The states do not always use the neat categories below. Some states introduce sub-categories, such as domestic animal, mammal or game bird. I have ignored these and clustered them together where necessary. If you want an accurate description, then I suggest that you access the relevant state government website. This is purely to compare the different states.

State | bird | animal, etc. | insect | reptile
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Alabama | Yellowhammer | Black Bear & Racking Horse |  | Red-bellied turtle
Alaska | Willow Ptarmigan | Moose | Skimmer Dragonfly |
Arizona | Cactus Wren | Ringtail Cat | Two-Tailed Swallowtail | Ridgenose Rattlesnake
Arkansas | Mockingbird | White-tailed Deer | Honeybee |
California | California Quail | California grizzly bear | California dogface butterfly | Desert Tortoise
Colorado | Lark Bunting | Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep | Colorado Hairstreak Butterfly |
Connecticut | American Robin | Sperm Whale | European Mantis |
Delaware | Blue Hen chicken | Pogo possum | Ladybug & Tiger Swallowtail |
Florida | Mockingbird | Florida Panther | Zebra Longwing Butterfly | American Alligator
Georgia | Brown Thrasher & Bobwhite quail |  | Honeybee & Tiger swallowtail | Gopher tortoise
Hawaii | Nene | Humpback Whale |  |
Idaho | Mountain bluebird & Peregrine falcon |  | Monarch butterfly |
Illinois | Cardinal | White-tailed Deer | Monarch Butterfly | Painted Turtle
Indiana | Cardinal |  |  |
Iowa | Eastern Goldfinch |  |  |
Kansas | Western Meadowlark | American Buffalo | Honeybee | Ornate Box Turtle
Kentucky | Cardinal | Gray Squirrel | Viceroy Butterfly |
Louisiana | Brown Pelican | Black Bear | Honeybee | Alligator
Maine | Chickadee | Moose | Honeybee |
Maryland | Baltimore Oriole |  | Baltimore Checkerspot Butterfly | Diamondback Terrapin
Massachusetts | Black-capped Chickadee & Wild Turkey |  | Ladybug |
Michigan | Robin |  |  | Painted Turtle
Minnesota | Common Loon |  | Monarch |
Mississippi | Mockingbird & Waterfowl Wood Duck | White-tailed Deer & fox | Honeybee & Spicebush Swallowtail |
Missouri | Bluebird | Missouri Mule | Honeybee |
Montana | Western Meadowlark | Grizzly Bear | Mourning Cloak |
Nebraska | Western Meadowlark | White-tailed Deer | Honeybee |
Nevada | Mountain Bluebird | Desert Bighorn Sheep |  | Desert Tortoise
New Hampshire | Purple Finch | White-tail Deer | Ladybug & Karner Blue |
New Jersey | Eastern Goldfinch | Horse | Honeybee |
New Mexico | Chaparral Bird (Roadrunner) | Black Bear | Tarantula Hawk Wasp |
New York | Bluebird | Beaver | Ladybug |
North Carolina | Cardinal | Grey Squirrel | Honeybee | Eastern Box Turtle
North Dakota | Western Meadowlark |  |  |
Ohio | Cardinal | White-tailed Deer | Ladybug | Black Racer Snake
Oklahoma | Scissor-tailed Flycatcher & Wild Turkey | Bison & Racoon & White-tail deer | Honeybee | Collared Lizard
Oregon | Western Meadowlark | Beaver | Oregon Swallowtail |
Pennsylvania | Ruffed Grouse | Whitetail Deer | Firefly |
Rhode Island | Rhode Island Red |  |  |
South Carolina | Carolina Wren & Wild Turkey | Whitetail Deer | Carolina Mantid & Carolina Wolf Spider | Loggerhead Sea Turtle
South Dakota | Ring-necked Pheasant | Coyote | Honeybee |
Tennessee | Mockingbird & Bobwhite Quail | Racoon | Firefly & Ladybug & Honeybee & Zebra Swallowtail Butterfly | Eastern Box Turtle
Texas | Mockingbird | Armadillo & Longhorn & Mexican Free-tailed Bat | Monarch Butterfly | Texas Horned Lizard
Utah | California Gull | Rocky Mountain elk | Honeybee |
Vermont | Hermit Thrush | Morgan Horse | Monarch Butterfly/Honeybee |
Virginia | Cardinal |  | Tiger Swallowtail |
Washington | Willow Goldfinch |  | Green Darner Dragonfly |
West Virginia | Cardinal | Black Bear | Monarch Butterfly |
Wisconsin | Robin | Badger & Dairy Cow & White-tailed Deer | Honeybee |
Wyoming | Western Meadowlark | Bison |  | Horned Toad

These are essentially land-based animals, although Connecticut and Hawaii have firmly specified whales as their state animal (and why not!) There are some turtles among the reptiles as well. By the way, don't be rude to Wyoming, their 'Horned Toad' is in fact a lizard (and I must admit it does look like a toad).
There are 7 Cardinals and 5 Mockingbirds among the birds. Under animals we have 10 white-tailed deer. I am particularly unimpressed with the originality of state insects. There are 16 states with Honeybee as insect, 6 Ladybugs, 6 Monarch (as insect or butterfly) and 7 Swallowtails (of different types, admittedly). There are other insects, you know! New Mexico has a Tarantula Hawk Wasp and South Carolina has a Carolina Mantid as state insect and a Carolina Wolf Spider as a state spider (quite rightly, as it isn't an insect of course). I must make a special commendation for Delaware, who have a State Macroinvertebrate (a Stonefly). It's not included above, as no-one else has thought of that category!

## State fish, amphibians, marine animals and shells

The states do not always use the neat categories below. Some states introduce sub-categories, such as salt or freshwater fish. I have ignored these and clustered them together where necessary. If you want an accurate description, then I suggest that you access the relevant state government website. This is purely to compare the different states.

State | fish | amphibian | marine animal | shell etc.
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Alabama |  |  |  |
Alaska | King Salmon |  | Bowhead Whale |
Arizona | Apache Trout |  |  |
Arkansas |  |  |  |
California | Golden Trout & Garibaldi |  | Gray Whale |
Colorado | Greenback cutthroat trout |  |  |
Connecticut |  |  |  | Eastern Oyster
Delaware | Weakfish |  | Horseshoe Crab |
Florida | Sailfish & Florida Largemouth Bass |  | West Indian Manatee & Dolphin | Horse Conch
Georgia | Largemouth bass |  | Right whale | Knobbed whelk
Hawaii | Rectangular Triggerfish |  |  |
Idaho | Cutthroat trout |  |  |
Illinois | Bluegill | Eastern Tiger Salamander |  |
Indiana |  |  |  |
Iowa |  |  |  |
Kansas | Channel Catfish | Barred Tiger Salamander |  |
Kentucky | Kentucky Spotted Bass |  |  |
Louisiana | White Perch | Green Tree Frog |  | Crawfish
Maine | Landlocked Salmon |  |  |
Maryland | Rockfish |  |  | Blue Crab
Massachusetts | Cod |  | Right Whale | New England Neptune
Michigan | Brook Trout |  |  |
Minnesota | Walleye Pike |  |  |
Mississippi | Largemouth or Black Bass |  | Bottlenose Dolphin | Oyster Shell
Missouri |  | American Bullfrog |  |
Montana | Blackspotted Cutthroat Trout |  |  |
Nebraska | Channel Catfish |  |  |
Nevada | Lahontan Cutthroat Trout |  |  |
New Hampshire | Brook Trout & Striped Bass | Spotted Newt |  |
New Jersey | Brook Trout |  |  | Knobbed whelk
New Mexico | Rio Grande Cuttthroat Trout |  |  |
New York | BrookTrout |  |  | Bay Scallop
North Carolina | Channel Bass |  |  | Scotch Bonnet
North Dakota | Northern Pike |  |  |
Ohio |  |  |  |
Oklahoma | White Bass | Bull Frog |  |
Oregon | Chinook Salmon |  |  | Oregon Hairy Triton
Pennsylvania | Brook Trout |  |  |
Rhode Island | Striped Bass |  |  | Quahaug
South Carolina | Striped Bass | Spotted Salamander |  | Lettered Olive
South Dakota | Walleye |  |  |
Tennessee | Channel Catfish & Largemouth Bass | Tennessee Cave Salamander |  |
Texas | Guadelupe Bass |  |  | Lightning Whelk
Utah | Bonneville Cutthroat Trout |  |  |
Vermont | Brook Trout & Walleye Pike | Northern Leopard Frog |  |
Virginia | Brook Trout |  |  | Oyster Shell
Washington | Steelhead Trout |  |  |
West Virginia | Brook Trout |  |  |
Wisconsin | Muskellunge |  |  |
Wyoming | Cutthroat Trout |  |  |

These are essentially water-based categories, and since many states are land-locked, you wouldn't expect them to figure. I've put amphibians here as they tend to need water. There seems to be a strong interest in fishes. Obviously fishing is a popular US sport.

## State fossils, gemstones, minerals, rocks and soil

The states do not always use the neat categories below. Some states introduce sub-categories, such as dinosaur. I have ignored these and clustered them together where necessary. There is also a little confusion as to whether a 'stone' is a gemstone or a rock.If you want an accurate description, then I suggest that you access the relevant state government website. This is purely to compare the different states.

State | fossil | gemstone | mineral | rock | soil
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Alabama |  |  |  |  |
Alaska | Woolly Mammoth | Jade |  |  |
Arizona | Petrified wood | Turquoise | Fire Agate |  | Arizona Casa-Grande
Arkansas |  | Diamond | Quartz Crystal | Bauxite | Stuttgart Soil Series
California | Saber-toothed cat | Benitoite | Gold | Serpentine | San Joaquin soil
Colorado | Stegosaurus | Aquamarine | Rhodochrosite | Yule Marble |
Connecticut | Eubrontes giganteus | Garnet |  |  |
Delaware | Belemnite |  | Sillimanite |  | Greenwich Loam
Florida |  |  |  |  |
Georgia | shark tooth | quartz | Staurolite |  |
Hawaii |  | Black Coral |  |  |
Idaho | Hagerman Horse | Idaho star garnet |  |  |
Illinois | Tully Monster |  | Fluorite |  | Drummer Silty Clay Loam
Indiana |  |  |  | Limestone |
Iowa |  |  |  | Geode |
Kansas |  |  |  |  | Harney silt loam
Kentucky | Brachiopod | Freshwater Pearl | Coal | Kentucky Agate | Crider Soil Series,
Louisiana | Petrified Palmwood | Agate |  |  |
Maine | Pertica quadrifaria, | Tourmaline |  |  | Chesuncook Soil Series
Maryland | Ecphora gardnerae gardnerae & Astrodon johnstoni |  |  |  |
Massachusetts | Dinosaur Tracks, | Rhodonite |  | Roxbury Puddingstone |
Michigan | Mastodon | Isle Royal Greenstone |  | Petoskey Stone | Kalkaska soil series
Minnesota |  | Lake Superior Agate |  |  |
Mississippi | Prehistoric Whale |  |  | Petrified Wood |
Missouri | Crinoid |  | Galena |  |
Montana | Duck-billed Dinosaur | Yogo Sapphire & Agate |  |  |
Nebraska | Mammoth | Blue Chalcedony (Blue Agate) |  | Prairie Agate | Holdrege series
Nevada | Ichthyosaur | Virgin Valley Black Fire Opal & Nevada Turquoise | Silver | Sandstone |
New Hampshire |  | Smoky Quartz | Beryl | Granite |
New Jersey | Dinosaur Hadrosaurus foulkii |  |  |  |
New Mexico | Coelophysis Dinosaur | Turquoise |  |  |
New York | Sea Scorpion | Garnet |  |  |
North Carolina |  | Emerald |  | Granite |
North Dakota | Teredo Petrified Wood |  |  |  |
Ohio | Isotelus | Ohio Flint |  |  |
Oklahoma | Saurophaganax Maximus |  |  | Rose Rock | Port Silt Loam
Oregon |  | Sunstone |  | Thunderegg |
Pennsylvania | Trilobite |  |  |  |
Rhode Island |  |  | Bowenite | Cumberlandite |
South Carolina |  | Amethyst |  | Blue Granite |
South Dakota | Triceratops | Fairborn Agate | Rose Quartz |  | Houdek soil
Tennessee |  | Tennessee Pearl | Agate | Limestone |
Texas | Dinosaur Brachiosaur sauropod, Pleurocoelus | Texas Blue Topaz |  | Petrified Palmwood |
Utah | Allosaurus | Topaz | Copper, | Coal |
Vermont | White Whale | Grossular garnet | Talc | Granite | Tunbridge Soil Series
Virginia | Chesapecten jeffersonius |  |  |  |
Washington | Columbian Mammoth | Petrified Wood |  |  |
West Virginia |  | Lithostrotionella |  |  | Monongahela Silt Loam
Wisconsin | Trilobite |  | Galena | Red Granite | Antigo Silt Loam
Wyoming | Knightia / Dinosaur Triceratops | Jade |  |  |

This is a splendid collection! There is a wide variety, and good local knowledge, with particular interest in fossils. Even rocks and soil are considered.

## State drink, fruit, vegetable and others (muffins, etc.)

The states do not always use the neat categories below. Some states say beverage rather than drink (Alabama unashamably says State Spirit!). I have ignored these and clustered them together where necessary. If you want an accurate description, then I suggest that you access the relevant state government website. This is purely to compare the different states.

State | drink | fruit/berry | vegetable | other
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Alabama | Conecuh Ridge Alabama Fine Whiskey | blackberry |  |
Alaska |  |  |  |
Arizona |  |  |  |
Arkansas | Milk | South Arkansas Vine Ripe Pink Tomato | South Arkansas Vine Ripe Pink Tomato |
California | Wine |  |  |
Colorado |  |  |  |
Connecticut |  |  |  |
Delaware | Milk |  |  |
Florida | Orange juice | orange |  | pie: Key lime pie
Georgia |  | peach | Vidalia Sweet Onion | prepared food: Grits
Hawaii |  |  |  | muffin: Coconut muffin
Idaho |  | Huckleberry |  | food: potato
Illinois |  |  |  | snack food: Popcorn
Indiana |  |  |  |
Iowa |  |  |  |
Kansas |  |  |  |
Kentucky | Milk | Blackberry |  |
Louisiana | Milk | Strawberry | Sweet potato | jellies: Mayhaw jelly & Louisiana sugar cane jelly State meat pie: Natchitoches Meat Pie
Maine | Moxie | Wild Blueberry |  |
Maryland | Milk |  |  | food: Blue crabs
Massachusetts | Cranberry Juice | Cranberry |  | muffin: Corn muffin bean: Baked navy bean dessert: Boston cream pie cookie: Chocolate chip cookie donut: Boston crème donut
Michigan |  | Honeycrisp apple |  | muffin: Blueberry muffin mushroom: Morel
Minnesota | Milk |  |  |
Mississippi | Milk |  |  |
Missouri |  |  |  |
Montana |  |  |  |
Nebraska | Milk & Kool-Aid |  |  |
Nevada |  |  |  |
New Hampshire |  | Pumpkin |  |
New Jersey |  | Highbush Blueberry |  |
New Mexico |  |  |  | cookie: Bizcochito
New York |  | Apple |  | muffin: Apple muffin
North Carolina | Milk | strawberry & blueberry & Scuppernong grape | Sweet potato |
North Dakota | Milk |  |  |
Ohio | Tomato Juice |  |  |
Oklahoma | Milk |  |  | Meal: Fried okra, squash, cornbread, barbecue pork, biscuits, sausage and gravy, grits, corn, strawberries, chicken fried steak, pecan pie, and black-eyed peas
Oregon | Milk | Pear | mushroom: Pacific Golden Chanterelle nut: Hazelnut |
Pennsylvania | Milk |  |  | cookie: Chocolate chip cookie
Rhode Island | Coffee Milk | Rhode Island greening (Apple) |  |
South Carolina | Milk (beverage) & South Carolina Grown Tea | Peach |  |
South Dakota | Milk |  |  | bread: Native American fry bread dessert: Kucken
Tennessee |  |  |  |
Texas |  | Texas Red Grapefruit | pepper: Jalapeño native pepper: Chiltepin | bread:Pan de campo dish: Chili nut: Pecan pastries: Sopaipilla and Strudel snack: Tortilla chips and salsa
Utah |  | Cherry | Spanish sweet onion | historic vegetable: Sugar beet snack food: Jell-O
Vermont | Milk | Apple |  | pie: Apple pie
Virginia | Milk |  |  |
Washington |  | Apple |  | muffin: Blueberry muffin
West Virginia |  | Golden Delicious apple |  |
Wisconsin | Milk |  |  |
Wyoming |  |  |  |

All those US milk drinkers in America - we never realised! Hardly anyone drinks a soft drink, and only Alabama and California drink any alcohol at all. And as for the last column - oh dear, oh dear! Cookies and muffins and snacks as your state foods! And not that many entries in the vegetable column. I do like Oklahoma's state meal, though. If you think of it as a choice of food, it gives a wonderful sense of local foods.
As noted below, Arkansas does have their tomato as both a fruit and a vegetable.

### Other State emblems

I have ignored several categories of emblems. Some cats have state cats, dogs or horses, but not enough, so it would make a rather a sparse table. I have ignored state tartans, or registered state stars.
I have also ignored dances. No less than 21 states have Square Dancing as their dance or folk dance. If you can't think of any other type of dance, why not have a particular type of square dance? There are some waltzes. California dances the West Coast Swing and South Carolina dances the Carolina Shag. Hula is Hawaii's state dance (of course), but the best of all is Wisconsin, with the Polka.
Finally, I like the New Mexico state question "Red or Green?" It refers to the color of pepper you are offered in local restaurants.

### Facts (serious or frivolous) about each US state

Alabama - The Civil Rights Movement started in Alabama.
Alaska - Gold was discovered in Alaska in 1872 which led to a gold rush.
Arizona - The Grand Canyon is a great chasm carved by the Colorado River.
Arkansas - The South Arkansas Vine Ripe Pink Tomato is both the state fruit and the state vegetable of Arkansas. The state legislature has decided that the tomato is botanically a fruit and used as a vegetable.
California - Death Valley is mostly in California, although partof it is in Nevada.
Colorado - The Colorado mountains, part of the Rockies, are popular with climbers and skiers.
Connecticut - Mark Twain lived some time in Connecticut, and his house is now a museum.
Delaware - Delaware was the first state to ratify the Constitution of the United States.
Florida - Everglades are wetlands with alligators.
Georgia - The Atlanta Campaign was part of the American Civil War.
Hawaii - Hawaii is famous for its active active volcanoes.
Idaho - Ernest Hemingway died in Idaho.
Illinois - Abraham Lincoln was self-taught. He became a leading lawyer in Illinois which led to his political career.
Indiana - Johnny Appleseed is buried in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He planted many apple orchards.
Iowa - American Gothic is a painting of an Iowa farmer and his daughter.
Kansas - The Wizard of Oz starts with a tornado in Kansas.
Kentucky - The Hatfield-McCoy Feud took place between the McCoys of Kentucky and the Hatfields of West Virginia.
Louisiana - New Orleans' famous festival is the Mardi Gras.
Maine - A favourite meal from Maine and the rest of New England is Clam Chowder.
Maryland - The Star-Spangled Banner, America's national Anthem, was written about the bombardment of Fort McHenry in Baltimore, Maryland, by British ships in 1812.
Massachusetts - Plymouth Colony founded by the Pilgrims who arrived on the Mayflower, 1620.
Michigan - Isle Royale is an island in Lake Mitchigan with wolves and moose. The moose arrived in about 1900, and the wolves crossed an ice bridge to the island in about 1950.
Minnesota - Bob Dylan was born in Minnesota and went to university there.
Mississippi - This state is named after the Mississippi River although this river borders several states.
Missouri - The Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri, is 630 feet high, the highest USA monument.
Montana - The Battle of Little Big Horn took place in Montana. This is known as Custer's Last Stand. It was between the Sioux and the US Seventh Cavalry.
Nebraska - Buffalo Bill's Wild West was founded in 1883 in Omaha, Nebraska by William F. Cody.
Nevada - Las Vegas - the city of bright lights surrounded by desert.
New Hampshire - Dixville Notch, New Hampshire is known for being one of the first places to declare the results in Presidential elections. It has a small number of electors, and polls are closed when they have all voted, then are counted.
New Jersey - Several battles against the British took place in New Jersey during the American Revolutionary War (which the British call the American War of Independence).
New Mexico - The first atomic bomb test took place in New Mexico in 1945.
New York - New York City is known for its skyscrapers. The Chrysler Building is particulary impressive.
North Carolina - In 1903, Wilbur and Orville Wright built and flew the first powered airplane from Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.
North Dakota - The geographic center of the North American continent is located near the city of Rugby in North Dakota.
Ohio - Thomas Edison, the famous inventor was born in Milan, Ohio.
Oklahoma - The State Meal in Oklahoma is fried okra, squash, cornbread, barbecue pork, biscuits, sausage and gravy, grits, corn, strawberries, chicken fried steak, pecan pie, and black-eyed peas.
Oregon - The Oregan Trail was a route which pioneers travelled in wagons to settle new parts of the United States of America. It ended in Oregan.
Pennsylvania - The Liberty Bell was rung on July 8, 1776 summoning citizens to hear the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence.
Rhode Island - Rode Island Red are a breed of chicken. It was originally developed in Massachusetts and Rhode Island in the 1880's and 1890's.
South Carolina - South Carolina was the first state to secede from the Union before the Civil War.
South Dakota - Mount Rushmore has the faces of four American presidents carved into it.
Tennessee - Davy Crockett was born in Tennessee and became Congressman there.
Texas - The Battle of the Alamo led to Texas joining the USA.
Utah - The Great Salt Lake has no outlet. Tributary rivers are constantly bringing in small amounts of salt dissolved in their fresh water flow. Once in the Great Salt Lake much of the water evaporates leaving the salt behind.
Vermont - The colours of Vermont Fall foliage are famous.
Virginia - Mount Vernon in Virginia was George Washington's home.
Washington - Mount St. Helens erupted in 1980.
West Virginia - The Mound Builders created earthen burial mounds and other earthworks. They lived over two thousand years ago. Grave Creek Mound is in West Virginia.
Wisconsin - Wisconsin is the dairy state. It leads the nation in cheese production.
Wyoming - Old Faithful is a regular geyser in Yellowstone Park, Wyoming.
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