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Georgia State Symbols

Welcome to the Peach State! Georgia has a dozen animal symbols, ranging from the brown thrasher to the mighty right whale. However, they can’t compete with its plant symbols, which include the beautiful Cherokee rose and the lowly peanut. (Continued below)

Georgia State Flag
Nicknames & Slogans
Nicknames The Peach State, Goober State, Empire State of the South  
Symbols of State
Motto Wisdom, Justice, Moderation
Song Georgia on My Mind 1979
EcoSymbols
Flower Cherokee rose (Rosa laevigata) 1916
Wildflower azalea (Rhododendron) 1979
Tree live oak (Quercus virginiana) 1937
Fruit peach (Prunus persica) 1995
Nut pecan (Carya illinoinensis) 2021
Vegetable Vidalia sweet onion (Allium cepa) 1990
Crop peanut (Arachis hypogaea) 1995
Bird brown thrasher (Toxostoma rufum) 1935
Game Bird bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) 1970
Mammal white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) 2015
Marine Mammal right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) 1985
Reptile gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) 1989
Amphibian green tree frog (Hyla cinerea) 2005
Fish largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) 1970
Cold Water Game Fish southern Appalachian brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) 2006
Saltwater Fish red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) 2006
Insect honeybee (Apis mellifera) Redundant Symbol 1975
Butterfly tiger swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) 1988
Seashell knobbed whelk (Busycon carica) 1987
Mineral staurolite 1976
Gem quartz 1976
Fossil † shark tooth (Elasmobranchii) 1976
Soil Tifton (unofficial) Unofficial
Cultural Symbols
Prepared Food grits 2002
Beef Cook-Off Event Official State Barbecue Championship Cook-Off, Hawkinsville 1987
Pork Cook-Off Event Slosheye Trail Big Pig Jig 1997
Peanut Monument Turner County Peanut Monument 1998
Tartan Georgia Tartan 1997
Historic House Old Governor’s Mansion at Georgia College and State University in Milledgeville 2016
School Plains High School 1997
Frontier and Southeastern Indian Interpretive Center The Funk Heritage/Bennett Center at Reinhardt College, Waleska
Transportation History Museum Southeastern Railway Museum 2000
Railroad Museum Historic Railroad Shops 1996
Dog adoptable dog 2016
Poultry Capital of the World Capital (Georgia) 1995
Ballet Atlanta Ballet 1973
Waltz Our Georgia 1951
Folk Dance square dance Redundant Symbol 1996
Historic Drama The Reach of Song 1990
Folk Life Play Swamp Gravy 1994
Theatre The Springer Opera House 1971
Musical Theatre Jekyll Island Musical Theatre Festival 1993
Georgia Folk Festival The Georgia Folk Festival 1992
‘Possum Pogo ’Possum (Didelphis-virginiana) 2002
Atlas Atlas of Georgia 1985
Art Museum Georgia Museum of Art 1982
Center for Character Education Mighty Eighth Air Force Heritage Museum 2003
Flag Pledge 1935
Creed Georgian’s Creed 1939
Language English Redundant Symbol 1996

However, even the peanut takes a back seat to Georgia’s official fruit, the peach. And who could not be dazzled by the Peach State’s official tree, the majestic live oak?

Georgia boasts one of the most memorable state songs, “Georgia On My Mind.” Unfortunately, legislators threw the state motto—“Wisdom, Justice, Moderation”—out the window when they set out to adopt a new flag. And have you heard about the Vidalia onion conspiracy theory involving Bill Gates?

I prefer my peaches and live oaks organic, thank you.

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If you think state flags and flowers are nothing more than trivia, guess again. A thorough exploration of the more than 1,500 items adopted as state symbols embraces geography, history, and psychology.

You have found the best state symbols website, but it’s just the tip of the iceberg. The introduction above is adapted from Geobop’s State Symbols and My State Symbols Book, by far the biggest and most detailed state symbols references ever. You can learn still more about the symbols of the 50 states in the books Flag Quest and Grading the States. (Learn more about them here.)

After you spend some time exploring your favorite state’s symbols, you can come back here and tell us what you think about them.

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