Welcome to West Virginia! (Continued below)
Nicknames & Slogans | |||
Nicknames | The Mountain State, Panhandle State, Switzerland of America | ||
Symbols of State | |||
Motto | Montani Semper Liberi | 1863 | > |
Song | “West Virginia, My Home Sweet Home” | 1947 | > |
Song | “The West Virginia Hills” | 1961 | > |
Song | “This Is My West Virginia” | 1963 | > |
Song | “Take Me Home Country Roads” | 2014 | > |
EcoSymbols | |||
Flower | big laurel (Rhododendron maximum) | 1903 | > |
Tree | sugar maple (Acer saccharum) | 1949 | > |
Fruit | Golden Delicious apple (Malus) | 1972 | > |
Bird | cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) | 1949 | > |
Animal | black bear (Ursus americanus) | 1973 | > |
Reptile | timber rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus) | 2008 | > |
Amphibian | northern red salamander (Pseudotriton ruber) | 2015 | > |
Fish | brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) | 1973 | > |
Insect | honeybee (Apis mellifera) ![]() |
1978 | > |
Butterfly | monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) | 1995 | > |
Gem | Lithostrotionella (fossil coral) | 1990 | > |
Rock | bituminous coal | 2009 | > |
Fossil † | giant ground sloth (Megalonyx jeffersonii) | 2008 | > |
Soil | Monongahela Silt Loam | 1997 | > |
Cultural Symbols | |||
Colors | Old gold and blue | 1963 | > |
Tribal Group | Appalachian American Indians of West Virginia | 1996 | > |
Steam Locomotive | Shay No. 5 | 2004 | > |
Tartan | West Virginia shawl | 2008 | > |
Year-round Professional Theatre | Greenbrier Valley Theatre | 2006 | > |
Youth Ballet | River City Youth Ballet Ensemble | 2007 | > |
Language | English ![]() |
2016 | > |
Firearm | Hall flintlock model 1819 | 2013 | > |
West Virginia …

Dress to impress! Check out the State Symbols Pro > West Virginia Symbols Store.