Welcome to the Pine Tree State! Which do you think best represents Maine—a towering pine, a lighthouse, a majestic moose, or a lobster? (Continued below)
| Nicknames & Slogans | |||
| Nicknames | The Pine Tree State, Border State, Old Dirigo State | ||
| Symbols of State | |||
| Motto | Dirigo | > | |
| Song | State of Maine Song | 1937 | > |
| EcoSymbols | |||
| Flower | white pine cone and tassel (Pinus strobus) | 1895 | > |
| Tree | eastern white pine (Pinus strobus) | 1945 | > |
| Berry | blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium) | 1991 | > |
| Herb | wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens) | 1999 | > |
| Bird | chickadee (Poecile) | 1927 | > |
| Animal | moose (Alces alces) | 1979 | > |
| Cat | Maine Coon Cat (Felis catus) | 1985 | > |
| Fish | landlocked salmon (Salmo salar) | 1969 | > |
| Heritage Fish | brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) | > | |
| Heritage Fish | blueback charr (Salvelinus alpinus oquassa) | > | |
| Insect | honeybee (Apis mellifera)  |
1975 | > |
| Butterfly | pink-edged sulphur (Colias interior) | 2023 | > |
| Crustacean | Maine lobster (Homarus americanus) | 2016 | > |
| Gemstone | tourmaline | 1971 | > |
| Fossil † | Pertica quadrifaria | 1985 | > |
| Soil | Chesuncook Soil Series | 1999 | > |
| Cultural Symbols | |||
| Dessert | blueberry pie | 2011 | > |
| Treat | whoopie pie | 2011 | > |
| Sweetener | pure Maine maple syrup | 2015 | > |
| Drink | Moxie | 2005 | > |
| Vessel | Schooner Bowdoin | 1987 | > |
| Official Language of the Deaf Community | American Sign Language | 1991 | > |
| March | The Dirigo March | 2012 | > |
| Ballad | The Ballad of the 20th Maine | 2010 | > |
A white pine and moose are depicted on the Pine Tree State’s coat of arms and flag, and the motto, Dirigo, suggests a lighthouse. However, the famous Maine lobster wasn’t designated the official state crustacean until 2016.
Other official Maine symbols include three fishes, two pies (blueberry and whoopie), and a sweetener (pure Maine maple syrup). Maine also boasts one of the most unusual state fossils, an ancient plant called Pertica quadrifaria.
However, Maine’s most unusual symbol may be Moxie, a drink that’s probably best not tasted. Not surprisingly, many Mainiacs prefer the state cat, the Maine Coon Cat. They’re both intriguing symbols in their own Mainiacal way.
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.
United States Home