Welcome to colorful New Hampshire! If New Hampshire had official colors, what do you think they should be? I would choose gray, white, and blue for the nicknames Granite State, White Mountain State, and Mother of Rivers. (White also represents the state tree, the white birch.) I might add orange for the state’s beautiful fall foliage. (Continued below)
| Nicknames & Slogans | |||
| Nicknames | The Granite State, White Mountain State, Switzerland of America, Mother of Rivers | ||
| Citizenry | New Hampshire Native | 2002 | |
| Symbols of State | |||
| Motto | Live Free or Die | 1945 | > |
| Song | Old New Hampshire | 1949 | > |
| Emblem | Old Man of the Mountain | 1945 | > |
| EcoSymbols | |||
| Flower | purple lilac (Syringa vulgaris) | 1919 | > |
| Wildflower | pink lady’s slipper (Cypripedium acaule) | 1991 | > |
| Tree | white birch (Betula papyrifera) | 1947 | > |
| Fruit | pumpkin (Cucurbita) | 2006 | > |
| Berry | common blackberry (Rubus allegheniensis) | 2017 | > |
| Vegetable | white potato (Solanum tuberosum) | 2013 | > |
| Bird | purple finch (Carpodacus purpureus) | 1957 | > |
| Raptor | red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) | 2019 | > |
| Animal | white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) | 1983 | > |
| Wildcat | bobcat (Lynx-rufus) | 2015 | > |
| Dog | Chinook (Canis lupus familiaris) | 2009 | > |
| Amphibian | red-spotted newt (Notophthalmus viridescens) | 1985 | > |
| Freshwater Fish | brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) | 1994 | > |
| Saltwater Game Fish | striped bass (Morone saxatilis) | 1994 | > |
| Insect | two-spot ladybug (Adalia bipunctata) | 1977 | > |
| Butterfly | Karner blue butterfly (Lycaeides melissa) | 1992 | > |
| Spider | daring jumping spider (Phidippus audax) | 2021 | > |
| Mineral | beryl | 1985 | > |
| Gem | smoky quartz | 1985 | > |
| Rock | granite | 1985 | > |
| Soil | Marflow (unofficial)  |
> | |
| Cultural Symbols | |||
| Beverage | apple cider | 2010 | > |
| Sport | skiing | 1998 | > |
| Tartan | 1995 | > | |
| Honorary State Song | New Hampshire, My New Hampshire | 1963 | > |
| Honorary State Song | New Hampshire Hills | 1973 | > |
| Honorary State Song | Autumn in New Hampshire, New Hampshire’s Granite State, Oh, New Hampshire (You’re My Home), The Old Man of the Mountain, The New Hampshire State March | 1977 | > |
| Honorary State Song | New Hampshire Naturally | 1983 | > |
| Honorary State Song | Live Free or Die | 2007 | > |
| Language | English  |
1995 | > |
Then again, purple is the color of the state flower and bird, the lilac and purple finch. Red is embraced by the state raptor and amphibian, the red-tailed hawk and red-spotted newt. Or perhaps you prefer the state flower or butterfly, the pink lady’s slipper and Karner blue butterfly.
One of New Hampshire’s most iconic symbols was a rock formation dubbed Old Man of the Mountain. It was named the official state emblem in 1945. Sadly, it later succumbed to the elements. Some citizens wanted to adopt a new flag featuring Old Man of the Mountain. Though New Hampshire could use a new flag, some think the Old Man of the Mountain doesn’t belong on a flag. What do you think?
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