Minnesota Index: State symbols – official and proposed

Official state symbols

Year the state seal was designated: 1861

Year L’etoile du Nord (“Star of the North”) was designated state motto: 1861

Year Hail Minnesota was designated the state song: 1945

Year the Red or Norway Pine was designated the state tree: 1953                      

Year the current state flag was designated: 1957

Year the Loon was designated the state bird: 1961

Year the Walleye was designated the state fish: 1965

Year the Pink and White Lady Slipper was designated state flower: 1967

Year the Lake Superior Agate was designated state gemstone: 1969

Year Wild Rice was designated the state grain: 1977

Year Milk was designated the state drink: 1984

Year the Morel was designated the state mushroom: 1984

Year Blueberry was designated the state muffin: 1988

Year the Monarch was designated the state butterfly: 2000

Year the state photograph was designated: 2002

Year the Honeycrisp Apple was designated the state fruit: 2006

Year Ice Hockey was designated the state sport: 2009

Year Lester was designated the state soil: 2012

Proposed state symbols — when bills proposing them were introduced

Years the Eastern Timber Wolf proposed as state animal/mammal: 1969-2000 (6 times)

Years the White-tailed Deer proposed as state animal: 1971-1989 (8 times)

Year Schell’s Deer Brand and Cold Spring each proposed as state beer: 1987

Year “Little House on the Prairie” proposed as state book: 1990

Year Iron Ore proposed as state mineral: 1990

Years the Square Dance proposed as state dance: 1992, 1994

Year Licorice proposed as state candy: 1997

Year Wild Rice proposed as the state soup: 1998

Years the Northern Leopard Frog proposed as state amphibian: 1998, 1999

Years the Blanding’s Turtle proposed as state reptile: 1998, 1999

Year the Tilt-A-Whirl proposed as state amusement ride: 2007

Year Minnesota Blue proposed as state poem: 2008

Sources: http://www.leg.state.mn.us/leg/Symbols

             http://www.leg.state.mn.us/leg/unsym