Most people can name their state bird. Maybe the state flower. Suppose they’re overachievers, the state tree. But state legislators began developing their unique style of creative expression, which led to their first creative attempts and their first attempt at developing unusual state symbols.
The official state symbols below are all completely real, all legally designated by actual votes in actual government chambers, and all guaranteed to make you stare at the screen for a moment longer than you expected.
The strange part of this situation demonstrates that these events did not happen by chance. Someone proposed them. Someone seconded the motion. Legislators debated them, sometimes for months.
The legislators approved the proposal through the official government voting process. The process sounds absurd because state symbol laws give lawmakers unlimited creative power while their work remains hidden from public view.
The Fossil That Started a Trend
Several states have official state dinosaurs. The fact that states have official state dinosaurs should not create surprise because schools make efforts to promote dinosaurs, which children find interesting. The state designated both a dinosaur and a specific prehistoric ocean animal, which most state residents would not recognize. The designation came after a sustained campaign by schoolchildren, which is both wholesome and slightly alarming when you consider that a classroom of eight-year-olds now has more legislative wins than most adult advocacy groups.
The Microbe, the Soil, and the Cooking Vessel
The existence of an official state microbe exists in at least one state. The official state microbe exists as a single-celled organism that holds the same legal status as the state bird. Another state has established an official state soil, which either serves as a practical designation or demonstrates that the symbol committee lacked creativity and began selecting ground materials. The American South contains a location where lawmakers established an official state cooking pot through their debate process.
The designations serve as official status. The state code documents these designations as official state designations.
Three Types of Vehicles, Multiple Types of Beverages, and One Special Sandwich
The states establish state beverages as official designations that should be accepted. The milk product wins that category through a total overwhelming victory. The state has established an official state sandwich, which serves as proof of its existence. The state operates with an official state vehicle because lawmakers decided that one specific machine from all machines should represent their state’s identity. The state designates an official state wine together with an official state beer because it wants more than just one beverage. Some states designate beer styles or brewing heritage, but Very few have explicit “official state beer” laws
The alcohol designations, notably, tend to be bipartisan.
The Ghost, the Mushroom, and the Neckwear
The actual strange part starts here. At least one state has an official state ghost. Common claims are tourism or folklore-based, not statutory. The designation, if it exists in full legal form, would mean a specter appears in state code alongside the mockingbird and the magnolia. The state designates an official state mushroom. The state has established an official necktie that serves as its official state neckwear. The bolo tie now carries the same symbolic weight as the Lone Star flag.
Why This Keeps Happening
State symbol legislation exists in a peculiar zone where civic enthusiasm, school projects, and low-stakes lawmaking collide. The process of granting official state symbol status requires no financial expense while generating minimal public backlash, which enables lawmakers to receive an easy victory. The lists continue to expand. Currently, most states maintain multiple official symbols, which include categories that did not exist twenty years ago.
The process keeps getting faster. The establishment of an official state soil in a state allows the state to establish its official state rock, its official state gemstone, its official state fossil, its official state dinosaur, and its official state microbe through an upcoming process. The passage of each measure occurred through a floor vote, which included a press release and a photograph showcasing fourth-grade students who demonstrated great enthusiasm.
Your state almost certainly has at least one symbol on the books that you’ve never heard of. And it’s probably stranger than you think.
This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by the author. The review included fact-checking, clarity edits, references, and sourcing of images
