MINNESOTA STATE SYMBOLS

STATE MUFFIN

• Blueberry Muffin
• It was designated in 1988.
• Representative Mary Murphy introduced the bill at the request of a third-grade class from South Terrace Elementary School in Carlton, Minnesota.

STATE FLAG

• Flag of Minnesota
• It was designated in 1893.
• The design for the current flag was adopted in 1957.

STATE FRUIT

• Honeycrisp Apple
• It was designated as the state fruit in 2006.
• It was suggested by a class of students from Andersen Elementary School in Bayport.

STATE GRAIN

• Wild Rice
• It was designated in 1977.
• Sen. Collin Peterson sponsored the bill in the Senate in a way of promoting the state and wild rice.

STATE BIRD

• Common Loon
• It was designated in 1961.
• Before the Loon was decided, there were other suggestions such as the Eastern Goldfinch, the mourning dove, the pileated woodpecker, the scarlet tanager, and the wood duck.

STATE BUTTERFLY

• Monarch
• It was designated in 2000.
• It was promoted by a fourth-grade class at Anderson Elementary School in Mahtomedi.

STATE DRINK

• Milk
• Rep. Rick Krueger, chief sponsor of the bill, said that milk was chosen for several reasons; it has promotional value for the American Dairy Association, it would help tourism efforts, show the dairy industry the state cares about it, and bring about a general awareness of dairy products in the state.
• It was designated in 1984.

STATE FISH

• Walleye
• It was designated in 1965.
• That law was sponsored by Rep. Keith Hinman and Sen. Clifford Lofvegren.

STATE FLOWER

• Pink and White Lady Slipper
• It was designated in 1967.
• In 1893 a petition from the Women's Auxiliary to the World's Fair was presented to the Senate, asking that the Wild Lady Slipper (Cyprideum calceolous) be designated the state flower.

STAGE GEMSTONE

• Lake Superior Agate
• It was designated in 1969.
• Rep. Vernon Hoppe sponsored the companion bill; it was signed into law by Governor Harold LeVander.

STATE MOTTO

• L'etoile du Nord (Star of the North)
• It was adopted in 1861.
• Henry Sibley selected this motto to be used on the state seal and the Legislature approved both the seal and the motto at the same exact time.

STATE MUSHROOM

• Morel Mushroom
• It was designated in 1984.
• Minnesota was the first state to have a state mushroom.

STATE PHOTOGRAPH

• Grace
• It was designated in 2002.
• Rep. Solberg lived in Bovey, the town where the photograph was taken in 1918 by Swedish Immigrant Eric Enstrom. Governor Jesse Ventura signed the bill into law.

STATE SEAL

• Seal of Minnesota
• It was adopted in 1861, the same time as the motto.
• The 1861 seal showed a settler plowing a field beside the Mississippi River near St. Anthony Falls. In the background, an Indian on horseback rides toward the setting sun. A banner shows the state motto "L'Etoile du Nord". In 1983 the seal was redesigned. (Laws of Minnesota 1983, Chapter 119) Norway pines (the state tree) were added behind St. Anthony Falls and the direction of the Indian was changed. He now rides toward the farmer rather than away from him.

STATE SOIL

• Lester Soil
• It was designated in 2012.
• The omnibus bill was signed into law by Governor Mark Dayton.

STATE SONG

• "Hail Minnesota"
• It was adopted in 1945.
• Written in 1904, "Hail Minnesota" was a song in a University of Minnesota play, "The Apple of Discord."

STATE SPORT

• Ice Hockey
• It was designated in 2009.
• It was suggested by sixth-grade students at Minnetonka Middle School East.

STATE TREE

• Red or Norway Pine
• It was designated in 1953.
• The language of Chapter 20 noted the sturdiness and majesty of the tree, and how it helped lay the foundation for the wealth of Minnesota.