State Symbols - Minnesota Fun Facts

This is a listing of the Minnesota State Symbols and the year that they were officially adopted by the Minnesota State Legislature.

State Bird: Loon (1961)
State Butterfly: Monarch (Danaus plexippus) (2000)
State Drink: Milk (1984)
State Fish: Walleye (stizostedion v. vitreum) (1965)
State Flower: Lady Slipper (Cypripedium reginae) (1902)
State Fruit: Honeycrisp™ Apple (2006)
State Grain: Wild Rice (zizania aquatica) (1977)
State Gemstone: Lake Superior agate (1969)
State Motto: L’etoile du Nord (translation: “Star of the North” or the “North Star State”) (1861)
State Muffin: Blueberry Muffin
State Mushroom: Morel Mushroom (morchella esculenta) (1984)
State Photo: “Grace” photographed by Eric Enstrom in the town of Bovey, MN (2002)
State Song: “Hail Minnesota” (1945)
State Sport: Ice Hockey (2009)
State Tree: Red (or Norway) pine (1953)

The following is a listing of proposed Minnesota State Symbols that have not yet been officially adopted by the Minnesota State Legislature.

State Amphibian: Northern Leopard Frog
State Amusement Ride: Tilt-A-Whirl (manufactured in Minnesota)
State Animal/Mammal: White Tailed Deer, Eastern Timber Wolf, Black Bear
State Beer: Schell’s Deer Brand, Cold Spring
State Book: “Little House on the Prairie”, “On the Banks of Plum Creek”
State Candy: Licorice
State Folk Dance: Square Dance
State Fossil: Giant Beaver
State Insect: never proposed
State Mineral: Iron Ore
State Nickname: “The Gopher State”, “The Land of 10,000 Lakes”, “The North Star State” (never officially adopted probably because all three are equally used)
State Pipe Band: Minnesota State Fire Service Memorial Pipe Band
State Reptile: Blanding’s Turtle
State Soil: Lester
State Soup: Wild Rice

Additional Minnesota Facts and Stats:

Isaac says:

May 14, 2012 at 5:54 pm

What is the state animal?
1. Chip says:
  
  May 16, 2012 at 5:51 pm
  
  There have been many animals or mammals proposed for the State Animal/Mammal (including deer, bear, wolf) but nothing has been official adopted by the Minnesota Legislature.
Marilyn Carrigan says:

April 12, 2012 at 12:03 pm

Hi. I believe there is a Minnesota Official State Photograph, “Old Man Praying” with his hands folded sitting at the table. I think it was someone in Bovey, MN that took the picture. Marilyn Carrigan
P.S. I taught MN History for 34 years at Truman Public School in Truman. I retired in 2005 and it was a few years before that the legislature passed it. The picture is famous nationwide.
1. Chip says:
  
  April 12, 2012 at 5:57 pm
  
  Yes, thank you for pointing that out. It’s been added to our Minnesota State Symbols page.

Comments are closed.