Do you know Michigan's official state symbols?
Do you know Michigan's official state symbols?
Each state in America boasts its own culture, history, and natural beauty. To represent such diversity, people from these states have chosen their own set of symbols and customs. Specific flags, songs, mottos, flowers, and even fruits commemorate the uniqueness of individual states. Some of these symbols border on the bizarre: Texas, for example, has made the Dutch oven its official state cooking pot. Other symbols are more universal, like state birds.
Many people remember learning about their states' history back in elementary school. But can you still remember your state bird? How about your state flower? To test your state knowledge, Stacker compiled a list of symbols in Michigan.
Clue: Michigan state fish
Clue: This fish can only survive in clean, cool water. Lucky for it, that's what Michigan is known for.
Answer: Michigan state fish
Answer: Brook trout
Clue: Michigan state mammal
Although this common American herbivore is much beloved—it was the subject of a classic Disney movie—it's also considered a nuisance by gardeners and farmers whose plants it finds delicious, and their overabundance can change forest ecosystems.
Answer: Michigan state mammal
- State mammal: White-tailed deer
Clue: Michigan state song
Composed and written by Giles Kavanagh and H. O'Reilly Clint, the Michigan state song was officially adopted on May 21, 1937. It's rarely sung and is not performed at formal state functions. That's likely because the state never purchased the song and would have to pay royalties to use it.
Answer: Michigan state song
- Answer: "My Michigan"
Clue: Michigan state tree
Michigan’s state tree was the foundation of the state’s lumber industry in the late 1800s; the tree’s soft wood is perfect for doors, cabinets, and other furniture. This tree is a conifer, with clumps of five long needles and long, hard, curved pinecones.
Answer: Michigan state tree
Answer: Eastern white pine (Pinus strobus)
Clue: Michigan state bird
Legislation named this common bird as its official mascot in 1931 because it was “the best known and best loved of all the birds” in the state. The species is known for its adaptability and up-beat, whistled song: "Cheerily cheery cheerily cheery."
Answer: Michigan state bird
Answer: American robin
Clue: Michigan state flower
Ranking third in apple production in the country, Michigan made a fitting choice for its state flower in 1897. Flourishing off the shores of Lake Michigan, these flowers thrive from the lake-influenced weather.
Answer: Michigan state flower
Answer: Apple blossom
