Missouri
Quick Facts
Origin
of State Name
Iliniwek Indian
word missouri - "owners of big canoes"
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Tree -
Flowering Dogwood
On June 20, 1955,
the flowering dogwood (Cornus Florida L.) became the official tree. The
tree is small in size, rarely growing over 40 feet in height or 18 inches
in diameter. The dogwood sprouts tiny greenish-yellow flowers in clusters,
with each flower surrounded by four white petals. |
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Nickname
- The Show-Me State
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Rock -
Mozarkite (chert)
Mozarkite was adopted
as the official state rock on July 21, 1967 and appears in a variety of
colors, most predominantly green, red or purple. It is most often found
in Benton County. |
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Capital
- Jefferson City
The present Capitol,
completed in 1917 and occupied the following year, is the third Capitol
in Jefferson City and the sixth in Missouri history. The present Capitol
was constructed for $4,215,000, including site and furnishings. It is five
stories high, 437 feet long, 300 feet wide in the center and 200 feet wide
in the wings. The dome is 238 feet high and the height of the wings is
88 feet. In includes 500,000 square feet of floor space. |
Mineral
- Galena
Galena is the major
source of lead ore and was designated the state mineral on July 21, 1967.
Missouri is the top producer of lead. Galena is dark gray in color
and breaks into small cubes. |
Entered
Union
August 10,1821
- 24th state
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Animal
- Missouri Mule
On May 31, 1995,
the governor signed a bill making the Missouri mule the official state
animal. Missouri mules pulled pioneer wagons to the Wild West during the
19th century and played a crucial role in moving troops and supplies in
World Wars I and II. |
Motto
Salus populi
suprema lex esto - The welfare of the people shall be the supreme
law.
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State
Song - Missouri Waltz
The "Missouri Waltz"
became the state song under an act adopted by the General Assembly on June
30, 1949. The song came from a melody by John V. Eppel and was arranged
by Frederic Knight Logan, using lyrics written by J.R. Shannon. |
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Flag
The flag consists
of three horizontal stripes of red, white and blue. These represent valor,
purity, vigilance and justice. In the center white stripe is the Missouri
coat-of-arms, circled by a blue band containing 24 stars, denoting that
Missouri was the 24th state. |
State
Musical Instrument - Fiddle
The fiddle became
the state's official musical instrument on July 17, 1987. Brought to Missouri
in the late 1700s by fur traders and settlers, the fiddle quickly became
popular. The instrument was adaptable to many forms of music, could be
played without extensive formal training and was light and easy to carry. |
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Official
Seal
Coat of arms surrounded
by the words - "The Great State of Missouri"
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State
Tree Nut - Eastern Black Walnut
The Eastern Black
Walnut became the state tree nut on July 9, 1990. The nut has a variety
of uses. The meat is used in ice cream, baked goods and candies. The shell
provides the soft grit abrasive used in metal cleaning and polishing and
oil well drilling, and is also used in
paint products and
as a filler in dynamite. |
Bird -
Bluebird
On March 30,
1927, the native bluebird became the official state
bird.
The bluebird
is considered a symbol of happiness.
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State
Insect - Honey Bee
On July 3, 1985,
Governor John Ashcroft signed a bill designating the honeybee as Missouri's
state insect. The honeybee is common to Missouri and is cultivated by beekeepers
for honey production. |
Flower
- Hawthorn blossom
The hawthorn
blossoms have greenish-yellow centers and form in white clusters. More
than 75 species of the hawthorn grow in Missouri, particularly in the Ozarks.
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State
Folk Dance - Square Dance
The square dance
was adopted as Missouri's official American folk dance on May 31, 1995.
Square dances are derived from folk and courtship dances brought to the
United States by European immigrants. |
Genealogy
& Research
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