State Facts, Anyone?

My girlfriend, Casey, wrote up an exhaustive list of official U.S. state facts on her blog this morning. There are some amazing and funny listings to be had.

I'm posting her entry here, even though it's not Appalachia-specific, as I think the trivia fans among us will all discover something new.

Enjoy.

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I just heard the exciting news and knew I had to share it with everyone. Yes, the time we've all waited for has come: New Mexico has declared the bolo tie as its state tie!

What? You've never heard of having a state tie before? Well apparently, it's not a new thing. Arizona claimed the bolo as its state neck wear in 1973.

I searched but could not find Tennessee's state tie, nor any state's other than the 2 southwest bolo pushers. I did find out that our state fine art is porcelain painting. I wish it had been glass blowing - that's more awesome. Our state fruit is the tomato. The official state Jamboree and crafts fair is the Smithville Fiddlers' Crafts Fair and Jamboree. I'm not sure if you have to have both crafts fair and jamboree in your name to qualify, but I have yet to see evidence against it.

Here are a few more rattled-off in quick fashion:

• State Theatre: Tennessee Theatre
• State Slogan: "Tennessee: America at its Best"
• Bicentennial Rap Song: " A Tennessee Bicentennial Rap" (You can't make this stuff up)
• State Language: English
• Public School Song: "My Tennessee"
  

Ah, good stuff. Makes you proud to live where we do. I feel I've learned so much, I want to learn more facts about other state symbols (watch out, I'm going to all the states!) like:

• Alabama has a state soil: Bama Soil Series, a state spirit, a state horseshoe tournament, bible and barbecue championship.
  
• Alaska is boring.*
  
• Arkansas has a Purple Martin Capital of both the Northwest and Southeast.
• Calico is the state silver rush ghost town, and Bodie is the state gold rush ghost town of California.
• Colorado has the most awesome state fossil: The STEGOSAURUS! It has also declared "Rocky Mountain High" one of its state songs, giving John Denver the record for state songs written at 2.
• Connecticut has its own state hero: Nathan Hale, and Heroine: Prudence Crandall.
• Who has their own star? Delaware. The Delaware Diamond located in Ursa Major.
• Florida's State pie is the delicious Key Lime Pie. Its state Litter Control Symbol is the delicious Keep Florida Beautiful, Incorporated, service mark.
• Georgia has both a state pork and beef barbecue championship cook-off. It also has a state peanut monument and is listed as the poultry capital of the world. Oh, and don't forget the state 'possom (and that's how it was listed).
• Hawaii has individual colors and flowers for each of its islands.
• The Peregrine Falcon is the state raptor of Idaho.
• The awesome Tully Monster is the state fossil of Illinois (take that Colorado) and its state snack food is popcorn.
• Indiana, Iowa, and Kansas also earned a big yawn.*
• Thank you, exciting Kentucky!! They have a state Bourbon Festival and a state tug-of-war championship. Now that's a good time!
• Need more fun? Try Louisiana's state Uncle Earl's Hot Dog Trials!
• Maine's state drink is Moxie. What is Moxie?
• The Astrodon Johnstoni is state dinosaur of Maryland.
• The Hadrosaurus is the state dinosaur of New Jersey.
• Massachusetts spreads its deliciousness with the state dessert: Boston Cream Pie, state cookie: Chocolate Chip, state donut: Boston Cream and state muffin: the corn muffin. It also has a state explorer rock. Think it's Plymouth Rock? Think again. It's Dighton rock.
• Did you notice boring states come in packs. This pack is Michigan and Minnesota.*
• Mississippi's state toy is the teddy bear.
• On May 3^rd you can celebrate Missouri Day, eat the state grape: Norton/Cynthiana Grape, and play the state instrument: the fiddle.
• Montana has the Cowboy Hall of Fame.
• Nebraska has the state Historic Baseball Capital in St. Paul and the regular Baseball Capital in Wakefield. Enjoy them both while sipping on the state soft drink: Kool-aid.
• Another head-scratcher is Nevada's state artifact: the Tule duck decoy. I think you can pick up one at your local hunting store.
• New Hampshire state law defines the term "New Hampshire Native." It then goes on to say no one who in good faith proclaims themselves to be a New Hampshire native pursuant shall be charged with perjury.
• New York? Surprisingly boring.*
• North Carolina, on the other hand, has its own state carnivorous plant: the Venus Flytrap. There's nothing more interesting than a meat-eating plant.
• North Dakota is boring. Is anyone surprised?*
• "Hang on Sloopy" by the McCoys is the State Rock Song of Ohio. Rock!
• The state meal of Oklahoma is fried okra, squash, cornbread, barbecue pork, biscuits, sausage and gravy, grits, corn, strawberries, chicken fried steak, pecan pie, and black-eyed peas. The state cartoon Character is Gusty. The state pin is the "OK" Pin.
• The Father of Oregon is Dr. John McLoughlin. The Mother of Oregon is Tabitha Moffet Brown. I will not judge Oregon for its parents being unmarried.
• Pennsylvania…yawn.*
• Rhode Island's state beverage is Coffee Milk. Apparently it's like chocolate milk but with sweet coffee syrup instead of chocolate. They also have an official state yacht: the 12 meter "Courageous".
• The snack food of South Carolina is boiled peanuts. Let me just say bleech!!
• South Dakota's state dessert is Kuchen. It's made with shortening, sugar, butter, vanilla eggs, flour, cream, and a layer of your chosen fruit. I saw a lot of peaches.
• Texas has always been crazy and doesn't fail us now. The state vehicle is a chuckwagon. State cooking implement is the cast iron dutch oven. Dish is chili, snack is tortilla chips and salsa. They cancelled their state pastries in 2005.
• Don't worry, I'm almost done.
• Cooking pot of Utah: the dutch oven. It think I see a fight with Texas coming.
• The state flavor of Vermont is Maple. Well, that makes sense.
• I think Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming figured the were at they last of the list and people would be bored by now, because they gave me nothing good.*

* Boring just means there are no interesting state symbols - not that your state is boring. Though I used to go to Kansas in the summer, and let me tell you….