Georgia's official state symbols

The current Great Seal of Georgia was adopted by the State Constitution of 1798. On its front side appear three pillars supporting an arch, emblematic of the three branches of government-the legislative, judicial, and executive. A man stands with a drawn sword defending the Constitution whose principles are wisdom, justice, and moderation. The reverse of the Seal shows a ship with cotton and tobacco, and a man plowing, representing the agriculture and commerce of the Seal's motto. In 1914, the date on the Seal was changed from 1799 to 1776 to correspond with the date of the Declaration of Independence. By law, the Secretary of State is the custodian of the Great Seal, which is attached to official papers by executive order of the Governor.

Cathy Cox Secretary of State

To learn more about Georgia's history, visit the Secretary of State's web site.

http://www.sos.state.ga.us/

Credits Gregory Stone Callaway Gardens State Capitol Museum Jerry Payne,USDA Jim Ozier George Whiteley IV Wayne Parham

Jim Harron, Ga. Dept. of Agriculture State Botanical Garden of Ga. Greg Greer, Chattahoochee Nature Center Ga. Dept. of Trade & Tourism Ga. Dept. of Natural Resources Travis Hutchins, Graphic Design

In 1916, with the support of the

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Georgia Federation of Women's Clubs, the Cherokee Rose was named

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the state floral

emblem. The

name "Cherokee

Rose" is a local designation derived from the Cherokee

Indians who widely distributed the plant. The rose is

excessively thorny and generously supplied with leaves

of a vivid green. In color it is waxy white with a large

golden center. Blooming time is in the early spring, but

favorable conditions in the fall will produce a second

flowering of this hardy plant.

In 1970, the largemouth bass was designated the official state fish. Some of the best and most picturesque fishing waters of the United States are found in Georgia, and pursuit of the largemouth bass is widely popular. At one time, the world's biggest largemouth bass was taken from the waters of a Georgia stream.

On April 6, 1935, the brown thrasher was first chosen as the Georgia state bird by official proclamation of the Governor. In 1970, at the request of the Garden Clubs of Georgia, it was designated by the Legislature as the official state bird. The thrasher is commonly found in the eastern section of the United States, ranging north to Canada and west to the Rockies. The bird migrates to the North in the summer and spends its winters in the Southern states. Almost a foot in length, the thrasher has a long, curved bill and a very long tail. It has two prominent white wing bars, a rich brown color on its top side, and a creamy white breast heavily streaked with brown.
In 1937, the live oak was adopted as the official state tree at the request of the Edmund Burke Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. It flourishes along the coastal plains and on the islands where the first settlers made their homes. Many famous Georgians, as early as General James Edward Oglethorpe, were able to enjoy its beauty.

In 1970, the bobwhite quail was chosen as the official state game bird. Quail hunting in Georgia has long bee popular with sportsme around the world, and our state is often recognized as the "Quail Capital of the World." The quail can withstand a loss of twothirds of its population with no reduction in the spring breeding population.
In 1975, the honeybee was named the official state insect. The honeybee has a highly specialized labor force, an elaborate social structure, an astounding communications system, and a well-fed population. It is a member of the great insect family Apoidea, which includes 20,000 species, among them bumblebees and carpenter bees. It makes an important contribution to the economy in the production of honey and aids agriculture in the cross-pollination of more tha 50 of the state's crops.

In 1976, quartz was chosen the official state gem. It is common in Georgia in a wide variety of colors. The resolution making it the state gem cited two particular forms: the amethyst, which is mostly used in jewelry, and the clear quartz, which, when faceted, resembles the diamond.
The shark tooth was designated the official state fossil in 1976. Probably one of the most sought-after fossils by amateur collectors, the shark tooth is a relatively common fossil in the Georgia coastal plain. In fossil form, the shark tooth can be traced back 375 million years. Fossilized shark teeth are found in a range of colors - from the more , common blacks and grays to whites, browns, blues, and reddish browns.
Grown properly only in a small pocket of south Georgia, the Vidalia onion matures into unsurpassed sweetness in the spring. In one of nature's most delicious mysteries, the Granex seed which produces a hot onion elsewhere grows into an onion one "can eat like an apple" in the fields around Vidalia and Glennville. The bill designating the Vidalia onion as the official state vegetable was enacted by the General Assembly in 1990.
The General Assembly has recognized these official symbols: Georgian's Creed, 1939; waltz - Our Georgia, 1951; ballet company - Atlanta Ballet, 1973; museum of art - Georgia Museum of Art, 1982; atlas - Atlas of Georgia, 1985; state historic drama - The Reach of Song, 1990; state folk festival - Georgia Folk Festival, 1992; state theatre - Springer Opera House, 1992; 'possum - Pogo, 1992; music theatre - Jekyll Island Music Theatre Festival, 1993.

On April 24, 1979, the song "Georgia On My Mind," with music by Hoagy Carmichael and lyrics by Stuart Gorell, was designated Georgia's official state song. It was performed on March 7, 1979, before a joint meeting of the Georgia Senate and House of Representatives by Georgia-born recording artist Ray Charles.
In 1979, the azalea was chosen the state wildflower. Many species and varieties are found across Georgia. A hardy species, they possess vibrant colored flowers blooming from March until August.

After it was discovered that Georgia's coastal waters were a calving area for the right whale, this endangered
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mammal in 1985. The right whale grows up to 50 feet long, has no dorsal fin, and bears distinctive patches of whitish bumps on its head. It is the only one of the great whales that is native to Georgia waters.

Christened the state

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seashell in 1987, the knobbed whelk

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is a whorled shell,

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eight inches long at

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maturity, displaying heavy spines, many

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knobs, and an

t;

orange or red

mouth. Minerals in Georgia coastal waters cause

ocher striations on the sand-colored, semi-gloss sur-

face. This marine snail shell is found all along

Georgia's shoreline, out to 30 feet of water.

The tiger swallowtail, proclaimed the state butterfly in 1988, is one of Georgia's most beautiful species of lepidoptera with large yellow wings edged and striped with black. The resolution designating a state butterfly was inspired by Mrs. Deen Day Smith, president of The Garden Club of Georgia, Inc., who donated funds to build the Day Butterfly Center at Calloway Gardens.
Designated the state reptile in 1989, the gopher tortoise is one of the oldest living species native to Georgia. The gopher tortoise belongs to a group of land tortoises that originated in North America 60 million years ago. This tortoise digs burrows up to 40 feet wide and 10 feet deep providing year-round shelter from predators and weather for more than three dozen other animal species. The gopher tortoise population is threatened but still remains outside of protected areas.
Georgia grown peaches are recognized for their superior flavor, texture, and appearance and for their nutritious qualities that promote a healthy, balanced diet. Georgia is known as the "Peach State" because of the growers' reputation for producing the highest quality fruit. The peach became the official state fruit in 1995.
Also enacted by legislation are the folk life play - Swamp Gravy, 1994; State of Georgia - "Poultry Capital of the World," 1995; railroad museum - Central of Georgia Railroad Shops Complex, 1996; state beef cook-off "Shoot the Bull," 1997; state pork cook-off - "Slosheye Trail Big Pig Jig," 1997; state tartan, Georgia tartan, 1997; state school- Plains High School, 1997; Peanut Monument - Turner County, 1998; state prepared food grits, 2002.

Georgia has a wealth of minerals, among them staurolite crystals, popularly called "Fairy Crosses" or "Fairy Stones." Particularly abundant in north Georgia, the distinctively twinned, crossed crystals have been collected for generations as good luck charms. In 1976, staurolite was named the official state mineral.
The General Assembly selected the peanut to be the official state crop in 1995. Georgia produces nearly 50 percent of the total United States peanut crop and more than 50 percent of peanuts used in the production of peanut butter. Georgia leads the nation in peanut exports.
In 2003, H.B. 380 was signed, creating a new state flag for Georgia. The new state flag is based on the first national flag of the Confederacy (the "Stars and Bars") and consists of a field of three horizontal bars of equal width, two red separated by a white bar in the center. In the upper left corner is a square blue canton the width of two bars. In the center of the canton is a circle of 13 white stars, symbolizing Georgia and the other 12 original states that formed the United States of America. Within the circle of stars is Georgia's coat of arms (the central design on the state seal) immediately above the words "In God We Trust" -- both in gold.
The General Assembly adopted the state pledge of allegiance in 1951. I pledge allegiance to the Georgia flag and to the principles for which it stands: Wisdom, Justice, and Moderation.