Minnesota State Symbols
Information relating to official (designated by law) Minnesota state symbols. Includes statutory citations, some legislative history, and citations to sources of additional information available in the Minnesota Legislative Reference Library.
See also a separate list of unofficial, or proposed symbols (both serious and facetious), a State Symbols MN State Government Series publication, and a game with pictures.
| Bird | Butterfly | Drink |
| Fish | Flag | Flower |
| Fruit | Gemstone | Grain |
| Motto | Muffin | Mushroom |
| Photo | Seal | Song |
| Sport | Tree |
MINNESOTA STATE BIRD:
Minnesota’s state bird is the Loon (Gavia immer), designated by Minnesota Statute 1.145, adopted by the Legislature in 1961.
Before the Legislature decided that the loon should be Minnesota’s state bird, several other birds were suggested, including the Eastern goldfinch (1947), the mourning dove (1951), the pileated woodpecker (1951 and 1953), the scarlet tanager (1951) and the wood duck (1951).
Read more about it:
Elizabeth M. Bachmann, “Minnesota’s New State Bird, the Loon,” Gopher Historian (Fall 1961): 17-22. Used with permission.
Sue Hubbell, “Its ponds may not always be golden, but the loon still sings a wild song,” Smithsonian (March 1989): 58-66.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources provides in-depth information about the loon.
MINNESOTA STATE BUTTERFLY:
Minnesota’s state butterfly, the Monarch (Danaus plexippus), was chosen in 2000 and is designated by Minnesota Statute 1.1497.
Read more about it:
“A legislative lesson,” Session Weekly, April 7, 2000, page 17.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources provides in-depth information about the monarch butterfly.
MINNESOTA STATE DRINK:
Milk was adopted as the official Minnesota state drink in 1984 and designated by Minnesota Statute 1.1495.
MINNESOTA STATE FISH:
The walleye (stizostedion v. vitreum) is Minnesota’s state fish. In 1965, after having been proposed once before in 1953, the walleye was adopted as state fish by Minnesota Statute 1.146.
Read more about it:
“State Fish of Minnesota: The Walleye,” Gopher Historian (Fall 1965): 11-13. Used with permission.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources provides in-depth information about the walleye.
MINNESOTA STATE FLAG:
The design for Minnesota’s state flag was adopted originally in 1893. Minnesota Statute 1.141 describes the flag and conditions under which it should be flown.
Read more about it:
William M. Becker, “The Origin of the Minnesota State Flag,” Minnesota History 53 (Spring 1992): 2-8. Used with permission.
Joseph A.A. Burnquist (editor), Minnesota and Its People (Volume 1). Chicago: S.J. Clarke Publishing, 1924, p. 327-328.
Report of the Interim Committee on Change of the State Flag. St. Paul: The Commission, 1955.
A description of the design and creation of the original Minnesota state flag may be found in Session Weekly.
In 1955, an interim committee was created by the Legislature to study changing the flag. In 1957, a new flag design was specified by Minnesota Laws 1957 Chapter 155, Sections 1-4. In 1989, a new flag design was proposed by the Minnesota Flag Coalition, but no bill was introduced. In 2000, Sen. Ed Oliver introduced a bill proposing a legislative task force on the design of the state flag, but the bill did not pass.
MINNESOTA STATE FLOWER:
After having mistakenly passed a resolution designating the wild lady slipper (Cyprideum calceolus) as the state flower in 1893, the Minnesota Legislature corrected its mistake in 1902 by passing a resolution naming the pink and white lady slipper (Cypripedium reginae), also known as the showy lady slipper, as Minnesota’s state flower. Minnesota Statute 1.142 was passed in 1967, designating the state flower in law.
Read more about it:
The Minnesota state flower is protected by Minnesota Statutes 18H.18. Information on transplanting lady slippers is available from the Minnesota Department of Natural resources.
“State Flower Called Fake,” Minneapolis Tribune 2/2/1902: p. 6.
Charles E. Flandrau, “The Official State Flower of the State, and the Method of Its Selection,” The History of Minnesota and Tales of the Frontier, St. Paul: E.W. Porter, 1900, pages 237-241.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources provides in-depth information about the lady’s slipper.
MINNESOTA STATE FRUIT:
Minnesota’s state fruit is the Honeycrisp, designated by Minnesota Statute 1.1475, adopted by the Legislature in 2006.
Read more about it:
Minnesota House Public Information provides a summary of the legislation, State fruit bill passes, in 2006 New Laws.
The University of Minnesota provides information on the Honeycrisp apple.
MINNESOTA STATE GEMSTONE:
The Lake Superior agate was adopted as Minnesota’s gemstone in 1969. Minnesota Statute 1.147 designated the agate as the state gemstone for Minnesota.
Read more about it:
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources provides in-depth information about the Lake Superior agate.
MINNESOTA STATE GRAIN:
In 1977, wild rice (zizania aquatica) was chosen Minnesota’s state grain. Minnesota Statute 1.148 designated wild rice as the Minnesota state grain.
Read more about it:
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources provides in-depth information about wild rice.
Rather than a grain, wild rice is actually a hardy aquatic grass and is known as manomin to the Ojibwe.
MINNESOTA STATE MOTTO:
L’etoile du Nord (translation: “Star of the North”) was adopted formally as the official state motto in 1861. Henry Sibley selected this motto to be used on the state seal and the Legislature approved both the seal and the motto at the same time in Minnesota Laws 1861, Chapter 43.
Quae sursum volo videre (translation: “I wish to see what is above”) was the intended motto for the territorial seal, chosen by Henry Sibley in 1849. When it was engraved, however, it became Quo sursum velo videre (translation: unintelligible Latin, but something like “I cover to see what is above”). The 1849 motto was not coded in Minnesota law.
Unofficial state slogans have been proposed from time to time. In 1959 hearings on HF 437 (“a bill for an act relating to slogans”), which did not pass, suggested several slogans, including “no sales tax”. In 1980, the Minneapolis Tribune sponsored a Minnesota slogan contest. The winner was “come fall in love with a loon”. However, the contest did not result in legislative changes.
MINNESOTA STATE MUFFIN:
The blueberry muffin was adopted as Minnesota’s state muffin in 1988 and designated into law as Minnesota Statute 1.1496.
MINNESOTA STATE MUSHROOM:
In 1984, the morel mushroom (morchella esculenta) was chosen as Minnesota’s state mushroom. Minnesota Statute 1.149 adopted the morel as the state mushroom for Minnesota.
Minnesota was the first state to have an official state mushroom. The morel is also known as the sponge mushroom or the honeycomb morel.
MINNESOTA STATE PHOTO:
The photograph “Grace” was adopted in 2002, as Minnesota’s official state photograph and written into law as Minnesota Statute 1.1498.
Read more about it:
In 1918, “Grace” was photographed by Eric Enstrom in the town of Bovey, Minnesota.
Scott Thistle, “Official State Photo Has Rich History,” St. Paul Pioneer Press 4/1/2002: B1.
MINNESOTA STATE SEAL:
The official Minnesota state seal was adopted in 1861. Minnesota Statute 1.135 describes the seal, its historical symbolism and its uses. Until 1974, the Minnesota Constitution required that the seal “shall be attached to all official acts of the governor requiring authentication.”
Read more about it:
In 1849, Henry Sibley proposed that a picture created by Seth Eastman be adopted as the official Minnesota territorial seal. This proposal was adopted by the legislature. When Minnesota became a state in 1858, officials continued to use the territorial seal until 1861 when Minnesota Laws 1861, Chapter 43 was passed, creating an official state seal. The 1861 seal showed a settler plowing a field beside the Mississippi River near St. Anthony Falls. In the background, an Indian on horseback rides toward the setting sun. A banner shows the state motto “L’Etoile du Nord”. In 1983 the seal was redesigned. Norway pines (the state tree) were added behind St. Anthony Falls and the direction of the Indian was changed. He now rides toward the farmer rather than away from him.
“State Seal,” Roots: Minnesota Almanac 13 (Fall 1984): 21-23. Used with permission .
William Folwell. A History of Minnesota Volume II. (St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Society Press, originally published 1924, reprint 1961), p. 357-361. Used with permission.
Robert M. Brown. “The Great Seal of the State of Minnesota,” Minnesota History 33 (Fall 1952): 126-129. Used with permission .
MINNESOTA STATE SONG:
“Hail Minnesota” was adopted as the Minnesota state song in 1945 by Minnesota Laws 1945 Joint Resolution Number 15.
Read the words to the Minnesota State Song and see the sheet music.
Written originally in 1904, “Hail Minnesota” was a song in a University of Minnesota play, “The Apple of Discord.” The music and first verse were written by Truman Rickard; the second verse was written by Arthur Upson. “Hail Minnesota” was used as the alma mater for the University of Minnesota and was later adapted for use as the official Minnesota state song.
MINNESOTA STATE SPORT:
Ice hockey was named the official state sport of Minnesota in article 6 section 1 of 2009 Minnesota Laws chapter 78.
MINNESOTA STATE TREE:
The official state tree of Minnesota is the red or Norway pine (Pinus resinosa). The state tree was made official in 1953 by Minnesota Statute 1.143
Read more about it:
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources provides in-depth information about the Norway pine.