State symbols have been a mainstay of U.S. culture since the very beginning. Official symbols are used to represent the cultural heritage and natural history of each state in the most fun way possible.
Fortunately, Georgia is no different from many other U.S. states, with tons of symbols that are indicative to the state’s historical roots and geological history of Georgia. There are also recognizable icons and emblems for each state, such as state seals and flags, nicknames and mottos, and much more which we have included in our Georgia state symbol list.
Georgia State Symbols List
There are an incredible amount of state symbols for Georgia, and all states for that matter, creating a whole host of interesting facts, both from the past and present. We have shortlisted the top 6 most significant Georgia state symbols below and further down the page you will find a comprehensive table with each Georgia symbol and the date in which they were officially created.
Georgia State Animal
Georgia is in somewhat of a unique position when it comes to the mammal that represents the state. There are actually two, a land mammal and a sea mammal! The land mammal that represents Georgia is the White-Tailed Deer and has been since 2015, thanks to the efforts of a group of elementary school students at Reese Road Leadership Academy, located in Muscogee County, GA.
The second of Georgia’s state animals and the ‘marine mammal’ representing the state is the critically endangered Northern Right Whale. This Whale species has been a symbol for Georgia since 1985.
Georgia State Fruit
It should be known by many which fruit best represents the state of Georgia – peaches! You only need to look at Georgia’s nickname to work out which fruit it could be. The Peach State has a widely recognized reputation for producing the highest quality peaches which make it the state fruit of Georgia.
Georgia State Bird and Flower
It was in 1916 when Georgia appointed the Cherokee rose (Rosa laevigata) as the official state floral emblem, shortly after this it became recognized as the official state wildflower.
The Brown Trasher (Toxostoma rufum) was originally the unofficial state bird from 1935 to 1970. It was during 1970 when the thrasher became Georgia’s official state bird. The Georgia state bird and flower represent one of the finest songsters in America and a rose name derived from the Cherokee Indians.
Georgia State Seal
The Georgia state seal was officially adopted in 1798, the seal contains a row of columns, a naval officer bearing a drawn sword, and 1776, which was the year the U.S. declared independence.
Georgia State Insect
In 1975 Georgia made the Honeybee its official state insect, paying homage to these insects’ incredible contribution to the state’s economy via the production of honey during the early days. Bees have also aided the pollination of over 50 crops in Georgia over the years. Georgia’s state insect is a member of the great insect family Apoidea, which includes 20,000 species!
Georgia State Tree
Live Oak (Quercus virginiana) is the official state tree for Georgia and has been since 1937. Coastal towns and cities in the south of the nation will often have hurricane-resistant live oaks that impressively arch over streets in historic neighborhoods for protection.
All Georgia State Symbols (Table)
Now that we have taken a look at some of the more popular and notable state symbols that are associated with the great state of Georgia, it makes sense to showcase all the Georgia state symbols that are best used to represent the state’s historical and more present achievements and moments. Here is the complete list of symbols:
Type Of Symbol | State Symbol | Year |
---|---|---|
Georgia State Amphibian | American green tree frog | 2005 |
Georgia State Art Museum | Georgia Museum of Art | 1982 |
Georgia State Atlas | The Atlas of Georgia | 1985 |
Georgia State Ballet Company | Atlanta Ballet | 1973 |
Georgia State Bird | Brown Thrasher | 1970 |
Georgia State Botanical Garden | The State Botanical Garden of Georgia | 1984 |
Georgia State Butterfly | Eastern Tiger Swallowtail | 1988 |
Georgia State Cold Water Game Fish | Southern Appalachian brook trout | 2006 |
Georgia State Creed | Georgian's Creed | 1939 |
Georgia State Crop | Peanut | 1995 |
Georgia State Dog | "Adoptable Dog" | 2016 |
Georgia State Fish | Largemouth Bass | 1970 |
Georgia State Flag | Civil and State Flag | 2003 |
Georgia State Flower | Cherokee Rose | 1916 |
Georgia State Folk Dance | Square Dance | 1996 |
Georgia State Folk Festival | Georgia Folk Festival | 1992 |
Georgia State Folk Life Play | Swamp Gravy | 1994 |
Georgia State Fossil | Shark tooth | 1976 |
Georgia State Fruit | Peach | 1995 |
Georgia State Gem | Georgia State Quartz | 1976 |
Georgia State Insect | Honeybee | 1975 |
Georgia State Marine Mammal | North Atlantic right whale | 1985 |
Georgia State Mineral | Staurolite | 1976 |
Georgia State Motto | "Wisdom, Justice, Moderation" | 1799 |
Georgia State Musical Theatre | Jekyll Island Musical Theatre Festival | 1993 |
Georgia State Nickname | Peach State | 1865 |
Georgia State Nut | Pecan | 2021 |
Georgia State Poet Laureate | Poet Laureate of Georgia | 1925 |
Georgia State Pork Cook-off | The Dooly County Chamber of Commerce's "Slosheye Trail Big Pig Jig" | 1997 |
Georgia State Possum | Pogo 'Possum | 1992 |
Georgia State Prepared Food | Grits | 2002 |
Georgia State Railroad Museum | The Central of Georgia Railroad Shops Complex | 1996 |
Georgia State Reptile | Gopher tortoise | 1989 |
Georgia State Salt-water fish | Red drum | 2006 |
Georgia State Seal | Seal of the State of Georgia | 1798 |
Georgia State Seashell | Knobbed Whelk | 1987 |
Georgia State Song | "Georgia on My Mind" | 1979 |
Georgia State Tartan | Georgia Tartan | 1997 |
Georgia State Tree | Southern Live Oak | 1937 |
Georgia State Vegetable | Vidalia sweet onion | 1990 |
Georgia State Waltz | "Our Georgia" | 1951 |
Georgia State Wildflower | Azalea | 1979 |