There probably isn’t a library in America that doesn’t have a dated state symbols reference. Nowadays, these frankly sterile references are supplemented by various websites focusing on state symbols.
Yet the recipe never seems to change. State symbols are typically relegated to the domains of school book reports and trivia, spiced with a little patriotism.
Yet symbols can be powerful and surprisingly complex. Think about the American flag, the Christian cross, the swastika and our national motto, E Pluribus Unum.
Symbols can tell us a lot about the people and jurisdictions that adopt them. Maine’s symbols are refreshingly unique and wholesome, maybe even a little inspirational.
What state motto can top “Dirigo,” which Mainers have tied to the North Star? What child wouldn’t want to live in a state that has two official state pies, including a creation called “whoopie pie”?
Moxie merits a book by itself. In fact, several books have been written about Moxie. Suffice it to say that I’ve become a believer, even if I’m still trying to figure out exactly what Moxie is.
My Maine Symbols doesn’t qualify as an encyclopedia. But it is probably the best reference on Maine symbols available. It discusses all the officially adopted symbols, along with some candidates that were never adopted. But the stars of the show may be some of Maine’s iconic unofficial symbols. Think flannel shirts, Bean boots and lighthouses. Maybe even Stephen King hanging upside down from a barn rafter.
But why stop there?
Rather than offer a simple list of symbols with boilerplate descriptions, My Maine Symbols ventures off the beaten path into the realm of inquiry and – gasp! – criticism.
What are Maine’s worst symbols? Why are Mainers hiding their official ballad and march? Should Mainers adopt a new flag…or an old one? And where is the best place in Maine to watch the sun rise?
This book doesn’t have all the answers, but it offers lots of food for thought.
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Chapters
- Symbols of State
- Name & Nicknames
- Motto & Slogans
- Songs
- State Seal & Coat of Arms
- Flag(s)
- EcoSymbols
- Trees
- Flowers
- Fruit
- Birds
- Mammals
- Herptiles
- Insects
- Fishes
- Lobster
- Earth Symbols
- Cultural Symbols
- Lighthouses
- Clothing
- Ships
- Food
- Moxie
- Sports
- People
- Language
- The Arts
Below is a list of Maine’s officially adopted state symbols.
| Symbols of State | ||
| Nicknames | The Pine Tree State, Border State, Old Dirigo State | |
| Motto | Dirigo | |
| Song | State of Maine Song | 1937 |
| March | The Dirigo March | 2012 |
| Ballad | The Ballad of the 20th Maine | 2010 |
| EcoSymbols | ||
| Flower | white pine cone and tassel (Pinus strobus) | 1895 |
| Tree | eastern white pine (Pinus strobus) | 1945 |
| Berry | blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium) | 1991 |
| Herb | wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens) | 1999 |
| Bird | chickadee (Poecile) | 1927 |
| Animal | moose (Alces alces) | 1979 |
| Cat | Maine Coon Cat (Felis catus) | 1985 |
| Fish | landlocked salmon (Salmo salar) | 1969 |
| Heritage Fish | brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) | 2005 |
| Heritage Fish | blueback charr (Salvelinus alpinus oquassa) | 2007 |
| Insect | honeybee (Apis mellifera) | 1975 |
| Crustacean | Maine lobster (Homarus americanus) | 2016 |
| Soil | Chesuncook Soil Series | 1999 |
| Fossil † | Pertica quadrifaria (Pertica quadrifaria) | 1985 |
| Gemstone | tourmaline | 1971 |
| Cultural Symbols | ||
| Dessert | blueberry pie | 2011 |
| Treat | whoopie pie | 2011 |
| Sweetener | pure Maine maple syrup | 2015 |
| Drink | Moxie | 2005 |
| Vessel | Schooner Bowdoin | 1987 |
| Official Language of the Deaf Community | American Sign Language | 1991 |