Symbols of the State of Pennsylvania
The state seal of the American Commonwealth of Pennsylvania was adopted in 1778 and appears
on the state flag.
The state motto of Virtue, Liberty, and Independence appears at the bottom.
The state nickname of the Keystone State refers to the fact that Pennsylvania was the middle
colony of the 13 original states.
At that time, the nation’s capital was in Philadelphia and Philadelphia held a key position
in the development of the young republic.
The word keystone is an architectural reference.
The keystone in a stone arch is the wedge-shaped stone at the center that holds all of the
other stones in place.
The Quaker State nickname refers to the historical importance of the Quaker religion in the colony
and state of Pennsylvania.
The State of Independence nickname recalls the American Revolution.
Both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were signed in Philadelphia at
Independence Hall.
The nickname of the Coal State refers to Pennsylvania’s rich coal resources in the Appalachian Mountains.
The state bird, the ruffed grouse, was adopted in 1931.
The ruffed grouse, sometimes called the partridge, is a hardy game bird that thrives in the snowy
winters.
The eastern hemlock, a common tree in Pennsylvania forests, was designated the state tree in
1931.
Trees of this species can live for over 800 years and many were used by early settlers
to build log cabins.
The state flower, the mountain laurel, was adopted in 1933 and is a beautiful flower
of an evergreen shrub native to the eastern United States.
The white-tailed deer was made the state animal in 1959 and is common throughout much of the
country.
In fact, eleven states have designated the white-tailed deer as an official state symbol.
The state dog is the Great Dane, adopted in 1965.
Great Danes were a common hunting breed in Pennsylvania during the colonial period.
William Penn, the founder of the Province of Pennsylvania, owned one of these giant
dogs.
In 1970, the brook trout was made the state fish and is common in many parts of the state.
The Pennsylvania firefly was designated the state insect in 1974.
Also known as lightning bugs, fireflies produce light through a special chemical reaction.
On summer nights, flashing fireflies can be seen across the state.
With Pennsylvania being one of the largest milk producers in the country, milk was designated
the state beverage in 1982.
Pennsylvania is the only state that has a state beautification and conservation plant,
which is the Penngift Crownvetch, adopted in 1982.
The plant is found throughout the state and has been planted along many roadways for erosion
control.
It produces white and pink flowers during the summer.
In 1987, the state designated two state locomotives, the K4 Steam and the GGI 4859 Electric.
The K4 steam locomotive was once the main passenger locomotive within the state, all
built in Pennsylvania.
The state electric locomotive was first built in 1937 and used to transport troops during
World War II.
It continued to carry coal and passenger cars until it was retired in 1979.
The restored US Brig Niagara was made Pennsylvania’s state flagship in 1988.
The ship fought in the Battle of Lake Eire during the War of 1812 against Great Britain.
It is currently harbored at the Eire Maritime Museum.
The state fossil, a species of trilobite, was adopted in 1988.
Trilobites were a type of very successful marine arthropods that were common during
the Devonian period.
Pennsylvania’s state license plate incorporates a keystone symbol in the middle the plate’s
characters.
The colors of blue and gold, associated with the state, are used and a URL address to the
official tourism website of the state is displayed at the bottom.
The Pennsylvania state quarter was minted in 1999 and features a statue representing
the commonwealth in front of an outline of the state.
The keystone symbol appears to the left and the state motto of Virtue, Liberty, and Independence
appears to the right.
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