Who could find any fault with Maryland’s official symbols? The state flower, bird, reptile, insect and crustacean are beautiful, exciting species shared with no other state. Maryland is the only Eastern state besides New Jersey to adopt a dinosaur.
The only real stinkers on Maryland’s roster are the official beverage and folk dance, milk and the square dance. But these generic symbols are quickly forgotten when one gazes at Maryland’s fabulous state flag, revered by many flag buffs as the most beautiful of the fifty state flags. It also features some deep symbolism.
The flag features the colors yellow and black (along with red and white), which are also associated with several other state symbols, notably the state flower, bird, reptile and insect. The other prominent themes that unite Maryland’s symbols are war, Chesapeake Bay and food; no other state boasts an official reptile that is pursued by gourmets.
Nicknames, Mottoes & Song
Maryland’s nicknames include Free State and Old Line State. According to some historians, General George Washington bestowed the name “Old Line State” on Maryland’s regular line troops, the Maryland Line, who served courageously in many Revolutionary War battles.
One might guess that the nickname Free State derives from the Civil War, when Maryland stuck with the Union. In fact, Marylanders were deeply divided in their loyalty. The nickname was actually born in 1923 when a newspaper editor suggested that Maryland should secede from the Union, rather than prohibit the sale of liquor.
Maryland is one of the few states with two official mottoes. Unfortunately, both are in Latin, which is no big loss because neither is terribly exciting.
Scuto Bonae Voluntatis Tuae Coronasti Nos translates “With favor wilt thou compass us as with a shield” (from the 5th Psalm, 12th verse). Fatti maschii parole femine can be loosely translated “Manly deeds, womanly words.” Both mottoes appear on the two-sided state seal.
The official song is Maryland, My Maryland.
Plants
Maryland/Introduction is one of ten states (Alaska, Arizona, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Virginia and Wyoming) that have but two plant symbols, a state flower and tree. Its state flower is a sunny favorite, the black-eyed Susan.
Maryland shares its state tree, the white oak, with Connecticut and Illinois. But Maryland claimed the biggest recorded white oak in the United States. Known as the Wye Oak, the famous tree was toppled by a storm in 2002.
Animals
Maryland’s state bird, the beautiful Baltimore oriole, has deep roots in history. After all, how many state birds are associated with Lord Baltimore himself? The Baltimore oriole is actually colored orange and black, but orange is but an intermediate step between the yellow and red on the state flag.
Maryland/Introduction is one of four states (Florida, Maryland, Mississippi and Oklahoma) with three official mammals. (Massachusetts, Texas and Wisconsin have four each.)
Unfortunately, none of Maryland’s mammal symbols are wild species. It shares its official horse, the Thoroughbred, with Kentucky. But the official dog and cat belong to Maryland alone. Many people have never heard of the Calico Cat (even if its red, black and white colors are the colors of Maryland’s flag and founding families), but the Chesapeake Bay Retriever is a national favorite.
The Baltimore checkerspot butterfly is similar to the state bird—a beautiful flying creature sporting the name Baltimore and bearing the colors yellow and black. The other three cold-blooded animal symbols represent the bounty of Chesapeake Bay.
The state reptile is the diamondback terrapin, the only official turtle that is neither a freshwater species nor a true sea turtle.The striped bass represents Maryland, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and South Carolina.
Maryland is the only state besides Louisiana with an official crustacean. Like the terrapin and striped bass, the blue crab is a famous example of Maryland cuisine.
Earth Symbols
Perhaps no state soil has a more appetizing name than Maryland’s Sassafras. It’s a reminder that virtually all things good to eat come from the soil...unless they come from Chesapeake Bay.
Maryland/Introduction is one of ten states and provinces (Arizona, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, South Dakota, Tennessee and Nova Scotia) that have adopted agates as official symbols. Maryland’s official agate is called the Patuxent River stone and is designated the official stone. It shares the colors red and white with the state flag.
Maryland is one of the few states with two official fossils. One of the first North American fossils described by scientists, the marine snail Ecphora gardnerae serves as the official fossil shell.
Astrodon johnstoni was adopted as the official dinosaur in 1998. No lightweight, Astrodon was a long-necked sauropod (related to the famous Brontosaurus) measuring 50-60 feet in length.
Miscellaneous Symbols
Maryland/Introduction is one of sixteen states with an official tartan. It is one of the few states with two official sports; jousting is the original official sport, while lacrosse was later designated the official team sport.
One of Maryland’s most beloved symbols is the vanishing Skipjack, the state boat that has worked Chesapeake Bay for generations.
Other miscellaneous symbols include an official Theater (Center Stage, Baltimore), Summer Theater (Olney Theatre, Montgomery County), folk dance (square dance) and beverage (milk).
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