Symbol | Official Item

Virginia designated the square dance as the official state folk dance in 1991. The square dance provided pioneers with recreation and social contact with neighbors - and is still doing that today! All State Dances

Twenty-two states have passed legislation to officially adopt the square dance as a state symbol, and more than thirty bills have been introduced at the federal level proposing the square dance as the national (folk) dance of the United States.

The great seal of Virginia is based on a design described in the convention of 1776:

The state flag of Virginia has a deep blue field with a circle of white in the center on both sides of the flag. In this white circle Virginia's coat of arms is painted or embroidered, as described by the convention of 1776 (also the description of Virginia's state seal):

Virginia designated English as the official state language of the Commonwealth in 1996. Many states have recognized official languages, including Native American languages and American sign language (18% of the United States population over the age of five speaks a language other than English at home). All State Languages

Milk was recognized as the official state beverage of Virginia in 1982. All Food & Beverage Symbols

Located in Portsmouth, the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame was designated the official sports hall of fame of Virginia in 1996 (Virginia Motorsports Museum & Hall of Fame is also an official state symbol, adopted in 1995). All State Museums

The state of Virginia was named after England's Queen Elizabeth I. In the early 1600's, all of North America that was not Spanish or French was then called "Virginia" in honor of "The Virgin Queen," and the earliest English colonial expeditions were sent by the Virginia Company of London. Virginia became the 10th state on June 25, 1788.

Virginia designated the oyster shell (Crassostraea virginica) as the official state shell in 1974. Virginia also recognizes a prehistoric shell (an ancient scallop) as the state fossil. All Aquatic Life Symbols

Virginia's most familiar state nickname is Old Dominion. The nickname was earned by the loyalty of Virginia to the Royalist cause during the English Civil War and afterward, during the English Commonwealth. The moniker was given by King Charles II in recognition of Virginia's loyalty to the Crown, after the Restoration.

Mother of Presidents

Another nickname for Virginia is the "Mother of Presidents" because it is the birthplace of eight U.S. presidents.

The beautiful brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) was designated official state fish of Virginia in 1993, then in 2011 it was reenacted as the official freshwater fish (the same legislation recognized the striped bass as Virginia's official saltwater fish). All State Fish