Rhododendron (Rhododendron maximum) was designated the official state flower of West Virginia in 1903. The rhododendron beat honeysuckle and wild rose by more than 15,000 votes in a poll of public schoolchildren from across the state. All State Flowers.
Alaska's state motto (North to the Future) was adopted in 1967 during the Alaska Purchase Centennial. The motto is meant to represent Alaska as a land of promise. All State Mottos
Suggested by journalist Richard Peter, who stated the motto "...is a reminder that beyond the horizon of urban clutter there is a Great Land beneath our flag that can provide a new tomorrow for this century's 'huddled masses yearning to be free'."
Alaska passed a bill in 1998 designating English as the official state language. In 2014 the official language act was amended, adding 20 Alaskan native languages as co-official languages with English. These languages are:
Inupiaq, Siberian Yupik, Central Alaskan Yup'ik, Alutiiq, Unangax, Dena'ina, Deg Xinag, Holikachuk, Koyukon, Upper Kuskokwim, Gwich'in, Tanana, Upper Tanana, Tanacross, Hän, Ahtna, Eyak, Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian.
16.2% of Alaska's residents over the age of five speak a language other than English, and 2.4% are linguistically isolated.
Alaska's state flag features The Big Dipper ("Ursa Major" or "Great Bear" constellation) as a symbol of strength, and Polaris (the North Star ) as a symbol of Alaska's northern location and "the ever constant star for the mariner, the explorer, hunter, trapper, prospector, woodsman, and the surveyor..." (quote from legislation). The blue background represents the sky, sea, lakes, and wildflowers of Alaska (the official state flower is also blue).
"Alaska's Flag" was adopted as the official state song of Alaska in 1955 (words by Marie Drake, music by Elinor Dusenbury). All State Songs
The lyrics do not mention that the simple and elegant design of Alaska's state flag was created by Benny Benson, a 13 year old 7th-grader from an orphanage in Seward.
Alaska's official nickname is "The Last Frontier." All State Nicknames
Other familiar nicknames for Alaska are "The Great Land" (featured on the Alaska quarter), and "The Land of the Midnight Sun."
The name Alaska originates from an Aleut word "Alyeska," meaning "great land." The Aleuts are people inhabiting the Aleutian Islands and western Alaska. Many state names trace their origin to native American languages. All State Name Origins
Alaska designated Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) as the official state tree in 1962. All State Trees
Named for Sitka Sound in Alaska, the Sitka spruce is the tallest conifer in the world. Moist ocean air and summer fog are the main factors that account for Sitka spruce's large growth.
Alaska designated jade as the official state gem in 1968 (jade is also the official gemstone of Wyoming). All State Gems
Alaska has large deposits of this gemstone, including an entire mountain of jade on the Seward Peninsula. Prior to English exploration in the late 1700's, native Eskimos traded jade (as well as copper, hides and furs).
Gold was officially designated the state mineral of Alaska in 1968. All State Minerals
The Alaska Gold Rush brought thousands of adventurers to Alaska and the Yukon in the mid 1800's and again early in the 1900's when gold was discovered near Fairbanks. They all came dreaming of riches and their dramatic frontier stories are both triumphant and tragic.