Hoosier 101: 18 Indiana State Symbols You Should Know

I’ve called Indiana home for all 50 of my years, and let me tell you - just when you think you know your state, you find out there’s a ton of stuff you don’t know. Seriously, some of these official Indiana symbols had me scratching my head! If you love learning fun facts about the Hoosier State, this list is right up your alley.

Do You Know These 18 Indiana State Symbols?

State Aircraft: P-47 Thunderbolt

Meet the “Hoosier Spirit II” proudly on display at the Evansville Wartime Museum.

State Bird: Cardinal

Our bright red friend isn’t just ours - Kentucky, Illinois, Ohio, and a few others claim it too. As a die-hard Cubs fan, it hurts to give the red bird any positive press. Ha!

State Flag

Adopted in 1917, the torch represents liberty and enlightenment. The 13 stars represent the original colonies. The five stars on top represent new states, and the big star above the flame represents us - Hoosiers!

State Flower: Peony

We can all agree that Indiana’s official flower is the peony – but how to pronounce it is a whole ‘nother thing!

State Fossil: Mastodon

Indiana even has a state fossil! Who knew? Apparently, the mastodon roamed our lands long before us.

State Gun: Grouseland Rifle

This beautifully ornate rifle is named after the estate (Grouseland) that was home to Indiana native and the 9th President of the United States, William Henry Harrison.

State Insect: Say's Firefly

Who knew that those fireflies we chased as kids are officially recognized by the state

State Language: English

Yep, we have one. Not surprising, but fun to know!

State Motto: "Crossroads of America"

State Nickname: The Hoosier State

State Pie: Sugar Cream Pie

The sugar cream pie is the state pie of Indiana - it even says so right there on the packaging, so it must be official.

State Poem: "Indiana"

"Indiana" was written by Arthur Franklin Mapes, who often reflected on his youth and his affection for his hometown of  Kendallville, IN.

God crowned her hills with beauty,
Gave her lakes and winding streams,
Then He edged them all with woodlands
As the setting for our dreams.
Lovely are her moonlit rivers,
Shadowed by the sycamores,
Where the fragrant winds of Summer
Play along the willowed shores.
I must roam those wooded hillsides,
I must heed the native call,
For a pagan voice within me
Seems to answer to it all.
I must walk where squirrels scamper
Down a rustic old rail fence,
Where a choir of birds is singing
In the woodland . . . green and dense.
I must learn more of my homeland
For it's paradise to me,
There's no haven quite as peaceful,
There's no place I'd rather be.
Indiana . . . is a garden
Where the seeds of peace have grown,
Where each tree, and vine, and flower
Has a beauty . . . all its own.
Lovely are the fields and meadows,
That reach out to hills that rise
Where the dreamy Wabash River
Wanders on . . . through paradise.

 

State River: Wabash River

A defining feature of our landscape, winding its way through the heart of the state.

State Seal

Since 1963, Indiana’s seal has sparked debate: is the sun rising or setting? I say it’s always rising for Hoosiers!

State Snack: Popcorn

With all the corn we grow, it only makes sense. Pop it, share it, enjoy it—Indiana style.

State Song: "On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away"

Written in 1897 by Terre Haute native Paul Dresser, it captures the essence of Indiana life.

State Stone: Limestone

State Tree: Tuliptree

[h/t: nwi.com]