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North Carolina State Symbols and Official Adoptions


The North Carolina General Assembly adopted its first state symbol in 1885 with legislation recognizing the official State Flag. Since that time, the Legislature has adopted more symbols, from the State Dog to the State Marsupial to the State Beverage and the State Vegetable. Some symbols are emblems or iconic representations of the state's history and culture, such as the flag or the Great Seal. Others represent the state's unique natural heritage, such as the Cardinal and the Venus Fly Trap, or elements, like the sweet potato, that have been vital to sustaining the people or the economy.


State Symbols and other Official Adoptions are created from legislation enacted by the General Assembly and signed into law by the Governor. The adoption of each state symbol is associated with a particular piece of legislation enumerated in the North Carolina General Statutes, Chapter 145: State Symbols and Other Official Adoptions. Scroll down this page to access a list of the state's official adoptions (with links to NCpedia articles).


During the 2015-2016 legislative session two bills were introduced to designate official adoptions: for new official adoption. On January 26, 2015, a bill was introduced for the adoption of the Old Fort Gold Festival, in McDowell County, as the official Gold Festival of North Carolina. The festival has been celebrated during the first weekend in June since 2003. And on March 4, 2015, a bill was introduced to name the Bobcat as the official State Cat. Fourth-graders at Benvenue Elementary School in Nash County wrote to their state legislator to recommend that the General Assembly adopt an official state cat to complement the state dog, the Plott Hound. The legislation was sponsored by Rep. Bobbie Richardson, a Nash County Democrat. The General Assembly concluded the legislative session in 2015 without taking up either legislation for ratification.


To read entries about many of North Carolina's most well-known state symbols and the history of North Carolina in Spanish, visit this NCpedia link: https://www.ncpedia.org/libro-de-hechos-de-el-viejo-estado-del-norte


Clicking this image will take you to the State Symbols Timeline. Image of a man fly fishing. Clicking this image will take you to the Featured State Adoption page. Black and white drawing of Blackbeard the pirate overlaid with the words "Test Ye Knowledge, Mates!" Clicking this image will take you to the NC history quiz.Colorful plotthound drawing, Clicking this image will take you to NC state symbols coloring pages. Cover of Spanish textbook. Clicking this image will take you to Historia y símbolos en español.



North Carolina's State Symbols and Other Official Adoptions: Articles on State Symbols in NCpedia


Click on the blue text to access individual articles


Art Medium

Aviation Museums

Aviation Hall of Fame


Berries - The Red Berry and The Blue Berry

Beverage

Bird

Boat

Butterfly

Carnivorous Plant

Christmas Tree

Colors

Dance, Folk

Dance, Popular

Dog

Festival, Blue Monday Shad Fry

Festival, Collard

Festival, Food Festival of the North Carolina Piedmont Triad: Lexington Barbecue Festival

Festival, Herring

Festival, International

Festival, Livermush - Fall and Spring

Festival, Mullet

Festival, Peanut

Festival, Potato

Festival, Shad

Festival, Shrimp

Festival, Watermelon - Northeastern NC, Southeastern NC

Flag

Folk Art

Flower

Fossil

Freshwater Trout

Frog

Fruit

Home of the Fly Fishing Museum of the Southern Appalachians (Swain County)

Honor and Remember Flag

Horse

Insect

Language

Mammal

Marsupial

Military Academy

Mineral

Motto

Outdoor Festival (North Carolina Outdoor Festival, adopted June 2018, 2017 Legislative Session, article forthcoming)

Pottery birthplace

Reptile

Rock

Salamander

Salt Water Fish

Salute, Flag

Seal

Shell

Song

Sport

Stone, Precious

Tartan

Theatre, Professional

Theatre, Community

Toast

Tree

Vegetable

Veterans Day Parade, Town of Warsaw

Wildflower



North Carolina Legislation Authorizing State Symbols and Other Official Adoptions


NCpedia article listing state symbols and corresponding N.C. General Statutes (with links to statutes)

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