Fifty Nifty United States (pt 1) - SciHisty #5a

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Across
  1. 4. Mississippi (MS) - Jackson: Like KS, this nickname comes from the state’s close association with a flower found, although in the case of MS, it has white petals with yellow stamen & is also the official state tree. This namesake flower is prominently featured on the new MS flag voted on in a recent 2020 referendum, officially known as the “In God We Trust” flag.
  2. 6. Indiana (IN) - Indianapolis: There are various theories as to the origins of this state nickname, which is also the demonym for IN residents. One story says came from an 1831 letter about a boat, while another one points to an 1833 John Finely poem. A third states that it’s a portmanteau of the words “Who’s here?” or from a facetious James Whitcomb Riley tale involving a bitten-off ear. Perhaps it came from a slang term in the English Cumberland dialect or its name of a Methodist preacher. Whatever the case, it remains a unique moniker for sure!
  3. 8. Arkansas (AR) - Little Rock: Once officially known as the “Wonder State” & “Land of Opportunity”, this new moniker was formally adopted in 1995 to highlight the "...unsurpassed scenery, clear lakes, free-flowing streams, magnificent rivers meandering bayous, delta bottomlands, forested mountains, & abundant fish & wildlife” found in AR.
  4. 10. Kentucky (KY) - Frankfort: This nickname originates from a grass species known for its blue-purple buds which gives fields a blue tinge from afar & supports KY’s thoroughbred horse industry. It also gives its name to the state music, a country genre developed in the 1940s Appalachian region played on acoustic string instruments with emphasizes the “off beat” with elements of blues & jazz.
  5. 11. Kansas (KS) - Topeka: Featured in a 1901 ode by Ed Blair, this yellow flower nickname has long been associated with KA, even before statehood. During army explorer Stephen Harriman Long’s 1820 travels through the state, he noted how early settlers burnt these flower stalks for fuel & fed the seeds to poultry. While disliked by some as a “noxious weed”, others admired the plant’s hardiness. By 1903, it adorned state militia uniforms & became part of the state flag by 1927. It shares part of its name with FL.
  6. 14. Connecticut (CT)- Hartford: Some historians believe The Fundamental Orders of 1638-39, which were written in CT, were the first written rules of government to be used in the USA, & the first type of this document in history. Though disputed, many features of this federal document were drawn for these orders. It’s also known as the “Nutmeg State” after stories of wooden nutmeg being made & sold here.
  7. 16. Maine (ME) - Augusta: With over 89% of ME covered in lush hardwood forest, this nickname suits the state extremely well. The white variant of this tree species is considered to be the tallest conifer in the northeastern USA & was highly valued in colonial days for the construction of ship masts. Depicted on the state seal & flag, the cone & tassel of this tree were officially made the state floral emblem in 1895, despite botanically being a strobilus, not a flower.
  8. 18. Minnesota (MN) - St. Paul: This celestial nickname came about from the state motto, “Étoile du Nord”, created in 1861 by Governor Henry Sibley, who thought it fitted the northernmost state at the time due to the symbolism of a navigation light for explorers & nod to early French-Canadian settlers of the state. MN is also known as the “Land of 10,000 Lakes” - an apt title as there are 11,842 lakes over 4 ha in size within state borders.
  9. 19. Delaware (DE)- Dover: Due to the U.S. Constitution’s unanimous ratification by 30 delegates in Dover on December 7th, 1787 (a date noted on the state flag), this nickname was a given. However, it was not made official until May 2002, or nearly 215 years later, after request by Mrs. Anabelle O'Malley's first grade class at Mt. Pleasant Elementary School passed through state legislature.
  10. 21. Arizona (AZ) - Phoenix: This nickname comes from a famous gorge in Northwest AZ, which exposes nearly 2 billion years of geological history & was declared a UNESCO site in 1979. First settled by the Pueblo people, the site’s name was coined in the 1870s by John Wesley Powell during his exploration of the Colorado River. Other nicknames include the “Copper State” & “Baby State”, due to the mining of the metal & being the youngest state in the contiguous USA
  11. 24. Alabama (AL) - Montgomery: This unofficial nickname originates from the American Civil War, due to the yellow trimmed uniforms of the Huntsville cavalry company, which resembled the yellow wing & tail feathers of the northern flicker woodpecker - the state bird of AL.
Down
  1. 1. Louisiana (LA) - Baton Rouge: Pictured on the state flag nurturing its young by tearing its own breast, this large-mouthed bird has been a symbol of the state since colonial times due to its generous & nurturing attitude. However, in the 1960s, pesticide use caused this bird to stop nesting along the Gulf coast & disappear completely by 1966. After importing fledglings form FL & declaring it an endangered species in 1970, bird has since recovered with nearly 40,000 individuals residing in the state today.
  2. 2. California (CA) - Sacramento: CA’s long association with this hue makes it an obvious nickname, from an 1848 rush for a metal of this color which saw hundreds of thousands move west, to the famous red suspension San Francisco bridge of this name, to fields of this colored poppies (its state flower) that bloom each spring. Despite this, the name was only made official in 1968.
  3. 3. Massachusetts (MA) - Boston: Like ID, MA’s state nickname is only three letters long but packs lots of meaning behind it. The moniker refers to both Cape Cod, site of the earliest settlements in the USA & the Massachusetts ___ Company, who were given a royal charter in 1629 to promote settlement "from sea to shining sea." While it is the 7th-smallest state, it contains five of these recessed & coastal bodies of water.
  4. 5. Alaska (AK) - Juneau: As the most sparsely populated state in the USA, this nickname suits the land’s reputation of having a remote, undisturbed wilderness & rugged landscape. However, it was admitted into the union as the 49th state in January 1959, beating the “last” state (HI) by 7 months. Other nicknames include “Land of the Midnight Sun” & “Seward’s Icebox”.
  5. 7. Maryland (MD) - Annapolis: According to some historians, this nickname was coined by George Washington himself in during the American Revolutionary War & refers to the “regular” Maryland 400 troops who were the best disciplined in the army. They gave rise to another state nickname “The Cockade State” due to the badges worn in their hats. Another story states that the official moniker originated earlier & refers to the dividing line between the land grants given to William Penn & Lord Baltimore.
  6. 9. Georgia (GA)- Atlanta: Despite being third in the USA production of this food (behind CA & SC), this sweet fruit from the Prunus genus has been grown in GA since 1571 & is an iconic symbol of the state’s agricultural economy & historical past. Fruitland Augusta vodka is made using this namesake fruit, which differs from nectarines by a single MYB25 gene mutation. GA is also known as the “Goober” state for its peanut production, the official state crop.
  7. 12. Colorado (CO) - Denver: CO became the 38th state in 1876, a largely unremarkable fact if it were not for the specific year it entered the union, a notable anniversary of the Declaration of Independence’s signing from where it gets its nickname. Other monikers include “Switzerland of America” & the “Highest State” due to the Rocky Mountains within its borders.
  8. 13. Michigan (MI) - Lansing: While its nickname suggests that large members of the Mustelidae family once roamed MI, historical records disprove this theory. A such, the nickname likely originates from either the Ohioans during the 1835 Toledo War, who proclaimed Michiganders were “as vicious & blood thirsty” as these animals or from Native Americans who compared settlers taking land to how these animals devour food. Other nicknames include the “Great Lakes State” & the “Mitten State” as the hand-shaped state borders four of the five Great Lakes.
  9. 15. Florida (FL)- Tallahassee: Though known for its oranges, Everglades & alligators, this state is officially known by a different nickname. Owing to FL’s subtropical climate & sandy beaches, as well as its tourism industry, this moniker was formally adopted in 1970. The first half of this compound nickname is shared with KS.
  10. 17. Illinois (IL) - Springfield: This official moniker, meaning “meadow” in French, honors this temperate grassland ecosystem which once covered IL but has since become endangered in the last 125-150 years. The state still pays homage to this landscape, from the Drummer silty clay loam (state soil) & Big Bluestem (state grass) found there, to the third week of September consisting of events related to these native habitats. Another state nickname is “Land of Lincoln” as it is where the 16th president began his political career, rather than where he was born (KY) or grew up (IN).
  11. 20. Missouri (MO) - Jefferson City: The origin of this two-word nickname representing the stalwart, stubborn people of MO disputed, though is often attributed to a 1899 statement made by MO congressman Willard Duncan Vandiver: "… frothy eloquence neither convinces nor satisfies me. I am from Missouri. You have got to ____ __.” Other origins include a derogatory reference to MO miners brought in to break a CO miner’s strike or MO guards stationed in Chickamauga Park during the Spanish-American War.
  12. 22. Hawaii (HI)- Honolulu: This Hawaiian greeting is often used in lieu of “hello” or “goodbye”, & symbolizes attributes like “love, affection, peace, compassion & mercy”. Unlike other states, this “popular” nickname was adopted the same year HI became a state. Other state nicknames include the “Pineapple State” & “Paradise of the Pacific”.
  13. 23. Idaho (ID)- Boise: While the mountains of ID do contain a wealth of these precious stones like jade, topaz, zircon, jasper & the rare star garnets (the state mineral), this nickname has a more interesting story. In the 1860s, lobbyist George M. Willing submitted the name “Idaho” to Congress, stating it was a Shoshone Indian word meaning “__ of the Mountains”. However, it was later revealed that the name was completely made up, leading the territory to be named Colorado instead. However, Idaho stuck around & became official when the region was split up further in 1863. Like MA, this nickname is only three letters long.
  14. 25. Iowa (IA) - Des Moines: IA’s nickname is said to have come from the name of the scout in James Fenimore Cooper's 1826 novel, The Last of the Mohicans. From there, it was popularized by two officials from Burlington, supposedly in tribute of Chief Black Hawk. It’s also the superhero name of a fictional archer from IA . Not to be confused with OH’s nickname, which differs from it by the first 3 letters.