List of New Jersey state symbols

Flag of New Jersey
Seal of New Jersey
Coat of arms of New Jersey
NicknameThe Garden State
MottoLiberty and Prosperity[1]
Slogan"New Jersey: Come See For Yourself"[2]
SongNone[3]
Foundation dayDecember 18, 1787 (1787-12-18)
Living insignia
BirdEastern goldfinch (Carduelis tristis)[4]
ButterflyBlack swallowtail butterfly
Domestic animalSeeing Eye Dog[4]
FishBrook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis)[4]
FlowerCommon meadow violet (Viola sororia)[4]
FruitBlueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum)[4]
InsectEuropean honey bee (Apis mellifera)[4]
Mammalhorse (Equus caballus)[4]
ReptileBog turtle (Glyptemys muhlenbergii)[5]
TreeNorthern red oak (Quercus borealis maxima)[4]
VegetableJersey tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum)[6]
Inanimate insignia
Color(s)Buff and Jersey Blue[7]
   
DinosaurHadrosaurus foulkii[4]
DrinkCranberry juice[8]
Folk danceSquare dance[4]
MineralFranklinite[9]
ShellKnobbed whelk (Busycon carica gmelin)[4]
ShipA. J. Meerwald[4]
SoilDowner[10]
Other
State route marker
Route marker
State quarter
New Jersey quarter dollar coin
Released in 1999
Lists of United States state symbols

This is a list of official symbols of the U.S. state of New Jersey. Official symbols of New Jersey are codified in the laws of New Jersey.

History

A decade-long campaign by a Haddon Township teacher led to the selection of Hadrosaurus foulkii as the official state fossil in June 1991. This example of the dinosaur was excavated in 1858 from a marl pit near Haddonfield as one of the most complete dinosaur skeletons to be reconstructed. It remains on display at the New Jersey State Museum, where it has been on display since 1931.[12]

In what The New York Times described as a "food fight", Assemblymember Clare Farragher argued in 2003 that the tomato has a strong historical association with the Garden State and that "the Jersey tomato does have a unique taste" that derives from the characteristics of the soil on the Atlantic coast.[13] Legislation ultimately passed in 2003 establishing the blueberry as New Jersey's official state fruit.[14]

In online balloting, "New Jersey: Come See For Yourself" was selected by the 11,000 participants in 2006 as the winner, from a slogan originally submitted by a resident of Passaic, New Jersey.[2] The Governor of New Jersey announced the new slogan in January 2006, after having previously rejected the slogan "We'll Win You Over", which had been developed by an advertising agency at the cost of $250,000 and was deemed to be "too negative and prone to ridicule". "Come See For Yourself" edged out second-place finisher "New Jersey: The Best Kept Secret" by approximately 100 votes.[15]

On May 10, 2019, New Jersey became the second state in the United States to have an Official State Microbe, the bacterium Streptomyces griseus.[11]

On January 21, 2020, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed legislation that officially designates the Seeing Eye dog as the state dog of New Jersey.[16]

On August 7, 2023, Senate President Nicholas Scutari, in his capacity as acting governor, signed a bill designating cranberry juice as New Jersey's state juice. The legislation was enacted after a successful proposal from Cinnaminson Township fourth grade students.[8]

See also

References

  1. ^ Terhune, Albert Payson (December 8, 1912). "The Story of the States". The Pittsburgh Press. Retrieved June 2, 2010.
  2. ^ a b "Governor's Call to Action". State of New Jersey. January 12, 2006. Retrieved June 2, 2010.
  3. ^ "FAQs". State of New Jersey.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Symbols". State of New Jersey. Retrieved February 19, 2024.
  5. ^ Presinzano, Jessica (June 19, 2018). "New Jersey has a new state reptile and it's so fitting". The Record. Retrieved June 26, 2018. The Garden State has a new state reptile. In fact, it's the state's first, and it speaks to the heart of New Jersey. It's the bog turtle.
  6. ^ "You Say Tomato". The New Yorker. March 21, 2005. Retrieved June 2, 2010.
  7. ^ "The New Jersey State Flag". State of New Jersey. Retrieved June 2, 2010.
  8. ^ a b Redmond, Kimberly (2023-08-09). "Scutari signs bill designating NJ's official state juice". NJBIZ. BridgeTower Media. Retrieved 2023-08-09.
  9. ^ "Governor Murphy Signs Legislation Designating Franklinite as State Mineral". Office of the Governor. Retrieved 2023-07-20.
  10. ^ "New Jersey State Soil - Downer". Natural Resources Conservation Service. Retrieved June 2, 2010.
  11. ^ a b "S1729". Bills. New Jersey Legislature. Retrieved 2019-05-23.
  12. ^ Gray, Jerry (August 7, 1999). "New Jersey's Dinosaur In Need of a New Look; Replica From Hadrosaurus's Heyday Is Outdated, According to Expert". The New York Times. Retrieved June 2, 2010.
  13. ^ Grabell, Michael J (March 2, 2003). "Up Front: Worth Noting; Is This a Food Fight Or the State Assembly?". The New York Times. Retrieved June 2, 2010.
  14. ^ "52:9A-9 Legislative History Checklist". New Jersey State Library. Archived from the original on 2012-09-07. Retrieved June 2, 2010.
  15. ^ Jones, Richard Lezin (January 13, 2006). "New Jersey Picks a Slogan: Come Read It for Yourself". The New York Times. Retrieved February 19, 2024.
  16. ^ "Seeing Eye® Dog Designated State Dog of New Jersey". www.prnewswire.com (Press release). Retrieved 2020-01-22.
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