List of Georgia state symbols

The state of Georgia has numerous symbols, as defined in the Official Code of Georgia Annotated or by joint resolutions of the Georgia General Assembly. The oldest symbol is the Great Seal of Georgia, designated by the Constitution of Georgia in 1798. The most recently designated symbol is the Southeast Georgia Soap Box Derby, added in 2024.

Insignia

Further information: List of U.S. state, district, and territorial insignia
Overview of insignias of Georgia
Type Symbol Year Image
Flag Flag of Georgia 2003[1]
Motto "Wisdom, Justice, Moderation" 1799[2][3]
Seal Great Seal of Georgia 1798 (1914)[note 1][4]
Creed Georgian's Creed 1939[5][6]
Song "Georgia on My Mind"
lyrics by Stuart Gorrell and music by Hoagy Carmichael with words by Robert Loveman[7][8][9] 		1979[10]

Plants

Overview of plant symbols of Georgia
Type Symbol Year Image
Crop Peanut 1995[11][12]
Flower Cherokee rose
Rosa laevigata 		1916[13][14]
Fruit Peach 1995[15][16]
Grape Muscadine grape 2021[17]
Nut Pecan 2021[18]
Tree Southern live oak
Quercus virginiana 		1937[19][20]
Vegetable Vidalia sweet onion 1990[21][22]
Wildflower Azalea
Rhododendron sp. 		1979[23][24]

Animals

Overview of animal symbols of Georgia
Type Symbol Year Image
Amphibian American green tree frog
Hyla cinerea 		2005[25][26]
Bird Brown thrasher
Toxostoma rufum 		1935 (1970)[27][28][29]
Butterfly Eastern tiger swallowtail
Papilio glaucus 		1988[30][31]
Cold water game fish Southern Appalachian brook trout
Salvelinus fontinalis 		2006[32][33]
Crustacean White shrimp 2024[34]
Dog "Adoptable dog" 2016[35][36]
Fish Largemouth bass 1970[37][38]
Game bird Bobwhite quail 1970[39][40]
Insect Honeybee 1975[41][42]
Mammal White-tailed deer

Odocoileus virginianus

2015[43]
Marine mammal North Atlantic right whale
Eubalaena glacialis 		1985[44][45]
Reptile Gopher tortoise
Gopherus polyphemus 		1989[46][47]
Riverine sport fish Shoal bass

Micropterus cataractae

2020[48]
Salt-water fish Red drum
Sciaenops ocellatus 		2006[49][50]

Geology

Overview of geological symbols of Georgia
Type Symbol Year Image
Fossil Shark tooth 1976[51][52]
Gem Quartz 1976[53][54]
Mineral Staurolite 1976[55][56]
Seashell Knobbed whelk
Busycon carica 		1987[57][58]

Culture

Overview of cultural symbols of Georgia
Type Symbol Year Image
Art museum Georgia Museum of Art 1982[59]
Atlas The Atlas of Georgia 1985[60]
Ballet company Atlanta Ballet 1973[61]
Beef barbecue championship Cook-off The Hawkinsville Civitan Club's "Shoot the Bull" barbecue championship 1997[62][63]
Botanical garden State Botanical Garden of Georgia 1984[64]
Center for character education National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force 2005[65][66]
First Mural City Colquitt 2006[67]
Folk dance Square dance 1996[68][69]
Folk festival Georgia Folk Festival 1992[70][71]
Folk life play Swamp Gravy 1994[72][73]
Frontier and southeastern Indian interpretive center Funk Heritage Center 2003[74][66]
Historic drama The Reach of Song, a play about mountain writer Byron Herbert Reece 1990[75][76]
Historical civil rights museum Ralph Mark Gilbert Civil Rights Museum 2008[77][78]
Musical theater Jekyll Island Musical Theatre Festival 1993[79][80]
Peanut monument Turner County
on the west side of Interstate Highway 75 within the limits of the city of Ashburn 		1998[11][81]
Poet Laureate Poet Laureate of Georgia 1925[82][83][84]
Pork cook-off The Dooly County Chamber of Commerce's "Slosheye Trail Big Pig Jig" 1997[62][85]
'Possum Pogo 'Possum
 1992[86][87]
Prepared food Grits 2002[88][89]
Railroad museum The Central of Georgia Railroad Shops Complex
Savannah 		1996[90][91]
School Plains High School, now part of the Jimmy Carter National Historic Site 1997[92][93][94]
Soap Box Derby Southeast Georgia Soap Box Derby 2024[95]
Tartan Georgia Tartan 1997[96][97]
Theater Springer Opera House
Columbus 		1971–2 (1992)[note 2][98][99]
Transportation history museum Southeastern Railway Museum 2000[100][101]
Waltz "Our Georgia" 1951[102][103]

Notes

  1. ^ The state seal was defined by the Georgia Constitution of 1798 and bore the date 1799. In 1914, the date was changed to 1776.
  2. ^ As governor, Jimmy Carter made it the state theater for the 1971–1972 season. In 1992, the legislature made the designation formal and ongoing.

References

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  2. ^ "Georgia State Motto (Wisdom, Justice, and Moderation)", GeorgiaInfo, Digital Library of Georgia, archived from the original on 2020-08-11, retrieved 2019-06-22
  3. ^ The three words, "Wisdom", "Justice", and "Moderation", were in the definition of the state seal, but were never formally adopted independent of the seal.
  4. ^ "Georgia General Assembly | State Grape". advance.lexis.com. Retrieved 2025-10-15.
  5. ^ "Georgia State Creed", GeorgiaInfo, Digital Library of Georgia, archived from the original on 2019-06-22, retrieved 2019-06-22
  6. ^ "State Creed", State Symbols, Office of Secretary of State, archived from the original on 2019-06-21, retrieved 2019-06-22
  7. ^ The previous state song "Georgia" was composed by Lollie Belle Wylie.
  8. ^ Smith, Kelundra (April 28, 2015). "Preview: Oakland Cemetery will come to life Saturday with sound art of "Cryptophonic Tour"". Atlanta, Georgia: Arts Atl. Archived from the original on 2019-06-23. Retrieved 2019-06-23.
  9. ^ Crouch, Kenneth E. (March 1950). "The State Song of Georgia". The Georgia Historical Quarterly. 34 (1). Savannah, Georgia: Georgia Historical Society: 8–9. ISSN 0016-8297. JSTOR 40577207.
  10. ^ "§ 50-3-60. Official song", Official Code of Georgia Annotated, archived from the original on 2019-06-23, retrieved 2019-06-23
  11. ^ a b "§ 50-3-72. State crop; official state peanut monument", Official Code of Georgia Annotated, archived from the original on 2019-06-24, retrieved 2019-06-24
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  15. ^ "§ 50-3-70. Official state fruit", Official Code of Georgia Annotated, archived from the original on 2019-06-24, retrieved 2019-06-24
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  18. ^ Poitevint, Bobby (10 April 2021). "Georgia reclaims top US pecan producer; Kemp declares pecans official state nut". WALB-TV. Archived from the original on 29 April 2021. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
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  21. ^ "§ 50-3-65. Official vegetable", Official Code of Georgia Annotated, archived from the original on 2019-06-24, retrieved 2019-06-23
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  23. ^ "§ 50-3-54. State wild flower", Official Code of Georgia Annotated, archived from the original on 2019-06-24, retrieved 2019-06-23
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  25. ^ "§ 50-3-81. Official amphibian", Official Code of Georgia Annotated, archived from the original on 2019-05-07, retrieved 2019-06-21
  26. ^ "State Amphibian", State Symbols, Office of Secretary of State, archived from the original on 2019-06-21, retrieved 2019-06-21
  27. ^ The inititial designation was by gubernatorial proclamation.
  28. ^ "§ 50-3-50. State bird", Official Code of Georgia Annotated, archived from the original on 2019-06-24, retrieved 2019-06-23
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  30. ^ "§ 50-3-62. Official butterfly", Official Code of Georgia Annotated, archived from the original on 2019-06-24, retrieved 2019-06-24
  31. ^ "State Butterfly", State Symbols, Office of Secretary of State, archived from the original on 2019-06-21, retrieved 2019-06-25
  32. ^ "§ 50-3-82. Official cold water game fish", Official Code of Georgia Annotated, archived from the original on 2019-06-23, retrieved 2019-06-23
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  35. ^ "§ 50-3-88. Definitions; adoptable dog designated as the official state dog", Official Code of Georgia Annotated, archived from the original on 2019-06-22, retrieved 2019-06-22
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  39. ^ "§ 50-3-51. State game bird", Official Code of Georgia Annotated, archived from the original on 2019-06-24, retrieved 2019-06-23
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  41. ^ "§ 50-3-58. Official insect", Official Code of Georgia Annotated, archived from the original on 2019-06-25, retrieved 2019-06-21
  42. ^ "State Insect", State Symbols, Office of Secretary of State, archived from the original on 2019-06-21, retrieved 2019-06-24
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  45. ^ "State Mammal", State Symbols, Office of Secretary of State, archived from the original on 2019-06-21, retrieved 2019-06-22
  46. ^ "§ 50-3-63. Official reptile", Official Code of Georgia Annotated, archived from the original on 2019-06-24, retrieved 2019-06-24
  47. ^ "State School", State Reptile, Office of Secretary of State, archived from the original on 2019-06-21, retrieved 2019-06-24
  48. ^ "Code of Georgia | State riverine sport fish". Justia. Retrieved 2025-10-15.
  49. ^ "§ 50-3-83. Official salt-water fish", Official Code of Georgia Annotated, archived from the original on 2019-06-23, retrieved 2019-06-23
  50. ^ Dickson, Terry (Aug 9, 2016), "Red drum will be on new Georgia license plate to enhance marine habitat", jacksonville.com, archived from the original on 2019-06-23, retrieved 2019-06-23
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  53. ^ "§ 50-3-57. Official gem", Official Code of Georgia Annotated, archived from the original on 2019-06-25, retrieved 2019-06-24
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  55. ^ "§ 50-3-59. Official mineral", Official Code of Georgia Annotated, archived from the original on 2019-06-25, retrieved 2019-06-24
  56. ^ "State Mineral", State Symbols, Office of Secretary of State, archived from the original on 2019-06-21, retrieved 2019-06-24
  57. ^ "1987 Joint Resolution Declaring Knobbed Whelk as Georgia's Official State Seashell", GeorgiaInfo, Digital Library of Georgia, April 16, 1987, archived from the original on 2019-06-22, retrieved 2019-06-22
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  59. ^ "State Art Museum", State Symbols, Office of Secretary of State, archived from the original on 2019-06-21, retrieved 2019-06-24
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  62. ^ a b "§ 50-3-75. Official beef barbecue championship cookoff; official pork barbecue championship cookoff", Official Code of Georgia Annotated, archived from the original on 2019-06-22, retrieved 2019-06-21
  63. ^ "State Beef Cook-off", State Symbols, Office of Secretary of State, archived from the original on 2019-06-21, retrieved 2019-06-21
  64. ^ Thomas, Frances Taliaferro (2009). A Portrait of Historic Athens & Clarke County. University of Georgia Press. p. 242. ISBN 978-0-8203-3044-0. Archived from the original on 2023-02-06. Retrieved 2019-06-27.
  65. ^ "§ 50-3-79. Official center for character education", Official Code of Georgia Annotated, archived from the original on 2019-06-26, retrieved 2019-06-21
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  68. ^ "§ 50-3-73. Official folk dance", Official Code of Georgia Annotated, archived from the original on 2019-06-22, retrieved 2019-06-21
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  70. ^ "§ 50-3-67. Official state folk festival", Official Code of Georgia Annotated, archived from the original on 2019-06-24, retrieved 2019-06-23
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  72. ^ "State Folk Life Play", State Symbols, Office of Secretary of State, archived from the original on 2019-06-21, retrieved 2019-06-23
  73. ^ Fletcher, Carlton (March 8, 2013), "Colquitt's Swamp Gravy marks 20 years", The Albany Herald, archived from the original on 2019-06-24, retrieved 2019-06-23
  74. ^ "§ 50-3-80. Official Frontier and Southeastern Indian Interpretive Center", Official Code of Georgia Annotated, archived from the original on 2019-06-26, retrieved 2019-06-21
  75. ^ "§ 50-3-64. Official historic drama", Official Code of Georgia Annotated, archived from the original on 2019-06-24, retrieved 2019-06-23
  76. ^ "State Historic Drama", State Symbols, Office of Secretary of State, archived from the original on 2019-06-21, retrieved 2019-06-23
  77. ^ "§ 50-3-85. Official Georgia historical civil rights museum", Official Code of Georgia Annotated, archived from the original on 2020-08-03, retrieved 2019-06-25
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  80. ^ "State Musical Theatre", State Symbols, Office of Secretary of State, archived from the original on 2019-06-21, retrieved 2019-06-21
  81. ^ "State Peanut Monument", State Symbols, Office of Secretary of State, archived from the original on 2019-06-21, retrieved 2019-06-21
  82. ^ "§ 50-1-3. Poet laureate", Official Code of Georgia Annotated, archived from the original on 2023-02-06, retrieved 2019-06-24
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  86. ^ "§ 50-3-68. Official 'Possum", Official Code of Georgia Annotated, archived from the original on 2020-08-03, retrieved 2019-06-25
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  88. ^ "§ 50-3-78. State official prepared food", Official Code of Georgia Annotated, archived from the original on 2019-06-22, retrieved 2019-06-21
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  90. ^ "§ 50-3-74. Official railroad museum", Official Code of Georgia Annotated, archived from the original on 2019-06-22, retrieved 2019-06-21
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  92. ^ "§ 20-1-6.1 - Official state school", Official Code of Georgia Annotated, archived from the original on 2020-08-03, retrieved 2019-06-24
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  95. ^ "2024 CODE OF GEORGIA :: Title 50 - STATE GOVERNMENT (§§ 50-1-1 — 50-40-84) :: Chapter 3 - STATE FLAG, SEAL, AND OTHER SYMBOLS (§§ 50-3-1 — 50-3-120) :: Article 3 - OTHER STATE SYMBOLS (§§ 50-3-50 — 50-3-93) :: Section 50-3-92 - State soap box derby". Justia Law. Retrieved 2025-10-15.
  96. ^ "§ 50-3-76. Official tartan", Official Code of Georgia Annotated, archived from the original on 2019-06-22, retrieved 2019-06-21
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  100. ^ "§ 50-3-77. Official state transportation history museum designated; maximization of advertising programs", Official Code of Georgia Annotated, archived from the original on 2019-06-22, retrieved 2019-06-21
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