Editor's Corner

Good morning, readers. It’s time for another tour of ten states and what their nicknames are. Some of these surprised me, like Idaho. Next time I’m in Washington state, I may have to take a trip over to check out the gems! From Explore:

Hawaii

• Nicknames: Aloha State, Pineapple State, Youngest State
  Sometimes referred to as the Pineapple State for its iconic produce or the Youngest State because it was the last to join the Union, Hawaii’s official "popular name" (Aloha State) was adopted in 1959, the same year it became a state. Hawaii picked the nickname the Aloha State in reference to the hospitality and culture of native Hawaiians.
  

Idaho

• Nickname: Gem State
  Mining lobbyist George M. Willing proposed the made-up name "Idaho" as the name for what is now Colorado, claiming the word was an Indian name that meant "Gem of the Mountains." While Congress went with another name for Colorado after learning the name was nonsense, it came into popular use for towns and landmarks like the newly discovered Idaho Mines. The territory was named Idaho due to its large deposits of gold, silver, gems, and minerals.

Illinois

• Nickname: Prairie State
  While Illinois doesn’t have an official state nickname, it does have an official prairie grass and a designated Illinois Prairie Week, living up to its popular nickname of the Prairie State. Illinois is perhaps more famous for its official state slogan: "The Land of Lincoln."

Indiana

• Nickname: Hoosier State
  The Hoosier State is the official nickname of Indiana, and a person from Indiana is known as a Hoosier. There are many theories on the origin of the term but no definite answers, though it can be traced back to the early 1830s. Among the theories are a popular greeting to an unexpected knock on the door with "Who’s yere?" turning into Hoosier, and the nickname of Indiana rivermen being "husher" transforming into Hoosier. The Hoosier is also the mascot for Indiana University, a college that is known for its school spirit.

Iowa

• Nickname: Hawkeye State
  Iowa was ahead of the curve when it came to a state nickname, adopting one eight years before it even became a state. Two men from Burlington are credited with popularizing the nickname the Hawkeye State based on a character in the popular book "The Last of the Mohicans." Despite having a bird-like name and being the University of Iowa mascot, a Hawkeye isn’t a real bird. Iowa’s state bird is actually the eastern goldfinch, also known as the American goldfinch.
  

Kansas

• Nicknames: Sunflower State
  The cheerful sunflower is the official state flower of Kansas. It appears on the state flag and crops up in rolling fields of blooming wildflowers throughout the state, inspiring Kansas’ most popular nickname, the Sunflower State.

Kentucky

• Nickname: Bluegrass State
  The most common nickname for Kentucky references its famed tall grass with a blue cast. Though bluegrass is actually green, in the spring, it produces blue buds that make fields of the grass seem blue-tinged from afar. Bluegrass is a genre that was declared Kentucky’s official state music, along with its other state symbols, including its famous official state foods. [KC – Um, I don’t think bourbon classifies as “food.”]
  

Louisiana

• Nickname: Pelican State
  Louisiana is so proud of its distinctive brown pelican that it put the bird on the state flag, seal, and U.S. mint bicentennial quarter.

Maine

• Nickname: Pine Tree State
  Some of the most enchanting forests in the country grow in Maine, and this claim to fame has inspired many emblems of Maine. The state nickname is the Pine Tree State, and a pine tree is featured on Maine’s flag, seal and in the background of the state quarter. The white pine is the state tree, and the white pinecone and tassel is the state flower of Maine.
  

Maryland

• Nicknames: Old Line State
  The exact origins of Maryland’s nickname, the Old Line State, have been muddled over the centuries, though one widely accepted story is that the "old line" was a term of affection bestowed by General George Washington to the state’s line troops who courageously served in the Revolutionary War.

Kara Church | Technical Editor, Advisory | Technical Publications

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