Editor's Corner

Hello there!

I was thinking of cutting down the list of state nicknames to just the ones where we have employees, but I’m pretty sure I recently saw an internal webpage that had JH staff in almost every state. Here is our penultimate 10, from Explore:

New Mexico

• Nickname: Land of Enchantment
  New Mexico officially adopted the nickname the Land of Enchantment in 1999. Today, tourists flock to the state for its charming mountain towns, outdoor adventure opportunities, and more. [KC – And for Breaking Bad tourism.]

New York

• Nickname: Empire State
  While there’s no clear reason why New York earned the nickname the Empire State, the term has been credited as originating with George Washington, who once referred to the state of New York as "the Seat of the Empire." This nickname inspired many names of streets and buildings around the state, including the Empire State Building in New York City, one of America’s most-famous man-made marvels.
  

North Carolina

• Nickname: Tar Heel State
  North Carolina widely became known as the Tar Heel State because the state was a leading producer of tar and pitch for the naval industry in the 19th century. Calling someone a "tar heel" was a derogatory slang term meaning they were working class. North Carolinians reclaimed the term as a point of pride.

North Dakota

• Nicknames: Sioux State, Flickertail State, Peace Garden State, Rough Rider State
  North Dakota’s official nickname, the Peace Garden State, refers to the International Peace Garden on North Dakota’s border with Canada. The state also has other nicknames, including the Roughrider State, a reference to Theodore Roosevelt, who famously spent time there throughout his life.

Ohio

• Nickname: Buckeye State
  The use of the name "Buckeye" to refer to an Ohioan could date back as early as the 18th century. The people and the prolific plant became synonymous, especially after Ohioan William Henry Harrison ran for president. The nut of this tree was so named because its shape, size and color resemble the eye of a buck deer.

Oklahoma

• Nickname: Sooner State
  In 1889, people rushed to central Oklahoma, where the U.S. government had made millions of acres of land available to settlers on a first-come, first-served basis. On April 22 of that year at noon, a pistol was fired to signal that people could make a mad dash to claim land — but some people had snuck into the area in advance and hid to be able to claim land "sooner" than the official start time.

Oregon

• Nickname: Beaver State
  The beaver is the official state animal as well as the mascot for Oregon State University. Demand for beaver pelts is what drove trappers further west in the United States and ultimately led to Oregon joining the Union.
  

Pennsylvania

• Nickname: Keystone State
  A keystone, or capstone, is the stone piece at the apex of an arch or vault. Geographically, Pennsylvania was in the middle of the original "arch" of 13 colonies.

Rhode Island

• Nickname: The Ocean State, The Plantation State, “Little Rhodie”
  Rhode Island has the only state nickname that’s actually a shortening of its official name. The smallest state’s full name is the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. Providence Plantations is simply the name of the first settlements in Rhode Island. [KC –I don’t know about “Little Rhodie,” but that’s what my alcoholic Romantic Literature teacher called it while swinging around a bottle of booze in his office.]

South Carolina

• Nickname: Palmetto State
  Home to plenty of charming, historic towns, South Carolina gets its state nickname, the Palmetto State, from its state tree, the sabal palmetto, which appears on its flag and seal. Besides being found in the state, the tree has historical significance. During the Revolutionary War, a palmetto-log fort on Sullivan’s Island withstood a British assault on Charleston Harbor, earning a big victory for the colonists.
  

Kara Church | Technical Editor, Advisory | Technical Publications

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