Wisconsin Symbols & Fun Facts

State Symbols

State Animal

Badger (Taxidea taxus)

In the early 1800s Southwestern Wisconsin miners were too busy digging up lead ore. They earned the nickname "badgers," because they moved into abandoned mine shafts or dug homes into hillsides. People thought they looked like burrowing badgers. As a result, Wisconsin became "The Badger State." Over the years the badger appeared officially in the coat of arms, the seal, the flag, the state song ("Grand old badger state!"), and as an architectural detail in the state capitol. "Bucky Badger" is also the long-standing mascot of the UW-Madison.

State Wildlife Animal

White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus)

The white-tailed deer, in all its grace and power, perked its ears as it was appointed the state wildlife animal in 1957.

State Domesticated Animal

Dairy Cow (Bos taurus)

Reflecting the importance of the dairy industry in Wisconsin's economy and heritage, the beloved dairy cow became the state domesticated animal of "America's Dairyland" in 1971.

State Motto

'Forward'

Reflecting Wisconsin's continuous drive to be a national leader, the state adopted "Forward" as the official state motto in 1851.

State Flag

Wisconsin State Flag

The Wisconsin state flag was adopted in 1863, redesigned in 1913, and last altered in 1979. The flag is dark blue silk, with the coat of arms of the state. The edges are trimmed with a knotted fringe of yellow silk. The coat of arms contains symbols that represent the wealth, abundance, and diversity of resources in Wisconsin.

State Song

'On Wisconsin!'

The rhythmic and rousing beats of "On Wisconsin," already a popular football song since 1909, began filling the air as the official state song in 1959.

State Flower

Wood Violet (Viola papilionacea)

Chosen by school children in 1908, the wood violet was adopted as Wisconsin's official state flower on Arbor Day 1909. The violet's gentle green leaves and purple petals reflect Wisconsin's scenic beauty.

State Bird

Robin (Turdus migratorius)

A welcome sign of the coming spring, the red-breasted robin won the hearts of school children across the state, who voted to name it the state bird in the 1926-1927 school year.

State Tree

Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum)

With its bright yellow fall colors, and its delectable spring harvest of sweet maple sugar, the sugar maple became the state's official tree in 1949.

State Fish

Muskellunge (Esox masquinongy Mitchell)

Source of many monster fish stories in the state's famed Northwoods, the "muskie" leapt into the state books as the official state fish in 1955.

State Mineral

Galena (Lead sulphide)

A combination of abundance, uniqueness, economic value, and historical significance lead to the appointment of Galena as the state mineral in 1971.

State Rock

Red Granite

Named the state rock in 1971, it was chosen for its economic importance. The speckled igneous rock is composed of quartz and feldspar and gets its red color from high amounts of alkali feldspars (a mineral high in potassium).

State Symbol of Peace

Mourning Dove (Zenaidura macroura corolinensis linnaus)

With a gentle "coo" and a graceful flap of its wings, the mourning dove flew over the state as the official symbol of peace in 1971.

State Insect

Honeybee (Apis mellifera)

The state recognized the sweet contributions of the European honeybee as it buzzed from blossom to blossom in 1977.

State Soil

Antigo Silt Loam (Haplic glossudalfs)

Created during the last great glaciers, the level, silty soil was chosen to represent the more than 500 major soil types found in Wisconsin.

State Fossil

Trilobite (Calymene celebra)

Flourishing in the warm, shallow salt waters of prehistoric seas, the extinct marine arthropod crawled its way into the state record in 1985 as the state fossil.

State Dog

American Water Spaniel

Full of life, and always ready to spring into action for the hunt, the American water spaniel won the hearts of the citizens of Wisconsin, who selected it as the state dog in 1985.

State Beverage

Milk

The perfect compliment to cookies, "America's Dairyland" chose to make milk the official beverage of the state to honor its abundant dairy heritage in 1987.

State Grain

Corn (Zea mays)

Domesticated thousands of years ago by Native peoples, corn is now used for everything from livestock feed, to ethanol fuel, to the cornerstone of a delectable summer barbecue. It was made the official state grain in 1989.

State Dance

Polka

At the request of industrious second graders, the polka was adopted as the official state dance of Wisconsin in 1993, reflecting its rich German heritage.

State Slogan

'America's Dairyland'

Between 1870 and 1900, dairying rose to a prominent place in Wisconsin agriculture. By World War I, Wisconsin ranked first in the nation in dairy production. In 1940, the Wisconsin Legislature promoted the "Dairy State" reputation by placing the slogan, "America's Dairyland," on automobile license plates. In 2024, Wisconsin produced 14 percent of the country's milk, second only to California. Wisconsin is the number one producer of cheese in the country and fourth largest in the world. The World Dairy Expo in Madison annually attracts over 70,000 visitors from around the world to learn the latest developments in the dairy industry.

State Dairy Product

Cheese

Fourth grade students from Mineral Point Elementary helped cheese become the State Dairy Product in 2017. The class came up with the idea on their own and then followed the appropriate legislative process to have cheese recognized for its important role in Wisconsin. Wisconsin is the fourth largest producer of cheese in the world, behind only the United States as a whole, Germany, and France. Wisconsin cheese can be found in 98% of grocery stores nationwide and regularly wins international cheese competitions.