State Symbols of Missouri

By | Updated on January 22, 2023

Reviewed by Rittika

Missouri is a constituent state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Father Jacques Marquette and adventurer Louis Joliet sailed down the Mississippi River in 1673. When they arrived at another river coming from the northwest, Father Marquette recorded on his chart that a large native tribe known as the “OuMissouri” inhabited upstream. The name was given to them by the Fox tribe, in their language meaning “those with big canoes.” It eventually became the Missouri River. When immigrants arrived, the region was known as the Missouri Territory, and when the territory was made into a state in 1821, it acquired the name Missouri. 

The Show-Me State is the most commonly used nickname of Missouri, even though it has not been formally acknowledged by the state’s legislature, but can be seen on license plates. Missouri is also known as The Cave State because it has over 7,000 caves.

It is bordered on the north by Iowa, on the east by Illinois, Kentucky, and Tennessee, on the south by Arkansas, and on the west by Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska.

Jefferson City is the state’s capital.

In 1735, the first permanent European settlement was established at Ste. As part of the Louisiana Purchase, the United States took possession of the territory in 1803. In 1805 it was part of Louisiana Territory, and in 1812 it was part of Missouri Territory. Following the War of 1812, there was an increase in American settlers. As part of the Missouri Compromise of 1820, Missouri was admitted as a slave state. Missouri became the twenty-fourth state of the United States on August 10, 1821. Slavery was legal in Missouri during the Civil War, which began in 1861, but unlike other slave-owning states, Missouri never declared independence from the Union.

With a total area of 69,707 sq mi (180,540 sq km), Missouri ranks 21st in land area. The total population of the state, according to the census 2020, is 6,154,913. Missouri ranks 19th in population size.

The ice cream cone was invented at the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis, which is one of the largest cities in the state. In 2008, Missouri made the ice cream cone its official state dessert. 

In 1949, Missouri made “The Missouri Waltz” its official state song. The state motto of Missouri is Salus Populi Suprema Lex Esto (Latin for “The welfare of the people shall be the supreme law”).

The fun fact is the tallest man-made monument in St. Louis. The Gateway Arch stands 630 feet and is the tallest arch in the world and the tallest accessible building in Missouri. According to some reports, it is the tallest man-made monument in the Western Hemisphere.

The state declared the white Hawthorn blossom the official flower in 1923, whereas the Eastern bluebird became the official state bird in 1927.

The official language of Missouri is English.

State Information

State seal

Motto of Missouri

Salus populi suprema lex esto -"Let the good of the people be the supreme law"

State symbols of Missouri 👇

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  State capital
  Jefferson City
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  State bird
  Eastern bluebird
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  State flower
  White hawthorn
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  State fruit
  Norton Cynthiana Grape
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  State tree
  Flowering Dogwood
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  State dance
  Square Dance
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  State reptile
  Three-toed box turtle
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  State insect
  Western Honey bee
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  State animal
  The Missouri Mule
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  State dish
  Fried chicken (Unofficial)
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  State fish
  Channel catfish

State location

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