The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-12-28
STATE EMBLEMS.
Interesting Coats-of-Arns OF Uncle
Sans Commonwealth.
From the Youths COMPANION.

From the Youths COMPANION.
Each state in the American Union has
its distinctive coat-of-arms or seal. Un-
like the arms of most European coun-
tries, our American state emblems are
not based upon some peculiar fact IN
history or story or tradition, but are ID
nearly every case, deliberately chosen or
made up. As animals figure upon most
coats-of-arms, it is interesting TO observe
what sort of animals have been chosen
by the American commonwealths as their
emblemS.
Quite naturally the eagle leads all the
rest. 1t is found upon the arms OF
eleven states and one territory. These
are New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland,
Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Mis-
souri,. Michigan. Illinois, Iowa, oregon
and New Mexico. New Mexico, indeed,
has two eagles-one of which evidently
represents the eagle of the United States
and the other that of Mexico.
The deer-or some variety of the ante
lope-and the buffalo are also fayorlte
animals of the American common
wealths. Maine has an antelope upon
her arms. Vermont bears a deers head
and cow-the deer symbollZlng the
states past. perhaps, and the COW It's
present. Michigan, in addition TO Its
eagle, has two antelOpes, and Idaho, an
antelope's head and antlers.
Indiana was the first state 10 put the
buffalo upon its arms, and he Is appro-
priately represented as running away.
He has since been represented IN much
the same guise upon the arms OF Kansas
and North Dakota.
New Jersey has a horses head, and
Pennsylvania two horses IN addition 10
her eagle and a lion under Liberty
feet Upon the arms OF Kansas and
! South Dakota horses are shown working
/ at the pillow. and on those of Minnesota
/ and North Dakota a horse Is ridden by a
retreating Indian.
Other emblems are the bears of Mis-
souri, and California, the pelican of Lou
/ isiana. Wisconsins badger, Delaware :
OK, West Virginia's cattle Gin land
/ scape). Utah's bees. Several of the new
est states have decorated their arms with
an animal quite unknown to heraldry-
! the "iron horse" The locomotive Is
/ borne upon the shields of Nevada, West
Virginia and Wyoming, the steamboat
upon the arms of Tennessee and South
Dakota, and both the steamboat and the
! locomotive upon those Of Nebraska anC
Montana.
The coat of arms of Idaho has repre-
sentation of the moon. Upon the state
shield is seen a river, upon which {
steamboat is sailing, winding away
! through a chain of mountains, and owe
the mountains hangs the crescent moon
As the horns of the crescent are toward
the left and the moon is near the hOrl
ION. the scene depicted must be afte
sunset. Other nations and states hav,
sfown the sunrise upon their arms, bu
Idaho is probably first in representing al
evening scene.
Missouri also has a crescent upon 1T
arms. but it is not represented IN connec
ton with a landscape.
There is a tendency among the peopl
of the states to set up, by sort o
gradual development among themselves
certain state emblemS of their own
which generally have no reference to tn
officially adopted arms of the state
Some of these emblems were in the be
ginning, as igned to them in derision b.
the people of other states, and have bee
adopted in good faith in a spirit of goo
natured defiance of criticism.
In the civil war many of these EN-
blems were worn by the soldiers iron
the several states, and have been wOrl
since by Grand Army men and othe
national associations at their reunions
On such occasions the men of Main
wear pine cone or branch, those
Vermont a cedar sprig, those of Rhod
Island clam shell. and those of Con
necticut wooden nutmeg.
The chosen emblems of New Jersey o
such occasions is d great mosquito; c
PENNSYLVANIA, bucks tail; of Ohio,
buckeve or horse-chestnut; of Michigan
a wolverine; of Wisconsin, a badger, an
Of California. bear.