Why is Connecticut Called the “Nutmeg State”? | Mental Floss Why is Connecticut Called the “Nutmeg State”? filed under: Big Questions , Origins Like us on Facebook Technically, it’s not. Connecticut’s “official nickname”—there is such a thing—is the “Constitution State” because of historian John Fiske’s claim that the Fundamental Orders of 1638/1639 were the first written constitution in history. But now to the issue at hand, the spiced sobriquet: Connecticut’s most popularly used unofficial nickname is that of the Nutmeg State. During the 18th and 19th centuries, several associations between the state and the spice emerged. Early sailors would bring the valuable seed back on their foreign voyages. Over time, Yankee peddlers developed a reputation for selling fake nutmegs made of carved wood. The first recorded instance of this accusation was in a popular newspaper column of the mid-1800s, " The Sayings and Doings of Samuel Slick, of Slickville ," which appeared in the Novascotian and featured the wry observations of a character created by Thomas Haliburton.

In a column entitled “The Preacher that Wandered from His Text,” Samuel Slick accuses a fictional Captain John Allspice of Nahant of having "carried a cargo once there of fifty barrels of nutmegs: well, he put half a bushel of good ones into each end of the barrel, and the rest he filled up with wooden ones, so like the real thing, no soul could tell the difference until HE BIT ONE WITH HIS TEETH, and that he never thought of doing, until he was first BIT HIMSELF. Well, its been a standing joke with them southerners agin us ever since.” Later, it was suggested that it was the confused Southerners to blame for these mix-ups. In a 1980 issue of Connecticut Magazine, Elizabeth Abbe suggested that Southern customers were unaware that nutmeg had to be grated, and instead wrongly thought that the Yankee merchants were trying to scam them. She writes , "unknowing buyers may have failed to grate nutmegs, thinking they had to be cracked like a walnut. Nutmegs are wood, and bounce when struck.

If southern customers did not grate them, they may very well have accused the Yankees of selling useless ‘wooden’ nutmegs, unaware that they wear down to a pungent powder to season pies and breads.” Finally, it’s possible that no one tried to sell wooden nutmegs and no one accused anyone of selling wooden nutmegs but that the term simply derived as reference to the fictional Samuel Slick column as shorthand for how shrewd Connecticut residents were—suggesting that, like Captain John Allspice, they would have attempted such a stunt. Why is Connecticut called "The Nutmeg State"? | Reference.com Why is Connecticut called "The Nutmeg State"? A: Quick Answer Connecticut is called "The Nutmeg State" because its colonial residents were so persuasive that they could sell a wooden nutmeg. Another theory states that the sobriquet comes from the trade in nutmegs that Connecticut merchants did during the colonial period. Full Answer Some historians believe that the first theory may be based on a misconception: perhaps the merchants from Connecticut sold nutmegs to ignorant buyers who did not realize that they had to grate the woody nutmegs in order to unleash their spiciness.

"The Nutmeg State" is not Connecticut's official nickname; that honor has belonged to "The Constitution State" since 1959. "The Land of Steady Habits" and "The Provision State" are the state's other nicknames. State Nicknames Alabama - Georgia Alabama Alabama has been known as the Yellowhammer State since the Civil War. The yellowhammer nickname was applied to the Confederate soldiers from Alabama when a company of young cavalry soldiers from Huntsville, under the command of Rev. D.C. Kelly, arrived at Hopkinsville, KY, where Gen. Forrest's troops were stationed. The officers and men of the Huntsville company wore fine, new uniforms, whereas the soldiers who had long been on the battlefields were dressed in faded, worn uniforms. On the sleeves, collars and coattails of the new calvary troop were bits of brilliant yellow cloth.

As the company rode past Company A , Will Arnett cried out in greeting "Yellowhammer, Yellowhammer, flicker, flicker!" The greeting brought a roar of laughter from the men and from that moment the Huntsville soldiers were spoken of as the "yellowhammer company." The term quickly spread throughout the Confederate Army and all Alabama troops were referred to unofficially as the "Yellowhammers." California The Golden State has long been a popular designation for California and was made the official State Nickname in 1968. It is particularly appropriate since California's modern development can be traced back to the discovery of gold in 1848 and fields of golden poppies can be seen each spring throughout the state. The Golden State Museum is also the name of a new museum slated to open in late 1998 at the California State Archives in Sacramento. The museum's exhibits will bring to life the momentous events of California's history through a series of innovative, interpretive exhibits. Colorado Colorado has been nicknamed the Centennial State because it became a state in the year 1876, 100 years after the signing of our nation's Declaration of Independence.

Colorado also is called Colorful Colorado presumably because of it's magnificent scenery of mountains, rivers and plains. This phrase has decorated maps, car license plates, tourist information centers and souvenirs of all kinds! Connecticut Connecticut was designated the Constitution State by the General Assembly in 1959. As early as the 19th Century, John Fiske, a popular historian from Connecticut, made the claim that the Fundamental Orders of 1638/39 were the first written constitution in history. Some contemporary historians dispute Fiske's analysis. However, Simeon E.

Baldwin, a former Chief Justice of the Connecticut Supreme Court, defended Fiske's view of the Fundamental Orders in Osborn's History of Connecticut in Monographic Form by stating that "never had a company of men deliberately met to frame a social compact for immediate use, constituting a new and independent commonwealth, with definite officers, executive and legislative, and prescribed rules and modes of government, until the first planters of Connecticut came together for their great work on January 14th, 1638-9." The text of the Fundamental Orders is reproduced in Section I of this volume and the original is on permanent display at the Museum of Connecticut History at the State Library. Connecticut has also been known as the Nutmeg State, the Provisions State, and the Land of Steady Habits. source: Delaware The First State: Delaware is known by this nickname due to the fact that on December 7, 1787, it became the first of the 13 original states to ratify the U.S. Constitution.

The Diamond State: This nickname was given to Delaware, according to legend, by Thomas Jefferson because he described Delaware as a "jewel" among states due to its strategic location on the Eastern Seaboard. Blue Hen State: This nickname was given to Delaware after the fighting Blue Hen Cocks that were carried with the Delaware Revolutionary War Soldiers for entertainment during Cock fights. Small Wonder: This nickname is basically a new nickname. It was given to Delaware due to its size and the contributions it has made to our country as a whole and the beauty of Delaware. {state seal} THE AMERICAN FLAG Out of the profusion of designs and symbols inspired by the fervent patriotism and pride of our infant days as a nation, came the flag which is the basis of our present national flag. By 1776 there were many flags for individual military companies and sections of the country and the Continental Congress instructed a committee composed of George Washington, Robert Morris and Colonel George Ross to devise and produce a flag for the United States. Tradition has it that Betsy Ross, as early as June 1776, made a Stars and Stripes flag from a pencil sketch supplied by Washington.

The flag with 13 stripes and 13 stars was officially adopted on June 14, 1777. This was altered to 15 stripes and 15 stars with the admission of Vermont and Kentucky to the Union in 1795. On April 4, 1818, the final form of our flag was adopted by Congress to allow for the admission of new states. As of July 4, 1960, the flag contains thirteen stripes and fifty stars with each star symbolizing a state. THE STATE FLAG Inspired by a memorial from the Anna Warner Bailey Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Governor O. Vincent Coffin, on May 29, 1895, introduced to the General Assembly the first proposal for the adoption of a State Flag. On that same day the Assembly passed a resolution appointing a special committee to prepare a designation of the flag already generally accepted as the official flag of the state.

The General Assembly of 1897 provided an official description of the flag setting the dimensions at five feet, six inches in length and four feet, four inches in width, of azure blue silk, with the armorial bearings in argent white silk with the design in natural colors and bordure of the shield embroidered in gold and silver. Below the shield there is a white streamer, cleft at each end, bordered in gold and browns, the streamer bearing in dark blue the motto "Qui Transtulit Sustinet." THE ARMORIAL BEARINGS On March 24, 1931, the General Assembly adopted a design for the official Arms of the State, which it ordered drawn and filed with the Secretary of the State. The official description of the Arms called for: A shield of rococo design of white field, having in the center three grape vines, supported and bearing fruit.

Below the shield shall be a white streamer, cleft at each end, bordered with two fine lines, and upon the streamer shall be in solid letters of medium bold Gothic the motto "QUI TRANSTULIT SUSTINET." (He Who Transplanted Still Sustains) The official arms and seal of the State of Connecticut, whether as a reproduction, imprint or facsimile, shall be made and used only under the direction and with the approval of the Secretary of the State. {A Picture of The Original Seal} THE ORIGINAL SEAL Connecticut's first seal was brought from England by Colonel George Fenwick in 1639. It was the seal of the Saybrook Colony and was turned over to the Connecticut Colony at about the time that it purchased the land and fort at Saybrook Point from Colonel Fenwick in 1644. The seal was used by the General Court (General Assembly) from that time forward, but there is no clear record of who had custody of the seal.

On October 9, 1662, the same day that the new Royal Charter was read aloud at Hartford, the assembly formally declared that the seal would be kept by the Secretary of the Colony and used as the Seal of the Colony on necessary occasions. It remained the colony's seal until October 1687, when Sir Edmund Andros took control of the colony's government and the seal disappeared. It is presumed to have been destroyed. {A Picture of The Colonial Seal} THE COLONIAL SEAL Self-government returned to Connecticut in 1689, but for a number of years only a poorly fashioned substitute seal was used. On October 25, 1711, a meeting of the Governor and Council (the upper house of the assembly) resolved, "that a new stamp shall be made and cut of the seal of this Colony, suitable for sealing upon wafers, and that a press be provided with the necessary appurtenances, for that purpose, as soon as may be, at the cost and charge of this Colony, to be kept in the secretary's office." The new, less elaborately decorated seal was larger in size and more oval shaped than the original.

The words of the motto remained the same, but the number of grape vines was reduced to three and the legend SIGILLUM COLONIAE CONNECTICENSIS (Seal of the Connecticut Colony) is added to the edge of the seal. The three vines may have been intended to represent the three colonies, New Haven, Saybrook, and Connecticut (Hartford), which, by 1665, had merged to form the Connecticut of that time. THE GREAT SEAL After the conclusion of the Revolutionary War, the inscription on the colonial seal was no longer appropriate. Therefore, in May of 1784 the General Assembly directed the Secretary to alter the inscription to read "SIGILL. REIP. CONNECTICUTENSIS." However, when a new version of the seal was prepared, the inscription contained the words spelled out -- SIGILLUM REIPUBLICAE CONNECTICUTENSIS (Seal of the State of Connecticut). There has been no subsequent alteration to the official state seal. In 1931, the General Assembly required that all representations of the state seal conform to the description in Chapter 54 of the Public Acts of that year.

This legislation also prohibited reproduction of the seal except by or under the direction of the Secretary of the State. {the Great Seal} THE STATE MOTTO The motto "Qui Transtulit Sustinet," (He Who Transplanted Still Sustains), has been associated with the various versions of the seal from the creation of the Saybrook Colony Seal. While the origin of the motto is uncertain, the late Charles J. Hoadly, a former State Librarian, suggested in an article entitled "The Public Seal of Connecticut," which appeared in the 1889 edition of the Connecticut State Register and Manual, that we look to the 80th Psalm as a possible source. "Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it." {SECRETARY OF THE STATE} SECRETARY OF THE STATE'S SEAL The office of the Secretary of the State was created under the Fundamental Orders of 1638/39 and is, therefore, one of the original offices of government in Connecticut. From its inception, the duties of the office of secretary included overseeing elections and the keeping of public records. In 1662 the secretary also became the keeper of the colonial seal.

The responsibilities of the office have grown tremendously since that time, but the secretary is still the constitutional and stautory keeper of the public records and the state seal. The motto on the secretary's seal, REIP. CONN. SECRET. ET SIGILL. CUSTOS (Secretary of the State of Connecticut and Keeper of the Seal), is a reflection of the history of the office. CONNECTICUT -- THE CONSTITUTION STATE Connecticut was designated the Constitution State by the General Assembly in 1959. As early as the 19th Century, John Fiske, a popular historian from Connecticut, made the claim that the Fundamental Orders of 1638/39 were the first written constitution in history. Some contemporary historians dispute Fiske's analysis. However, Simeon E.

Baldwin, a former Chief Justice of the Connecticut Supreme Court, defended Fiske's view of the Fundamental Orders in Osborn's History of Connecticut in Monographic Form by stating that "never had a company of men deliberately met to frame a social compact for immediate use, constituting a new and independent commonwealth, with definite officers, executive and legislative, and prescribed rules and modes of government, until the first planters of Connecticut came together for their great work on January 14th, 1638-9." The text of the Fundamental Orders is reproduced in Section I of this volume and the original is on permanent display at the Museum of Connecticut History at the State Library. Connecticut has also been known as the Nutmeg State, the Provisions State, and the Land of Steady Habits. {A Picture of The State Tree} "THE CHARTER OAK-Charles D. Brownell" Collection, Wadsworth Atheneum, Hartford. (White Oak, Quercus Alba) STATE TREE Deep-rooted in the historic tradition of Connecticut, the Charter Oak is one of the most colorful and significant symbols of the spiritual strength and love of freedom which inspired our Colonial forebears in their militant resistance to tyranny.

This venerable giant of the forest, hundreds of years old when it hid the treasured Charter in 1687, finally fell during a great storm on August 21, 1856. Two English kings, a royal agent, a colonial hero and a candle-lit room are the figures and backdrop in one of the most thrilling chapters of America's legend of liberty. The refusal of our early Connecticut leaders to give up the Charter, despite royal order and the threat of arms, marked one of the greatest episodes of determined courage in our history. On October 9, 1662, the General Court of Connecticut formally received the Charter won from King Charles II by the suave diplomacy of Governor John Winthrop, Jr., who had crossed the ocean for the purpose. Twenty-five years later, with the succession of James II to the throne, Connecticut's troubles began in earnest. Sir Edmund Andros, His Majesty's agent, followed up failure of various strategies by arriving in Hartford with an armed force to seize the Charter. After hours of debate, with the Charter on the table between the opposing parties, the candle-lit room went suddenly dark. Moments later when the candles were re-lighted, the Charter was gone.

Captain Joseph Wadsworth is credited with having removed and secreted the Charter in the majestic oak on the Wyllys estate. {A Picture of The State Bird} THE AMERICAN ROBIN (Turdus Migratorius) STATE BIRD The American Robin was adopted as the official State Bird by the General Assembly in 1943. The name Robin is applied to a number of familiar birds, but in North America it is the migratory thrush. (Turdus Migratorius.) Our Robin, a true thrush, is a migratory bird with a reddish-brown or tawny breast and a loud cheery song. It was first called the Robin by the early colonists, in remembrance of the beloved English bird. Despite the protests of some naturalists, we still retain that traditional name. Familiar, in the summer, throughout North America, the American Robin is seen from Alaska to Virginia. Most people do not know that many Robins spend the entire winter in New England. They roost among the evergreens in the swamps where they feed on winter berries.

{A Picture of The State Flower} THE MOUNTAIN LAUREL (Kalmia Latifolia) STATE FLOWER Designated as the State Flower by the General Assembly in 1907, the Mountain Laurel is perhaps the most beautiful of native American Shrubs. Its fragrance and the massed richness of its white and pink blossoms so vividly contrast with the darker colors of the forests and the fields that they have continually attracted the attention of travelers since the earliest days of our colonization. First mentioned in John Smith's "General History" in 1624 specimens were sent to Linnaeus, the famous botanist by Peter Kalm, the Swedish explorer in 1750. Linnaeus gave it the name of Kalmia Latifolia, honoring the name of his correspondent and at the same time describing the "wide-leaved" characteristic of the plant. In addition to being called "Mountain Laurel", the plant has also been spoken of as "Calico Bush" and "Spoonwood".

{A Picture of The State Insect} EUROPEAN MANTIS (Mantis religiosa) STATE INSECT The European "praying" mantis (family, Mantidae, order, Orthoptera) officially became the State Insect on October 1, 1977. The name "mantis", derived from the Greek, originally meant prophet or diviner, and, appropriately, described the mantids' distinctive habit of standing motionless on four hind legs, with the two highly specialized forelegs raised in an attitude of meditation. The European mantis is not native to Connecticut. Its origin is Northern Africa, Southern Europe, and temperate Asia. These mantids can be found, however, throughout the state from early May or June until the cold weather sets in, when they die rapidly. Harmless to humans, and averaging 2-21/2 inches in length, this small green or brown insect feeds on aphids, flies, grasshoppers, small caterpillars and moths. Although probably not a significant factor in biological control, mantids are beneficial insects, friends to the farmer, and are, therefore, symbolic reminders of the importance of the natural environment to human and biological survival.

{state animal} (Physeter Macrocephalus) STATE ANIMAL The Sperm Whale was designated as the state animal by the General Assembly in 1975. Its selection was made both because of its special contribution to the state's history and because of its present-day plight as an endangered species. The Sperm Whale is the largest of the toothed whales, growing up to 60 feet in length and capable of diving over 3,000 feet in search of the squid and cuttlefish on which it feeds. The sperm whale's brain is the largest of any creature ever existing on earth. "Moby Dick" was a sperm whale. During the 1800's Connecticut ranked second only to Massachusetts as a whale hunting state. The sperm whale was the species most sought after by Connecticut whalers circling the globe on ships out of New London, Mystic and other Connecticut ports to bring back needed oil for lamps and other products. {A Picture of A Garnet} THE GARNET Fe3Al2Si3O12 STATE MINERAL Connecticut is one of the finest sources in the world of the almandine garnet, named the State Mineral by the 1977 General Assembly.

An ancient gem, it was named "garnata" in the 13th century by Albertus Magnus, and was known as the "Carbuncle", likening it to a small, red hot coal. The garnets are actually a group of similar minerals, complex silicates of the same atomic structure, but differing in chemical composition. They vary in color from pale to dark tints, including the deep violet-red of the almandine garnet. This mineral's significant hardness, 7 on the Mohs scale, has made the garnet, as an abrasive, important industrially throughout Connecticut's history. It contributed to this development by providing the base for grinding wheels, saws, and the better cutting quality of garnet paper, a variety of sandpaper. {A Picture of An Eastern Oyster} EASTERN OYSTER (Crassostrea Virginica) STATE SHELLFISH The Eastern oyster was designated as the State Shellfish by the General Assembly in 1989. The oyster, which is a bivalve mollusk, occurs naturally in Connecticut's tidal rivers and coastal embayments and is cultivated by the oyster industry in the waters of Long Island Sound.

Oysters were consumed in great quantities by Connecticut's native American inhabitants, and early European settlers found oysters to be a staple and reliable food source. The first colonial laws regulating the taking of oysters in Connecticut appeared in the early 1700's. Oyster farming developed into a major industry in the State by the late 19th century. During the 1890's, Connecticut held the distinction of having the largest fleet of oyster steamers in the world. Today, Connecticut's oyster industry continues to thrive. Annually, thousands of bushels of these delicious Connecticut grown mollusks are marketed throughout the country. Of all the shellfish species associated with the Connecticut shoreline, the oyster is by far the best known for its colorful history, continued economic importance and esteemed reputation for quality. {American Shad, State Fish} AMERICAN SHAD (Alosa Sapidissima) STATE FISH (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Duane Raver artist.) Native to Connecticut and eastern coastal waters, the American shad was designated the State Fish by the 2003 General Assembly.

Shad are anadromous fish, spending most of their lives in the ocean and annually returning to their natal fresh water rivers to reproduce. Ocean-dwelling adults have forked tails, metallic blue-green colored backs, silvery sides, and an abdominal ridge of sharp modified scales called scutes. The American shad is the largest member of the herring family. Its scientific name, Alosa sapidissima, means "most delicious shad." Historically, American shad meat and roe were important food sources for Connecticut's Native American population and European colonists. During the 19th century, shad fishing became a major Connecticut industry. But by the 20th century, dam construction, over fishing and river pollution had severely reduced the Atlantic Coast shad population. Today, shad restoration efforts are underway in eastern coastal rivers. With an annual spring migration of more than a million American shad, supporting commercial and sport fishing, as well as shad derbies and festivals, the Connecticut River's restoration program is one of the most successful. {Picture of The State Fossil} EUBRONTES GIGANTEUS STATE FOSSIL The Connecticut Valley is the world's foremost dinosaur track locality.

Many different types of fossil track impressions have been found in the Valley's sandstones of the early Jurassic Period (200 million years ago). Eubrontes, a large three-toed track, was designated the State Fossil in 1991. Although no skeletal remains of the specific trackmaking dinosaur have been found, the shape, size, and stride of Eubrontes indicate that the animal was a carnivorous dinosaur approximately eighteen feet in length, and was closely related to the western genus Dilophosaurus. Two thousand Eubrontes tracks were discovered on a single layer of rock in Rocky Hill, in 1966, and subsequently Dinosaur State Park was created for their preservation and interpretation. This Registered Natural Landmark site receives visitors from throughout the world. {A Picture of The USS Nautilus} USS NAUTILUS (SSN-571) THE STATE SHIP Built by Connecticut craftsmen, USS Nautilus was the world's first nuclear powered submarine and logged more than 500,000 nautical miles during her distinguished 25 year career.

The USS Nautilus, named Connecticut's State Ship by the 1983 General Assembly, has been designated a National Historic Landmark and is permanently berthed next to the Submarine Force Library and Museum at Goss Cove in Groton. {State Flagship, Amistad} STATE FLAGSHIP AND TALL SHIP AMBASSADOR FREEDOM SCHOONER AMISTAD In 1839, the schooner La Amistad was seized by the Navy off Long Island and towed to New London Harbor. On board were a group of Africans kidnapped from Mendi who had successfully revolted during transport from Havana to Puerto Principe and impending slavery. Imprisoned on charges of murder, the captives-assisted by abolitionists from Connecticut and surrounding states-were soon engaged in a second battle for freedom that brought the first civil rights case to be heard, and won, before the U.S. Supreme Court, and finally returned the Africans to their homeland.

(State of Connecticut, Nina Ritson photographer.) Freedom Schooner Amistad--a recreation of the 19th century vessel--was constructed at Connecticut's Mystic Seaport and set sail in 2000 as both a floating classroom and monument. From her homeport at Long Wharf Pier in New Haven, she has taken the story of the Amistad Incident of 1839--and its lessons of leadership, perseverance, cooperation, justice, and freedom--to both national and international communities. Owned and operated by the nonprofit educational organization AMISTAD America, Inc., Freedom Schooner Amistad, a proud symbol of courage and moral strength, was designated the State Flagship and Tall Ship Ambassador by the General Assembly in 2003. {state aircraft} STATE AIRCRAFT F4U CORSAIR Named the State Aircraft in 2005, the F4U Corsair was designed and built in Connecticut by the men and women of United Aircraft Corporation and its operating divisions. Often considered the finest American fighter plane of World War II, the Corsair continued in U.S. military service through the Korean War.

Equipped with Hamilton Standard's largest propeller, and Pratt & Whitney's most powerful air-cooled engine housed in a durable, streamlined Vought-Sikorsky airframe, the prototype F4U took flight on May 29, 1940. It was the first American single-engine fighter to top 400 mph. Dubbed the "Bent-Wing Bird"--a reference to its distinctive inverted gull wing design--the F4U Corsair debuted in combat in 1943. Flown by Marine Corps and Navy pilots in the Pacific Theater, the powerful and versatile fighter played a decisive role in the air war, assisted ground forces with bombing and close air support capabilities, and protected the Pacific Fleet from kamikaze attacks. The F4U Corsair is a symbol that honors the Connecticut workers who designed and built the aircraft, the pilots who flew them, and all Connecticut servicemembers and veterans who have safeguarded our freedom. {State Tartan} STATE TARTAN (Courtesy of the Connecticut State Library, Information Services Department) In 1995, the General Assembly adopted an official tartan for the state.

It is a plaid, the colors and design representing notable features of Connecticut's physical geography: Large blue stripes for Long Island Sound, medium gray stripes for granite, large green stripes for forests, red and yellow pinstripes for autumn leaves, and white pinstripes that are offset from the center, representing the state's unpredictable winter snowfall. The State Tartan's thread ratio is blue-10, gray-2, white-1, gray-5, green-8, yellow-1, green-2, red-1, green-8, gray-8 and blue-10. (State Tartan image courtesy of the Connecticut State Library, Information Services Division.) {A Picture of Nathan Hale} NATHAN HALE 1755 - 1776 STATE HERO On October 1, 1985, by an act of the General Assembly, Nathan Hale became Connecticut's State Hero. Born in Coventry, and educated at Yale University, Hale served as a school master until commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Continental Army on July 1, 1775.

He was promoted to Captain on Januay 1, 1776 and in September of that year, at General George Washington's request for a volunteer, Nathan Hale crossed enemy lines to gather information as to the strength and plans of the British. Caught while returning, he was hanged as a spy on September 22, 1776, without benefit of a trial. The Patriot's dedication to our country is enshrined in the immortal words "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country. The Hale Homestead, located at 2299 South Street in Coventry, is maintained as a museum by the Antiquarian and Landmark Society, Inc. {A Picture of Prudence Crandall} PRUDENCE CRANDALL 1803-1890 , CT) On October 1, 1995, by an act of the General Assembly, Prudence Crandall became Connecticut's State Heroine. In 1833, Prudence Crandall established the first academy for African-American women in New England. During its 18 months of operation, Crandall and her students faced hardships and violence.

She was placed on trial twice for breaking a law specifically designed to prevent the school from operating. In the fall of 1834, although the charges against her were dismissed, the school was closed. Prudence Crandall demonstrated great courage and moral strength by taking a stand against prejudice. In 1886 the legislature honored her with an annual pension of $400.00. The Prudence Crandall House is a National Historic Landmark located at the intersections of 14 and 169 in Canterbury. It is operated by the Connecticut Historical Commission. STATE SONG Why Nutmeg? | Damned Connecticut Okay, this isn't exactly odd or unexplained -- maybe file it under "Legends, sort of" -- but like many of you, I've always wondered why Connecticut was called "The Nutmeg State." Fortunately, Steve recently found this: The Nutmeg State: Nutmeg, the powder used for seasoning foods, is ground from the seed of the fruit of the Nutmeg Tree, Myristica fragans. A couple of stories exist as to the origin of this nickname.

One story has it that this nickname came about as a comment on the ingenuity and shrewdness of the citizens of the state. In a story, perhaps originated by Sam Slick (Judge Halliburton), it is claimed that the people of Connecticut were so ingenious and shrewd that they were able to make and sell "wooden" nutmegs to unsuspecting buyers. A variation on this story maintains that purchasers did not know that the seed must be ground to obtain the spice and may have accused yankee peddlars, unfairly, of selling worthless "wooden" nutmegs. It may be that these wooden nutmegs were whittled by idle sailors on ships coming from the spice island and sold as souvenirs. So really, this sort of pushes Connecticut Yankees closer to the P.T. Barnum end of the spectrum -- you know, the ol' "There's a sucker born every minute" mentality. By the way -- that famous phrase, often attributed to Connecticut native Barnum was never said by Barnum. A little mythbusting here ...

The story, in a nutshell, goes like this: In 1869, a 3,000-pound hunk of gypsum with the figure of a 10-foot-tall giant was allegedly discovered on a farm in Cardiff, New York. Thousands of people flocked to see the Cardiff Giant, so of course, the great showman Barnum -- the Prince of the Humbugs -- was interested. He quickly realized it was a fake, but nonetheless wanted it to be part of his own museum, and offered $50,000, then $60,000, for the rights to exhibit the Cardiff Giant. The group exhibiting it, led by David Hannum, turned him down. The ever-enterprising Barnum, not letting "no" discourage him, then had his own Cardiff Giant made -- can't get in trouble for making a fake of a fake, right? By 1871, he was exhibiting it as "the real Cardiff Giant" at his museum and drawing larger crowds than the original Cardiff Giant. Hannum and his group sued -- and lost, as they had to publicly admit theirs was a fake in the first place.

Watching people still lining up to see Barnum's fake, Hannum then uttered the famous phrase, "Well, I guess there's a sucker born every minute." If you want to read the long version, it's available in many places, such as historybuff.com . Connecticut - U.S. States - HISTORY.com Nickname(s): Constitution State; Nutmeg State; Land of Steady Habits; Provisions State Motto: Qui Transtulit Sustinet (“He who transplanted still sustains”) Tree: White Oak Bird: American Robin Interesting Facts The Fundamental Orders was the first constitution to be adopted by the American colonies in 1639. It established the structure and boundaries of the newly formed government and ensured the rights of free men to elect their public officials—principles that were later embraced within the U.S. Constitution. During a candle-lit dispute that occurred when Sir Edmund Andros attempted to seize Connecticut’s Royal Charter by order of King James II in 1687, the lights went out and the charter was whisked away to safety amid the chaos.

Captain Joseph Wadsworth hid the charter inside a grand white oak tree, which became a symbol of freedom and, later, the official state tree. Benedict Arnold, whose name has become synonymous with the word “traitor” after he conspired with the British to turn over the post at West Point in exchange for money and a command in the British Army, was born in Norwich, Connecticut. In 1781, he led British troops in the Battle of Groton Heights, which devastated New London, Connecticut. The construction of Connecticut’s Old State House was completed in 1796. In 1814, it hosted the Hartford Convention, a meeting of Federalist leaders in which the adoption of seven proposed amendments to the Constitution was considered by many to be treasonous. Connecticut and Rhode Island were the only two states that failed to ratify the 18th Amendment, which prohibited the manufacture, sale or transportation of alcohol. The USS Nautilus, the world’s first nuclear submarine, was constructed in Groton, Connecticut, between 1952 and 1954.

Much larger than its diesel-electric predecessors, it traveled at speeds in excess of 20 knots and could remain submerged almost indefinitely because its atomic engine required only a very small quantity of nuclear fuel and no air. After 25 years of service, the Nautilus was decommissioned and opened to the public as an exhibit in Groton. The Connecticut-born Revolutionary soldier and spy Nathan Hale, who was hanged by the British in 1776, became Connecticut&rsquo;s official state hero in 1985. Tags Delaware Strawberry shortcake Strawberries were declared the official state fruit of Delaware in 2010, and you can’t argue with House Bill No. 203 (“Whereas, strawberries are an important product of Delaware’s agricultural industry; and whereas children and adults love to pick their own strawberries; and whereas strawberries can be a refreshing part of everyone’s diet …”). Strawberry shortcake is indubitably the best strawberry dessert, so this one was easy. Florida Key lime pie Key lime pie is the official state pie of Florida . There is an annual Key lime pie festival in Cape Canaveral. Florida media outlets specialize in lists of the best Key lime pies served in the state.

And the limes in Key lime pie are named after the Florida Keys. This choice was easy as pie. Georgia Peach cobbler The Georgia Peach Council might have the slickest website of any American agricultural association. Not only is the design eye-catching, with accents of aquamarine and, well, peach, but you can also win an iPad if you share your “ Georgia Peach experiences .” Point being, Georgia peach growers know that peach is practically synonymous with Georgia, and they’re milking it for all its worth. Georgia has its pick of peach desserts, so why did I assign it peach cobbler instead of the more obvious peach pie? The Georgia Peach Council offers two cobbler recipes but no pie recipes . Surprising, yes, but I’m not about to argue with professionals. Hawaii Shave ice Does the phrase “shave ice” make your grammatically fastidious brain hurt? You clearly have never had real Hawaiian shave ice, which is so good it’s been known to cure pedantry. Made from large blocks of ice shaved into the finest flakes imaginable, drenched with whatever fruit-flavored syrup your heart desires, and sometimes drizzled with sweetened condensed milk, shave ice might be Hawaii’s most important contribution to American culture.

Case in point: America’s first Hawaiian president almost always stops in for some when he’s back in his home state . Idaho Huckleberry pie Did you think Idaho’s state dessert was going to be a potato cake? Come on, now. OK, fine, potato cake exists —but it’s hardly the regional treat huckleberry pie is. If you’ve never eaten a huckleberry, it’s probably because agricultural scientists haven’t yet figured out how to domesticate them—they only grow in the wild. If you have eaten a huckleberry, you probably live in the vicinity of northern Idaho . Or you’re a black bear. Or both. Either way, you probably like the sweet-tart goodness of huckleberry pie. Illinois Brownies Brownies made their debut at the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893, so I thought it was only fair to credit Chicago for one of the world’s favorite baked goods. After all, the original recipe, which contains a pound of chocolate and a pound of butter, is a good one. Indiana Sugar cream pie According to the Indiana Foodways Alliance, “ Indiana's contribution to the nation's pie mythology is sugar cream.” What is a sugar cream pie?

The name is pretty literal: It’s a pie whose filling contains cream, flour, sugar, and vanilla—no eggs. It’s also sometimes called Hoosier sugar cream pie, just in case any other state wanted for some reason to take credit for it. Iowa Cherry pie As a famous gourmand once said, “ tastes so good, makes a grown man cry. ” Every year at the annual fundraiser known as Veishea, Iowa State students sell thousands of cherry pies to raise money for the Veishea Cherry Pie Scholarship Fund . This bake sale tradition has been going on since 1920 . Kansas Dirt cake A chilled concoction of instant pudding, imitation whipped cream, and crushed chocolate sandwich cookies, Kansas dirt cake is the most prominent dessert named in honor of Kansas. (I promise, I looked for other ones, but this was it.) Kansas dirt cake is not to be confused with Mississippi mud pie, which is a totally different soil-themed dessert. Kentucky Bread pudding The home of bourbon deserves a bourbon-flavored state dessert, and the very best bourbon-flavored dessert is bread pudding with bourbon sauce .

Granted, a bunch of Southern states (notably Louisiana) lay claim to bread pudding, but given that none of those states would be able to make decent bread pudding without bourbon, I’m giving this one to Kentucky. Louisiana Bananas Foster Louisiana has an unfair number of desserts it could plausibly assert ownership of. There’s king cake, which seems too Mardi Gras–specific to represent the Creole State year round. There’s bread pudding, which I gave to Kentucky on a bourbon-related technicality. There are beignets, which are usually eaten more for breakfast or a snack than for dessert. Then there’s bananas Foster : invented in New Orleans, adequately boozy, easy to set on fire. Both festive enough for Louisiana’s pre-Lenten revelries and simple enough to make any other time of the year. Yes, bananas Foster will do quite nicely. Maine Blueberry pie Maine is the country’s leading producer of lowbush or “wild” blueberries, which tend to be smaller, brighter, and more intensely flavored than the commercially viable highbush blueberries.

Predictably, Mainers won’t shut up about their blueberries, and every Mainer you meet probably has a prized wild-blueberry pie recipe to sell you on. The Maine state Legislature’s designation of blueberry pie as the official state dessert in 2011 was a foregone conclusion. Maryland Smith Island cake Smith Island is a tiny community of a few hundred people on the Chesapeake Bay. When they’re not catching soft-shell crabs, Smith Islanders spend their time making absurdly exacting cakes of six to 12 layers interspersed with chocolate icing. The Smith Island Baking Company, the only bakery on Smith Island, has proclaimed itself “ the #1 Dessert Company in the World ,” and assuming they’re judging on a scale of arduousness, I have to agree. Even though Smith Island cakes aren’t commonly made in the rest of Maryland, they became the official state dessert in 2008—a testament to Smith Island’s PR power (and to the paucity of other Maryland dessert specialties). Massachusetts Boston cream pie The Parker House Hotel alleges that its chef invented the Boston cream pie—a sponge cake layered with pastry cream and topped with a chocolate fondant—in 1856.

History blogger Tori Avey takes issue with that origin story , explaining that “cream pie” was a common 19th-century term for round cakes layered with pastry cream, that the chocolate topping came into play later, and that people only started calling this dessert “Boston cream pie” because there was already a well-known dessert called “Boston cream cake,” which was in fact not a cake but a cream puff. (Got all that?) Regardless, the name stuck, Bostonians embraced it, and no less a distinguished Massachusetts family than the Kennedys championed the dessert as a symbol of the commonwealth. Sometimes, the myth is more important than the reality; this is one of those times. Michigan Fudge Anyone with milk, butter, sugar, and chocolate can make fudge. But the residents of Mackinac Island, Michigan have taken fudge to another level, building an entire tourist industry around it and claiming to have “ perfected ” it. Michiganders aren’t the only ones who think this: In the history and recipe book Oh Fudge!

A Celebration of America’s Favorite Candy , author Lee Edwards Benning calls Mackinac Island both “the fudge capital of the United States” and “the fudge capital of the world.” And when “the fudge king of Mackinac Island” died in 1996, he got an obituary in the New York Times , the ultimate endorsement of the importance of one’s life’s work. This year’s Mackinac Island Fudge Festival will take place Aug. 22 and 23. Minnesota Seven-layer bars Page 4 of You Know You’re in Minnesota When … states “a potluck isn’t a potluck without bars.” The best bars for a potluck or any other occasion are seven-layer bars, so called because they contain butter, graham cracker crumbs, chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, walnuts, shredded coconut, and sweetened condensed milk, in that order. Mississippi Mississippi mud pie Mississippi mud pie is a relatively dignified affair compared to its thematic cousin, Kansas dirt cake. And it’s a relatively straightforward affair compared to Boston cream pie, in that it’s actually a pie, not a cake, and it contains one or more elements that resemble mud.

Depending on the baker, Mississippi mud pie might contain a chocolate crumb crust or a traditional pie crust, which might be filled with chocolate pudding or chocolate cake or brownie batter, which might be topped with whipped cream or ice cream. Two things are certain: It will contain chocolate, and it will be just about the richest thing you ever tasted. Missouri Gooey butter cake Gooey butter cake is a St. Louis curiosity that seems to defy description (despite the seemingly specific nature of its name). It falls somewhere between a sheet cake and a bar: It starts with a layer of thick, extra-buttery yellow cake (doctored from a cake mix box, usually), but the gooey part comes from a filling made of cream cheese, powdered sugar, and eggs. Like most great regional specialties, it comes with a host of contradictory origin stories , all of which place its birth somewhere in the 1930s or 1940s. This map generally takes a skeptical eye toward breakfast food, but it will make an exception for gooey butter cake: Although many sources identify it as a snack or breakfast dish, I cannot condone eating such a sweet and rich course before sunset.

Montana S’mores The s’more was not invented in Montana, but hear me out: Montana is one of the best hiking destinations in the country. It’s home to Glacier National Park and part of Yellowstone; its name means “mountain,” for crying out loud. And anyone who plans a hike, camping trip, or other mountain-based recreational activity without bringing graham crackers, milk chocolate, and marshmallows is a fool. QED. Nebraska Popcorn balls Nebraska is the country’s leading popcorn producer , growing about one-quarter of our national supply. According to legend , popcorn balls were invented during a day of wonky Nebraska weather: First heavy rains sent syrup flowing from sorghum grass into the cornfields, then extreme heat caused the corn to pop, and finally a tornado swept the sugar-coated popcorn into clusters. Climate change makes this story seem actually kind of plausible, but the folktale gives short shrift to whoever really invented candy-coated popcorn spheres, Nebraska’s homegrown contribution to the nation’s dessert menu. Nevada Chocolate fondue The Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas is home to the world’s largest chocolate fondue fountain , which is reason enough to award melted chocolate dip to this state.

But the extravagance of Las Vegas isn’t the only relevant factor here: The Silver State is the most mountainous state in the country, according to the National Park Service , and its superficial resemblance to the Swiss Alps lends a nice congruency to the pairing of Nevada with this alpine treat. New Hampshire Whoopie pie New Hampshire, Maine, and Pennsylvania have all claimed ownership of the whoopie pie, which raises a question: Why haven’t any of these states come up with a less cringe-y name for it? (Some people call them “gobs.” Keep working on it!) Whoopie pies are not pies: They’re chocolate cake disks sandwiched around vanilla frosting or marshmallow fluff. And while the Pennsylvania Amish and Mainers both have strong, proprietary feelings for whoopie pies, Yankee magazine has proclaimed that the best pies are made at a bakery in the Granite State. New Jersey Salt water taffy Atlantic City, New Jersey, has made a number of lasting contributions to Americana: Monopoly, the Miss America pageant, that Bruce Springsteen song , and, most importantly, those color-coded candy cylinders that, despite their name, contain no salt water.

New Mexico Bizcochito New Mexico became the first state to adopt a state cookie in 1989, when it made things official with this traditional anise-and-orange-scented sugar biscuit . The fact that New Mexico went out of its way to declare a state cookie before anyone else did speaks to a serious-mindedness that this map would be remiss not to respect. New York Cheesecake New York state is much more than New York City—but New York City’s signature dessert has acquired such mythic proportions that it overshadows the rest of the state’s sweets. In fact, New York–style cheesecake, with its impossibly tall and dense layer of cream-cheese filling, has eclipsed all other styles of cheesecake to become America’s definitive cheesecake style. “In a city of constant ethnic flux, cheesecake is itself a constant, offering something for everyone,” wrote a New York Times reporter in 2004 , and the statement still rings true today. The Big Apple has seen its share of culinary fads , but ranking the best slices of cheesecake in the city remains an ever-popular pastime.

North Carolina Sweet potato pie Sweet potato pie is one of those pan-Southern desserts, a mainstay of soul food with roots in slave cooking. So why does North Carolina get it, instead of, say, Georgia, Virginia, or Mississippi? Tar Heels grow more sweet potatoes than residents of any other state , which gives them dibs on the tuber’s most illustrious dish. North Dakota Krumkake I must confess that I’ve never been to North Dakota, but I’m nonetheless pretty confident about my choice of krumkake as this state’s dessert. Krumkake is not a crumbcake: It’s a thin, rolled up Norwegian cookie, somewhere between a pizzelle and a waffle cone. And it’s pronounced kroom-cacka. Here’s why I feel it’s the right choice for North Dakota: The Roughrider State’s official tourism site includes two krumkake mentions on its list of “ 6 ways to experience ‘home for the holidays’ in North Dakota .” A blog post by one Kaitlin Ring of Williston called “ Things North Dakotans Like ” lists “krumkake as one North Dakotans’ favorite ethnic foods.

(“Ethnic for us is German and Norwegian,” Ring explains.) But what sealed the deal for me was a recipe for krumkake on NorthDakotaKitchen.net , presented without comment, as though the reasons for its inclusion were obvious to any North Dakotan worth her salt. Ohio Buckeye candy Buckeye candy is so called for its resemblance to the nut of the buckeye , the state tree of Ohio and nickname for its residents. Like a cross between peanut butter fudge and peanut butter cups, Buckeye candies consist of a ball of sweet peanut butter dough dipped in melted chocolate. Congratulations to Ohio for producing a confection that actually looks like the thing it’s supposed to look like, and that’s delicious to boot. Oklahoma Fried pie “It was an abnormally cold winter in the year 1893.” So begins the rather dramatic origin story of Oklahoma’s oldest fried pie company. The tale continues, “The different ranchers in the Arbuckle Mountains had their ranch hands go out into the midst of the inclement weather to tend to the cattle …” Long story short, the ranchers were miserable that winter until one resourceful woman started making them fried pies.

That woman’s granddaughter, Nancy Fulton, is now known as “ the Fried Pie Lady ,” and she has turned her inherited knowledge of fried pies—fruit-filled turnovers, basically—into a miniature empire that’s extended its tentacles into Texas and Arkansas . Oregon Blackberry cobbler Blackberries grow like weeds in the Pacific Northwest, and Oregon is the top producing state . Fresh blackberries are pretty good raw, but they’re even better cooked into a sweet, buttery batter—try this gorgeous recipe . Pennsylvania Banana split Thanks in part to the sugar-loving Pennsylvania Dutch, the Keystone State lays claim to loads of desserts: apple dumplings, shoofly pie, whoopie pies, etc . But the United Sweets of America can choose only one, and it’s a classic of the dessert canon. In 1904, a young soda jerk named David “Doc” Strickler halved a banana lengthwise , nestled some scoops of ice cream in between the two halves, added some whipped cream and flavored syrups, and made history in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. If this provenance weren’t enough, the chocolate sauce that’s a required topping on all banana splits provides a nice nod to one of Pennsylvania’s most famous brands .

Rhode Island Frozen lemonade Rhode Island was a tough one: It boasts two iconic sweet substances, coffee milk and frozen lemonade. After a lot of reflection, I decided coffee milk qualifies primarily as a beverage, not a dessert. (It’s literally just milk sweetened with coffee-flavored syrup.) Frozen lemonade also possesses beveragelike qualities, but at the moment it’s served, this tart, granita-like slushy is thick enough to eat with a spoon, which makes it a dessert in my book. The most famous purveyor of frozen lemonade in Rhode Island is Del’s , which has been cooling palates since 1948. South Carolina Coconut cake Many bakers make coconut cakes, but only one baker has trademarked the phrase “Ultimate Coconut Cake.” The creation of pastry chef Claire Chapman, the pastry chef at the Peninsula Grill in Charleston, the Ultimate Coconut Cake® has been fêted by the likes of Martha Stewart and Bobby Stewart. New York Times tastemaker Florence Fabricant describes it thusly : “Coconut-infused butter cream is slathered between six layers of golden poundcake made with coconut milk in the batter.

… In Charleston, some brides are ordering it as wedding cake.” The state that has taken coconut cake to its overelaborate zenith is the state that gets coconut cake as its official state dessert. South Dakota Kuchen Like North Dakota, South Dakota has a fair amount of inhabitants of German and Scandinavian extraction. Kuchen just means cake in German, and in South Dakota it can refer to a number of different types of cake, but the type recognized as the official state dessert, according to the 2011 South Dakota Legislative Manual , is “a sweet dough crust filled with custard, which is served plain or studded with fruit, such as prunes, peaches, blueberries and apples.” To get a better sense of how kuchen is made, check out these pictures from last year’s Kuchen Festival in Delmont, South Dakota, or start making reservations for this year’s festival. Tennessee Banana pudding Many states—perhaps all the states—wanted banana pudding as their state sweet. The layered concoction of sliced bananas, vanilla pudding, vanilla wafers, and whipped cream is an honest-to-God American treasure.

And Tennessee is the state that has developed a festival worthy of banana pudding’s charms: The National Banana Pudding Festival and Cook-Off has been running for five years in Hickman County, Tennessee. In addition to naming “the best maker of banana pudding in the United States,” the festival crowns a Miss Banana Pudding , a ritual of retrograde sexism that is forgivable only because it’s done for the greater glory of banana pudding. Texas Pecan pie The pecan tree is Texas’ official state tree, the native pecan is Texas’ official state nut, and San Saba, Texas, is the self-proclaimed “ pecan capital of the world .” Does it surprise you that the Texas House of Representatives recently named pecan pie the official state pie ? It should not. Texas has covered all its bases where it comes to pecans, and to give this Thanksgiving dessert to any other state would just be wrongheaded. (It would also probably qualify as “ messing with Texas .”) Utah Jell-O Utah is the only state whose dessert is the same as its meat .

(Come to think of it, Jell-O is one of the only desserts that is made out of meat.) There’s a reason the so-called “Mormon Corridor” is also known as the “ Jell-O Belt ”—Jell-O is the most potent symbol of Latter-day Saint culture and cuisine. (Literally the most potent—remember, Mormons don’t consume coffee, tea, or alcohol. * ) Vermont Maple candy The Pieces of Vermont store, “Your Vermont maple candy and maple wedding favors specialists,” isn’t the only place you can buy maple candy—a magical confection that is made from pure, concentrated, whipped maple syrup—but it is the most aptly named. Virginia Chess pie Chess pie (the name is possibly a corruption of “chest pie” or “cheese pie” ) is filled with a custard containing eggs, butter, flour, sugar, and usually cornmeal. Chess pie is awarded to Virginia because the very first written recipe for such a pie, hiding under the alias “transparent pudding,” appeared in The Virginia House-wife in 1825 . Washington Nanaimo bars Yes, Nanaimo bars get their name from Nanaimo, British Columbia, and they are indubitably Canadian by birth.

But it’s unsurprising that these sweets, which consist of a layer of graham cracker and nut crust, a layer of pudding or buttercream frosting, and a layer of chocolate, gained popularity south of the Canadian border as well. And it was Seattle-based behemoth Starbucks, which has sold Nanaimo bars seasonally , that introduced them to the rest of America. Washington, D.C. Cupcakes The cupcake craze of the early 21st century did not begin in Washington, D.C., but it ended there. Our nation’s capital is home to several independent cupcake bakeries , including Georgetown Cupcake, which rose to prominence on the TLC reality show D.C. Cupcakes —the program that forever linked the District of Columbia with cupcakes in the nation’s imagination. No one tell D.C. that macarons, pie, whoopie pies, and doughnuts are the new cupcake . West Virginia Shoofly pie Shoofly pie is a colorful name for molasses pie.

It seems to have been invented, like so many other desserts, by the Pennsylvania Dutch , but molasses is a beloved ingredient throughout Appalachia , as evidenced by the West Virginia Molasses Festival , held annually in Arnoldsburg, West Virginia, since 1967 . Wisconsin Kringle What is a kringle, you ask? Why, just head over to kringle.com , which tells you everything you need to know: The home page bears several photographs of the ring-shaped, fruit-filled, streudel-like pastries and a large insignia reading “Official State Pastry of Wisconsin.” Wisconsinites know that the best kringles are found in Racine County, whose Danish immigrants have made it “ America’s Kringle Capital .” Wyoming Cowboy cookies The connection between cowboys and cowboy cookies is unclear, unless it’s just that cowboys, like the rest of us, enjoy oatmeal cookies packed with chocolate chips, pecans, and coconut. Regardless, as the state with the most enduring cowboy cred, Wyoming gets cowboy cookies . Top Comment Connecticut’s Nicknames – Connecticut State Library Connecticut’s Nicknames The “Constitution State” Connecticut’s official nickname is the “Constitution State”.

According to the Connecticut State Register and Manual, 1998, p. 832: “Connecticut was designated the Constitution State by the General Assembly in 1959. As early as the 19th Century, John Fiske, a popular historian from Connecticut made the claim that the Fundamental Orders of 1638/1639 were the first written constitution in history. Some contemporary historians dispute Fiske’s analysis. However, Simeon E.

Baldwin, a former Chief Justice of the Connecticut Supreme Court, defended Fiske’s view of the Fundamental Orders in Osborn’s History of Connecticut in Monographic Form by stating that ‘never had a company of men deliberately met to frame a social compact for immediate use, constituting a new and independent commonwealth, with definite officers, executive and legislative, and prescribed rules and modes of government, until the first planters of Connecticut came together for their great work on January 14th, 1638-39.’ However, Connecticut is also sometimes referred to as: The “Nutmeg State” According to the book State Names, Flags, Seals, Songs, Birds, Flowers, and Other Symbols by George Earlie Shankle (New York: H.W. Wilson Company, 1941): “The sobriquet, the Nutmeg State, is applied to Connecticut because its early inhabitants had the reputation of being so ingenious and shrewd that they were able to make and sell wooden nutmegs. Sam Slick (Judge Halliburton) seems to be the originator of this story.

Some claim that wooden nutmegs were actually sold, but they do not give either the time or the place.” Yankee peddlers from Connecticut sold nutmegs, and an alternative story is that: “Unknowing buyers may have failed to grate nutmegs, thinking they had to be cracked like a walnut. Nutmegs are wood, and bounce when struck. If southern customers did not grate them, they may very well have accused the Yankees of selling useless “wooden” nutmegs, unaware that they wear down to a pungent powder to season pies and breads.” Elizabeth Abbe, Librarian, the Connecticut Historical Society; Connecticut Magazine, April 1980. The “Provisions State” During the Revolutionary War, Connecticut supplied most of the food and cannons for the Continental forces. “Perhaps the best indication of Connecticut’s pre-eminent position as a supply state is found in Washington’s very frequent appeals to Trumbull for help in provisions.” This quote is found in Albert E. Van Dusen’s Connecticut (New York: Random House, 1961), page 159. Another good source for information on how Connecticut got this nickname is Connecticut: the Provision State by Chester M.

Destler (Connecticut Bicentennial Series; no. 5. Chester, CT: Pequot Press, 1973.). The “Land of Steady Habits” A Dictionary of Americanisms on Historical Principles, edited by Mitford M. Mathews (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1951) defines “Land of Steady Habits” as “1. Connecticut, applied in allusion to the strict morals of its inhabitants,” (page 954). Nicknames for Connecticut Residents According to Webster’s New International Dictionary, 1993, a person who is a native or resident of Connecticut is a “Connecticuter”. There are numerous other terms in print, but not in use, such as: “Connecticotian” – Cotton Mather in 1702. “Connecticutensian” – Samuel Peters in 1781. “Nutmegger” is sometimes used. It is derived from the nickname, the Nutmeg State, based on the practice of the Connecticut peddlers who traveled about selling nutmegs. There is not, however, any nickname that has been officially adopted by the State for its residents.

The Constitution State | State Symbols USA The Constitution State Our most famous documents; The U.S. Constitution and The Declaration of Independence. Photo by Grizdave on Flickr (noncommercial use permitted with attribution / share alike). The Constitution State Connecticut was officially nicknamed The Constitution State by the Connecticut General Assembly in 1959. It is believed that ideas for the writing of the Constitution of the United States were drawn from the first constitution of Connecticut ("The Fundamental Orders" of 1638-39). Other Connecticut Nicknames Connecticut is also known as The Nutmeg State, and during the American Revolution, The Provisions State. Connecticut Residents A resident of Connecticut is a Connecticuter or Nutmegger. Other names that are no longer in use include Connecticotian (Cotton Mather in 1702), and Connecticutensian (Samuel Peters in 1781).

Question: What US state is known as the Nutmeg State?
Answer: Connecticut