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An official act of the legislature
is required to designate official features and emblems
of the state. The first legislative act of this type
was the designation in 1953 of the single-leaf pinion as
Nevada's official state tree.
Sheep - hidden text |
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The Desert Bighorn Sheep is
Nevada's state animal. It is a
beautiful animal and well-suited for
Nevada's mountainous desert country because it can
survive for long periods without water. It is smaller
than its Rocky Mountain cousin but has a wider spread of
horns. The large rams stand about 4 1/2 feet tall and
can weigh as much as 175 pounds.
1973 Ovis
canadensis nelsoni
NRS 235.070
Mountain Blue Bird - hidden
text
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The Mountain Blue Bird is
Nevada state bird. It lives in the Nevada
high country and destroys many harmful insects. It is a
member of the thrush family and its song is a clear,
short warble like the caroling of a robin. The male is
azure blue with a white belly, while the female is brown
with a bluish rump, tail, and wings.
Bird: Mountain
Bluebird or
50 States
List
NRS 235.060
Lahontan Cutthroat Trout
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Note: This photo is not representative of a
normal
sized specimen |
The
Lahontan Cutthroat Trout is Nevada's state fish. A native trout found
in 14 of the state's 17 counties, is adapted to habitats
ranging from high mountain creeks and alpine lakes
to warm, intermittent lowland streams and alkaline lakes
where no other trout can live. The biggest
cutthroat ever caught in Nevada's Pyramid Lake was 3
feet long and weighed 41 pounds.
Lahontan
Cutthroat Trout
1981 Salmo clarki
henshawi
NRS
235.075
State Flag - hidden text |
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Nevada's state flag has changed 3 times. The
official flag of the
State of Nevada is hereby created. The body of the flag
must be of solid cobalt blue. On the field in the
upper left quarter thereof must be two sprays of
sagebrush with the stems crossed at the bottom to form a
half wreath. Within the sprays must be a five-pointed
silver star with one point up. The word “Nevada” must also
be inscribed below the star and above the sprays, in a
semicircular pattern with the letters spaced apart in
equal increments, in the same style of letters as the
words “Battle Born". Above the wreath, and touching
the tips thereof, must be a scroll bearing the words
“Battle Born.” The scroll and the word “Nevada” must
be golden-yellow. The lettering on the scroll must be
black-colored sans serif gothic capital
letters.
NRS 235.020
Click here
for a view of
Nevada County
Flags
When was the State Flag
Official?
State Flower - hidden text |
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Nevada's state flower is
sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata). It has small yellow and white flowers
in the spring grow abundantly in the deserts of the
Western United States. A member of the wormwood family,
sagebrush is a branching
bush (1 to 12 feet high) and grows
in regions where other kinds of vegetation cannot
subsist. Known for its pleasant aroma, its
gray-green twigs, and pale yellow flowers, sagebrush is
an important winter food for sheep and cattle
Native Americans used sagebrush leaves as medicine and
sagebrush bark for weaving mats. Adopted March 20,
1917.
1959
Artemisia tridentata or trifida
NRS
235.050
State
Fossil - hidden
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Ichthyosaur became a state symbol in
1977 as the state fossil. It
was found in Berlin, east of Gabbs. Nevada is the only
state to possess a complete skeleton (approximately
55
feet long) of this extinct
marine reptile.
-Dinosaur &
Palentology Dictionary
Ichthyosaur
-New Exhibit
at Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park
-Nevada Ichthyosaur
Trip
-Homepage -
Ichthyosaur
-Ichthyosaur-Enchanted
Learning Software
1977 genus
Shonisaurus
NRS
235.080
Gemstone - hidden text |
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Nevada's state precious
gemstone is the black fire opal.
Considered one of the most beautiful of
Nevada’s
gemstones, Virgin Valley black fire opal was
designated the precious gemstone. Northern Nevada’s
Virgin Valley is the only place in North America where
black fire opal is
found in any significant
quantity. Nevada adopted an official precious and
semi-precious gemstone on May 27, 1987.
Virgin Valley,
Nevada:
BLACK
FIRE OPAL or
BLACK
FIRE OPAL - Giant Size BLACK FIRE
OPAL
NRS
235.100
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Our
state
grass,
Indian
Rice Grass, was once a source of food for
Native Nevada Indians. Indian Rice Grass now
provides valuable feed for wildlife and range livestock.
This tough native grass, which is found throughout the
state, is known for its ability to reseed and establish
itself on sites damaged by fire or
over grazing.
Food
of the Desert Culture
A
Living Desert
photograph from
Plant Pages
NRS 235.055
Reptile
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The desert tortoise, our
state
reptile, is the largest reptile in
the southwestern United States. The largest reptile in
the Southwestern United States lives in the
extreme southern parts of Nevada. Its hard, dome-shaped
shell ranges from tan to black in color. This reptile
spends much of its life in underground burrows to escape
the harsh summer heat and winter cold. The desert
tortoise can live to be more than 70 years old.
Desert Tortoise
Council
A Brief History of the
Desert
Tortoise
CARE OF DESERT
TORTOISES
Desert Tortoise Diet
Sheet
1989 Gopherus
agassizii
NRS
235.065
Rock - hidden text |
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The
state
rock is
sandstone. Sandstone, in its more
traditionally recognized form or as quartzite, is found
throughout the state. In areas such as the Valley of Fire
State Park and Red Rock Canyon Recreational Lands, both
near Las Vegas, it provides some of Nevada's
most spectacular scenery. The State Capitol, and the
former United States Mint, are built of sandstone.
Students at Gene Ward Elementary School in Las Vegas
came up with the idea of making sandstone our state
rock.
Famous Nevada
buildings built from local Nevada
Sandstone:
EUREKA
COUNTY COURTHOUSE Built
in
1879-80
STATES
MINT AT CARSON CITY, NV
RINCKEL
MANSION
STEWART-NYE
RESIDENCE
THE
WARMS SPRINGS HOTEL
NEVADA STATE PRINTING
Nevada's Early
BIGFOOT
Sighting.
1987 Sandstone
NRS
235.120
semi-precious gemstone- hidden text |
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Turquoise is our
state's semi-precious gemstone.
Sometimes called the “jewel of the desert,” Nevada
turquoise is found in many parts of the state. Long popular
as jewelry among Native Americans, turquoise is also a
state symbol of Arizona and New Mexico.
Nevada’s designation was made on May
27, 1987.
TURQUOISE - The
US Geological Survey
The Mineral TURQUOISE
NRS 235.110
slogan-
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"Battle Born", our
state
slogan, was adopted on March 26, 1937. It
means Nevada became a state during the Civil
War.
tree
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photograph from Pinon
Pine |
The
pinion pine was the first tree adopted as our state tree. The
Single-Leaf Pinion (Pinus monophylla) is an aromatic pine
tree with short, stiff needles and gnarled
branches. The
tree grows in coarse, rocky soils and rock
crevices. Though its normal height is about 15 feet, the
single-leaf pinion can grow as high as 50 feet under
ideal conditions. It is one of the most common trees
found in Nevada and can grow in the dry, rocky ground of
our desert.
Pinon
Pine1953 Pinus
monophylla
NRS
235.040
BristleconePine- hidden text
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Students from Ely, Nevada had the
bristlecone pine adopted as a symbol
for our state. The bristlecone pine is the oldest living
thing on Earth, with some specimens in Nevada more than
4,000 years of age. The tree can be found at
high elevations. Normal height for older trees is about
15 to 30 feet, although some have attained a height of
60 feet. Diameter growth continues throughout the long
life of the tree, resulting in massive trunks with a
few
contorted limbs.
The Ancient
Bristlecone Pine
1987 Pinus aristata
var. longaeva
NRS
235.040
Song - hidden text
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Click here for Music and
Lyrics to
Nevada's state song,
"Home Means
Nevada" |
"Home Means Nevada", our
state song, was written by an immigrant,
Mrs.
Bertha Raffetto. While living in Reno, Mrs. Raffetto
was asked to write and sing a song about Nevada for a
picnic. It was adopted later as our state
song.
NRS
235.030
Statues of Nevada, 1933 Senate Bill No.
7
How
and Why "Home Means Nevada" Came to be
written
Metal - hidden text |
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Our state metal
is silver. Nevada has many minerals but silver was one
of the most important in our early mining days.
1977
AG
NRS
235.090
Seal - hidden text
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The state
seal is the first symbol Nevada adopted. A
seal is a stamp that is placed on official
state documents or papers.
Adopted February 24,
1886. A gold seal is embossed with the words, "The Great
Seal of the State of Nevada" around the outer
edge. Within this is a composite picture showing the
mining, agriculture, industry, and scenery of
Nevada,
under which is a scroll with the state motto,
"All for Our Country.
Another
State Seal link
Click here for a
larger version of Nevada's
Seal
Nevada State Seal -
1951
The Trestle on the State
Seal
Reproduction of Territorial
Seal
Reproduction of the State
Seal
Reproduction of the 1905
Flag
Reproduction of the 1915
Flag
- with one too many
stars
Reproduction of the 1929
Flag
Reproduction of the 1991 and
Current Flag
PLEASE NOTE THE STATE SEAL CAN ONLY
BE USED IN ACCORDANCE WITH
NRS
235.010
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State Motto:
"All for our country" No one knows who
created Nevada's motto; no records are known to exist.
But it sums up the spirit which ushered Nevada into
the Union during the Civil War. President Abraham
Lincoln was anxious to boost support for the Union,
and granted Nevada statehood as a free state. The motto
appears on Nevada's state seal.
Facts about Nevada's
State Motto
Colors - hidden text |
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State Colors:
SILVER and BLUE
were adopted as
the official state colors in 1983.
NRS
235.025
TuleDuckDecoy
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Nevadans
proclaimed the Tule duck decoy their state artifact in 1995. Actually, there are
eleven ducks—or, more precisely, decoys, each formed of
a bundle of bullrush (tule) stems. The decoys are
shaped to resemble a canvasback duck. Discovered by
archaeologists in 1924 while during an excavation
at Lovelock Cave, the decoys were created almost
2,000 years ago.
How to make a Paiute Tule Duck
Indian Ways and Traditions
Recalled
Native Nevada Classroom-North Paiute Duck
Decoys
Nevada Department of
Wildlife-Stamps
Introduction
to Tule
Ethnobotany
NativeTech: Native
American Duck Decoys-Technology & Art
NRS
235.085
tartan - hidden text |
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Silver State Fanfare
(Netstate) |
STATE
MARCH
The march, "Silver State Fanfare"
by Gerald Willis, was adopted as the official state march of
Nevada by the Legislature on May 24, 2001. The Legislation was
signed by the Governor on May 29, 2001 to become effective on
October 1, 2001
, is
hereby adopted and declared to be the official state march of
the State of Nevada.
NRS 235.035
Nevada State March (Netstate) |
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STATE SOIL
Orvada soil
approved in 2001 -- the same year as the state tartan.
SB152 Introduced
on Feb 15, 2001
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The Nevada State Tartan
was designed by Richard Zygmunt Pawlowski. The colors and
design of the tartan represent the following features that make
Nevada a unique and bountiful state:
NRS 235.130
Blue - represents one of the state colors of Nevada, the
pristine waters of Lake Tahoe and the mountain bluebird, the
official state bird.
Silver - represents the other state color, the official state
mineral, the granite composition of the Sierra Nevada mountain
range and the silver country of northern Nevada;
Red - represents the Virgin Valley black fire opal, the official
state precious gemstone, and the red rock formations of southern
Nevada;
Yellow - represents sagebrush, the official state flower, and
symbolizes the great basin region of central Nevada;
White - represents the name of this state meaning snow-covered,
which is the translation of the Spanish word "Nevada",
The crossing of the yellow and red stripes represents the
different colors of Nevada sandstone, the official state rock;
The white intersection on the silver field stands for the
snow-capped peaks of granite mountains, which make up the Sierra
Nevada mountain range;
The four blue lines represent the four main rivers of Nevada
which are the Colorado Ricer, Truckee River, Humboldt River and
Walker River;
The intersecting blue lines in the silver field represent the
Colorado River as it meets Hoover Dam and creates Lake Mead;
The small solid 'boxes' of silver and blue number 8 by 8, or 64,
to signify the year (1864) that Nevada was admitted into
statehood;
The 13 solid-colored intersections of the small stripes
represent Boundary Peak, the highest point in Nevada, which
stands at an elevation of 13, 143 feet; and
The 16 solid silver intersections and the solid white
intersection in the center of the tartan represent the 16
counties and the one consolidated city-county government of
Nevada. |
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State
Christmas Tree: A Colorado blue spruce planted near the
state capitol in 1876 by George Washington Gale Ferris,
Sr. (father of the inventor of the Ferris Wheel) was
approved for decoration with Christmas lights on December
15, 1937.
So began a
tradition that was amended during the energy crisis
of 1972, when the lights were removed. The tree was
relighted in 1988.
Colorado Blue Spruce
Facts |
