OKLAHOMA STATE ICONS
STATE FLAG
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The present Oklahoma State Flag adopted by the State Legislature in 1925, is Oklahoma's 14th flag. This shows a sky blue field with a central device: an Indian war shield of tan buckskin showing small crosses on the face -- the Indian design for stars -- and seven eagle feathers pendent for the edge of the shield. An Indian peace pipe (calumet) with a pipestone bowl and a tassel at the end of the pipestem lies on the shield; above the Indian peace pipe is an olive branch, the white man's emblem of peace. Underneath the shield or design in white letters is the word "Oklahoma." | |
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STATE SEAL
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Oklahoma has for its state seal a symbol that was developed from the history of the state. The central figures and wreath are from the Great Seal of the Territory of Oklahoma. In each of the five rays of the main star in the Great Seal of the state is the official seal of one of the Five Civilized Indian Nations that together comprised most of the area of present eastern Oklahoma. The upward ray depicts the seal of the Chickasaw Nation with an Indian warrior holding a bow and shield. In the upper left-hand ray is the seven-pointed star bearing a wreath of oak leaves which comprises the seal of the Cherokee Nation. The emblem of the Choctaw Nation is in the upper right-hand ray and is composed of a tomahawk, a bow, and three crossed arrows. In the lower left-hand ray is the seal of the Creek Nation, depicted by a sheaf of wheat and a plow. The lower right-hand ray shows houses, and a factory on the shore of a lake, on which is an Indian hunter paddling a canoe and this comprises the seal of the Seminole Nation. Forty-five small stars surround the central star and these represent the forty-five states that made up the Union at the time Oklahoma became a state on November 16, 1907. | |
STATE BIRD |
Scissor-Tailed Flycatcher Muscivora forficata, is a somewhat quiet bird with beautiful plumage and a long sleek tail that is twice as long as its body. The deeply-forked tail resembles a pair of scissors. The Scissor Tailed Flycatcher has a black and white tail, a dark gray back, a light gray chest and head and has pale orange red coloring beneath its wings. |
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STATE FLORAL |
Mistletoe phoradendron serotinum the oldest of Oklahoma's symbols, adopted in 1893 -- 14 years before statehood. Mistletoe grows on trees throughout the state and is particularly bountiful in the southern regions of Oklahoma. The dark green leaves and white berries show up brightly during the fall and winter in trees that have shed their own leaves. | |
STATE ANIMAL |
Buffalo Bison bison. The American Buffalo, or Bison, is a massive animal that weighs from 800 to 2,000 pounds and stands nearly six feet high at the shoulder. A large head, high hump on the shoulders and dark brown shaggy hair characterize the buffalo. | |
STATE FISH |
White or Sand Bass Morone chrysops. The White Bass, also called a Sand Bass, is dark blue-green on top, with silvery sides, a white belly and black horizontal stripes running along the length of its body. | |
STATE GAME BIRD |
Wild Turkey | |
STATE REPTILE |
Collared Lizard (Mountain Boomer) Crotaphytus collaris. The Mountain Boomer, or Collard Lizard, is a pretty turquoise blue collar except for its head and neck, which is bright yellow with black stripes along its neck. | |
| STATE FURBEARER |
Raccoon | |
STATE TREE |
Redbud Cercis canadensis. The Redbud grows in the valleys and ravines of Oklahoma. In early spring, its reddish-pink blossoms brighten the landscape throughout the state. | |
STATE ROCK |
Rose Rock Barite rose. Rocks resembling full-grown roses were formed by barite rock crystals during the Permian Age and are found in a few rare places around the globe. In Oklahoma, the distinctive red soil colors them in hues ranging from reddish brown to cinnamon. An old Cherokee legend says the rocks represent the blood of the braves and the tears of the maidens who made the devastating "Trail of Tears" journey in the 1800s to Oklahoma. | |
STATE WILDFLOWER |
Indian Blanket Gaillardia pulchella. The Indian Blanket is a red flower with yellow tips. It symbolizes Oklahoma's scenic beauty as well as the state's Indian heritage. Indian Blanket flowers bloom in June and July. | |
| OTHER STATE ICONS: BUTTERFLY: black swallowtail |
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Text and photos from the 1997-1998 Oklahoma Almanac, Oklahoma Department of Libraries.
