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List of Colorado state symbols

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Coordinates: 38°59′50″N 105°32′52″W / 38.9972°N 105.5478°W / 38.9972; -105.5478 (State of Colorado)
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A map showing the location of the State of Colorado
The location of the State of Colorado in the United States of America

The U.S. State of Colorado has many adopted symbols and emblems. Most of these symbols and emblems were adopted by acts of the Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Colorado, and after statehood, the General Assembly of the State of Colorado.[1] A few of these symbols were adopted by executive action of the Governor. Federal agencies designated some of these symbols in honor of the state. Each entry explains the manner and date of adoption.

The first insignia of Colorado, the territorial motto: Nil sine numine,[2] was adopted by the First Session of the Territorial Legislature on November 6, 1861. The seal and coat of arms of the Territory of Colorado were specified by the First Session of the Territorial Legislature but not created until November 11, 1861.[3]

Insignia

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See also: List of U.S. state, district, and territorial insignia
Colorado state insignia
Type Symbol Image Adopted
Coat of arms Coat of Arms of the State of Colorado[a] November 11, 1861
March 15, 1877
CRS 24-80-901[1]
Flag Flag of the State of Colorado[4] June 5, 1911
SB 118-1911
February 28, 1928
SB 152-1929
March 31, 1964
Logo Colorado state government logo[5] See Colorado state logo. March 26, 2019[5]
Motto Nil sine numine[2]
(Latin: Nothing without providence) 		NIL SINE NVMINE November 6, 1861
November 6, 1876
CRS 24-80-901[1]
Nickname Centennial State[6][b] The Centennial State Statehood on
August 1, 1876[7]
Seal Great Seal of the State of Colorado[3] November 11, 1861
March 15, 1877
CRS 24-80-901[1]
Slogan Colorful Colorado[6] 1950
unofficial

Living symbols

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Colorado living symbols
Type Symbol Image Adopted
Amphibian Western tiger salamander[8]
Ambystoma mavortium 		March 16, 2012
HB12-1147
Bird Lark bunting[9]
Calamospiza melanocorys 		April 29, 1931
HB 222-1931
CRS 24-80-910[1]
Cactus Claret cup cactus[10]
Echinocereus triglochidiatus 		March 7, 2014
HB14-1024
Fish Greenback cutthroat trout[11]
Oncorhynchus clarki stomias 		March 15, 1994
HB 1164-1994
CRS 24-80-911.5[1]
Flower Rocky Mountain columbine[12]
Aquilegia coerulea 		April 4, 1899
SB 261-1899
CRS 24-80-905[1]
Grass Blue grama grass[13]
Bouteloua gracilis 		May 20, 1987
SJR13-1987
Insect Colorado hairstreak butterfly[14]
Hypaurotis crysalus 		April 17, 1996
SB 122-1996
CRS 24-80-913[1]
Mammal Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep[15]
Ovis canadensis canadensis 		May 1, 1961
SB 294-1961
CRS 24-80-911[1]
Pets Colorado shelter pets[16]
Canis lupus familiaris & Felis catus 		May 13, 2013
SB13-201
Reptile Western painted turtle[17]
Chrysemys picta bellii 		March 18, 2008
HB08-1017
Tree Colorado blue spruce[18]
Picea pungens glauca 		March 7, 1939
HJR 7-1939

Earth symbols

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Colorado earth symbols
Type Symbol Image Adopted
Fossil Stegosaurus[19] April 28, 1982
Executive Order
Gemstone Aquamarine[20] April 30, 1971
HB 1104-1971
CRS 24-80-912[1]
Mineral Rhodochrosite[21] April 17, 2002
CRS 24-80-912.5[1]
Rock Yule Marble[22] March 9, 2004
HB04-1023
CRS 24-80-912.7[1]
Soil Seitz soil[23] United States Department of Agriculture

Cultural symbols

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Colorado cultural symbols
Type Symbol Image Adopted
Folk dance Square dance[24] March 16, 1992
HB 1058-1992
CRS 24-80-909.5[1]
Songs "Where the Columbines Grow"[25] May 8, 1915
SB 308-1915
CRS 24-80-909[1]
"Rocky Mountain High"[25] March 12, 2007
SJR07-023
CRS 24-80-909[1]
Summer sport Pack burro racing[26] May 8, 2012
HJR12-1021
Tartan Colorado state tartan[27] March 3, 1997
HJR97-1016
Winter sport Skiing and snowboarding[28] April 8, 2008

Highway route markers

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Colorado highway route markers
Type Symbol Image Adopted
State highways Colorado state highway route marker[29] 1967
Colorado Highway Commission
Scenic byways Colorado Scenic and Historic Byway route marker[29] 1989
Colorado Scenic and Historic Byways Commission

Motor vehicle license plates

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Typical Colorado state motor vehicle license plate
Type Symbol Image Adopted
License plate Colorado passenger automobile registration plate[30] 1913
2018
Colorado Department of Revenue

United States naval vessels

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United States naval vessels named the USS Colorado
Type Symbol Image Commissioned
Screw frigate USS Colorado (1856)[31][d] An image of USS Colorado in China March 13, 1858 to
June 8, 1875
United States Navy
Armored cruiser USS Colorado (ACR-7)[36] An image of USS Colorado in Hampden Roads January 19, 1905
renamed
USS Pueblo[e]
November 9, 1916 to
September 28, 1927
United States Navy
Battleship USS Colorado (BB-45)[37] An image of USS Colorado in New York City August 30, 1923 to
January 1947
United States Navy
Nuclear submarine USS Colorado (SSN-788)[38] Commissioned
March 17, 2018
United States Navy

United States stamp

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Colorado state centennial United States postage stamp
Type Symbol Image Issued
U.S. postage stamp Colorado state centennial stamp[39] May 21, 1977[f]
United States Postal Service

United States coin

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2006 United States quarter dollar featuring Colorado
Type Symbol Image Released
U.S. quarter dollar Colorado State Quarter[40] June 14, 2006
United States Mint

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ The Coat of Arms of the State of Colorado was implicitly defined by the legislation creating the Seal of the Territory of Colorado on November 11, 1861, and the Great Seal of the State of Colorado on March 15, 1877.
  2. ^ The State of Colorado is nicknamed the Centennial State because to joined the Union on August 1, 1876, four weeks after the centennial of the Declaration of Independence.
  3. ^ The Colorado River did not officially flow through the State of Colorado until July 25, 1921, when President Warren G. Harding signed House Joint Resolution 32 – To change the name of the Grand River in Colorado and Utah to the Colorado River.[32][33][34][35] Prior to this date, the origin of the Colorado River was officially the confluence of the Grand and Green rivers at 38°11′21″N 109°53′09″W / 38.1892°N 109.8857°W / 38.1892; -109.8857 (Confluence of the Green and Colorado rivers) in what is now Canyonlands National Park of Utah.
  4. ^ USS Colorado was named for the Colorado River,[c] and predated the creation of the Territory of Colorado in 1861.
  5. ^ USS Colorado was renamed USS Pueblo on November 9, 1916 to free up the name for a new battleship to be named USS Colorado.
  6. ^ The United States Postal Service delayed the issue of the Colorado state centennial stamp from the Colorado Centennial on August 1, 1976, until May 21, 1977. The Colorado Sesquicentennial will be observed on August 1, 2026, four weeks after the United States Semiquincentennial.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "Colorado Revised Statutes". Colorado Legal Resources. Retrieved February 19, 2024.
  2. ^ a b "State Motto". Colorado State Archives. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
  3. ^ a b "State Seal". Colorado State Archives. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
  4. ^ "State Flag". Colorado State Archives. Retrieved May 28, 2023.
  5. ^ a b "Colorado State Brand Story". State of Colorado. March 26, 2019. Retrieved 2019-03-27.
  6. ^ a b "State Name and Nicknames". Colorado State Archives. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
  7. ^ President of the United States of America (1876-08-01). "Proclamation of the Admission of Colorado to the Union" (php). The American Presidency Project. Retrieved May 12, 2023.
  8. ^ "State Amphibian". Colorado State Archives. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
  9. ^ "State Bird". Colorado State Archives. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
  10. ^ "State Cactus". Colorado State Archives. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
  11. ^ "State Fish". Colorado State Archives. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
  12. ^ "State Flower". Colorado State Archives. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
  13. ^ "State Grass". Colorado State Archives. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
  14. ^ "State Insect". Colorado State Archives. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
  15. ^ "State Animal". Colorado State Archives. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
  16. ^ "State Pet". Colorado State Archives. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
  17. ^ "State Reptile". Colorado State Archives. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
  18. ^ "State Tree". Colorado State Archives. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
  19. ^ "State Fossil". Colorado State Archives. Retrieved May 13, 2023.
  20. ^ "State Gemstone". Colorado State Archives. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
  21. ^ "State Mineral". Colorado State Archives. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
  22. ^ "State Rock". Colorado State Archives. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
  23. ^ "Seitz -- Colorado State Soil". Natural Resources Conservation Service, United States Department of Agriculture. August 23, 2022. Retrieved May 12, 2023.
  24. ^ "State Folk Dance". Colorado State Archives. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
  25. ^ a b "State Songs". Colorado State Archives. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
  26. ^ "State Summer Sport". Colorado State Archives. Retrieved May 12, 2023.
  27. ^ "State Tartan". Colorado State Archives. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
  28. ^ "State Winter Sport". Colorado State Archive. Retrieved May 12, 2023.
  29. ^ a b Malek, Matthew E. (November 30, 2014). "Colorado Highways: Route Markers Through the Years". Retrieved September 17, 2015.
  30. ^ "Regular License Plates". Colorado Department of Revenue, Division of Motor Vehicles. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
  31. ^ "Colorado I (Screw Frigate)". Naval History and Heritage Command, United States Navy. June 30, 2015. Retrieved May 12, 2023.
  32. ^ "Renaming the Grand River, Colo." (PDF), Hearing Before the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce of the House of Representatives, Sixty Sixth Congress, Third Session, on HJ 460, Government Printing Office, February 18, 1921, retrieved May 16, 2023
  33. ^ "House approves H. J. Res. 32-To change the name of the Grand River in Colorado and Utah to the Colorado River." (PDF), Congressional Record - Volume LXI-Part 3, Government Printing Office, p. 3057, June 27, 1921, retrieved May 16, 2023
  34. ^ "Senate approves H. J. Res. 32-To change the name of the Grand River in Colorado and Utah to the Colorado River." (PDF), Congressional Record - Volume LXI-Part 4, Government Printing Office, p. 3450, July 8, 1921, retrieved May 16, 2023
  35. ^ "President signs H. J. Res. 32-To change the name of the Grand River in Colorado and Utah to the Colorado River." (PDF), Congressional Record - Volume LXI-Part 5, Government Printing Office, p. 4274, July 25, 1921, retrieved May 16, 2023
  36. ^ "Colorado I (Screw Frigate)". Naval History and Heritage Command, United States Navy. June 30, 2015. Retrieved May 12, 2023.
  37. ^ "Colorado I (Screw Frigate)". Naval History and Heritage Command, United States Navy. June 30, 2015. Retrieved May 12, 2023.
  38. ^ "USS Colorado (SSN 788) Commissioning Committee". USS Colorado (SSN 788) Commissioning Committee. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
  39. ^ "Colorado Statehood Issue". National Postal Museum, Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved May 12, 2023.
  40. ^ "Colorado State Quarter". United States Mint. Retrieved May 12, 2023.
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38°59′50″N 105°32′52″W / 38.9972°N 105.5478°W / 38.9972; -105.5478 (State of Colorado)

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