List of Washington state symbols
Type Symbol Description Adopted
Arboretum Washington Park Arboretum Managed by Seattle and the University of Washington , the arboretum is a living museum that encourages conservation and displays plants from around the world that can grow in the Pacific Northwest . The arboretum is the oldest center for botanical and gardening learning in the region , and is recognized as one of the two foremost collections of woody plants in the country 1995
Dance Square dance When pioneers migrated west , they brought with them a dance known as the quadrille . A folk dance with four couples ( eight dancers ) arranged in a square , the square dance became the state dance on April 17 , 1979 1979
Folk song Roll On , Columbia , Roll On The Bonneville Power Administration produced a film in the 1940s encouraging Pacific Northwest residents to use power generated by the recently built Bonneville and Grand Coulee dams along the Columbia River . Folk musician Woody Guthrie was hired to write songs for the project ; Roll On , Columbia , Roll On , described as an ode to the harnessing of Washington 's mightiest river , was the most popular of the 26 songs . In 1987 , the song was officially designated as the state folk song by the Legislature 1987
Ship Lady Washington Lady Washington is the name for the original wooden merchant sailing vessel that sailed during the 18th century as well as the updated modern replica created in 1989 . Named after Martha Washington , the original ship left Boston Harbor on October 1 , 1787 as part of the Columbia Expedition and foundered in 1797 . The replica was built in Aberdeen as part of the state centennial celebrations of 1989 2007
Song Washington , My Home Written by Helen Davis in 1950 and arranged by Stuart Churchill , Washington , My Home was approved unanimously after a State Senator from South Bend introduced a bill proposing the song as the state song . In 1909 , Washington Beloved was unofficially adopted as the state song but was never part of the state 's code of law 1959
Tartan Washington state tartan Consisting of a green background with stripes of blue , white , yellow , red , and black , the state tartan of Washington was designed by Margaret McLeod van Nus and Frank Cannonita in 1988 to commemorate the Washington centennial celebration and is registered with the Scottish Tartan Society . The colors represent various aspects of nature : green symbolizes rich forests of the state ; blue the lakes , rivers and ocean ; white the snow-capped mountains ; red the apple and cherry crops ; yellow the wheat and grain crops ; and black the eruption of Mount St. Helens 1991
Culture
The U.S. state of Washington has 21 official emblems, as designated by the Washington State Legislature. These symbols, which reflect the history and culture of the state, are often opportunities for politicians to tie themselves to popular symbols, for teachers to highlight the legislative process to their students, and for lobbyists to have their products given official designation. While some of the symbols are unique to Washington, others are used by multiple states. For example, the willow goldfinch (also known as the American goldfinch), Washington's state bird, is also an official symbol for Iowa and New Jersey. Washington's state grass, bluebunch wheatgrass, is also a symbol for the state of Montana. The square dance and apple are commonly used state dances and state foods, respectively. While most states have an official motto and nickname, Washington's motto (Al-ki, meaning by and by in Chinook Jargon) and nickname (The Evergreen State) have never been officially adopted by the Legislature. Washington's first official symbol was its flag, adopted in 1923. While some symbols, including the state flower and state seal, were selected before then, they were not adopted by the Legislature until later. Washington's second symbol was western hemlock, selected as the state tree in 1947. Fourteen symbols were added between 1950 and 2000. Five symbols have been adopted in the 21st century.