 The Missouri Mule was chosen as the official animal of the State of Missouri by the 88th General Assembly in 1995. Known for its strength, hardiness, intelligence, even temper – and healthy stubbornness – the mule has come to symbolize Missouri. |
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 The bluebird is a native of Missouri and was made the official bird of the state by the 54th General Assembly by an act approved March 30, 1927. |
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 The first state capitol building in Jefferson City was built in the period of 1823-26 and was destroyed by fire in 1837. A new capitol building had been approved at the time and was completed in 1840. The second capitol was destroyed by fire on Feb. 5, 1911, when a bolt of lightning struck the dome. The present capitol was built in the period of 1913-1917 and stands upon the same spot as its predecessor, high atop a bluff overlooking the Missouri River.
The structure, covering nearly three acres, is a symmetrical building of the Roman renaissance style, surmounted by a dome of unusual beauty. It stands upon 285 concrete piers which extend to solid rock at depths from 20 to 50 feet. It is 437 feet long by 200 feet wide through the wings. The exterior is of Carthage (Missouri) limestone marble, as are the floors of all the corridors, the rotundas and the treads of the stairways. There are 134 columns in the building – one fourth of the stone used in the entire structure.
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 In 1995, the Square Dance was named the official American Folk Dance of the State of Missouri. Square dancing dates to the earliest days of Missouri, when the state was a jumping off point for wagon trains headed west. According to some historians, each train was required to have one fiddle player and one caller for the dance, then known as prairie dancing. Later, when homesteaders built their sod houses, dancing became restricted to the square space of a room and square dancing was born. |
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 The Forty seventh General Assembly of Missouri passed the act adopting an official state flag for Missouri in 1913. |
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 The 52nd General Assembly of Missouri approved on March 16, 1923, the blossom of the hawthorn “crataegus” as the official floral emblem of the State of Missouri. The hawthorn is a member of the great rose family, closely resembling the apple group. Its clusters of white blossoms, with much of the appearance of apple blossoms, burst forth in profusion in April and May. |
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 The crinoid became the state's official fossil in 1989. It is a mineralization of an animal which, because of its plant-like appearance, was called the "sea lily." Related to the starfish, the ocean dwelling crinoid lived in the waters which covered Missouri more than 250 million years ago. |
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 The “honey bee,” scientifically designated as apis mellifera, was chosen as the official state insect by the 83rd General Assembly in 1985. The production of honey and beeswax is a growing part of Missouri's agricultural economy. Honey bees also are valued for their vital role in pollinating many of the state's agricultural crops. |
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 Galena, a naturally occurring lead sulfide and the chief ore-bearing mineral of lead, was designated the official mineral of Missouri by the Seventy-fourth General Assembly in 1967. Dark grey or silver in color, galena, in its natural state, fractures or cleaves into cubes. Its selection as the official mineral reflects Missouri's role as the nation's number one producer of lead. |
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| Missouri's motto, “Salus populi suprema lex esto,” translated from the Latin, becomes “let the good (or welfare) of the people be the supreme law.” It is derived from Cicero's “De Legibus.” |
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 The fiddle was chosen as the state musical instrument by the Eighty-fourth General Assembly in 1987. The fiddle represents a proud part of Missouri's heritage, adapting well to a wide variety of musical styles. Old fiddlers' contests are a popular part of many festivals in the state. Missourians of all types enjoy the music of this versatile instrument. |
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 Mozarkite was designated the official rock of the State of Missouri in 1967. The name is a contraction of “Mo” for Missouri, “zark” for Ozarks, and “ite” meaning rock. Avidly sought by collectors from all over the nation, mozarkite is a form of chert (flint), apparently unique to Missouri. It is most generally found in west central Missouri, south of the Missouri River and west of the Lake of the Ozarks. Mozarkite is found in a variety of colors, primarily in red, pink, purple, green and reddish brown. Its beauty is greatly enhanced by cutting and polishing. |
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 The Great Seal of the State of Missouri was authorized by the Constitution of Missouri, adopted in 1820. A bill setting forth design of the seal was signed into law on Jan. 11, 1822.
At the center of the seal are symbols including the eagle with arrows in its talons, the grizzly bear and the crescent, all circled by a belt with the motto: “United We Stand, Divided We Fall.” Above the center shield is a six barred helmet and directly above it is a star representing Missouri. There are 23 other stars, symbolizing Missouri's status as the 24th state. On each side of the shield are Missouri grizzly bears, standing upright on a scroll with the state motto: “Salus populi suprema lex esto.” Under the scroll, the Roman numerals MDCCCXX represent the year 1820, when Missouri began its functions as a state (although it was not officially admitted to the Union until 1821).
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 By an act of the Sixty-fifth General Assembly, approved on June 30, 1949, the “Missouri Waltz,” arranged by Frederick Logan from a melody by John Valentine Eppel with lyrics by J.R. Shannon, became the official state song of Missouri. |
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 In 1990, the nut produced by the black walnut tree (juglans nigra) known as the “Eastern Black Walnut” was named the official tree nut of the State of Missouri. The flavorful nutmeats, rich in nutritional value, are enjoyed by Missourians statewide. The walnut shells play a vital role as well, being processed for uses in metal cleaning and polishing, oil well drilling, paints, explosives, and cosmetics. |
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 The Sixty-eighth General Assembly made the flowering dogwood Missouri's official state tree in 1955. The dogwood, in full flower in rocky open woods, bluffs and thickets, draws many travelers to the Ozarks in the spring of each year. The approximate blooming date for dogwood is May 1. |
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