Missouri State Symbols

Missouri symbols include the eastern bluebird, white hawthorn blossom, flowering dogwood, Show-Me nickname, and state flag.

Abbreviation Guide

Jefferson City

Capital

1821

Statehood

Symbols

Overview

Among the official state symbols of Missouri are the eastern bluebird, white hawthorn blossom, and flowering dogwood — emblems that reflect the state's woodland and river-valley geography. The Show-Me nickname, Missouri mule, Hawken rifle, and 1913 flag connect Ozark culture, frontier craft, and the river history that made Missouri a gateway state.

Best-known symbol The Show-Me State

Oldest in this guide Salus Populi Suprema Lex Esto, 1822

Working animal Missouri Mule

Missouri State Symbols — Complete List

Category	Official Symbol	Adopted
State Flag	Missouri State Flag	1913
State Bird	Eastern Bluebird Sialia sialis	1927
State Flower	White Hawthorn Blossom Crataegus punctata	1923
State Tree	Flowering Dogwood Cornus florida	1955
State Motto	Salus Populi Suprema Lex Esto Latin	1822
State Nickname	The Show-Me State	1899
State Seal	Great Seal of Missouri	1822
Coat Of Arms	Missouri State Coat of Arms	1822
State Animal	Missouri mule Equus asinus caballus	1995
State Horse	Missouri fox trotter horse Equus caballus	2002
State Colors	Red, White, and Blue	—
State Dinosaur	Hypsibema Hypsibema missouriensis	2004
State Fossil	Sea Lily Delocrinus missouriensis	1989
License Plate Slogan	Bicentennial	2018
State Firearm	Hawken Rifle	2023
State Soil	Menfro Silt Loam	2004

Map of Missouri

Missouri is a state in the Midwest United States, with its capital city in Jefferson City.

Full interactive map

What Does Missouri Mean?

Missouri entered statehood in 1821 as the 24th state. The name comes from the Missouri River and from the Missouri people, with many explanations connecting it to dugout canoes or people of the wooden canoe.

Missouri's official symbols do not settle into one simple image. The bluebird and hawthorn blossom are gentle emblems, but the mule, Fox Trotter, Hawken rifle, and dinosaur make the state feel practical, frontier-aware, and locally specific.

Missouri's postal abbreviation is MO, and residents are Missourians. The Show-Me State is the best-known nickname, while the Latin motto Salus Populi Suprema Lex Esto appears in the older seal tradition.

Key Meaning and Background

Origin: Named from the Missouri River and the Missouri people.
Statehood: Missouri became the 24th state in 1821.
Motto: Salus Populi Suprema Lex Esto is commonly rendered as Let the welfare of the people be the supreme law.

Usage Examples and Context

State: Refers to Missouri, a central state shaped by the Mississippi and Missouri rivers, the Ozarks, and prairie country.
River: Also refers to the Missouri River, a major tributary of the Mississippi River.
People: People from Missouri are called Missourians.

Nicknames and Short Forms

The Show-Me State: Main nickname and one of Missouri's most recognizable public identities.
Mule State: Older informal identity echoed by the official Missouri mule page.
Abbreviation: MO; older short form Mo.

Newest and Oldest Symbols

Oldest listed Missouri State Coat of Arms, 1822

Older symbols tend to anchor the state's public identity: flag, bird, flower, motto, or nickname.

Newest listed Hawken Rifle (2023), Bicentennial (2018)

Recent designations often show how states keep adding wildlife, foods, breeds, and cultural traditions.

What Missouri's Symbols Say About the State

Missouri's Show-Me nickname gives the state a skeptical, plainspoken voice before any flower or bird enters the picture. The state motto adds a more formal legal ideal from the seal.

The Missouri mule and Missouri Fox Trotting Horse make this hub unusually strong on working animals. They say more about movement, farms, trails, and local breeding than a generic wildlife list would.

The Hawken rifle and Hypsibema missouriensis pull Missouri in two different directions, one toward frontier St. Louis craft and one toward deep fossil time. That range keeps the hub from feeling polite or predictable.

Quick Answers

Does Missouri have a national park?

Yes. Gateway Arch National Park is Missouri's national park, managed by the National Park Service.

What is the Missouri state abbreviation?

The Missouri postal abbreviation is MO — the two-letter USPS code used on addresses and forms since 1963.

Is Jefferson City named after a president?

Yes. Jefferson City is one of four U.S. state capitals named after presidents, alongside Lincoln (NE), Madison (WI), and Jackson (MS).

What is Missouri's most famous state symbol?

The Show-Me State nickname travels farther than most of Missouri's formal emblems and is the state's clearest public shorthand.

What is Missouri's state bird?

Missouri's state bird is the eastern bluebird, adopted in 1927.

What is Missouri's state flower?

Missouri's state flower is the white hawthorn blossom, adopted in 1923.

Why is the Missouri mule important?

The Missouri mule carries the state's agricultural and military working-animal history, while the Fox Trotter adds a separate Missouri horse-breeding tradition.

How many official state symbols does Missouri have?

Missouri is represented here by pages for the flag, bluebird, hawthorn blossom, dogwood, motto, nickname, dinosaur, firearm, mule, and Fox Trotter.