In this Season 2 premiere of Rooted in the Plains, we will explore how the Great Plains states chose their official symbols, flowers, birds, trees, and insects. From the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago to grassroots campaigns by women's clubs, discover the surprising stories behind these emblems of state identity.

Learn why five states chose the same bird, how Montana kids voted for their state tree 41 years before the legislature acted, and why Oklahoma has three different flower symbols. Through conversations and quiz questions, we uncover the women-led movement that gave our states their lasting symbols and what these choices reveal about shared identity across the Great Plains.

Want to see more? See historical photos of the Woman's Building, state symbols, and more glimpses of prairie life on Instagram: @rootedintheplains

Want to learn more?

• https://arboristnow.com/news/discover-the-unique-stories-behind-america-s-state-trees-and-flowers-part-3-the-midwest/
• Dobransky, Kerry & Gary Alan Fine. "The Native in the Garden: Floral Politics and Cultural Entrepreneurs." Sociological Forum 21:4 (2006): 559–85. http://www.jstor.org/stable/4540965
• https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-weekend-essay/the-unstoppable-rise-of-the-state-symbol
• https://southwestmt.com/blog/state-symbols-of-montana/
• https://sos.wyo.gov/Services/StateInfo_Symbols.aspx
• https://www.ndstudies.gov/curriculum/teacher-resources/state-symbols
• https://sdsos.gov/general-information/about-state-south-dakota/state-seal-symbols.aspx
• https://www.jocogov.org/newsroom/jan-29-kansas-day-test-your-knowledge-kansas-symbols
• https://sos.nebraska.gov/state-symbols
• https://www.travelok.com/about
• https://wheretexasbecametexas.org/category/texas-state-symbols/
• https://www.kansashistory.gov/p/kansas-symbols-state-symbols/15635
• https://agclassroom.org
• https://www.caeducatorstogether.org/resources/209029/a-national-garland-how-women-led-the-movement-to-declare-state-flowers