Winconsin Statutes: State Symbols

Wisconsin Statutes

Chapter 1

Sovereignty and Jurisdiction of the State

1.07 State coat of arms. The coat of arms of the state of Wisconsin is declared to be as follows:

ARMS.—Or, quartered, the quarters bearing respectively a plow, a crossed shovel and pick, an arm and held hammer, and an anchor, all proper; the base of shield resting upon a horn of plenty and pyramid of pig lead, all proper; over all, on fesse point, the arms and motto of the United States, namely: Arms, palewise of 13 pieces argent and gules; a chief azure; motto (on garter surrounding inescutcheon), “E pluribus unum”. CREST.—A badger, passant, proper. SUPPORTERS.—Dexter, a sailor holding a coil of rope, proper; sinister, a yeoman resting on a pick, proper. MOTTO.—Over crest, “Forward”. History: 1975 c. 41. NOTE: An example of the state coat of arms is shown below:

1.08 State flag.

(1) The Wisconsin state flag consists of the following features:

(a) Relative dimensions of 2 to 3, hoist to fly.

(b) A background of royal blue cloth.

(c) The state coat of arms, as described under s. 1.07, in material of appropriate colors, applied on each side in the center of the field, of such size that, if placed in a circle whose diameter is equal to 50% of the hoist, those portions farthest from the center of the field would meet, but not cross, the boundary of the circle.

(d) The word “WISCONSIN” in white, capital, condensed Gothic letters, one–eighth of the hoist in height, centered above the coat of arms, midway between the uppermost part of the coat of arms and the top edge of the flag.

(e) The year “1848” in white, condensed Gothic numbers, one–eighth of the hoist in height, centered below the coat of arms, midway between the lowermost part of the coat of arms and the bottom edge of the flag.

(f) Optional trim on the edges consisting of yellow knotted fringe.

(2) The department of administration shall ensure that all official state flags that are manufactured on or after May 1, 1981 conform to the requirements of this section. State flags manufactured before May 1, 1981 may continue to be used as state flags. History: 1979 c. 286.

1.09 Seat of government.

Be it enacted by the council and house of representatives of the territory of Wisconsin, that the seat of government of the territory of Wisconsin, be and the same is located and established at the town of Madison, between the 3rd and 4th of the 4 lakes, on the corner of sections 13, 14, 23 and 24 in township 7, north, of range 9, east.

1.10 State song, state ballad, state waltz, state dance, and state symbols.

 (1) The Wisconsin state song is “On, Wisconsin”, music written by W. T. Purdy, the words to which are as follows: “On, Wisconsin! On, Wisconsin! Grand old badger state! We, thy loyal sons and daughters, Hail thee, good and great. On, Wisconsin! On, Wisconsin! Champion of the right, ‘Forward', our motto — God will give thee might!”.

(1m) The Wisconsin state ballad is “Oh Wisconsin, Land of My Dreams,” music written by Shari A. Sarazin and lyrics written by Erma Barrett, the words to which are as follows: “Oh Wisconsin, land of beauty, with your hillsides and your plains, with your jackpine and your birch tree, and your oak of mighty frame. Land of rivers, lakes and valleys, land of warmth and winter snows, land of birds and beasts and humanity, oh Wisconsin, I love you so. Oh Wisconsin, land of my dreams. Oh Wisconsin, you're all I'll ever need. A little heaven here on earth could you be? Oh Wisconsin, land of my dreams. In the summer, golden grain fields; in the winter, drift of white snow; in the springtime, robins singing; in the autumn, flaming colors show. Oh I wonder who could wander, or who could want to drift for long, away from all your beauty, all your sunshine, all your sweet song? Oh Wisconsin, land of my dreams. Oh Wisconsin, you're all I'll ever need. A little heaven here on earth could you be? Oh Wisconsin, land of my dreams. And when it's time, let my spirit run free in Wisconsin. land of my dreams.”

(1r) The Wisconsin state waltz is “The Wisconsin Waltz,” music and lyrics written by Eddie Hansen, the words to which are as follows: “Music from heaven throughout the years; the beautiful Wisconsin Waltz. Favorite song of the pioneers; the beautiful Wisconsin Waltz. Song of my heart on that last final day, when it is time to lay me away. One thing I ask is to let them play the beautiful Wisconsin Waltz. My sweetheart, my complete heart, it's for you when we dance together; the beautiful Wisconsin Waltz. I remember that September, before love turned into an ember, we danced to the Wisconsin Waltz. Summer ended, we intended that our lives then would both be blended, but somehow our planning got lost. Memory now sings a dream song, a faded love theme song; the beautiful Wisconsin Waltz.”

(2) The Wisconsin state dance is the polka.

(3) The Wisconsin state symbols are as follows:

(a) The mourning dove (zenaidura macroura corolinensis linnaus) is the symbol of peace.

(b) Milk is the state beverage.

(c) The sugar maple (acer saccharum) is the state tree.

(d) Corn (Zea mays) is the state grain.

(e) The wood violet (viola papilionacea) is the state flower.

(f) The robin (turdus migratorius) is the state bird.

(g) The muskellunge (Esox masquinongy masquinongy Mitchell) is the state fish.

(h) The badger (taxidea taxus) is the state animal.

(i) The dairy cow (bos taurus) is the state domestic animal.

(j) The white–tailed deer (odocoileus virginianus) is the state wildlife animal.

(k) The American water spaniel is the state dog.

(L) The honey bee (apis mellifera) is the state insect.

(m) The trilobite (calymene celebra) is the state fossil.

(n) Galena (lead sulfide) is the state mineral.

(o) Red granite is the state rock.

(p) Antigo silt loam (typic glossoboralf) is the state soil.

(4) The Wisconsin Blue Book shall include the information contained in this section concerning the state song, ballad, waltz, dance, beverage, tree, grain, flower, bird, fish, animal, domestic animal, wildlife animal, dog, insect, fossil, mineral, rock, and soil.

History: 1971 c. 14, 129, 167, 228, 307; 1977 c. 326; 1983 a. 33; 1985 a. 162, 295, 332; 1987 a. 279; 1989 a. 162; 1993 a. 411; 1999 a. 83, 186; 2001 a. 16.