List of Indiana state symbols
The U.S. state of Indiana has 13 official state emblems, as well as other designated official and unofficial items. The majority of the symbols in the list are officially recognized and created by an act of the Indiana General Assembly and signed into law by the governor. They are listed in Indiana Code Title 1, Article 2, State Emblems which also regulates the appearance and applicable use of the items.
Compared to other states, Indiana has few official symbols. The first symbol was the Seal of Indiana, which was made official in 1801 for the Indiana Territory and again in 1816 by the state of Indiana. It served as the state's only emblem for nearly a century until the adoption of the state song in 1913. For many years, Indiana was the only state without a flag. The official state banner was adopted in 1917, and renamed the state flag in 1955. The newest symbol of Indiana is the state insect, the Say's firefly, designated in 2018.
Insignia
| Type | Symbol | Description | Year | Image |
| Flag | The flag of Indiana | Indiana's flag has a blue background with a torch in the center. The torch is surrounded by nineteen stars: the thirteen in the outer ring representing the original colonies, the five in the inner ring representing the next five states admitted, and the one on top of the torch representing Indiana. | 1917 | |
| Motto | The Crossroads of America | Indiana is the site of many cross-country roads, including the National Road and U.S. Route 41. | 1937 | |
| Nickname | The Hoosier State | Indiana residents are known as Hoosiers, a word of unknown origin. | Traditional | — |
| Seal | The seal of Indiana | Indiana's seal depicts a setting sun, sycamore trees, a woodsman, and a jumping bison. | 1963 | |
| Slogan | Honest to Goodness Indiana | — |
Species
| Type | Symbol | Description | Year | Image |
| Bird | Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis | The male cardinal is bright red and the female is brown and dull red. They live in Indiana year-round. | 1933 | |
| Flower | Peony Paeonia | The peony is a red, pink, or white flower that blooms in late May. It is grown throughout Indiana. | 1957 | |
| Insects | Say's Firefly Pyractomena angulata | The males of this flying beetle species produce amber flashes of light at night to attract mates. It is named for New Harmony, Indiana naturalist Thomas Say. | March 23, 2018 | |
| Tree | Tulip tree Liriodendron tulipifera | The tulip tree is also called the yellow poplar. It has a distinctive leaf shape and yellow, bell-shaped flowers. It is a tall tree and grows throughout Indiana. |
Geology
| Type | Symbol | Description | Year | Image |
| River | Wabash River | The Wabash is the longest river in Indiana. It flows from Ohio across Northern Indiana until it forms the border between Indiana and Illinois. | 1996 | |
| Soil | Miami | Miami soil is used to grow corn and soybeans, Indiana's primary crops. It is a brown silt loam that is highly productive and widespread in Indiana. | — | |
| Stone | Limestone | The Indiana variety of limestone, also called Salem or Bedford, is significantly quarried in south-central Indiana. It is a high-quality stone that has been used in buildings such as the Empire State Building and the Pentagon. A sculpture commemorating the state stone sits in the Indiana Statehouse. | 1971 |
Culture
The Indiana Senate approved a resolution naming water as the state beverage in 2007 renaming sugar cream pie, "Hoosier Pie", and acknowledging it as "unofficial state pie" in 2009.| Type | Symbol | Description | Year | Image |
| Language | English, American Sign Language | English is the native language of over 95% of the state's residents. | 1984, 1995 | — |
| Holidays | George Rogers Clark Day, February 25 Northwest Ordinance Day, July 13 Indiana Day, December 11 | Celebrates the surrender of Fort Sackville Celebrates the adoption of the Northwest Ordinance Celebrates Indiana's admittance to the United States | 1975 1988 1925 | |
| Poem | "Indiana" | "Indiana" is by Arthur Franklin Mapes, the former Indiana State Poet Laureate. The poem describes the state's natural beauty. | 1963 | — |
| Song | "On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away" By Paul Dresser | This song describes the author's past along the Wabash River. | ||
| Rifle | Grouseland Rifle | Grouseland Rifle is one of the six remaining rifles made by gunsmith John Small in the early 1800s. | ||
| Aircraft | Republic P-47 Thunderbolt | The P-47 was built in Evansville by Republic Aviation |