List of symbols and emblems adopted by the U.S. State of Colorado
The location of the State of Colorado in the United States of America
The U.S. State of Colorado has many adopted symbols and emblems . Most of these symbols and emblems were adopted by acts of the Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Colorado , and after statehood, the General Assembly of the State of Colorado .[ 1] A few of these symbols were adopted by executive action of the Governor . Federal agencies designated some of these symbols in honor of the state. Each entry explains the manner and date of adoption.
The first insignia of Colorado, the territorial motto : Nil sine numine ,[ 2] was adopted by the First Session of the Territorial Legislature on November 6, 1861. The seal and coat of arms of the Territory of Colorado were specified by the First Session of the Territorial Legislature but not created until November 11, 1861.[ 3]
Colorado state insignia
Type
Symbol
Image
Adopted
Coat of arms
Coat of Arms of the State of Colorado [ a]
November 11, 1861 March 15, 1877 CRS 24-80-901[ 1]
Flag
Flag of the State of Colorado [ 4]
June 5, 1911 SB 118-1911 February 28, 1928 SB 152-1929 March 31, 1964
Logo
Colorado state government logo[ 5]
See Colorado state logo .
March 26, 2019[ 5]
Motto
Nil sine numine [ 2] (Latin : Nothing without providence )
NIL SINE NVMINE
November 6, 1861 November 6, 1876 CRS 24-80-901[ 1]
Nickname
Centennial State [ 6] [ b]
The Centennial State
Statehood on August 1, 1876[ 7]
Seal
Great Seal of the State of Colorado [ 3]
November 11, 1861 March 15, 1877 CRS 24-80-901[ 1]
Slogan
Colorful Colorado [ 6]
1950 unofficial
Colorado living symbols
Type
Symbol
Image
Adopted
Amphibian
Western tiger salamander [ 8] Ambystoma mavortium
March 16, 2012HB12-1147
Bird
Lark bunting [ 9] Calamospiza melanocorys
April 29, 1931 HB 222-1931 CRS 24-80-910[ 1]
Cactus
Claret cup cactus [ 10] Echinocereus triglochidiatus
March 7, 2014HB14-1024
Fish
Greenback cutthroat trout [ 11] Oncorhynchus clarki stomias
March 15, 1994 HB 1164-1994 CRS 24-80-911.5[ 1]
Flower
Rocky Mountain columbine [ 12] Aquilegia coerulea
April 4, 1899 SB 261-1899 CRS 24-80-905[ 1]
Grass
Blue grama grass [ 13] Bouteloua gracilis
May 20, 1987 SJR13-1987
Insect
Colorado hairstreak butterfly [ 14] Hypaurotis crysalus
April 17, 1996 SB 122-1996 CRS 24-80-913[ 1]
Mammal
Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep [ 15] Ovis canadensis canadensis
May 1, 1961 SB 294-1961 CRS 24-80-911[ 1]
Pets
Colorado shelter pets [ 16] Canis lupus familiaris & Felis catus
May 13, 2013SB13-201
Reptile
Western painted turtle [ 17] Chrysemys picta bellii
March 18, 2008 HB08-1017
Tree
Colorado blue spruce [ 18] Picea pungens glauca
March 7, 1939 HJR 7-1939
Highway route markers [ edit ]
Motor vehicle license plates [ edit ]
United States naval vessels [ edit ]
United States stamp [ edit ]
^ The Coat of Arms of the State of Colorado was implicitly defined by the legislation creating the Seal of the Territory of Colorado on November 11, 1861, and the Great Seal of the State of Colorado on March 15, 1877.
^ The State of Colorado is nicknamed the Centennial State because to joined the Union on August 1, 1876, four weeks after the centennial of the Declaration of Independence .
^ The Colorado River did not officially flow through the State of Colorado until July 25, 1921, when President Warren G. Harding signed House Joint Resolution 32 – To change the name of the Grand River in Colorado and Utah to the Colorado River.[ 32] [ 33] [ 34] [ 35] Prior to this date, the origin of the Colorado River was officially the confluence of the Grand and Green rivers at 38°11′21″N 109°53′09″W / 38.1892°N 109.8857°W / 38.1892; -109.8857 (Confluence of the Green and Colorado rivers ) in what is now Canyonlands National Park of Utah .
^ USS Colorado was named for the Colorado River ,[ c] and predated the creation of the Territory of Colorado in 1861.
^ USS Colorado was renamed USS Pueblo on November 9, 1916 to free up the name for a new battleship to be named USS Colorado .
^ The United States Postal Service delayed the issue of the Colorado state centennial stamp from the Colorado Centennial on August 1, 1976, until May 21, 1977. The Colorado Sesquicentennial will be observed on August 1, 2026, four weeks after the United States Semiquincentennial .
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "Colorado Revised Statutes" . Colorado Legal Resources. Retrieved February 19, 2024 .
^ a b "State Motto" . Colorado State Archives. Retrieved March 8, 2024 .
^ a b "State Seal" . Colorado State Archives. Retrieved March 8, 2024 .
^ "State Flag" . Colorado State Archives. Retrieved May 28, 2023 .
^ a b "Colorado State Brand Story" . State of Colorado . March 26, 2019. Retrieved 2019-03-27 .
^ a b "State Name and Nicknames" . Colorado State Archives. Retrieved September 17, 2015 .
^ President of the United States of America (1876-08-01). "Proclamation of the Admission of Colorado to the Union" (php ) . The American Presidency Project. Retrieved May 12, 2023 .
^ "State Amphibian" . Colorado State Archives. Retrieved September 17, 2015 .
^ "State Bird" . Colorado State Archives. Retrieved September 17, 2015 .
^ "State Cactus" . Colorado State Archives. Retrieved September 17, 2015 .
^ "State Fish" . Colorado State Archives. Retrieved September 17, 2015 .
^ "State Flower" . Colorado State Archives. Retrieved September 17, 2015 .
^ "State Grass" . Colorado State Archives. Retrieved September 17, 2015 .
^ "State Insect" . Colorado State Archives. Retrieved September 17, 2015 .
^ "State Animal" . Colorado State Archives. Retrieved September 17, 2015 .
^ "State Pet" . Colorado State Archives. Retrieved September 17, 2015 .
^ "State Reptile" . Colorado State Archives. Retrieved September 17, 2015 .
^ "State Tree" . Colorado State Archives. Retrieved September 17, 2015 .
^ "State Fossil" . Colorado State Archives. Retrieved May 13, 2023 .
^ "State Gemstone" . Colorado State Archives. Retrieved September 17, 2015 .
^ "State Mineral" . Colorado State Archives. Retrieved September 17, 2015 .
^ "State Rock" . Colorado State Archives. Retrieved September 17, 2015 .
^ "Seitz -- Colorado State Soil" . Natural Resources Conservation Service , United States Department of Agriculture . August 23, 2022. Retrieved May 12, 2023 .
^ "State Folk Dance" . Colorado State Archives. Retrieved September 17, 2015 .
^ a b "State Songs" . Colorado State Archives. Retrieved September 17, 2015 .
^ "State Summer Sport" . Colorado State Archives. Retrieved May 12, 2023 .
^ "State Tartan" . Colorado State Archives. Retrieved September 17, 2015 .
^ "State Winter Sport" . Colorado State Archive. Retrieved May 12, 2023 .
^ a b Malek, Matthew E. (November 30, 2014). "Colorado Highways: Route Markers Through the Years" . Retrieved September 17, 2015 .
^ "Regular License Plates" . Colorado Department of Revenue , Division of Motor Vehicles. Retrieved September 17, 2015 .
^ "Colorado I (Screw Frigate)" . Naval History and Heritage Command , United States Navy . June 30, 2015. Retrieved May 12, 2023 .
^ "Renaming the Grand River, Colo." (PDF) , Hearing Before the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce of the House of Representatives, Sixty Sixth Congress, Third Session, on HJ 460 , Government Printing Office , February 18, 1921, retrieved May 16, 2023
^ "House approves H. J. Res. 32-To change the name of the Grand River in Colorado and Utah to the Colorado River." (PDF) , Congressional Record - Volume LXI-Part 3 , Government Printing Office , p. 3057, June 27, 1921, retrieved May 16, 2023
^ "Senate approves H. J. Res. 32-To change the name of the Grand River in Colorado and Utah to the Colorado River." (PDF) , Congressional Record - Volume LXI-Part 4 , Government Printing Office , p. 3450, July 8, 1921, retrieved May 16, 2023
^ "President signs H. J. Res. 32-To change the name of the Grand River in Colorado and Utah to the Colorado River." (PDF) , Congressional Record - Volume LXI-Part 5 , Government Printing Office , p. 4274, July 25, 1921, retrieved May 16, 2023
^ "Colorado I (Screw Frigate)" . Naval History and Heritage Command , United States Navy . June 30, 2015. Retrieved May 12, 2023 .
^ "Colorado I (Screw Frigate)" . Naval History and Heritage Command , United States Navy . June 30, 2015. Retrieved May 12, 2023 .
^ "USS Colorado (SSN 788) Commissioning Committee" . USS Colorado (SSN 788) Commissioning Committee. Retrieved September 17, 2015 .
^ "Colorado Statehood Issue" . National Postal Museum , Smithsonian Institution . Retrieved May 12, 2023 .
^ "Colorado State Quarter" . United States Mint . Retrieved May 12, 2023 .
Territories and the federal district
38°59′50″N 105°32′52″W / 38.9972°N 105.5478°W / 38.9972; -105.5478 (State of Colorado )