Editing Michigan (section)

==State symbols and nicknames==

[[File:Dwarf Lake Iris.jpg|thumb|[[Dwarf lake iris]]]]

Michigan is traditionally known as "The Wolverine State", and the University of Michigan uses the wolverine as its mascot. The association is well and long established: for example, many Detroiters volunteered to fight during the American Civil War and [[George Armstrong Custer]], who led the Michigan Brigade, called them the "Wolverines". The origins of this association are obscure; it may derive from a busy trade in wolverine furs in Sault Ste. Marie in the 18th century or may recall a disparagement intended to compare early settlers in Michigan with the vicious mammal. Wolverines are, however, extremely rare in Michigan. A sighting in February 2004 near [[Ubly, Michigan|Ubly]] was the first confirmed sighting in Michigan in 200 years.<ref name="msnbc">{{cite news |title = First Michigan wolverine spotted in 200 years |url = https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna4374309 |last = Runk |first = David |date = February 25, 2004 |agency = Associated Press |publisher = NBC News |access-date = December 23, 2008 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130218042651/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/4374309 |archive-date = February 18, 2013 |url-status = live}}</ref> Another wolverine was found dead in 2010.<ref>{{Cite news |last = Bell |first = Dawson |date = March 15, 2010 |title = Only known wolverine in the Michigan wild dies |newspaper = Detroit Free Press |url = http://www.freep.com/article/20100315/NEWS06/100315027/1318/Only-wolverine-in-Mich.-wild-dies |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150706133328/http://www.freep.com/article/20100315/NEWS06/100315027/1318/Only-wolverine-in-Mich.-wild-dies |archive-date = July 6, 2015}}</ref>
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* [[State nickname]]s: ''Wolverine State'', ''Great Lakes State'', ''Mitten State'', ''Water-Winter Wonderland''
* [[List of U.S. state mottos|State motto]]: ''[[Si quaeris peninsulam amoenam circumspice]]'' (Latin: "If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you") adopted in 1835 on the coat-of-arms, but never as an official motto. This is a paraphrase of the epitaph of British architect Sir [[Christopher Wren]] about his masterpiece, [[St. Paul's Cathedral]].<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.netstate.com/states/mottoes/mi_motto.htm |title = Michigan state motto, at least on its coat of arms |access-date = December 29, 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080125122529/http://www.netstate.com/states/mottoes/mi_motto.htm |archive-date = January 25, 2008 |url-status = live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(1vf2tp45f2zrc43menveha55))/mileg.aspx?page=GetObject&objectname=mcl-2-22&queryid=21357829&highlight=state%20AND%20motto |title = Law enacting State Court of Arms |access-date = December 29, 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080919012357/http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(x4d3ut45vxppcyjp3qkmta55))/mileg.aspx?page=GetObject&objectname=mcl-2-22&queryid=21357829&highlight=state%20AND%20motto |archive-date = September 19, 2008 |url-status = live}}</ref>
* [[List of U.S. state songs|State song]]: "[[My Michigan]]" (official since 1937, but disputed amongst residents),<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.michigan.gov/hal/0,1607,7-160--54116--,00.html |title = Michigan's State Songs |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090802145532/http://www.michigan.gov/hal/0%2C1607%2C7-160--54116--%2C00.html |archive-date = August 2, 2009}}</ref> "[[Michigan, My Michigan]]" (unofficial state song, since the civil war)
* [[List of U.S. state birds|State bird]]: [[American robin]] (since 1931)
* [[List of U.S. state mammals|State animal]]: [[wolverine]] (traditional)
* State game animal: [[white-tailed deer]] (since 1997)
* [[List of U.S. state fish|State fish]]: [[brook trout]] (since 1965)
* [[List of U.S. state reptiles|State reptile]]: [[painted turtle]] (since 1995)
* [[State fossil]]: [[mastodon]] (since 2000)
* [[List of U.S. state flowers|State flower]]: [[apple|apple blossom]] (adopted in 1897, official in 1997)
* State wildflower: [[dwarf lake iris]] (since 1998) a federally listed threatened species
* [[List of U.S. state trees|State tree]]: [[eastern white pine|white pine]] (since 1955)
* [[List of U.S. state minerals, rocks, stones and gemstones|State stone]]: [[Petoskey stone]] (since 1965). It is composed of fossilized [[coral]] (''Hexagonaria pericarnata'') from long ago when the middle of the continent was covered with a shallow sea.
* [[List of U.S. state minerals, rocks, stones and gemstones|State gem]]: [[Chlorastrolite|Isle Royale greenstone]] (since 1973). Also called ''chlorastrolite'' (literally "green star stone"), the mineral is found on [[Isle Royale]] and the Keweenaw peninsula.
* [[50 State Quarters|State quarter]]: US coin issued in 2004 with the Michigan motto "Great Lakes State".
* [[List of U.S. state soils|State soil]]: [[Kalkaska sand]] (since 1990), ranges in color from black to yellowish brown, covers nearly {{convert|1000000|acre|km2|adj=on}} in 29 counties.
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