Official Kids Mag

Fun facts about Arkansas nickname: the natural state Why? Because of our beautiful lakes, rivers, mountains and wildlife. state flower: apple Blossom Apple blossoms are pink and white with green leaves. At one time, apples were a major crop in the state. Today, the town of Lincoln in Washington County still hosts the annual Arkansas Apple Festival each fall. state butterfly: diana Fritillary The Diana Fritillary butterfly is large and very colorful. Males are dark brown with orange markings. The females are larger and have bright blue markings with white spots. They live in moist mountain areas, especially around Mount Magazine. Mount Magazine is Arkansas's tallest point. Its peak is 2,753 feet high! state insect: honeybee Honeybees are very helpful for farmers. They fly from flower to flower to collect pollen. The pollen helps plants make fruit and seeds. Without bees, it would be hard for humans to survive. state beverage: Milk Dairy farming is an important part of Arkansas agriculture. Milk is a good source of calcium and Vitamin D, which helps your teeth and bones grow strong. state mammal: White-tailed deer White-tailed deer are the most popular game animal in Arkansas. Young deer have red fur with white spots that help them hide in tall grass. Their fur turns brownish-gray by their first birthday. When deer are scared, they raise their tail to show the white fur underneath as they run away. state gem: diamond Arkansas is also the only U.S. state that actively mines diamonds. The Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro is the only place in the world where anyone can dig for diamonds — and KEEP them! state mineral: Quartz Quartz is mined in the Ouachita Mountains. The crystals are sometimes called "Arkansas Diamonds," but they really aren't diamonds. Quartz is usually clear or white, but can also be pink, yellow or even purple. state grain: rice Rice is an important food for people around the world. It is the leading crop for Arkansas farms. Almost half of all American rice is grown in our state, mostly in the eastern delta. state instrument: Fiddle Also called a violin, the fiddle is one of the main instruments used in American folk music. Long before mp3 players and radios, a fiddle tune might have been the only music in a pioneer home. state dinosaur: arkansaurus Fridayi In August 1972, a man named Joe B. Friday discovered the remains of the right hind foot of a dinosaur on his land in Lockesburg (Sevier County). The dinosaur was given the informal name "Arkansaurus fridayi" in 1973. They are the only dinosaur bones known to have been found in Arkansas. In 2017, the Arkansas Legislative Assembly designated Arkansaurus fridayi the official State Dinosaur. By Karen Rice Official Kids Mag On June 15, 1836, Arkansas became this country's 25th state. Let's say happy birthday to our state by learning some things about it! the making of the arkansas state flag Can you imagine Arkansas' flag with an ocean steamer or a dancing bear? Those were two of the ideas suggested during the search for Arkansas' first flag design. Before 1913, Arkansas did not have a state flag. The Pine Bluff Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution decided to hold a contest for ideas. There were 65 designs entered. Some were drawn with crayon, and some were pieced together with silk. The winning design came from Miss Willie Hocker of Wabbaseka. She explained the meaning for all the symbols on her flag: • Red, white and blue — the colors of the U.S. flag • 25 stars — Arkansas was the 25th state admitted to the Union • Diamond — Arkansas is the nation's only diamond-producing state • The center stars — a) Three nations have ruled Arkansas: Spain, France and the United States b) Arkansas was the third state created from the Louisiana Purchase (1803) c) Two stars below "Arkansas" represent Arkansas and Michigan, "twin states" that became part of the United States near the same time (Arkansas on June 15, 1836, and Michigan on January 26, 1837) The state's name was added on a suggestion by the selection committee. On February 26, 1913, the state legislature approved the design as the state's official flag. In 1923, the legislature added a fourth blue star to indicate the state had been a member of the Confederate States of America from 1861 to 1865. Its placement was moved in 1924 to make the design balanced once again. And so it remains today…a proud banner that flies for all Arkansans. happy 185 th birthday, arkansas! sources: arkansas secretary of state; arkansas department of parks and tourism, www.kids.nationalgeographic.com www.officialkidsMag.com • June 2021 • 41

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