Welcome
to Louisiana! This state makes your heart pound and your senses tingle.
The celebration of Mardi Gras symbolizes the intensity of spirit of
Louisiana. When the French brought Mardi Gras to Louisiana, it was a
simple carnival event, celebrated just before the beginning of Lent. But
New Orleans transformed the simple celebration into an extravagant festival,
with parades, music, parties, street dances, and costumes. Although New
Orleans is world-renowned for its Mardi Gras extravaganza, other towns and
cities throughout the state host their own Mardi Gras celebrations. The
excitement of the event is contagious all over.
It's
not just the Carnival that creates excitement. With her rich heritage of
Creole, Cajun, and French, Louisiana life is spiced up with foods like gumbo,
andouille, etouffees, sauce piquantes, cayenne pepper, Tabasco, and
crawfish. And the senses tingle and feet keep tapping with the sounds of
jazz and blues and zydeco.
| THE NAME:
Louisiana is another state, along with Illinois, that bears the mark of Robert Cavelier Sieur
de La Salle. The first European to descend the Mississippi River to the delta, this
French explorer named the area La Louisianne after Louis XIV of France in 1682.
Source: Shearer, Benjamin F. and Barbara S.
State
Names, Seals, Flags and Symbols Greenwood Press, Westport, Connecticut - 1994 |
| THE NICKNAMES:
The Pelican State: Because of the abundance of Brown Pelicans found along the coast of Louisiana, the state
is commonly referred to as "The Pelican State." This bird has been a symbol of Louisiana since the arrival of
early European settlers who were impressed with the Pelican's generous and nurturing attitude toward their young.
The Pelican is Louisiana's official State Bird and appears on the Louisiana
State Flag and the Great Seal.
Disaster struck Louisiana in the 1960s when the use of pesticides caused the Brown Pelican, native to the area,
to stop nesting along the Gulf coast. By 1966, the bird had completely disappeared in Louisiana. In 1968, Louisiana
began importing fledglings from Florida in an attempt to repopulate the coastline and, in 1970, the Federal Government
declared the Brown Pelican an endangered species. This is a story with a happy ending. Protection of the Brown
Pelican's habitat along with repopulation efforts resulted in the Federal Government's declaration, in 1995, that
the bird had "recovered" in Louisiana.
The Bayou State: A bayou is a small secondary river that feeds into larger bodies of water. It is often marshy
and slow moving. Because of the many slow, sluggish small streams that meander through the lowlands and
marshes of the southern section of the state, Louisiana is often referred to as "The Bayou State." This nickname
appeared on the Louisiana state license plates for a while beginning in 1974. It was later replaced by
a World's Fair plate and, later, the Sportsman's Paradise plate.
The Sugar State: In addition to cotton, rice, and sweet potatoes, Louisiana produces a large sugar cane crop.
This nickname is in reference to the sugar cane grown in the state and the sugar refineries of Louisiana.
The Child of the Mississippi: This nickname comes from the build up of silt deposited by the Mississippi River
that contributes to the land mass of Louisiana.
The Creole State: This nickname refers to the people of Louisiana of French and Spanish descent and also
to the culture they have preserved.
Sportsman's Paradise: This nickname pays tribute to the wildlife and the hunting, trapping and fishing
resources of the state as well as other outdoor recreational and sporting activity within the state. Football
ice hockey, horse racing, golf, baseball and college sports round out the "sporting" experience of "The
Sportsman's Paradise." This nickname appears on the Louisiana license plate.
Fisherman's Paradise: Similar to the above, this nickname touts the wide variety of excellent fishing
available in the state.
The Holland of America: This surprising nickname came about because of Louisiana's waterways and its trucking
industry.
Source: Shearer, Benjamin F. and Barbara S. State
Names, Seals, Flags and Symbols Greenwood Press, Westport, Connecticut - 1994
Shankle, George Earlie, Phd State Names, Flags, Seals, Songs, Birds, Flowers and
Other Symbols H. H. Wilson Company, New York - 1938 (Reprint) |
THE CITIZENS:
People who live in or come from Louisiana are called Louisianians or Louisianans. |
THE QUARTER:
Released to the Federal Reserve Bank by the U.S. Mint on May 20, 2002, the Louisiana State Quarter became the
third state quarter released in 2002.
Four major design elements mark the Louisiana State Quarter and create a moving reminder of the state's
unique role in the formation of the United States of America. At the top of the quarter is the date Louisiana became a
member of the United States; 1812. An image of a brown pelican, a trumpet with musical notes, and the outline of the
Louisiana Purchase territory, with the inscription “Louisiana Purchase” round out the design. The Brown Pelican depicted
in the lower left area of the quarter, is indigenous to Louisana and shows up in the state's nickname (The Pelican State)
and on the state's flag. A trumpet and musical notes represent the intense musical heritage of Louisiana including the
birth of jazz in New Orleans. The outline of the Louisiana Purchase, reminds us of the largest single expansion of the
United States, which roughly doubled the size of the country, in 1803. The price was right too... about four cents an
acre!
For more on the state commemorative quarters, visit this page.
This 50 State Quarter Map is a great way to collect and display all 50 State Quarters. |
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