The sugar maple was selected as the state tree by school children in a statewide vote in 1893. Oaks, pines, and elms were also favorites, but the maple won out. A second vote of school children in our centennial year, 1948, reaffirmed support for the sugar maple. Legislators created a new section of the statutes to authorize the designation of official state symbols. A state tree, state flower and state bird were selected during the centennial session and became official state symbols in 1949.


