Tennessee: Hog and Hominy State (nickname)
"Hog and hominy" s a classic combination of Southern foods. Several states that produced pigs and corn were "hog and hominy states," but the nickname was most frequently applied…
Archive for /P28120
South Dakota: Coyote State (nickname)
Coyotes are so common in South Dakota that the University of South Dakota athletic teams are the "Coyotes." The coyote was made the official state animal in 1949. South Dakota became a…
North Dakota: Flickertail State (nickname)
North Dakota is frequently called the "Flickertail State," after Richardson's ground squirrel (or "flickertail"). There was a formal "Flickertail State"…
Pennsylvania: Keystone State (nickname)
Pennsylvania has been called the "Keystone State" for several reasons. A keystone is a wedge-shaped stone that holds an arch in place. Pennsylvania was located in the center of the 13…
Georgia: Empire State of the South (nickname)
New York has been called the "Empire State" since at least 1830. Georgia has been called the "Empire State of the South" since at least 1840. "If not now, she soon must be…
Arkansas: Bear State (nickname)
Entry in progress -- B.P. (Oxford English Dictionary)Bear State n. U.S. the state of Arkansas (occas. also California).1848 J. R. Bartlett Dict. Americanisms App. s.v., I once asked a Western man…
Arizona: Valentine State (nickname)
Arizona is called the "Valentine State" because it was admitted to the Union on February 14, 1912 -- Valentine's Day. U.S. President William Howard Taft purposely chose the special…
Massachusetts: Taxachusetts (nickname)
Massachusetts has a long reputation as a high tax state, although several studies over many years have shown that it's far from the highest tax state. The state nickname of…
Idaho: Gem State (nickname)
Entry in progress -- B.P. Wikipedia: IdahoIdaho is a state in the northwestern region of the United States. Idaho is the 14th largest, the 39th most populous, and the 7th least densely populated of…
Massachusetts: Bay State (nickname)
Entry in progress -- B.P. (Oxford English Dictionary)Bay State n. popular name in U.S. for the State of Massachusetts, originally the Colony of Massachusetts Bay; hence Bay Stater.1789 S. Davis…
Maryland: Old Line State (nickname)
Entry in progress -- B.P. (Oxford English Dictionary)Old Line State n. U.S. Maryland.1871 M. Schele de Vere Americanisms xii. 660 Maryland bears the proud title of Old-line State from the Old-Line…
Delaware: Diamond State (nickname)
Delaware was called the "Diamond State" in 1847. The nickname means that Delaware is small, but very strong a valuable, just like a diamond. The Daily National Intelligencer (Washington,…
North Carolina: Old North State (nickname)
"Old North State" is one of the oldest nicknames for the state of North Carolina. "The old north State" was cited in print in April 1824 in the Raleigh Register, and…
North Carolina: Turpentine State (nickname)
North Carolina is now known as the "Tar Heel State," but in the early 19th century it was known as the "Tar and Turpentine State" (or just "Turpentine State"). The…
North Carolina: Rip Van Winkle State (nickname)
Rip Van Winkle is the famous sleeper in a popular story of that name by author Washington Irving (1783-1859) that appeared in The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. (1819). In 1833, William…
“What’s the difference between a jet airplane and a trumpet?”/“About three decibels.”
Trumpet playing can be loud, and a popular joke is: Q: What's the difference between a jet airplane and a trumpet?A: About three decibels. The joke has been cited in print since at least 2000.…
“What has three legs and an asshole on top?”/“A drum stool.”
Drummers are on the receiving end of many jokes. A popular joke was cited in 1993: Q: What has three legs and a dick on top?A: A drum stool. Another version was cited in 1996: Q: What has three…
“Did you hear my last recital?”/“I hope so.”
A popular joke about tuba players is: Tuba Player: "Did you hear my last recital?"Friend: "I hope so." The joke has been cited in print since at least 1994. Google Groups:…
“What is a relative minor?”/“A country western musician’s girlfriend.”
A popular musician joke about the relative keys is: Q: What is a relative minor?A: A country western musician's girlfriend. An Internet list circulated by at least 1995 was titled…
“How do you make a musician complain?”/“Give him a gig.”
Musicians are seldom satisfied. An old joke is: Q: How do you make a musician complain?A: Give him a gig. The joke has been cited in print since at least the 1990s. A variation was cited on Twitter…