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” resolution in 1889, but it didn’t pass into law. “The Flickertail March,” arranged by James D. Ployhar, is the official state march.
 
North Dakota is officially called the Peace Garden State.
       
 
Wikipedia: Richardson ground squirrel
Richardson’s ground squirrel (Urocitellus richardsonii), or the flickertail, is a North American ground squirrel in the genus Urocitellus. Like a number of other ground squirrels, they are sometimes called Dak Rats or gophers, though this name belongs more strictly to the pocket gophers of family Geomyidae.
   
12 December 1889, Bismarck (ND) Daily Tribune, “The Arena,” pg. 3, col. 2:
The introduction of the flicker tail gopher bill has given rise to the suggestion that while the citizens of Illinois are known as suckers; those of WIsconsin, as badgers, and Michigan, as wolverines, North Dakotans have long been searching for a nickname for the state may now be known as “flicker-tails.” What’s the matter with the flicker-tail state?”
 
Chronicling America
26 December 1889, Jamestown (ND) Weekly Alert, pg. 2, col. 4:
“FLICKERTAIL” IT IS.
A Resolution thus Christening Native North Dakotans Passes the House.
(...)
The resolution was adopted, and for ten minuted North Dakota stood dubbed “the Flickertail state.” It was afterwards reconsidered, however, and all mention of it expunged from the Journal.
 
7 January 1890, Logansport (IN) Daily Reporter, pg. 4, col. 4:
The following are the Nicknames for the new states. North Dakota is the” flickertail state.” This completes the list of the four new commonwealths. South Dakota is the “swingecat state.” Washington is the “chinook state,” and Montana is the “stubbed-toe state.”
 
Chronicling America
9 January 1890, Wichita (KS) Eagle, pg. 4, col. 1:
North Dakota has perhaps the most picturesque and poetical of names. It is known as the Flicker Tail State.
   
22 January 1890, Aberdeen (SD) Daily News, pg. 2, col. 2:
THE Jamestown Alert, of North Dakota, persists in dubbing the state of North Pacific the Flickertail state.
 
19 April 1890, Boston (MA) Daily Advertiser, “The Breakfast Table,” pg. 4, col. 5:
North Dakota is called the “Flickertail State,” South Dakota is the “Swinge Cat State,” Washington the “Chinook State,” and Montana the “Stubbed-Toe State.”
 
Google Books 
The Detroit Journal Year-book for 1891
Detroit, MI: The Detroit Journal Company
1890
Pg. 86:
Four of the new States are locally entitled Flickertail State (North Dakota), the Swinge-cat State (South Dakota), the Stubbed-toe State (Montana), and the Chinook State (Washington).
 
OCLC WorldCat record
The story of the Flickertail state,
Author: W M Wemett
Publisher: Valley City, N.D., W.M. Wemett, 1923.
Edition/Format:   Print book : Biography : English
   
Google Books
North Dakota, a Guide to the Northern Prairie State
By Federal Writers’ Project of the Works Progress Administration
Fargo, ND: Knight Printing Company
1938
Pg. 17:
One of the most common animals in the State is Richardson’s ground squirrel, otherwise known as the gopher or ‘flickertail.’ It is from this tiny, agile, yellow creature that North Dakota gets its name of ‘the Flickertail State.’
 
OCLC WorldCat record
North Dakota the flickertail state, South Dakota the coyote state
Author: H.M. Gousha Company.; Continental Oil Company.
Publisher: Chicago : H.M. Gousha Co., ©1959.
Edition/Format:   Map : English
 
OCLC WorldCat record
North Dakota, the flickertail state.
Author: D Jerome Tweton; Douglas Charles Munski; North Dakota. Parks & Tourism Department. Tourism Promotion Division.
Publisher: Bismarck, ND : North Dakota Tourism Promotion, [between 1985 and 1992]
Edition/Format:   Print book : State or province government publication : English
 
Wikipedia: SS Flickertail State (T-ACS-5)
SS Flickertail State (T-ACS-5) is a Crane Ship in ready reserve for the United States Navy. She is stationed at Newport News, Virginia and is in ready reserve under the Military Sealift Command (MSC). The ship was named for the state of North Dakota, which is also known as the Flickertail State.
 
Flickertail State was laid down on 14 February 1967, as the container ship CV Lightning, ON 518063, IMO 6817845, a Maritime Administration type (C5-S-73b) hull under MARAD contract (MA 206). Built by Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine, hull no. 355, she was launched on 11 May 1968, and delivered to MARAD 21 February 1969, entering service for American Export-Isbrandtsen Lines.
   
YouTube
The Flickertail March
websterslumlord1
Published on Jul 15, 2014
The Flickertail March arranged by James D Ployhar
Grand Forks City Band Don Langlie - Director
Recorded: June 14, 2014