America’s 11 Most Confusing State Mottos Are Just Plain Odd

While it sounds like directions for time travel, this motto is an invitation to everyone not in the Last Frontier to head north for a better life. Alaska considers itself a beacon for optimistic dreamers and doers. Richard Peter, the Juneau newsman whose motto was chosen in 1963, said it “is a reminder that beyond the horizon of urban clutter there is a Great Land beneath our flag that can provide a new tomorrow for this century’s huddled masses yearning to be free.”

The only state in the union to go Greek with their motto, California’s “Eureka!” is all about the gold. The Ancient Greek mathematician Archimedes supposedly shouted the word when he discovered the purity of the metal. True or not, “eureka” became embedded in the American lexicon in 1848 when James Marshall struck gold. The famous rush that followed brought 300,000 people to the territory, many hoping to shout the word at their own life-changing riches. The surge in population rocketed California along the path to statehood by 1850. One hundred years later, Californians attempted to switch it to “In God We Trust,” but ultimately The Golden State didn’t budge. 

The “it” in Idaho’s motto sparks initial curiosity. Is the hope that Idaho itself will be perpetual? Or some otherwise unnamed concept? The recorded explanation goes that the state seal’s artist, Emma Edwards Green, hoped the phrase would “breathe the prayer that the bounty and blessing of this land will forever benefit its people.” Seems rather anticlimactic.

But the motto, along with the seal, stands out as the only one in the country designed by a woman. In 1890, Emma Edwards Green’s design won the state’s contest. At a time when conversations around women’s suffrage were building momentum, Green purposefully painted a female figure with equal stature to the male next to her, representing justice and equality. And that is certainly something for perpetuity.

Kansas doesn’t have a space program (although strangely, they have a cosmosphere with the largest combined collection of U.S. and Russian space artifacts in the world). The stars here are metaphorical, referring to the motto’s meaning of pushing through struggle to reach the unattainable. It captures not only the spirit of the pioneers but also the years of brutal guerilla warfare between anti-slavery abolitionists and pro-slavery forces for Kansas’s statehood and votes. When “Bleeding Kansas” became a part of the United States in 1861, it seemed an impossible dream had been achieved for the Union cause as the country moved towards Civil War.

Grab your popcorn for the most controversial motto on the list. The state of Maryland says the motto translates as “Strong deeds, gentle words.” It’s a reasonable creed, not unlike President Theodore Roosevelt speaking softly and carrying a big stick with foreign policy. But Italian linguists are having none of it, claiming it’s a misguided translation of a sexist Italian proverb.

The Calvert family, including the original Lord Baltimore who founded the colony, used the proverb as a family slogan. Some historians and archivists have his back, claiming this was one of his many subtle jabs as a devout Catholic in Protestant England, and that he and his wife were intellectual equals. While the scholars argue it out, Maryland is left with a tradition that has some not so gentle words.

There’s a lot to love about Maine, but lobster, moose, and wild woods usually come to mind long before leadership. But look just above “Dirigo” on the state seal and you’ll see the Northern Star, the constant guide to lead sailors home. When Maine separated from Massachusetts in 1820, the newest most northern state was making a statement with this motto.

Mainers are quick to point out that they do have a history of leading. Maine was at the forefront of the anti-slavery and prohibition movements. Maine helped found the Republican party, and they were one of the first states in the nation to approve same-sex marriage by popular vote.

New Mexico nailed it with their “Land of Enchantment” nickname, but their confusing and almost flagrant state motto raises an eyebrow. The state makes little attempt to even guess at the undocumented reasons that William Ritch added it in 1882. But sources point to a historical poem by first-century poet Lucretius. In the poem, “crescit eundo” describes the thunderbolt, growing in strength as it moves. Maybe poetic symbolism with a practical sentiment is the perfect motto for a state that believes in enchantment.

This head-scratching motto started when the Oregon territory was given the boot by “The Union” in 1957, and then reclaimed its spot officially in 1987. This means this curious little phrase still strikes a chord for Oregonians. Judge Jesse Quinn Thornton came up with the motto and translated it to Latin in 1854. The “She” refers to Oregon and the tradition of calling countries and states feminine pronouns. Some sources claim Thornton was referring to Oregon’s decision to form a provisional and independent government in 1843, able to make decisions without the faraway United States or British Canada.

You have to appreciate Wisconsin’s succinctness. The state explains that this single word represents their continual drive and leadership. Legend has it that the state was going to go with “Excelsior” but it was nixed at a chance meeting in New York City between Governor Nelson Dewey and Wisconsin judge Edward Ryan. Allegedly Nelson showed Ryan the newly finished seal and Ryan didn’t like Excelsior. So the two sat down on the steps of a Wall Street bank and came up with “Forward.” 

As the only state with an unofficial motto, perhaps Washington is still wrestling with this one. The word “Alki” on the state seal is an Indigenous word translated as “Bye and Bye,” or 1850s slang for the future. European settlers landed on Alki Point, near today’s Seattle, and called it New York. It wasn’t living up to the Big Apple, however, so they changed the name to New York-Alki, hopeful for a more promising future. Although the motto has been used since Washington was a territory, the state legislature still isn’t ready to make it official.

It’s hard to reconcile the brash persona of Texas and Texans with this seemingly corny motto. When the state adopted this motto in 1930, they weren’t thinking about being besties, but instead about the origin of their own name. Texas comes from the Spanish pronunciation of a Caddo word teyshas, meaning friend or ally. For a state that has been a part of six nations, including its own republic, being a good ally makes sense. Bless Texas’s heart, there is something pleasingly fitting about the state using its motto to reinforce its name.