Hi Folks,
OK, here's a shell-related question:  Are there any non-coastal
states that have an officially designated state shell (or official
state mollusk)?  This is what I personally was wondering, but, not to
discriminate against those from coastal regions, perhaps you too could
share something about your official state shell, if you have one,
especially if there is an interesting story about how it came to be
so designated.  Also wondering - do folks in other countries get
involved in this "official state such-and such" business?  Here in
Rhode Island we have an official state shell, state mineral, state
flower, state bird, and heaven knows what else.  Our official state
shell is the quahog (or quahaug), Mercenaria mercenaria (also known
as hardshell clam, round clam, littleneck clam, and cherrystone
clam).  "Quahog" (pronounced kwohog or kohog, with a long first o) is
an anglicization of a Narragansett Indian word "poquauhock", which I
am told by an authoritative source, means "black" or "dark-colored".
The Narragansett tribe inhabited Rhode Island before the coming of
European settlers, and still does.  Beautiful purple and white belts
of "wampum" were once made from beads carved from this shell (the
interior of the shell is mostly white, but mature specimens have a
deep purple area which usually covers about 20-25% of the interior,
but in occasional specimens may cover 50% or more).  The Rhode Island
state legislature officially designated the quahog the official state
shell in 1987, as a result of the efforts of a shell club run by a
teacher in a local junior high school.  The kids testified before
committees, wrote press releases, gave radio interviews, and pushed
the bill through both houses of the assembly.  The species is both
economically and gastronomically important here in the northeastern
United States.  Next time you consume a bowl of New England clam
chowder (that's REAL chowder - the white kind, not that red stuff
they call chowder a few miles south of here), you can take
satisfaction in the knowledge that you are enjoying the Rhode Island
state mollusk.
Regards,
Paul M.