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.