Idaho was named by a mining lobbyist who claimed it meant “Gem of the Mountain” in Shoshone Indian, but it was later discovered to be made up. Idaho produces over 240 minerals, including the star garnet, and is the most important silver mining state in the US. Its flag features the state seal and the motto “Let it be perpetual.”
Idaho is called the gem state because of the meaning behind the name “Idaho”. In 1860, a mining lobbyist known as George M. Willing proposed this name to Congress as the name for a new territory. In the mid to late 1800s, Indian names were popular, and Mr. Willing had told Congress that Idaho was a Shoshone Indian word that translated to “Gem of the Mountain.” Eventually it was discovered that Mr. Willing had made the name up as it was not actually an Indian word.
The new territory that Mr. William had tried to name Idaho was instead named Colorado or Idaho by Congress after it discovered that Idaho was not a real Indian word. However, the name Idaho stuck, and another territory was finally bestowed with the name in 1863 by Congress. It is from this translation of the alleged Indian word that the term “gem state” was coined.
Gem State is a more fitting name for Idaho because the state produces more than 240 different types of minerals. These minerals include semi-precious gems such as aquamarine, cerrusite, vivianite, pyromorphite and ilavite. The mountains of Idaho contain deposits of veins of gold, zinc, lead, copper and cobalt. Other gems include opal, tourmaline, topaz and jasper.
The official state gemstone of Idaho is the star garnet, a gemstone found only in Idaho and India in appreciable quantities. Another feature that makes the term “gem state” more appropriate is the fact that Idaho is the most important silver mining state in the United States. More than a fifth of the silver mined in the United States is produced in Idaho. In addition to the “Gem State,” another nickname for Idaho is “The Land of the Famous Potatoes,” a name given in response to the state’s famous Idaho potatoes.
Idaho also has other symbols such as an official fish, which is the cutthroat trout, and an official flower, which is the syringa. Idaho’s official fossil is the Haggerman horse fossil, the official insect is the monarch butterfly, and the official tree is the white pine. As expected, the official vegetable is the potato.
Another interesting symbol of the state of the gem is its flag. The Idaho state flag consists of a blue background with the state seal in the middle. A scroll below the seal contains the words State of Idaho,” while three edges of the flag are bordered by a gold band. Idaho’s state motto is the Latin phrase Esto perpertua, which means “Let it be perpetual.” This motto can be found on the state seal, flag and quarter.
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