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Official state symbols represent the cultural heritage and natural treasures of each state or the entire United States

 

 

Pennsylvania Symbols

 

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Pennsylvania Symbols

Animal, Arboretum, Beautification and Conservation Plant, Beverage, Coat of Arms, Dog, Electric Locomotive, Festival, Fish, Flag, Flagship, Flower, Fossil, Game Bird, Insect, Motto, Nicknames, Pops Orchestra, Seal, Song, Steam Locomotive, Theatre, Tree

 

 

 

 

 

Pennsylvania State Arboretum

Morris Arboretum of the University of PennsylvaniaMorris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania

(Philadelphia, PA)
Adopted on April 29, 1988.

 

The Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania was adopted on April 29, 1988.

 

 

Official arboretum of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

The Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania began in 1887 as "Compton," the summer home of John and Lydia Morris, brother and sister. The I.P. Morris Company, an iron-manufacturing firm founded by their father and later run by John Morris, was a source of family wealth.

The land the Morrises purchased in Chestnut Hill was barren, with poor soil that drained too quickly; but with diligent care they surrounded their home with a landscape and plant collection devoted to beauty and knowledge. "Two Lines," a sculpture by George Rickey marks the former mansion site. The Widener Visitor Center was formerly the carriage house.

John was a noted plantsman and community leader who explored the new world of knowledge available to Victorians. John and Lydia traveled widely in America, Asia, and Europe bringing ideas, artwork, crafts and plants back to Compton. They shared a love of history and art, and established a tradition of placing sculpture in the garden that continues today. The Morrises were active in civic affairs and preservation, and believed in the power of education. It was their earnest hope to be judged "worthy stewards."

John and Lydia Morris laid plans for a school and laboratory at Compton devoted to horticulture and botany. Through the stewardship and vision of the Quaker family, Compton became the Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania in 1932. Listed on The National Register of Historic Places, it is an interdisciplinary resource center for the University, and is recognized as the official arboretum of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Science, art, and humanities are pursued through a variety of research, teaching, and outreach programs that link the Arboretum to a worldwide effort to nurture the earth's forests, fields and landscapes.

 

Romantic 92-acre Victorian garden displays Philadelphia's rarest and largest trees; rose garden, swan pond, Japanese rock gardens, colorful flower gardens and 1898 Fernery. Open Mon-Fri 10am-4pm, and open until 8:30pm on Thu only in Jun, Jul, Aug. Open weekends Sat-Sun 10am-5pm in Apr-Oct, Sat-Sun 10am-4pm in Nov-Mar. Café open May-Oct. Handicapped accessible.

 

Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania
100 Northwestern Avenue,
Philadelphia, PA 19118
Contact:kms@pobox.upenn.edu
Phone: 215-247-5777

 

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE BILL
No. 1071 Session of 1987

 
       INTRODUCED BY DOMBROWSKI, CAPPABIANCA, BOYES, MERRY AND BOWSER,
          APRIL 7, 1987

       SENATOR WENGER, STATE GOVERNMENT, IN SENATE, AS AMENDED,
          MARCH 22, 1988

                                    AN ACT

    1 Imposing powers and duties on the Pennsylvania Historical and
    2    Museum Commission with respect to the observance of naval and
    3    maritime history celebrations; ESTABLISHING AN OFFICIAL       <--
    4    ARBORETUM OF PENNSYLVANIA
; establishing an official flagship
    5    for the Commonwealth; and providing for interagency
    6    cooperation.

    7    The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
    8 hereby enacts as follows:
    9 Section 1. Short title.
   10    This act shall be known and may be cited as the Flagship of
   11 Pennsylvania Act.
   12 Section 2. Findings and declaration of policy.
   13    It is hereby determined and declared as a matter of
   14 legislative finding and policy that:
   15        (1) Section 2801-A of the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.177,
   16    No.175), known as The Administrative Code of 1929, designates
   17    the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission as the
   18    official agency of the Commonwealth for the conservation of


    1    Pennsylvania's historic heritage.
    2        (2) The commission holds in trust the UNITED STATES BRIG
    3    NIAGARA at Erie, Pennsylvania. One of only three existing
    4    early 19th century fighting ships of the United States Navy,
    5    the UNITED STATES BRIG NIAGARA is the only remaining ship of
    6    its type from the War of 1812.
    7        (3) The UNITED STATES BRIG NIAGARA serves today as a
    8    memorial to the Americans who built and sailed a squadron of
    9    warships so that the United States would remain free of
   10    foreign domination. On September 10, 1813, this American
   11    squadron of nine small ships, six of them constructed in the
   12    settlement of Erie, defeated a six-ship British squadron in
   13    the Battle of Lake Erie. This victory in the War of 1812
   14    removed the British threat to the Northwest Territory, opened
   15    supply lines and raised morale throughout an apprehensive and
   16    divided nation.
   17        (4) The UNITED STATES BRIG NIAGARA is significant
   18    because of its service during this engagement as Commodore
   19    Oliver Hazard Perry's relief flagship after his original
   20    flagship LAWRENCE had been disabled. Flying Perry's famous
   21    "Don't Give Up The Ship" battle flag, the UNITED STATES BRIG
   22    NIAGARA was brought quickly into the line of battle, forcing
   23    the surrender of the British squadron. This event, marking
   24    the only time in history that an entire British naval
   25    squadron was captured, was reported by Perry in his letter
   26    which began with the now-famous phrase, "We have met the
   27    enemy and they are ours..."
   28        (5) The UNITED STATES BRIG NIAGARA is further
   29    significant as being one of six ships constructed at Erie,
   30    built largely of native Pennsylvania materials and sailed by
   19870H1071B3019                 - 2 -

    1    Americans from various regions of what was the United States
    2    in 1813.
    3        (6) After the War of 1812, the UNITED STATES BRIG
    4    NIAGARA remained in Erie as a station ship until 1820 when
    5    she was scuttled in Misery Bay to preserve her for possible
    6    future use. Her remains were raised in 1913 by a group of
    7    Erie citizens and rebuilt for a grand tour of the Great Lakes
    8    ports to celebrate the centennial of the Battle of Lake Erie.
    9    Since then, the Niagara has remained in Erie and, twice
   10    refitted, has become a major tourist attraction in
   11    northwestern Pennsylvania.
   12        (7) In 1988, the commission will begin a third
   13    restoration which will again return the UNITED STATES BRIG
   14    NIAGARA to the waters of the Great Lakes.
   15 Section 3. Establishment of official Flagship of Pennsylvania.
   16    The restored UNITED STATES BRIG NIAGARA is hereby designated
   17 the official flagship for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It
   18 shall be known as the Flagship of Pennsylvania and its home port
   19 will be Erie, Pennsylvania.
   20 Section 4. Powers and duties of commission.
   21    The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission shall have
   22 the following powers and duties:
   23        (1) To cooperate with the Department of Military
   24    Affairs, the Unites States Navy and other appropriate
   25    organizations in commemorating significant events of our
   26    naval and maritime heritage.
   27        (2) To sail the UNITED STATES BRIG NIAGARA, within the
   28    means at its command, to various ports of call and
   29    commemorative events as the official sailing ambassador for
   30    Pennsylvania.
   19870H1071B3019                 - 3 -

    1        (3) To charge whatever fees are necessary to maintain
    2    the vessel and to encourage private financial support as
    3    appropriate in order to support the UNITED STATES BRIG
    4    NIAGARA and its sailing program.
    5 SECTION 5. ESTABLISHMENT OF OFFICIAL ARBORETUM OF PENNSYLVANIA. <--
    6    THE MORRIS ARBORETUM OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA, WHICH
    7 IS ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES, IS LOCATED IN
    8 PHILADELPHIA AND MONTGOMERY COUNTIES AND CONSISTS OF 166 ACRES.
    9 THE MORRIS ARBORETUM, WHICH HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED AS A UNIQUE
   10 CULTURAL RESOURCE AND IS THE OLDEST, MOST EXTENSIVE CURATED
   11 COLLECTION OF TREES AND SHRUBS CULTIVATED FOR SCIENTIFIC AND
   12 EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES FOR STUDY AND PROPAGATION IN THIS
   13 COMMONWEALTH, IS HEREBY SELECTED, DESIGNATED AND ADOPTED AS THE
   14 OFFICIAL ARBORETUM OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA.
   15 Section 5 6. Cooperation with commission.                       <--
   16    All Commonwealth agencies and public officials shall
   17 cooperate fully with the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum
   18 Commission in support of its naval and maritime history program
   19 and, to that end, shall:
   20        (1) Include the commission in any planning efforts for
   21    the commemoration of significant events of our naval and
   22    maritime history.
   23        (2) Develop plans with the commission which will utilize
   24    the UNITED STATES BRIG NIAGARA as the official flagship for
   25    the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
   26 SECTION 7. ERECTION OF SIGNS.                                   <--
   27    THE DEPARTMENT OF GENERAL SERVICES SHALL ERECT APPROPRIATE
   28 SIGNS DESIGNATING THE MORRIS ARBORETUM OF THE UNIVERSITY OF
   29 PENNSYLVANIA AS THE OFFICIAL ARBORETUM OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF
   30 PENNSYLVANIA.
   19870H1071B3019                 - 4 -

    1 Section 6 8. Effective date.                                  
    2 This act shall take effect immediately.
 

 

 

 

 

State Symbols

State Map: Symbols

 

State symbols represent things that are special to a particular state.

 

symbol  \ˈsim-bəl\
noun


Etymology:
in sense 1, from Late Latin symbolum, from Late Greek symbolon, from Greek, token, sign; in other senses from Latin symbolum token, sign, symbol, from Greek symbolon, literally, token of identity verified by comparing its other half, from symballein to throw together, compare, from syn- + ballein to throw — more at devil
Date: 15th century

1:  Something that represents something else by association, resemblance, or convention, especially a material object used to represent something invisible.

 

 

 

 

 
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