New York State Tourism Division, Empire State Development, 30 S. Pearl Street, 2nd Floor, Albany NY 12220-0603; 518-474-4116;
800-CALL-NYS. Web: http://www.iloveny.state.ny.us or http://www.iloveny.com.
State Animal: beaver
State Beverage: milk
State Bird: bluebird
State Fish: brook or speckled trout
State Flower: wild rose
State Fossil: sea scorpion (Eurypterus remipes)
State Fruit: apple
State Gem: wine-red garnet
State Insect: ladybug
State Motto: Excelsior (Ever Upward)
State Muffin: apple muffin
State Nickname: Empire State
State Quarter:
State Shell: bay scallop
State Soil: Honeoye
State Song: I Love New York
State Tree: sugar maple
State Capitals
New York, New York — Colonial capital (1664-1777). State capital (1785-1797).
U.S. national capital (1785-1790). It became the first capital under the U.S.
Constitution when Washington was inaugurated there on April 30, 1789.
Fishkill, New York — Town of Fishkill,
Town Hall, Fishkill, New York; 845-831-7800; Fax: 845-831-6040. Email: tof@fishkill-ny.gov. Web:
http://www.fishkill-ny.gov. The New York Provincial Congress met at the
First Reformed Protestant Dutch Church (55-63 Main Street) from 1776 to 1777. In September 1776, it drafted the New York constitution.
The first 1,000 copies of the New York State Constitution were turned out on Samuel Loudon's press at Fishkill in 1777.
Kingston, New York — 420 Broadway, Kingston, New York 12401; 845-331-7517; 800-3331-1518. Web: http://ci.kingston.ny.us.
The Provincial Convention adopted the State's Constitution in the village on April 20, 1777. The first governor was inaugurated here on July 30, 1777.
In September of 1777, John Jay and other leading patriots met in a stone house in Kingston to declare the province a sovereign state and establish the first
New York State Senate (The Senate House, 296
Fair Street, Kingston, New York 12401; 845-338-2786). In a nearby building, the first State Assembly met. Kingston became New York State's first capital.
Hurley, New York — Town Hall, 10 Wamsley Place, P O Box 569, Hurley, New York 12443;
845-331-7474; Fax: 845-331-0058. Web: http://www.town.hurley.ny.us. In October, November, and December of 1777,
Old Hurley was the military headquarters for General George Clinton's Continental forces and the temporary capital of New York State.
Poughkeepsie, New York — City Hall, 62 Civic Center Plaza, First Floor, Poughkeepsie, New York; 845-451-4200. Web: http://www.cityofpoughkeepsie.com.
State capital from 1777 to 1783. The courthouse on Market Street in the heart of downtown Poughkeepsie is where New York ratified the U.S. Constitution in 1788.
Albany, New York — New York State Capitol, Empire State Plaza, Albany, New York 12242; 518-474-2418. Became the capital of New York on January 1, 1797.
State Songs (and NYC songs)
New York, New York; New York State of Mind; New York, New York; I Love New York; Autumn in New York;
Empire State of Mind; The Only Living Boy in New York; Native New Yorker; New
York, I Love You But You're Bringing Me Down; New York City Cops; Fairytale of
New York; I Guess the Lord Must Be in New York; New York Mining Disaster 1941.
Other songs: Rockaway Beach; Coney Island Baby; South Bronx
State Specials
New York was the first state to preserve an historic site (Washington's Headquarters at Newburgh); establish a state park (Niagara Reservation); and
declare land forever wild (the Adirondack and Catskill forest preserves) in the State Constitution.
New York was the first state to require license plates on automobiles.
In New York, it is against the law to
throw a ball at someone's head for fun.
In New York, the legal penalty for jumping off a building is death.
