WYOMING

State of Wyoming

ORIGIN OF STATE NAME: Derived from the Delaware Indian words maugh-wau-wa-ma, meaning "large plains." NICKNAMES: The Equality State and The Cowboy State. CAPITAL: Cheyenne. ENTERED UNION: 10 July 1890 (44th). SONG: "Wyoming." MOTTO: Equal Rights. FLAG: A blue field with a white inner border and a red outer border (symbolizing, respectively, the sky, purity, and the Indians) surrounds a bison with the state seal branded on its side. OFFICIAL SEAL: A female figure holding the banner "Equal Rights" stands on a pedestal between pillars topped by lamps symbolizing the light of knowledge; two male figures flank the pillars, on which are draped banners that proclaim "Livestock," "Grain," "Mines," and "Oil." At the bottom is a shield with an eagle, star, and Roman numerals XLIV, flanked by the dates 1869 and 1890. The whole is surrounded by the words "Great Seal of the State of Wyoming." ANIMAL: Bison. BIRD: Western meadowlark. FLOWER: Indian paintbrush. TREE: Cottonwood. GEM: Jade. LEGAL HOLIDAYS: New Year's Day, 1 January; Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., 3rd Monday in January; Presidents' Day, 3rd Monday in February; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Independence Day, 4 July; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Columbus Day, 2nd Monday in October; Election Day, 1st Tuesday after 1st Monday in November in even-numbered years; Veterans Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November; Christmas Day, 25 December. TIME: 5 am MST = noon GMT.