12/Maryland Manual

STATE INSECT. The Baltimore Checkerspoc
Butterfly (Euphydryas phaeton) is the official
arthropodic emblem of the State (Chapter 253,
Acts of 1973; Code Stare Government Article, sec.
13-301(a)).

STATE SONG. The nine-stanza poem,
"Maryland, My Maryland," was written by James
Ryder Randall in 1861. A native of Maryland,
Randall was teaching in Louisiana in the early days
of the Civil War, and he was outraged at the news
of Union troops being marched through Baltimore.
The poem articulated Randall's Confederate sym-
pathies. Set to the traditional tune of "Lauriger
Horatius" ("O, Tannenbaum"), the song achieved
wide popularity in Maryland and throughout the
South. "Maryland, My Maryland" was adopted as
the State song in 1939 (Chapter 451, Acts of 1939;
Code State Government Article, sec. 13-307).

STATE SPORT. The equestrian sport of jousting
is the official sport of Maryland (Chapter 134, Acts
of 1962; Code State Government Article, sec. 13-
308).

STATE TREE. Maryland has chosen for its tree the
White Oak (Quercus alba). The magnificent
specimen represented here is known as the Wye
Oak, located at Wye Mills on the Eastern Shore. It
is owned by the State (Chapter 731, Acts of 1941;
Code State Government Article, sec. 13-310).