List of U.S. state fossils

Most states in the US have designated a state fossil, many during the 1980s. It is common to designate a fossilized species, rather than a single specimen or a category of fossils. State fossils are distinct from other state emblems like state dinosaurs, state stones, state minerals, state gemstones or state rocks and a state may designate one, a few, or all of those. For example, in Arizona, the state stone is turquoise and the state dinosaur is Sonorasaurus thompsoni yet the state fossil is petrified wood.

The two first states to designate a state fossil were Nebraska and North Dakota, both in 1967.

Seven states and the District of Columbia still lack an explicit state fossil:

Arkansas: still no state fossil in Arkansas, though the state designated Arkansaurus as its state dinosaur.^[1]
District of Columbia: Capitalsaurus is the state dinosaur of Washington D.C., but the District has not chosen a state fossil.
Florida: There is no state fossil in Florida, though agatised coral, which is a fossil, is the state stone.
Hawaii
Iowa: The crinoid was proposed in 2018.^[2]
Minnesota: The giant beaver was proposed in 2022.^[3]
New Hampshire: The American mastodon (Mammut americanum) was considered in 2015.^[4]
Texas: There is no state fossil though the state dinosaur is Sauroposeidon proteles.^[5]

^ "Arkansas State Fossil - Arkansaurus - While Arkansas does not officially have a state fossil it does have a state dinosaur". State Symbols, State Fossil. Fossilera. Retrieved August 31, 2024.
^ "Iowa to consider recognizing official state fossil". The Seattle Times. January 23, 2018.
^ "Giant Beaver swamps competition to be Minnesota state fossil". MPR News. October 13, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2022.
^ Carlson, Brady (January 6, 2015). "Granite Geek: Will The Mastodon Become New Hampshire's Official State Fossil?". New Hampshire Public Radio.
^ "Texas State Symbols". Texas State Legislature. Retrieved December 13, 2017.

[1] "Arkansas State Fossil - Arkansaurus - While Arkansas does not officially have a state fossil it does have a state dinosaur". State Symbols, State Fossil. Fossilera. Retrieved August 31, 2024.

[2] "Iowa to consider recognizing official state fossil". The Seattle Times. January 23, 2018.

[3] "Giant Beaver swamps competition to be Minnesota state fossil". MPR News. October 13, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2022.

[4] Carlson, Brady (January 6, 2015). "Granite Geek: Will The Mastodon Become New Hampshire's Official State Fossil?". New Hampshire Public Radio.

[5] "Texas State Symbols". Texas State Legislature. Retrieved December 13, 2017.

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