Hoosier Trivia

During your stay at the Jasper INN hotel, you may be well served to know some of this Hoosier trivia.

Hoosier

The Word "Hoosier": For more than 150 years, natives and residents of Indiana have been called Hoosiers. It is one of the oldest of state nicknames and has a wider acceptance than most. True, there are Buckeyes of Ohio, the Suckers of Illinois and Tarheels of NC—none of these has the popular usage associated with Hoosier. But where did Hoosier come from? The nickname dates back to the 1830s and as soon as the nickname became part of the Indiana vernacular, speculation about its origin began. Here are popular theories:

When a visitor hailed a pioneer cabin in Indiana or knocked upon its door, the settler would respond, "Who's yere?" And from this frequent response Indiana became the "Who's yere" or Hoosier state. There is no explanation why this was more typical in Indiana than Illinois or Ohio.

Early Indiana river men were so successful in trouncing or "hushing" their adversaries while brawling that they became known as "hushers," and eventually Hoosiers.

There was once a contractor named Hoosier employed on the Louisville and Portland Canal who preferred to hire laborers from Indiana. They were called "Hoosier's men." Eventually any resident from Indiana was called a Hoosier.
A theory attributed to Gov. Joseph Wright derived Hoosier from an Indian word for corn, "hoosa." Indiana flatboat men taking corn or maize to New Orleans came to be known as "hoosa men" or Hoosiers. Unfortunately for this theory, a search of Indian vocabularies failed to reveal any such word for corn.

Quite as possible is a facetious explanation offered by "The Hoosier Poet," James Whitcomb Riley. He claimed that "Hoosier" originated in the pugnacious habits of our early settlers. They were enthusiastic/vicious fighters who gouged, scratched and bit off noses/ears. This was so common an occurrence a settler coming into a tavern the morning after a fight and seeing an ear on the floor would touch it with his toe and casually ask, "Whose ear?"

As Indiana writer Meredith Nicholson observed: "The origin of the term ‘Hoosier’ is not known with certainty. But certain it is that . . . Hoosiers bear their nickname proudly." Reproduced with permission from the Indiana Historical Bureau.

Indiana State Flag

The state banner was adopted by the 1917 Indiana General Assembly as part of the celebration of the state's 1916 centennial, after a competition sponsored by the Daughters of the American Revolution. The prize-winning design was submitted by Paul Hadley of Mooresville, Indiana, a respected Hoosier artist.The torch in the center stands for liberty and enlightenment; the rays represent their far-reaching influence. The official description in the Indiana Code explains the rest of the symbolism:"The field of the flag shall be blue with nineteen stars and a flaming torch in gold or buff. Thirteen stars shall be arranged in an outer circle, representing the thirteen original states; five stars shall be arranged in a half circle below the torch and inside the outer circle of stars, representing the states admitted prior to Indiana; and the nineteenth star, appreciably larger than the others and representing Indiana shall be placed above the flame of the torch."

Indiana State Seal

Versions of the pioneer scene have been used on Indiana seals since territorial days. They are found on official papers as early as 1801. Both the 1816 and 1851 Constitutions provided for a seal to be kept for "official purposes." The 1963 Indiana General Assembly gave legal sanction to the design.

Indiana State Flower

The peony (Paeonia) was adopted as the state flower by the 1957 Indiana General Assembly. From 1931 to 1957, the zinnia was the state flower. The peony blooms the last of May and early June in various shades of red and pink and also in white; it occurs in single and double forms. No particular variety or color was designated by the General Assembly.

Indiana State Tree

The tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera), also known as yellow poplar, was adopted by the 1931 Indiana General Assembly. The tree attains great height and can be found throughout the state. The leaf is distinctive (it appears in the border of the state seal), and the lovely, bell-shaped, greenish-yellow flowers appear in May or June. The soft white wood has many uses.

Indiana State Bird

The cardinal (Richmondena cardinalis) was adopted as the state bird by the 1933 Indiana General Assembly. The male is bright red; the female is brown with dull red crest, wings and tail. The birds remain in Indiana year-round and nest in thickets of brambles or low saplings. The eggs are bluish-white with brown markings.