Connecticut State Motto

"The vines [on the State Seal] symbolize the Colony brought over and planted here in the wilderness. We read in the 80th Psalm: 'Thou has brought a vine out of Egypt: Thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it':--In Latin, 'Vineam de AEgypto transtulisti, Ejicisti gentes et Plantasti eam'; and the (...) [ Connecticut state motto ] expresses our belief that He who brought over the vine continues to take care of it--Qui transtulit sustinet."

Connecticut State Nicknames

Whereas there is only one Connecticut state motto, there exist a number of state nicknames for Connecticut:

"The Constitution State" (Official)
This is the official Connecticut nickname that was designated by the General Assembly in 1959.

"The Blue Law State"
Blue Laws were guidelines with the purpose of controlling public morality. They were set down by the first government of New Haven Plantation.

The reference to the colour blue stems from the rumour that the laws were either written on blue pages or bound in blue books.

"The Land of Steady Habits"
This is another one of the Connecticut state nicknames with reference to proper conduct. It arose as a result of efforts to raise a high level of moral consciousness in Connecticut.

"The Nutmeg State"
The origin of this Connecticut nickname is somewhat unclear and several stories have made an attempt to explain meaning behind "The Nutmeg State":
1) One legend goes that some immoral people from Connecticut cheated buyers by selling them wooden nutmegs.
2) Another story that indirectly takes the people from Connecticut in defence, states that the buyers didn't know that the seed must be ground to make the spice.

"The Brownstone State"
Brownstone, which was used for building houses and various other buildings, was once in such plenty supply in Connecticut that in the 1800s a total of 25 ships operated to transport stones down the Connecticut River to Boston, Philadelphia, San Francisco, New York, and even as far as London.