aTypical Joe: a gay New Yorker living in the rural South

Saturday, February 25, 2006

State dirt

While waiting (and waiting) for the doctor to call, I happened upon...

Rep. Bobby Franklin (R-Marietta), previously no fan of the General Assembly’s affinity for designating official symbols, filed legislation Thursday to name Georgia red clay the state’s official dirt.

“I grew up in Alabama and we always talked about Georgia clay,” Franklin said. “It’s known all over the world. We’ve got practically everything else under the sun listed.”

In all, Georgia has about 45 “official” things. In recent years, lawmakers have designated grits the official “prepared food,” the green tree frog the official state amphibian, and the big peanut off I-75 in Turner County the official state peanut monument.

Here’s the dirt bill.