在我家阳台拍摄，日期是2006年01月30日，春节期间吧。

• Alabama
  In 2002, The phrase “Stars Fell on Alabama” was added to Alabama’s license plates and the familiar “Heart of Dixie” emblem reduced to a much smaller size. (A 1951 law requires Alabama license plates to display the words “Heart of Dixie” within a conventionalized heart shape.)
• Alaska
  Alaska is called “The Last Frontier”, because of its opportunities and many lightly settled regions, and the “Land of the Midnight Sun”, because the sun shines nearly around the clock during Alaskan summers.
• Arizona
  Arizona’s most famous nickname “The Grand Canyon State” celebrates its most famous natural feature, the Grand Canyon. Arizona’s other nickname “Copper State” celebrates its fabulous mineral wealth.
• Arkansas
  Officially known as “The Natural State”, Arkansas is known throughout the country for its natural beauty, clear lakes and streams and abundance of natural wildlife.
• Connecticut
  Connecticut was designated the “Constitution State” by the General Assembly in 1959. As early as the 19th Century, John Fiske, a popular historian from Connecticut, made the claim that the Fundamental Orders of 1638/39 were the first written constitution in history.
• Delaware
  “The First State”: Delaware is known by this nickname due to the fact that on December 7, 1787, it became the first of the 13 original states to ratify the U.S. Constitution.
• Florida
  “Sunshine State” was adopted as the State Nickname by the 1970 Legislature. Previously, official sanction for this nickname could be inferred from the law requiring use of Sunshine State on motor vehicle licenses.”
• Georgia
  Georgia is known as the “Peach State” because of the growers’ reputation for producing the highest quality fruit. The peach became the official state fruit in 1995.
• Hawaii
  Hawaii became officially known as the “Aloha State” by a 1959 legislative act. Haw. Rev. Stat. 5-7
• Illinois
  Abraham Lincoln, the sixteenth president of the United States, is recognized for his noble vision, statesmanship, humanity, and political skill. He is one of the country’s most enduring symbols of democracy. The slogan “Land of Lincoln” certainly describes Illinois well.
• Michigan
  Another nickname for Michigan is the “Great Lake State.” Michigan’s shores touch four of the five Great Lakes, and Michigan has more than 11,000 inland lakes. In Michigan, you are never more than 6 miles from an inland lake or more than 85 miles from a Great Lake. From 1969 to 1975 and from 1977 to 1983 Michigan’s automobile license plates featured the legend, GREAT LAKE STATE.
• Minnesota
  Minnesota is known on its license plates as the “Land of 10,000 Lakes,” but Minnesota actually has 12,000 lakes.
• Mississippi
  The “Magnolia State” is named because of the abundance of magnolia flowers and trees in the state. The magnolia is the official state flower and the official state tree.
• Missouri
  “Show Me State” A name attributed to Representative Willard Van Diver. It conotates a certain self-deprecating stubbornness and devotion to simple common sense.
• Nevada
  Called the “Silver State” because of its large silver mine industries. Named as the “Sage State” and the “Sagebrush State” for the wild sage that grows there prolifically.
• New Mexico
  The words “Land of Enchantment” adorns automobile license plates and is used frequently in state publications to promote tourism.
• New York
  New York acquired its nickname “Empire State” to recognize its vast wealth and variety of resources.

车牌对许多人来说只是个数字的标志，而美国的车牌却别具一格。美国的车牌是由各州政府发放的，为突出其特色，各州都用本州的象征性图案或宣传词来装饰车牌，以此来表达对自己家乡的热爱，这使人们有机会在方寸之间一览美国50个州的历史文化和风土人情。

牛仔、柑橘都能当图案
美国最早的车牌只有数字，没有图案和宣传词。直到1928年，爱达荷州首开先河，把当地盛产的土豆突出地印在该州的车牌上，并自豪地加注：“闻名于世的土豆”。之后，美国其他各州也纷纷效仿，形成了现在的局面。
美国车牌中的经典之作要算怀俄明州的车牌了。怀俄明州位于美国西部，是代表着美国开拓、奔放、热血精神的牛仔的故乡。由奥斯卡最佳导演李安所执导的电影《断背山》就是以该州为背景。怀俄明州还有世界上第一座国家自然公园黄石公园。在该州的车牌上，黄石公园的美景衬托着豪放不羁的牛仔，风味十足。
南达科他州的拉什莫尔山上雕刻着为美国的独立和发展作出杰出贡献的4位总统的头像。该州的车牌以这独特的一景为标志，看到南达科他州的车牌就会使人想起美国第一任总统华盛顿、《独立宣言》的起草者杰斐逊、奠定20世纪美国基础的罗斯福和领导解放黑奴的林肯。
纽约州最引以为自豪的就是纽约市。早在上个世纪初，人们就把纽约市称为“大苹果”，因为它是世界权力和金钱的象征。纽约州的车牌以纽约市的摩天大楼和著名的尼亚加拉大瀑布为背景。
俄亥俄州和北卡罗来纳州的车牌要凑到一起看才有趣。俄亥俄州的车牌以初升的太阳为背景，标语是：“航空的发祥地”，因为俄亥俄州是发明第一架航空飞行器的怀特兄弟的出生地。而北卡罗来纳州的车牌则以怀特兄弟当年发明的第一架航空飞行器的图案为背景，口号是：“第一次飞行”，因为怀特兄弟1903年是在北卡罗来纳州首次试飞成功的。
美国其他的州都各有自己的独特之处。佛蒙特州自称“绿山之州”，其车牌以鲜艳的绿色为底；缅因州的车牌以松枝和小鸟突显其“度假胜地”的特色；看到高大的仙人掌就知道那一定是亚利桑那州的车牌。佛罗里达州盛产柑橘，佛州的车牌中心就是橙色的柑橘。

车牌也能发泄不满
美国人也没有忘记用车牌来表达自己的不满。华盛顿特区因地缘关系，在国会中没有代表自己特区的议员，它的车牌上就写了一条标语：“没有代表的纳税人”。
美国一些州的车牌也颇具信息时代的特征。2000年，宾夕法尼亚州首次把该州官方网站的网址印到车牌上，随后马里兰等6个州也跟进。印第安纳州新车牌的图案设计则是公布在互联网上，由该州州民投票选出的。

特殊车牌内容必须健康
美国各州也发放一些特殊车牌。此类车牌可加注大学、机构、军队或组织的名称和标志，图案必须经州议会批准通过。特殊车牌也是州政府为一些公益组织筹款的方式，特殊车牌每年要交费，费率依各州规定而不同，收益用于赞助公益组织的项目。这类车牌中最典型的例子要数佛罗里达州为纪念“挑战者”号航天飞机发射而发放的特殊车牌，仅车牌这一项的筹款就高达3000万美元。为保护数量不断减少的大角麋鹿，新罕布什尔州发放过麋鹿车牌，车牌的左上角印着一只麋鹿，以此为该州的动物保护组织筹集资金。
也有一些州规定，车主可自行选择车牌号码或文字。州政府允许个人在标准车牌上选择具有特殊意义的内容，但文字必须健康，经政府部门批准，并支付额外费用。如宾夕法尼亚州的一位车主为纪念在“911”恐怖袭击中丧生的纽约市343名消防队员，把自己的车牌定为“343―NYC”。
一块6英寸宽、12英寸长的车牌承载着丰富多彩、饶有趣味的信息。难怪近些年来收藏旧车牌成了美国人的一种爱好，现在美国的车牌收藏协会已经拥有3000多名会员。