The 50-State Been There Or Done it Thread

[Bear Up North]

The man who designed the 50-star U.S. flag was in the news awhile back. He was the former mayor of Napoleon, OH. He happened to be the person who did the official marriage ceremony for me and my wife, in his office filled with pictures of presidents, actors, politicians, etc. The 50-star flag got me thinking about our 50 states. And an attempt at a Cyburbia "fun" thread.....

Let's see if we can get 49 more responses to this thread....each response making a reference to a state that has not been mentioned. Let's try for just one (1) response per state.

Your response can be a fun fact or facts about the state. It can be a photo or more. Your response can be a memory of an event that you were involved in while in that state.....good or bad.

If you have to respond to a wrong fact or a "dissin" of a favorite state, you can do that and it won't count....unless you then include another state in your comments.

For our friends to the north.....what with their provinces.....go ahead and jump in with info (etc.) about your Canadian province....ehhhhh?

I will begin by ignoring my home state (OH) and my favorite state (MI).....leaving those two (2) to others. My pick will be the state I feel that would be the last one (1) picked....so I will pick it first......North Dakota.

I have been to ND a few times. I strongly recall the rolling plains, with the straight roads going on "forever". When you see trees off in the distance you know you are approaching a town, because the trees will be planted by settlers.

I recall the tall State Capitol Building.....kind of unusual.

And I remember the missle bases and air force bases.....scattered throughout the state......strange and scary reminders of the "cold war" and our defenses against a Soviet missle attack.

Fact: Fargo, ND, is always on "best places" to live lists. Vibrant little town (with Morehead, MN across the river) with nice friendly folks, clean neighborhoods, low crime. Very cold winters and very hot summers. (Probably much akin to the Canadian provinces to the north of the U.S. great plains.)

Call me crazy, but ND is a place I could live.

Crazy Bear

 

[Tranplanner]

Nova Scotia - home of Garrison Brewing Co.

I'll always remember Mrs. Tranplanner almost killing us on our honeymoon as we drove round a bend and almost ran into the back of a car in front of us that was stopped to make a left turn.

That and the awesome seafood!

 

[biscuit]

Contrary to what the Yankees surrounding me may have learned back in school, there is no state by the name of Carolina. I am not from Carolina. I am from South Carolina. And neither I, nor the vast majority of people from there live in Myrtle Beach.

A fun nerd fact: Greenville County, SC has the highest number of engineers per capita in the United States. Sounds like a place urban planners would love… right? ;-)

 

[mendelman]

Ohio

Having relatives that live in Metro Cleveland and going there at least twice a year for most of my childhood, there is an interesting feature of Ohio that intrigues me:

You know how Ohio is infamous for flat boringness, well my experience is certainly different. There is an interesting east/west dividing line (at least in northern Ohio) at about Elyria, OH where the flat boringness of northwestern Ohio gives way as the hilly ridges and significant stone outcroppings of northeastern Ohio emerge.

 

[GeogPlanner]

NH - fun without helmets

There is no seatbelt or helmet law pertaining to adults. Kids still have to wear 'em. Live free or die!

 

[SlaveToTheGrind]

Minnesota

Land of 10,000 lakes. In 6th grade Minnesota History, we learned there are actually 14,000 lakes. Guess 10,000 sounds better. I do miss Minnesota and could move there if I had to.

 

[B'lieve]

I've always wondered whatever happened to the Hon-man. This had the most information I could find (on the left-hand column). The Power of Google wasn't enough this time :-( . On a more general note, I love how such a small state can hold so many surprises, most of them good. Like Robert E. Lee Park. Whatever you think of its namesake or his (long-dead) cause, the park itself is a gem I only recently discovered. Makes me want to bring friends just to see it, it's that nice.

On still another note, Aus isn't the only place I've heard called the Land of Oz. :-D An even more fitting nickname than the "America in Miniature" thing, I say

 

[jmf]

Nl

I'll cover this one since I am not sure that I know of anyone else on the board has been here.

The province of Newfoundland AND Labrador. I have been to both parts.

Without question the best part of living/visiting Newfoundland was kayaking near a bird sanctuary with thousands of terns and puffins etc with whales breeching nearby.

I spent a winter in Labrador and during my time there went in the komatic of a dog sled for a ride it was incredible. If you ever have the chance I would highly recommend it!

 

[el Guapo]

Kansas

Kansas is the Home of:

John Steuart Curry, (1897-1946) and...

Arelen Spector - US Senator from Pennsylvania
Bob Dole - Former US Senate and VP and Presidential Candidate
Buster Keaton - Actor
Carrie Nation - Temperance Zealot
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff - Gen. Richard B. Myers. USAF
Charles "Buddy" Rogers - Actor
Charles Curtis – PBS Investigative Reports
Clyde Tombaugh - Astronomer, discovered Pluto in 1930
Don Johnson - Actor
Edward Asner - Actor
Emmett Kelly - Circus clown
Fay Tincher - Actor
Georgia Neese Clark Gray - First woman treasurer of the United States
George Washinton Carver - Inventor and so much more
Glenn Cunningham - Track
Henry Block - Founder of H & R Block
Hugh Beaumont - The Beaver's Dad
Jack Kilby - Invention of the microchip - some 40 years ago
Jess Willard - Boxing
Jim Colbert – Golf’s Senior Tour
Jim Ryun - Track
Joe Engle - Astronaut
John Cameron Swayze - Actor
John Riggins Football
Kirsty Alley - Ditzy no-class actress
Lyle Waggoner - Actor
Lynette Woodard - Basketball
Lynn Dickey - Football
Mabel Chase - First woman county sheriff in United States
Marj Dusay - Actor
Marlin Fitzwater - President Reagan's Chief of Staff
Mike Love - Member of the Beach Boys
Milburn Stone - Actor
Nancy L. Kassebaum - Former United States senator
President and Supreme Commander of US Forces in WWII - Dwight Eisenhower
Ron Evans - Astronaut
Shirley Knight - Actor
Sidney Toler - Actor
Steve Hawley - Astronaut (Sallie Ride’s ex-Husband)
Gordon Jump - The Maytag Repairman
Tom Watson - Golf
Vera Miles - Actor
Vivian Vance - Actor
Walter Johnson - Baseball
Walter P. Chrysler - Founder of Chrysler Corporation

Kansas was the site of upwards of 30,000 civilain deaths during the Civil War inflicted by Missouri border ruffians.

There are more airplanes built in Kansas than in the rest of the world combined.

Home of the world's largest free standing concrete gopher.

 

[Downtown]

New York

New York is the birth place of not only 4 presidents (VanBuren, Fillmore and the 2 Roosevelts), but also Uncle Sam:

"Many people don't know that Uncle Sam was an actual guy. His real name was Samuel Wilson, born in Troy, NY in 1766. He was a meatpacker during the War of 1812 and the supposed inspiration for the Uncle Sam character. He died in 1854. Troy calls itself the "Home of Uncle Sam," memorialized by a statue at River and 3rd Streets downtown. His grave in Oakwood Cemetery, north of Troy, is diligently maintained by the local Boy Scout council, who raise the American flag over it each day. "

 

[BKM]

California is now the home of America's first non-native U.S. President

 

[Floridays]

Oklahoma
After spending most of my life in this state and as a bona fide OU alumni, I'll share some stuff about the Sooner State.

No, I have never experienced a tornado. However, Oklahoma reported the highest number of tornadoes (per 10,000 sq. miles) of any other state between 1961-1990. Surprisingly, it did not have the most fatalities....MS takes the prize on that one.

The official state food is Chicken Fried Steak (grease with gravy). Yum!!!

OK has more man-made lakes (200) than any other state and 2,000 more miles of shoreline than the Atlantic & Gulf coasts combined.

Who says it's flat? OK has the highest HILL in the world, Mount Cavanal, at 1,999 ft. Let's go skiing!

Oklahoma inventions: the aerosol can :-\ , parking meter | and the shopping cart.

The state capitol in OKC is the only capitol in the world with an oil well under it.

Some Famous Okies: Gene Autry, Johnny Bench, Garth Brooks, James Garner, Paul Harvey, Mickey Mantle, Reba McEntrie, Wiley Post, Will Rogers, Jim Thorpe,
Barry Switzer, Alan Jackson

As they say...I'm Sooner Born and Sooner Bred and When I Die I'm Sooner Dead!

 

[Seabishop]

Some facts about the lovely STATE OF RHODE ISLAND AND PROVIDENCE PLANTATIONS

1. Rhode Island is the smallest state in size in the United States. It covers an area of 1,214 square miles. Its distances North to South are 48 miles and East to West 37 miles.

2. Rhode Island was the last of the original thirteen colonies to become a state.

3. Rhode Island shares a state water border with New York.

4. Rhode Island never ratified the 18th Amendment prohibition.

5. Judge Darius Baker imposed the first jail sentence for speeding in an automobile on August 28, 1904 in Newport.

6. Polo was played for the first time in the United States in 1876 near Newport.

7. Rhode Island has no county government. It is divided into 39 municipalities each having its own form of local government.

8. The first circus in the United States was in Newport in 1774.

9. Ann and Hope was the first discount department store in the United States the property was opened in Rhode Island.

10. Rhode Island is home to the Tennis Hall of Fame.

11. Rhode Island's official state name is Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.

12. The world's largest bug is on the roof of New England Pest Control in Providence. It's a big blue termite, 58 feet long and 928 times actual termite size.

13. Rhode Islanders were the first to take military action against England by sinking one of her ships in the Narragansett Bay located between Newport and Providence. The English ship was called "The Gaspee".

14. Roger Williams, founder of Rhode Island, established the first practical working model of Democracy after he was banished from Plymouth, Massachusetts because of his "extreme views" concerning freedom of speech and religion.

15. The era know as The Industrial Revolution started in Rhode Island with the development and construction in 1790 of Samuel Slater's water-powered cotton mill in Pawtucket.

16. The first British troops sent from England to squash the revolution landed in Newport.

17. Settled in 1642 Pawtuxet Village in Warwick lays claim to being New England’s oldest village.

18. The Redwood Library and Athenaeum in Newport is the United States' oldest library building.

19. Since 1785 Bristol has the longest running, unbroken series of 4th of July Independence Day observances in the country.

20. Pelham Street in Newport was the first street in the country to use gas-illuminated streetlights.

21. The Quonset hut was invented at Quonset Point a key naval reserve base.

22. Jerimoth Hill is the state's highest point at 812 feet above sea level.

 

[Cardinal]

Kansas is the Home of:

John Steuart Curry, (1897-1946) and...

I love his work. I passed on an opportunity to buy one of his oil paintings a few years ago and still kick myself for it.

 

[otterpop]

Montana

Birthplace of Chet Huntley, Gary Cooper, Myrna Loy, Pulitzer Prize winning author A.B Guthrie, Patrick Duffy and Dana Carvey.

Contrary to popular belief, we do have a speed limit. 75 m.p.h.

The population now is actually lower than it was in the 1920s, when it was over one million.

Geographically Montana is to the right of Idaho, but not politically.

 

[giff57]

Kansas is the Home of:

John Steuart Curry, (1897-1946) and...

I see your John Steuart Curry, and raise with a Grant Wood

 

[JNA]

Just a bit OT

You have a chance to shape Crayola history...
Crayola Crayons have been named after all kinds of things, from animals to oceans and fruits to flowers. But there haven't been crayons named for the states—until now! Make your mark on Crayola history by naming a color for your state!

Choose a crayon and name it with pride...
Select the shade that best suits your state, then give your state crayon a noteworthy name. Base it on a famous figure or landmark, a geographic feature, or any other state symbol.

See your state color in a special box of crayons!
The most clever name will be chosen for each state and made into a special Crayola State Crayon. These 50 crayons will join 14 patriotic colors in a limited-edition 64-count Box of Crayola Crayons.

http://www.crayola.com/state/

 

[Mud Princess]

Vermont

Apparently, there are no Cyburbanites from the great state of Vermont, so I will take this one on. Some facts about Vermont:

Vermont is the second largest state in New England after Maine.

Vermont is one of a handful of states that do not allow billboard advertising.

Vermont has the highest ratio of dairy cows to people in the country.

Vermont was the first state to outlaw slavery and to abolish the requirement that voters must be property owners in order to vote, both in 1777.

Vermont has no professional sports teams.

Vermont's state bird is the Hermit Thrush, which (in my opinion) has the most beautiful song in North America.

The state tree is the Sugar Maple... of course.

 

[Zoning Goddess]

Florida

Florida is the birthplace of Zoning Goddess.

 

[JNA]

New Jersey Lighthouse "Firsts"

1823 The Sandy Hook Lightship becomes the first outside lightship in the United States.
1841 Navesink Twin Lights becomes the first lighthouse in the New World to be equipped with a Fresnel lens.
1850 The Brandywine Shoal Lighthouse the first completed lighthouse in the country built on a screwpile foundation.
1868 Sandy Hook East Beacon becomes the first lighthouse in the country to be equipped with a steam driven fog siren.
1883 Navesink Twin Lights becomes the intial first-order lighthouse to use mineral oil (kerosene) for fuel.
1889 The Sandy Hook Lighthouse becomes the first lighthouse in the U.S. to use the incandescent lamp.
1898 Navesink Twin Lights becomes the first lighthouse in the nation to be equipped with a hyper-radial lens. It was also the most powerful lighthouse in the nation at this time.
1899 The first wireless messages to be sent and received in the U.S. were exchanged between operators aboard the S.S. Ponce and Twin Lights.
1903 Compressed acetylene disolved in acetone was first used as fuel at the Sandy Hook South Beacon and Jones Rock Beacon, Connecticut.
1921 The Sea Girt Lighthouse and Ambrose Lightship became the first stations to use a radio fog beacon. A device was also installed aboard the Fire Island Lightship.
1934 The first lighthouse in the country to be illuminated by a sodium vapor lamp is the Cape May Lighthouse.

http://www.njlhs.burlco.org/

 

[michaelskis]

February 1, 1967 Michigan becomes the first state to have a border-to-border interstate freeway.
February 16, 1935 Sonny Bono is born in Detroit.
February 21, 1905 The National Ski Association is organized in Ishpeming.
March 20, 1948 U of M becomes the first NCAA hockey champs.
March 22, 1954 The country's first regional shopping mall opens in Southfield.
March 24, 1936 The Red Wings play the longest Stanley Cup game in history.
April 20, 1909 The nation's first mile of concrete highway is laid.
May 17, 1673 Father Marquette and and Louis Jolliet head west.
June 15, 1836 Congress proposes an end to the Michigan/Ohio boundary issue. (MI gets the UP!)
July 6, 1854 Michiganians gather in Jackson and form the national Republican party
September 2, 1902 Detroit suffers its first automobile fatality
September 16, 1908 General Motors is chartered.
October 12, 1973 Gerald R. Ford is nominated to the vice presidency.
October 25, 1889 The Peninsulas are linked.
November 10, 1975 The Edmund Fitzgerald sinks.
November 14, 1914 The first Dodge is produced
December 20, 1791 Detroit becomes part of Canada
December 21, 1966 Michigan builds its 10,000th bridge.

 

[jestes]

Mississippi

In spite of the "good natured" ribbing of my home state, Mississippi is well noted in several areas. Here are a few:

Famous Mississippians
James Earl Jones
Oprah Winfrey
John Grisham
Leontyne Price
Tennessee Williams
Lance Bass
Morgan Freeman
Elvis Presley
LeAnn Rimes
Jimmy Buffett
B.B. King
Walter Anderson
Brett Favre
Diane Ladd
Deacon Jones
Sela Ward
George Ohr
William Faulkner
Eudora Welty
Bob Pittman - MTV Creator

In addition to the above, a ton of movies have been made in Mississippi including:
A Time to Kill
Oh Brother Where Art Thou
My Dog Skip

Other interesting stuff:
Oreck Vacuums are made exclusively in Mississippi
The company that makes Icees is located in Mississippi
More furniture in manufactured in Mississippi than any other state
The Flexible Flyer snow sled is made exclusively in Mississippi
Peavy Electronics is headquartered in Meridian Mississippi
The International Checkers Hall of Fame is located in Petal, Mississippi
The rubber core of every baseball used in the major leagues is made in Batesville, Mississippi
Mississippi is the birthplace of the PTA
The teddy bear originated in Mississippi
Mississippi is the 3rd largest gaming state behind Nevada and New Jersey
A Mississippian performed the world's first kidney transplant
Mississippi has over 90,000 miles of fiber optics
Mississippi is ranked third in the nation in supercomputing power
The first true rock and roll record ever recorded, "Rockett 88" was recorded by a Mississippian in Mississippi
Four members of 3 Doors Down are from Mississippi

As evidenced above, Mississippi has contributed more than its fair share to our nation's culture, science, and technology. I always smile when people criticize our state (it certainly does have its problems), I and the rest of us from Mississippi know what has been accomplished here.

 

[giff57]

Ripley's Believe It or Not has dubbed Burlington's Snake Alley the most crooked street in the world.

Strawberry Point is the home of the world's largest strawberry.

The state's smallest city park is situated in the middle of the road in Hiteman.

Scranton is home to Iowa's oldest water tower still in service.

Dubuque is the state's oldest city.

Crystal Lake is home to a statue of the world's largest bullhead fish.

Rathbun Dam and Reservoir is the largest body of water in the state.

Spirit Lake is the largest glacier-made lake in the state.

West Okoboji is the deepest natural lake in the state. Its depth is 136 feet.

Imes Bridge is the oldest of Madison County's six bridges.

Iowa's longest and highest bridge crosses Lake Red Rock.

Elk Horn in the largest Danish settlement in the United States.

At 16 miles, East Okoboji is the longest natural lake in the state.

Kalona is the largest Amish community west of the Mississippi River.

The state's lowest elevation point (at 480 feet) is in Lee County.

The Holliwell Bridge is the longest bridge in Madison County.

Francis Drake was 66 years old at his inauguration and Iowa's oldest governor.

Iowa's oldest continually running theater is in Story City.

The Cedar Rapids Museum of Art houses the largest collection of Grant Wood artwork.

Fenlon Place Elevator in Dubuque is the world's steepest and shortest railway.

Wright County has the highest percentage of grade-A topsoil in the nation.

Quaker Oats, in Cedar Rapids, is the largest cereal company in the world.

The Saint Francis Xavier Basilica in Dyersville is the only basilica in the United States situated outside a major metropolitan area.

Clarion is the only county seat in the exact center of the county.

Dubuque is home to the only county courthouse with a gold dome.

Cornell College is the only school in the nation to have its entire campus listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Sergeant Floyd Monument in Sioux City honors the only man to die during the Lewis and Clark expedition.

Maynard Reece is the only artist to win the Federal Duck Stamp competition five times.

A bronze life-sized sculpture of a Norwegian immigrant family (circa 1860) is located on a six acre restored prairie site located at the east entry to Lake Mills on Highway 105.

Iowa's only operating antique carousel is located in the city of Story City.

Knoxville's National Sprint Car Hall of Fame and Museum is the only museum in the country dedicated to preserving the history of sprint car racing.

Iowa's only fire tower is situated in Yellow River State Forest.

Sabula is Iowa's only town on an island.

Herbert Hoover, a West Branch native, was the 31st president of the United States and the first one born west of the Mississippi.

Mamie Doud Eisenhower's birthplace is located in Boone and includes a restored frame house, complete with summer kitchen and original furniture from the family.

Van Meter is the hometown of baseball's Bob Feller, an Iowa farm boy who went on to greatness with the Cleveland Indians during the Golden Age of baseball.

Born Donnabelle Mullenger in Denison, Oscar Award-winning actress, Donna Reed, started her career at the young age of 16.

Born Marion Robert Morrison in Winterset, John Wayne was the son of a pharmacist and grew up to become one of Hollywood's most popular movie stars.

Meredith Willson, who played with the famous John Philip Sousa and the New York Philharmonic before launching his career as a famous composer and lyricist, is a Mason City native.

Glenn Miller, noted trombonist and orchestra leader, was born in Clarinda located in Southwest Iowa.

The town of Fort Atkinson was the site of the only fort ever built by the U.S. government to protect one Indian tribe from another.

Campers and motor homes are manufactured in Winnebago County. They're called Winnebago's.

Iowa is the only state whose east and west borders are 100% formed by water.
Missouri and Mississippi rivers.

The highest double track railroad bridge in the world, the Kate Shelley Bridge, is located at Boone.

Iowa is the only state name that starts with two vowels.

The famous actor John Wayne was born in Winterset on May 26, 1907.

Iowa State University is the oldest land grant college in the U.S.A.

Decorah hosts Nordic Fest a three-day celebration of Decorah's Scandinavian heritage.

The National Balloon Museum in Indianola chronicles more than 200 years of ballooning history.

Sheldon High School Summer Theatre, the only high school repertory in Iowa and one of just a few in the nation presents a different play for each week in June and July.

 

[giff57]

As for famous Iowans, I'll just send you here .

 

[Maister]

Kansas is the Home of:

Gordon Jump - The Maytag Repairman

Say, I think I recognize that name from elsewhere...didn't he play the incompetent boss, Mr. Carlson on WKRP in Cincinatti? If so, Kansas' stock just jumped 10 points

 

[NHPlanner]

The Granite State

Of the thirteen original colonies, New Hampshire was the first to declare its independence from Mother England -- a full six months before the Declaration of Independence was signed.

The highest wind speed recorded at ground level is at Mt. Washington, on April 12, 1934. The winds were three times as fast as those in most hurricanes.

New Hampshire is the only state that ever played host at the formal conclusion of a foreign war. In 1905, Portsmouth was the scene of the treaty ending the Russo-Japanese War.

The first potato planted in the United States was at Londonderry Common Field in 1719. (Take that Idaho and Maine! ;-) )

Alan Bartlett Shepard Jr., the first American to travel in space is from East Derry, New Hampshire.

In 1833 the first free public library in the United States was established in Peterborough.

In the town of Warner the last passenger train stopped on November 4, 1955, and the last freight in 1961. Since then the tracks through town were torn up and sold as scrap iron.

New Hampshire adopted the first legal lottery in the twentieth century United States in 1963.

Cornish Hill Pottery Company handcrafts functional stoneware decorated in the traditions of Early American and European potters with a method known as "slip trailing". The slip is a creamy mixture of clay and water and is applied to moist, almost hardened pots by hand. The slip contains various colorants, including natural clay colors and metals.

New Hampshire's present constitution was adopted in 1784; it is the second oldest in the country.

On December 30, 1828, about 400 mill girls walked out of the Dover Cotton Factory enacting the first women's strike in the United States. The Dover mill girls were forced to give in when the mill owners immediately began advertising for replacement workers.

Levi Hutchins of Concord invented the first alarm clock in 1787.

The Irish-born American sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens lived and worked in Cornish from 1885 until his death at age 59 in 1907.

The Mount Washington auto road at Great Glen is New Hampshire's oldest manmade tourist attraction.

In the fall of 1999, the Town of Newbury officially opened a B&M caboose as a visitor center at Bell Cove, Newbury Harbor.

Daniel Webster was a politician and statesman, born at Franklin in 1782. He was known in his day as a mighty orator, a reputation preserved in the Stephen Vincent Benet story The Devil and Daniel Webster, in which he beats the original lawyer, Lucifer, in a contract case over a man's soul.

New Hampshire's State House is the oldest state capitol in which a legislature still meets in its original chambers.

Alexandria was the birthplace of Luther C. Ladd, the first enlisted soldier to lose his life in the Civil War.

The very first motorized ascent of the Mount Washington auto road was by Feelan O. Stanley, of Stanley Steamer fame, in 1899.

Dover was settled in 1623. It is the oldest permanent settlement in New Hampshire.

The karner blue butterfly, lynx, bald eagle, short nose sturgeon, Sunapee trout, Atlantic salmon and dwarf wedge mussel are on the State's endangered species list.

The Enfield Shaker community was one of eighteen villages located from Maine to Kentucky and from Massachusetts to Ohio.

The quintessential New England community of Wolfeboro is known as "The Oldest Summer Resort in America".

Augustus Saint-Gaudens from Cornish was the first sculptor to design an American coin. His commission became fraught with difficulties related to Saint-Gaudens? desire for high relief relative to the demands of mass production and use.

America's Stonehenge is a 4000 year old megalithic (stone constructed) site located on Mystery Hill in Salem and presently serves as a leisurely, educational tour for the whole family.

The Pierce Manse in Concord is the home of the only New Hampshire citizen ever elected President. Franklin Pierce was a hero of the war with Mexico and the youngest President elected at that time.

The first free public library in the United States was established at Peterborough in 1833.

The Bavarian-style hamlet of Merrimack is home to the famous eight-horse hitch, and the Clydesdales maintained by the Anheuser-Busch Brewery.

Cannon Aerial Tramway is the first aerial passenger tramway in North America. It was built in 1938 at Franconia Notch.

In Holderness Captain Pierre Havre and his canine first mate, Bogie, have built a sailing tour around the locations from the Katherine Hepburn/Henry Fonda movie On Golden Pond.

The Christa McAuliffe Planetarium in Concord is a state-of-the art planetarium dedicated to the memory of New Hampshire teacher Christa McAuliffe, who died in the explosion of the space shuttle Challenger.

New Hampshire's state motto is "Live Free or Die". The motto comes from a statement written by the Revolutionary General John Stark, hero of the Battle of Bennington.

As leaders in the revolutionary cause, New Hampshire delegates received the honor of being the first to vote for the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.

New Hampshire has 10 counties, 13 municipalities, 221 towns and 22 unincorporated places.

Sarah Josepha Hale author and journalist who wrote the poem "Mary Had a Little Lamb" in 1830 is from Newport, New Hampshire.

The Belknap Mill built at Laconia in 1823 is the oldest unaltered brick knitting mill in America.

The Blue Ghost of Wolfeboro is the U.S. Mail Boat for Lake Winnipesaukee. It makes a daily 60-mile loop delivering mail to 30 stops at camps and islands around the lake.

At Stonyfield Farm in Londonderry you can learn how yogurt is made. From cow to incubator to cooler. They give away samples and you can buy some "moo"chandise.

New Hampshire did not officially adopt a state flag until 1909. Prior to that, New Hampshire had numerous regimental flags to represent the state. The present flag has only been changed once, in 1931 when the state's seal was modified.

The USS Albacore was a prototype submarine built at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and commissioned in 1953. At the time she was the fastest submarine ever designed.

The first capital city of New Hampshire was in Exeter.

The granite profile "Old Man of the Mountain" was one of the most famous natural landmarks in the state. The Old Man's head measured 40 feet from chin to forehead and was made up of five ledges. Nature carved this profile thousands of years ago. The natural sculpture was 1,200 feet above Echo Lake.

Wallace D. Lovell built the Hampton River Bridge in 1900 called the "mile-long bridge". It was reputed to be the longest wooden bridge in the world.

Captain John Smith named New Hampshire after the town of Hampshire, England.

New Hampshire has a changeable climate, with wide variations in daily and seasonal temperatures. The variations are affected by proximity to the ocean, mountains, lakes or rivers. The state enjoys all four seasons. Summers are short and cool; winters are long and cold; fall is glorious with foliage. The weather station on Mount Washington has recorded some of the coldest temperatures and strongest winds in the continental United States.

New Castle is the smallest town in New Hampshire. It covers .8 square miles, or 512 acres. The town is composed of one large island and several smaller islands, and serves as a scenic residential and recreational community.

 

[cololi]

Fun facts about Utah:

Alta averages 500" of snow each ski season
Snowbird averages 500 " of snow each season
Brighton averages 500" of snow each season
Solitude averages 500" of snow each season
Powder Moutain averages 500" of snow each season

If you are willing to hike, you can ski year round in good years. Snowbird typically stays open until Memorial Day, and often extends to July 4th.

The rest really doesn't matter.

 

[ludes98]

The Grand Canyon State

There are disagreements over the origin of the word “Arizona.” There are four Indian versions of the word. “Arizuma” is an Aztec word meaning “silver bearing.” “Ali shonak” or “Ari-son” came from the Pima Indians and means “small spring.” “Aleh-zone” also means “small spring” from the Tohono O’odham Indians. However, it is known that a Spanish missionary first used the word in print during the 1750’s.

Organized as a territory in 1863, admitted to the Union in 1912, Arizona is one of the nation’s youngest states, yet it is a place that has been inhabited for nearly 12,000 years by people believed to have crossed over the Bering Strait.

The local paper (Arizona Republic) did a write up of the 10 most important people in Arizona history when our state celebrated its 90th:

*Carl Hayden - Congressman from 1912 to 1969!!! Helped bring Central Arizona Project (CAP) to fruition, which brings water to communities.
*Barry Goldwater - Mr. Arizona, Senator, Presidential Candidate
*George W.P. Hunt - Arizona's First Governor
*Ernest W. McFarland - Sponsor of the famous G.I. Bill of Rights, giving returning military access to college
*Charles Poston - Lobbied for territorial status
*Father Eusebio Kino - Founded 27 missions in S AZ, and N. Mexico. First relatively accurate maps of Arizona came out of his work.
*John Wesley Powell - Head of USGS in 1881, charted the Colorado river and the Grand Canyon...with one arm.
*Sandra Day O'Connor - Supreme Court Justice and Ms. Arizona
*James S. Douglas - Discovered/led Phelps Dodge to most of the large copper mines in Arizona
*John J. Rhodes - The first Republican elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Arizona. He stayed 30 years! He, Goldwater and Pennsylvania's Sen. Hugh Scott met privately with President Nixon in August 1974, advising him to resign.

FAST FACTS:

Nearly 57% of lands are owned by Government

Over half of ALL tribal lands in the US are in AZ.

Arizona is a right-to-work state. The law states no person shall be denied the opportunity to obtain or retain employment because of non-membership in a labor organization.

The saguaro cactus blossom is the official state flower. The white flower blooms on the tips of the saguaro cactus during May and June. The saguaro is the largest American cactus. The age of a saguaro cactus is determined by its height.

Petrified wood is the official state fossil. Most petrified wood comes from the Petrified Forest in northeastern Arizona. (Sadly, thieves have decimated this wonder of nature.)

The Palo verde is the official state tree. Its name means green stick and it blooms a brilliant yellow-gold in April or May. (Allergies sufferers unite!)

The cactus wren is the official state bird. It grows seven to eight inches long and likes to build nests in the protection of thorny desert plants like the arms of the giant saguaro cactus.

Turquoise is the official state gemstone. The blue-green stone has a somewhat waxy surface and can be found throughout the state.

The ringtail is the official state mammal. The ringtail is a small fox-like animal about two and one-half feet long and is a shy, nocturnal creature.

Arizona leads the nation in copper production, and Arizona's most abundant mineral.

The amount of copper on the roof of the Capitol building is equivalent to 4,800,000 pennies.

Arizona is home of the Grand Canyon National Park.

Arizona observes Mountain Standard Time on a year round basis. The one exception is the Navajo Nation, located in the northeast corner of the state, which observes the daylight savings time change.

The battleship USS Arizona was named in honor of the state. It was commissioned in 1913 and launched in 1915 from the Brooklyn Navy Yard. It was sunk in the attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941.

The Castilian and Burgundian flags of Spain, the Mexican flag, the Confederate flag, and the flag of the United States have all flown over the land area that has become Arizona.

In 1926, the Southern Pacific Railroad connected Arizona with the eastern states.

The geographic center of Arizona is 55 miles (89 kilometers) southeast of Prescott.

Bisbee, located in Tombstone Canyon, is known as the Queen of the Copper Mines. During its mining history the town was the largest city between Saint Louis and San Francisco.

The state's most popular natural wonders include the Grand Canyon, Havasu Canyon, Grand Canyon Caves, Lake Powell/Rainbow Bridge, Petrified Forest/Painted Desert, Monument Valley, Sunset Crater, Meteor Crater, Sedona Oak Creek Canyon, Salt River Canyon, Superstition Mountains, Picacho Peak State Park, Saguaro National Park, Chiricahua National Monument, and the Colorado River.

The original London Bridge was shipped stone-by-stone and reconstructed in Lake Havasu City.

The state's precipitation varies. At Flagstaff the annual average is 18.31 inches; Phoenix averages 7.64 inches; and Yuma's annual average is 3.27 inches.

The colors blue and gold are the official state colors.

Located in Fountain Hills is a fountain believed to be the tallest in the world.

Four Corners is noted as the spot in the United States where a person can stand in four states at the same time.

In 1939 architect Frank Lloyd Wright's studio, Taliesin West, was built near Phoenix.

Oraibi is the oldest Indian settlement in the United States. The Hopis Indians founded it.

Grand Canyon's Flaming Gorge got its name for its blazing red and orange colored, twelve-hundred-foot-high walls.

Grand Canyon's Marble Canyon got its name from its thousand-foot-thick seam of marble and for its walls eroded to a polished glass finish.

The world's largest solar telescope is located at Kitts Peak National Observatory in the city of Sells.

At one time camels were used to transport goods across Arizona.

A person from Arizona is called an Arizonan.

 

[the north omaha star]

I'll have to report for the Great State of Nebraska

-Became a State on March 1, 1867. The former Territory of Nebraska comprised was comprised of the present day states of Nebraska, South Dakota and North Dakota.
-The only state in the Union that has a unicameral legislature (1 house, the Senate).
-Has 93 counties, which Cherry County in the northwestern section of the state is bigger than the State of Rhode Island.
-Omaha is biggest city with nearly 400,000 residents. The Omaha MSA has more people than the State of Wyoming
-Carter Lake, IA practically in Omaha is on the Nebraska side of the river (A earthquake in Missouri, yes Missouri occurred in the late 1800s, cause the Missouri River to change course. As a result, the City of Carter Lake was now on the Nebraska side of the river as well as an oxbow lake called Carter Lake. The State of Iowa didn't want to lose residents, so Iowa and Nebraska developed an agreement.
- Omaha is the eastern terminus of the original Union Pacific Railroad.
-Nebraska Indian tribes own casinos in Iowa, because Nebraska State Law does not allow casino gambling.
-Arbor Day was founded in Nebraska City.
-Omaha is quite hilly, contrary to public belief.
-The City of Omaha is comprised of five former independent municipalities, Omaha, South Omaha, Florence, Dundee and Benson.
-The Henry Doorly Zoo is home to the largest aviary, artificial rain forest-like, and desert-like habitats
-The College World Series has been held at Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha for over 50 years.
Nebraska is home to the largest aquifer in the Western Hemisphere. The Ogallala Aquifer near Ogallala in western Nebraska extends southward to Texas.
-The University of Nebraska has had 3 Heisman Trophy winners: Johnny Rodgers, Mike Rozier and Eric Crouch
Famous Nebraskans
-William 'Buffalo Bill' Cody - North Platte
- Johnny Carson - Norfolk
-Bob Gibson, Hall of Fame Pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals - Omaha
-Gale Sayers, Hall of Fame Running Back, Chicago Bears - Omaha
-William Jennings Bryan, ran for President 3 times and lost each time in the late 1800s/early 1900s
-Bob Kerrey, former Governor, former Senator current 9/11 Commissioner who demands answers
-Tom Osborne, former Univ. of Nebraska head football coach - Hasting
-Marcus Garvey - Omaha
-Malcolm X - Omaha
-311- Omaha

 

[ebeech121]

"I'd be better off in a pine box, on a slow train back to Georgia"

Since Ohio has already been done (my birthplace), I shall do my current residence. Georgia! Admit it--you love the smell of sun-baked pinestraw in the afternoon.

The 10 Most Visited Tourist Attractions of Georgia:

Savannah Historic District
Underground Atlanta*
Stone Mountain*
Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site*
Six Flags*
Zoo Atlanta*
Brasstown Bald Mountain
Jekyll Island Historic District
Amicalola State Park
Atlanta Braves Games*

Source: Georgia Department of Industry, Trade, and Tourism
* = located in the ATL Metro Area.

I live in Henry County, which is SE 45 mins of ATL. It is currently (I think) # 3 in the nation for fastest-growing. When I moved here in 1994, it held the # 3 slot also.

What else is great about Georgia? Hmmm...Magnolia trees, wisteria, "Hey Y'all"'s, Stone Mountain Summer Laser Shows, access to beaches, the mountains, plain-ish areas...those are all great things.

Then there's the people. We can't drive too well, but we make up for it in speed. We may say your shoes are hideous, but we'll do it with a smile. And if you ask for "iced tea"...we'll get your head checked. It's not sweet iced tea. Just sweet tea.

We have only two seasons (and call them what you will) but they are Summer and Non-summer. Non-summer is that annoying two months when it's 30 degrees and rainy. :: shudders ::

And just for fun: http://home.hiwaay.net/~thargrav/atlanta.htm Driving in Atlanta

 

[Richmond Jake]

Idaho Facts

The Cataldo mission is the oldest building in the state.

American Falls is unique from most communities because the entire town was moved in the mid-1920s when the original American Falls Dam was constructed.

Rexburg is home to Ricks College, the largest private two-year college in the nation.

Elk River is the home of the Idaho Champion Western Red Cedar Tree, the largest tree in the state. Estimated to be over 3000 years old this giant is more than 18 feet in diameter and stands 177 feet tall.

Albertson College of Idaho in Caldwell was founded as the College of Idaho in 1891 and is the state's oldest four-year institution of higher learning.

Perched at 9,500 feet on Trinity Mountain is the highest fire lookout in the Boise National Forest.

In Idaho law forbids a citizen to give another citizen a box of candy that weighs more than 50 pounds.

The city of Grace in the Gem Valley is most famous for their certified seed potatoes.

Blackfoot is home of the Eastern Idaho State Fair.

The Dworshak Reservoir is over 50 miles long. The Dworshak Dam is in Orofino.

Grangeville is located in north central Idaho. The community is considered the getaway to five wilderness areas and four national forests totaling 5 1/2 million acres. The total is second only to Alaska in designated wilderness area.

In 1896 Council Valley shortened its name to Council.

The Lewis & Clark Highway (United State Highway 12) is the shortest route from the midwest to the Pacific Coast and the longest highway within a national forest in the nation.

The elevation of Cambridge is 2,650 feet above sea level with the surrounding mountains reaching elevations around 8000 feet and plummeting to around 1500 feet in Hells Canyon.

The economy of Idaho City originally developed around gold mining in the 1860s.

Heyburn, originally named Riverton, is the fourth oldest community in the Mini-Cassia area and the second frontier town to be settled in what is now the county of Minidoka.

Bruneau Dunes State Park contains North America's tallest single structured sand dune. It stands 470 feet high.

Bruneau Canyon Overlook offers a view into a 1,200 foot-deep, 800-foot-wide river canyon.

Downey's first mercantile store, the W. A. Hyde Co., was built in 1894.

The Kamiah Valley is rich in the heritage and legends of the Nez Perce. It was here, among the ancestors of the present day Nez Perce, the Appaloosa horse was first bred, primarily for use as a war animal.

In 1973, the Sawtooth Recreation Area opened its doors north of Ketchum, making the community the gateway to the Sawtooths.

On August 8, 1905, Kimberly auctioned city lots for prices ranging from $100 to $750.

Idaho's world famous hot springs are located in Lava Hot Springs.

Hell's Canyon is the deepest gorge in America.

Shoshone Falls, The Niagara of the West, spills over a 212-foot drop near Twin Falls.

Kuna is known as the Gateway City to the Birds of Prey Natural Area.

Birds of Prey Wildlife Area is home to the world's most dense population of nesting eagles, hawks, and falcons.

At 5897 feet elevation, Mackay calls itself the Top of Idaho because it is the nearest city to Mt. Borah, the highest mountain in Idaho.

Soda Springs boasts the largest man-made geyser in the world.

Lewiston is located at the confluence of the Snake and Clearwater Rivers. The elevation is 738 feet above sea level.

The Treasure Valley area around Nampa is known as Idaho's Banana Belt.

During the 1860s an Oregon Shoreline Railroad base camp called Boomerang was constructed in Payette.

Pocatello is home to Idaho State University.

Post Falls is known as Idaho's River City.

Saint Stanislaus Church, in Rathdrum, is the oldest brick church in the state of Idaho.

Rigby is known as the birthplace of television since it is Philo T. Farnsworth's hometown. Farnsworth pioneered television technology.

Under Idaho law only two forms of city government are allowed: a mayor/councilor or a council/manager form.

Shelley has been the home of the Idaho Annual Spud Day since 1927.

Sun Valley is recognized as the home of America's first destination ski resort.

Weiser is Home of the National Old Time Fiddlers Contest.

The "Idaho Enterprise" published its first issue on June 6, 1879 and is one of the oldest weekly publications in Idaho.

President Theodore Roosevelt established the Caribou National Forest in 1907. The area now covers more than 1 million acres in southeast Idaho.

In 1924 local McCall resident and Olympic ski champion, Cory Engen, started the celebration known as the Winter Carnival to help curb the boredom of the long McCall winters.

Meridian is named for the Boise Meridian, the Idaho land surveyor's north-south line running through Initial Point, located 16 miles due south of the city.

Annually Mountain Home Air Force Appreciation Day boasts presenting the largest parade in Idaho.

Idaho ghost towns include Silver City, Yankee Fork, Gold Dredge, and the Sierra Silver Mine.

Sawtooth Mountain/Sawtooth National Recreational Area was named for its jagged profile.

Anderson Dam is known for its blue-ribbon fly-fishing.

Idaho's first territorial prison was opened in 1872. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was converted into a public facility after the last prisoners were removed in 1974.

Seven Devils' Peaks, one of the highest mountain ranges in Idaho, Includes Heaven's Gate Lookout, where sightseers can look into four states.

 

[Salmissra]

It seems we didn't get around to all 50 states! This thread started before I came on board, so I'll add some facts for Hawaii, my birthplace.

There are seven main islands that make up the core of the state. The other islands are either undevelopeable, or owned by private interests, the state, or the feds.

The Hawaiian language has 13 letters, and one of them is not a "real" letter - it's the apostrophe.

The largest island in the chain is the Island of Hawaii. When King Kamehameha from Hawaii conquered the other islands, it became the Kingdom of Hawaii.

Hawaii is home to the only royal palace in the United States. Iolani Palace was also used in the show Hawaii 5-0.

The capital of the state is Honolulu, located on the Island of Oahu.

And last but not least: Hawaii is home to the only city that has no consanants in the name! Aiea is a city on Oahu.

 

[steel]

New York is the birth place of not only 4 presidents (VanBuren, Fillmore and the 2 Roosevelts), but also Uncle Sam:

"Many people don't know that Uncle Sam was an actual guy. His real name was Samuel Wilson, born in Troy, NY in 1766. He was a meatpacker during the War of 1812 and the supposed inspiration for the Uncle Sam character. He died in 1854. Troy calls itself the "Home of Uncle Sam," memorialized by a statue at River and 3rd Streets downtown. His grave in Oakwood Cemetery, north of Troy, is diligently maintained by the local Boy Scout council, who raise the American flag over it each day. "

But Also gave us Grover Cleveland (though not by birth)Known to be more letcherous than Clinton

 

[Whose Yur Planner]

Indiana has made the following contributions to the world of music: David Lee Roth and Axel Rose

 

[Gedunker]

Indiana has made the following contributions to the world of music: David Lee Roth and Axel Rose

Eeeesh. Don't forget The Jackson Five. :-x

 

[The One]

Ah Ha.....

Kansas was the site of upwards of 30,000 civilain deaths during the Civil War inflicted by Missouri border ruffians.

Hence all the references to "Missouri Scum" in old Clint Eastwood movies........by Kansas types.....ha ha ha ha..... :-D