Home to the first successful open-heart surgery (1902 in Montgomery).
The Saturn V rocket that took astronauts to the moon was built in Huntsville.
Alabama introduced the Mardi Gras celebration to the Western world, not Louisiana.
Alabama – Helen Keller Author and activist who overcame being blind and deaf to become a global symbol of courage and education.
Alaska
Has more coastline than all other U.S. states combined.
You can see Russia from Little Diomede Island on a clear day.
Home to the northernmost, westernmost, and easternmost points in the U.S.
Alaska – Jewel Singer-songwriter known for her soulful folk and pop music, born in Homer, Alaska.
Arizona
The only place where a meteorite created a well-preserved crater (Meteor Crater).
The Grand Canyon creates its own weather patterns.
Arizona doesn’t observe Daylight Saving Time (except in Navajo Nation).
Arizona – Cesar Chavez Civil rights leader and labor organizer, born near Yuma, Arizona.
Arkansas
Crater of Diamonds State Park is the only U.S. diamond-producing site open to the public.
Birthplace of Walmart—Bentonville is home to its headquarters.
Hot Springs National Park has been nicknamed “The American Spa” since the 1800s.
Arkansas – Bill Clinton 42nd President of the United States, born in Hope, Arkansas.
California
More people live in California than in Canada.
Home to the tallest tree (Hyperion), the largest tree (General Sherman), and the oldest tree (Methuselah).
California’s Death Valley is the hottest place on Earth (134°F recorded in 1913).
California – Tom Hanks Oscar-winning actor, raised in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Colorado
The only state to have turned down the Olympics (Denver rejected 1976 Winter Games).
More than 75% of the U.S. land above 10,000 feet is in Colorado.
The cheeseburger was invented in Denver.
Colorado – Tim Allen Comedian and actor best known for Home Improvement and Toy Story, born in Denver.
Connecticut
The first telephone book was published in New Haven in 1878.
Home to the first public library and the first U.S. newspaper.
The hamburger was invented in New Haven (Louis’ Lunch, 1900).
Connecticut – Katharine Hepburn Legendary actress with the most Academy Awards for Best Actress, born in Hartford.
Delaware
The first state to ratify the U.S. Constitution (December 7, 1787).
No state sales tax—shoppers love it.
Only three counties make up the entire state.
Delaware – Joe Biden 46th President of the United States; although born in Pennsylvania, he lived in Delaware for most of his life and represented it in the U.S. Senate.
Florida
Home to the only naturally occurring coral reef system in the continental U.S.
Cape Canaveral is the launch site for most U.S. space missions.
The St. Augustine Alligator Farm has every species of crocodilian on Earth.
Florida – Jim Morrison Iconic lead singer of The Doors, born in Melbourne, Florida.
Georgia
Home to the world’s busiest airport (Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International).
Coca-Cola was invented in Atlanta in 1886.
Georgia produces more peanuts and pecans than any other state.
Georgia – Martin Luther King Jr. Civil rights icon and Nobel Peace Prize winner, born in Atlanta.
Hawaii
It’s the only U.S. state that grows coffee commercially.
Mauna Kea, if measured from base to peak, is the tallest mountain on Earth.
Hawaii has its own time zone (Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time) and doesn’t observe Daylight Saving Time.
Hawaii – Bruno Mars Grammy-winning singer and performer, born in Honolulu.
Idaho
Known as the Gem State—72 different precious and semi-precious stones are found here.
The deepest river gorge in North America, Hells Canyon, is in Idaho.
Invented the television—Philo Farnsworth created the first TV system while living here.
Idaho – Aaron Paul Emmy-winning actor from Breaking Bad, born in Emmett, Idaho.
Illinois
Home to the world’s first skyscraper (Chicago, 1885).
Route 66 starts in Chicago.
Illinois produces more nuclear energy than any other state.
Illinois – Walt Disney Creator of Mickey Mouse and founder of the Disney empire, born in Chicago.
Indiana
The Indianapolis 500 is the largest single-day sporting event in the world.
Santa Claus, Indiana, receives thousands of Christmas letters every year.
The first professional baseball game was played in Fort Wayne in 1871.
Indiana – Michael Jackson The “King of Pop,” born in Gary, Indiana.
Iowa
The state’s soil is considered among the most fertile in the world.
Birthplace of sliced bread (Davenport, 1928).
Has more pigs than people—over 20 million hogs.
Iowa – John Wayne Hollywood Western legend, born in Winterset, Iowa.
Kansas
Home to the geographic center of the 48 contiguous states.
Helium was discovered in the atmosphere for the first time in Kansas.
Dodge City is officially the windiest city in the U.S.
Kansas – Amelia Earhart Pioneering aviator and first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic, born in Atchison.
Kentucky
Bourbon County gave bourbon whiskey its name, and 95% of the world’s bourbon is made here.
Mammoth Cave is the longest cave system in the world.
The Kentucky Derby has been running since 1875—America’s longest continuously held sporting event.
Kentucky – Muhammad Ali World-champion boxer and civil rights figure, born in Louisville.
Louisiana
Jazz was born in New Orleans.
Home to the world’s largest continuous bridge over water (Lake Pontchartrain Causeway).
The only U.S. state with parishes instead of counties.
Louisiana – Louis Armstrong Jazz legend, born in New Orleans.
Maine
Produces 90% of the U.S. lobster supply.
Home to the easternmost point in the continental U.S. (West Quoddy Head).
Stephen King, the famous horror author, lives and writes here.
Maine – Stephen King Best-selling author of horror and suspense novels, born in Portland and resides in Bangor.
Maryland
The U.S. national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner,” was written in Baltimore.
The first railroad station in the U.S. opened here (Baltimore & Ohio, 1828).
More blue crabs come from Maryland than anywhere else in the U.S.
Maryland – Jada Pinkett Smith Actress and talk show host, born in Baltimore.
Massachusetts
The first American lighthouse was built in Boston Harbor in 1716.
Home to the first public school (Boston Latin, 1635) and the first university (Harvard, 1636).
Basketball was invented in Springfield in 1891.
Massachusetts – John F. Kennedy 35th President of the United States, born in Brookline. Michigan – Madonna The “Queen of Pop,” born in Bay City and raised in Michigan.
Michigan
Has more freshwater shoreline than any other state.
You’re never more than 6 miles from a body of freshwater or 85 miles from a Great Lake.
Detroit is the birthplace of Motown Records (1959).
Minnesota
Home to the largest mall in the U.S.—Mall of America.
Has over 11,000 lakes (despite the nickname “Land of 10,000 Lakes”).
The first open-heart surgery and bone marrow transplant were performed in Minnesota.
Minnesota – Prince Musical genius and icon, born and lived in Minneapolis.
Mississippi
The first human lung and heart transplants were performed here.
Birthplace of the blues—many legends, including B.B. King, hail from Mississippi.
Named after the Mississippi River, which comes from the Ojibwe word meaning “Great River.”
Mississippi – Oprah Winfrey Media mogul and philanthropist, born in Kosciusko.
Missouri
The Gateway Arch in St. Louis is the tallest man-made monument in the U.S. (630 feet).
The ice cream cone was popularized at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair.
Mark Twain was born in Missouri and based many of his famous stories on life along the Mississippi River.
Missouri – Mark Twain One of America’s most famous authors, born in Florida, Missouri.
Montana
More cattle than people—about 2.5 times as many.
Home to parts of Yellowstone National Park and Glacier National Park.
The largest snowflake ever recorded (15 inches wide) reportedly fell here in 1887.
Montana – Dana Carvey Comedian and Saturday Night Live alum, born in Missoula.
Nebraska
Kool-Aid was invented in Hastings in 1927.
Has more miles of river than any other state.
Arbor Day originated in Nebraska City in 1872.
Nebraska – Warren Buffett Legendary investor and philanthropist, born and still lives in Omaha.
Nevada
Over 80% of the land is owned by the federal government.
More gold is mined in Nevada than anywhere else in the U.S.
Las Vegas has more hotel rooms than any other city in the world.
Nevada – Andre Agassi Tennis legend, born in Las Vegas.
New Hampshire
First state to establish its own constitution independent of British rule.
Home to the first public library in the U.S.
The state motto, “Live Free or Die,” is among the boldest and most famous.
New Hampshire – Adam Sandler Comedian and actor, raised in Manchester.
New Jersey
Home to the first organized baseball game (Hoboken, 1846).
Has more diners than any other state—hence the nickname “Diner Capital of the World.”
Edison invented the phonograph and lightbulb in Menlo Park, NJ.
New Jersey – Frank Sinatra Iconic singer and actor, born in Hoboken.
New Mexico
The first atomic bomb was detonated here (Trinity Site, 1945).
Has more PhDs per capita than any other state, largely due to the presence of Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Santa Fe is the oldest capital city in the U.S., founded in 1610.
New Mexico – Demi Lovato Singer and actress, born in Albuquerque.
New York
The first capital of the United States was New York City.
More people live in NYC than in 40 of the 50 U.S. states.
The state is home to the oldest continually operating winery in America (Brotherhood Winery, since 1839).
New York – Robert De Niro Academy Award-winning actor, raised in New York City.
North Carolina
The Wright brothers made the first powered flight in Kitty Hawk in 1903.
Home to the highest peak east of the Mississippi River—Mount Mitchell (6,684 ft).
North Carolina leads the U.S. in sweet potato production.
North Carolina – Michael Jordan Basketball legend, raised in Wilmington.
North Dakota
The geographical center of North America is in Rugby, ND.
Theodore Roosevelt’s experiences here helped shape his conservation policies.
North Dakota has the most churches per capita of any U.S. state.
North Dakota – Josh Duhamel Actor known for Transformers, born in Minot.
Ohio
Birthplace of aviation—home of the Wright brothers and more astronauts than any other state.
The first professional baseball team, the Cincinnati Red Stockings, was formed in 1869.
The state flag is the only non-rectangular U.S. state flag (it’s a swallowtail).
Ohio – LeBron James NBA superstar, born in Akron.
Oklahoma
Has the largest Native American population by percentage after Alaska.
The world’s first parking meter was installed in Oklahoma City in 1935.
Home to more man-made lakes than any other U.S. state (over 200).
Oklahoma – Garth Brooks Country music superstar, born in Tulsa.
Oregon
The only U.S. state with a flag that has a different design on each side.
Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the U.S., formed in a collapsed volcano.
Oregon was the end point of the historic Oregon Trail.
Oregon – Tonya Harding Olympic figure skater with a dramatic story, born in Portland.
Pennsylvania
The Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were both signed in Philadelphia.
Home to the nation’s first zoo (Philadelphia Zoo, 1874).
Hershey, PA, is known as “The Sweetest Place on Earth.”
Pennsylvania – Taylor Swift Global pop sensation, born in Reading.
Rhode Island
The smallest state but has over 400 miles of coastline.
First state to declare independence from British rule (May 4, 1776).
Home to the oldest operating tavern in the U.S. (White Horse Tavern, 1673).
Rhode Island – Viola Davis Oscar-winning actress, raised in Central Falls.
South Carolina
First state to secede from the Union before the Civil War (1860).
The first shots of the Civil War were fired at Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor.
Home to the only tea plantation in North America (Charleston Tea Garden).
South Carolina – James Brown The “Godfather of Soul,” born in Barnwell.
South Dakota
Mount Rushmore, featuring four U.S. presidents, is carved into the Black Hills.
The Crazy Horse Memorial, when finished, will be the world’s largest mountain carving.
Hosts the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, one of the biggest in the world.
South Dakota – Tom Brokaw Veteran journalist and author, born in Webster.
Tennessee
The Grand Ole Opry in Nashville is the longest-running radio broadcast in U.S. history (since 1925).
Memphis is home to Graceland, Elvis Presley’s famous estate.
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most-visited national park in the U.S.
Tennessee – Dolly Parton Country music legend and philanthropist, born in Sevier County.
Texas
If it were a country, Texas would have the 9th-largest economy in the world.
Dr Pepper was invented in Waco in 1885—predating Coca-Cola.
The King Ranch in Texas is larger than the entire state of Rhode Island.
Texas – Beyoncé Global music icon, born in Houston.
Utah
Home to the “Mighty Five” national parks: Zion, Bryce Canyon, Arches, Canyonlands, and Capitol Reef.
Salt Lake City was originally called “Great Salt Lake City.”
Utah is the only state where every county contains part of a national forest.
Utah – Julianne Hough Dancer and actress, born in Orem.
Vermont
The first state admitted to the Union after the original 13 colonies.
Produces more maple syrup than any other U.S. state.
Montpelier is the smallest state capital in the U.S. and the only one without a McDonald’s.
Vermont – Calvin Coolidge 30th U.S. President, born in Plymouth Notch.
Virginia
Eight U.S. presidents were born in Virginia—more than any other state.
Jamestown (1607) was the first permanent English settlement in North America.
The Pentagon, the world’s largest office building, is located in Arlington.
Virginia – Pharrell Williams Musician and producer, born in Virginia Beach.
Washington
Starbucks opened its first store in Seattle in 1971.
Washington grows more apples than any other state—over 60% of the U.S. total.
Home to the world’s largest building by volume: Boeing’s Everett factory.
Washington – Bill Gates Microsoft co-founder, born and based in the Seattle area. West Virginia – Steve Harvey Comedian and talk show host, born in Welch. Wisconsin – Frank Lloyd Wright Revolutionary architect, born in Richland Center. Wyoming – Jackson Pollock Pioneering abstract expressionist painter, born in Cody.
West Virginia
The first federal prison for women was opened here (Alderson, 1927).
The New River Gorge Bridge is one of the longest single-span arch bridges in the world.
Split from Virginia during the Civil War to join the Union.
Wisconsin
Known as “America’s Dairyland,” producing more cheese than any other state.
The first practical typewriter was invented in Milwaukee.
Green Bay is home to the oldest continuously operating NFL franchise—the Packers.
Wyoming
Yellowstone was the first national park in the world (established in 1872).
The least populated state in the U.S.
Devil’s Tower was the first U.S. national monument (1906), famously featured in Close Encounters of the Third Kind.