How many of these bizarre US state facts do you know?

Surprising states

Such a vast and diverse country like the United States is bound to be full of surprising secrets, unusual laws and interesting tidbits. From the state that houses the world's largest ball of twine to one with a unique New Year's tradition, keep reading on for weird and wonderful facts you probably didn't know about every state. 

Click through the gallery to discover the quirkiest facts about every US state…

Alabama: there's a store that sells unclaimed baggage

It's hard to pick just one fact for Alabama (for example, did you know Mardi Gras actually originated in Mobile, or that Sweet Home, Alabama is a real place?) However, the Unclaimed Baggage Center (UBC) in Scottsboro is just too unique not to mention. It's the nation's only retailer of lost luggage. After a 90-day search, the lost bags legally belong to the airline – this is when UBC swoops in and buys them to then sell in their 40,000-square-foot (3,716sqm) warehouse. Some of the weirdest items ever found by UBC include a camera from the Space Shuttle, an Egyptian burial mask, and a live rattlesnake.

Alaska: vegetables grow extra large here

Multiple Guinness World Record-setting vegetables have all been grown in Alaska, from a 138-pound (62.6kg) cabbage and a 65-pound (29.5kg) cantaloupe to a 35-pound (15.9kg) broccoli and an enormous 2,147-pound (974kg) pumpkin (pictured at the Alaska State Fair). So how come veg grows so large here? The answer is quite simple and it lies in its northerly location. Thanks to its position on the planet, Alaskan summers get as much as 20 hours of sunlight a day, giving the plants the fuel they need to grow.

Arizona: cutting down a cactus can result in jail time

The saguaro is the largest American cactus and one that we associate Arizona very closely with. Its blossom is the official state flower, but the impressive spiny flora also takes a really long time to grow, so the state has taken extra steps to protect its iconic cactus. Cutting saguaros down, even on your own property, can result in substantial fines or even jail time. The maximum time given for such offences is a jaw-dropping 25 years. Fines for damaging the cactus in any way, including scratching in initials, can reach as much as $5,000.

Arkansas: it's the diamond state

Crater of Diamonds State Park is the only operational diamond mine in America and it's also the only one in the world that allows the public to hunt for the precious gems so if you find one, you're allowed to keep it. The most valuable and largest diamonds ever discovered in the US were also found in this state park. The 8.52-carat Esperanza gem was discovered in 2015 and is estimated to be worth around a million dollars, while the largest diamond, the 40.23-carat Uncle Sam, was found here in 1924.

California: it's both the highest and the lowest state

Amazingly, California's terrain is extremely varied. At 14,494 feet (4,418m), the highest point in the contiguous United States is Mount Whitney, while the lowest point in the lower 48 states is the Badwater Basin (pictured) in Death Valley, which is 282 feet (86m) below sea level. What makes this extreme terrain even more surprising and impressive is the fact that the two points are just 85 miles (137km) apart as the crow flies.

Colorado: the name cheeseburger was invented here

While there's much contention around where the cheeseburger was really invented, it was in Colorado that the term was coined. Trademarked by Louis Ballast of Denver's Humpty Dumpty Drive-In in Denver in 1935, there's even a roadside monument, opened in 1987, that's dedicated to the significant event in fast food history.

Connecticut: The Hartford Courant is the oldest US newspaper

Connecticut has a pretty impressive track record when it comes to the publishing industry, from the first US phone book published here in 1878 to the first American cookbook American Cookery in 1796. The oldest US newspaper in continuous publication can also be found in Connecticut. First published on 29 October 1764, The Hartford Courant (then called The Connecticut Courant) was also the first to have a female publisher, Hannah Bunce Watson, in 1777.

Delaware: chickens outnumber people 200 to one

Delaware is quite a small state with a population of less than a million. But with more than 650 farms in the poultry industry, there are around two million chickens in the state every year. The state's love for chickens doesn't end there. The Blue Hen is the official state bird (pictured) and there's an annual festival, Delmarva Chicken Festival, celebrating the industry since 1949.

Florida: both crocodiles and alligators live here

Florida's sprawling Everglades National Park is the only place in the world where alligators and crocodiles coexist in the same environment. While crocodiles can live in both freshwater and saltwater, alligators prefer freshwater, which means the Everglades is the perfect place for both these reptiles to live. You probably don't want to get close enough to tell the difference, but crocs have longer, pointier snouts while gators' snouts are shorter and more rounded. 

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Georgia: it has an official state possum

Adopted as a state symbol in 1992, Pogo is a major character in a comic strip, published in American newspapers from 1948 to 1975. Created by Walt Kelly after an inspirational visit to Okefenokee Swamp, the cartoon depicted Pogo, a friendly and funny swamp critter that offered commentary on social and political events. Set in the Georgia section of the swamp (part of it lies in Florida), the cartoon often poked fun at the vanity of people, with Pogo once declaring: "We have met the enemy and he is us".

Hawaii: Iolani Palace is America's only royal palace

The only official royal residence in the USA, Iolani Palace was home to the Hawaiian monarchy in the 19th century. The royal residence was completed in 1882 and was a sumptuous property ahead of its time, complete with electricity and indoor plumbing. The interiors are equally as opulent and the Throne Room is the plushest of them all. Red velvet curtains frame vast windows, chandeliers hang heavy from the ceiling and a pair of gilded thrones sit on a raised platform.

Idaho: there's a unique New Year's tradition

The iconic Times Square New Year's ball drop is one of the most famous traditions when it comes to ringing in the New Year. However, Boise residents have found a more unique (and more state-appropriate) way to welcome 1 January. Since 2013, thousands of spec-taters have gathered at the Idaho State Capitol every year to watch the Idaho Potato Drop – a giant, illuminated GlowTato is lowered from above as the clock strikes midnight. We'd expect nothing less from Idaho.

Illinois: Chicago isn't The Windy City because of the weather

It's thought that the source of the nickname is political rather than the chilly gusts that sweep across the city from Lake Michigan. In an 1893 editorial in the New York Sun, Charles A. Dana calls Chicago a "windy city" in reference to the city's politicians who were said to be "full of hot air". At the time Chicago was competing with New York to host the 1983 World's Fair. In a twist to this tale, the original editorial has never been located. However, there is an existing copy of an 1876 Cincinnati Enquirer that calls Chicago "That Windy City" after a tornado swept through the city, so we might never know the truth...

Indiana: Wabash was the first electrically-lit city in the world

The small city of Wabash made significant history on the evening of  31 March 1880, when the world's first electric streetlights were turned on. After Edison's invention of the light bulb in 1879, Charles F. Brush came up with the idea of streetlights, but he needed a place to try out his idea. After a demonstration in Cleveland, four 3,000 candlepower lamps were placed atop the Wabash County Courthouse (pictured) and around 10,000 people came to watch the spectacle. The original Brush lights are still on display at the courthouse.

Iowa: Fenelon Place Elevator is both the shortest and the steepest in the world

Elevating passengers 189 feet (57.6m), from Fourth Street to Fenelon Place in Dubuque, the Fenelon Place Elevator is dubbed the world's shortest and steepest, although the title has been contested by other funicular railways. Just 296 feet (90.2m) in length, the elevator was first used by local banker J.K. Graves in 1882. The funicular was opened to the public in 1884 and cost five cents per ride. After several devastating fires, the current funicular opened in 1893 and is now listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Kansas: it's home to the world's largest ball of twine

A rather unusual record to hold, Cawker City in Kansas is home to the world's largest ball of twine. Started in 1953 by a local man Frank Stoeber, the giant ball stood eight feet (2.4m) tall just four years after Frank started it. He donated the ball to the city in 1961 and work on it has continued ever since. Every August a twine-a-thon is held when local residents and visitors continue adding twine to the massive ball. Currently, it's estimated to contain eight million feet (2,438km) of twine.

Kentucky: you can't buy bourbon everywhere in the state

Kentucky is well known for its bourbon – today it's home to famous distilleries including Jim Beam, Maker's Mark and Bulleit. It's also a well-known fact that barrels of bourbon outnumber people by about two million. However, you might be surprised to find that buying the famous libation isn't actually possible everywhere in the state. Out of Kentucky's 120 counties, about a third are completely dry with no liquor sales allowed and another 49 are moist, meaning alcohol is only legal in certain places. That leaves just 32 counties where alcohol is fully legal.

Louisiana: Lake Pontchartrain Causeway bridge is the world's longest over a body of water

Stretching an astonishing 24 miles (38.6km) across Lake Pontchartrain, the bridge provides a direct connection between Metairie in New Orleans in the south and Mandeville in the north. The first two-lane span of the causeway took just 14 months to build and was opened in 1956, with the second parallel bridge following in 1969. For a stretch of eight miles (12.8km) there's no sight of land at all so motorists have been known to freeze and police have had to then escort them off the bridge.

Maine: it has a desert

Forests, sandy beaches, lakes, and lighthouses are all things we'd expect to find in Maine, but it also has its own desert. Just a 20-minute drive from Portland you'll find the 40-acre Desert of Maine. Surrounded by coastal forest, the discovery of the glacial sand dunes was the result of over-farming. As the soil became depleted of essential nutrients, the topsoil erosion exposed the sand lying underneath. Turned into a tourist attraction in 1925, it's not a true geological desert as it still receives precipitation.

Maryland: you have to pay for using your own bathroom

In a bid to improve sewage treatment plants and stop oxygen-destroying algae from blooming in Chesapeake Bay, a 2004 Maryland law, also dubbed the flush tax, was signed. The $30-a-year fee (now $60) was imposed on all Maryland residents who own a property with a building on it and applies whether they use public water and sewer systems or septic tanks. This means that Maryland residents pay $5 a month for using the toilet.

Massachusetts: it has the longest place name in the US

Webster Lake in Massachusetts is a charming spot, with summer cottages dotting the shoreline and lush greenery hugging its coast. However, Webster Lake is also not its name at all. The third longest place name in the world and the longest in the United States, the lake is actually called Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg. Fun fact? The name has more letters G (15) than the lake's average depth, which is 13 feet (3.9m).

Michigan: Colon is the magic capital of the world

A village in St Joseph County with a population of just 1,189. Colon is the self-proclaimed magic capital of the world. There's a four-day Magic Festival, typically held in August, a magic-orientated history museum, Magician's Walk of Fame (the only one in the world) and the Colon Lakeside Cemetery is the final resting place of no fewer than 28 magicians.

Minnesota: it has a very long shoreline

It might be the Midwest, but it's also The Land of 10,000 Lakes (actually, 14,444). If you define shoreline by including lakes, rivers and streams, then Minnesota's total shoreline stretches 183 miles (294.5km). What's really surprising, though, is that it's more than California, Hawaii and Florida all combined – their total reaches just 169 miles (272km).

Mississippi: it's responsible for the original Teddy Bear

Named after President Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt, the story of the original Teddy Bear begins in Mississippi. The State Governor Andrew H. Longino had invited Roosevelt to go bear hunting near Onward, Mississippi, but Roosevelt was the only hunter in the group who hadn't spotted a bear during the trip. His assistants found and tied a black bear to a tree and summoned Roosevelt to shoot him – but he saw it as unsportsmanlike and refused. When news of it spread, The Washington Post published a cartoon depicting the event and having seen the cartoon, Brooklyn candy shop owner Morris Michtom started selling stuffed toy bears called Teddy's Bear.

Missouri: it's the Cave State

Missouri locals will obviously know one of the state's nicknames is the Cave State, and rightly so as there are more than 7,500 recorded caves (and that number continues to rise every year). Four of the best caves are typically open for public tours, including the otherworldly Angel Showers formation in the Ozark Caverns at Lake of the Ozarks State Park and the Lily Pad Room in Onondaga Cave (pictured).

Montana: it's the home of extreme weather

Montana is no stranger to extreme weather and holds all sorts of surprising weather records. For example, the greatest temperature change in 24 hours was recorded in Loma, Montana between 14 and 15 January 1972, when the temperature changed by 57°C (135°F). It has also recorded the coldest temperature – a chilly -56°C (-70°F) at Rogers Pass in Glacier National Park – in the lower 48 states. It has also set a blisteringly hot record when it hit 47°C (117°F) in the city of Glendive in 1893, and then again in Medicine Lake in 1937.

Nebraska: it's the popcorn capital

Corn is grown in almost all of the US states, but few take it as seriously as Indiana. The state produces more than 25% of the country's popcorn supply. And as Americans consume 68 billion cups of popcorn every year (that's enough to fill the Empire State Building 18 times), it's a lot of corn. To be more precise, the state is the number one producer of popcorn, with more than 300 million (136m kg) pounds of corn grown annually.

Nevada: it's home to most of the country's wild horses

We love the fact that the world's largest margarita was made in Las Vegas, but there's more to Nevada than Sin City. The state is home to nearly half of the country's free-roaming horse population. The Virginia Range, between Virginia City and Reno, is home to more than 3,000 wild mustangs – the inspiration behind Velma Johnston's, aka Wild Horse Annie, protest against rounding up wild horses for commercial purposes. Her efforts led to the Wild Horse Annie Act in 1959, which banned the use of motorised vehicles to hunt wild horses and burros (wild donkeys in the US). 

New Hampshire: Wolfeboro is the oldest summer resort in America

New England and especially New Hampshire have long been favourites for summer holidays, but no destination more so than Wolfeboro. Dubbed the oldest summer resort in America, Wolfeboro gained this title after Governor John Wentworth built his Lake Wentworth mansion here in 1768, making it the first summer country estate in northern New England. Over the years it became a popular summer destination, especially for families from Boston, and more recently Prince Rainier and Princess Grace of Monaco, Kurt Vonnegut, Drew Barrymore and former French president Nicolas Sarkozy have all holidayed here.

New Jersey: it has the most horses in the US

You might have suspected that there are more diners in New Jersey than any other state, but did you know New Jersey also has the most horses? There are more horses per square mile here than any other state in the US. This also explains why the United States Equestrian Team is based in Gladstone, New Jersey.

New Mexico: it's the only state that has an official state question

"Red or Green?" was declared an official state symbol in 1996, thus becoming the first official state question in the country. But can you guess what it refers to? Wanting to recognize the importance of the chilli industry in New Mexico, the New Mexico State Legislature decided to use a question asked in diners up and down the state every day. Referring to either red or green chilli, the question actually has three possible answers. Reply "Christmas" and you'll get a mix of both. 

New York: the Empire State Building has its own zip code

The US postal code, or zip code, was first introduced to sort and deliver mail more efficiently and we're accustomed to zip codes indicating specific neighborhoods. However, New York City's Empire State Building has a zip code of its own – 10118 – and turns out it's not the only one. In total there are 42 buildings in Manhattan with a personal zip code, including MetLife Building, 30 Rockefeller Plaza and the Chrysler Building.

North Carolina: the Venus flytrap is native to the state

Feared by insects, admired by humans, and cultivated around the world, a Venus flytrap looks like it belongs in a tropical jungle. However, it's only native to a small area of the coastal plain, mostly within a 75-mile (120km) radius within Wilmington. Facing a high risk of extinction in the wild, the famous plant was designated the official state carnivorous plant in 2005.

North Dakota: the world's largest French fry feed is held here

An utterly irresistible event, if you ask us, the World's Largest French Fry Feed is a must-visit. Held annually, it's the signature event of Potato Bowl USA – an American football battle between the two largest potato growing regions in the United States. The latest French Fry Feed record was broken in 2017, when 8,154 pounds of French fries were served to over 10,000 people.

Ohio: technically it wasn't a state until recently

Ohio's boundaries and constitution might have been approved by Thomas Jefferson in 1803 and it was welcomed to the union as the 17th state. However, the official paperwork granting Ohio statehood wasn't completed until 1953, when President Dwight Eisenhower signed and backdated Ohio's admittance to the union. Now this is a good reminder to check your to-do list and finish all the paperwork...

Oklahoma: the state has the most man-made lakes

At around 200, Oklahoma has more man-made lakes than any other state in the US. You're probably wondering why, but the answer is rather simple. Following the Second World War, the water demand kept increasing so two influential Oklahoma politicians – Senator Robert S. Kerr and House speaker Carl Albert – lobbied to bring control over the state's untamed natural water resources, which resulted in a boom of artificial lakes.

Oregon: it's home to the world's largest living organism

Sure, redwood trees are pretty impressive and blue whales are unbeatable when it comes to sheer size – or are they? Turns out the world's largest living organism occupies an area measuring as much as 2.4 miles (3.8km) across and it can be found in the Blue Mountains in Oregon. The Armillaria genus, which is commonly known as honey fungus, colonizes and kills a variety of trees and woody plants, spreading through the forest. The fungus is estimated to be 2,400 years old but could be as ancient as 8,650 years, which would make it one of the oldest organisms, too.

Pennsylvania: Charles Dickens' pet raven lives here

Dead, but preserved since 1841, a unique piece of history is on display in the Rare Books department of the Philadelphia Free Library. Grip, a taxidermied black raven that was once Charles Dickens' pet, is the same that inspired Edgar Allan Poe's famous poem The Raven. Dickens' pet was mentioned in his lesser-known story, Barnaby Rudge. Poe reviewed the book and published his poem soon after. In fact, the Maryland NFL team Baltimore Ravens are also, by extension, inspired by Grip as the team was named in honour of Baltimore resident Poe's poem.

Rhode Island: White Horse Tavern is the oldest in the US

Believed to be the USA’s oldest tavern building, the Newport’s White Horse Tavern is a real slice of history. Established in 1673 by William Mayes Senior, it then passed down to his son, who was a pirate and is still believed to haunt it today. It then served as accommodation for loyalists and British troops during the Occupation of Newport in the Revolution, but today it's best known for its clam chowder.

South Carolina: there's a monkey colony

South Carolina's coast is dotted with countless barrier islands and marshland that stretches from Berkeley to Jasper counties. Each of these islands share landscapes and wildlife apart from one. A small barrier island off the coast of Beaufort has an unusual population. The 2,000 acres of Morgan Island are roamed by a colony of nearly 4,000 Rhesus monkeys. The monkeys were moved to the island in the late 1970s from a research facility in Puerto Rico and have lived on the island since. Unfortunately, it's not accessible for humans.

South Dakota: there is a monument bigger than Mount Rushmore

Well, there almost is. Mount Rushmore is one of the country's most famous monuments. However, there is an even larger and more spectacular one in the works. The Crazy Horse Memorial is the world's only mountain carving in progress and, when finished, it'll be the world's largest sculpture, standing 563 feet (172m). So far only the face of Crazy Horse, an indigenous Lakota warrior, has been finished and current work continues on his outstretched arm.

Tennessee: Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited in the US

No, it's not the arguably more famous Grand Canyon and it's not Yosemite. According to the US National Park Service, the most visited national park in the States is the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which draws in more than 13 million visitors annually – that's significantly more than double the number of people who visited the second-most popular park (Grand Canyon NP). Most see the park from its scenic highway, while others take to its 800-plus miles of hiking trails.

Texas: it's larger than any country in Europe

If Texas was a country, it would be the 40th largest in the world. Only second to Alaska, when it comes to the size of US states, Texas' epic area of 268,820 square miles (696,240sq km) means it's larger than every single country in Europe, plus Japan, Vietnam, New Zealand – the list is pretty long...

Utah: everyone loves Jell-O here

No joke, Utah is the Jell-O capital of the US (and probably the world). Residents of the Beehive State love it so much, the people of Utah consume more Jell-O per capita than any other state in the US so it's only natural it's the state's official snack. In fact, it's so popular that the second week of February is celebrated as Jell-O week and during the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, there was an officially licensed JELL-O pin, celebrating the city and its love of Jell-O.

Vermont: it has the smallest state capital in the US

With a population of just over 8,000 in 2022, Montpelier is the smallest state capital in the US. In comparison, the most populous state capital, Phoenix in Arizona, boasts around 1.5 million residents. It is also the only state capital that doesn't have a McDonald's.

Virginia: Colonial Williamsburg is the largest living history museum in the world

Once the capital of Virginia and one of America's most important cities, Williamsburg has been turned into a living and breathing museum that's so large it could fit in the world's largest museum, the Louvre, 20 times over with a bit of room to spare. The historic 18th-century area has over 40 historic sites, including the Governor's Palace, a courthouse and several workshops. There are also four historic taverns and two art museums.

Washington: six out of every 10 apples consumed in the US was grown here

The nation's top apple-producing state, Washington has recognised the apple as one of its official state symbols. And the state has every record to show for its love of this juicy fruit. For example, there are about 175,000 acres of apple orchards in the state and on average 128 million boxes of apples are grown every year – that equals around 2.3 million tons of apples.

West Virginia: it has a peculiar October tradition

The 876-foot-high (267m) New River Gorge Bridge is one of the state's most important landmarks. Featured on the state's commemorative quarter, it's the longest single-arch bridge in the Western Hemisphere. But it's also notable for an interesting tradition. Every year on the third Saturday of October, the bridge is closed to traffic and hundreds of BASE jumpers parachute from the bridge. The Bridge Day, as it's called, was started in 1980 and today as many as 100,000 spectators come to watch the daredevils and enjoy a great day out.

Wisconsin: it hosts the world's largest cranberry festival

Held annually in the tiny town of Warrens, which is home to around 500-or-so residents, the Warrens Cranberry Festival draws in as many as 145,000 visitors each September. Cranberries are the state's largest fruit industry in both value and size and more than 250 growers produce around 4.9 million barrels of cranberries every year – that represents 60% of the nation's crop.

Wyoming: there are only two escalators in the state

To be precise, there are two sets of escalators – two going up and two going down – in all of Wyoming. A rather surprising thing for the 10th largest state in the US, it seems that escalators are not needed here. Both escalators are located in Casper, one in Hilltop National Bank and the other in First Interstate Bank. Even the airport in Jackson Hole doesn't have one as it's a single-level building. One possible explanation could be that there's so much space in Wyoming that most build out rather than up. It might also have something to do with the state's fire codes, as unprotected openings between adjacent floors are not very welcome.

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