Fun and Interesting Facts about the 50 States in America
This list of fun and interesting facts about the fifty states in America are a great way to educate yourself and your family about each state’s motto, flower, history, and more. These interesting facts about the fifty states of America are what make this country so unique. Scroll down and find your home state on our list to learn some interesting facts!
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UPDATED: Nov 21, 2020
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We have fifty states in America, each with unique histories, mottos, and even state flowers. Together, they create the diverse and unique country that we all know.
Learn something new about each of the states below.
Alabama
Basic Facts
Year it became a state: 1819
Capital: Montgomery
Nickname: The Heart of Dixie
Motto: Audemus jua nostra defendere (We Dare Defend Our Rights)
State flower: Camellia (Camellia japonica)
State tree: Southern Longleaf Pine (Pinus palustis)
State bird: Yellowhammer (Colaptes auratus)
Historical Facts
The first Electric Trolley System in the world was brought to life in Montgomery in 1886.
A skeleton of a pre-historic man was discovered in the stare in Russell Cave.
The oldest state-funded archival agency in the nation is the Alabama Department of Archives.
Fun Fact
George Washington Carver discovered more than 300 uses for peanuts in Alabama.
Resources:
State of Alabama: Alabama official emblems, symbols, and honors
Auburn University: Alabama quick facts
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Alaska
Basic Facts
Year it became a state: 1959
Capital: Juneau
Nickname: The Great Land
Motto: North to the Future
State flower: Forget-me-not (Myosotis alpestris; Subspecies: asiatica)
State tree: Sitka Spruce (Picea sitchensis)
State bird: Willow Ptarmigan (Lagopus lagopus)
Historical Facts
Alaska was discovered in 1741 by Danish explorer Vitus Jonassen Bering.
The first settlement in Alaska was created in 1784 by whalers and fur traders on Kodiak Island.
Joe Juneau discovered gold in 1880 and brought forth the gold rush.
Fun Fact
The longest coastline in the states in in Alaska. It is 6,640 miles, which is greater than the coastlines of all other states combined.
Resources:
State of Alaska: Facts about Alaska
USGS: Alaska state fact sheet
Arizona
Basic Facts
Year it became a state: 1912
Capital: Phoenix
Nickname: The Grand Canyon State
Motto: Ditat Deus (God Enriches)
State flower: Blossom of the Saguaro Cactus (Carnegia gigantea)
State tree: Paloverde (Parkinsonia Florida)
State bird: Cactus Wren (Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus)
Historical Facts
The Southern Pacific Railroad connected Arizona with the eastern half of the country In 1926.
The London Bridge was shipped to and reconstructed in Lake Havasu City.
Fun Fact
The most telescopes in the world are in Tucson, Arizona.
Resources:
State of Arizona: Arizona facts
Arizona State University: Arizona facts
Arkansas
Basic Facts
Year it became a state: 1836
Capital: Little Rock
Nickname: The Natural State
Motto: Regnat Populus (The People Rule)
State flower: Apple blossom (Malus domestica)
State tree: Lobolly Pine (Pinus taeda)
State bird: Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)
Historical Facts
Bill Clinton started his political career in Hope, Arkansas.
The only Revolutionary War skirmish in the state was the 1783 Colbert Incident.
Fun Fact
The only active diamond mine in the United States is in Arkansas.
Resources:
State of Arkansas: State facts
National Geographic: Arkansas pictures and facts
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California
Basic Facts
Year it became a state: 1850
Capital: Sacramento
Nickname: The Golden State
Motto: Eureka (I have found it)
State flower: Golden Poppy (Eschscholzia californica)
State tree: California Redwood (Two Species: Sequoia giganteum and Sequoia sempervirens)
State bird: California Valley Quail (Callipepla californica)
Historical Facts
The first movie theater opened in in Los Angeles in 1902.
In 1947 Norma Jean was crowned Castroville’s first Artichoke Queen. She would become Marilyn Monroe.
Fun Fact
“General Sherman” is a 3,500-year-old tree in the state. It is one of the oldest living things on the planet.
Resources:
State of California: State symbols
History.com: California
Colorado
Basic Facts
Year it became a state: 1876
Capital: Denver
Nickname: The Mile-High State, The Centennial State
Motto: Nil Sine Numine (Nothing Without Providence)
State flower: Rocky Mountain Columbine (Aquilegia caerulea)
State tree: Colorado Blue Spruce (Picea pungens)
State bird: Lark Bunting (Calamospiza melanocorys)
Historical Facts
The 1976 Winter Olympics were planned for Colorado, but state voters decided against it due to the coast and pollution it would bring with it.
First rodeo on the world was held in 1869 in Deer Trail.
Fun Fact
The world’s largest silver nugget was 1,840 pounds and it was found near Aspen.
Resources:
State of Colorado: State information
Colorado Christian University: Fun facts about Colorado
Connecticut
Basic Facts
Year it became a state: 1788
Capital: Hartford
Nickname: The Constitution State
Motto: Qui Transtulit Sustinet (He Who Transplanted still sustains)
State flower: Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia)
State tree: White Oak (Quercus alba)
State bird: American Robin (Turdus migratorius)
Historical Facts
The world’s first nuclear powered submarine was built in Connecticut in 1954.
The New Haven District Telephone Company published the first telephone book in 1878.
Fun Fact
The first law regulating the speed of motor vehicles was created in this state in 1901. The first speed limit was 12 miles per hour.
Resources:
State of Connecticut: Connecticut’s historical facts
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: Connecticut from A to Z
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Delaware
Basic Facts
Year it became a state: 1787
Capital: Dover
Nickname: The First State
Motto: Liberty and Independence
State flower: Peach blossom (Prunus persica)
State tree: American Holly (Ilex opaca)
State bird: Blue Hen Chicken (Gallus gallus)
Historical Facts
The country’s first steam railroad began in New Castle in 1831.
Delaware was the first state to ratify the United States constitution in 1787.
Fun Fact
The Delaware Memorial Bridge is the largest twin suspension bridge on the planet.
Resources:
State of Delaware: Delaware facts and symbols
Delaware Geographical Survey: Facts about Delaware
Florida
Basic Facts
Year it became a state: 1845
Capital: Tallahassee
Nickname: The Sunshine State
Motto: In God We Trust
State flower: Orange blossom (Citrus sinensis)
State tree: Sabal Palmetto Palm (Sabal palmetto)
State bird: Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)
Historical Facts
Fort Meade is the oldest settlement in Polk County, dating back to 1849.
Saint Augustine is the oldest European settlement in the United States.
Fun Fact
Tallahassee, Florida has the world’s deepest freshwater spring.
Resources:
State of Florida: Fun facts
University of Florida: Florida agriculture facts
Georgia
Basic Facts
Year it became a state: 1788
Capital: Atlanta
Nickname: The Peach State
Motto: Wisdom, justice, and moderation
State flower: Cherokee Rose (Rosa laevigata)
State tree: Live Oak (Quercus virginiana)
State bird: Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum)
Historical Facts
John F. Kennedy, Jr. and his fiancé stopped in Kingsland on the way to be married on Cumberland Island.
Saint Mary’s Georgia is the second oldest city in the country.
The first steamship to cross the Atlantic started its journey in Georgia.
Fun Fact
The carving of Confederate leaders on Georgia’s Stone Mountain is the largest bas-relief carving on Earth.
Resources:
State of Georgia: Georgia facts
Georgia Public Broadcasting: Fun facts
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Hawaii
Basic Facts
Year it became a state: 1959
Capital: Honolulu
Nickname: The Aloha State
Motto: Ua mau ke ea o ka aina i ka pono (The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness)
State flower: Yellow Hibiscus/Pua Aloalo (Hibiscus brackenridgei)
State tree: Kukui (candlenut) (Aleurites moluccana)
State bird: Nēnē (Hawaiian Goose) (Branta sandvicensis)
Historical Fact
Hawaii was the last state admitted to the union. It occurred in 1959.
Fun Fact
Hawaii’s Haleakala Crater is the largest dormant volcano in the world. It is seven miles across and two miles wide.
Resources:
State of Hawaii: 50 fun facts about the 50th state
University of Hawaii: Hawaii’s four of five counties
Idaho
Basic Facts
Year it became a state: 1890
Capital: Boise
Nickname: The Gem State
Motto: Esto Perpetua (It is Perpetual)
State flower: Syringa (Philadelphus lewisii)
State tree: Western White Pine (Pinus monticola)
State bird: Mountain Bluebird (Sialia currucoides)
Historical Facts
The oldest building in the state the Cataldo mission.
The entire town of American Falls was moved in the 1920a when the American Falls Dam was built.
Fun Fact
The longest main street in America is 33 miles and located in Island Park.
Resources:
State of Idaho: About Idaho
Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education: State highlights
Illinois
Basic Facts
Year it became a state: 1818
Capital: Springfield
Nickname: The Prairie State
Motto: State sovereignty, national union
State flower: Native Violet (Viola)
State tree: White Oak (Quercus alba)
State bird: Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
Historical Facts
Cities in the state hosted the Lincoln-Douglas debates that brought attention to the issue of slavery.
The first Mormon Temple in the state was built in Nauvoo.
Fun Fact
The tallest building in the country, the Sears Tower, is located in Chicago.
Resources:
State of Illinois: Illinois facts and trivia
Michigan State University: Illinois
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Indiana
Basic Facts
Year it became a state: 1816
Capital: Indianapolis
Nickname: The Hoosier State
Motto: The Crossroads of America
State flower: Peony (Paeonia lactiflora)
State tree: Tulip Poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera)
State bird: Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
Historical Facts
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway had the first long-distance automobile race in the United States in 1911.
Abraham Lincoln spent most of his childhood in the state.
Fun Fact
Someone who lives in Indiana is known as a Hoosier.
Resources:
State of Indiana: State facts
Indiana University Bloomington: Indiana
Iowa
Basic Facts
Year it became a state: 1890
Capital: Des Moines
Nickname: The Hawkeye State
Motto: Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain
State flower: Wild Rose (Rosa suffulta)
State tree: Oak (Quercus)
State bird: Eastern Goldfinch (Carduelis tristis)
Historical Facts
A monument in Sioux City was placed to honor The Sergeant Floyd, the man who died during the Lewis and Clark expedition.
Fort Atkinson was the site of the sole fort built by the government to protect one Indian tribe from another.
Fun Fact
Iowa has the shortest and steepest railroad in the country. It has a sixty-degree incline and is only 296 feet long.
Resources:
State of Iowa: About
NPR: Think you know Iowa?
Kansas
Basic Facts
Year it became a state: 1861
Capital: Topeka
Nickname: The Sunflower State
Motto: Ad Astra per Aspera (To the Stars Through Difficulties)
State flower: Native Sunflower (Helianthus annuus)
State tree: Cottonwood (Populus deltoides)
State bird: Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta)
Historical Facts
The first woman mayor in the United States was elected in Argonia in 1887.
Kansas inventors include created the dial telephone in 1889, the helicopter in 1909, and the frozen carbonated drink machine in 1961.
Fun Fact
Helium was discovered at the University of Kansas in 1905.
Resources:
State of Kansas: Kansas kids facts
Utah State University: Kansas is a pancake
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Kentucky
Basic Facts
Year it became a state: 1792
Capital: Frankfort
Nickname: The Bluegrass State
Motto: United we stand, divided we shall fall
State flower: Goldenrod (Solidago canadensis var. scabra)
State tree: Tulip Poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera)
State bird: Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
Historical Facts
The Kentucky Derby is the oldest continuously held horse race in the United States.
The first commercial oil well was built on the Cumberland River 1819.
Fun Fact
The largest underground cave in the world is in Kentucky. It is 300 miles long.
Resources:
State of Kentucky: Kids
University of Louisville: Kentucky facts
Louisiana
Basic Facts
Year it became a state: 1812
Capital: Baton Rouge
Nickname: The Pelican State
Motto: Union, justice and confidence
State flower: Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora)
State tree: Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum)
State bird: Eastern Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis)
Historical Facts
The state was named in honor of King Louis XIV.
The New Orleans & Carrollton Line is the oldest street railway line, having first started operating in 1835.
Fun Fact
This state has ninety-eight percent of the world’s crayfish.
Resources:
State of Louisiana: State facts
University of Chicago: History of Louisiana
Maine
Basic Facts
Year it became a state: 1820
Capital: Augusta
Nickname: The Pine Tree State
Motto: Dirigo (I Direct)
State flower: White Pinecone/Tassel (Pinus strobus)
State tree: Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus)
State bird: Chickadee (Poecile atricapilla)
Historical Facts
Ice Age hunters were the original inhabitants of the state.
Portland was the original state capital until it was moved to Augusta in 1832.
Fun Fact
West Quoddy Head in Maine is the most easterly point in the United States.
Resources:
State of Maine: Facts about Maine
University of Maine: History of the state of Maine
Maryland
Basic Facts
Year it became a state: 1788
Capital: Annapolis
Nickname: The Old-Line State
Motto: Fatti Maschii Parole Femine (Strong Deeds, Gentle Words)
State flower: Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)
State tree: White Oak (Quercus alba)
State bird: Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula)
Historical Facts
The United States Naval Academy was founded in Annapolis in 1845.
The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Company constructed the first railroad station in Baltimore in 1830.
Fun Fact
The first umbrella factory in the country opened in 1928 in Baltimore.
Resources:
State of Maryland: Famous facts about Maryland
Maryland Office of Tourism: Maryland facts
Massachusetts
Basic Facts
Year it became a state: 1788
Capital: Boston
Nickname: The Bay State
Motto: Ense Petit Placidam Sub Libertate Quietem (By the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty)
State flower: Mayflower (Epigaea repens)
State tree: American Elm (Ulmus americana)
State bird: Chickadee (Poecile atricapilla)
Historical Facts
The first subway system in the US was created in Boston in 1897.
United States presidents John Adams, John Quincy Adams, John Fitzgerald Kennedy and George Herbert Walker Bush were all born in Norfolk County.
Fun Fact
The Boston University Bridge in Massachusetts is said to be the only place in the where “a boat can sail under a train driving under a car driving under an airplane.”
Resources:
State of Massachusetts: Interesting facts about Massachusetts
University of Massachusetts Boston: Symbols
Michigan
Basic Facts
Year it became a state: 1837
Capital: Lansing
Nickname: The Wolverine State
Motto: Si Quaeris Peninsulam Amoenam Circumsice (If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you)
State flower: Apple Blossom (Malus domestica)
State tree: Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus)
State bird: American Robin (Turdus migratorius)
Historical Facts
The Packard Motor Car Company manufactured the first air-conditioned car in Detroit in 1939.
Sault Ste. Marie is the third oldest settlement in the country.
Fun Fact
Battle Creek, known as the Cereal Bowl of the US, produces more cereal than anywhere else in the country.
Resources:
State of Michigan: Michigan facts
State Data Lab: Michigan
Minnesota
Basic Facts
Year it became a state: 1858
Capital: St. Paul
Nickname: The Land of 10,000 Lakes
Motto: L’Etoile du Nord (The Star of the North)
State flower: Pink and White Lady’s Slipper (Cypripedium reginae)
State tree: Red Pine (Pinus resinosa)
State bird: Common Loon (Gavia immer)
Historical Facts
The St. Lawrence Seaway first opened in 1959, allowing oceangoing ships to pass through.
The Old Log Theater in Minneapolis is the oldest continuously running theater.
Fun Fact
The oldest rock in the world is 3.8 billion years old and can be seen in the Minnesota River valley.
Resources:
State of Minnesota: Minnesota facts
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources: Minnesota state park and recreation areas
Mississippi
Basic Facts
Year it became a state: 1817
Capital: Jackson
Nickname: The South’s Warmest Welcome
Motto: Virtute et Armis (By Valor and Arms)
State flower: Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora)
State tree: Magnolia (Magnolia)
State bird: Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)
Historical Facts
The University of Mississippi Medical Center did the world’s first human lung transplant in 1963.
President Theodore Roosevelt refused to shoot a captured bear in the state In 1902.
Fun Fact
Coca-Cola was first bottled in Vicksburg, Mississippi in 1894.
Resources:
State of Mississippi: About Mississippi
University of Mississippi: Mississippi encyclopedia
Missouri
Basic Facts
Year it became a state: 1821
Capital: Jefferson City
Nickname: The Show Me State
Motto: Salus Populi Suprema Lex Esto (The welfare of the people shall be the supreme law)
State flower: Hawthorn (Crataegus)
State tree: Dogwood (Cornus florida)
State bird: Bluebird (Sialia sialis)
Historical Facts
Captain Berry performed the first successful parachute jump from a plane in St Louis in 1912.
Annapolis experienced the most destructive tornado on record in 1925.
Fun Fact
The Missouri Gateway Arch in St. Louis is the tallest stainless-steel monument on the planet.
Resources:
State of Missouri: Missouri state facts
The State Historical Society of Missouri: Our Missouri podcast
Montana
Basic Facts
Year it became a state: 1867
Capital: Helena
Nickname: Big Sky Country
Motto: Gold and Silver
State flower: Bitterroot (Lewisia rediviva)
State tree: Ponderosa Pine (Pinus ponderosa)
State bird: Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta)
Historical Facts
Henry Plummer, a notorious outlaw, was the builder of the first jail in the state.
Lolo Hot Springs had the first luge run in the country in 1965.
Fun Fact
Grasshopper Glacier is named for the grasshoppers that can be seen frozen in its ice.
Resources:
State of Montana: About Montana
Princeton University: Where the Buffalo roamed
Nebraska
Basic Facts
Year it became a state: 1864
Capital: Lincoln
Nickname: Cornhusker State
Motto: Equality before the law
State flower: Goldenrod (Solidago gigantea)
State tree: Cottonwood (Populus deltoides)
State bird: Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta)
Historical Facts
- Sterling Morton was the founder of Arbor Day, which began in 1872.
The state had the largest U.S. ammunition plant and provided forty percent of World War II ammunition.
Fun Fact
Lincoln, Nebraska has the only roller-skating museum in the world.
Resources:
State of Nebraska: Nebraska state symbols
Nebraska Land Foundation: Interesting facts about Nebraska
Nevada
Basic Facts
Year it became a state: 1788
Capital: Carson City
Nickname: The Silver State
Motto: All for our country
State flower: Sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata)
State tree: Single-leaf Piñon (Pinus monophylla) and Bristle-cone Pine
State bird: Mountain Bluebird (Sialia currucoides)
Historical Facts
In 1960, there were 16,067 slots in the state. In 1999, there were 205,726.
Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain) began his writing career as a reporter in the area.
Fun Fact
Nevada has rare and prehistoric fish, such as the Devils Hole pup.
Resources:
State of Nevada: History of Nevada
Nevada State Parks: Welcome to Nevada state parks
New Hampshire
Basic Facts
Year it became a state: 1788
Capital: Concord
Nickname: The Granite State
Motto: Live free or die
State flower: Purple Lilac (Syringa vulgaris)
State tree: White Birch (Betula papyrifera)
State bird: Purple Finch (Carpodacus purpureus)
Historical Facts
New Hampshire was the first of the original colonies to declare its independence from England.
In 1905, Portsmouth was hosting location of the treaty that ended the Russo-Japanese War.
Fun Fact
Artificial rain was first used here in 1947 to stop a forest fire.
Resources:
State of New Hampshire: Fast facts
Visit New Hampshire: Soak up the sun
New Jersey
Basic Facts
Year it became a state: 1787
Capital: Trenton
Nickname: The Garden State
Motto: Liberty and Prosperity
State flower: Purple Violet (Viola sororia)
State tree: Northern Red Oak (Quercus Rubra)
State bird: Eastern Goldfinch (Carduelis tristis)
Historical Facts
The first submarine ride by inventor John P. Holland was in the Passaic river.
Thomas Edison created the light bulb and more in his Menlo Park laboratory.
Fun Fact
The world’s first drive-in movie theater was built in this state in 1933.
Resources:
State of New Jersey: Facts and symbols
Visit New Jersey: Discover the Garden State
New Mexico
Basic Facts
Year it became a state: 1912
Capital: Santa Fe
Nickname: Land of Enchantment
Motto: Crescit Eundo (It Grows as It Goes)
State flower: Yucca (Yucca glauca)
State tree: Piñon (Pinus edulis)
State bird: Greater Roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus)
Historical Facts
The world’s first atomic bomb was detonated in 1945 on the White Sands Testing Range.
The Palace of Governors was built in 1610 and is one of the oldest public buildings in the United States.
Fun Fact
Smokey Bear was an orphaned cub orphaned found after a fire in 1950 in this state.
Resources:
State of New Mexico: State of New Mexico
New Mexico Wildlife Federation: State parks and public lands
New York
Basic Facts
Year it became a state: 1788
Capital: Albany
Nickname: The Empire State
Motto: Exelsior (Ever Upward)
State flower: Rose (Rosa)
State tree: Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum)
State bird: Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis)
Historical Facts
The first chess tournament in American was in New York in 1843.
The first successful steamboat made its maiden voyage from New York City to Albany in 1807.
Fun Fact
The first 3-D film was played in the Astor Theatre here in 1915.
Resources:
State of New York: Fun facts
Encyclopedia Britannica: New York
North Carolina
Basic Facts
Year it became a state: 1789
Capital: Raleigh
Nickname: The Tar Heel State
Motto: Esse Quam Videri (To Be Rather than to Seem)
State flower: Dogwood (Cornus florida)
State tree: Longleaf Pine (Pinus palustris)
State bird: Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
Historical Facts
The oldest state university is the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill.
The Wright Brothers made the first successful powered flight here in 1903.
Fun Fact
High Point, North Carolina hosts the world’s biggest annual furniture trade show.
Resources:
State of North Carolina: Kids history page
Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina: A story at every stop
North Dakota
Basic Facts
Year it became a state: 1889
Capital: Bismarck
Nickname: Peace Garden State
Motto: Liberty and union, now and forever, one and inseparable
State flower: Wild Prairie Rose (Rosa arkansana)
State tree: American Elm (Ulmus americana)
State bird: Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta)
Historical Facts
The state has tried to remove the word North from its name several times, but it never passes the legislative assembly.
When the territory was formed in 1861, the state was named for the Dakota Indian tribe.
Fun Fact
The geographic center of North America is in Pierce County, North Dakota.
Resources:
State of North Dakota: North Dakota facts
America’s Library: North Dakota and South Dakota were admitted to the union
Ohio
Basic Facts
Year it became a state: 1803
Capital: Columbus
Nickname: The Buckeye State
Motto: With God, all things are possible
State flower: Scarlet Carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus)
State tree: Buckeye (Aesculus glabra)
State bird: Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
Historical Facts
Cleveland had the country’s first traffic light in 1914.
Akron was the first city in the country to have police cars.
Cincinnati would become home to the first professional fire department.
Fun Fact
The world’s largest basket is over seven stories tall and can be found in Dresden, Ohio.
Resources:
State of Ohio: Sites for kids
Cleveland.com: 50 fun facts about Ohio you didn’t know
Oklahoma
Basic Facts
Year it became a state: 1907
Capital: Oklahoma City
Nickname: The Sooner State
Motto: Labor Omnia Vincit (Labor Conquers All Things)
State flower: Mistletoe (Phoradendron leucarpum)
State tree: Redbud (Cercis canadensis)
State bird: Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (Tyrannus forficatus)
Historical Facts
Boise City, Oklahoma was the only city in the country to be bombed during World War II as a test run.
WKY Radio was the first radio station west of the Mississippi River.
Fun Fact
In 1935, the first parking meter was installed in Oklahoma City.
Resources:
State of Oklahoma: Welcome to Oklahoma’s official website
Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department: Welcome to the official site
Oregon
Basic Facts
Year it became a state: 1859
Capital: Salem
Nickname: The Beaver State
Motto: Alis Volat Propriis (She Flies with Her Own Wings)
State flower: Oregon Grape (Mahonia aquifolium)
State tree: Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii)
State bird: Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta)
Historical Facts
Eugene was the first town to introduce one-way streets.
The discovery of the Willamette River occurred in 1792.
Fun Fact
The world’s smallest park can be found in Portland. It is a total of 452 inches and was created for leprechaun and snail races.
Resources:
State of Oregon: Oregon facts
Travel Oregon: Welcome to Oregon
Pennsylvania
Basic Facts
Year it became a state: 1787
Capital: Harrisburg
Nickname: The Keystone State
Motto: Virtue, liberty and independence
State flower: Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia)
State tree: Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis)
State bird: Ruffed Grouse (Bonasa umbellus)
Historical Facts
The first baseball stadium was built in Pittsburgh in 1909.
The first daily newspaper was published in Philadelphia in 1784.
Fun Fact
Kennett Square, Pennsylvania produces over a million pounds of mushrooms per week.
Resources:
US Senator Bob Casey of Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania
Visit PA: Main page
Rhode Island
Basic Facts
Year it became a state: 1790
Capital: Providence
Nickname: The Ocean State
Motto: Hope
State flower: Violet (Viola palmata)
State tree: Red Maple (Acer rubrum)
State bird: Rhode Island Red (Gallus gallus)
Historical Facts
Rhode Island was the final of the original thirteen colonies to become a state.
Rhode Island had the country’s first open golf tournament in 1895.
Fun Fact
The Rhode Island Red chicken breed were at the start of poultry as a major industry the country.
Resources:
State of Rhode Island: Facts
Visit Rhode Island: Main page
South Carolina
Basic Facts
Year it became a state: 1788
Capital: Columbia
Nickname: The Palmetto State
Motto: Animis Opibusque Parati (Prepared in Mind and Resources)
State flower: Yellow Jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens)
State tree: Palmetto (Sabal palmetto)
State bird: Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)
Historical Facts
Campbell’s Covered Bridge, built in 1909, is the only covered bridge the remains in the state.
South Carolina became the eigth state in 1788.
Fun Fact
The first tea farm in the United States was started in 1890 near Summerville, South Carolina.
Resources:
State of South Carolina: Only in South Carolina
South Caroline Tourism Official Site: Discover South Carolina
South Dakota
Basic Facts
Year it became a state: 1889
Capital: Pierre
Nickname: The Mount Rushmore State
Motto: Under God, the people rule
State flower: Pasqueflower (Anemone patens var. multifida)
State tree: Black Hills Spruce (Picea glauca)
State bird: Ring-necked Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus)
Historical Facts
The state is home to Mount Rushmore, the world’s largest mountain carving.
Jack McCall was tried, convicted, and hanged here in 1877 for shooting Wild Bill Hickok.
Fun Fact
The planet’s biggest natural indoor warmwater pool is fed by hot springs and can be found in South Dakota.
Resources:
State of South Dakota: About the state of South Dakota
Department of Tourism: Travel South Dakota
Tennessee
Basic Facts
Year it became a state: 1796
Capital: Nashville
Nickname: The Volunteer State
Motto: Agriculture and commerce
State flower: Iris (Iris germanica)
State tree: Tulip Poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera)
State bird: Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)
Historical Facts
The city of Kingston was the state capital for one day in 1807.
Tennessee became The Volunteer State in 1812 because of the fearless fighting done by volunteers in the Battle of New Orleans.
Fun Fact
Graceland, the estate and gravesite of Elvis Presley, can be found in Tennessee.
Resources:
State of Tennessee: State symbols
Tennessee Department of Tourism: Start planning the perfect trip
Texas
Basic Facts
Year it became a state: 1845
Capital: Austin
Nickname: The Lone Star State
Motto: Friendship
State flower: Bluebonnet (Lupinus)
State tree: Pecan (Carya illinoinensis)
State bird: Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)
Historical Facts
Texas has had six flags flying over it. They include Spain, France, Mexico, the Republic of Texas, Confederate States, and the United States.
Texas was an independent nation between 1836 to 1845.
Fun Fact
Port Lavaca in Texas has the world’s longest fishing pier.
Resources:
State of Texas: About Texas
Travel Texas: Welcome to the state of Texas
Utah
Basic Facts
Year it became a state: 1896
Capital: Salt Lake City
Nickname: The Beehive State
Motto: Industry
State flower: Sego Lily (Calochortus)
State tree: Blue Spruce (Picea pungens)
State bird: California Gull (Larus californicus)
Historical Facts
Completion of the world’s first transcontinental railroad happened here in 1869.
The Mormon Temple in Salt Lake City took 40 long years to finish.
Fun Fact
Rainbow Bridge is the largest natural stone bridge in the world and can be found here.
Resources:
State of Utah: Utah state symbols
Visit Utah: Utah events and attractions
Vermont
Basic Facts
Year it became a state: 1791
Capital: Montpelier
Nickname: The Green Mountain State
Motto: Freedom and unity
State flower: Red Clover (Trifolium pratense)
State tree: Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum)
State bird: Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus)
Historical Facts
This the first state admitted to the Union after the ratification of the Constitution.
President Calvin Coolidge was born here, and he was the only US president born on the fourth of July.
Fun Fact
The state has the largest production of maple syrup in the entire country.
Resources:
State of Vermont: About Vermont
Travel Vermont: The Official Vermont tourism website
Virginia
Basic Facts
Year it became a state: 1788
Capital: Richmond
Nickname: The Old Dominion
Motto: Sic Semper Tyrannis (Thus Always to Tyrants)
State flower: Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida)
State tree: Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida)
State bird: Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
Historical Facts
Virginia was named for England’s “Virgin Queen,” Elizabeth I.
Jamestown was the first English settlement in the country.
Fun Fact
Virginia has the only full-length statue of George Washington.
Resources:
State of Virginia: Fun facts
Library of Virginia: Questions about Virginia
Washington
Basic Facts
Year it became a state: 1889
Capital: Olympia
Nickname: The Evergreen State
Motto: Al-ki (By and By)
State flower: Western Rhododendron (Rhododendron macrophyllum)
State tree: Western Hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla)
State bird: Willow Goldfinch (Carduelis tristis)
Historical Facts
This is only state to be named after a president.
King county was first named after William R. King and then later “renamed” after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Fun Fact
The Lunar Rover was made by Boeing in Seattle.
Resources:
State of Washington: State facts
Washington State Parks: Things to do
West Virginia
Basic Facts
Year it became a state: 1863
Capital: Charleston
Nickname: The Mountain State
Motto: Montani Semper Liberi (Mountaineers are Always Free)
State flower: Big Rhododendron (Rhododendron maximum)
State tree: Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum)
State bird: Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
Historical Facts
West Virginia gained its sovereignty by proclamation of the President of the United States.
Mother’s Day was first observed in West Virginia in 1908.
Fun Fact
The New Rivers Gorge Bridge in West Virginia is the world’s third largest arch bridge.
Resources:
State of West Virginia: Fun facts about West Virginia
National Archives: Celebrating West Virginia statehood
Wisconsin
Basic Facts
Year it became a state: 1848
Capital: Madison
Nickname: The Badger State
Motto: Forward
State flower: Wood Violet (Viola sororia)
State tree: Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum)
State bird: American Robin (Turdus migratorius)
Historical Fact
The first hydroelectric plant in the country was built at Fox River in 1882.
Fun Fact
The National Mustard Museum in Horeb, Wisconsin has more than 5,300 types of mustard.
Resource:
State of Wisconsin: Wisconsin for kids
Wyoming
Basic Facts
Year it became a state: 1890
Capital: Cheyenne
Nickname: The Cowboy State
Motto: Equal Rights
State flower: Indian Paintbrush (Castilleja linariifolia)
State tree: Plains Cottonwood (Poplus deltoides; Subspecies: monilifera)
State bird: Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta)
Historical Facts
This was the first state to give women the right to vote.
It is also home to the first official National Park – Yellowstone.
Fun Fact
The Register of the Desert can be found here. It is a a giant granite boulder with 5,000 early pioneer names carved into it.
Resource:
State of Wyoming: Facts and symbols