Land Of The Free, Home Of The Strange
The United States really live up to their name—a big, quirky bunch of 50 states, each with its own flavor, traditions, and oddball charm.
You might know your state’s motto or official animal, but we’re betting there’s at least one weird fact about it that’ll totally catch you off guard.
Alabama
Ever wonder where your lost luggage ends up? There's a store in Alabama that sells unclaimed baggage. The Unclaimed Baggage Center is located in Scottsboro and it resembles a thrift store.
The store buys the unclaimed baggage from the airlines and then resells the items.
Alaska
Apparently, vegetables grow extra-large in Alaska. Multiple Guinness World Record-setting vegetables have all been grown in Alaska, from a 138-pound cabbage and a 65-pound cantaloupe to a 35-pound broccoli and an enormous 2,051-pound (930kg) pumpkin.
Arizona
It is unlawful to cut down a cactus in Arizona.
Cutting saguaros down, even on your own property, can result in substantial fines or even time behind bars. The maximum time given for such offences is a whopping 25 years. Fines for damaging the cactus in any way, including scratching in initials, can reach as much as $5,000.
Ray Redstone, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Arkansas
The most valuable diamond ever unearthed in the U.S.? It was found in—wait for it—Arkansas.
Worth a cool $1 million, this sparkly stunner turned up at Crater of Diamonds State Park, where regular people can actually dig for real diamonds. Yes, seriously.
California
California is the only state that has hosted both the summer and winter Olympics. Los Angeles will host the summer Olympics again in 2028.
Unknown Author, Wikimedia Commons
Colorado
The name “cheeseburger” was invented in Colorado. Although the actual burger itself may not have been invented there, the term certainly was.
It was trademarked by Louis Ballast of Denver's Humpty Dumpty Drive-In in Denver in 1935.
Connecticut
Connecticut has a pretty impressive publishing industry, from the first US phone book published there in 1878 to the first American cookbook American Cookery in 1796.
Ekaterina Suvorova, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Delaware
Believe it or not, in Delaware, chickens outnumber people 260 to one. Yep—tiny state, huge poultry scene.
With fewer than a million humans and over 650 chicken farms, Delaware’s got around two million cluckers running the show every year.
Linda, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Florida
Strangely enough, many people attempt to spread a loved one’s ashes at Disney Land—even though it is technically illegal.
The Haunted Mansion is a popular location for this.
Georgia
Georgia has an official state possum.
“Pogo” is a major character in a comic strip published from 1948 to 1975, and was adopted as the state symbol in 1992.
Hawaii
Hawaii has the highest life expectancy out of any state, with 81.3 years of age.
It is also home to the nation’s only royal palace: Iolani Palace.
Jason Raia, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Idaho
Leave it to Idaho to give the classic New Year’s Eve ball drop a starchy twist. Instead of a glittering sphere, they lower a giant, glowing potato—affectionately called the “GlowTato”—right at midnight.
Illinois
This state is home to the world's largest bottle of "catsup”, standing 170 feet tall.
It’s actually a water tower that was built in 1949 for the G.S. Suppiger ketchup-bottling plant. It's so cherished, in fact, that the town gathers each summer to sing it "Happy Birthday" at the annual Catsup Bottle Festival.
Indiana
Wabash, Indiana, was the first US city to use electric street lights. The first street lights were introduced in 1880.
HistoricBuildingFan, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Iowa
Pig farming is a huge industry in Iowa. So much so that pigs actually outnumber the human population about 7-to-1.
Steve Evans, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Kansas
Kansas holds the title for the world’s largest ball of twine—because, of course it does.
It all started in 1953 with a man named Frank Stoeber. Four years in, the ball was already 8 feet tall. He donated it to the city in 1961, and people have been adding to it ever since. Every August, the town hosts a “twine-a-thon” to keep the giant ball growing.
Kentucky
Kentucky—home to famous distilleries like Jim Bean—is well known for its bourbon. In fact, barrels of bourbon outnumber people by about two million.
However, out of Kentucky’s 120 counties, about a third of them are completely dry with no booze sales allowed.
Louisiana
Louisiana has an interesting favorite drink—milk. In fact, milk is actually the official state drink of Louisiana, and has been since 1983.
Santeri Viinamäki, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Maine
Aside from beaches, lakes and lighthouses, Maine has a desert. Just a 20-minute drive from Portland you'll find the 40-acre Desert of Maine.
Bigmacthealmanac, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Maryland
In Maryland, even your toilet comes with a price tag.
To help clean up Chesapeake Bay and improve sewage treatment, the state introduced a “flush tax.” Yep—homeowners pay $60 a year just to use their own bathroom.
Massachusetts
Massachusetts has the longest place name in the entire country.
Webster Lake (not its actual name), a common summer cottage destination has the third longest place name in the world: “Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg”.
Michigan
Colon, a small village in St Joseph County with a population of just 1,173, is the self-proclaimed magic capital of the world.
There's a four-day Magic Festival, a magic-orientated history museum, and the Magician's Walk of Fame (the only one in the world).
The Colon Lakeside Cemetery is the final resting place of no fewer than 28 magicians.
Minnesota
Given the state’s love for the sport, Minnesota has more golfers per capita than any other state.
Ramsey County Minnesota, Flickr
Mississippi
Mississippi gave the world the teddy bear—and it all started with a hunting trip gone sideways.
When President Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt couldn’t find a bear on the trip, his guides caught one for him. But Roosevelt refused to shoot it, calling it unsportsmanlike. The moment went viral (for 1902), cartoonists had a field day, and a Brooklyn candy shop turned the joke into a hit by selling stuffed animals called “Teddy’s Bears.”
Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Missouri
This state is known as the Cave State as there are more than 6,300 recorded caves—and this number grows every year.
Ronincmc, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Montana
Known for its extreme weather conditions, Montana is where the coldest recorded temperature in the lower 48 states occurred. It was a whopping -70 degrees Fahrenheit at Rogers Pass.
Alaska has only beaten this record temperature once.
Nebraska
Another odd official state drink—Kool Aid. Nebraska adopted Kool-Aid as its official state drink in 1998.
It’s also the popcorn capital as it produces more than 25% of the country’s popcorn supply.
Nevada
Nevada isn’t just about casinos and desert—it’s also wild horse country.
Nearly half of all the wild horses in the U.S. roam here, including over 2,000 free-spirited mustangs in the Virginia Range of western Nevada.
Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
New Hampshire
The state fruit of New Hampshire is the pumpkin.
It also has 9 state songs: The official New Hampshire state song is “Old New Hampshire”, but there are eight other honorary state songs, including “New Hampshire Naturally” and “Oh, New Hampshire (you’re my home).”
John Phelan, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
New Jersey
During the Revolutionary War, more battles were fought in New Jersey than in any other colony. The Battle of Monmouth was one notable battle that took place in New Jersey.
Emanuel Leutze, Wikimedia Commons
New Mexico
New Mexico is 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.
Referring to either red or green chilli, the question actually has three possible answers. If you answer with "Christmas", you'll get a mix of both.
New York
The Empire State Building is so iconic, it has its own zip code: 10118.
It’s one of 42 buildings in Manhattan big enough to get a personal zip, thanks to the need for faster, more efficient mail delivery.
North Carolina
North Carolina produces the most sweet potatoes out of all the 50 states. In fact, North Carolina’s sweet potatoes make up about 60% of the country's supply.
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Flickr
North Dakota
North Dakota is home to the world's largest French fry feed—an annual festival that serves massive amounts of French fries.
Santeri Viinamäki, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Ohio
Ohio has the only state flag in the US that isn't rectangular. This type of flag is called a burgee.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma’s basically the king of man-made lakes—with around 200 of them, it beats every other state.
If you’re into water adventures, this is definitely the place to be.
There are more man-made lakes in Oklahoma than in any other state—around 200 to be exact.
Serge Melki, BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Oregon
Portland, Oregon, is home to more breweries than any other city in the world. There are 58 breweries in the city of Portland, alone.
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania is the final resting place for Charles Dickens' pet raven. It has been preserved since 1841 and is on display in the Rare Books department of the Philadelphia Free Library.
Rhode Island
White Horse Tavern is the oldest tavern in the entire country. It was established way back in 1683 and was once owned by a pirate and housed troops during the Occupation of Newport in the Revolution.
Today is serves clam chowder.
Andre Carrotflower, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
South Carolina
South Carolina’s got a secret—almost 4,000 Rhesus monkeys call a tiny island near Beaufort home.
These cheeky residents arrived in the late ’70s from a research facility in Puerto Rico and have been swinging around ever since.
Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
South Dakota
In South Dakota there is a monument that is actually bigger than Mount Rushmore.
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.
Tennessee
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited National Park in the US. It even beats out the Grand Canyon for most annual visitors.
Texas
The state of Texas is actually larger than any country in Europe. If it were a country, it would be the 40th largest in the world.
It has an epic area of 268,820 square miles.
The Jamoker, CC BY 2.0Wikimedia Commons
Utah
Utah isn’t just about stunning canyons—it’s officially the Jell-O capital of the U.S.
People here gobble up more Jell-O per person than anywhere else in the country. Wiggle on, Utah!
Vermont
Continuing with the sweet treat trend, Vermont actually produced a record 1.9 million gallons of maple syrup in 2019, more than double any other state.
Virginia
Virginia is home to Colonial Williamsburg—the largest living history museum in the world. Williamsburg has been turned into a living and breathing museum that's so large it could fit in the world's largest museum.
Humberto Moreno, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Washington
Washington produces six out of every 10 apples consumed in the US. The apple is also the official state fruit.
Washington State Department of Agriculture, Flickr
West Virginia
West Virginia’s fall tradition? Jumping off a bridge—for fun.
Every third Saturday in October, the New River Gorge Bridge shuts down for “Bridge Day,” when hundreds of BASE jumpers take the plunge while up to 100,000 fans cheer them on.
Thrills guaranteed!
Jeremy Markovich, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Wisconsin
This state hosts the world's largest cranberry festival. It is held annually in the tiny town of Warrens (population 400) and it draws in about 100,000 visitors each year.
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.
Wyoming
Oddly enough, there are only two sets of escalators in the entire state. Both escalators are located in Casper, one in Hilltop National Bank and the other in First Interstate Bank.
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