# How many U.S. states are in two pieces? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 15, 2009, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-u-s-states-are-in-two-pieces/517610 "2009-11-15T00:40:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![bonitahi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7993a0/32.png) [@bonitahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bonitahi)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-u-s-states-are-in-two-pieces/517610/21 "2009-11-16T15:36:31Z")
Wasn’t Pocahontas involved in the etymology of naming Assawoman Sound? ``` (Pokerinthis, Pocahontis: whatever) ``` ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-u-s-states-are-in-two-pieces/517610/22 "2009-11-16T18:34:36Z")
> [@JWT\_Kottekoe](#): > > Northern Michigan. Yeah, I’m surprised the original poster didn’t list the most obvious one himself. 😉 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-u-s-states-are-in-two-pieces/517610/23 "2009-11-16T19:14:11Z")
BTW, note that what the OP is looking for may not be exclaves, depending on your definition. Some definitions simply say “not physically contiguous”, as in the Wiki article, while some say “not connected by land”. Things like Point Roberts and the NW Angle are not exclaves by the first definition, as the political boundaries of WA and MN are drawn over the water so as to include them as contiguous parts of the state. Note that the Wiki article calls such things “practical exclaves” or “pene exclaves”, and separates them that way in their list, which includes Point Roberts and the NW Angle: > **[List of enclaves and exclaves](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_enclaves_and_exclaves#Pene-enclaves_and_pene-exclaves)** > > Download coordinates as: > In political geography, an enclave is a piece of land belonging to one country (or region etc.) that is totally surrounded by another country (or region). An exclave is a piece of land that is politically attached to a larger piece but not physically contiguous with it (connected to it) because they are completely separated by a surrounding foreign territory or territories. Many entities are both enclaves and exclaves. > Each enclave listed in this section has an admini... Conversely, some of these things involving separation by rivers are actually exclaves, given that the border is in the middle of the river, as is usually (though not always) the practice. The OP specifically ruled those out, though. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/96bed5/32.png) [@Cat\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Jones)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-u-s-states-are-in-two-pieces/517610/24 "2009-11-16T23:56:27Z")
For those interested in why these exclaves exist in the first place I can recommend “[How the States got their Shapes](http://search.barnesandnoble.com/How-the-States-Got-Their-Shapes/Mark-Stein/e/9780061431388/)” ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2009, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-u-s-states-are-in-two-pieces/517610/25 "2009-11-17T04:31:36Z")
> [@tim314](#): > > How many U.S. states are separated into two disconnected pieces by … a body of water **other than a river**. > [@zenith](#): > > Carter Lake, Iowa is on the Nebraska side of the Missouri River. Bolding mine. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2009, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-u-s-states-are-in-two-pieces/517610/26 "2009-11-17T12:35:20Z")
> [@Polycarp](#): > > Which states have counties located entirely on islands, and what counties are they? > > My list, which is admittedly incomplete: > > **Massachusetts** : Nantucket and Dukes > > **New York** : Kings, Nassau, New York, Queens, Richmond, Suffolk > > **Hawaii** : Hawaii, Honolulu, Kalawao, Kauai, Maui (am I missing any?) > > **Washington** : Island, San Juan > > I’m sure some Alaska boroughs qualify, but don’t know the political geography there well enough. As far as I can tell, your list is complete except for Sitka and Wrangell Alaska, which are both combined city and borough municipalities. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2009, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-u-s-states-are-in-two-pieces/517610/27 "2009-11-17T12:43:45Z")
> [@Polycarp](#): > > Litle bit of a hijack, but somewhat related: > > Which states have counties located entirely on islands, and what counties are they? > > My list, which is admittedly incomplete: > > **Massachusetts** : Nantucket and Dukes > > **New York** : Kings, Nassau, New York, Queens, Richmond, Suffolk Trivia classic There is a small section of New York County that is located on the “mainland” in the Bronx, therefore New York County is not located entirely on an island. > **[Marble Hill, Manhattan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marble_Hill,_Manhattan)** > > Marble Hill is the northernmost neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan. Although once part of Manhattan Island, a large modern shipping canal was dug to its south over a small earlier canal in the late 19th century. The neighborhood was then connected by land reclamation to the mainland in the early 20th century. The Bronx surrounds the neighborhood to the west, north, and east, while the Harlem River is its southern border. > The area of Marble Hill became a Dutch colonial sett... ---
**Author:** ![rayman5321](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@rayman5321](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rayman5321)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2009, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-u-s-states-are-in-two-pieces/517610/28 "2009-11-17T16:34:17Z")
> [@JWT\_Kottekoe](#): > > Northern Michigan. What do you mean by Northern Michigan? ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2009, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-u-s-states-are-in-two-pieces/517610/29 "2009-11-17T16:46:30Z")
> [@Polycarp](#): > > … > Which states have counties located entirely on islands, and what counties are they? > … > **Hawaii** : Hawaii, Honolulu, Kalawao, Kauai, Maui (am I missing any?) > … To be more complete, Maui County consists of four different large islands (not including the part of Molokai that comprises Kalawao County), and Ni’ihau is part of Kauai County, but is a separate island. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2009, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-u-s-states-are-in-two-pieces/517610/30 "2009-11-18T00:20:49Z")
> [@rayman5321](#): > > What do you mean by Northern Michigan? I would imagine the Upper Peninsula, as mentioned in the OP. ---
**Author:** ![rayman5321](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@rayman5321](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rayman5321)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2009, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-u-s-states-are-in-two-pieces/517610/31 "2009-11-18T19:40:09Z")
> [@Askance](#): > > I would imagine the Upper Peninsula, as mentioned in the OP. YES, you are correct. However, if you were from Michigan you would know that the people in the northern part of lower Michigan consider that they live in “northern Michigan”. This is a sore spot with Michiganians. Also, Michigan is divided into three parts. Check out a map and zoom into the Houghton-Hancock area. You’ll see that the Keweenaw Peninsula is divided into two by the Portage Shipping Canal. Native Yooper and Keweenaw Peninsulite. ---
**Author:** ![whitetho](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whitetho/32/1059_2.png) [@whitetho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whitetho)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2009, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-u-s-states-are-in-two-pieces/517610/32 "2009-11-18T20:01:43Z")
Not sure if this fits in, but while the core of Elllis Island is in the state of New York, that core section is entirely surrounded by New Jersey land: [GIS and Coastal Boundary Disputes: Where is Ellis Island?](http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc99/proceed/papers/pap138/p138.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2009, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-u-s-states-are-in-two-pieces/517610/33 "2009-11-18T20:31:08Z")
> [@garygnu](#): > > To be more complete, Maui County consists of four different large islands (not including the part of Molokai that comprises Kalawao County), and Ni’ihau is part of Kauai County, but is a separate island. Yep. Eight large islands, five counties: Hawaii County: Hawaii (the Big) Island Honolulu County: Oahu island, and the islets northeast of Niihau extending out towards Midway Kalawao County: a small peninsula on Molokai, site of the leper settlements. Legally a distinct county, but administered by Maui County. Kauai County: Kauai and Niihau islands Maui County: Maui, Molokai (except that peninsula), Lanai, and Kahoolawe islands ---
**Author:** ![Ignatz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/3be4f8/32.png) [@Ignatz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ignatz)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2009, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-u-s-states-are-in-two-pieces/517610/34 "2009-11-26T22:33:52Z")
> [@bonitahi](#): > > “Maryland is separated from the ‘mainland’ by the Assawoman Bay.” > > Assawoman Bay used to be called Assawoman Sound. > > Wonder what that would have sounded like, and felt like during one of their beautiful sunsets… > > Which provokes, is there a Assaman Sound? Yes, whenever he farts. (Sorry 'bout that) ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2009, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-u-s-states-are-in-two-pieces/517610/35 "2009-11-27T15:41:31Z")
> [@rayman5321](#): > > … This is a sore spot with Michiganians. … Native Yooper and Keweenaw Peninsulite. I thought Michigan residents were properly called Michiganders. Or is this one of those things where popular usage has left the dictionaries behind? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-u-s-states-are-in-two-pieces/517610.md?page=1)