# Tell me something wonderful about your home state **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 5, 2003, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-wonderful-about-your-home-state/193035 "2003-08-05T02:00:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![mystycalchyk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dbc845/32.png) [@mystycalchyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mystycalchyk)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2003, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-wonderful-about-your-home-state/193035/41 "2003-08-05T18:05:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Linus Van Pelt \* > \*\ ***Bouv** > My state is Arizona. Best known for the Grand Canyon, of course. > > The State bird is the cactus wren. > > The state flower is the blossom of the Saguaro cactus. This famous cactus, which only grows in the Sonoran Desert , is the tallest cactus in the United States. Speaking of cactus, the fruit of the prickly pear makes darn good margaritas. > > We have a state fossil! It’s petrified wood. Which makes sense becasue Arizona is the home of Petrified Forrest National Park. > > The official state neckware is the bola tie. You’ll occasionally find it made with the official state gemstone, turquoise. > > There’s a state reptile - the Arizona Ridge-nosed Rattlesnake (of course it’s a rattlesnake). Although rattlesnakes are pretty intimidating (and are shown biting people at the drop of a hat in the movies), they try to avoid people and only attack when threatened. Speaking of snakes, Arizona is home to the western coral snake, whose venom is a deadly neurotoxin related to that of the cobra! :eek: But don’t worry: you have to work very hard to get them to bite you as they are fairly docile by nature and their mouths are too small to bite unless they get you between the fingers. > > Let’s see, what else… > > Meteor Crater - the first impact crater on Earth positively identified as such. It was also used by astronauts training for the moon landing. > > The worlds largest ponderosa pine forest is in northern Arizona. > > That’s enough for now, I think. \*\* well since you have posted all the info, perhaps I’ll just garnish them with a few of my personal photos. This is[Sedona](http://www.mystrealm.com/user/mystycalchyk/sedona.JPG), this is about 35 or so minutes from my house. This is [Lake Powell](http://www.mystrealm.com/user/mystycalchyk/lakepowell.JPG) which is basically the end of the Grand Canyon that has beem dammed up. The water is so blue and so perfect. I love Lake Powell (it’s about 3 hours from me). This was taken last year, and the water was about 50 feet low. That white line is 50 feet believe it or not. The lake is just so huge it doesnt look like its that far away…it is. Lake Powell has more coastline than the entire state of CA. [Here’s another shot](http://www.mystrealm.com/user/mystycalchyk/ourcamp.JPG) pf it in the early AM (from our campsite). And for a couple of random shots of the Grand Canyon… _runs around dropping links, willy nilly_ [this one](http://www.mystrealm.com/user/mystycalchyk/Grandcanyonday.JPG) is of the canyon about mid afternoon…[this one](http://www.mystrealm.com/user/mystycalchyk/Grandcanyonframed.JPG) I like I guess because I try to look for natural ‘frames’ for pics. [This shot](http://www.mystrealm.com/user/mystycalchyk/grandcanyonearlysunset.JPG) shows how the rocks start to change in the early sunset. Oh, and [this](http://www.mystrealm.com/user/mystycalchyk/flagstaff.JPG) is Flagstaff…where I live. (that’s about 1 mile from my house) 😃 ---
**Author:** ![WillSantini](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ed8c4c/32.png) [@WillSantini](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WillSantini)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2003, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-wonderful-about-your-home-state/193035/42 "2003-08-05T18:07:14Z")
**Texas** When the Texas Capitol building was completed in 1888, it was the 7th largest building in the world. Chili is the state dish. And true chili doesn’t have beans. Birthplace of Bob Wills. The Texas Rangers form the oldest law-enforcement agency in North America with statewide jurisdiction. Birthplace of Buddy Holly. Birthplace of Roy Orbison. Bluebonnets. ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2003, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-wonderful-about-your-home-state/193035/43 "2003-08-05T18:19:24Z")
[I’ve always had a hard time wrapping my mind around this fact about Arizona:](http://www.azchamber.com/new_residents/relocation.shtml) > [@](#): > > Arizonians own the most boats per capita in the country ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2003, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-wonderful-about-your-home-state/193035/44 "2003-08-05T18:21:36Z")
My home state is Louisiana. Here are some facts. Louisiana has the tallest state Capitol in the nation at 450 feet. The Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans is the largest enclosed stadium in the world. The Lake Pontchartrain Causeway is the longest over-water bridge in the world at 23.87 miles. Louisiana’s 6.5 million acres of wetlands are the greatest in the nation. The oldest City in the Louisiana Purchase Territory is Natchitoches, founded in 1714. The first bottler of Coca-Cola, Joseph Biedenharn,lived in Monroe. Delta Airlines got its start in Monroe. Southern University is the largest predominantly black university in the nation. Baton Rouge was the site of the only American Revolution battle outside the 13 colonies. The formal transfer of the Louisiana Purchase was made at the Cabildo in New Orleans on December 20, 1803. The staircase at Chretien Point, in Sunset, was copied for Tara in “Gone With the Wind”. Louisiana is the No. 1 producer of crawfish, alligators and shallots in the nation. Louisiana produces 24 percent of the nation’s salt, the most in the country. Tabasco holds the second oldest food trademark in the U.S. Patent Office. Steen’s Syrup Mill is the world’s largest syrup plant, producing sugar cane syrup. America’s oldest rice mill is in New Iberia at KONRIKO Co. The International Joke Telling Contest is held annually in Opelousas. The Louisiana Hayride radio show helped Hank Williams, Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash achieve stardom. It was broadcast from KWKH Radio in Shreveport from 1948. ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2003, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-wonderful-about-your-home-state/193035/45 "2003-08-05T18:26:42Z")
Ah, Kentucky. Birthplace of Abe Lincoln, numerous Nascar drivers, Johnny Depp, damn near every famous racehorse ever, and the ever-so-fabulous _moi_. The state tree is the redbud, which is terribly popular. The state flower is goldenrod. (Yeah, it’s a weed, but it’s a purty weed, all right?) The Kentucky Derby kicks off the Triple Crown on the first Saturday in May. Man O’War, quite possilby the most famous horse to ever live, was born in Lexington, and is buried in Lexington at the Kentucky Horse Park. And of course, there’s UK basketball. ---
**Author:** ![DeVena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dec6dc/32.png) [@DeVena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeVena)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2003, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-wonderful-about-your-home-state/193035/46 "2003-08-05T18:42:54Z")
Alabama; where collegiate football is not a sport, it’s a religion. When you move to Alabama, you are asked to declare your affiliation. Not for politics, we could care less. But the only TRULY important question: "You for [Alabama](http://www.ua.edu/) or [Auburn](http://www.auburn.edu/). Everything else pales in comparison. [Official Emblems of Alabama:](http://www.archives.state.al.us/emblems/emblems.html) Such as: State Bird (Yellowhammer), State Flower (Camelia), and State Fossil (_Basilosaurus cetoides_ - my personal favorite) Capital is [Montgomery](http://www.montgomery.al.us). Coolest [place to go to camp.](http://206.166.221.131/spacecamp/welcome.jsp) ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2003, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-wonderful-about-your-home-state/193035/47 "2003-08-05T19:03:24Z")
New York probably has the biggest geologic diversity per square mile of any state: Appalachians, coastal plain, Catskills, Finger Lakes, Southern Tier, Hudson Valley, Adirondacks, Albany karst area, northern coastal plain, etc… not to mention [Panama Rocks](http://www.panamarocks.com/vtour.htm), which is a quartz conglomerate outcropping sort of like Rock City, except it’s set on a hill rather than a mountain, the outcropping is about 10-15 feet lower in height, and the best part, you can walk freely amongst the scattered rocks and passageways! ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2003, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-wonderful-about-your-home-state/193035/48 "2003-08-05T19:19:52Z")
"Ah, Kentucky. Birthplace of Abe Lincoln, numerous Nascar drivers, Johnny Depp, damn near every famous racehorse ever…" Except Secretariat, who was born in VA. ---
**Author:** ![moejuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@moejuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moejuck)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2003, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-wonderful-about-your-home-state/193035/49 "2003-08-05T19:25:10Z")
The first ambulance service was established in Cincinnati in 1865. Cleveland boasts America’s first traffic light. It began on Aug. 5, 1914. Ermal Fraze invented the pop-top can in Kettering. James J. Ritty, of Dayton, invented the cash register in 1879 to stop his patrons from pilfering house profits. “Hang On Sloopy” is the official state rock song. Cincinnati Reds were the first professional baseball team. The Y Bridge in Zanesville was first built in 1814 to span the confluence of the Licking and Muskingum Rivers. The current bridge is the fifth construction at the same location. “Ripley’s Believe It or Not” proclaimed it the only bridge in the world which you can cross and still be on the same side of the river. Akron was the first city to use police cars. Cincinnati had the first professional city fire department. Akron is the rubber capital of the world. The American Federation of Labor was founded in Columbus. Ohio senator John Glenn became the oldest man to venture into outer space. On February 20, 1962 he was the first American to orbit the earth. In October of 1998 at age 77 he returned to the space program and traveled back into space. Cleveland is home to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Ohio is the leading producer of greenhouse and nursery plants. The Pro Football Hall of Fame is located in Canton. Neil Armstrong became the first man to walk on the moon. He was from Wapakoneta. The Wright Brothers are acknowledged as inventors of the first airplane they were from Dayton. The popular television sit-com, “The Drew Cary Show” is set in Cleveland. East Liverpool was the beginning point of the United States Public Land Survey. The location was the area from which a rectangular-grid land survey system was established under the Ordinance of 1785. The survey provided for administration and subdivision of land in the Old Northwest Territory. The Ordinance stipulated that all public lands were to be divided into townships six miles square. Seven United States presidents were born in Ohio. They are: Ulysses S. Grant, Rutherford B. Hayes, James A. Garfield, Benjamin Harrison, William McKinley, William H. Taft, and Warren G. Harding. Some well-known personalities were born in Ohio. Among them Steven Spielberg, Paul Newman, Annie Oakley, Arsenio Hall and Clark Gable. The first full time automobile service station was opened in 1899 in Ohio. In 1852 Ohio was the first state to enact laws protecting working women. Ohio gave America its first hot dog in 1900. Harry M. Stevens created the popular dining dog. Ohio became the 17th state on March 1, 1803. ---
**Author:** ![hilltopper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c68b51/32.png) [@hilltopper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hilltopper)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2003, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-wonderful-about-your-home-state/193035/50 "2003-08-05T19:29:44Z")
Idaho has the higher millionaires per capita of any state in the union. (At least that was the claim a decade ago when I left.) ---
**Author:** ![hilltopper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c68b51/32.png) [@hilltopper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hilltopper)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2003, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-wonderful-about-your-home-state/193035/51 "2003-08-05T19:30:01Z")
Idaho has the most millionaires per capita of any state in the union. (At least that was the claim a decade ago when I left.) ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2003, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-wonderful-about-your-home-state/193035/52 "2003-08-05T22:18:46Z")
As Molly Ivins said, the best thing about waking up in Alaska is knowing that you’re not waking up in Texas! ---
**Author:** ![80sHairMetalMaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/8/ed655f/32.png) [@80sHairMetalMaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/80sHairMetalMaven)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2003, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-wonderful-about-your-home-state/193035/53 "2003-08-05T22:51:23Z")
LOL, Chefguy. I’d rather wake up in Texas than anywhere else.🙂 IDBB ---
**Author:** ![Sejal\_Traurig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Sejal\_Traurig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sejal_Traurig)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2003, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-wonderful-about-your-home-state/193035/54 "2003-08-05T23:17:47Z")
Illinois: We have… Umm… Well there is Chicago… And we have… Well, there is stuff IN Chicago… And then outside Chicago we have… Umm… Lots of ways to GET to Chicago… And uh… Man, I’m glad I moved to Michigan… ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2003, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-wonderful-about-your-home-state/193035/55 "2003-08-05T23:48:49Z")
When it comes to US states we have the highest record low temperature\* and the lowest record high temperature\*\*. 12F to 100F - That was nearly 14,000 feet up. \*\*Tied with Alaska. And this despite the fact that were the only state where the sun passes directly overhead. ---
**Author:** ![if6was9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47c2d/32.png) [@if6was9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/if6was9)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2003, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-wonderful-about-your-home-state/193035/56 "2003-08-06T00:18:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lyllyan \* > \*\*Georgia > > Ray Charles is from here > Ty Cobb born here > Margaret Mitchell born here\*\* You forgot James Brown. Good God! Ha! ---
**Author:** ![mycoman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@mycoman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mycoman)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2003, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-wonderful-about-your-home-state/193035/57 "2003-08-06T03:02:26Z")
Idaho! Famous potatoes. Worlds largest batholith. Hell’s canyon is the deepest canyon in the world (ratio of depth to width). Produces more dried peas and lentils than the rest of the world put together. The only state in the union that has never belonged to another country. “Idaho” was completely made up as the state name, and means nothing in any language. Contains part of Yellowstone National Park Graduates of state high schools can go to any of the three state universities tuition free. Sacajawea (featured on the dollar coin) was an Idaho native. At the Craters of the Moon national monument, it is possible to walk from an area with a temperature of over 100 F. into a natural ice cave during the summer. Many towns in the southern part of the state have a higher percentage of Mormons than Salt Lake City. ---
**Author:** ![sleepytimebaby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9e8a1a/32.png) [@sleepytimebaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleepytimebaby)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2003, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-wonderful-about-your-home-state/193035/58 "2003-08-06T03:09:19Z")
I love Minnesota because one of my favorite people in the world grew up there… And I think that one of the reasons he is a great guy is because he grew up with midwestern values. I grew up in Kansas and I think they are the friendliest people around. And the weather is never boring. I live in WV now and we have some of the most breathtaking scenery…I love the mountains. And of course, Mountaineer Football! ---
**Author:** ![Krisfer\_the\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Krisfer\_the\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Krisfer_the_Cat)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2003, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-wonderful-about-your-home-state/193035/59 "2003-08-06T03:25:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SkyBum \* > \*\*Well, something that I think is wonderful about Utah is the vast change in topography between the high Uintah mountains and the rocky deserts of southern Utah. \*\* 'Nother Utahn checking in… The mountains here are the most beautiful. And the rock formations in Arches National and Canyonlands National Parks are some of the best in the world. All our roads are under construction… so we can follow directions and read maps very well! (and at very young ages:D ) I have very seldom met a surly business person here over the age of 25. We have TWO fantastic used bookstores: **The Bookshelf** and **Sam Weller’s**. We have Dinosaur Park. [Dino Park](http://http://www.dinosaurpark.org/) ---
**Author:** ![IUHomer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90db22/32.png) [@IUHomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IUHomer)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2003, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-wonderful-about-your-home-state/193035/60 "2003-08-06T03:38:33Z")
Famous people from Indiana : Larry Bird, Oscar Robertson, Don Mattingly, Hoagy Charmichael, David Letterman, Michael Jackson, Axl Rose, John Cougar Mellencamp, Jeff Gordon, James Dean, Steve McQueen, Shelley Long, Susan Somers, among others ``` Insulin was first produced in Indianapolis by Eli Lily and Company, as was Prozac, the first SSRI on the market. Both were revolutionary drugs. The state is the #1 popcorn producer in the world. Its home of the largest one day annual sporting event in the world, the Indy 500, in terms of attendance to the event. Two of the best sports movies ever made, Breaking Away and Hoosiers, were made in this state. I think seven vice presidents have come from Indiana, which I believe is the most of any state. We are the poster child for not following daylight savings time. I think about three different sets of rules apply within the state, depending on where you live. ``` [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-wonderful-about-your-home-state/193035.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-wonderful-about-your-home-state/193035.md?page=4)