US States Capitals Superlatives: Help build a list

[Antonius_Block]

Providence is Rhode Island’s capital and most populous city, so should be added to the relevant list.

[racer72]

@Shagnasty

State with capital at the lowest elevation:

I would have to guess my home state of Louisiana (Baton Rouge). Louisiana doesn’t do hills much let alone mountains and Baton Rouge is only about 50 feet above sea level.

Olympia, Washington is at sea level, right on the shores of Puget Sound.

[PigBoy]

To address the couple of Columbus, Ohio questions, here are the size rankings in Ohio:

City proper:

1. Columbus
2. Cleveland
3. Cincinnati

Metropolitan area:

1. Cleveland
2. Cincinnati
3. Columbus

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And regardless of who wins the “weirdest capital” fight, we in Madison can probably at least claim the title of Only State Capital on an Isthmus! Oh wait, it’s supposed to be superlative… um, Most Isthmusified State Capital?

[Shoeless]

Just to clarify #'s 2 and 3 in the OP – we’re talking highest or lowest elevation in that state, right? Not in relation to other state capitols?

[Hostile_Dialect]

Don’t know about most or least in comparison to other capitals, but I heard a while back that Denver is the lowest point in Colorado (or maybe the lowest major city or something).

@acsenray

Hmm, could it be California? San Jose → Vallejo → Benicia → Sacramento

San Diego was the capital too for a time, either before the US-Mexico War or immediately after, don’t remember.

[ataraxy22]

I think Baton Rouge is now larger than New Orleans, and thus should count as largest city in its state. It certainly seemed that way when I was in both over the weekend.

[JohnT]

@Ponder Stibbons

Since you “spoilered” it, I’m guessing there’s a joke here. I guess you “whooshed” me, then.

Just to be pedantic, the USGS lists Denver at 5,470 ft and Atlanta at 1,086 ft. Mind you, that list isn’t exhaustive, as it only shows the elevations of the 50 largest American cities, so possible contenders like Santa Fe and Cheyenne aren’t included.

Ahhh…

I was reading what I wanted to read into the thread rather than reading what was actually written. I think this was the first time that’s happened here on the SDMB.

[Zeldar]

@Shoeless

Just to clarify #'s 2 and 3 in the OP – we’re talking highest or lowest elevation in that state, right? Not in relation to other state capitols?

Good point. I suppose it would be good to have both categories, but I was thinking about state capitals as a group of cities to be compared with each other. Thus the superlative would be the capital city that is at a higher elevation (or lower for that category) than any other state capital. It might not have the highest (or lowest) elevation in its own state, with some other location perhaps taking that distinction.

Maybe a separate category could be set up for the state or states (if any) where the state capital is at the highest elevation for that state. Atlanta would lose out in Georgia, since Georgia’s high point is further north and east at a place calledBrasstown Bald.

Does any state’s capital city occupy the highest elevation in its state?

[UncleRojelio]

@xbuckeye

I’m gonna have to fight you over that one…haven’t you ever heard of Madison, WI.

Yes, but do you have your own line of merchandise exhalting your weirdness?

[caveman]

@UncleRojelio

Yes, but do you have your own line of merchandise exhalting your weirdness?

Not to mention Spamarama, a delightful assortment of eccentrics, and the world’s largest urban bat colony…

[AHunter3]

@Antonius Block

Providence is Rhode Island’s capital and most populous city, so should be added to the relevant list.

Providence should win in a category not yet mentioned: largest capital in proportion to the size of the state it’s in. I think there’s more of Rhode Island in Providence than there is of Rhode Island outside of Providence.

[UncleRojelio]

@caveman

Not to mention Spamarama, a delightful assortment of eccentrics, and the world’s largest urban bat colony…

… Eyeore’s Birthday Party, and the O’Henry Pun-Off, and Hippie Hollow …

[Scarlett67]

@PigBoy

And regardless of who wins the “weirdest capital” fight, we in Madison can probably at least claim the title of Only State Capital on an Isthmus!

Only city in North America on an isthmus, as a matter of fact . . .

[Gangster_Octopus]

I believe Pierre, South Dakota is the least populated state capital.

[RealityChuck]

Albany, NY, has the only state capitol without a dome.

Boston is also on the water, so it ties Olympia. However, the official elevation of Boston is 10 feet, wheras Olympia has an official elevation of 203. Baton Rouge is 53 and Tallahassee is 79. Boston wins.

Juneau is the only capital that can’t be reached by land from any other community in the state.

[Shagnasty]

@Gangster Octopus

I believe Pierre, South Dakota is the least populated state capital.

It is small at 13000 people but not as small as Montpelier, Vermont with only 8000.

[Zeldar]

Here are a few other potential qualifications for superlative status:

Which capital has been capital for the shortest time up to the present?
Which capital has the highest non-White population?
Which capital has the most expensive Governor’s Mansion?
Which non-capital city is most often thought to be the actual capital? (Yes, this would be hard to determine with accuracy, but what do you think it would be?)
Which capital city has the least non-governmental business associated with its community? (Better said, which capital is almost completely a government town?)

Somebody else come up with some other characteristics, please.

[AHunter3]

Which non-capital city is most often thought to be the actual capital? (Yes, this would be hard to determine with accuracy, but what do you think it would be?

I’ll nominate Las Vegas.

[Zeldar]

@AHunter3

I’ll nominate Las Vegas.

I like it.

Some I have trouble with:

Philadelphia
Minneapolis
Seattle
Portland
Butte
Omaha
Either Louisville or Lexington
Baltimore

I was pre-school age when my father had me learn the capitals, so the confusion over large city vs. capital came much later.

[Improv_Geek]

Least Snowfall:

Well I know in the early 1900s Tallahassee received snowfall, so I’m going to go with Hawaii as the state capital with the least snow fall.