# What or who is your state known for? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 11, 2015, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-or-who-is-your-state-known-for/727518 "2015-08-11T03:21:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2015, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-or-who-is-your-state-known-for/727518/41 "2015-08-11T16:55:43Z")
> [@DinoR](#): > > Born and raised in Ohio - Presidents. 7 born there and another a resident when elected. Also for helping to elect Presidents. Since becoming a state, the winner carried Ohio in all but 4 elections. > Michigan (my next longest time as a resident) - Giant honking lakes that hold more than 1/5th of the world’s surface fresh water. It’s also the only place in CONUS where you drive south when crossing in to Canada. Also from Ohio. Presidents is good. I would have said flight and [astronauts](http://www.nasa.gov/externalflash/oastronauts/). ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2015, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-or-who-is-your-state-known-for/727518/42 "2015-08-11T17:06:36Z")
California is known for Hollywood, beaches, plastic surgery, Yosemite, and earthquakes ---
**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 11, 2015, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-or-who-is-your-state-known-for/727518/43 "2015-08-11T17:15:51Z")
Oregon: People: River Phoenix, Matt Groening, Beverly Cleary, Tonya Harding Places: Oregon Coast, Crater Lake, Columbia River Gorge ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2015, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-or-who-is-your-state-known-for/727518/44 "2015-08-11T17:23:56Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > California is known for Hollywood, beaches, plastic surgery, Yosemite, and earthquakes Let me count the ways: Wine, GG Bridge, Gold Rush, Inland Empire, Silicon Valley, Alcatraz Island, Humbolt Agricultural Products 😉 , Almonds, Squaw Valley at Tahoe (winter Olympics), Cable Cars, Pet Rocks, Death Valley, Mount Whitney, Irish Coffee, Sourdough bread… ---
**Author:** ![stillownedbysetters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/41988e/32.png) [@stillownedbysetters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stillownedbysetters)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2015, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-or-who-is-your-state-known-for/727518/45 "2015-08-11T17:27:36Z")
My birth state: Automobile racing, basketball, The Jackson 5, Eerie, Parks and Rec My current state: Mountains, skiing, marijuana, Red Rocks ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2015, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-or-who-is-your-state-known-for/727518/46 "2015-08-11T17:43:19Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > Funny, as an outsider, I’d say Philly, Pitt, and not much else. Maybe William Penn and Quaker Oats. And in what ways has the Keystone State ended up at the center of history in the past couple of centuries? Gettysburg, the mills and coal mines as part of the whole “Arsenal of Democracy” thing, the Ohio River as the first transportation hub linking us all - Louis & Clark started from here. Czechoslovakia was basically founded in Pittsburgh (the Pittsburgh Agreement) and a lot of the big labor union leaders had contact or residence here. The Erie Canal, the Battle of Lake Erie to some degree. The Moravians, Old Economy - a lot of various things. I think our tourist board stretches the point a lot (in that I am in agreement with you) but we do seem to get our fingers in a lot of surprising situations. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2015, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-or-who-is-your-state-known-for/727518/47 "2015-08-11T17:58:28Z")
Vermont: Maple syrup, Ben & Jerry’s, the Trapp family, Howard Dean, and Bernie Sanders. ---
**Author:** ![Simmerdown](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simmerdown/32/14859_2.png) [@Simmerdown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simmerdown)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2015, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-or-who-is-your-state-known-for/727518/48 "2015-08-11T18:05:56Z")
Illinois: People: Abraham Lincoln, Al Capone, Name any Jailed IL Governor, John Wayne Gacy. I was going to say Barack Obama and Oprah Winfrey, but I’m not sure that most people associate them primarily with Illinois, even though they both seem to have made their careers here. Places: Chicago, Chicago and Chicago (and maybe Berwyn ;)). ---
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2015, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-or-who-is-your-state-known-for/727518/49 "2015-08-11T18:09:04Z")
Nebraska: Wall to wall cornfields and great steaks ---
**Author:** ![Doyle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doyle/32/439_2.png) [@Doyle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doyle)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2015, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-or-who-is-your-state-known-for/727518/50 "2015-08-11T18:25:42Z")
Louisiana: New Orleans, Mardi Gras, Cajuns, swamps, alligators. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2015, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-or-who-is-your-state-known-for/727518/51 "2015-08-11T18:53:59Z")
Michigan Mass production Cars General Custer Mackinac Bridge Yoopers and Trolls Madonna Jack Kevorkian and Geoffrey Feiger Gerry Ford Earvin Johnson Cherries and Asparagus MSU and U-M ---
**Author:** ![tangelag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f4b2a3/32.png) [@tangelag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tangelag)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2015, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-or-who-is-your-state-known-for/727518/52 "2015-08-11T19:29:27Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > I’d say Arizona is best known for the Grand Canyon. After that, most people probably think of the desert when they think of Arizona. > > The three most famous Arizonans are undoubtedly John McCain, Sheriff Joe Arpaio, and probably Barry Goldwater. The Saguaros! ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2015, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-or-who-is-your-state-known-for/727518/53 "2015-08-11T19:41:40Z")
> [@Kevbo](#): > > McLeod (Is that how it was spelled?) from Taos. (with a central Texas accent for some reason) McCloud. Marshall Sam McCloud. Thar yuh go! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![tangelag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f4b2a3/32.png) [@tangelag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tangelag)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2015, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-or-who-is-your-state-known-for/727518/54 "2015-08-11T19:47:28Z")
> [@Kevbo](#): > > New Mexico > > Home of the Atomic Bomb…Los Alamos, Trinity Site. > > Roswell Alien landing rumors. > > McLeod (Is that how it was spelled?) from Taos. (with a central Texas accent for some reason) > > Georgia O’Keef, Ansel Adams, and an entire industry built around Santa Fe artists almost none of which were born in NM. > > Tony Hillerman inspired native culture. TH really captured the feel of NM, in my opinion. > > Ballooning: The Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta is pretty popular, and the first successful trans-Atlantic balloon flight featured a crew of Burquenos. > > And now we are known for a certain fictional high school chemistry teacher turned meth cook, though I understand there are plenty of places with a much stronger meth industry. NM is actually a per capita leader in Heroin addiction however. > > If Virgin Galactic ever gets anything flying, we might eventually be known for space tourism. Santa Fe (enough said) **SMOKEY Bear!** Movie: Salt of the Earth Food: Green Chile,of course Santa Fe is the Highest US Capital City NM is known for the largest Enchilada in World (Whole Enchilada Fiesta, which, for the first time this year will not be held) Rio Grande **Billy the Kid** Pat Garrett White Sands National Monument **Space Shuttle** American Indian Ruins Roadrunner ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2015, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-or-who-is-your-state-known-for/727518/55 "2015-08-11T21:51:14Z")
I’m from Wisconsin. I’d prefer for the rest of you to tell me what we’re known for, other than cheese. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2015, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-or-who-is-your-state-known-for/727518/56 "2015-08-11T22:04:29Z")
> [@August\_West](#): > > I’m from Wisconsin. > > I’d prefer for the rest of you to tell me what we’re known for, other than cheese. Bottom-feeder beer. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2015, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-or-who-is-your-state-known-for/727518/57 "2015-08-11T22:05:47Z")
Indiana: bastion of the Republican Party; the Indy 500; corn. In Marvel Comics, when the Avengers fought the Defenders (many years ago), they battled, among other places, in Terre Haute, IN. At a desolate train depot and in a cornfield. Terre Haute’s a college town, with airports and museums. ---
**Author:** ![Desert\_Nomad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desert_nomad/32/177_2.png) [@Desert\_Nomad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desert_Nomad)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2015, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-or-who-is-your-state-known-for/727518/58 "2015-08-11T22:11:41Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > I live in Nevada. We have Las Vegas: Elvis, Liberace, Sinatra, etc. Many of our hotels and our Strip are easily recognized at the moment. > > Las Vegas is pretty well-known (I’m taking an online class in Understatement) but the rest of the state not so much… Area 51 would be the thing most people would recognize, prolly. I live in Nevada too and rarely think about Las Vegas. I don’t even associate it with Nevada. When I think of Nevada, I think of Lake Tahoe, silver mining, the high desert and the Great Basin. ---
**Author:** ![mistymage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mistymage/32/459_2.png) [@mistymage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mistymage)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2015, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-or-who-is-your-state-known-for/727518/59 "2015-08-11T22:27:28Z")
> [@August\_West](#): > > I’m from Wisconsin. > > I’d prefer for the rest of you to tell me what we’re known for, other than cheese. The Dells! ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2015, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-or-who-is-your-state-known-for/727518/60 "2015-08-11T22:36:52Z")
> [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](#): > > Indiana: bastion of the Republican Party; the Indy 500; corn. > > In Marvel Comics, when the Avengers fought the Defenders (many years ago), they battled, among other places, in Terre Haute, IN. At a desolate train depot and in a cornfield. Terre Haute’s a college town, with airports and museums. But like Indiana Beach says – there is more than corn in Indiana. Some of the historic sites in the north are very interesting and the area around Purdue as well. Holiday World is a top amusement center. The end of the Frances Slocum story that starts in PA and travels the path and the years to Deaf Man’s Village. Plus you are home to the Bob & Tom Show! That alone would make you a top state in my book! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-or-who-is-your-state-known-for/727518.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-or-who-is-your-state-known-for/727518.md?page=4)