# Why are so many State capitals NOT the biggest city in the state? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 16, 2007, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-state-capitals-not-the-biggest-city-in-the-state/426761 "2007-11-16T21:21:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2007, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-state-capitals-not-the-biggest-city-in-the-state/426761/61 "2007-11-17T22:18:23Z")
Certainly not peculiar to the US, on a much smaller scale the administrative centre of Co. Donegal in Ireland is the town of [Lifford](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lifford), just across the border from my parents’ town. The big town in the county [Letterkenny](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Letterkenny). If it weren’t for desperate Northerners seeking cheap petrol and lotto tickets, there wouldn’t be much of Lifford at all. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Woodhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@Miss\_Woodhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Woodhouse)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2007, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-state-capitals-not-the-biggest-city-in-the-state/426761/62 "2007-11-17T22:42:35Z")
I can see the advantages of having the State capital not the same as the largest city. I live in a state where that is not the case; the largest city is the capital. Quite often, city intrests and state intrests over lap way more than they should. It’s a bear to get funds for highway repair outside the county the capital is in. The rest of the state can go to crap, but the capital freeway looks really nice. The university in the capital always gets more funds per student as well. People complain all the time, but it doesn’t help much. ---
**Author:** ![Mark\_Ryle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8dc957/32.png) [@Mark\_Ryle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mark_Ryle)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2007, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-state-capitals-not-the-biggest-city-in-the-state/426761/63 "2007-11-17T23:19:55Z")
[QUOTE=Miss Woodhouse] I live in a state where that is not the case; the largest city is the capital. Quite often, city interests and state interests overlap way more than they should. [/QUOTE] Which state is that, if I may ask? Just curious. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2007, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-state-capitals-not-the-biggest-city-in-the-state/426761/64 "2007-11-17T23:36:34Z")
[QUOTE=Randy Seltzer] I’m thinking specifically of Harrisburg, PA. Philadelphia was the state capital until 1799, at which time it was the most populous city in the country. Harrisburg wasn’t even incorporated until 1791, and as far as I can tell, it was just a couple of huts and a ferry crossing out in the scrubs when the state government decided to make it the capital. [/QUOTE] Wasn’t another city the capital of PA after Philly but before Harrisburg (which was NOT a podunk town!) ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Mark\_Ryle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8dc957/32.png) [@Mark\_Ryle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mark_Ryle)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2007, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-state-capitals-not-the-biggest-city-in-the-state/426761/65 "2007-11-18T00:22:58Z")
[QUOTE=Love Rhombus] Wasn’t another city the capital of PA after Philly but before Harrisburg … [/QUOTE] You might be referring to York, not as capital of Pennsylvania but where the Continnental Congress met for about nine months in 1777-78. [Article by Cecil](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/041210.html). ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2007, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-state-capitals-not-the-biggest-city-in-the-state/426761/66 "2007-11-18T01:15:18Z")
[QUOTE=Mark Ryle] You might be referring to York, not as capital of Pennsylvania but where the Continnental Congress met for about nine months in 1777-78. [Article by Cecil](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/041210.html). [/QUOTE] Yeah, that was it. Thanks, and I apoligize for my pointless post, I just like my town is all. ---
**Author:** ![Mark\_Ryle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8dc957/32.png) [@Mark\_Ryle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mark_Ryle)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2007, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-state-capitals-not-the-biggest-city-in-the-state/426761/67 "2007-11-18T02:59:25Z")
[QUOTE=Love Rhombus] Yeah, that was it. Thanks, and I apologize for my pointless post, I just like my town is all. [/QUOTE] You’re from Harrisburg? I very fondly remember my Saturday in September hike there, of which I Posted, but you were not one of the respondents. My question in Posts 20 and 21 of [that thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=437803&highlight=walk+harrisburg) received no response, nor have I been able to lay it to rest on my own since then. Maybe you can help. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2007, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-state-capitals-not-the-biggest-city-in-the-state/426761/68 "2007-11-18T03:02:28Z")
[QUOTE=caveman] As I understand it, President Mirabeau B Lamar established Austin as the capitol more or less just to annoy the tribes along the frontier. [/QUOTE] I thought it was to be closer to the new ranching interests that were springing up toward the West. ---
**Author:** ![Mark\_Ryle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8dc957/32.png) [@Mark\_Ryle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mark_Ryle)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2007, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-state-capitals-not-the-biggest-city-in-the-state/426761/69 "2007-11-18T03:27:15Z")
[QUOTE=Love Rhombus] … Harrisburg (which was NOT a podunk town!) ☹ [/QUOTE] From a page with the heading [Harrisburg Pennsylvania March 2002](http://d_cathell.tripod.com/har.html): > [@](#): > > The reason for its existence is often thought of as only a compromise location for the state capital because of the long-lived animosity of the two large cities in the state, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Actually, Harrisburg’s location makes its [sic] the natural convergence of several important transportation routes, creating a dynamic economy even without the state governmnent. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2007, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-state-capitals-not-the-biggest-city-in-the-state/426761/70 "2007-11-18T03:52:25Z")
[QUOTE=Anne Neville] Canberra was made the capital of Australia to avoid a fight between Melbourne and Sydney for that honor. [/QUOTE] The state capitals though are all in the biggest city in the state. ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2007, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-state-capitals-not-the-biggest-city-in-the-state/426761/71 "2007-11-21T22:29:35Z")
[QUOTE=Randy Seltzer] Sacramento, CA - State since 1850. Capital since 1854. Why not San Fransisco? Yes, the gold rush was much closer to Sacramento, but wasn’t the population center still closer to the coast? [/QUOTE] No. The population of the Sierra Nevada Gold Country was higher than the Bay Area population in that time. CALIFORNIA 1850 POPULATION EST. (Based upon the 1850 Census): ```auto Bay Area 45,000 Gold Country 59,300 Sacramento/Valley 17,200 SoCal 5,800 ``` ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2007, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-state-capitals-not-the-biggest-city-in-the-state/426761/72 "2007-11-21T22:53:11Z")
BTW, here is my breakdown: ```auto Bay Area Sac/Valley SoCal Gold Country SF 34,000 Yolo 1,086 LA 3,530 Yuba 9,673 SClara 6,000 SJoa 3,647 SD 798 ED 20,057 CC 2,500 Sutter 3,444 SB 1,185 Cala 16,884 Mar 323 Sac 9,087 SLO 336 Tuo 8,351 Son 560 Marip 4,379 Napa 405 Sol 580 SCruz 643 TOT 45,011 17,264 5,849 59,344 ``` ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2007, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-state-capitals-not-the-biggest-city-in-the-state/426761/73 "2007-11-21T23:03:03Z")
Why SHOULD it be the biggest city? I mean, all it needs to be is a place that has buildings where the people who work for the state government can get there. In fact, the largest city may already be congested enough to make the capital better suited to be located elsewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2007, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-state-capitals-not-the-biggest-city-in-the-state/426761/74 "2007-11-21T23:11:20Z")
[QUOTE=jtgain] Why SHOULD it be the biggest city? I mean, all it needs to be is a place that has buildings where the people who work for the state government can get there. In fact, the largest city may already be congested enough to make the capital better suited to be located elsewhere. [/QUOTE] That is what I kept asking earlier. The best thing I could think of is that the OP was conflating the idea of a working government city with the idea that capital status is a symbolic honor to be bestowed upon the biggest and most important city in the state. I am not accustomed to thinking of any U.S. capital of being anything but a place to conduct government business in the most fair geographic and political way. It sounds like you share that view and it causes the question itself to sound odd in its assumptions. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2007, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-state-capitals-not-the-biggest-city-in-the-state/426761/75 "2007-11-21T23:22:01Z")
[QUOTE=Shagnasty] That is what I kept asking earlier. The best thing I could think of is that the OP was conflating the idea of a working government city with the idea that capital status is a symbolic honor to be bestowed upon the biggest and most important city in the state. I am not accustomed to thinking of any U.S. capital of being anything but a place to conduct government business in the most fair geographic and political way. It sounds like you share that view and it causes the question itself to sound odd in its assumptions. [/QUOTE] Agreed. And I will bring up my home state of West Virginia as an example. The OP includes it as one of the states where it’s largest city (Charleston) is the capital. The original capital was in Wheeling which was at the time, the largest city in the state, but was moved to Charleston because it was in a central location (more convenient and fair for most legislators to travel) In the intervening 100 years, because it is the capital, Charleston has GROWN to be the largest city in West Virginia, and I’m sure that similar activities have taken place in the states that have their largest cities as the capital. But I agree with you, population size makes no sense when legislators are designating a place to meet to conduct government business. It’s kind of like where four friends decide where to watch the game on Sunday. You may have a HDTV and a big living room, but the three of us don’t want to drive 60 miles to your house. We pick a sports bar in a central location that is more convenient to all of us, and while no HDTV, we can still drink a few beers and cheer for our team.. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2007, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-state-capitals-not-the-biggest-city-in-the-state/426761/76 "2007-11-22T01:12:23Z")
[QUOTE=jtgain] Why SHOULD it be the biggest city? [/QUOTE] And even if it should be, what do you do when another city becomes bigger? ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2007, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-state-capitals-not-the-biggest-city-in-the-state/426761/77 "2007-11-25T11:28:50Z")
[QUOTE=Siam Sam] I thought it was to be closer to the new ranching interests that were springing up toward the West. [/QUOTE] And in my Texas History class, we were taught that they did it officially because of concerns over Houston’s vulnerability to attack, being so close to the sea. Of course, the theory has also come up from time to time that Lamar did it just because he didn’t get on with Samuel Houston, though I’m not sure how much that may have actually played into anything. ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2007, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-state-capitals-not-the-biggest-city-in-the-state/426761/78 "2007-11-25T15:58:55Z")
[QUOTE=Raguleader] And in my Texas History class, we were taught that they did it officially because of concerns over Houston’s vulnerability to attack, being so close to the sea. Of course, the theory has also come up from time to time that Lamar did it just because he didn’t get on with Samuel Houston, though I’m not sure how much that may have actually played into anything. [/QUOTE] As usual, Texans can talk your ear off about our [colorful history](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_Archive_War) on this topic as well. ---
**Author:** ![MichaelQReilly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@MichaelQReilly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelQReilly)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2007, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-state-capitals-not-the-biggest-city-in-the-state/426761/79 "2007-11-25T18:45:59Z")
[QUOTE=Exapno Mapcase] New Haven was far larger and more important in every way than Hartford through the end of the 19th century. [/QUOTE] Reflecting this fact, I believe that NH and Hartford were joint capitols until about this time. ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2007, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-state-capitals-not-the-biggest-city-in-the-state/426761/80 "2007-11-25T18:59:24Z")
[QUOTE=Koxinga] As usual, Texans can talk your ear off about our [colorful history](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_Archive_War) on this topic as well. [/QUOTE] Ah yes, Texas, a long tradition of batshit insane ladies with firearms. 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-state-capitals-not-the-biggest-city-in-the-state/426761.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-state-capitals-not-the-biggest-city-in-the-state/426761.md?page=5)