This section is a compilation of history and statistics about the 50 United States and the District of Columbia. Included are the official motto and other emblems; a summary of geographic, demographic and economic facts; and a list of prominent natives. Statistical sources include the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2000 decennial census, intercensal population estimates, and The Statistical Abstract (annual). The headings for demographic statistics conform to U.S. Census Bureau usage, except “Black” is used as short for Black or African-American, “Indian” is used for American Indian and Alaska Native, and “Pacific Islander” is used for Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander. Note that Hispanics maybe of any race.
Alabama
Name Probably after Alabama tribe. Nickname Yellowhammer State, Heart of Dixie. Capital Montgomery. Entered union Dec. 14, 1819 (22nd). Motto “We dare defend our rights.” Emblems Bird Yellowhammer. Song “Alabama.” Tree Southern (longleaf) pine. Land Total area 52,419 sq. mi (30th), incl. 1,675 sq. mi. inland water. Borders Tenn., Ga., Fla., Gulf of Mexico, Miss. Rivers Alabama, Chattahoochee, Mobile, Tennessee, Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, Tensaw, Tombigbee. Lakes Guntersville, Pickwick, Wheeler, Wilson (all formed by Tennessee Valley Authority); Dannelly Res., Martin, Lewis Smith, Weiss. Mountains Cumberland, Lookout, Raccoon, Sand. People (July, 2009 est.) 4,709,000 (23rd). Race/Hispanic Origin (July, 2009 est.): White 70.9%. Black, 26.3%. Indian 0.5%. Asian 1.0%. Two or more races 1.1%. Hispanic 3.2%. Cities (2005) Birmingham 231,483. Montgomery 200,127. Mobile 191,544. Huntsville 166,313. Tuscaloosa 81,358. Hoover 67,469. Dothan 62,713. Decatur 54,909. Auburn 49,928. Gadsden 37,405. Famous natives Hank Aaron, baseball player. Tallulah Bankhead, actress. Wernher von Braun (b. Germany), rocket scientist. Nat “King” Cole, singer. Helen Keller, author. Coretta Scott (Mrs. Martin Luther) King, reformer. Harper Lee, author. Joe Louis, boxer. Jesse Owens, runner. George Wallace, politician. Hank Williams, singer. Tourist information 1-800-ALABAMA. www.800alabama.com Alaska
Name From Aleut alaska and Eskimo alakshak, both meaning “mainland.” Nickname “The Last Frontier.” Capital Juneau. Entered union Jan. 3, 1959 (49th). Motto “North to the future.” Emblems Bird Willow ptarmigan. Flower Forget-me-not. Song “Alaska’s Flag.” Tree Sitka spruce. Land Total area 663,267 sq. mi (1st), incl. 91,316 sq. mi. inland water. Borders Arctic Ocean (Chukchi Sea, Beaufort Sea), Yukon, British Columbia, Pacific Ocean, Bering Strait. Rivers Colville, Porcupine, Noatak, Yukon, Susitna, Copper, Kobuk, Koyukuk, Kuskokwim, Tanana. Mountains Alaska Range (Mt. McKinley 20,320 ft., highest in North America), Aleutian Range, Brooks Range, Kuskokwim, St. Elias. Other notable features Aleutian Islands, Alexander Archipelago, Kodiak Island, Nunivak Island, Point Barrow (71°23’N), Pribilof Islands, Seward Peninsula, St. Lawrence Island. People (July, 2009 est.) 698,000 (47th). Race/Hispanic Origin (July, 2009 est.): White 70.3%. Black 4.2%. Indian 15.2%. Asian 5.0%. Pacific Islander 0.7%. Two or more races 4.7%. Hispanic 6.4%. Cities (2005) Anchorage 275,043. Fairbanks 31,324. Juneau 30,987. Sitka 8,986. Wasilla 8,471. Ketchikan 7,410. Kenai 7,464. Palmer 6,920. Kodiak 6,273. Bethel 6,262. Famous natives Aleksandr Baranov (b. Russia), first governor of Russian America. Vitus Bering (b. Denmark), explorer. Ernest Gruening (b. N.Y.), governor. Carl Ben Eielson, bush pilot. Walter Hickel (b. Kans.), governor. Tourist information 1-888-256-6784. www.travelalaska.com
Arizona
Name Probably from the Pima or Papago for “place of small springs.” Nickname Grand Canyon State. Capital Phoenix. Entered union Feb. 14, 1912 (48th). Motto Ditat deus (God enriches). Emblems Bird Cactus wren. Flower Blossom of the saguaro cactus. Songs “Arizona March Song,” “Arizona.” Tree Palo verde. Land Total area 113,998 sq. mi (6th), incl. 364 sq. mi. inland water. Borders Utah, Colo., N.Mex., Sonora, Baja California Norte, Calif., Nev. Rivers Colorado, Gila, Little Colorado, Salt, Zuni. Lakes Havasu, Mead, Mohave, Powell, Roosevelt, San Carlos. Mountains Black, Gila, Hualpai, Mohawk, San Francisco Peaks (Humphreys Peak 12,633 ft.). Other notable features Grand Canyon, Kaibab Plateau, Painted and Sonoran Deserts, Petrified Forest. People (July, 2009 est.) 6,596,000 (14th). Race/Hispanic Origin (July, 2009 est.): White 86.1%. Black 4.4%. Indian 4.9%. Asian 2.6%. Pacific Islander 0.2%. Two or more races 1.8%. Hispanic 30.8%. Cities (2005) Phoenix 1,461,575. Tucson 515,526. Mesa 442,780. Glendale 239,435. Scottsdale 226,013. Chandler 234,939. Gilbert 173,989. Tempe 161,143. Peoria 138,200. Yuma 84,688. Famous natives Bruce Babbitt, politician. Cesar Chavez, labor leader. Wyatt Earp (b. Ill.), lawman. Barry Goldwater, politician. Goyathlay (Geronimo), Apache chieftain. Carl T. Hayden, congressman. Eusebio Kino (b. Italy), missionary. Sandra Day O’Connor, jurist. William H. Rehnquist, jurist. Tourist information 1-866-275-5816. www.arizonaguide.com Arkansas
Name From term for Quapaw tribe given by other Indians. Nickname Land of Opportunity. Capital Little Rock. Entered union June 15, 1836 (25th). Motto Regnat populus (Let the people rule). Emblems Bird Mockingbird. Flower Apple blossom. Song “Arkansas.” Tree Pine. Land Total area 53,179 sq. mi (29th), incl. 1,110 sq. mi. inland water. Borders Mo., Tenn, Miss., La., Tex., Okla. Rivers Arkansas, Mississippi, Ouachita, Red, St. Francis, White. Lakes Beaver, Bull Shoals, Chicot, Dardanelle, Greers Ferry, Greeson, Norfolk, Ouachita. Other notable features Ozark Mts. People (July, 2009 est.) 2,889,000 (32nd). Race/Hispanic Origin (July, 2009 est.): White 80.6%. Black 15.8%. Indian 0.9%. Asian 1.2%. Pacific Islander 0.1%. Two or more races 1.5%. Hispanic 6.0%. Cities (2005) Little Rock 184,564. Fort Smith 82,481. Fayetteville 66,655. North Little Rock 58,803. Jonesboro 59,358. Pine Bluff 52,693. Springdale 60,096. Conway 51,999. Rogers 48,353. Hot Springs 37,847. Famous natives Maya Angelou, author. Linda Bloodworth-Thomason, television producer/director. Glen Campbell, singer. Hattie W. Caraway, first woman senator. Johnny Cash, singer. Eldridge Cleaver, author. Bill Clinton, U.S. president. William Fulbright (b. Mo.), politician. Douglas MacArthur, general. Dick Powell, actor. Brooks Robinson, baseball player. Winthrop Rockefeller (b. N.Y.), politician/philanthropist. Edward Durrell Stone, architect. C. Vann Woodward, historian. Tourist information 1-800-NATURAL. www.arkansas.com California
Name Probably from mythical island in García Ordoñez de Montalvo’s 16th-century romance, The Deeds of Esplandián. Nickname Golden State. Capital Sacramento. Entered union Sept. 9, 1850 (31st). Motto “Eureka” (I have found it). Emblems Bird California valley quail. Flower Golden poppy. Song “I Love You, California.” Tree California redwood. Land Total area 163,696 sq. mi (3rd), incl. 7,736 sq. mi. inland water. Borders Oreg., Nev., Ariz., Baja California Norte, Pacific Ocean. Rivers American, Colorado, Colorado River Aqueduct, Eel, Friant-Kern Canal, Klamath, Russian, Sacramento, Salinas, San Joaquin. Lakes Clear, Goose, Honey, Mono, Owens, Salton Sea, Shasta, Tahoe. Mountains Coast Ranges, Klamath, Lassen Peak, Sierra Nevada (Mt. Whitney 14,494 ft.). Other notable features Catalina Islands, Death Valley (282 ft. below sea level), San Francisco Bay, San Joaquin Valley. People (July, 2009 est.) 36,962,000 (1st). Race/Hispanic Origin (July, 2009 est.): White 76.4%. Black 6.6%. Indian 1.2%. Asian 12.7%. Pacific Islander 0.4%. Two or more races 2.6%. Hispanic 37.0%. Cities (2005) Los Angeles 3,844,829. San Diego 1,255,540. San Jose 912,332. San Francisco 739,426. Long Beach 474,014. Fresno 461,116. Sacramento 456,441. Oakland 395,274. Santa Ana 340,368. Anaheim 331,804. Famous natives Ansel Adams, photographer. Dave Brubeck, musician. Luther Burbank (b. Mass.), horticulturist. John Cage, composer. Joe DiMaggio, baseball player. Robert Frost, poet. Ernest and Julio Gallo (b. Italy), vintners. Pancho Gonzales, tennis player. Samuel Ichiye Hayakawa, politician/educator. William Randolph Hearst, publisher. Steve Jobs, computer entrepreneur. Billie Jean King, tennis player. Allen Lockheed, aviator. Jack London, author. Marilyn Monroe, actress. John Muir (b. Scotland), naturalist. Richard M. Nixon, U.S. president. John Northrop, aviator. Adlai Stevenson, politician. John Steinbeck, author. Levi Strauss (b. Germany), clothier. Edward Teller (b. Hungary), nuclear physicist. Shirley Temple, actress. Earl Warren, politician/jurist. Tourist information 1-800-GOCALIF. www.visitcalifornia.com
Colorado
Name For Spanish for the color red. Nickname Centennial State. Capital Denver. Entered union Aug. 1, 1876 (38th). Motto Nil sine numine (Nothing without providence). Emblems Bird Lark bunting. Flower Rocky Mountain Columbine. Song “Where the Columbines Grow.” Tree Colorado blue spruce. Land Total area 104,094 sq. mi (8th), incl. 376 sq. mi. inland water. Borders Wyo., Nebr., Kans., N.Mex., Ariz., Utah. Rivers Arkansas, Colorado, Green, Platte, Rio Grande. Lakes Blue Mesa, Dillon, Granby. Mountains Front Range, Laramie, Sangre de Cristo, San Juan, Sawatch Range (Mt. Elbert 14,443 ft.). People (July, 2009 est.) 5,025,000 (22nd). Race/Hispanic Origin (July, 2009 est.): White 89.5%. Black 4.4%. Indian 1.2%. Asian 2.7%. Pacific Islander 0.2%. Two or more races 2.0%. Hispanic 20.3%. Cities (2005) Denver 557,917. Colorado Springs 369,815. Aurora 297,235. Lakewood 140,671. Fort Collins 128,026. Westminster 105,084. Pueblo 103,495. Arvada 103,966. Centennial 98,243. Boulder 91,685. Famous natives Charlie Bent (b. Va.), trapper. “Unsinkable” Molly Brown, Titanic survivor. Scott Carpenter, astronaut. Lon Chaney, actor. Jack Dempsey, boxer. Mamie Eisenhower, first lady. Douglas Fairbanks, actor. Scott Hamilton, ice skater. Anne Parrish, novelist. Lowell Thomas, journalist. Byron R. White, jurist. Tourist information 1-800-COLORADO. www.colorado.com Connecticut
Name From Mahican word meaning “beside the long tidal river.” Nicknames Constitution State, Nutmeg State. Capital Hartford. Entered union Jan. 9, 1788 (5th). Motto Qui transtulit sustinet (He who transplanted still sustains). Emblems Bird American robin. Flower Mountain laurel. Song “Yankee Doodle.” Tree White oak. Land Total area 5,543 sq. mi (48th), incl. 699 sq. mi. inland water Borders Mass., R.I., Long Island Sound, N.Y. Rivers Connecticut, Housatonic, Mianus, Naugatuck, Thames. Lakes Bantam, Barkhamstead, Candlewood, Waramaug. Other notable features Berkshire Hills, Long Island Sound. People (July, 2009 est.) 3,518,000 (29th). Race/Hispanic Origin (July, 2009 est.): White 84.0%. Black 10.4%. Indian 0.4%. Asian 3.6%. Pacific Islander 0.1%. Two or more races 1.5%. Hispanic 12.3%. Cities (2005) Bridgeport 139,008. Hartford 124,397. New Haven 124,791. Stamford 120,045. Waterbury 107,902. Norwalk 84,437. Danbury 78,736. New Britain 71,254. Bristol 61,353. Meriden 59,653. Famous natives Benedict Arnold, traitor. P.T. Barnum, showman. Lyman Beecher, theologian. John Brown, abolitionist. Samuel Colt, inventor. Jonathan Edwards, theologian. Charles Goodyear, inventor. Nathan Hale, patriot. Katharine Hepburn, actress. Charles Ives, composer. J.P. Morgan, financier. Ralph Nader, consumer advocate. Frederick Law Olmsted, landscape architect. Harriet Beecher Stowe, author. John Trumbell, artist. Noah Webster, lexicographer. Eli Whitney, inventor. Tourist information 1-888-CTvisit. www.ctvisit.com Delaware
Name For Thomas West, Lord De La Warre, colonial governor of Virginia. Nicknames First State, Diamond State. Capital Dover. Entered union Dec. 7, 1787 (1st). Motto “Liberty and Independence.” Emblems Bird Blue hen chicken. Flower Peach blossom. Song “Our Delaware.” Tree American holly. Land Total area 2,489 sq. mi (49th), incl. 536 sq. mi. inland water. Borders Pa., N.J., Atlantic Ocean, Md. Rivers Chesapeake & Delaware Canal, Delaware, Nanticoke. People (July, 2009 est.) 885,000 (45th). Race/Hispanic Origin (July, 2009 est.): White 73.9%. Black 21.1%. Indian 0.4%. Asian 3.0%. Pacific Islander 0.1%. Two or more races 1.5%. Hispanic 7.2%. Cities (2005) Wilmington 72,786. Dover 34,288. Newark 30,060. Famous natives Valerie Bertinelli, actress. John Dickinson (b. Md.), Penman of the Revolution. Eleuthère I. du Pont, manufacturer. Pierre S. (“Pete”) du Pont, politician. Morgan Edwards, founder of Brown University (R.I.). Thomas Macdonough, navy officer. Howard Pyle, illustrator. Edward R. Squibb, physician/manufacturer. Christopher Ward, historian. Tourist information (866) 284-7483. www.visitdelaware.com District of Columbia
Name After Christopher Columbus; Columbia was commonly used for the U.S. before 1800. Became capital Dec. 1, 1800. Motto Justitia omnibus (Justice for all). Emblems Bird Wood thrush. Flower American beauty rose. Tree Scarlet oak. Land Total area 68 sq. mi., incl. 7 sq. mi. inland water. Borders Md., Va. Rivers Anacostia, Potomac. People (July, 2009 est.) 600,000 (50th) Race/Hispanic Origin (July, 2009 est.): White 40.6%. Black 54.0%. Indian 0.4%. Asian 3.2%. Pacific Islander 0.1%. Two or more races 1.6%. Hispanic 8.8%. Famous natives Edward Albee, playwright. Carl Bernstein, journalist. John Foster Dulles, politician. Duke Ellington, composer. J. Edgar Hoover, FBI director. Tourist information 1-800-422-8644. www.washington.org.
Florida
Name By Juan Ponce de León for Pascua Florida (Easter festival of the flowers). Nickname Sunshine State. Capital Tallahassee. Entered union Mar. 3, 1845 (27th). Motto “In God We Trust.” Emblems Bird Mockingbird. Flower Orange blossom. Song “Old Folks at Home” (“Swanee River”). Tree Sabal palmetto palm. Land Total area 65,755 sq. mi (22nd), incl. 11,828 sq. mi. inland water. Borders Ga., Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, Ala. Rivers Apalachicola, Caloosahatchee, Indian, Kissimmee, Perdido, St. Johns, St. Mary’s, Suwanee, Withlacoochee. Lakes Apopka, George, Okeechobee, Seminole. Other notable features Everglades, Florida Keys, Okefenokee Swamp. People (July, 2009 est.) 18,538,000 (4th). Race/Hispanic Origin (July, 2009 est.): White 19.4%. Black 16.1%. Indian 0.5%. Asian 2.4%. Pacific Islander 0.1%. Two or more races 1.5%. Hispanic 21.5%. Cities (2005) Jacksonville 782,623. Miami 386,417. Tampa 325,989. St. Petersburg 248,232. Hialeah 220,485. Orlando 213,223. Fort Lauderdale 167,380. Tallahassee 158,500. Hollywood 139,357. Pembroke Pines 137,427. Famous natives Mary Bethune, educator/reformer. Faye Dunaway, actress. Chris Evert, tennis player. Zora Neale Hurston, writer. James Weldon Johnson, lawyer/novelist. Osceola, Seminole chief. Sidney Poitier, actor. A. Philip Randolph, labor leader. Edmund Kirby Smith, Confederate general. Joseph Warren “Vinegar Joe” Stillwell, army officer. Ben Vereen, actor/singer. Tourist information (888) 735-2872. www.visitflorida.com Georgia
Name For King George II of England 1732. Nicknames Empire State of the South, Peach State. Capital Atlanta. Entered union Jan. 2, 1788 (4th). Motto “Wisdom, justice, moderation.” Emblems Bird Brown thrasher. Flower Cherokee rose. Songs “Georgia,” “Georgia on My Mind.” Tree Live oak. Land Total area 59,425 sq. mi (24th), incl. 1,519 sq. mi. inland water. Borders Tenn., N.C., S.C., Atlantic Ocean, Fla., Ala. Rivers Altamaha, Apalachicola, Chattahoochee, Flint, Ocmulgee, Oconee, Savannah, Suwanee. Lakes Clark Hill, Harding, Hartwell, Seminole, Sidney Lanier, Sinclair, Walter F. George, West Point Lake. Other notable features Blue Ridge Mountains (Mount Enotah 4,784 ft.), Okefenokee Swamp. People (July, 2009 est.) 9,829,000 (9th). Race/Hispanic Origin (July, 2009 est.): White 65%. Black 30.2%. Indian 0.4%. Asian 3.0%. Pacific Islander 0.1%. Two or more races 1.3%. Hispanic 8.3%. Cities (2005) Atlanta 470,688. Augusta 190,782. Columbus 185,271. Savannah 128,453. Athens 103,238. Macon 94,316. Roswell 85,920. Albany 75,394. Marietta 61,261. Warner Robins 57,907. Famous natives James Brown, singer. Erskine Caldwell, author. James Earl (“Jimmy”) Carter, U.S. president. Ray Charles, musician. Ty Cobb, baseball player. James Dickey, poet. Martin Luther King, Jr., minister/reformer. Sidney Lanier, author. Little Richard, musician. Carson McCullers, author. Alexander McGillivray, Creek chief. Margaret Mitchell, author. Elijah Muhammad, religious leader. Flannery O’Connor, author. Burt Reynolds, actor. Jackie Robinson, baseball player. Tomochichi, Yamacraw chief. Ted Turner (b. Ohio), businessman. Joanne Woodward, actress. Tourist information 1-800-VISIT-GA. www.exploregeorgia.com Hawaii
Name Of unknown origin, perhaps from Hawaii Loa, traditional discoverer of islands, or from Hawaiki, the traditional Polynesian homeland. Nicknames Aloha State, Paradise of the Pacific. Capital Honolulu. Entered union Aug. 21, 1959 (50th). Motto Ua mau ke ea o ka aina i ke pono (The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness). Emblems Bird Nene (Hawaiian goose). Flower Pua aloalo (hibiscus). Song “Hawaii Ponoi.” Tree Kukui (candlenut). Land Total area 10,931 sq. mi (43rd), incl. 4,508 sq. mi. inland water. Surrounded by Pacific Ocean. Rivers Kaukonahua Stream, Wailuku Stream. Lakes Halulu, Kolekole, Salt Lake, Waiia Res. Other notable features Pearl Harbor. Hualalai, Kilauea, Mauna Kea (13,796 ft.), and Mauna Loa volcanoes. Main islands Hawaii, Kauai, Lanai, Maui, Molokai, Oahu. People (July, 2009 est.) 1,295,000 (42nd). Race/Hispanic Origin (July, 2009 est.): White 30.2%. Black 3.2%. Indian 0.6%. Asian 38.8%. Pacific Islander 9.2%. Two or more races 18.0%. Hispanic 9.0%. Cities (2005) Honolulu 377,379. Hilo 40,759. Kailua 36,513. Kaneohe 34,970. Waipahu 33,108. Pearl City 30,976. Waimalu 29,371. Mililani Town 28,608. Kahului 20,146. Kihei 16,749. (Note: The Census Bureau does not keep statistics on cities other than Honolulu between decennial censuses because most Hawaiian cities are not incorporated). Famous natives Bernice P. Bishop, philanthropist. Sanford B. Dole, statehood advocate. Charlotte (b. Ohio) and Luther Halsey Gulick, Camp Fire Girls founders. Don Ho, singer. Daniel J. Inouye, politician. Duke Kahanamoku, swimmer. Victoria Kaiulani, last heiress presumptive to Hawaiian throne. Kamehameha I, king. Kamehameha III, king. Liliuokalani, queen. Bette Midler, singer. Tourist information 1-800-GOHAWAII. www.gohawaii.com
Idaho
Name Means “gem of the mountains.” Nickname Gem State. Capital Boise. Entered union July 3, 1890 (43rd). Motto Esto perpetua (May it last forever). Emblems Bird Mountain bluebird. Flower Syringa. Song “Here We Have Idaho.” Tree Western white pine. Land Total area 83,570 sq. mi (14th), incl. 823 sq. mi. inland water. Borders British Columbia, Mont., Wyo., Utah, Nev., Oreg., Wash. Rivers Bear, Clearwater, Payette, Salmon, Snake. Lakes American Falls Res., Coeur d’Alene, Pend Oreille. Mountains Bitterroot Range, Centennial, Clearwater, Salmon River, Sawtooth Range (Castle Peak 11,820 ft.), Wasatch Range. Other notable features Grand Canyon of the Snake River. People (July, 2009 est.) 1,546,000 (39th). Race/Hispanic Origin (July, 2009 est.): White 94.4%. Black 1.0%. Indian 1.6%. Asian 1.2%. Pacific Islander 0.1%. Two or more races 1.7%. Hispanic 10.7%. Cities (2005) Boise City 193,161. Nampa 71,713. Pocatello 53,372. Idaho Falls 52,338. Meridian 52,240. Coeur d’Alene 40,059. Twin Falls 38,630. Lewiston 31,081. Caldwell 34,433. Rexburg 26,265. Famous natives Joseph, Nez Percé chief. Ezra Taft Benson, politician. Gutzon Borglum, sculptor. Frank Church, politician. Ezra Pound, poet. Harmon Killebrew, baseball player. Jerry Kramer, football player. Sacagawea (Bird Woman), Shoshone interpreter. Lana Turner, actress. Tourist information 1-800-VISITID. www.visitidaho.org. Illinois
Name Corruption of iliniwek (“tribe of the superior men”), natives of region at time of earliest French explorations. Nickname Prairie State. Capital Springfield. Entered union Dec. 3, 1818 (21st). Motto “State sovereignty—national unity.” Slogan “Land of Lincoln.” Emblems Bird Cardinal. Flower Violet. Song “Illinois.” Tree White oak. Land Total area 57,914 sq. mi (25th), incl. 2,331 sq. mi. inland water. Borders Wis., Lake Michigan, Ind., Ky., Mo., Iowa. Rivers Fox, Illinois, Illinois Waterway, Kankakee, Kaskaskia, Mississippi, Ohio, Rock, Vermillion, Wabash. Lakes Carlyle, Crab Orchard. Other notable features Charles Mound (1,235 ft.), Little Egypt. People (July, 2009 est.) 12,910,000 (5th). Race/Hispanic Origin (July, 2009 est.): White 79.0%. Black 14.9%. Indian 0.4%. Asian 4.4%. Pacific Islander 0.1%. Two or more races 1.3%. Hispanic 15.2%. Cities (2005) Chicago 2,842,518. Aurora 168,181. Rockford 152,916. Naperville 141,579. Joliet 136,208. Peoria 112,685. Springfield 115,668. Elgin 98,645. Waukegan 91,396. Cicero 82,741. Famous natives Jane Addams, reformer (Nobel Peace Prize, 1930). Ernie Banks, baseball player. Saul Bellow, author (Nobel Prize, 1976). Harry A. Blackmun, jurist. Ray Bradbury, author. Gwendolyn Brooks, poet. William Jennings Bryan, politician. Edgar Rice Burroughs, novelist. St. Frances Xavier Cabrini (b. Italy). Clarence Darrow, lawyer. Miles Davis, musician. John Dos Passos, novelist. Enrico Fermi (b. Italy), nuclear physicist (Nobel Prize, 1938). Robert Louis (“Bob”) Fosse, choreographer. Milton Friedman, economist (Nobel Prize, 1976). Benny Goodman, musician. Ernest Hemingway, novelist. Charlton Heston, actor. William Holden, actor. Abraham Lincoln, U.S. President (b. Kentucky). Vachel Lindsay, poet. Archibald MacLeish, poet. Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (b. Germany), architect. Charles W. Post, cereal manufacturer. Ronald Reagan, U.S. president. Carl Sandburg, poet. Albert G. Spalding, merchant. John Paul Stevens, jurist. Gloria Swanson, actress. Tourist information 1-800-2CONNECT. www.enjoyillinois.com Indiana
Name For the land of Indians by early settlers, who found many distinct tribes living in region. Nickname Hoosier State. Capital Indianapolis. Entered union Dec. 11, 1816 (19th). Motto “The Crossroads of America.” Emblems Bird Cardinal. Flower Peony. Song “On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away.” Tree Tulip tree. Land Total area 36,418 sq. mi (38th), incl. 551 sq. mi. inland water. Borders Lake Michigan, Mich., Ohio, Ky., Ill. Rivers Kankakee, Ohio, Tippecanoe, Wabash, White, Whitewater. Lakes Freeman, Shafer. People (July, 2009 est.) 6,423,000 (16th). Race/Hispanic Origin (July, 2009 est.): White 87.8%. Black 9.2%. Indian 0.3%. Asian 1.5%. Pacific Islander 0.1%. Two or more races 1.2%. Hispanic 5.5%. Cities (2005) Indianapolis 784,118. Fort Wayne 223,341. Evansville 115,918. South Bend 105,262. Gary 98,715. Hammond 79,217. Bloomington 69,017. Muncie 66,164. Lafayette 60,459. Anderson 57,500. Famous natives Larry Bird, basketball player. Hoagy Carmichael, composer. Eugene V. Debs, politician/organizer. Theodore Dreiser, author. Benjamin Harrison, U.S. president. Jimmy Hoffa, union leader. Michael Jackson, singer. David Letterman, comedian. Carole Lombard, actress. Cole Porter, composer. Ernie Pyle, journalist. Knute Rockne (b. Norway), football coach. Paul Samuelson, economist (Nobel Prize, 1960). Booth Tarkington, author. Kurt Vonnegut, author. Wendell L. Willkie, politician. Tourist information 1-888-EnjoyIN. www.in.gov/visitindiana.
Iowa
Name For Iowa tribe. Nickname Hawkeye State. Capital Des Moines. Entered union Dec. 28, 1846 (29th). Motto “Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain.” Emblems Bird Eastern goldfinch. Flower Wild rose. Song “The Song of Iowa.” Tree Oak. Land Total area 56,272 sq. mi (26th), incl. 402 sq. mi. inland water. Borders Minn., Wis., Ill., Mo., Nebr., S.Dak. Rivers Big Sioux, Des Moines, Mississippi, Missouri. Lakes Okoboji, Rathburn Res., Red Rock, Saylorville Res., Spirit, Storm. Other notable features Ocheyedan Mound (1,675 ft.). People (July, 2009 est.) 3,008,000 (30th). Race/Hispanic Origin (July, 2009 est.): White 93.9%. Black 2.8%. Indian 0.4%. Asian 1.7%. Pacific Islander 0.1%. Two or more races 1.1%. Hispanic 4.5%. Cities (2005) Des Moines 194,163. Cedar Rapids 123,119. Davenport 98,845. Sioux City 83,148. Council Bluffs 59,568. Dubuque 57,798. Ames 52,263. West Des Moines 52,768. Famous natives Norman E. Borlaug, agronomist (Nobel Peace Prize, 1970). William F. (“Buffalo Bill”) Cody, scout/showman. George Gallup, pollster. Josiah B. Grinnell (b. Vt.), abolitionist. Herbert Hoover, U.S. president. Harry L. Hopkins, politician. John L. Lewis, labor leader. John R. Mott, religious leader. Billy Sunday, baseball player/evangelist. John Wayne, actor. Meredith Wilson, composer. Grant Wood, painter. Tourist information 1-888-472-6035. www.traveliowa.com Kansas
Name For Kansa or Kaw, “people of the south wind.” Nickname Sunflower State. Capital Topeka. Entered union Jan. 29, 1861 (34th). Motto Ad astra per aspera (“To the stars through adversity”). Emblems Bird Western meadowlark. Flower Wild native sunflower. Song “Home on the Range.” Tree Cottonwood. Land Total area 82,277 sq. mi (15th), incl. 462 sq. mi. inland water. Borders Nebr., Mo., Okla., Colo. Rivers Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Republican, Saline, Smoky Hill, Solomon. Lakes Kanapolis, Malvern, Perry, Pomona, Tuttle Creek, Waconda. Other notable features Flint Hills. People (July, 2009 est.) 2,819,000 (33rd). Race/Hispanic Origin (July, 2009 est.): White 88.5%. Black 6.2%. Indian 1.0%. Asian 2.3%. Pacific Islander 0.1%. Two or more races 1.9%. Hispanic 9.3%. Cities (2005) Wichita 354,865. Kansas City 144,210. Topeka 121,946. Olathe 111,334. Lawrence 81,816. Shawnee 57,628. Manhattan 48,668. Salina 45,956. Lenexa 43,434. Famous natives “Buffalo Bill” Cody. Walter Chrysler, carmaker. Robert Dole, politician. Amelia Earhart, aviator. Dwight David Eisenhower (b. Tex.), general/U.S. president. Dennis Hopper, actor. William Inge, playwright. Nancy Landon Kassebaum, politician. Alf Landon, politician. Edgar Lee Masters, poet. James Naismith, inventor of basketball. Carry Nation (b. Ky.), prohibitionist. Charlie (“Bird”) Parker, musician. Damon Runyon, writer. Gale Sayers, football player. William Allen White, the Sage of Emporia, editor. Tourist information 1-800-2KANSAS. www.travelks.com Kentucky, Commonwealth of
Name Corruption of the Iroquois kenta-ke (meadow land) or Wyandot kah-ten-tah-teh (land of tomorrow). Nickname Bluegrass State. Capital Frankfort. Entered union June 1, 1792 (15th). Motto “United we stand, divided we fall.” Emblems Bird Cardinal. Flower Goldenrod. Song “My Old Kentucky Home.” Tree Tulip poplar. Land Total area 40,409 sq. mi (37th), incl. 681 sq. mi. inland water. Borders Ind., Ohio, W.Va., Va., Tenn., Mo., Ill. Rivers Cumberland, Kentucky, Licking, Ohio, Tennessee. Lakes Barkley, Barren River Res., Dewey, Grayson Res., Laurel Res., Nolin Res., Rough Res. Mountains Appalachian (Black Mt. 4,145 ft.), Cumberland. Other notable features Tennessee Valley. People (July, 2009 est.) 4,314,000 (26th). Race/Hispanic Origin (July, 2009 est.): White 89.6%. Black 7.9%. Indian 0.3%. Asian 1.1%. Pacific Islander 0.1%. Two or more races 1.1%. Hispanic 2.7%. Cities (2005) Lexington-Fayette 268,080. Louisville 556,429. Owensboro 55,459. Bowling Green 52,272. Covington 42,811. Hopkinsville 28,821. Richmond 30,893. Henderson 27,666. Frankfort 27,210. Jeffersontown 26,100. Famous natives Muhammad Ali, boxer. Alben W. Barkley, politician. Daniel Boone (b. Pa.), frontiersman. Louis D. Brandeis, jurist. Kit Carson, frontiersman. Henry Clay, politician. Jefferson Davis, president of Confederate States of America. D.W. Griffith, director. John Marshall Harlan, jurist. Abraham Lincoln, U.S. president. Col. Harland Sanders, entrepreneur. Frederick M. Vinson, jurist. Robert Penn Warren, author. Tourist information 1-800-225-TRIP or 1-800-255-PARK. www.kytourism.com Louisiana
Name For King Louis XIV. Nickname Pelican State. Capital Baton Rouge. Entered union Apr. 30, 1812 (18th). Motto “Union, justice, confidence.” Emblems Bird Eastern brown pelican. Flower Magnolia. Songs “Give Me Louisiana,” “You Are My Sunshine.” Tree Bald cypress. Land Total area 51,840 sq. mi (31st), incl. 8,278 sq. mi. inland water. Borders Ark., Miss., Gulf of Mexico, Tex. Rivers Atchafalaya, Mississippi,
Ouachita, Pearl, Red, Sabine. Lakes Bistineau, Borgne, Caddo, Catahoula, Grand, Maurepas, Pontchartrain, Salvador, White. Other notable features Bayou Barataria, Bayou Bodcau, Bayou D’Arbonne, Driskill Mt. (535 ft.). People (July, 2009 est.) 4,492,000 (25th). Race/Hispanic Origin (July, 2009 est.): White 64.6%. Black 32.1%. Indian 0.6%. Asian 1.5%. Pacific Islander Z. Two or more races 1.1%. Hispanic 3.6%. Cities (2005) New Orleans 454,863. Baton Rouge 222,064. Shreveport 198,874. Lafayette 112,030. Lake Charles 70,555. Kenner 69,911. Bossier City 60,505. Monroe 51,914. Alexandria 45,693. New Iberia 32,495. Famous natives Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong, jazz musician. Pierre Beauregard, Confederate general. Terry Bradshaw, football player. Braxton Bragg, Confederate general. Truman Capote, author. Clyde Cessna, aviator. Michael DeBakey, surgeon. Fats Domino, singer. Lillian Hellman, author. Mahalia Jackson, singer. Jean Baptiste Le Moyne, sieur de Bienville (b. Canada), founded New Orleans. Jerry Lee Lewis, singer. Huey P. Long, senator. Ferdinand Joseph La Menthe “Jelly Roll” Morton, musician. Leonidas K. Polk, clergyman/Confederate general. Henry Miller Shreve (b. N.J.), riverboat captain. Edward D. White, Jr., jurist. Tourist information 1-800-99-GUMBO . www.louisianatravel.com Maine
Name Either for Maine in France or to distinguish mainland from islands in the Gulf of Maine. Nickname Pine Tree State. Capital Augusta. Entered union Mar. 15, 1820 (23rd). Motto Dirigo (I direct). Emblems Bird Chickadee. Flower White pinecone and tassel. Song “State of Maine Song.” Tree Eastern white pine. Land Total area 35,385 sq. mi (39th), incl. 4,523 sq. mi. inland water. Borders Quebec, New Brunswick, Atlantic Ocean, N.H. Rivers Alagash, Androscoggin, Aroostock, Kennebec, Machias, Penobscot, Piscataqua, Salmon Falls, St. John. Lakes Chamberlain, Chesuncook, Grand, Moosehead, Rangeley, Sebago. Other notable features Longfellow Mts. (Mt. Katahadin 5,268 ft.), Mt. Desert Island, Penobscot Bay. People (July, 2009 est.) 1,318,000 (41st). Race/Hispanic Origin (July, 2009 est.): White 96.1%. Black 1.2%. Indian 0.6%. Asian 1.0%. Two or more races 1.1%. Hispanic 1.4%. Cities (2005) Portland 63,889. Lewiston 36,050. Bangor 31,074. Auburn 23,602. Biddeford 22,072. Augusta 18,626. Saco 18,230. Westbrook 16,108. Waterville 15,621. Famous natives Cyrus H.K. Curtis, publisher. Hannibal Hamlin, politician. Sarah Orne Jewett, novelist. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, poet. Sir Hiram and Hudson Maxim, inventors. Edna St. Vincent Millay, poet. Edmund S. Muskie, politician. John Knowles Paine, composer. Kenneth Roberts, novelist. Edward Arlington Robinson, poet. Nelson Rockefeller, politician. Marguerite Yourcenar (b. France), author. Tourist information (888) 624-6345. www.visitmaine.com Maryland
Name For Henrietta Maria, queen consort of Charles I. Nicknames Old Line State, Free State. Capital Annapolis. Entered union Apr. 28, 1788 (7th). Motto Fatti maschii, parole femine (Manly deeds, womanly words). Emblems Bird Baltimore oriole. Flower Black-eyed Susan. Song “Maryland, My Maryland.” Tree White oak. Land Total area 12,407 sq. mi (42nd), incl. 2,633 sq. mi. inland water. Borders Pa., Del., Atlantic Ocean, Va., D.C., W.Va. Rivers Chester, Choptank, Nanticoke, Patapsco, Patuxent, Pocomoke, Potomac, Susquehanna. Other notable features Allegheny Mts., Blue Ridge Mts., Chesapeake Bay. People (July, 2009 est.) 5,699,000 (19th). Race/Hispanic Origin (July, 2009 est.): White 63.0%. Black 29.7%. Indian 0.4%. Asian 5.2%. Pacific Islander 0.1%. Two or more races 1.7%. Hispanic 7.2%. Cities (2005). Baltimore 635,815. Gaithersburg 57,698. Frederick 57,907. Rockville 57,402. Bowie 53,878. Annapolis 36,300. College Park 25,171. Salisbury 26,295. Greenbelt 22,242. Famous natives Russell Baker, journalist. Benjamin Banneker, surveyor. Eubie Blake, pianist. Rachel Carson, biologist/author. Stephen Decatur, navy officer. Frederick Douglass, abolitionist. Billie Holiday, singer. Johns Hopkins, financier/philanthropist. Francis Scott Key, lawyer/” poet. Thurgood Marshall, jurist. H.L. Mencken, writer. Charles Willson Peale, artist. William Pinckney, statesman. James Rouse, urban planner. Babe Ruth, baseball player. Upton Sinclair, author. Roger B. Taney, jurist. Harriet Tub-man, abolitionist. John Waters, filmmaker. Tourist Information 1-866-639-3526 www.visitmaryland.org Massachusetts, Commonwealth of
Name For Massachuset tribe, whose name means “at or about the great hill.” Nickname Bay State. Capital Boston. Entered union Feb. 6, 1788 (6th). Motto Ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem (By the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty). Emblems Bird Chickadee. Flower Mayflower. Song “All Hail to Massachusetts.” Tree American elm. Land Total area 10,555 sq. mi (44th), incl. 2,715 sq. mi. inland water. Borders Vt., N.H., Atlantic Ocean, R.I., Conn., N.Y. Rivers Cape Cod Canal, Connecticut, Merrimack, Taunton. Other notable features Buzzard’s Bay, Cape Ann, Cape Cod, Cape Cod Bay, Connecticut Valley, Elizabeth Islands, Martha’s Vineyard, Monomoy Island, Nantucket
Island. People (July, 2009 est.) 6,594,000 (15th). Race/Hispanic Origin (July, 2009 est.): White 85.9%. Black 7.1%. Indian 0.3%. Asian 5.1%. Pacific Islander 0.1%. Two or more races 1.5%. Hispanic 8.8%. Cities (2005) Boston 559,034. Worcester 175,898. Springfield 151,732. Lowell 103,111. Cambridge 100,135. Brockton 94,632. New Bedford 93,102. Fall River 91,802. Quincy 90,250. Lynn 88,792. Famous natives John Adams, U.S. president. John Quincy Adams, U.S. president. Samuel Adams, patriot. Horatio Alger, clergyman/author. Susan B.Anthony, suffragette. Clara Barton, nurse. Leonard Bernstein, composer. George Herbert Walker Bush, U.S. president. John (“Johnny Appleseed”) Chapman, pioneer. Richard Cardinal Cushing, prelate. Bette Davis, actress. Emily Dickinson, poet. Ralph Waldo Emerson, author. Marshall Field, merchant. R. Buckminster Fuller, inventor/engineer. John Hancock, patriot. Oliver Wendell Holmes, jurist. Winslow Homer, painter. John F. Kennedy, U.S. president. Jack Kerouac, author. Cotton Mather, theologian. Samuel Eliot Morison, historian. Samuel Morse, inventor. Thomas P. “Tip” O’Neill, congressman. Edgar Allan Poe, poet/author. Paul Revere patriot/silversmith. Louis Sullivan, architect. Henry David Thoreau, author. Tourist information 1-800-227-MASS. www.massvacation.com Michigan
Name From the Fox mesikami, “large lake.” Nicknames Wolverine State, Lake State. Capital Lansing. Entered union Jan. 26, 1837 (26th). Motto Si quaeris peninsulam amoenam circumspice (If you are looking for a beautiful peninsula, look around you). Emblems Bird Robin. Flower Apple blossom. Song “Michigan, My Michigan.” Tree White pine. Land Total area 96,716 sq. mi (11th), incl. 39,912 sq. mi. inland water. Borders Lake Superior, Ontario, Lake Huron, Lake Erie, Ohio, Ind., Lake Michigan, Wisc. Rivers Brule, Detroit, Kalamazoo, Menominee, Montreal, Muskegon, St. Joseph, St. Mary’s. Lakes Burt, Higgins, Houghton, Huron, Manistique, Michigan, Mullett, St. Clair, Superior. Other notable features Isle Royale, Mt. Curwood (1,980 ft.), Saginaw Bay, Traverse Bay, Whitefish Bay. People (July, 2009 est.) 9,970,000 (8th). Race/Hispanic Origin (July, 2009 est.): White 81.2%. Black 14.2%. Indian 0.6%. Asian 2.4%. Two or more races 1.6%. Hispanic 4.2%. Cities (2005) Detroit 886,671. Grand Rapids 193,780. Warren 135,311. Flint 118,551. Lansing 115,518. Ann Arbor 113,271. Livonia 97,977. Dearborn 94,090. Westland 85,623. Famous natives Ralph J. Bunche, statesman (Nobel Peace Prize, 1950). Paul de Kruif, bacteriologist. Thomas Dewey, politician. Herbert H. Dow (b. Canada), chemical manufacturer. Edna Ferber, author. Gerald Ford (b. Neb.) U.S. president. Henry Ford, industrialist. Edgar Guest, journalist/poet. Robert Ingersoll, industrialist. Will Kellogg, business-man/philanthopist. Charles A. Lindbergh, aviator. Madonna, singer. Antoine de La Mothe, sieur de Cadillac (b. France), founded Detroit. Pontiac, Ottawa chief. William Upjohn, drug manufacturer. Tourist information 1-888-784-7328. www.michigan.org/travel Minnesota
Name From the Sioux minisota, “sky-tinted waters.” Nicknames North Star State, Gopher State, Land of 10,000 Lakes. Capital St. Paul. Entered union May 11, 1858 (32rd). Motto L’étoile du nord (Star of the north). Emblems Bird Common loon. Flower Pink and white lady’s slipper. Song “Hail, Minnesota!.” Tree Red pine. Land Total area 86,939 sq. mi (12th), incl. 7,329 sq. mi. inland water. Borders Manitoba, Ontario, Lake Superior, Wisc., Iowa, S.Dak., N.Dak. Rivers Minnesota, Mississippi, Red River of the North, St. Croix. Lakes Itasca, Lake of the Woods, Leech, Mille Lacs, Red, Winnibigoshish. Other notable features Mesabi Range. People (July, 2009 est.) 5,266,000 (21st). Race/Hispanic Origin (July, 2009 est.): White 88.6%. Black 4.7%. Indian 1.3%. Asian 3.8%. Pacific Islander 0.1%. Two or more races 1.6%. Hispanic 4.3%. Cities (2005) Minneapolis 372,811. St. Paul 275,150. Rochester 94,950. Duluth 84,896 Bloomington 81,164. Brooklyn Park 68,550. Plymouth 69,701. Eagan 63,665. Coon Rapids 62,417. Burnsville 59,159. Famous natives Warren Burger, jurist. Bob Dylan, musician. F. Scott Fitzgerald, novelist. Judy Garland, actress. J. Paul Getty, businessman. Garrison Keillor, humorist. Sinclair Lewis, author (Nobel Prize, 1930). Paul Manship, sculptor. William and Charles Mayo, surgeons. Eugene McCarthy, politician. Walter F. Mondale, politician. Charles Schulz, cartoonist. Richard W. Sears, merchant. Tourist information 1-800-657-3700. www.exploreminnesota.com Mississippi
Name From the Ojibwa misi sipi, “great river.” Nickname Magnolia State. Capital Jackson. Entered union Dec. 10, 1817 (20th). Motto Virtute et armis (By virtue and arms). Emblems Bird Mockingbird. Flower Magnolia. Song “Go, Mississippi.” Tree Magnolia. Land Total area 48,430 sq. mi (32nd), incl. 1,523 sq. mi. inland water. Borders Tenn., Ala., Gulf of Mexico, La., Ark. Rivers Big Black, Mississippi, Pearl, Tennessee, Yazoo. Lakes Arkabutla, Grenada, Ross Barnett Res., Sardis. Other notable features Pontotoc Ridge. People (July, 2009 est.) 2,952,000 (31st). Race/Hispanic
Origin (July, 2009 est.): White 60.5%. Black 37.2%. Indian 0.5%. Asian 0.9%. Two or more races 0.9%. Hispanic 2.5%. Cities (2005) Jackson 177,977. Gulfport 72,464. Biloxi 50,209. Hattiesburg 47,176. Greenville 38,724. Meridian 38,605. Southaven 38,840. Vicksburg 26,226. Pascagoula 25,990. Famous natives Medgar Evers, civil rights leader. William Faulkner, novelist. Shelby Foote, historian. Jim Henson, puppeteer. B.B. King, musician. Elvis Presley, singer. Leontyne Price, opera singer. Jerry Rice, football player. John C. Stennis, politician. Conway Twitty, singer. Muddy Waters, musician. Eudora Welty, novelist. Ben Ames Williams, novelist. Tennessee Williams, playwright. Richard Wright, author. Tourist information 1-866-SEE-MISS. www.visitmississippi.org Missouri
Name From the Iliniwek missouri, “owner of big canoes.” Nickname Show Me State. Capital Jefferson City. Entered union Aug. 10, 1821 (24th). Motto Salus populi suprema lex esto (The welfare of the people shall be the supreme law). Emblems Bird Bluebird. Flower Hawthorne. Song “Missouri Waltz.” Tree Dogwood. Land Total area 69,704 sq. mi (21st), incl. 818 sq. mi. inland water. Borders Iowa, Ill., Ky., Tenn., Ark., Okla., Kans., Nebr. Rivers Des Moines, Mississippi, Missouri, Osage, St. Francis. Lakes Bull Shoals, Clearwater, Lake of the Ozarks, Lake of the Woods, Table, Wappapella. Other notable features Ozark Mts. (Taum Sauk Mt. 1,772 ft.). People (July, 2009 est.) 5,988,000 (18th). Race/Hispanic Origin (July, 2009 est.): White 84.9%. Black 11.5%. Indian 0.5%. Asian 1.5%. Pacific Islander 0.1%. Two or more races 1.5%. Hispanic 3.4%. Cities (2005) Kansas City 444,965. St. Louis 344,362. Springfield 150,298. Indepen-dence 110,208. Columbia 91,814. Lee’s Summit 80,338. St. Joseph 72,661. St. Charles 62,304. O’Fallon 69,694. St. Peters 54,209. Famous natives Thomas Hart Benton, painter. Yogi Berra, baseball player. George Caleb Bingham (b. Va.), painter. Omar Bradley, general. Adophus Busch (b. Germany), brewer. George Washington Carver, botanist. Walter Cronkite, journalist. Walt Disney, film producer. T.S. Eliot, poet. Walker Evans, photographer. Langston Hughes, poet. Jesse James, outlaw. Marianne Moore, poet. Reinhold Niebuhr, theologian. J.C. Penny, businessman. John J.“Black Jack” Pershing, soldier. Joseph Pulitzer (b. Hungary), publisher. Ginger Rogers, dancer. Casey Stengel, baseball player. Virgil Thompson, composer. Harry S Truman, U.S. president. Mark Twain, writer. Tom Watson, golfer. Shelley Winters, actress. Tourist information 1-800-519-2100. www.visitmo.com Montana
Name From Spanish montaña, “mountainous.” Nicknames Treasure State, Big Sky Country. Capital Helena. Entered union Nov. 8, 1889 (41st). Motto Oro y plata (Gold and silver). Emblems Bird Western meadowlark. Flower Bitterroot. Song “Montana.” Tree Ponderosa pine. Land Total area 147,042 sq. mi (4th), incl. 1,490 sq. mi. inland water. Borders British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, N.Dak., S.Dak., Wyo., Idaho. Rivers Kootenai, Milk, Missouri, Musselshell, Powder, Yellowstone. Lakes Bighorn, Canyon Ferry, Elwell, Flathead, Ft. Peck. Mountains Absaroka Range, Beartooth Range (Granite Peak 12,799 ft.), Big Belt, Bitterroot Range, Centennial, Crazy, Lewis Range, Little Belt. Other notable features Continental Divide, Missoula Valley. People (July, 2009 est.) 975,000 (44th). Race/Hispanic Origin (July, 2009 est.): White 90.3%. Black 0.7%. Indian 6.4%. Asian 0.7%. Pacific Islander 0.1%. Two or more races 1.8%. Hispanic 3.1%. Cities (2005) Billings 98,721. Missoula 62,923. Great Falls 56,338. Butte-Silver Bow 32,282. Bozeman 33,535. Helena 27,383. Kalispell 18,480. Havre 9,390. Anaconda-Deer Lodge County 8,948 Miles City 8,162. Famous natives Gary Cooper, actor. Marcus Daly (b. Ireland), mine owner. Chet Huntley, journalist. Myrna Loy, actress. Mike Mansfield (b.N.Y.), politician/diplomat. Jeanette Rankin, politician/reformer. Charles M. Russell, artist. Tourist information 1-800-847-4868. www.visitmt.com Nebraska
Name From the Oto nebrathka, “flat water.” Nickname Cornhusker State. Capital Lincoln. Entered union Mar. 1, 1867 (37th). Motto “Equality before the law.” Emblems Bird Western meadowlark. Flower Goldenrod. Song “Beautiful Nebraska.” Tree Western cottonwood. Land Total area 77,354 sq. mi (16th), incl. 481 sq. mi. inland water. Borders S.Dak., Iowa, Mo., Kans., Colo., Wyo. Rivers Missouri, North Platte, Republican, South Platte. Lakes Harlan Co. Res., Lewis and Clark Lake. Other notable features Pine Ridge, Sand Hills. People (July, 2009 est.) 1,797,000 (38th). Race/Hispanic Origin (July, 2009 est.): White 91.1%. Black 4.6%. Indian 1.1%. Asian 1.7%. Pacific Islander 0.1%. Two or more races 1.3%. Hispanic 8.4%. Cities (2002) Omaha 399,357. Lincoln 232,362. Bellevue 46,217. Grand Island 43,010. Kearney 27,910. Fremont 25,188. Norfolk 24,183. Hastings 23,908. North Platte 23,674. Columbus 20,877. Famous natives Fred Astaire, dancer. Marlon Brando, actor. William Jennings Bryan, politician. Johnny Carson (b. Iowa), comedian. Willa Cather (b. Va.), author. Loren Eiseley, anthropologist. Henry Fonda, actor. Rollin Kirby, cartoonist. Melvin Laird, politician. Harold Lloyd,
actor. Mahpiua Luta (Red Cloud), Oglala Sioux chief. Malcolm X, religious leader. Roscoe Pound, educator. Tourist information (877) NEBRASKA. www.visitnebraska.gov Nevada
Name From Spanish, meaning “snow-covered sierra.” Nicknames Sagebrush State, Silver State. Capital Carson City. Entered union Oct. 31, 1864 (36th). Motto “All for our country.” Emblems Bird Mountain bluebird. Flower Sagebrush. Song “Home Means Nevada.” Tree Single-leaf piñon. Land Total area 110,561 sq. mi (7th), incl. 735 sq. mi. inland water. Borders Oreg., Idaho, Utah, Ariz., Calif. Rivers Colorado, Humboldt. Lakes Pyramid, Walker, Winnemucca. Other notable features Black Rock Desert, Carson Sink, Humboldt Salt Marsh, Mojave Desert. People (July, 2009 est.) 2,643,000 (35th). Race/Hispanic Origin (July, 2009 est.): White 80.3%. Black 8.3%. Indian 1.5%. Asian 6.6%. Pacific Islander 0.5%. Two or more races 2.8%. Hispanic 26.5%. Cities (2005) Las Vegas 545,147. Henderson 232,146. Reno 203,550. Sparks 82,051. Carson City 56,062. Elko 16,685. Boulder City 15,177. Mesquite 13,523. Famous natives Andre Agassi, tennis player. Walter Van Tilburg Clark (b. Me.), author. Sarah Winnemucca Hopkins, interpeter/teacher. John William MacKay, miner. William Morris Stewart (b. N.Y.), lawyer/senator. Tourist information (800)NEVADA8. www.travelnevada.com New Hampshire
Name For English county of Hampshire. Nickname Granite State Capital Concord Entered union June 21, 1788 (9th). Motto “Live free or die.” Emblems Amphibian Spotted newt. Flower Purple lilac. Gem Smoke quartz. Insect Ladybug. Mineral Beryl. Song “Old New Hampshire.” Tree White birch. Land Total area 9,350 sq. mi (46th), incl. 382 sq. mi. inland water. Borders Quebec, Maine, Atlantic Ocean, Mass., Vt. Rivers Connecticut, Merrimack, Piscataqua, Saco, Salmon Falls. Lakes First Connecticut, Francis, Newfound, Ossipee, Sunapee, Winnipesaukee. Other notable features Isles of Shoals, White Mts. (Mt. Washington 6,288 ft., highest peak in Northeast). People (July, 2009 est.) 1,325,000 (40th). Race/Hispanic Origin (July, 2009 est.): White 95.3%. Black 1.4%. Indian 0.3%. Asian 2.0%. Two or more races 1.1%. Hispanic 2.8%. Cities (2005) Manchester 109,691. Nashua 87,321. Concord 42,336. Rochester 30,004. Dover 28,486. Keene 22,778. Portsmouth 20,674. Laconia 17,060. Claremont 13,388. Lebanon 12,606. Famous natives Salmon P. Chase, jurist. Ralph Adams Cram, architect. Mary Baker Eddy, founder, Church of Christ, Scientist. Daniel Chester French, sculptor. Horace Greeley, journalist. Sarah Buell Hale, author. Franklin Pierce, U.S. president. Augustus Saint-Gaudens (b. Ireland), sculptor. Alan Shepard, astronaut. Daniel Webster, politician. Eleazar Wheelock (b. Conn.), Dartmouth founder. Tourist information (800)FUN-IN-NH.www.visitnh.gov New Jersey
Name After English Channel Island of Jersey. Nickname Garden State. Capital Trenton. Entered union Dec. 18, 1787 (3rd). Motto “Liberty and prosperity.” Emblems Bird Eastern goldfinch. Flower Violet. Tree Red oak. Land Total area 8,721 sq. mi (47th), incl. 1,304 sq. mi. inland water. Borders N.Y., Atlantic Ocean, Del., Pa. Rivers Delaware, Hackensack, Hudson, Passaic. Lakes Greenwood, Hopatcong, Round Valley Res., Spruce Run. Other notable features Delaware Water Gap, Kittatinny Mts., Palisades, Pine Barrens, Ramapo Mts. People (July, 2009 est.) 8,708,000 (11th). Race/Hispanic Origin (July, 2009 est.): White 75.8%. Black 14.5%. Indian 0.4%. Asian 7.8%. Pacific Islander 0.1%. Two or more races 1.4%. Hispanic 16.7%. Cities (2005) Newark 280,666. Jersey City 239,614. Paterson 149,843. Elizabeth 125,809. Trenton 84,639. Camden 80,010. Clifton 79,922. East Orange 68,190. Passaic 68,338. Union City 65,128. Famous natives Count Basie, jazz musician. William J. Brennan, jurist. Aaron Burr, politician. Grover Cleveland, U.S. president. James Fenimore Cooper, novelist/historian. Stephen Crane, author. Thomas Edison, inventor. Albert Einstein (b. Germany), nuclear physicist. Waldo Frank, author. Joyce Kilmer, poet. Jerry Lewis, actor. Jack Nicholson, actor. Zebulon Pike, explorer. Molly Pitcher, Revolutionary War heroine. Paul Robeson, actor/singer. Walter Schirra, astronaut. Frank Sinatra, singer. Alfred Stieglitz, photographer. Meryl Streep, actress. Aaron Montgomery Ward, merchant. William Carlos Williams, poet. Tourist information 1-800-VISITNJ. www.visitnj.org New Mexico
Name By Spanish explorers after Mexico. Nickname Land of Enchantment. Capital Santa Fe. Entered union Jan. 6, 1912 (47th). Motto Crescit eundo (It grows as it goes). Emblems Bird Roadrunner (chaparral bird). Flower Yucca. Songs “O, Fair New Mexico,” “Así es Nuevo Mejico.” Tree Piñon. Land Total area 121,589 sq. mi (5th), incl. 234 sq. mi. inland water. Borders Colo., Okla., Tex., Chihuahua, Ariz. Rivers Gila, Pecos, Rio Grande, Zuni. Lakes Conchas Res., Eagle Nest, Elephant Butte Res., Navajo Res., Ute Res. Mountains Chuska, Guadalupe, Sacramento, San Andres,
Sangre de Cristo. Other notable features Carlsbad Caverns, Continental Divide, Staked Plain. People (July, 2009 est.) 2,010,000 (36th). Race/Hispanic Origin (July, 2009 est.): White 83.6%. Black 3.1%. Indian 9.7%. Asian 1.5%. Pacific Islander 0.2%. Two or more races 1.9%. Hispanic 45.6%. Cities (2005) Albuquerque 494,236. Las Cruces 82,671. Santa Fe 70,631. Rio Rancho 66,599. Roswell 45,199. Farmington 43,161. Alamogordo 36,245. Clovis 33,357. Hobbs 29,006. Carlsbad 25,300. Famous natives William “Billy the Kid” Bonney (b. N.Y.), outlaw. Peter Hurd, artist. Archbishop Jean Baptiste Lamy (b. France), missionary. Georgia O’Keeffe (b. Wis.), artist. Popé, Tewa Pueblo chief. Harrison Schmitt, astronaut. Tourist information 1-800-733-6396. www.newmexico.org New York
Name For Duke of York, later James II, of England. Nickname Empire State. Capital Albany. Entered union July 26, 1788 (11th). Motto Excelsior (Higher). Emblems Bird Bluebird. Flower Rose. Song “I Love New York.” Tree Sugar maple. Land Total area 54,556 sq. mi (27th), incl. 7,342 sq. mi. inland water. Borders Lake Ontario, Ontario, Quebec, Vt., Mass., Conn., Atlantic Ocean, N. J., Pa., Lake Erie. Rivers Allegheny, Delaware, Genesee, Hudson, Mohawk, New York State Barge Canal, Niagara, St. Lawrence, Susquehanna. Lakes Cayuga, Champlain, Chautauqua, Erie, George, Oneida, Ontario, Seneca. Mountains Adirondack (Mt. Marcy 5,344 ft.), Allegheny, Berkshire Hills, Catskill, Kittatinny, Ramapo. Other notable features Hudson Valley, Mohawk Valley, Niagara Falls, Palisades, Thousand Islands. People (July, 2009 est.) 19,541,000 (3rd). Race/Hispanic Origin (July, 2009 est.): White 73.4%. Black 17.2%. Indian 0.6%. Asian 7.1%. Pacific Islander 0.1%. Two or more races 1.6%. Hispanic 16.8%. Cities (2005) New York 8,143,197. Buffalo 279,745. Rochester 211,091. Yonkers 196,425. Syracuse 141,683. Albany 93,523. New Rochelle 72,967. Mount Vernon 67,924. Schenectady 61,280. Utica 59,336. Famous natives Woody Allen, director. John Jacob Astor (b. Germany), merchant. Humphrey Bogart, actor. George Burns, actor. Aaron Copland, composer. Agnes de Mille, choreographer. George Eastman, camera inventor. Millard Fillmore, U.S. president. Lou Gehrig, baseball player. George Gershwin, composer. Julia Ward Howe, reformer. Washington Irving, author. Henry James, author. Vince Lombardi, football coach. Groucho Marx, comedian. Herman Melville, author. Ogden Nash, poet/humorist. Eugene O’Neill, playwright. Otetiani “Red Jacket”, Seneca chief. Channing E. Phillips, minister/reformer. John D. Rockefeller, industrialist. Norman Rockwell, illustrator. Richard Rodgers, composer. Franklin Delano Roosevelt, U.S. president. Theodore Roosevelt, U.S. president. Jonas Salk, physician. Elizabeth Ann Seton, first American saint. Elizabeth Cady Stanton, suffragette. James Johnson Sweeney, art critic. Martin Van Buren, U.S. president. Mae West, actress. E.B. White, author. Walt Whitman, poet. Tourist information 1-800-CALL-NYS. www.iloveny.com North Carolina
Name For King Charles I (Carolus is Latin for Charles). Nicknames Tarheel State, Old North State. Capital Raleigh. Entered union Nov. 21, 1789 (12th). Motto Esse quam videri (To be rather than to seem). Emblems Bird Cardinal. Flower Dogwood. Song “The Old North State.” Tree Pine. Land Total area 53,819 sq. mi (28th), incl. 5,108 sq. mi. inland water. Borders Va., Atlantic Ocean, S.C., Tenn., Georgia. Rivers Pee Dee, Roanoke, Yadkin. Lakes Buggs Island, High Rock, Mattamuskeet, Norman, Waccamaw. Mountains Black, Blue Ridge, Great Smoky, Unaka. Other notable features Great Dismal Swamp, Mount Mitchell, Outer Banks, Pamlico Sound. People (July, 2009 est.) 9,381,000 (10th). Race/Hispanic Origin (July, 2009 est.): White 73.7%. Black 21.6%. Indian 1.3%. Asian 2.0%. Pacific Islander 0.1%. Two or more races 1.3%. Hispanic 7.7%. Cities (2005) Charlotte 610,949. Raleigh 341,530. Greensboro 231,962. Durham 204,845. Fayetteville 129,928. Cary 106,439. Wilmington 95,476. High Point 95,086. Asheville 72,231. Famous natives Benjamin Newton Duke and James Buchanan Duke, industrialists/philanthropists. Richard J. Gatling, inventor. Billy Graham, minister. Andy Griffith, actor. O. Henry, writer. Andrew Johnson, U.S. president. William Rufus King, politician. Charles Kuralt, journalist. Meadowlark Lemon, athlete. Dolley Madison, First Lady. Thelonius Monk, musician. Edward R. Murrow, journalist. James Knox Polk, U.S. president. Moses Waddell, Confederate general. Thomas Wolfe, author. Tourist information 1-800-VISIT-NC. www.visitnc.com North Dakota
Name For northern section of Dakota territory; dakota is Sioux word for “allies.” Nicknames Sioux State, Peace Garden State, Flickertail State. Capital Bismarck. Entered union Nov. 2, 1889 (39th). Motto “Liberty and union, now and forever, one and inseparable.” Emblems Bird Western meadowlark. Flower Wild prairie rose. Song “North Dakota Hymn.” Tree American elm. Land Total area 70,700 sq. mi (19th), incl.
1,724 sq. mi. inland water. Borders Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Minn., S.Dak., Mont. Rivers Missouri, Red River of the North. Lakes Ashtabula, Devils, Oahe, Sakakawea. Other notable features Geographical center of North America, Missouri Plateau, Red River Valley, Rolling Drift Prairie. People (July, 2009 est.) 647,000 (48th). Race/Hispanic Origin (July, 2009 est.): White 91.1%. Black 1.2%. Indian 5.6%. Asian 0.8%. Pacific Islander Z. Two or more races 1.2%. Hispanic 2.3%. Cities (2005) Fargo 90,672. Bismarck 57,377. Mandan 17,225. West Fargo 19,487. Dickinson 15,666. Jamestown 14,826. Williston 12,193. Wahpeton 8,220. Famous natives Angie Dickinson, actress. John Bernard Flannagan, sculptor. Louis L’Amour, novelist. Peggy Lee, singer. Roger Maris, baseball player. Vihjalmur Stefansson (b. Canada), ethnologist. Lawrence Welk, entertainer. Tourist information 1-800-HELLO-ND. www.ndtourism.com Ohio
Name From the Iroquois oheo, “beautiful.” Nickname Buckeye State. Capital Columbus. Entered union Mar. 1, 1803 (17th). Motto “With God, all things are possible.” Emblems Bird Cardinal. Flower Scarlet carnation. Song “Beautiful Ohio.” Tree Buckeye. Land Total area 44,825 sq. mi (34th), incl. 3,877 sq. mi. inland water. Borders Mich., Lake Erie, Pa., W.Va., Ky., Ind. Rivers Cuyahoga, Maumee, Miami, Muskingum, Ohio, Sandusky, Scioto. Lakes Berlin Res., Dillon Res., Erie, Mosquito Res., St. Mary’s. People (July, 2009 est.) 11,543,000 (7th). Race/Hispanic Origin (July, 2009 est.): White 84.7%. Black 12.1%. Indian 0.3%. Asian 1.6%. Two or more races 1.4%. Hispanic 2.8%. Cities (2005) Columbus 730,657. Cleveland 452,208. Cincinnati 308,728. Toledo 301,285. Akron 210,795. Dayton 158,873. Parma 81,469. Canton 79,478. Lorain 67,820. Famous natives Sherwood Anderson, writer. Neil Armstrong, astronaut. George Bellows, artist. Ambrose Bierce, author. George Armstrong Custer, army officer. Paul Laurence Dunbar, poet. Thomas A. Edison, inventor. James A. Garfield, U.S. president. John Glenn, astronaut/politician. Ulysses S. Grant, U.S. president/general. Zane Grey, author. Warren G. Harding, U.S. president. Benjamin Harrison, U.S. president. Rutherford B. Hayes, U.S. president. Bob Hope, entertainer. William McKinley, U.S. president. Annie Oakley, markswoman. Ransom Eli Olds, carmaker. Eddie Rickenbacker, pilot. William Sherman, army officer. William Howard Taft, U.S. president/chief justice. Art Tatum, pianist. Tecumseh, Shawnee chief. James Thurber, humorist. Orville Wright, airplane inventor. Tourist information (800)BUCKEYE. www.discoverohio.com Oklahoma
Name From the Choctaw okla humma, “land of the red people.” Nickname Sooner State. Capital Oklahoma City. Entered union Nov. 16, 1907 (46th). Motto Labor omnia vincit (Work overcomes all obstacles). Emblems Bird Scissor - tailed flycatcher. Floral emblem Mistletoe. Song “Oklahoma!” Tree Redbud. Land Total area 69,898 sq. mi (20th), incl. 1,231 sq. mi. inland water. Borders Kans., Mo., Ark., Tex., N.Mex., Colo. Rivers Arkansas, Canadian, Cimarron, Red. Lakes Canton, Lake o’ the Cherokees, Oologah, Texoma. Other notable features Ouachita Mts., Ozark Plateau, Staked Plain, Wichita Mts. People (July, 2009 est.) 3,687,000 (28th). Race/Hispanic Origin (July, 2009 est.): White 78.0%. Black 8.1%. Indian 8.0%. Asian 1.7%. Pacific Islander 0.1%. Two or more races 4.1%. Hispanic 8.2%. Cities (2005) Oklahoma City 531,324. Tulsa 382,457. Norman 101,719. Lawton 90,234. Broken Arrow 86,228. Edmond 74,881. Enid 46,416. Moore 47,697. Stillwater 40,906. Famous natives Ralph Ellison, author. Woody Guthrie, refor-mer/musician. Patrick J. Hurley, diplomat. Karl Jansky, electrical engineer. Mickey Mantle, baseball player. Wiley Post, aviator. Tony Randall, actor. Oral Roberts, evangelist. Will Rogers, humorist. Maria Tallchief, ballerina. Jim Thorpe, athlete. Tourist information 1-800-652-6552. www.travelok.com Oregon
Name Unknown origin, first applied to Columbia River. Nickname Beaver State. Capital Salem. Entered union Feb. 14, 1859 (33th). Motto “She flies with her own wings. Emblems Animal Beaver. Bird Western meadowlark. Dance Square dance. Fish Chinook salmon. Flower Oregon grape. Song “Oregon, My Oregon.” Stone Thunderegg. Tree Douglas Fir. Land Total area 98,381 sq. mi (9th), incl. 2,384 sq. mi. inland water. Borders Wash., Idaho, Nev., Calif., Pacific Ocean. Rivers Columbia, Snake, Willamette. Mountains Cascade Range, Coast Range, Klamath. Other notable features Willamette Valley. People (July, 2009 est.) 3,826,000 (27th). Race/Hispanic Origin (July, 2009 est.): White 89.8%. Black 2.0%. Indian 1.6%. Asian 3.7%. Pacific Islander 0.3%. Two or more races 2.6%. Hispanic 11.2%. Cities (2005) Portland 533,427. Salem 148,751. Eugene 144,515. Greshem 96,072. Beaverton 85,775. Hillsboro 84,533. Medford 70,147. Bend 67,152. Springfield 55,641. Corvallis 49,553. Famous natives In-mut-too-yah-lat-lat (Joseph), Nez Percé chief. Ursula LeGuin (b. Calif.), author. Edwin Markham, poet. Dr. John McLoughlin, fur trader, “Father of Oregon”. Linus Pauling, chemist. John Reed,
author. William Simon U’Ren (b. Wis.), lawyer/reformer. Tourist information 1-800-547-7842. www.traveloregon.com Pennsylvania, Commonwealth of
Name For Adm. William Penn, father of William Penn, founder of commonwealth. Nickname Keystone State. Capital Harrisburg. Entered union Dec. 12, 1787 (2nd). Motto “Virtue, liberty and independence.” Emblems Bird Ruffed grouse. Flower Mountain laurel. Tree Hemlock. Land Total area 46,055 sq. mi (33rd), incl. 1,239 sq. mi. inland water. Borders N.Y., N.J., Del., Md., W.Va., Ohio, Lake Erie. Rivers Allegheny, Delaware, Juniata, Monongahela, Ohio, Schuylkill, Susquehanna. Lakes Allegheny Res., Erie, Pymatuning Res., Shenango Res. Mountains Allegheny, Kittatinny, Laurel Hills, Pocono. People (July, 2009 est.) 12,605,000 (6th). Race/Hispanic Origin (July, 2009 est.): White 85.2%. Black 10.9%. Indian 0.2%. Asian 2.5%. Two or more races 1.1%. Hispanic 5.1%. Cities (2005) Philadelphia 1,463,281. Pittsburgh 316,718. Allentown 106,992. Erie 102,612. Reading 80,855. Scranton 73,120. Bethlehem 72,895. Lancaster 54,757. Harrisburg 47,472. Altoona 47,176. Famous natives Louisa May Alcott, author. Maxwell Anderson, playwright. James Buchanan, U.S. president. Alexander Calder, sculptor. Andrew Carnegie (b. Scotland), industrialist/philanthropist. Mary Cassatt, painter. Wilt Chamberlain, basketball player. Bill Cosby, comedian/philanthropist. Stephen Foster, songwriter. Benjamin Franklin (b. Mass.), inventor/statesman. Robert Fulton, inventor. Milton S. Hershey, chocolatier. George C. Marshall, statesman. Andrew W. Mellon, financier/philanthropist. Robert E. Peary, explorer. Betsy Ross, patriot. Andy Warhol, artist. Johnny Weismuller, swimmer/actor. Benjamin West, painter. Tourist information 1-800-VISIT-PA. www.visitpa.com Rhode Island and Providence Plantations
Name For Rhode Island in Narragansett Bay, named in turn for Mediterranean island of Rhodes. Nicknames Ocean State, Little Rhody. Capital Providence. Entered union May 29, 1790 (13th). Motto “Hope.” Emblems Bird Rhode Island red. Flower Violet. Song “Rhode Island.” Tree Red maple. Land Total area 1,545 sq. mi (50th), incl. 500 sq. mi. inland water. Borders Mass., Atlantic Ocean, Conn. Rivers Blackstone, Pawcatuck, Providence, Sakonnet. Other notable features Block Island, Narragansett Bay, Aquidneck Island. People (July, 2009 est.) 1,053,000 (43rd). Race/Hispanic Origin (July, 2009 est.): White 88.3%. Black 6.4%. Indian 0.6%. Asian 2.8%. Pacific Islander 0.1%. Two or more races 1.7%. Hispanic 12.1%. Cities (2005) Providence 176,862. Warwick 87,233. Cranston 81,614. Pawtucket 73,742. East Providence 49,515. Woonsocket 44,328. Newport 25,340. Central Falls 19,159. Famous natives George M. Cohan, actor/producer. Nathanael Greene, army officer. Galway Kinell, poet. Metacomet (King Philip), Wampanoag chief. Oliver H. Perry and Matthew C. Perry, naval officers. Gilbert Stuart, portraitist. Tourist information 1-800-250-7384. www.visitrhodeisland.com South Carolina
Name For King Charles II (Carolus is Latin for Charles). Nickname Palmetto State. Capital Columbia. Entered union May 23, 1788 (8th). Motto Animis opibusque parati (Prepared in mind and deed); Dum spiro spero (While I breathe I hope). Emblems Bird Carolina wren. Flower Yellow jessamine. Song “Carolina.” Tree Palmetto. Land Total area 32,020 sq. mi (40th), incl. 1,911 sq. mi. inland water. Borders N.C., Atlantic Ocean, Ga. Rivers Catawba, Congaree, Edisto, Pee Dee, Savannah, Tugalos, Wateree. Lakes Greenwood, Hartwell, Keowee, Marion, Murray, Santee Res., Wylie. Other notable features Blue Ridge Mts., Congaree Swamp, Sea Islands. People (July, 2009 est.) 4,561,000 (24th). Race/Hispanic Origin (July, 2009 est.): White 68.9%. Black 28.2%. Indian 0.4%. Asian 1.3%. Pacific Islander 0.1%. Two or more races 1.1%. Hispanic 4.5%. Cities (2005) Columbia 117,088. Charleston 106,712. North Charleston 86,313. Greenville 56,676. Rock Hill 59,554. Mount Pleasant 57,932. Sumter 39,679. Spartanburg 38,379. Hilton Head Island 34,497. Famous natives James F. Byrnes, politician/jurist. John C. Calhoun, politician. Dizzy Gillespie, musician. Althea Gibson, athlete. DuBose Heyward, author. Andrew Jackson, U.S. president. Eartha Kitt, singer. James Longstreet, army officer. Francis Marion, army officer/politician. Charles C. Pinckney and Thomas Pinckney, diplomats. Edward Rutledge and John Rutledge, politicians. Strom Thurmond, politician. Tourist information 1-866-224-9339. www.discoversouthcarolina.com South Dakota
Name For southern section of Dakota territory; dakota is Sioux word for “allies.” Nickname Coyote State, Sunshine State. Capital Pierre. Entered union Nov. 2, 1889 (40th). Motto “Under God the people rule.” Emblems Bird Chinese ring-necked pheasant. Flower Pasque . Land Total area 77,116
sq. mi (17th), incl. 1,232 sq. mi. inland water. Borders N.Dak., Minn., Iowa, Nebr., Wyo., Mont. Rivers Cheyenne, James, Missouri, Moreau, White. Lakes Belle Fourche Res., Big Stone, Traverse. Other notable features Badlands, Black Hills (Harney Peak 7,242 ft.). People (July, 2009 est.) 812,000 (46th). Race/Hispanic Origin (July, 2009 est.): White 87.9%. Black 1.2%. Indian 8.5%. Asian 0.9%. Pacific Islander 0.1%. Two or more races 1.5%. Hispanic 2.9%. Cities (2005) Sioux Falls 139,517. Rapid City 62,167. Aberdeen 24,098. Watertown 20,265. Brookings 18,715. Mitchell 14,696. Pierre 14,052. Yankton 13,716. Huron 11,086. Vermillion 9,964. Famous natives Tom Brokaw, journalist. Martha “Calamity” Jane Burk (b. Mo.), frontiers-woman. Alvin Hansen, economist. Hubert H. Humphrey, politician. Ernest O. Lawrence, physicist (Nobel Prize, 1939). George McGovern, politician. Ta-sunko-witko (Crazy Horse), Oglala Sioux chief. Tatanka Iyotake (Sitting Bull), Sioux chief. Tourist information 1-800-SDAKOTA. www.travelsd.com Tennessee
Name For Tenase, principal village of Cherokees. Nickname Volunteer State. Capital Nashville. Entered union June 1, 1796 (16th). Motto “Agriculture and commerce.” Slogan “Tennessee—America at its best.” Poet laureate Richard M. (“Pek”) Gunn. Emblems Bird Mockingbird. Flower Iris. Songs “When It’s Iris Time in Tennessee,” “The Tennessee Waltz,” My Homeland, Tennessee,” “Rocky Top.” Tree Tulip poplar. Land Total area 42,143 sq. mi (36th), incl. 926 sq. mi. inland water. Borders Ky., Va., N.C., Ga., Ala., Miss., Ark., Mo. Rivers Clinch, Cumberland, Mississippi, Tennessee. Lakes Boone, Center Hill, Cherokee, Dale Hollow, Douglass, J. Percy Priest, Watauga. Other notable features Cumberland Mts., Great Smoky Mts., Tennessee Valley, Unaka Mts. People (July, 2009 est.) 6,296,000 (17th). Race/Hispanic Origin (July, 2009 est.): White 80.2%. Black 16.8%. Indian 0.3%. Asian 1.4%. Pacific Islander 0.1%. Two or more races 1.2%. Hispanic 4.2%. Cities (2005) Memphis 672,277. Nashville-Davidson 549,110. Knoxville 180,130. Chattanooga 154,762. Clarksville 112,878. Murfreesboro 86,793. Jackson 62,099. Johnson City 58,718. Franklin 53,311. Kingsport 44,130. Famous natives James Agee, author. Davy Crockett, frontiersman. David Farragut, naval officer. Aretha Franklin, singer. Morgan Freeman, actor. Al Gore, (b. Washington, D.C.), politician. Cordell Hull, statesman (Nobel Peace Prize, 1945). Dolly Parton, singer. Sikawyi (Sequoya), Cherokee scholar. Alvin York, soldier. Tourist information 1-800-GO2-TENN. www.tnvacation.com Texas
Name From the Caddo tavshas, “friends.” Nickname Lone Star State. Capital Austin. Entered union Dec. 29, 1845 (28th). Motto “Friendship.” Emblems Bird Mockingbird. Flower Bluebonnet. Songs “Texas, Our Texas,” “The Eyes of Texas.” Tree Pecan. Land Total area 268,581 sq. mi (2nd), incl. 6,784 sq. mi. inland water. Borders Okla., Ark., La., Gulf of Mexico, Tamaulipas, Coahuila, Chihuahua, N.Mex. Rivers Brazos, Colorado, Natchez, Red, Rio Grande, Sabine, Trinity. Lakes Sam Rayburn Res., Texoma, Toledo Bend Res. Other notable features Balcones Escarpment, Diablo Sierra, Edwards Plateau, Guadalupe Mts., Staked Plain, Stockton Plateau. People (July, 2009 est.) 24,782,000 (2nd). Race/Hispanic Origin (July, 2009 est.): White 82.1%. Black 12.0%. Indian 0.8%. Asian 3.6%. Pacific Islander 0.1%. Two or more races 1.4%. Hispanic 36.9%. Cities (2005) Houston 2,016,582. Dallas 1,213,825. San Antonio 1,194,222. Austin 690,252. El Paso 598,590. Fort Worth 624,067. Arlington 362,805. Corpus Christi 283,474. Plano 250,096. Garland 216,346. Famous natives Stephen Austin (b. Va.), pioneer. James “Jim” Bowie (b. Ky.), army officer. Carol Burnett, comedian. J. Frank Dobie, folklorist. Dwight D. Eisenhower, U.S. president/general. Samuel Houston (b. Va.), president Republic of Texas/governor State of Texas. Howard Hughes, industrialist/aviator. Lyndon Baines Johnson, U.S. president. Janis Joplin, singer. Barbara Jordan, politician. Audie Murphy, soldier/actor. Chester Nimitz, navy officer. Katherine Anne Porter, author. Samuel T. Rayburn, politician. Mildred “Babe” Didrikson Zaharias, athlete. Tourist information 1-800-888-8TEX, ext. 728. www.traveltex.com Utah
Name For Ute Indians. Nicknames Beehive State, Mormon State. Capital Salt Lake City. Entered Union Jan. 4, 1896 (45th). Motto “Industry.” Emblems Bird California Gull. Flower Sego lily. Song “Utah, We Love Thee.” Tree Blue spruce. Land Total area 84,899 sq. mi (13th), incl. 2,755 sq. mi. inland water. Borders Idaho, Wyo., Colo., Ariz., Nev. Rivers Bear, Colorado, Green, Sevier. Lakes Bear, Great Salt, Utah. Mountains La Sal, Uinta (Kings Peak 13,528 ft.) Wasatch Range. Other notable features Great Salt Lake Desert (Bonneville Salt Flats) Kaibab Plateau. People (July, 2009 est.) 2,785,000 (34th). Race/Hispanic Origin (July, 2009 est.): White 92.7%. Black 1.4%. Indian 1.4%. Asian 2.1%. Pacific Islander 0.8%. Two or more races 1.7%. Hispanic 12.3%. Cities (2005) Salt Lake City 178,097. Provo 113,459.
West Valley City 113,300.Sandy 89,664. Orem 89,713. Ogden 78,309. West Jordan 91,444. St. George 64,201. Layton 61,782. Taylorsville 58,009. Famous natives Maud Adams, actress. John Moses Browning, inventor. Philo Farnsworth, inventor of TV. Merlin Olsen, football player/actor. Brigham Young (b. Vt.), religious leader. Loretta Young, actress. Tourist Information 1-800-2 00-1160. www.utah.com Vermont
Name From French vert mont, “green mountain.” Nickname Green Mountain State. Capital Montpelier. Entered Union Mar. 4, 1791 (14th). Motto “Freedom and unity.” Emblems Bird Hermit thrush. Flower Red Clover. Song “Hail, Vermont!” Tree Sugar Maple. Land Total Area 9,614 sq. mi (45th), incl. 365 sq. mi. inland water. Borders Quebec, N.H., Mass., N.Y. Rivers Connecticut, Lamoille, Otter Creek, Poultney, White, Winooski. Lakes Bomoseen, Champlain, Memphremagog, Willoughby. Other Notable Features Grand Isle, Green Mts. (Mt. Mansfield 4,393 ft.), Taconic Mts. People (July, 2009 est.) 622,000 (49th). Race/Hispanic Origin (July, 2009 est.): White 96.2%. Black 1.0%. Indian 0.4%. Asian 1.2%. Two or more races 1.2%. Hispanic 1.5%. Cities (2002) Burlington 39,466. Rutland 17,098. South Burlington 15,870. Famous natives Ethan Allen (b. Conn.), army officer. Chester A. Arthur, U.S. President. Calvin Coolidge, U.S. president. John Deere, industrialist. George Dewey, naval officer. John Dewey, philosopher. Stephen Douglas, politician. James Fisk, financier. Robert Frost (b. Calif.), poet. Rudy Vallee, singer. Tourist Information 1-800-VERMONT. www.vermontvacation.com Virginia, Commonwealth of
Name For Elizabeth I, called Virgin Queen. Nicknames Old Dominion, Mother of Presidents, Mother of States. Capital Richmond. Entered union June 25, 1788 (10th). Motto Sic semper tyrannis (Thus always to tyrants). Emblems Bird Cardinal. Flower Dogwood. Song “Carry Me Back to Old Virginia.” Tree Dogwood. Land Total area 42,774 sq. mi (35th), incl. 3,180 sq. mi. inland water. Borders Md., D.C., Atlantic Ocean, N.C., Tenn., Ky., W.Va. Rivers James, Potomac, Rappahannock, Roanoke, Shenandoah, York. Lakes Buggs Island, Claytor, Gaston, Leesville. Mountains Allegheny, Blue Ridge, Cumberland, Unaka. Other notable features Great Dismal Swamp, Shenandoah Valley. People (July, 2009 est.) 7,883,000 (12th). Race/Hispanic Origin (July, 2009 est.): White 72.8%. Black 20.0%. Indian 0.4%. Asian 5.0%. Pacific Islander 0.1%. Two or more races 1.8%. Hispanic 7.2%. Cities (2005) Virginia Beach 438,415. Norfolk 231,954. Chesapeake 218,968. Richmond 193,777. Newport News 179,899. Hampton 145,579. Alexandria 135,337. Portsmouth 100,169. Roanoke 92,631. Suffolk 78,994. Famous natives Richard E. Byrd, explorer/aviator. William Clark, explorer. Jerry Falwell, evangelist. William Henry Harrison, U.S. president. Patrick Henry, Revolutionary patriot. Thomas Jefferson, U.S. president. Joseph E. Johnston, Confederate general. John Paul Jones (b. Scotland), navy officer. Robert E. Lee, Confederate general. Meriwether Lewis, explorer. James Madison, U.S. president. John Marshall, jurist. Cyrus Hall McCormick, inventor. James Monroe, U.S. president. Walter Reed, doctor. Pat Robertson, evangelist/politician. George C. Scott, actor. Thomas Sumter, army officer. Zachary Taylor, U.S. president. John Tyler, U.S. president. Booker T. Washington, educator. George Washington, U.S. president. Woodrow Wilson, U.S. president. Tourist information 1-800-VISIT-VA. www.virginia.org. Washington
Name For George Washington. Nickname Evergreen State. Capital Olympia. Entered union Nov. 11, 1889 (42nd). Motto Alki (By and by). Emblems Bird Willow goldfinch. Flower Western rhododendron. Song “Washington, My Home.” Tree Western hemlock. Land Total area 71,300 sq. mi (18th), incl. 4,756 sq. mi. inland water. Borders British Columbia, Idaho, Oreg., Pacific Ocean. Rivers Chehalis, Columbia, Pend Oreille, Snake, Yakima. Lakes Baker, Bank, Chelan, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Ross, Rufus Woods. Mountains Cascade Range, Coast Range, Kettle River Range, Olympic. Other notable features Puget Sound, San Juan Islands, Strait of Juan de Fuca. People (July, 2009 est.) 6,664,000 (13th). Race/Hispanic Origin (July, 2009 est.): White 83.8%. Black 3.9%. Indian 1.8%. Asian 7.0%. Pacific Islander 0.5%. Two or more races 3.1%. Hispanic 10.3%. Cities (2005) Seattle 573,911. Tacoma 195,898. Spokane 196,818. Vancouver 157,493. Bellevue 117,137. Everett 96,604. Federal Way 83,088. Kent 81,800. Yakima 81,214. Bellingham 74,547. Famous natives Harry L. “Bing” Crosby, singer. Merce Cunningham, choreographer. Bill Gates, businessman. Jimi Hendrix, guitarist. Robert Joffrey, choreographer. Gary Larson, cartoonist. Edward R. Murrow, reporter (b. North Carolina). Theodore Roethke (b. Mich.), poet. Marcus Whitman (b. N.Y.), missionary/pioneer. Tourist information 1-800-544-1800. www.experiencewa.com
West Virginia
Name for western part of Virginia. Nickname Mountain State. Capital Charleston. Entered union June 20, 1863 (35th). Motto Montani semper liberi (Mountaineers are always free). Emblems Bird Cardinal. Flower Rhododendron maximum (big laurel). Songs “The West Virginia Hills,” “West Virginia, My Home Sweet Home,” “This Is My West Virginia.” Tree Sugar maple. Land Total area 24,230 sq. mi (41st), incl. 152 sq. mi. inland water. Borders Ohio, Pa., Md., Va., Ky. Rivers Big Sandy, Guayandotte, Kanawha, Little Kanawha, Monongahela, Ohio, Potomac. Lakes Summersville Dam. Mountains Allegheny, Blue Ridge, Cumberland. People (July, 2009 est.) 1,820,000 (37th). Race/Hispanic Origin (July, 2009 est.): White 94.4%. Black 3.7%. Indian 0.2%. Asian 0.7%. Pacific Islander Z. Two or more races 1.0%. Hispanic 1.2%. Cities (2005) Charleston 51,176. Huntington 49,198. Parkersburg 32,020. Wheeling 29,639. Morgantown 28,292. Weirton 19,544. Fairmont 19,049. Beckley 16,936. Clarksburg 16,439. Martinsburg 15,996. Famous natives Newton D. Baker, politician. Pearl Buck, novelist (Nobel Prize, 1938). John W. Davis, politician. Dwight Whitney Morrow, lawyer/” diplomat. Michael Owens, manufacturer. Walter Reuther, labor leader. Cyrus Vance, statesman. Jerry West, basketball player. Charles “Chuck” Yeager, pilot. Tourist information 1-800-CALL-WVA. www.wvtourism.com Wisconsin
Name From the Ojibwa wishkonsing, “place of the bearer.” Nickname Badger State. Capital Madison. Entered union May 29, 1848 (30th). Motto “Forward.” Emblems Bird Robin. Flower Wood violet. Song “On, Wisconsin!” Tree Sugar maple. Land Total area 65,498 sq. mi (23rd), incl. 11,188 sq. mi. inland water. Borders Minn., Lake Superior, Mich., Lake Michigan, Ill., Iowa. Rivers Black, Chippewa, Menominee, Mississippi, St. Croix, Wisconsin. Lakes Chippewa, Du Bay, Mendota, Michigan, Superior, Winnebago. Other notable features Apostle Islands, Door Peninsula, Green Bay. People (July, 2009 est.) 5,655,000 (20th). Race/Hispanic Origin (July, 2009 est.): White 89.4%. Black 6.2%. Indian 1.0%. Asian 2.2%. Two or more races 1.2%. Hispanic 5.3%.Cities (2005) Milwaukee 578,887. Green Bay 101,203. Madison 95,240. Kenosha 92,240. Racine 79,3 92. Appleton 70,217. Waukesha 67,658. Oshkosh 63,485. Eau Claire 62,570. Janesville 61,962. Famous natives King Camp Gillette, inventor/businessman. Eric Heiden, speed skater. Harry Houdini (b. Hungary), magician. Robert La Follette, politician. Liberace (Wladziu Valentino), pianist. Alfred Lunt, actor. Joseph R. McCarthy, politician. Spencer Tracy, actor. Thorstein Veblen, economist. Orson Welles, director. Laura Ingalls Wilder, novelist. Thornton Wilder, author. Frank Lloyd Wright, architect. Tourist information 1-800-432-TRIP or 1-800-432-8747. www.travelwisconsin.com Wyoming
Name From the Delaware maugh-wau-wa-ma, “large plains” or “mountains and valleys alternating.” Nickname Equality State. Capital Cheyenne. Entered union July 10, 1890 (44th). Motto “Equal rights.” Emblems Bird Meadowlark. Flower Indian paintbrush. Song “Wyoming.” Tree Cottonwood. Land Total area 97,814 sq. mi (10th), incl. 713 sq. mi. inland water. Borders Mont., S.Dak., Nebr., Colo., Utah, Idaho. Rivers Bighorn, Green, North Platte, Powder, Snake, Yellowstone. Lakes Bighorn, Yellowstone. Mountains Absaroka, Bighorn, Black Hills, Laramie, Owl Creek, Teton Range, Wind River Range, Wyoming Range. People (July, 2009 est.) 544,000 (51st). Race/Hispanic Origin (July, 2009 est.): White 93.5%. Black 1.4%. Indian 2.6%. Asian 0.8%. Pacific Islander 0.1%. Two or more races 1.5%. Hispanic 8.1%. Cities (2005) Cheyenne 55,731. Casper 51,738. Laramie 26,050. Gillette 22,685. Rock Springs 18,772. Sheridan 16,333. Green River 11,787. Evanston 11,459. Famous natives James Bridger (b. Va.), pioneer. J.C. Penney, businessman. Jackson Pollock, painter. Nellie Tayloe Ross (b. Mo.), politician. Tourist information 1-800-CALL-WYO. www.wyomingtourism.org