Fun facts and records from across the United States.
Test your knowledge with these top questions!
Which two states became the 49th and 50th US states in 1959?
Alaska was admitted as the 49th state on January 3, 1959, and Hawaii as the 50th state on August 21, 1959, during many Baby Boomers' childhoods.
Which ancient arthropod serves as Delaware's official state marine animal?
Delaware Bay hosts the world's largest horseshoe crab spawning grounds, whose eggs fuel migrating shorebirds.
Which state puts a gold beaver on the reverse of its flag?
Oregon is the only U.S. state whose flag carries different official designs on its two sides.
Utah's Beehive State nickname mainly celebrates which qualities?
Utah's beehive symbol links its motto, "Industry," with a community working together like a hive.
Which state entered the Union as the free-state half of the Missouri Compromise pairing?
Maine had belonged to Massachusetts before the compromise cleared its path to statehood in 1820.
Which state was probably named for a fictional island in a 1500s Spanish romance?
The romance described California as a rich island ruled by a queen, more than three centuries before statehood.
Which state occupies the northeast quadrant of the Four Corners?
Four Corners marks the only point in the United States where four state boundaries meet.
Which symbol sits at the center of New Mexico's yellow state flag?
The Zia design repeats four rays in four directions because four holds sacred meaning in Zia tradition.
Wyoming's "Equality State" nickname honors its early leadership in what?
Wyoming Territory gave women the right to vote in 1869 and kept that right when it became a state.
Which state contains Badwater Basin, North America's lowest land point?
Badwater's salt flat sits 282 feet below sea level in Death Valley National Park.