Did You Know...? Playwright Tennessee Williams was born Thomas Lanier — in Mississippi. Natchez is the oldest permanent settlement on the Mississippi River (1716). The blues, a truly American music form, was born in the Mississippi Delta. Mississippi has more African-Americans than any other state (36%). The last heavyweight bare-knuckle
Did You Know...? The ice palace at St. Paul’s 1992 Winter Carnival was 15 stories high, a world record. The state that claimed 10,000 lakes has 11,842 measuring at least 10 acres. The Mall of America is the size of 78 football fields. Wild rice, indigenous to the state’s waters,
Did You Know...? Michigan has the nation’s oldest state fair (1849). The first person to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel (1901) was a Michigan woman. More breakfast cereal is produced in Battle Creek than in any other city on Earth. Ford Motor Company was founded in 1903 with
Did You Know...? Harvard houses the world’s largest university library — more than 13 million books. Massachusetts was the first state to adopt a constitution (1780), and it is the world’s oldest still in use. The American colonies’ first post office was opened at a tavern in Boston in 1639.
Did You Know...? The state’s 400 lakes are all manmade. In 1791, Maryland contributed the land for the District of Columbia. Maryland’s official sport is jousting. “The Star-Spangled Banner” was born in Baltimore, but the tune was an English drinking song. Maryland produces about 95% of crabs consumed in the
Did You Know...? Forests cover nearly 90% of Maine; the state has 5,000-plus rivers and streams. Maine was part of Massachusetts until 1820. Maine has North America’s largest fleet of windjammers (12). English colonists arrived in Maine and Virginia in 1607, but left Maine in 1608. Nearly 90% of all
Did You Know...? Louisiana is the world’s largest source of crayfish; it produces 87% of the U.S. supply. Tabasco sauce originated on Avery Island in the 19th century. New Orleans’ St. Louis Cathedral is the oldest U.S. cathedral in continuous use. Louisiana was named for France’s King Louis XIV. A
Did You Know...? Ninety-five percent of the world’s bourbon is produced in Kentucky. Mammoth Cave is the longest cave system in the world, more than 365 miles. America’s first commercial vineyard was established in Kentucky (1798) for General Lafayette. The war presidents, Abraham Lincoln (1809) and Jefferson Davis (1808), were
Did You Know...? Veterans Day, the successor to Armistice Day, originated in Emporia in 1953. Kansas typically produces 400 million bushels of wheat annually, or four loaves of bread per person worldwide. The real Boot Hill is in Dodge City. Fort Leavenworth is the oldest Army fort in continuous service
Did You Know...? Iowa is the nation’s top producer of corn and pork. The red Delicious apple was created in Iowa (1880s); the original tree still produces. Britt has hosted the National Hobo Convention every year since 1900. Dubuque has America’s shortest (296 feet) and steepest railroad (60-degree incline). Indians
