Did You Know? When seeking statehood, Nevada telegraphed its constitution (16,543 words) to D.C. for $4,313.27 in 1861 dollars. The nearby Comstock Lode was the world’s largest silver find. John Wayne’s last movie, “The Shootist” (1976), was filmed in Carson City’s historic district. The architect’s fee for the Nevada State
Did You Know ... ? Ben & Jerry’s opened its first shop in a rundown gas station in Burlington, in 1978. Ethan Allen, of Green Mountain Boys fame, lived in Burlington for his last 12 years. About a quarter of Vermont’s population lives in Chittenden County, for which Burlington is
Did You Know? Former Buffalo mayor, William Fargo, cofounded American Express (1850) and Wells Fargo Bank (1852). Once in history, an ice jam stopped the flow of Niagara Falls (March 1848). Buffalo’s Statler Hotel was the first U.S. hotel with a closet, telephone, private bath and running water in each
Did You Know….? Branson’s tourism business dates back to 1907. Eighty-two percent of the town’s visitors arrive in their personal vehicles. Branson boasts around 58,000 theater seats, more than are in New York's Broadway district. The first theater was built on Highway 76 (Branson’s Strip) in 1967. Branson is within
Did You Know? In spring, it can cost up to $36,000 to open the high-altitude Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park. Actor Robert Redford was a janitor at The Sink restaurant and bar before he made it big. The city’s east-west Baseline Road sits at the 40th parallel
Did you know...? The Boston Marathon, mother of all city marathons, was first run in 1897 with 15 racers. Boston hosted the first baseball World Series (Boston Pilgrims vs. the Pittsburgh Pirates) in 1903. The African Meeting House was the first church built by free blacks in the U.S. (1806).
Did You Know? Boise has the highest percent of Basques of any place outside the Pyrenees Mountains. Boise was first in the nation to harness hot springs for heating (1892); the system is still in use. Idaho City, a mining town, was once the largest town in the Pacific Northwest.
Did You Know? Birmingham hosted the country’s first Veterans Day celebration (1947). Birmingham is the only place where all ingredients for making iron — coal, iron ore and limestone — are within 10 miles. Rickwood Field is the nation’s oldest baseball park (1910). Birmingham is home to the world’s largest
Did You Know? The 1980 eruption of Washington State’s Mount St. Helens left an inch of ash on the ground in Billings. During a Billings residency (1922), Charles Lindbergh demonstrated parachute jumps and worked as a mechanic. Some $150 million in livestock is sold annually at the Billings Public Auction
Did You Know? In 1905, Kalamazoo had 17 auto manufacturers, more than Detroit. Seventh-Day Adventists formally organized their church in Battle Creek in 1863. The Kellogg brothers created their first toasted flakes by accident. The Checker Cab company made the famous taxis in Kalamazoo from 1923 to 1982. In the
