Alaska and Louisiana are the only two states that don’t divide themselves into counties – they separate their territories into boroughs and parishes. However, at least 323,400 square miles of Alaskan land falls under the Unorganized Borough category. In other words, this area belongs to no county, parish, or borough.
This nonentity, which is bigger than Texas, has no central government, meaning they don’t have to pay for local or property taxes. Despite this perk, there are still some pitfalls to living in the rural Alaskan lands of the Unorganized Borough such as crime, poverty, and addiction. There are regular movements to turn the nonentity into actual boroughs, but residents are not ready for that step just yet.
2. No One in Arizona Observes Daylight Saving Time
Arizona has not observed Daylight Saving Time since 1967, but there is actually one portion oif the state that continues to observe it – Navajo Nation. This Native American territory, which traverses the California-Arizona state line, elected to adopt Daylight Saving Time because they didn’t want to have to put the communities on two different clocks.
3. The Largest Earthquake in American History Occurred in California
Even though California is really susceptible to earthquakes because it lies on top of the San Andreas Fault, Alaska actually wins the record for the largest recorded earthquake in the U.S., according to the National Centers for Environmental Information.
On March 28, 1964, a 9.2 magnitude earthquake struck Alaska’s Prince William Sound and caused $2.3 billion of damage in today’s money.
Actually, Colorado and Washington both defied federal law and passed the legalization of recreational marijuana use on November 6, 2012. Nowadays, California, Alaska, Nevada, Vermont, Oregon, Massachusetts, and Maine have given the go-ahead for recreational marijuana use.
5. The Florida Everglades is the Largest Swamp in the United States
People might think that the Florida Everglades is a swamp filled with alligators and other dangerous creatures, but they are actually a wetland, not a swamp. The largest wetkabd wilderness in the U.S. is the 1.4 million-acre Atchafalaya Basin in Louisiana.
6. The “Peach State” of Georgia is the Country’s Leading Producer of Peaches
Peaches might be a valuable part of Georgia’s economy, but California actually ranked first in 2016 as the country’s leading peach producer. In fact, Georgia actually gets most of its revenue from blueberries. For example, in 2012, blueberries generated an estimated $94 million for Georgia farmers, while peaches only made $30 million.
This sweet, juicy fruit might be a Hawaiian symbol, but the tropical plant is actually native to southern Brazil and Paraguay. It’s believed that the Spaniards might have taken the pineapple to Hawaii and Guam in the early 16th century after introducing the fruit to the Philippines.
8. The Easternmost Part of the United States is Maine
You’ll be surprised to find out that the Semiopochnoi Island in Alaska is the easternmost part of the United States, not Maine. If you use the Prime Meridian and 180th meridian to define the boundaries between the eastern and western hemispheres, this island stretches across the 180-degree line of longitude into the Eastern Hemisphere, making it the easternmost part of the United States.
9. Minnesota, the “Land of 10,000 Lakes,” Has the Most Lakes in the Country
Don’t let this moniker deceive you! Minnesota has close to 12,000 lakes, but Alaska has over three million lakes greater than 5 acres. In fact, Alaska holds more than 40% of the nation’s surface water resources.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the Missouri River, at 2,540 miles long, trumps the Mississippi River by around 200 miles.
11. New York Served as the Nation’s First Capital
Yes, New York City was the first capital of the United States under the ratification of the Constitution, but we bet you didn’t know that there were seven other capital cities before that. In 1774, representatives from the 13 Colonies first convened as the First Continental Congress at Carpenter’s Hall in Philadelphia.
12. Rhode Island is the Least Populated State
Never judge a state by its size, even if it is the country’s smallest state. Rhode Island is actually home to 1.06 million residents. Wyoming, the tenth largest state in the country, on the other hand, is home to just 579,000, making it the least populated state in the U.S.
Tennessee and Missouri are tied in this category as they both border eight states. Kentucky and Colorado come in second with seven neighboring states.
14. Vermont Has the Most Ski Areas in the Country
When you think of skiing, you probably picture Vermont. However, the National Ski Areas Association reports that New York has the most ski resorts in the country with 52 skiing areas compared to just 26 in Vermont.
15. The Oldest City in America is Jamestown, Virginia
This distinction actually belongs to St. Augustine, Florida, which was founded and established by the Spanish n 1565. Jamestown wasn’t settled until 1607. In 2015, St. Augustine celebrated its 450th birthday.
Source: rd
Images: depositphotos
