Discover the 8 Most Surprising and Entertaining Fun Facts About States You've Never Heard Before!

1. Rockin' Presidential Gig at Mount Rushmore

Imagine if the legendary Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Teddy Roosevelt decided to rock on at a monumental band gig up in the Black Hills of South Dakota: It was actually State Historian Doane Robinson's original idea to create sculptures of explorers and Native American leaders on the granite peaks called the Needles, but after consulting sculptor Gutzon Borglum, they shifted to Mount Rushmore due to its superior granite and sunlit disposition, and made it a presidential jam session to celebrate America's first 150 years.
Source => nps.gov

2. Washington's Unstoppable Greenery

If you've ever encountered a Washingtonian sneezing their way through a conversation only for them to exclaim, "No, I'm not allergic to the state, it's just the flourishing abundance of greenery that won't quit!", you're well on your way to understanding the nickname of their homeland: Washington State, known as "The Evergreen State" since its official christening in 1893, owes its name to the breathtaking, verdant landscapes, thanks to consistent rainfall and extensive wildlife preserves that house age-old resilient evergreen trees.
Source => unitedstatesnow.org

Did you know that Canada's Trans-Canada Highway is the world's second-longest national highway, stretching across 10 provinces and overcoming daunting natural hurdles like the avalanche-prone Rogers Pass? 🛣️🇨🇦 Discover how they keep it open all year round!

=> Fun Facts about Canada

3. New Orleans' Supernatural Voodoo Spot

If you're "dying" for some supernatural assistance, New Orleans has a one-stop-shop for all your Voodoo needs: The St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, famed resting place of Voodoo priestess Marie Laveau, whose tomb is adorned with three "X's" and frequented by hopeful followers leaving offerings for granted wishes. Just make sure you bring a licensed tour guide with you to explore this haunted block, or else you might be staying for longer than you planned!
Source => explorelouisiana.com

4. LA's Prehistoric Fossil Hotspot

Brace yourself for a blast from the prehistoric past, because this fossil-laden Los Angeles hotspot isn't like a box of chocolates: it's more like a treasure trove of ancient life! The Rancho La Brea fossil deposits are home to a whopping 3.5 million specimens, featuring nearly 650 different species from the last great Ice Age. This collection of bones and relics paints a vivid picture of the LA landscape from 12-40,000 years ago, offering scientists a first-class ticket to party with the animals of yore.
Source => csun.edu

5. Delaware's Smashing Pumpkin Mishap

Pumpkin slings, gourd-flinging gadgets, and squash-hurling contraptions – who said Delaware doesn't know how to have a smashing-good time? Well, up until tragedy struck, of course: The iconic "Punkin Chunkin" competition, known for participants propelling pumpkins through the air with homemade devices, took a disastrous turn in 2016 when a cannon exploded, critically injuring a 39-year-old woman and leaving a 56-year-old man with non-life-threatening injuries.
Source => dailymail.co.uk

6. Portland's Liquid Sunshine Celebration

In Portland, Oregon, it rains cats and dogs, but the locals just grab their galoshes and rubber duckies, embracing the liquid sunshine with open umbrellas: Portland receives a whopping 154 days of rain per year, making it one of the wettest cities in the United States, fostering a thriving dining and coffee scene while making any sunny day a bonus celebration worthy of a puddle-jumping parade.
Source => onlyinyourstate.com

7. Alaska's 24-Hour Mosquito Party

In Alaska, where the sun refuses to set an Out-of-Office message during the summer solstice, mosquitoes party like it's daylight all night long: This far-north state experiences 24 hours of daylight when June 21st rolls around, making it crucial for Alaskans to swat away pests and protect themselves against these tireless, tiny buzzing vampires during those seemingly endless sunny hours.
Source => weather.com

8. Indiana's Lightning-Speed Package Hub

In the Hoosier hubbub of hurrying packages, it's no shock that Indiana's got a hankerin' for sortin' those pesky parcels at lightning speed: Enter the FedEx Express Indianapolis Hub, the second-largest in the world, boasting a sort capacity of 99,000 packages per hour, opening in 1988 with just over 300 team members and now employing nearly 4,000! To top that off, FedEx is planning a $1.5 billion expansion over the next seven years, in celebration of the hub's 30th anniversary, to make this Hoosier hotspot one of the largest globally.
Source => fedex.com