250 Funnest Facts for USA's 250th Birthday - Part 3: 50 Facts for 50 States

O beautiful for spacious skies, for amber waves of graaain

For part 3 of 5 in 250 Funnest Facts for USA's 250th Birthday, we're taking a visit to each of the fifty states and teaching ya something you probably didn't know before...

1). Delaware: There was just one Revolutionary War battle fought on Delware's soil, the Battle of Cooch's Bridge on September 3, 1777. The Battle of Cooch's Bridge is reported to have been the first time that Americans flew the new Stars & Stripes flag into battle.

2). Pennsylvania: Altoona's famous Horseshoe Curve railroad that bends around the Kittanning Resevoir was so vital to the shipment of goods during American World War II production efforts that it was involved in Operation Pastorius, an intelligence mission by Nazi Germany to sabotage the US economy that was intercepted by FBI double agents before it could be carried out.

3). New Jersey: Every baseball used in a Major League game is rubbed over with a particular mud that comes from Lena Blackburne Rubbing Mud, originally based in Palmyra, NJ and now based out of Longport. The mud comes from a tributary of the Delaware River and is the perfect combination of dirt and clay.

4). Georgia: Valdosta High School is home to the winningest high school football program in the nation with an overall record of 1,012 wins, 250 losses, & 34 ties (.781 winning pct). It's the country's second winningest football program behind the University of Michigan (1,022 wins).

5). Connecticut: In 1953 David Mullany invented Wiffle Ball at his home in Fairfield, CT which gained its name naturally from his son referring to strikeouts as "whiffs." In 2011, the Health Department of New York it was included on a list of recreational activities that present a "significant risk of injury" to children before gaining public ridicule and being removed from the list.

6). Massachusetts: Invented by Archibald Query in Somerville, MA in 1917, the fluffernutter sandwich (peanut butter & marshmallow fluff) is the unofficial State Sandwich of Massachusetts, a state with a town even named Sandwich. The fluffernutter has survived a pair of proposals to state legislators to restrict serving fluffernutters in schools because of its lack of nutritional value.

7). Maryland: Despite prohibition being enacted national law from 1920-1933, Maryland was the lone state to have never enforced the ban by never passing a Volstead enforcement act to actually impose punishment for the indulgence of liquor.

8). South Carolina: At the time of the American Revolution, by far the wealthiest city in the colonies wasn't Philadelphia, Boston, or New York but the South Carolinan city of Charleston with its residents earning nearly 5x the pounds per capita than its northern counterparts.

9). New Hampshire: Before it was established as New Hampshire, the province/colony was mapped and named "North Virginia" by Captain John Smith. It was later changed to "New England" by King James prior to its official naming as "New Hampshire" in 1629.

10). Virginia: Edward Davis, John Hinson, and Lionel Wafer were a pirate group that plundered the South Seas and hid out in Virginia before their capture in the Chesapeake Bay by Captain Rowe who imprisoned the trio in the Jamestown colony until trial. King William III decreed the loot would be returned but kept 300 pounds to fund the construction of William & Mary, America's second-oldest college.

11). New York: Kenmore, a suburb of Buffalo, is the only city/village/municipality in the United States without a single "street" in the town's limits. Every public thoroughfare is named as a road, avenue, or boulevard.

12). North Carolina: Trailing only the seemingly obvious Oregon, North Carolina produces the second-most Christmas trees annually of any state in the United States at nearly 4 million Firs per year. About one third of the country's Christmas trees come from either The Beaver State or The Old North State.

13). Rhode Island: At the turn of the century in 2000, Mr. Potato Head was decreed the official "family-travel ambassador" of Rhode Island with the Hasbro headquarters located in Pawtucket. Mr. Potato Head was also the first toy to have been advertised on April 30, 1952.

14). Vermont: Despite being surrounded by American colonies on three sides, Vermont operated from January 1777 to March 1791 as an independent state in New England refusing to join a republic that permitted slavery. Vermont's run of independence lasted four years longer than Texas'.

15). Kentucky: Based in Louisville, KY, Omega Mirror Products produces almost 200,000 handcrafted glass mirror disco balls which accounts for approximately 90% of the world's funky orbs.

16). Tennessee: The original Mountain Dew formula was conjured in the hills of Knoxville, TN in 1940 and was created with the intention of using the citrusy concoction as a mixer for moonshine.

17). Ohio: In 1835 & 1836 Ohio and Michigan went to war over the Toledo Strip. Ohio won over the Strip and as a result incorporated the city of Toledo into the state whereas Michigan gained control of the Upper Peninsula.

18). Louisiana: The American Hippo Bill was proposed to Congress by Representative Robert F. Broussard in 1910 to try and import Hippos into the bayous of Louisiana with the intention that the humongous herbivores would consume invasive plant species and could be utilized as a source of meat for Louisianans. Though the bill gained support, it was never passed by the House.

19). Indiana: In 1822 Hamilton County, Indiana was victim to a stampede of thousands of black and gray squirrels who ravaged the county's crops and cornfields causing the equivalent of millions of dollars worth of damage by today's standard.

20). Mississippi: There are four cities in the world that are officially sanctioned to host the International Ballet Competition: Helsinki, Finland; Moscow, Russia; Varna, Bulgaria; and Jackson, Mississippi.

21). Illinois: The Eastern Prickly Pear, Little Prickly Pear, and Big-Rooted Prickly Pear are three cactus species that are all surprisingly native to Illinois and can be found in about half of the counties.

22). Alabama: Despite Mardi Gras being most affiliated with parties in the streets of New Orleans, the first organized Mardi Gras celebration occurred in 1703 when French Catholic settlers threw themselves a bash in Mobile, Alabama.

23). Maine: The easternmost point in the United States is West Quoddy Head in Lubec, Maine which is also the closest geographical point in the US to the continent of Africa at a little over 3,100 miles separation from El Beddouza, Morocco.

24). Missouri: Thirty-two athletes from seven nations competed in the 1904 Marathon held at the Summer Olympics in St. Louis, MO, but only 14 finished the race. The first man to cross the finish line, Frederick Lorz, was later disqualified for having gotten a ride in a car during the competition. Thomas Hicks, the deemed winner, hallucinated the last few miles of the race because his trainers fed him brandy, raw eggs, and rat poison. The fourth-place finisher, Andarín Carvajal, took a nap during the race after eating spoiled apples.

25). Arkansas: You can travel to every state that borders Arkansas by going south somewhere within the state.

26). Michigan: Although deriving its name from Coney Island, NY, "Coney Dogs" were actually first sold in Detroit, MI by Greek immigrant Gust Keros in 1917.

27). Florida: For one minute in 1982, Key West seceded from the Union as a micronation called the "Conch Republic" in protest to a US Border Patrol blockade on US-Route 1 that backed traffic up for miiiiiiles. Mayor Dennis Wardlow was named prime minister and declared war on the United States, only to surrender one minute later.

28). Texas: It takes over 12 hours to drive from Texas' easternmost point bordering Louisiana to its westernmost point bordering New Mexico.

29). Iowa: Fenelon Place Elevator is the world's shortest and steepest scenic railway, climbing 189 feet along a 296-foot track that takes you to one of the highest points in Dubuque, IA and provides views of the Mississippi River and three states.

30). Wisconsin: The clock outside of Lambeau Field, home to the Green Bay Packers, is set 15 minutes early to represent "Lombardi Time" in honor of their legendary coach and general manager who expected everyone to arrive 15 minutes early to meetings and functions. It's not uncommon to find public establishments across Wisconsin that have their clocks set 15 minutes early as well.

31). California: Contrary to popular belief that he originated in the swamps of Scotland, Shrek is actually from Fresno, California.

32). Minnesota: For nearly 100 years Minnesota has ranked #1 among all states in turkey production ever since the formation of the Minnesota Turkey Growers Association in 1939. The state produces nearly 34 million turkeys per year at this point.

33). Oregon: When Europeans arrived at the end of the Oregon Trail in the Williamette Valley, they referred to their settlement as "Stumptown" or "The Clearing." Asa Lovejoy of Boston and Francis Pettygrove of Portland, Maine became the primary landowners of this area and both wanted to name their emerging city after their original hometowns. The dispute was settled with a coin flip and now we know "Stumptown" as Portland, Oregon.

34). Kansas: Rob Riggle and Paul Rudd went to the same high school, Shawnee Mission South HS in Overland Park, KS, at the same time. Rudd graduated in 1987, Riggle graduated in 1988 and both went to University of Kansas as well, though they joined different frats.

35). West Virginia: The northernmost point of West Virginia along the Ohio River near Lawrenceville is farther north than almost the entirety of Staten Island New York City.

36). Nevada: Las Vegas was originally settled by the Mormons. In 1855, nine years before Nevada became a state, member of the Church of Latter-day Saints built a fort in what is now Las Vegas along the Mormon Road as a stopping point for journeys between Salt Lake City and Southern California. The fort was abandoned two years later.

37). Nebraska: Omaha hosts one of the most highly renown zoos in the world in the Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium which houses the world's largest indoor desert under the world's largest geodesic dome, the world's largest indoor swamp and nocturnal animal exhibit, and America's largest aquarium inside of a zoo that features a 70-foot shark tunnel. There's also a super sick Silverback Gorilla exhibit, a cute baby elephant, and is just a really freakin cool zoo.

38). Colorado: The term "jungle juice" was first used in Fort Collins, Colorado as early as 1909. The local newspapers referred to an area on the outskirts of town where bootlegging and other taboos ran rampant as "the jungle" and hence those bootlegged drinks became "jungle juice."

39). North Dakota: There are no towns, villages, hamlets, or boroughs in North Dakota. Every incorporated community is considered a city regardless of its population, including Ruso, ND which reported a population of 1 in the 2020 census.

40). South Dakota: On January 22, 1943, Spearfish, South Dakota experienced record-breaking temperature fluctuation. At 7:30AM the temperature was reported to be -4°F and then at 7:32AM the temp. had risen to 45°F, a 49° increase in just two minutes. By 9:00AM the temp. had reached 54°F but then at 9:27AM the weather had shifted again with temps dying back down to -4°F, a 58° decrease. The rapid changes caused glass windows to crack all over the city.

41). Montana: Until it closed in April, the oldest Chinese restaurant in the country resided in Butte, Montana. Pekin Noodle Parlor opened its doors in 1911 and held its ground for 115 years before its spring closure.

42). Washington: Though the law was repealed in the 1990s, it used to be illegal to ride an ugly horse through town in Wilbur, Washington, with fines reaching up to $300.

43). Idaho: Sometimes referred to as the "Manhattan of the West," Boise, Idaho holds an annual New Years Eve party where they drop a giant Potato in the middle of downtown a la the disco ball drop in Times Square.

44). Wyoming: With one found in each of the First Interstate Bank and the other in Hilltop National Bank (both in Casper), Wyoming has exactly two public escalators in the entire state.

45). Utah: At 290 feet long, The Landscape Arch in Arches National Park, Utah is the fifth-longest natural arch in the world and the longest non-Chinese natural arch on the planet.

46). Oklahoma: By repealing a law that had stood for 43 years, Oklahoma became the last state in the nation to make tattoos legal in 2006. The original ban was over the concern of dirty needles and the spread of Hepatitis, but by making the act of tattooing unlawful, the state government actually increased the risk of dirty needles being used in "speakeasy tattoo parlors," who would've thought?

47). New Mexico: The state capital of Santa Fe is the oldest state capital in the United States and the earliest European settlement west of the Mississippi River. Having been established in 1610, Santa Fe was founded 10 years before the Mayflower landed at Plymouth Rock. 

48). Arizona: Averaging 4,015 hours - or 167 full days -  of sunlight per year, Yuma, AZ is the sunniest city in the world. The sun shines on Yuma for approximately 91% of available sunlight hours in a given year.

49). Alaska: The only World War II battle fought on American soil took place in Alaska during the 1943 Battle of Attu. Japanese soldiers had landed unopposed on the island of Attu, one of nation's westernmost points, as part of a campaign to dominate the northern Pacific waters. But within 20 days American and Canadian troops were able to recapture the land.

50). Hawaii: There is one state in the country that is entirely rabies-free, Hawaii. The only confirmed case of the disease was April 3, 1991 involving a rabid bat found in a transport container at Honolulu Harbor. The bat was caught before it could escape and the islands remain rabies-free.