50 Fun Facts About U.S. State Capitals

What is the capital of California?

Sacramento has been California's capital since 1854. Despite Los Angeles and San Francisco being larger and more famous, Sacramento was chosen for its central location in the state.

What is the capital of New York?

Albany has been New York's capital since 1797. Many people mistakenly assume New York City is the capital, but Albany was chosen partly because of its strategic location on the Hudson River.

What is the capital of Texas?

Austin has been Texas's capital since 1839, when it was selected by Mirabeau B. Lamar during the days of the Republic of Texas. It was named after Stephen F. Austin, known as the 'Father of Texas.'

What is the capital of Florida?

Tallahassee became Florida's capital in 1824. It was chosen as a compromise location between the two largest cities at the time, St. Augustine and Pensacola.

What is the capital of Illinois?

Springfield has been Illinois's capital since 1837. Abraham Lincoln lived in Springfield for 24 years before becoming president, and his home and presidential library are major landmarks there.

What is the capital of Pennsylvania?

Harrisburg has been Pennsylvania's capital since 1812. Philadelphia served as both the state and national capital earlier, but the capital was moved to the more centrally located Harrisburg.

What is the capital of Montana?

Helena has been Montana's capital since 1875. The city was founded as a gold mining camp in 1864 during the Montana gold rush, and its main street was originally called 'Last Chance Gulch.'

What is the capital of Oregon?

Salem has been Oregon's capital since 1855. The name Salem is derived from the Hebrew word 'Shalom,' meaning peace. It is located in the fertile Willamette Valley.

What is the capital of Washington state?

Olympia has been Washington's capital since the territory was created in 1853. It sits at the southern tip of Puget Sound and is named after the nearby Olympic Mountains.

What is the capital of Nevada?

Carson City has been Nevada's capital since 1861. Named after frontiersman Kit Carson, it is one of only two independent cities (not part of any county) in the Western United States.

What is the capital of Alaska?

Juneau has been Alaska's capital since 1906. It is the only U.S. state capital not accessible by road — you can only get there by plane or boat. Despite being the capital, it has only about 32,000 residents.

What is the capital of Missouri?

Jefferson City has been Missouri's capital since 1826. It was named after Thomas Jefferson, who was still alive when the city was designated as the capital. It sits along the Missouri River.

What is the capital of Kentucky?

Frankfort has been Kentucky's capital since 1792. With a population of about 28,000, it is one of the smallest state capitals in the U.S. It sits on the Kentucky River.

What is the capital of Vermont?

Montpelier has been Vermont's capital since 1805. With a population of about 8,000, it is the least populous state capital in the United States. It is also the only state capital without a McDonald's.

What is the capital of Maine?

Augusta has been Maine's capital since 1832. It sits on the Kennebec River and is home to the Maine State House, which was designed by Charles Bulfinch, the same architect who designed parts of the U.S. Capitol.

What is the capital of South Dakota?

Pierre has been South Dakota's capital since 1889. With about 14,000 people, it is the second least populous state capital. Its name is French, but locals pronounce it 'peer' rather than the French 'pee-AIR.'

What is the capital of New Hampshire?

Concord has been New Hampshire's capital since 1808. The city is known for its granite quarries and was once called 'The Granite State's Granite City.' The famous Concord Coach stagecoach was manufactured there.

What is the capital of North Carolina?

Raleigh has been North Carolina's capital since 1792. It was specifically planned and built to serve as the state capital and was named after Sir Walter Raleigh, who established the first English colonies in the area.

What is the capital of Louisiana?

Baton Rouge has been Louisiana's capital since 1880. The name means 'red stick' in French, referring to a red cypress pole that marked the boundary between two Native American tribal territories.

What is the capital of Michigan?

Lansing has been Michigan's capital since 1847. Detroit was the original capital, but legislators moved it to Lansing partly because Detroit was considered too close to the British-controlled Canadian border.

Which U.S. state has Trenton as its capital?

Trenton has been New Jersey's capital since 1790. It played a pivotal role in the American Revolution — George Washington's famous crossing of the Delaware River in 1776 led to the Battle of Trenton.

Which U.S. state has Annapolis as its capital?

Annapolis has been Maryland's capital since 1694, making it one of the oldest state capitals. It briefly served as the capital of the United States in 1783-1784 and is home to the U.S. Naval Academy.

Which U.S. state has Topeka as its capital?

Topeka has been Kansas's capital since 1861. The city is famous for the landmark Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education (1954), which originated from segregation in Topeka's public schools.

Which U.S. state has Bismarck as its capital?

Bismarck has been North Dakota's capital since 1889. It was named after German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck in the hope of attracting German immigrant settlers and investment to the region.

Which U.S. state has Boise as its capital?

Boise has been Idaho's capital since 1865. The name comes from the French 'les bois' meaning 'the woods.' French-Canadian fur trappers named the tree-lined Boise River after seeing it from the arid plains.

Which U.S. state has Providence as its capital?

Providence has been Rhode Island's capital since 1900. It was founded in 1636 by Roger Williams, who named it for 'God's merciful Providence' after being banished from the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

Which U.S. state has Columbus as its capital?

Columbus has been Ohio's capital since 1816. It was specifically founded in 1812 to serve as the state capital and was named after Christopher Columbus. It is the largest city in Ohio.

Which U.S. state has Cheyenne as its capital?

Cheyenne has been Wyoming's capital since 1869, when Wyoming was still a territory. The city was founded as a railroad town and named after the Cheyenne Native American people.

Which U.S. state has Dover as its capital?

Dover has been Delaware's capital since 1777. Delaware was the first state to ratify the U.S. Constitution in 1787, earning it the nickname 'The First State.' Dover is home to Dover Air Force Base.

Which U.S. state has Santa Fe as its capital?

Santa Fe has been New Mexico's capital since 1610, making it the oldest state capital in the United States. Founded by Spanish colonists, its full name was 'La Villa Real de la Santa Fe de San Francisco de Asis.'

Which U.S. state capital is the oldest continuously occupied capital city in the country?

Santa Fe, New Mexico, founded in 1610 by Spanish settlers, is the oldest state capital in the United States. It has been continuously occupied for over 400 years and predates the founding of the country by more than 150 years.

Which U.S. state capital has the largest population?

Phoenix, Arizona is the most populous state capital with over 1.6 million residents. It is also the fifth most populous city in the entire United States, far surpassing other state capitals in population.

Which U.S. state capital is the only one that shares no letters with the name of its state?

Pierre, South Dakota is the only U.S. state capital that shares no letters with its state's name. The letters in 'Pierre' (P, I, E, R) do not appear anywhere in 'South Dakota.'

How many U.S. state capitals are also the most populous city in their state?

Only 17 state capitals are also the most populous city in their state. Notable examples include Phoenix (AZ), Denver (CO), Atlanta (GA), Honolulu (HI), Indianapolis (IN), and Columbus (OH). Most states have their capital in a smaller city.

What is the capital of Hawaii?

Honolulu has been Hawaii's capital since 1845, even before Hawaii became a U.S. state in 1959. Located on the island of Oahu, it is the westernmost state capital and the only one located in the Pacific Ocean.

How many U.S. state capitals are named after U.S. presidents?

Four U.S. state capitals are named after presidents: Madison, Wisconsin (James Madison), Jackson, Mississippi (Andrew Jackson), Jefferson City, Missouri (Thomas Jefferson), and Lincoln, Nebraska (Abraham Lincoln).

What is the capital of Georgia?

Atlanta has been Georgia's capital since 1868. Originally called Terminus (because it was the end of a railroad line), then Marthasville, it was finally renamed Atlanta. It hosted the 1996 Summer Olympics.

Which U.S. state capital sits at the highest elevation above sea level?

Santa Fe, New Mexico sits at approximately 7,199 feet (2,194 m) above sea level, making it the highest state capital. Denver (5,280 ft) is often called the 'Mile High City' but sits nearly 2,000 feet lower than Santa Fe.

What is the capital of Minnesota?

St. Paul has been Minnesota's capital since 1849. It forms the 'Twin Cities' metropolitan area with neighboring Minneapolis. St. Paul sits on the east bank of the Mississippi River and is known for its Victorian architecture.

Which U.S. state capital was originally named 'Pig's Eye'?

St. Paul, Minnesota was originally known as 'Pig's Eye' after Pierre 'Pig's Eye' Parrant, a French-Canadian fur trader who was one of the settlement's first European residents. It was renamed St. Paul in 1841 after a chapel was built.

What is the capital of Colorado?

Denver has been Colorado's capital since 1867. Known as the 'Mile High City' because its elevation is exactly one mile (5,280 feet) above sea level. One step on the west side of the State Capitol building is exactly 5,280 feet.

What is the capital of Arizona?

Phoenix has been Arizona's capital since 1889. Named after the mythical phoenix bird, the city was built on the ruins of a Hohokam civilization canal system — literally rising from the ashes of a previous civilization.

What is the capital of Wisconsin?

Madison has been Wisconsin's capital since 1838. It was named after James Madison, the fourth U.S. president. The city is built on an isthmus between two lakes — Lake Mendota and Lake Monona.

What is the capital of South Carolina?

Columbia has been South Carolina's capital since 1786. It was one of the first planned cities in the U.S. and was named after Christopher Columbus. Much of the city was burned during General Sherman's March in 1865.

Which U.S. state capital is known as the 'Insurance Capital of the World'?

Hartford, Connecticut is known as the 'Insurance Capital of the World' because it has been home to numerous major insurance companies since the early 1800s, including Aetna, The Hartford, and Cigna.

What is the capital of Mississippi?

Jackson has been Mississippi's capital since 1821. It was named after Andrew Jackson, who later became the seventh president. The city is nicknamed the 'City with Soul' for its rich blues and gospel music heritage.

What is the capital of Nebraska?

Lincoln has been Nebraska's capital since 1867. Originally called Lancaster, it was renamed Lincoln after President Abraham Lincoln shortly after his assassination. The state capitol building has a 400-foot tower visible for miles.

Which U.S. state has the capital city of Richmond?

Richmond has been Virginia's capital since 1780. During the Civil War, it served as the capital of the Confederate States of America. Patrick Henry delivered his famous 'Give me liberty, or give me death!' speech at St. John's Church in Richmond.

What is the capital of Iowa?

Des Moines has been Iowa's capital since 1857. The name comes from the Des Moines River and likely derives from the French 'Riviere des Moines' (River of the Monks). Iowa City served as the capital before Des Moines.

Which U.S. state capital hosted the 2002 Winter Olympics?

Salt Lake City, Utah hosted the 2002 Winter Olympics. It is the capital of Utah and sits at the base of the Wasatch Mountains near the Great Salt Lake. The city was founded in 1847 by Brigham Young and Mormon pioneers.