What's so great about YOUR state?

[TheOtherVillainess]

I am a native Texan and proud of it.
Why is TEXAS such a great state? Well......


We are the ONLY state to fly under six different flags...Spain, France, Mexico, Confederacy, Republic of Texas and United States.

We have some of the most interesting and diverse wildlife in the US...coyotes, panthers (aka cougars or pumas), black bears, horned toads, desert owls, redtailed hawks, jackrabbits, roadrunners, armadillos. Not to mention the various species of fish and underwater critters that live o ut by the Gulf Coast.


We have two of the world's most famous honkytonks--Gilly's (which was featured in the John Travolta movie Urban Cowboy) and Billybob's Texas.

TOV

 

[Briar Rose 7457]

New York, the Empire State. New York City, the Big Apple. is it really fair for one state to have "the greatest city in the World", the famed Yankees, AND such other wonders as Niagara Falls, Lake Champlain, the Adirondack Mountains...?

 

[s&k'smom]

We have 4 seasons and that fall foliage is amazing.

World Champion Patriots!

Baked beans and seafood!

Dunkin Donuts coffee at every corner

The most interesting accents!

History, history, history!

 

[dianeschlicht]

Minnesota:
Home of 10,000 (actually closer to 20,000) lakes and great summer recreation.
headwaters of the mighty Mississippi River!
Fort Snelling, major fort of the frontier.
Home of the world renouned Guthrie Theater.
Home of MOA (Mall of America).
Home of the FIRST totally enclosed mall (Southdale Mall).
Winter fun in the snow(if you overlook the cold).
Home of the Twins, Vikings, Timberwolves, and Wild.
Home of worlds largest taconite (and formerly iron ore) prouduction.
American Swedish institute.
Home of the Duluth inland port and the Arial lift bridge.
Birthplace of Sinclair Lewis, Charles Lindberg, and Prince.
Home of two former vice presidents (Humphrey and Mondale).
Oh yeah, and "Jesse"!

 

[4greatboys]

Never been to Billybob's but Gilley's burned down about 20 years ago.

 

[Crankyshank]

The Ex Mayor of RI has his own special sauce

Rhode Island is the smallest state in size in the United States. It covers an area of 1,214 square miles. Its distances North to South are 48 miles and East to West 37 miles.

Rhode Island was the last of the original thirteen colonies to become a state.


Rhode Island never ratified the 18th Amendment prohibition.

Judge Darius Baker imposed the first jail sentence for speeding in an automobile on August 28, 1904 in Newport.

Polo was played for the first time in the United States in 1876 near Newport.

Rhode Island was home to the first National Lawn Tennis Championship in 1899.

St. Mary's, Rhode Island's oldest Roman Catholic parish was founded in 1828. The church is best known as the site of the wedding of Jacqueline Bouvier to John Fitzgerald Kennedy in 1953.

The state was home to the first open golf tournament. The event occurred in 1895.

Rhode Island has no county government. It is divided into 39 municipalities each having its own form of local government.

The Flying Horse Carousel is the nation's oldest carousel. It is located in the resort town of Watch Hill.

The first circus in the United States was in Newport in 1774.

Ann and Hope was the first discount department store in the United States the property was opened in Rhode Island.

Rhode Island is home to the Tennis Hall of Fame.

Rhode Island's official state name is Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.

George M. Cohan was born in Providence in 1878. He wrote, "I'm a Yankee Doodle Dandy," "You're a Grand Old Flag," and a wide variety of other musical entertainment.

Rhode Island is known for making silverware and fine jewelry.

The world's largest bug is on the roof of New England Pest Control in Providence. It's a big blue termite, 58 feet long and 928 times actual termite size. It was featured in the movie "Dumb and Dumber"


Rhode Islanders were the first to take military action against England by sinking one of her ships in the Narragansett Bay located between Newport and Providence. The English ship was called "The Gaspee".

Roger Williams, founder of Rhode Island, established the first practical working model of Democracy after he was banished from Plymouth, Massachusetts because of his "extreme views" concerning freedom of speech and religion.

Thomas Jefferson and John Adams publicly acknowledged Roger Williams, as the originator of the concepts and principles reflected in The First Amendment. Among those principles were freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and freedom of public assembly.

The era know as The Industrial Revolution started in Rhode Island with the development and construction in 1790 of Samuel Slater's water-powered cotton mill in Pawtucket.

The first British troops sent from England to squash the revolution landed in Newport.

Though second in command to George Washington, Nathaniel Greene, a Rhode Islander, is acknowledged by many historians as having been the most capable and significant General of the Revolutionary effort. Cornwallis feared Greene and his forces most. Greene ultimately defeated Cornwallis.

A reproduction of the original Liberty Bell is in the entrance hall on the south entrance to the State House. It was donated to the people of the state by the United States Treasury Department in 1950, when Harry S. Truman was president. It is about 3-1/2 feet tall and the diameter of the bell at its widest part is approximately 3-1/2 feet. It is such a realistic copy that is even has a crack similar to the original Liberty Bell.

At Little Compton is home to the gravesite of the first girl born to colonists in New England. The baby was the daughter of pilgrims John and Priscilla Alden.

Warwick enjoys a reputation of being Rhode Island's Retail Capital.

Built in 1880 Channing Memorial Church was named for William Ellery Channing, a leader in the Unitarian Church and the abolitionist movement. Julia Ward Howe, author of the "Battle Hymn of the Republic", attended this church.

The White Horse Tavern was built in 1673 and is the oldest operating tavern in the United States.

Rhode Island Red Monument in Adamsville pays homage to the world-famous poultry breed. That's the state bird- the RI red

Rhode Island founder Roger Williams established the First Baptist Church in America in 1638. The existing structure was built in 1775

Settled in 1642 Pawtuxet Village in Warwick lays claim to being New England's oldest village.

The Redwood Library and Athenaeum in Newport is the United States' oldest library building.

The Crescent Park Carousel in East Providence is the official state symbol of folk art.

New England's oldest Masonic Temple in Warren was built in the 18th century with timbers from British frigates sunk in Newport Harbor during the Revolutionary War.

Nine Men's Misery monument in Cumberland is the oldest known monument to veterans in the United States. It was erected in memory of the colonists killed in Pierce's Fight during King Phillips War in 1676.

Portsmouth is home to the oldest schoolhouse in the United States. The school was built in 1716.

Since 1785 Bristol has the longest running, unbroken series of 4th of July Independence Day observances in the country.

The Touro Synagogue is the oldest synagogue in North America. Built in 1763 the synagogue houses the oldest torah in North America.

Swamp Meadow Covered Bridge in Foster is the only remaining covered bridge in Rhode Island.

The first Afro-American regiment to fight for America made a gallant stand against the British in the Battle of Rhode Island.

The first torpedo boat "Stiletto" was built in Bristol in 1887.

Pelham Street in Newport was the first street in the country to use gas-illuminated streetlights.

Cumberlandite is the official state rock. It is dark brown or black with white markings and found on both sides of Narragansett Bay but not north of Cumberland.

The Quonset hut was invented at Quonset Point a key naval reserve base.

Jerimoth Hill is the state's highest point at 812 feet above sea level.

Providence RI is the home of Buddy Cianci - the mayor who spent the longest amount of time in office (until arrested for racketeering)

The show Providence takes place in RI

Home of world famous Dels lemonade and autocrat coffee syrup. Coffee Syrup is the state drink.

Newport RI was the summer home of the Von Bulow's and the rich socialites of the 20th century. JFK was married there.

We have gorgeous fall foliage, great schools, and beautiful beaches. Lots of historical places to visit too.

Providence was ranked by MSN as one of the top 10 places to live in the country.

we also get to claim the Pats, and the Red Sox. Smithfield, RI has long been the training area for the Pats.

 

[TheOtherVillainess]

The original Gilley's did but it's been rebuilt and recently reopened in Dallas. w00t!

TOV

 

[monarchsfan16]

NH has NO sales tax.
4 Seasons.
Mountains and beaches.
We get to support those World Champion Patriots.
Only NH has the Manchester Monarchs.
And plenty of history here too.
And of course, Adam Sandler's from the next town over from mine!

 

[wdwgrannyb]

Almost Heaven West Virginia


says it all!!!

four seasons

the Mountanis

 

[caitycaity]

crabs

 

[Annie&Hallie'sMom]

Well NJ is often overlooked, or put down, but it's a great state...

We've got the shore and the mountains! Beaches with boardwalks...beaches without. Relive the 50s in Wildwood and the Victorian age at Cape May. Or if you're a high stakes roller, forgo the boardwalks and just hit the casinos in Atlantic City. (Home of Miss America...wouldn't be the same anywhere else now would it?)

There's the majesty of High Point State Park. And lets not forget the natural beauty of the Pine Barrens. There's still plenty of farm land in the western part of the state (there IS a reason why we're called the Garden State!)

We've got Jersey Tomatos (nothing else like 'em). And don't forget the Jersey corn in the summer. If you like blueberries and cranberries you've come to the right place too!

We've got Bruce... and Bon Jovi...and we're home to Sinatra!

Edison did major research here and there's a little known Edison Historic Site where you can see all of his wonderous works -- like the phonograph (Hey, they used disks back then too), movies and that little old thing called the lightbulb!

Speaking of movies -- lots of stars got their start here: Susan Sarandon, Nathan Lane, Lauren Hill...just to name three. And for those Kevin Smith fans, you wouldn't want to miss out on his comic book shop in Red Bank.

And if you like to shop, Jersey's got lots of places to go...from Malls to outlets

Yes, we've got lots of highways (what exit am I from?) and dumping grounds...but without that...what would the Sopranos be?

We get 4 beautiful seasons here (although I'm getting a bit tired of the cold) and plenty of things to do during all 4. Skiing in winter (or sledding), fishing in the spring, bodysurfing in the summer and hiking those wonderful trails in the fall.

Our former governor said it well...NJ and you...perfect together!

 

[Evil Princess]

Originally posted by Briar Rose 7457
New York, the Empire State. New York City, the Big Apple. is it really fair for one state to have "the greatest city in the World", the famed Yankees, AND such other wonders as Niagara Falls, Lake Champlain, the Adirondack Mountains...?

You forgot REAL bagels, pizza, and pretzels. BROADWAY, Central Park, SoHo, Little Italy, Chinatown, 5th Ave...oh wait, we said the city already People with fast paced lives that will slow down whenever a fellow New Yorker is in need (9/11, the blackout, etc).

The Hamptons...and once again, the fact that we have such a huge city and still have the country all in one state. Such variety and differences in landscape.

The electricity in New York City isn't matched by any other place on earth. But hey, I'm biased

I could list famous New Yorkers/Long Islanders, but that would be a very long list.

Now I miss New York!!

 

[DukeStreetKing]

We have WDW!!!

 

[CourtasanSatine]

Texas has its own format of country music

We have Six Flags over Texas,Fiesta Texasna done of the top water parks

Tornado season and being part of Townado Alley

 

[Lewski709]

uh, nothing.

 

[Michelemouse]

Well, here in CT we also have the four seasons.

We have a beautiful coastline.

The bicycle was invented in CT.

We had the first elected woman governor.

The first college basketball and football games were played here.

The frisbee and wiffleball were invented in CT.

The submarine was invented in CT and the first submarine sandwich was served here in 1926...but they weren't named "subs" until WWII when the soldiers from the Groton submarine base ordered them by the thousands.

People living in Connecticut are sometimes referred to as being Nutmeggers or Connecticuter's, or Connecticocian's or even Connecticutensian's! Who can top that last one?!

We are close to NYC, Boston, beautiful mountains, beaches & lakes.

We are a small state, which I like.

 

[CyranoJones]

Too many things to list about the state, but my area is famous for pretzels, potato chips, canned and frozen vegetables, and North America's leading standardbred breeding farm. A little detective work will tell you what this place is.

But I will always be a Rhode Island girl at heart.

 

[TheOtherVillainess]

That reminds me of another thing I like about living in Texas (well..North Texas anyway)...NO WINTER! Nope...it gets cold, but almost never cold enough to need a really heavy jacket and it almost NEVER snows. Ever.

TOV

 

[GoofItUp]

Some more on Texas.....

We have such diverse landscapes, from the rolling plains, to the coastal area, to the piney woods, and the dessert-like west. Bluebonnets (coming in bloom right now!). And with them go the beautiful Indian Red Paintbrushes, Brown-Eyed Susans, and lots more that I don't know the names of. We've home to several major universities, the most important of which is TEXAS A&M! Whoop! There are too many things that I love about my state to remember them all and list them.....

Last but by NO MEANS LEAST....We're home to President Bush!

 

[Bichon Barb]

Minutes from home - The Erie Canal, State Parks, golf courses, ski slopes, lakes, rivers, 2003 NCAA Basketball Champions, 2004 NCAA Basketball Champions

Less than two hours from home - Adirondacks, Lake Ontario, Finger Lakes, Canadian beer

Three hours - Catskills, Niagara Falls