Discover Fascinating Trivia About US State Capitals: From Historic Landmarks to Culinary Delights and Cultural Traditions

Explore the trivia of American capital cities with this exciting knowledge-packed article. Delve into the presidential connections behind state capital names and find out which U.S. capital boasts the lowest population. Check out these captivating facts and more!

Get ready to exercise your geographical knowledge! Can you name the capital with the smallest land area? Or the largest city in America without a pro sports team? Discover some absorbing details about capital cities starting with the letters A, B, or C.

Capital City

State

Most Intriguing Fact

Albany

New York

Albany’s roots date back to 1614 when it served as a fort and became the oldest European settlement in the country.

Annapolis

Maryland

Annapolis is the tiniest capital in the United States with an area of only 6.7 square miles.

Atlanta

Georgia

Atlanta's metropolitan population is the largest of all the state capitals, with over 5.9 million residents.

Augusta

Maine

Augusta prides itself on being home to Fort Western, the oldest wooden fort in the United States, built in 1794.

Austin

Texas

Austin is the largest U.S. city without a professional sports team.

Baton Rouge

Louisiana

Baton Rouge’s imposing Capitol building, rising 450 feet tall, is the tallest in the nation.

Bismarck

North Dakota

Bismarck is the capital city with the lowest average winter temperature, beating even Juneau, Alaska.

Boise

Idaho

Boise boasts the largest Basque American population in the United States, with over 15,000 citizens.

Boston

Massachusetts

Boston claims the bragging rights to many U.S. firsts - the first public beach, lighthouse, college, and subway station.

Discover interesting facts about five state capitals that start with the letters C and D. Learn about their unique features, historical significance, and peculiarities.

Carson City, Nevada

Carson City, the smallest metropolitan statistical area in the country, ranks last on the list of 366.

Charleston, West Virginia

Charleston boasts of some firsts in the US, including the oldest museum, Charleston Museum, established in 1773, and the oldest theater, Dock Street Theatre, founded in 1736.

Cheyenne, Wyoming

Located eight miles north of the Colorado border, Cheyenne is one of the farthest US capitals from its state's geographic center, despite being Colorado's neighbor.

Columbia, South Carolina

Columbia was named after Christopher Columbus and could have been named Washington if not for historical curiosities.

Columbus, Ohio

Columbus is a significant city, as nearly half of all Americans live within 500 miles of the city, including those who live in New York City, Atlanta, and Chicago.

Concord, New Hampshire

Concord was aptly named after the "concord," a reflection of the harmony that resolved a boundary dispute between its neighboring towns Rumford and Bow, respectively.

Interesting facts:

Explore interesting facts about some state capitals beginning with D and F, including Des Moines, Iowa, which was formerly known as "Fort Raccoon" after the Raccoon River. Dover, Delaware, was not like the rest of Kent County when it came to slavery, and it served as a pivotal stop on the Underground Railroad.

Frankfort, Kentucky served as the only Union capital overtaken and occupied by the Confederate forces during the Civil War. In Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, visitors can marvel at the Rockville Bridge, the world’s longest stone arch bridge built over a century ago in 1902. Hartford, Connecticut, goes down in history as the place where Teddy Roosevelt took the very first presidential automobile ride in 1902. Those interested in the etymology of city names will find it interesting that Helena, Montana, was nearly named Crabtown or Pumpkinville before being named after Saint Helena in Minnesota. Honolulu, Hawaii, boasts the highest average annual temperature among all the U.S. state capitals. Indianapolis, Indiana, claims the title of the largest U.S. city that does not have access to a navigable river. Jackson, Mississippi, is the only capital to be built on top of a volcano, with the Jackson Volcano residing under the Mississippi Coliseum. While Daniel Boone became famous exploring Kentucky, his son Daniel Morgan Boone was responsible for laying out the city of Jefferson City, Missouri. Lastly, Juneau, Alaska, whose geographic expanse covers 2,716 square miles, earns the distinction of being the largest state capital. If you’re curious about other fun facts related to state capitals, read on from L to R in the alphabet. Lansing, Michigan, is where Oldsmobile, the car brand, was born in 1897, eleven years before the Ford Motor Company’s creation of the Model T.

Experience the unique charm and history of these thirteen state capitals, each with its own fascinating story to tell.

Named after the iconic President Abraham Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, was founded just two years after his tragic assassination in 1867.

The capital building of Little Rock, Arkansas is a true American treasure, having been completed way back in 1842, making it the oldest of its kind in the nation.

Madison, Wisconsin is special, being the only state capital situated on an isthmus. Full of vibrancy and charm, this city is truly one-of-a-kind.

Montgomery, Alabama is an electric city in every sense of the word, having been the first city in America to adopt electric streetcars, the Lightning Route, as early as the late 19th century.

Montpelier, Vermont may be small with a population of just 7,800 people, but it's mighty in its own way, serving as the capital of a mighty state with a proud history.

Music lovers will already know about Nashville, Tennessee, which boasts the Greek Parthenon replica which houses the Athena Parthenos, the tallest enclosed statue in the Western Hemisphere.

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma may be the youngest capital on our list, having only been founded in 1910, but it's certainly making up for lost time with its boundless spirit and can-do attitude.

Washington's Olympia is special as it's the northernmost state capital in the contiguous US. Rocky coastlines and natural beauty abound in this fair city.

Phoenix, Arizona is the most populous state capital, home to around 1.6 million people. This vibrant southern city is alive with energy and activity.

Pierre, South Dakota stands out as the only capital without an expressway, giving it a quaint, old-world charm that's hard to find in today's fast-paced world.

Providence, Rhode Island is a special city with a rich history. It was the site of the first planned act of the American Revolutionary War, conducted in Narragansett Bay.

Raleigh, North Carolina is home to the first historically black university in the South, Shaw University. A city with a bright future, Raleigh is one of the most exciting cities in the state.

Richmond, Virginia served as the capital of the Confederacy during the Civil War. This beautiful city is a jumble of history and modernity, with a vibrant and artful culture all its own.

State Trivia: Fascinating Facts About U.S. Capital Cities

California:

• Did you know that Sacramento, the capital of California, is the oldest incorporated city in the state, dating back to 1850?
• Minnesota:

St. Paul boasts 26 miles of shoreline along the mighty Mississippi River, making it the city with the most riverfront in the country. It's also one of only two capital cities in the U.S. located directly on the river, the other being Baton Rouge in Louisiana.

Oregon:

• Salem, the capital of Oregon, has a population that trails only Portland in the state, which makes it the second most populous city.
• Utah:

Salt Lake City has the distinction of being the only capital city in the U.S. to have three words in its name.

New Mexico:

Santa Fe, founded in 1610, holds two records - as the oldest capital city in the U.S. and the highest, at 7,000 feet above sea level.

Illinois:

• Springfield became the capital of Illinois due to the efforts of one of the state's most famous residents - Abraham Lincoln, who lived there from 1837 to 1861.
• Florida:
• Tallahassee boasts a unique distinction as the only Confederate state capital that was not captured or burned during the Civil War.
• Kansas:
• Topeka is located nearest to the geographic center of the country, just two miles north of Lebanon, Kansas.
• New Jersey:
• Trenton served as the capital of the United States for the last two months of 1784, before the capital was moved to New York City.
• Bonus Trivia:
• Four state capitals are named after American presidents - Jackson (Mississippi), Jefferson City (Missouri), Lincoln (Nebraska), and Madison (Wisconsin).
• Four state capitals - Dover (Delaware), Jefferson City (Missouri), Juneau (Alaska), and Pierre (South Dakota) - are not served by the interstate highway system.
• Honolulu, Hawaii has the only royal palace in the United States, and Alaska boasts over 6,640 miles of coastline, more than all other states combined.

West of the Mississippi, there are 24 state capitals, while to the east there are 26. And even though Washington D.C. is the nation's capital, it is not a state and has no representation in Congress.