States of AmericaSorted by Governor In Ascending Order
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| State Name Abbreviation Nickname If Renamed | Admission Date Resident Label Population Governor(Party) | Area in Sq. Miles Total Area Land Area Water Area % Water | Pop./Sq.Mi. Total Area Land Area Water Area | Highest Elev. Highest Loc. Lowest Elev. Lowest Loc. | State Bird State Flower State Tree State Fish | Largest City ♥ Capital GSP GSP/person | Name Origin Name Meaning Notes |
1 | Hawaii HI Aloha State Isle Be Seaing U | Aug. 21, 1959 Hawaiians=natives, Islanders=non-natives 1,392,313 Neil Abercrombie | 10,931 sq.mi. 6,423 sq.mi. 4,508 sq.mi. 41.2% water | 127 pop./total 217 pop./land 309 pop./water | 13,803 feet Mauna Kea 0 feet Pacific Ocean | Nēnē or Hawaiian Goo Hawaiian hibiscus Candlenut tree Reef triggerfish | Honolulu ♥ Honolulu $54,409 million $39,078 | Hawaiian “small or new homeland” May have been named for the traditional home of the Polynesians, called “Owhyhee.” |
2 | Arkansas AR Natural State Ozark Park | June 15, 1836 Arkansans 2,949,131 Mike Beebe | 53,179 sq.mi. 52,068 sq.mi. 1,111 sq.mi. 2.1% water | 55 pop./total 57 pop./land 2,654 pop./water | 2,653 feet Magazine Mountain 55 feet Ouachita River | Mockingbird Apple blossom Pine none | Little Rock ♥ Little Rock $92,306 million $31,299 | Quapaw Soiux “south wind” Borrowed from an Illinois rendering of the tribal name kanze see Kansas, below, how the Miami and Illinois refer to the Quapaw. |
3 | Alabama AL Yellowhammer State Dixie World | Dec. 14, 1819 Alabamans 4,855,023 Robert Bentley | 52,419 sq.mi. 50,744 sq.mi. 1,675 sq.mi. 3.2% water | 93 pop./total 96 pop./land 2,899 pop./water | 2,413 feet Cheaha Mountain 0 feet Gulf of Mexico | Yellowhammer Camellia Longleaf pine Largemouth bass | Birmingham ♥ Montgomery $155,839 million $32,099 | Choctaw “plant-cutters” Two Choctaw words: “alba” meaning vegetation, herbs or plants; and “amo” meaning gatherer or picker. |
4 | Kentucky KY Bluegrass State Equus | June 01, 1792 Kentuckians 4,380,415 Steve Beshear | 40,409 sq.mi. 39,728 sq.mi. 681 sq.mi. 1.7% water | 108 pop./total 110 pop./land 6,432 pop./water | 4,145 feet Black Mountain 257 feet Mississippi River | Northern cardinal Goldenrod Tulip-tree Kentucky spotted bass | Louisville ♥ Frankfort $137,547 million $31,400 | Iroquoian “prairie” or “field” From the Iroquois Indian name referring to the landscape. Possibly a Wyandot or Iroquois name meaning “land of tomorrow.” |
5 | Iowa IA Hawkeye State Sunny Farms | Dec. 28, 1846 Iowans or Hawkeyes 3,074,186 Terry Branstad | 56,272 sq.mi. 55,870 sq.mi. 402 sq.mi. 0.7% water | 55 pop./total 55 pop./land 7,647 pop./water | 1,670 feet Hawkeye Point 480 feet Mississippi River | Eastern goldfinch Wild Prairie Rose Bur oak Channel catfish | Des Moines ♥ Des Moines $110,542 million $35,958 | Dakota “sleepy ones” From the natives tribal name “Ayuxwa” which was spelled by the French as “Ayoua” and by the English as “Ioway.” |
6 | Arizona AZ Grand Canyon State SunGlo | Feb. 14, 1912 Arizonans 6,553,255 Jan Brewer | 113,998 sq.mi. 113,634 sq.mi. 364 sq.mi. 0.3% water | 57 pop./total 58 pop./land 18,003 pop./water | 12,637 feet Humphreys Peak 70 feet Colorado River | Cactus wren Saguaro cactus blossom Blue palo verde Arizona trout | Phoenix ♥ Phoenix $217,232 million $33,149 | Aztec, or Pima “silver-bearing,” or “small spring” Origin of the name is uncertain. |
7 | California CA Golden State Like | Sep. 09, 1850 Californians 38,041,430 Jerry Brown | 163,696 sq.mi. 155,960 sq.mi. 7,736 sq.mi. 4.7% water | 232 pop./total 244 pop./land 4,917 pop./water | 14,505 feet Mount Whitney -282 feet Badwater Basin | California quail California poppy Coast Redwood, Giant Sequoia Golden trout | Los Angeles ♥ Sacramento $1,564,402 million $41,124 | Spanish where Queen Califia ruled From “Califia” queen of a mythical Spanish island in a Spanish romance Las Sergas de Esplandian by Garcia Ordo?ez de Montalvo, 1510. |
8 | Kansas KS Sunflower State Midstate | Jan. 29, 1861 Kansans or Jayhawkers 2,885,905 Sam Brownback | 82,277 sq.mi. 81,815 sq.mi. 462 sq.mi. 0.6% water | 35 pop./total 35 pop./land 6,247 pop./water | 4,039 feet Mount Sunflower 679 feet Verdigris River | Western Meadowlark Sunflower Eastern cottonwood none | Wichita ♥ Topeka $106,876 million $37,034 | Kaw “south wind” From the Kansas River which was named by the French after the Kanze natives who lived there. |
9 | Mississippi MS Magnolia State Magnolia Meadows | Dec. 10, 1817 Mississippians 2,984,926 Phil Bryant | 48,430 sq.mi. 46,907 sq.mi. 1,523 sq.mi. 3.1% water | 62 pop./total 64 pop./land 1,960 pop./water | 807 feet Woodall Mountain 0 feet Gulf of Mexico | Northern mockingbird Magnolia Southern magnolia Largemouth bass | Jackson ♥ Jackson $88,864 million $29,771 | Ojibwe “great river” The Indian name for the river that was used on Robert Cavelier Sieur de La Salle’s map. |
10 | Montana MT Treasure State Skyview | Nov. 08, 1889 Montanan 1,005,141 Steve Bullock | 147,042 sq.mi. 145,552 sq.mi. 1,490 sq.mi. 1.0% water | 7 pop./total 7 pop./land 675 pop./water | 12,807 feet Granite Peak 1,800 feet Kootenai River | Western meadowlark Hawthorn Ponderosa pine Cutthroat trout | Billings ♥ Helena $33,154 million $32,984 | Spanish “mountainous” A derivation of the Latin word “montaanus.” |
11 | Rhode Island RI Ocean State MicroState | May 29, 1790 Rhode Islanders 1,050,292 Lincoln Chafee | 1,545 sq.mi. 1,045 sq.mi. 500 sq.mi. 32.4% water | 680 pop./total 1,005 pop./land 2,101 pop./water | 812 feet Jerimoth Hill 0 feet Atlantic Ocean | Rhode Island red chicken Violet Red maple Striped bass | Providence ♥ Providence $43,185 million $41,117 | Dutch “red island” Named “Roodt Eylandt” by Dutch explorer Adrian Block, it was anglicized when the region came under British rule. |
12 | New Jersey NJ Garden State Consolidated Peoples | Dec. 18, 1787 New Jerseyites; New Jerseyans 8,864,590 Chris Christie | 8,721 sq.mi. 7,417 sq.mi. 1,304 sq.mi. 15.0% water | 1,016 pop./total 1,195 pop./land 6,798 pop./water | 1,803 feet High Point 0 feet Atlantic Ocean | Eastern goldfinch Violet Northern red oak Brook trout | Newark ♥ Trenton $438,112 million $49,423 | English New + name of an island Name after the island of Jersey in the English Channel by Sir John Berkley and Sir George Carteret. |
13 | Pennsylvania PA Keystone State Gettysburg Estates | Dec. 12, 1787 Pennsylvanians 12,763,536 Tom Corbett | 46,055 sq.mi. 44,816 sq.mi. 1,239 sq.mi. 2.7% water | 277 pop./total 285 pop./land 10,301 pop./water | 3,213 feet Mount Davis 0 feet Delaware River | Ruffed grouse Mountain laurel Eastern hemlock Brook trout | Philadelphia ♥ Harrisburg $498,871 million $39,086 | Latin “Penn’s woods” After Admiral William Penn. |
14 | New York NY Empire State DollarDaze | July 26, 1788 New Yorkers 19,570,261 Andrew Cuomo | 54,556 sq.mi. 47,214 sq.mi. 7,342 sq.mi. 13.5% water | 359 pop./total 415 pop./land 2,666 pop./water | 5,334 feet Mount Marcy 0 feet Atlantic Ocean | Eastern bluebird Rose Sugar maple Brook trout | New York City ♥ Albany $917,608 million $46,888 | English New + name of an English duke After York, England, to honor the then Duke of York later King James II of England. |
15 | North Dakota ND Peace Garden State Northland | Nov. 02, 1889 North Dakotans 699,628 Jack Dalrymple | 70,700 sq.mi. 68,976 sq.mi. 1,724 sq.mi. 2.4% water | 10 pop./total 10 pop./land 406 pop./water | 3,506 feet White Butte 750 feet Red River | Western meadowlark Wild prairie rose American elm Northern pike | Fargo ♥ Bismarck $25,570 million $36,548 | Sioux North + “ally” After the Dakota tribe. |
16 | South Dakota SD Mount Rushmore State South Northland | Nov. 02, 1889 South Dakotans 833,354 Dennis Daugaard | 77,116 sq.mi. 75,884 sq.mi. 1,232 sq.mi. 1.6% water | 11 pop./total 11 pop./land 676 pop./water | 7,244 feet Harney Peak 966 feet Big Stone Lake | Common pheasant Pasque flower Black Hills spruce Walleye | Sioux Falls ♥ Pierre $30,005 million $36,005 | Sioux South + “ally” After the Dakota tribe. |
17 | Minnesota MN North Star State Lakes-a-plenty | May 11, 1858 Minnesotans 5,379,139 Mark Dayton | 86,939 sq.mi. 79,610 sq.mi. 7,329 sq.mi. 8.4% water | 62 pop./total 68 pop./land 734 pop./water | 2,301 feet Eagle Mountain 601 feet Lake Superior | Common loon Pink and white lady's slipper Red Pine Walleye | Minneapolis ♥ St. Paul $218,822 million $40,680 | Dakota “cloudy water” From the Minnesota River named by the Dakota Sioux. |
18 | Georgia GA Peach State Peaches N' More | Jan. 02, 1788 Georgians 9,919,945 Nathan Deal | 59,425 sq.mi. 57,906 sq.mi. 1,519 sq.mi. 2.6% water | 167 pop./total 171 pop./land 6,531 pop./water | 4,784 feet Brasstown Bald 0 feet Atlantic Ocean | Brown thrasher Cherokee rose Southern live oak Largemouth bass | Atlanta ♥ Atlanta $332,090 million $33,477 | Latin “George” The feminine Latin form of “George,” named after King George II of England |
19 | Oklahoma OK Sooner State Indiana | Nov. 16, 1907 Oklahomans 3,814,820 Mary Fallin | 69,898 sq.mi. 68,667 sq.mi. 1,231 sq.mi. 1.8% water | 55 pop./total 56 pop./land 3,099 pop./water | 4,973 feet Black Mesa 289 feet Little River | Scissor-tailed flycatcher Oklahoma rose Eastern redbud White bass | Oklahoma City ♥ Oklahoma City $130,035 million $34,087 | Choctaw “red people” Invented by native American missionary Allen Wright from two Choctaw words, “ukla” meaning people and “huma” meaning red. |
20 | South Carolina SC Palmetto State Charlie | May 23, 1788 South Carolinians 4,723,723 Nikki Haley | 32,020 sq.mi. 30,109 sq.mi. 1,911 sq.mi. 6.0% water | 148 pop./total 157 pop./land 2,472 pop./water | 3,560 feet Sassafras Mountain 0 feet Atlantic Ocean | Carolina wren Yellow jessamine Sabal palm Striped bass | Columbia ♥ Columbia $145,043 million $30,705 | Latin South + “Charles” from the name Carolus, in honor of King Charles I of England. |
21 | Tennessee TN Volunteer State Opry-Tune-Itee | June 01, 1796 Tennesseans 6,456,243 Bill Haslam | 42,143 sq.mi. 41,217 sq.mi. 926 sq.mi. 2.2% water | 153 pop./total 157 pop./land 6,972 pop./water | 6,643 feet Clingmans Dome 178 feet Mississippi River | Northern mockingbird Iris Tulip-tree Largemouth bass | Memphis ♥ Nashville $214,633 million $33,244 | Cherokee possibly “river with a big bend” After the river and from a Cherokee village in the region that was called “Tanasie.” |
22 | New Hampshire NH Granite State Hard Rock State | June 21, 1788 New Hampshirites; Granite Staters 1,320,718 Maggie Hassan | 9,350 sq.mi. 8,968 sq.mi. 382 sq.mi. 4.1% water | 141 pop./total 147 pop./land 3,457 pop./water | 6,288 feet Mount Washington 0 feet Atlantic Ocean | Purple finch Purple lilac American white birch Brook trout | Manchester ♥ Concord $56,733 million $42,956 | English New + name of an English county Named for county of Hampshire, England, by Captain John Mason. |
23 | Nebraska NE Cornhusker State Korn-O-copia | Mar. 01, 1867 Nebraskans; sometimes Cornhuskers 1,855,525 Dave Heineman | 77,354 sq.mi. 76,873 sq.mi. 481 sq.mi. 0.6% water | 24 pop./total 24 pop./land 3,858 pop./water | 5,424 feet Panorama Point 849 feet Missouri River | Western meadowlark Goldenrod Eastern cottonwood Channel catfish | Omaha ♥ Lincoln $68,417 million $36,872 | Soiux “flat waters” Referring to the Platte River, which means “flat river” in French. |
24 | Utah UT Beehive State Salterra | Jan. 04, 1896 Utahns or Utahans 2,855,287 Gary Herbert | 84,899 sq.mi. 82,144 sq.mi. 2,755 sq.mi. 3.2% water | 34 pop./total 35 pop./land 1,036 pop./water | 13,528 feet Kings Peak 2,000 feet Beaver Dam Wash | California gull Sego lily Blue spruce Bonneville cutthroat trout | Salt Lake City ♥ Salt Lake City $85,974 million $30,110 | Western Apache “high” Europeans took the Apache word “Yuttahih” their name for the Navajo tribes living higher in the mountains to refer to the Utes. |
25 | Colorado CO Centennial State Healthy Heights | Aug. 01, 1876 Coloradans 5,187,582 John Hickenlooper | 104,094 sq.mi. 103,718 sq.mi. 376 sq.mi. 0.4% water | 50 pop./total 50 pop./land 13,797 pop./water | 14,440 feet Mount Elbert 3,317 feet Arikaree River | Lark bunting Rocky mountain columbine Colorado blue spruce Greenback cutthroat trout | Denver ♥ Denver $207,743 million $40,046 | Spanish “red color” Originally referring to the Colorado River. |
26 | Washington WA Evergreen State Kountry Korner | Nov. 11, 1889 Washingtonians 6,897,012 Jay Inslee | 71,300 sq.mi. 66,544 sq.mi. 4,756 sq.mi. 6.7% water | 97 pop./total 104 pop./land 1,450 pop./water | 14,410 feet Mount Rainier 0 feet Pacific Ocean | Willow goldfinch Coast rhododendron Western hemlock Steelhead trout | Seattle ♥ Olympia $278,237 million $40,342 | English English surname After the first U.S. president, George Washington. |
27 | Louisiana LA Pelican State Hot N' Humid | Apr. 30, 1812 Louisianians or Louisianans 4,601,893 Bobby Jindal | 51,840 sq.mi. 43,562 sq.mi. 8,278 sq.mi. 16.0% water | 89 pop./total 106 pop./land 556 pop./water | 535 feet Driskill Mountain -8 feet New Orleans | Brown pelican Magnolia Bald cypress White crappie | New Orleans ♥ Baton Rouge $159,500 million $34,660 | French in honor of King “Louis” French explorer Robert Cavelier Sieur de La Salle, first European to sail the Miss. River delta, named the area La Louisianne after Louis XIV of France. |
28 | Ohio OH Buckeye State South Lake Shores | Mar. 01, 1803 Ohioans; or Buckeyes 11,544,225 John Kasich | 44,825 sq.mi. 40,948 sq.mi. 3,877 sq.mi. 8.6% water | 258 pop./total 282 pop./land 2,978 pop./water | 1,550 feet Campbell Hill 455 feet Ohio River | Northern cardinal Scarlet carnation Ohio buckeye Walleye | Columbus ♥ Columbus $408,390 million $35,376 | Iroquois “large creek” After the name of both the Ohio River and Allegheny River. Often incorrectly given as “beautiful river” |
29 | Oregon OR Beaver State Ocean View | Feb. 14, 1859 Oregonians 3,899,353 John Kitzhaber | 98,381 sq.mi. 95,997 sq.mi. 2,384 sq.mi. 2.4% water | 40 pop./total 41 pop./land 1,636 pop./water | 11,249 feet Mount Hood 0 feet Pacific Ocean | Western meadowlark Oregon grape Douglas fir Chinook salmon | Portland ♥ Salem $136,450 million $34,993 | Uncertain “beautiful” First named by Major Robert Rogers in a petition to King George III. |
30 | Maine ME Pine Tree State @lantia | Mar. 15, 1820 Mainers or Main Staters 1,329,192 Paul LePage | 35,385 sq.mi. 30,862 sq.mi. 4,523 sq.mi. 12.8% water | 38 pop./total 43 pop./land 294 pop./water | 5,368 feet Mount Katahdin 0 feet Atlantic Ocean | Black-capped chickadee White pine cone and tassel Eastern white pine Landlocked Atlantic salmon | Portland ♥ Augusta $48,441 million $36,444 | English or French “the main land” May refer to the mainland, as opposed to the coastal islands, or may be named after the French province of Maine. |
31 | Connecticut CT Constitution State Insure | Jan. 09, 1788 Nutmeggers or Connecticuters 3,590,347 Dan Malloy | 5,543 sq.mi. 4,845 sq.mi. 698 sq.mi. 12.6% water | 648 pop./total 741 pop./land 5,144 pop./water | 2,380 feet Mount Frissell 0 feet Long Island Sound | American robin Mountain laurel White oak American shad | Bridgeport ♥ Hartford $191,384 million $53,305 | Mohican/Algonquin “at the long tidal river” From the Indian name for the Connecticut River. |
32 | Delaware DE First State First National State | Dec. 07, 1787 Delawareans 917,092 Jack Markell | 2,489 sq.mi. 1,953 sq.mi. 536 sq.mi. 21.5% water | 368 pop./total 470 pop./land 1,711 pop./water | 451 feet Ebright Azimuth 0 feet Atlantic Ocean | Blue hen chicken Peach blossom American holly Weakfish | Wilmington ♥ Dover $35,243 million $38,429 | French via English “of the war” After the Delaware River, which was named for Lord de la Warr. |
33 | New Mexico NM Land of Enchantment I Can't Believe It's Not Mexico | Jan. 06, 1912 New Mexicans 2,085,538 Susana Martinez | 121,589 sq.mi. 121,355 sq.mi. 234 sq.mi. 0.2% water | 17 pop./total 17 pop./land 8,913 pop./water | 13,167 feet Wheeler Peak 2,842 feet Red Bluff Reservoir | Roadrunner Yucca flower Piñon Pine Rio Grande cutthroat trout | Albuquerque ♥ Santa Fe $66,303 million $31,792 | Aztec via Spanish refers to the land north of the upper Rio Grande Anglicized version of “Nuevo Mexico,” from Aztec meaning “place of the god Mexitli.” |
34 | North Carolina NC Old North State Phatlantic | Nov. 21, 1789 North Carolinians 9,752,073 Pat McCrory | 53,819 sq.mi. 48,711 sq.mi. 5,108 sq.mi. 9.5% water | 181 pop./total 200 pop./land 1,909 pop./water | 6,684 feet Mount Mitchell 0 feet Atlantic Ocean | Northern cardinal Flowering dogwood Pine Channel Bass | Charlotte ♥ Raleigh $323,200 million $33,142 | Latin North + “Charles” From the name Carolus, in honor of King Charles I of England. |
35 | Virginia VA Old Dominion State Washington | June 25, 1788 Virginians 8,185,867 Bob McDonnell | 42,774 sq.mi. 39,594 sq.mi. 3,180 sq.mi. 7.4% water | 191 pop./total 207 pop./land 2,574 pop./water | 5,729 feet Mount Rogers 0 feet Atlantic Ocean | Northern cardinal American dogwood Flowering dogwood Brook trout | Virginia Beach ♥ Richmond $345,841 million $42,249 | Latin “country of the Virgin” After Elizabeth I of England, who was known as the “Virgin Queen” because she never married. |
36 | Wyoming WY Equality State Fin and Fur | July 10, 1890 Wyomingites 576,412 Matt Mead | 97,814 sq.mi. 97,101 sq.mi. 713 sq.mi. 0.7% water | 6 pop./total 6 pop./land 808 pop./water | 13,809 feet Gannett Peak 3,099 feet Belle Fourche River | Western meadowlark Indian paintbrush Plains cottonwood Cutthroat trout | Cheyenne ♥ Cheyenne $24,876 million $43,157 | Algonquian “wiche weamiing” or “on the great plain” After a tribal village in Pennsylvania wiped out in 1778 by a combined force of British soldiers, Tories sympathizers and Iroquois Indians. |
37 | Missouri MO Show Me State Riverview | Aug. 10, 1821 Missourians 6,021,988 Jay Nixon | 69,704 sq.mi. 68,886 sq.mi. 818 sq.mi. 1.2% water | 86 pop./total 87 pop./land 7,362 pop./water | 1,772 feet Taum Sauk Mountain 230 feet Saint Francis River | Eastern bluebird Hawthorn Flowering dogwood Channel catfish | Kansas City ♥ Jefferson City $213,613 million $35,472 | Algonquian “dugout canoe” From the Missouri River, after the Missouri tribe known for their dugout canoes. |
38 | Maryland MD Old Line State Heritage Home | Apr. 28, 1788 Marylanders 5,884,563 Martin O'Malley | 12,407 sq.mi. 9,774 sq.mi. 2,633 sq.mi. 21.2% water | 474 pop./total 602 pop./land 2,235 pop./water | 3,360 feet Hoye-Crest 0 feet Atlantic Ocean | Baltimore oriole Black-eyed susan White oak Rockfish | Baltimore ♥ Annapolis $275,199 million $46,766 | English in honor of Queen “Mary” After Queen Henrietta Maria of England, wife of King Charles I. |
39 | Idaho ID Gem State Perpetua | July 03, 1890 Idahoans 1,595,728 Butch Otter | 83,570 sq.mi. 82,747 sq.mi. 823 sq.mi. 1.0% water | 19 pop./total 19 pop./land 1,939 pop./water | 12,668 feet Borah Peak 710 feet Snake River | Mountain bluebird Syringa, mock orange Western white pine Cutthroat trout | Boise ♥ Boise $48,897 million $30,642 | English invented word Mining lobbyist George M. Willing invented the name saying it was a Shoshone Indian word that meant “Gem of the Mountains.” |
40 | Alaska AK Last Frontier SnoRite | Jan. 03, 1959 Alaskans 731,449 Sean Parnell | 663,267 sq.mi. 571,951 sq.mi. 91,316 sq.mi. 13.8% water | 1 pop./total 1 pop./land 8 pop./water | 20,320 feet Mount McKinley 0 feet Pacific Ocean | Willow ptarmigan Forget-me-not Sitka spruce King salmon | Anchorage ♥ Juneau $29,757 million $40,682 | Aleut “mainland” From the Aleut word “Alyeska,” meaning “great land” or “that which the sea breaks against.” |
41 | Massachusetts MA Bay State Bay Way | Feb. 06, 1788 Bay Staters or Massachusettsans 6,646,144 Deval Patrick | 10,555 sq.mi. 7,840 sq.mi. 2,715 sq.mi. 25.7% water | 630 pop./total 848 pop./land 2,448 pop./water | 3,492 feet Mount Greylock 0 feet Atlantic Ocean | Black-capped chickadee Mayflower American elm Cod | Boston ♥ Boston $328,855 million $49,481 | Algonquian “great hill place” or “by the little mount Named after the natives that lived in the region. |
42 | Indiana IN Hoosier State Town and Country | Dec. 11, 1816 Hoosiers or Indianians or Indianans 6,537,334 Mike Pence | 36,418 sq.mi. 35,867 sq.mi. 551 sq.mi. 1.5% water | 180 pop./total 182 pop./land 11,864 pop./water | 1,257 feet Hoosier Hill 320 feet Ohio River | Northern cardinal Peony Tulip-tree none | Indianapolis ♥ Indianapolis $216,619 million $33,136 | English “Land of the Indians.” The natives were called Indians because of Columbus’ error thinking he had reached the Asian India. |
43 | Texas TX Lone Star State Superultramax | Dec. 29, 1845 Texans 25,059,203 Rick Perry | 268,581 sq.mi. 261,797 sq.mi. 6,784 sq.mi. 2.5% water | 93 pop./total 96 pop./land 3,694 pop./water | 8,751 feet Guadalupe Peak 0 feet Gulf of Mexico | Northern mockingbird Texas bluebonnet Pecan Guadalupe bass | Houston ♥ Austin $904,158 million $36,081 | Caddo “friend” “Tejas” referred to the Caddo tribes. The Spanish made it texas. |
44 | Illinois IL Prairie State Chi+ | Dec. 03, 1818 Illinoisan or Illinoians 12,875,255 Pat Quinn | 57,914 sq.mi. 55,583 sq.mi. 2,331 sq.mi. 4.0% water | 222 pop./total 232 pop./land 5,523 pop./water | 1,235 feet Charles Mound 279 feet Mississippi River | Northern cardinal Violet White oak Bluegill | Chicago ♥ Springfield $534,633 million $41,524 | Algonquian “warriors” or “superior men” By French explorer Robert Cavelier Sieur de La Salle in 1679 after the Indians he found living along the banks. “Illini” was a confed. of Indian tribes. |
45 | Nevada NV Silver State Win-A-Lot | Oct. 31, 1864 Nevadans 2,758,931 Brian Sandoval | 110,561 sq.mi. 109,826 sq.mi. 735 sq.mi. 0.7% water | 25 pop./total 25 pop./land 3,754 pop./water | 13,147 feet Boundary Peak 479 feet Colorado River | Mountain bluebird Sagebrush Single-leaf Pinyon, Bristlecon Lahontan cutthroat trout | Las Vegas ♥ Carson City $101,965 million $36,958 | Spanish “snow covered” After the Sierra Nevada, or “snowy range.” |
46 | Florida FL Sunshine State AmeriBeach | Mar. 03, 1845 Floridians 19,317,568 Rick Scott | 65,755 sq.mi. 53,927 sq.mi. 11,828 sq.mi. 18.0% water | 294 pop./total 358 pop./land 1,633 pop./water | 345 feet Britton Hill 0 feet Atlantic Ocean | Northern mockingbird Orange blossom Sabal palm Florida largemouth bass | Jacksonville ♥ Tallahassee $700,364 million $36,255 | Spanish “flowers” Explorer Ponce de Leon named the land after “Pascua de Florida” “Feast of Flowers” on Palm Sunday of 1513. |
47 | Vermont VT Green Mountain State Ethan Allendale | Mar. 04, 1791 Vermonters 626,011 Peter Shumlin | 9,614 sq.mi. 9,249 sq.mi. 365 sq.mi. 3.8% water | 65 pop./total 68 pop./land 1,715 pop./water | 4,395 feet Mount Mansfield 95 feet Lake Champlain | Hermit thrush Red clover Sugar maple Brook trout, walleye | Burlington ♥ Montpelier $23,940 million $38,242 | French “green mountain” The English form of the name “Verd Mont" given by French explorer Samuel de Champlain |
48 | Michigan MI Great Lakes State Aqua-rama | Jan. 26, 1837 Michiganians or Michiganders 9,883,360 Rick Snyder | 96,716 sq.mi. 56,804 sq.mi. 39,912 sq.mi. 41.3% water | 102 pop./total 174 pop./land 248 pop./water | 1,979 feet Mount Arvon 571 feet Lake Erie | American robin Apple blossom Eastern white pine Brook trout | Detroit ♥ Lansing $339,220 million $34,322 | Ottawa or Chippewa “large body of water” Also possibly from the Chippewa Indian word “majigan” which means “clearing of land.” |
49 | West Virginia WV Mountain State Friendly Folks | June 20, 1863 West Virginians 1,855,413 Earl Ray Tomblin | 24,230 sq.mi. 24,078 sq.mi. 152 sq.mi. 0.6% water | 77 pop./total 77 pop./land 12,207 pop./water | 4,863 feet Spruce Knob 0 feet Potomac River | Northern cardinal Rhododendron Sugar maple Brook trout | Charleston ♥ Charleston $58,631 million $31,600 | Latin state west of Virginia In 1863, when the western counties of Virginia were about to be admitted to the Union, delegates chose the state name over Kanawha, Allegheny, and Augusta. |
50 | Wisconsin WI Badger State Dairy Kween | May 29, 1848 Wisconsinites 5,726,398 Scott Walker | 65,498 sq.mi. 54,310 sq.mi. 11,188 sq.mi. 17.1% water | 87 pop./total 105 pop./land 512 pop./water | 1,951 feet Timms Hill 579 feet Lake Michigan | American robin Wood violet Sugar maple Muskellunge | Milwaukee ♥ Madison $208,220 million $36,361 | Chippewa possibly “grassy place” After the Wisconsin River. Origin is uncertain. |
* Officially the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.
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his table gives the prevailing consensus on
the source and meaning of all the state names. By and large, the state names are distinct and handsome,
bound in tradition and beloved by the natives, excuse the expression. Even Texas, which looks so much
like Taxes, has a place in many hearts, as well as Missouri, which very nearly sounds like a state of gloom.
