U.S. Oddities A-Z: Geography

 

Hint

Answer

A

If not for the construction of the Old River Control Structure in 1963, the US Army Corps of Engineers calculated that this distributary of the Mississippi River in Louisiana would have captured the full flow of the Mississippi by 1990, leaving New Orleans high (or low) and dry.

B

The highest mountains east of the Mississippi River are not in New England, but are the 6,500+ foot peaks of this mountain range in North Carolina.

C

This Illinois city is located at the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, not the Nile.

D

Only 2.4 miles (and one day) separate this "Little" Alaskan island from its "Big" Russian counterpart.

E

With no land access to the rest of the United States, Port Roberts, Washington and the Northwest Angle in Minnesota are the two most well-known of these in the U.S.

F

In 1785, only 7 states voted to admit this territory as the 14th state - short of the two-thirds majority required for admission. The territory was comprised of the western counties of North Carolina, which are located in present-day Tennessee.

G

Though often considered a desert state, Arizona lies only 40 miles from this arm of the Pacific Ocean.

H

This highest point in Iowa, which shares its name with the state nickname, was once located near a hog feeding bunker on a farm. (The building has since been torn down and the highpoint is now a lovely county park.)

I

There are only 41 of these jurisdictions in the U.S.: Baltimore, Maryland; St. Louis, Missouri; Carson City, Nevada; and 38 others in Virginia

J

Located in Dry Tortugas National Park, 70 miles west of Key West, Florida, this historic fort protected valuable shipping lanes for the U.S. in the mid-19th century, and also served as a prison for Union deserters during the Civil War.

K

Missouri and Tennessee each share a border with 8 other states, the most of any U.S. states. Only two states border both of them: Arkansas and ...

L

The smallest U.S. county in terms of size and population is Kalawao County on the Hawaiian island of Moloka'i. It was developed and used from 1866 - 1969 solely to house and treat individuals suffering from this disease.

M

In the town of Hancock, this state narrows to less than 2 miles wide, north to south.

N

Most of the northern boundary of Delaware was originally defined by an arc extending 12 miles from the cupola of the courthouse in this city.

O

Cimarron County in this state is the only county in the U.S. which boarders 4 other states.

P

While Florida, Oklahoma and Texas are the most famous states with this geographic feature, Alaska, Connecticut, Idaho, Maryland and Nebraska each also have one, and West Virginia has 2!

Q

Nickname often used to refer to the second largest city in a state.

R

There are two major rivers in the U.S. with this name, one flowing north between Minnesota and North Dakota, and one flowing south between Oklahoma and Texas.

S

Travelling due north, south, east, or west from this Connecticut town, the first state you will enter is New York.

T

Battle "fought" between Michigan and Ohio for control of a narrow strip of land on the border of the two states.

U

Excluding those named after historical figures, this is the most common county name in the United States - found in 18 states.

V

At 60 feet above sea level, Mount Trashmore, a former landfill turned city park, is one of the highest points in this east cost resort town. (The nearby active landfill dubbed "Mount Trashmore II" is the current highest point at 145 feet above sea level.)

W

The "Parting of the Waters" in this state is where North Two Ocean Creek splits into Atlantic Creek and Pacific Creek, each eventually draining into its namesake ocean.

X

There are only two incorporated municipalities in the U.S. starting with the letter X. Name one of them.

Y

One of the tributaries of this Wyoming river is Crazy Woman Creek.

Z

When installed in Washington D.C. in 1919, this was intended to be the initial milestone from which all road distances in the United States would be measured.