The United States of America, One State a Day

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Michigan


Michigan (IPA: /ˈmɪʃɨgən/, roughly MISH-uh-gun) is a Midwestern state of the United States of America, located in the east north central states, as defined by the United States Census Bureau. It was named after Lake Michigan, whose name is a French adaptation of the Ojibwe term mishigami, meaning "large water" or "large lake".

Bounded by four of the five Great Lakes, plus Lake Saint Clair, Michigan has the longest freshwater shoreline in the world. In 2005, Michigan ranked third for the number of registered recreational boats, behind California and Florida. A person in Michigan is never more than 85 miles (137 km) from open Great Lakes water and is never more than six miles (10 km) from a natural water source.

Michigan is the only state to consist entirely of two peninsulas. The Lower Peninsula of Michigan, to which the name Michigan was originally applied, is sometimes dubbed "the mitten," owing to its shape. When asked where in Michigan one comes from, a resident of the Lower Peninsula may often point to the corresponding part of his or her hand. The Upper Peninsula (often referred to as The U.P.) is separated from the Lower Peninsula by the Straits of Mackinac, a five-mile (8 km) channel that joins Lake Huron to Lake Michigan. The Upper Peninsula (whose residents are often called "Yoopers") is economically important for tourism and natural resources.

The Upper and Lower Peninsulas are connected by the five-mile-long Mackinac Bridge, which is the third longest suspension bridge between anchorages in the world. The bridge has given rise to the nickname of "trolls" for residents of the Lower Peninsula, for they live "under" (south of) the bridge. The Great Lakes that border Michigan from east to west are Lake Erie, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan and Lake Superior.

Law Quad at The University of Michigan

By jublins

Michigan State University (MSU) is a co-educational public research university in East Lansing, Michigan USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act. MSU pioneered the studies of packaging, hospitality business, and music therapy. Today its study-abroad program is the largest of any single-campus university in the country, offering more than 200 programs in more than 60 countries on all continents including Antarctica. It is listed as a Public Ivy, which recognizes top public research universities in the United States.

Following the introduction of the Morrill Act, the college became coeducational and expanded its curriculum beyond agriculture. After World War II, the number of students tripled as the institution became a major university. Today, MSU is the eighth-largest university in the United States, with 46,045 students and 2,954 faculty members.

MSU's Division I sports teams are called the Spartans. They compete in the Big Ten Conference in all sports except ice hockey, in which the team is part of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association. MSU's football team won the Rose Bowl in 1954, 1956, and 1988 and boasts three national championships. Its men's basketball team won the NCAA National Championship in 1979 and 2000. The MSU men's ice hockey has won national titles in 1966, 1986, and 2007.

Detroit Public Library

By Fir Dawg

The Detroit Public Library is the largest library system in Michigan. It is composed of a Main Library on Woodward Avenue, which houses DPL administration offices, and twenty-three branch locations across the city. The Main Library is part of Detoit's Cultural Center Historic District listed in the National Register of Historic Places adjacent to Wayne State University campus and across the street from the Detroit Institute of Arts.

Designed by Cass Gilbert, the Detroit Public Library (1921) was constructed with Vermont marble and serpentine Italian marble trim in an Italian Renaissance style. His son, Cass Gilbert, Jr. was a partner with Francis J. Keally in the design of the library's additional wings added in 1963. Among his other buildings, Cass Gilbert designed the United States Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C.

South Haven Pier

By yerffej9

South Haven is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. Most of the city is in Van Buren County, although a small portion extends into Allegan County.

Due to its position on Lake Michigan, at the mouth of the Black River (Southwest Michigan), South Haven has always been a port city. During settlement, major ship lines stopped there, both passenger and freight. In the early 1900s South Haven became a resort town, sometimes referred to as "The Catskills of the Midwest." Though small ones remain, the large resorts are now gone, as are the shipping lines. South Haven is still a major regional tourist draw because of its recreational harbor and beaches. It is the western terminus of the Kal-Haven Trail, popular with bicyclists and snowmobilers. Nearby are Van Buren State Park and the Van Buren Trail State Park.

Noted botanist Liberty Hyde Bailey was born in South Haven. His childhood home was presented to the city in the 1930s, and is now a museum.

Mackinac Island Harbor

By jdurchen

Mackinac Island (pronounced /ˈmækɨnɔː/ MACK-in-aw) is an island covering 3.8 square miles (9.8 km²) in land area, belonging to the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located in Lake Huron, at the eastern end of the Straits of Mackinac, between the state's Upper and Lower Peninsulas. The island was home to a Native American settlement before European exploration began in the 17th century. It served a strategic position amidst the commerce of the Great Lakes fur trade. This led to the establishment of Fort Mackinac on the island by the British during the American Revolutionary War. It was the scene of two battles during the War of 1812.

In the late 19th century, Mackinac Island became a popular tourist attraction and summer colony. Much of the island has undergone extensive historical preservation and restoration; as a result, the entire island is listed as a National Historic Landmark. It is well known for its numerous cultural events; its wide variety of architectural styles, including the famous Victorian Grand Hotel; and its ban on almost all motor vehicles. More than 80 percent of the island is preserved as Mackinac Island State Park.

Courtyard

By Mike_tn

Edsel & Eleanor Ford House tells the story of the home life of a prominent American family. The Fords were cultural, social and economic leaders in an era of great optimism, as well as a turbulent time of economic depression and world war. They were nationally prominent and they owned more than one house, but Southeast Michigan was their home. Here they built their final residence along the shores of Lake St. Clair, at a place known locally as Gaukler Pointe. Their impressive yet unpretentious home is where they raised and nurtured their four children - Henry II, Benson, Josephine and William - in a safe and loving environment. It reflects their love of family as well as their mutual passion for art and quality design.
The house was designed by Albert Kahn to resemble a cluster of Cotswold village cottages, complete with stone roofs, vine-covered walls and lead-paned windows. Strolling through the thoughtfully decorated halls, visitors come face-to-face with a stunningly diverse collection of art, antiques and furniture that reveal the Fords' progressive and educated tastes in art and design.

The Ford House grounds are a work of art in their own right. Designed by famed landscape architect Jens Jensen, the meadow, rockwork and water components appear to be almost completely natural but were meticulously planned.

The estate provided a place for the Fords to relax, raise children and pursue personal interests, shielded from the demands of their public lives. As steadfast supporters of the community, arts and other philanthropic endeavors, the Fords generously donated to education and medical research while contributing immeasurably to the growth of Detroit's cultural resources. Thanks to the generosity of Eleanor Ford, one of their most treasured resources - their home - remains to enrich the lives of future generations.

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Wisconsin


Wisconsin (IPA: /wɪˈskɑnsən/, local accent: [wɪˈskansən]) is a state located near the center of the North American continent. It touches two of the five Great Lakes and is one of the fifty states that constitute the United States of America. Wisconsin's capital is Madison, and its largest city is Milwaukee.

Since its founding, Wisconsin has been ethnically heterogeneous, with people moving from New York and New England. They dominated the state's heavy industry, finance, politics and education. Large numbers of European immigrants followed them, including Germans, mostly between 1850 and 1900, Scandinavians (the largest group being Norwegian) and smaller groups of Belgians, Dutch, Swiss, Finns, Irish, Poles and others; in the 20th century, large numbers of Mexicans and African Americans came, settling mainly in Milwaukee; and after end of the Vietnam War came a new influx of Hmongs.

Today, 42.6% of the population is of German ancestry, making Wisconsin one of the most German-American states in the United States. Numerous ethnic festivals are held throughout Wisconsin to celebrate its heritage. Such festivals are world renowned, and include Summerfest, Oktoberfest, Festa Italiana, Bastille Days, Syttende Mai (Norwegian Constitution Day), Brat(wurst) Days in Sheboygan, Cheese Days in Monroe and Mequon, African World Festival, Indian Summer, Irish Fest and many others.

Capital Reflection

By pharder1

Madison was created in 1836 when former federal judge James Duane Doty purchased over a thousand acres (4 km²) of swamp and forest land on the isthmus between Lakes Mendota and Monona within the Four Lakes region, with the intention of building a city on the site. The Wisconsin Territory had been created earlier that year and the territorial legislature had convened in Belmont, Wisconsin. One of the legislature's tasks was to choose a permanent location for the territory's capital. Doty lobbied aggressively for the legislature to select Madison as the new capital, offering buffalo robes to the freezing legislators and promising choice Madison lots at discount prices to undecided voters. He had James Slaughter plat two cities in the area, Madison and "The City of Four Lakes," near present-day Middleton. Despite the fact that Madison was still only a city on paper, the territorial legislature voted on November 28 in favor of Madison as its capital, largely because of its location halfway between the new and growing cities around Milwaukee in the east and the long established strategic post of Prairie du Chien in the west, and because of its location between the highly populated lead mining regions in the southwest and Wisconsin's oldest city, Green Bay in the northeast. Being named for the much-admired founding father James Madison, who had just died, and having streets named for each of the 39 signers of the Constitution, also helped attract votes.

The cornerstone for the Wisconsin capitol was laid in 1837, and the legislature first met there in 1838. Madison was incorporated as a village in 1846, with a population of 626. When Wisconsin became a state in 1848, Madison remained the capital, and the following year it became host to the University of Wisconsin–Madison. The Milwaukee & Mississippi Railroad (a predecessor of what would become known as the Milwaukee Road) connected to Madison in 1854. Madison became a city in 1856, with a population of 6,863. The original capitol was replaced in 1863. The second capitol burned in 1904, and the current capitol was built between 1906 and 1917.

During the American Civil War, Madison served as a center of the Union Army in Wisconsin. The intersection of Milwaukee, East Washington, Winnebago, and North Streets is known as Union Corners, as a tavern located there was the last stop for Union soldiers before heading to fight the Confederates. Camp Randall, on the west side of Madison, was built and used as a training camp, a military hospital, and a prison camp for captured Confederate soldiers. After the war ended, the Camp Randall site was absorbed into the University of Wisconsin- Camp Randall Stadium was built over the site in 1917. In 2004 the last vestige of active military training on the site was removed when the stadium renovation replaced a firing range used for ROTC training.

Milwaukee River

By sduffy

Milwaukee is the largest city in the state of Wisconsin. The city is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. The city is the main cultural and economic center of the Milwaukee–Racine–Waukesha.

The first Europeans to pass through the area were French missionaries and fur traders. In 1818, the French-Canadian explorer Solomon Juneau settled in the area, and in 1846 Juneau's town combined with two neighboring towns to incorporate as the City of Milwaukee. Large numbers of German and other immigrants helped increase the city's population during the 1840s and the following decades.

Once known almost exclusively as a brewing and manufacturing powerhouse, Milwaukee has taken steps in recent years to reshape its image. In the past decade, major new additions to the city have included the Milwaukee Riverwalk, the Midwest Airlines Center, Miller Park, an internationally renowned addition to the Milwaukee Art Museum, and Pier Wisconsin, as well as major renovations to the Milwaukee Auditorium and U.S. Cellular Arena. In addition, many new skyscrapers, condos, lofts, and apartments have been constructed in neighborhoods on and near the lakefront and riverbanks.

Cedarburg Wisconsin

By BrianB50

Cedarburg is a suburban community about 20 miles north of Milwaukee and just minutes west from the shores of Lake Michigan. The town is noted for its historical allure and prides itself on preserving over 230 century-old stone and brick buildings and small businesses.

"Even before Cedarburg Incorporated in 1885, the community thrived with mills, shops, hotels, churches and residences, many of which remain in Cedarburg's commercial center as part of the Washington Avenue Historic District. The District is anchored on the south by St. Francis Borgia Catholic Church and on the north by the Woolen Mill, extending about five blocks and including over 100 properties. On January 17, 1986, the Washington Avenue Historic District was listed in the National Register of Historic Places."

Cedarburg remains a tourist community, though some of its storefronts are empty. The main street is lined with historic buildings occupied by independent businesses which feature crafts from local artists and craftsman. Some popular businesses within the downtown area include a family-owned Armbrusters Jeweler, Hoffmann's Meat Market, The Chocolate Factory Subs and Ice Cream Parlor, several small coffee houses (including the Java House and Starbucks), Amy's Candy Kitchen (and other candy shops), and many restaurants. The Rivoli, a historic single-screen theater is located in the center of the city. The Cedar Creek Winery, and the Woolen Mill in which it is located, are a popular stop in town. Both offer tours of the historic facilities; the Mill houses a variety of small shops in addition to the winery and Creme & Crepe Cafe. Cedarburg prides itself on its picturesque setting: well-maintained historic buildings, historic landmarks, and an abundance of churches.

Ship Rock

By vigilant20

Ship Rock on Hwy 21 in Adams County, Wisconsin.

Silence Contagious

By moe.syczlak

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Iowa


The State of Iowa (IPA: /ˈaɪəwə/) is a state in the midwestern region of the United States of America. It is the 29th state of the United States, having joined the Union on December 28, 1846. The state is named for the Ioway people, a Siouan tribe of Native Americans that formerly lived there. It is known as the "Hawkeye State".

The first Europeans to explore Iowa were French citizens following the Sac and Fox tribes, presently known as the Mesquakie (Meskwaki) Indians. The first American settlers officially moved to Iowa in June 1833. Primarily, they were families from Illinois, Indiana, and Missouri. On December 28, 1846, Iowa became the 29th state in the union. Iowa supported the Union during the American Civil War, voting heavily for Lincoln, though there was a strong antiwar "Copperhead" movement among settlers of southern origins and among Catholics. There were no battles in the state, but Iowa sent large supplies of food to the armies and the eastern cities. Following the Civil War, Iowa's population continued to grow dramatically, from 674,913 people in 1860 to 1,194,020 in 1870. In 1917, the United States entered World War I and farmers as well as all Iowans experienced a wartime economy. For farmers, the change was significant. Since the beginning of the war in 1914, Iowa farmers had experienced economic prosperity. In the economic sector, Iowa also has undergone considerable change. Beginning with the first farm-related industries developed in the 1870s, Iowa has experienced a gradual increase in the number of business and manufacturing operations. The period since World War II has witnessed a particular increase in manufacturing operations. While agriculture continues to be the state's dominant industry, Iowans also produce a wide variety of products including refrigerators, washing machines, fountain pens, farm implements, and food products that are shipped around the world.

The Freedom Center

By PGornell

Founded in 1885 by Gilbert M. Hitchcock, the Omaha World-Herald provides news, commentary, information and advertising that encourages readers to become involved in the world around them. The World-Herald is a statewide Nebraska newspaper, and delivers to more readers in southwest Iowa than any other Iowa newspaper.

In 1963, Peter Kiewit purchased The World-Herald to ensure the paper would continue to be locally owned. In his will, Kiewit provided for the newspaper to be sold to its employees, and it has been employee-owned since 1979. The World-Herald is the largest employee-owned daily newspaper in the United States.

Iowa state capital library

By Birdfreak.com

Des Moines (pronounced /dɪˈmɔɪn/ in English, Image:ltspkr.png[demwan] in French) is the capital of and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857. It is named after the Des Moines River, adapted from the French Rivière Des Moines, literally meaning "River of the Monks".

Interstate 235 cuts through the city, and Interstate 35 and Interstate 80 both pass through the Des Moines metropolitan area. Iowa Highway 5 and U.S. Highway 65 form a southeastern beltway which bypasses most metropolitan traffic through the southern suburbs.

Country Cabin

By jamie3529gq

Prior to American settlement, the area was neutral territory for the Sac and Fox Indians, who called it "Shoquoquon" (Shok-ko-kon), meaning Flint Hills.

In 1803, President Thomas Jefferson organized two parties of explorers to map out the Louisiana Purchase. Lewis and Clark followed the Missouri River, while Lt. Zebulon Pike followed the Mississippi River. In 1805, Pike landed at the bluffs below Burlington and raised the United States Flag for the first time on Iowa soil and recommended the construction of a fort.

The American Fur Company established a post in the area in 1829. Actual settlement began in 1833, shortly after the Black Hawk Purchase. It was laid out as a town and named Flint Hills in 1834. John B. Gray, the first American to purchase a lot in the settlement, renamed it for his former home, Burlington, Vermont. Burlington was incorporated as a town in 1837, and was chartered as a city in 1838 by the territory of Wisconsin.

In 1837, Burlington became the second territorial capital of the Wisconsin Territory. After the Iowa Territory was organized in the following year, Burlington became its first territorial capital. The government used "Old Zion", the first Methodist Church in Iowa (located near what is now 3rd and Washington streets), to conduct business of the day. Although this building no longer exists, a historical marker may be found at its site on Third and Columbia Streets.

Iowa's nickname "The Hawkeye State" has its roots in Burlington. At Judge David Rorer's suggestion, publisher James G. Edwards changed The Iowa Patriot newspaper's name to The Hawk-Eye and Iowa Patriot in tribute to his friend Black Hawk. Rorer is said to have found the name in The Last of the Mohicans while Edwards proposed the nickname to "...rescue from oblivion a memento, at least of the name of the old chief."

Burlington was a bustling river port in the steamboat era and home to the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad. The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad (CB&Q, 1848-1970) merged into the Burlington Northern Railroad (BN, 1970-1996), which in turn merged into the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway (BNSF, 1997-present). Even today one of the main East-West lines of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad crosses the Mississippi at Burlington.

Lightning Storm

By cburtram

Ames was founded in 1864 as a station stop on the Cedar Rapids and Missouri Railroad and was named after 19th century U.S. congressman Oakes Ames of Massachusetts, who was influential in the building of the transcontinental railroad. Ames was founded near a location that was deemed favorable for a railroad crossing of the Skunk River.

Crop Fields

By bmcvey

The Mississippi River separates Iowa from Illinois and Wisconsin to form the eastern boundary of the state. The Missouri River on the west edge of the state, forms the border for Nebraska (with the exception of Carter Lake). The northwest corner of the state is bordered by South Dakota. To the north is Minnesota and the south is bordered by Missouri. There are several natural lakes in the state, most notably Spirit Lake, West Okoboji Lake, and East Okoboji Lake in northwest Iowa (see Iowa Great Lakes). Man-made lakes include Lake Odessa, Saylorville Lake, Lake Red Rock, Coralville Lake, Lake MacBride and Rathbun Lake.

The topography of the state is gently rolling plains. Loess hills lie along the western border of the state, some of which are several hundred feet thick. In the northeast, along the Mississippi River, is a section of the Driftless Zone, which in Iowa consists of low rugged hills covered with conifers—a landscape not usually associated with this state.

The point of lowest elevation is Keokuk in southeastern Iowa, at 480 feet (146 m). The point of highest elevation, at 1,670 feet (509 m), is Hawkeye Point, located in a feedlot north of Sibley in northwest Iowa. The mean elevation of the state is 1,099 feet (335 m). Considering the size of the state at 56,271 square miles (145,743 km²), there is very little elevation difference.

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Here is next weeks states:

Monday - Minnesota
Tuesday - North Dakota
Wednesday - South Dakota
Thursday - Nebraska
Friday - Kansas
Saturday - Oklahoma
Sunday - Texas

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Minnesota


Minnesota (pronounced /ˌmɪnɨˈsoʊtə/) is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. The 12th-largest state by area in the U.S., it is the 21st most populous, with just over five million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the 32nd state on May 11, 1858. The state is known as the "Land of 10,000 Lakes", and those lakes and the other waters for which the state is named, together with state and national forests and parks, offer residents and tourists a variety of outdoor recreational opportunities.

Nearly 60% of Minnesota's residents live in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metropolitan area known as the Twin Cities, the center of transportation, business, and industry, and home to an internationally known arts community. The remainder of the state, often referred to as "Greater Minnesota" or "Outstate Minnesota", consists of western prairies now given over to intensive agriculture; eastern deciduous forests, also heavily farmed and settled; and the less populated northern boreal forest. The state's image of being populated by whites of Nordic and German descent has some truth, but diversity is increasing; substantial influxes of African, Asian, and Latin American immigrants have joined the descendants of European immigrants and of the original Native American inhabitants.

The extremes of the climate contrast with the moderation of Minnesota’s people. The state is known for its moderate-to- progressive politics and social policies, its civic involvement, and high voter turnout. It ranks among the healthiest states by a number of measures, and has one of the most highly educated and literate populations.

Minnesota Capitol Building

By madcow_maxxx

Saint Paul is the capital and the second most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city and the adjacent city of Minneapolis, form the core of the Twin Cities metropolitan area, the fifteenth largest such area in the United States with a population of 3.5 million. Residents of Saint Paul are referred to as Saint Paulites.

Saint Paul began as a tavern started by Pierre Parrant, known as "Pig's Eye" (as he was blind in one eye), a man who sold liquor on the river flats below the current downtown area. The area around the tavern grew into a trading outpost known as Pig's Eye or Pig's Eye Landing, where Native Americans, European explorers, and American soldiers lived in close proximity. The city spans the Mississippi river, near the confluence of the Minnesota river. Later the city became a center for transportation and trading in Minnesota, as steamboats could not travel further upriver. In 1854, Saint Paul incorporated as a city and, in 1858, became the capital of Minnesota.

Weisman Art Museum

By coolgate

The Frederick R. Weisman Museum of Art located on the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus in Minneapolis, Minnesota has been a teaching museum for the university since 1934. The museum's current building, designed by renowned architect Frank Gehry, was completed in 1993.

It is one of the major landmarks on campus, situated on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River at the east end of the Washington Avenue Bridge. The building presents two faces, depending on which side it is viewed from. From the campus side, it presents a brick facade that blends with the existing brick and sandstone buildings. On the opposite side, the museum is a playground of curving and angular sandblaster steel sheets.

The most stunning views of the building are from the pedestrian and highway decks of the adjacent bridge. Some locals critical of the radical architectural style frequently point out that the building's design could unexpectedly reflect the light of the sun into the eyes of motorists on the bridge. Studies commissioned by MNDOT have found that the museum is not hazardous to motorists.

Often called a "modern art museum," the 20,000+ image collection has large collections of Marsden Hartley, Alfred Maurer, Charles Biederman, Native American Mimbres culture pottery, and Korean furniture.

Minneapolis Central Library

By Pete Sieger

The Minneapolis Public Library and Information Center (MPL) was a library system serving the residents of Minneapolis, Minnesota in the United States. It was founded as the Minneapolis Athenæum in 1860. The library at the time of its merger with Hennepin County Library in 2008 included a central facility downtown and fourteen branch libraries. Each library also had a staff member who was assigned to local schools to discuss the services available at the library. According to the 2004 board report, the collection numbered about 3.1 million items with about 2.2 million of these housed in the central library.

Split Rock from Little Two Harbors

By David Dougherty

In the early years Two Harbors was called Agate Bay. In 1888, when it became incorporated as a village, its common name also changed to Two Harbors. The first residence ever constructed was by Thomas Sexton, he created a fourteen by sixteen foot shack. The early settlers lived in primitive conditions, which was common for both the area and time. Their homes were made of logs and had dirt floors. Diets often consisted of homegrown vegetables and animals that could be caught in the area (at that time there were many dense forests, so deer meat was not an abundant food source). The most common transportation was by boat. It took only "one short day" to get from Duluth to Two Harbors. A mail route was established between Superior and Grand Marais, and some years later a wagon road was extended to reach Two Harbors. The early 1900's was the first time the town would see twice a week transportation by stage coach between Two Harbors and Duluth, but even then most travel remained by boat. Thirty five logging camps were set up within the vicinity, one of these located on Fourth Avenue. A fuller overview of the towns history may be available by a visit to the Lake County Historical Depot Museum.


By lisa nolan

[GvilleSC]

Beautiful stuff!

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North Dakota


North Dakota (IPA: /ˌnɔrθdəˈkoʊtə/) is a state located in the Midwestern and Western regions of the United States of America. North Dakota was carved out of the northern half of the Dakota Territory and admitted to the Union as the 39th state on November 2, 1889.

The Missouri River flows through the western part of the state and forms Lake Sakakawea behind the Garrison Dam. The western half of the state is hilly and contains lignite coal and oil. In the east, the Red River forms the Red River Valley, holding fertile farmland. Agriculture has long dominated the economy and culture of North Dakota.

The state capital is Bismarck and the largest city in the state is Fargo. The primary public universities are located in Grand Forks and Fargo. The United States Air Force operates bases at both Minot and Grand Forks.



By Computer Saskboy

Bismarck is the capital of the State of North Dakota, the county seat of Burleigh County, and the second most populous city in North Dakota after Fargo. Bismarck was founded in 1872.

Bismarck sits on the Missouri Plateau directly across the Missouri River from Mandan, North Dakota. The two cities make up the core urban area of the Bismarck-Mandan Metropolitan Statistical Area.

The North Dakota State Capitol, the tallest building in the state, towers over the central part of Bismarck. The state government employs many people within the city. As a hub of manufacturing, retail trade, and health care, Bismarck is the economic center of a large portion of south-central North Dakota.

The city that would become present day Bismarck was founded in 1872 under the name "Edwinton." This original name was in honor of Edwin M. Johnson, a chief engineer for the Northern Pacific Railway company. In 1873, the city's name was changed to "Bismarck" in honor of the German chancellor Otto von Bismarck. The new name was introduced by the Northern Pacific Railway company in an effort to attract German immigrants to settle in the city. However, the discovery of gold in the nearby Black Hills in 1874 was the first real impetus for growth. In 1883, Bismarck became the capital of the Dakota Territory and, in 1889, of the state of North Dakota.

North Dakota's Badlands

By f0rbe5

The term "badlands" represents a consensus in North America: the Lakota called the topography "Makhóšiča" and Spanish colonists called it malpaís, both literally bad land, while French trappers called it "les mauvaises terres à traverser" – "the bad lands to cross". The term is also apt: badlands contain steep slopes, loose dry soil, slick clay, and deep sand, all of which impede travel and other uses. Badlands form in arid regions with infrequent but intense rain-showers, sparse vegetation, and soft sediments: a recipe for massive erosion.

Some of the most famous fossil beds are found in badlands, where erosion rapidly exposes the sedimentary layers and the scant cover of vegetation makes surveying and fossil hunting relatively easy.

Sleeping Giant

By theskyhawker

Grand Forks is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of North Dakota and the county seat of Grand Forks County. Grand Forks, along with its twin city of East Grand Forks, Minnesota, forms the center of the Grand Forks, ND-MN Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is often called Greater Grand Forks or The Grand Cities.

Located on the western banks of the Red River of the North in an extremely flat region known as the Red River Valley, the city is prone to flooding and was struck by the devastating Red River Flood of 1997. Originally called Les Grandes Fourches by French fur traders, Grand Forks was founded in 1870 by steamboat captain Alexander Griggs and incorporated on February 22, 1881. Its location at the fork of the Red River and the Red Lake River gives the city its name.

Historically dependent on local agriculture, the city's economy now encompasses higher education, defense, health care, manufacturing, food processing, and scientific research. Grand Forks is served by Grand Forks International Airport and Grand Forks Air Force Base, while the city's University of North Dakota is the largest and oldest institution of higher education in the state. The Alerus Center and Ralph Engelstad Arena host athletic and other events, while the North Dakota Museum of Art and Chester Fritz Auditorium are the city's largest cultural venues.

Norwegian Hjemkomst Heritage Center

By Laurel714

The Hjemkomst Viking Ship, which is permanently housed in the center and was built by Robert Asp, sailed to Norway in 1982. The building also houses the Chamber of Commerce of Fargo-Moorhead and the Moorhead senior citizens center.

A stave church is located on the grounds of the Hjemkomst Center. This Norwegian-style church serves as a symbol of the Scandinavian heritage in the Red River Valley. The church is a full-scale replica of the Hopperstad stave church in Vik, Norway.

The Hjemkomst was built in the nearby town of Hawley, Minnesota, where there is a memorial in memory of Robert Asp.

Trail across the prairie in Stark County, North Dakota

By thstrand

Prior to European contact, Native Americans inhabited North Dakota for thousands of years. The first European to reach the area was the French-Canadian trader La Vérendrye, who led an exploration party to Mandan villages in 1738. The trading arrangement between tribes was such that North Dakota tribes rarely dealt directly with Europeans. However, the native tribes were in sufficient contact that by the time that Lewis and Clark entered North Dakota in 1804, they were aware of the French and then Spanish claims to their territory.

Much of present-day North Dakota was included in the Louisiana Purchase of 1803. Much of acquired land was organized into Minnesota and Nebraska Territories. Dakota Territory, making up present-day North and South Dakota, along with parts of present-day Wyoming and Montana, was organized on March 2, 1861. Dakota Territory was settled sparsely until the late 1800s, when the railroads entered the region and aggressively marketed the land. A bill for statehood for North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, and Washington titled the Enabling Act of 1889 was passed on February 22, 1889 during the administration of Grover Cleveland. After Cleveland left office, it was left to his successor, Benjamin Harrison, to sign proclamations formally admitting North and South Dakota to the Union on November 2, 1889. The rivalry between the two new states presented a dilemma of which was to be admitted first. Harrison directed Secretary of State James G. Blaine to shuffle the papers and obscure from him which he was signing first and the actual order went unrecorded. However, since North Dakota alphabetically appears before South Dakota, its proclamation was published first in the Statutes At Large. Since that day, it has become common to list the Dakotas alphabetically and thus North Dakota is usually listed as the 39th state. However, no one will actually know which of the Dakotas was admitted first.

The corruption in the early territorial and state governments led to a wave of populism led by the Non Partisan League brought social reforms in the early 20th century. The original North Dakota State Capitol burned to the ground on December 28, 1930, and was replaced by a limestone faced art deco skyscraper that still stands today.

A round of federal construction projects began in the 1950s including the Garrison Dam, and the Minot and Grand Forks Air Force bases. There was a boom in oil exploration in western North Dakota in the 1980s, as rising petroleum prices made development profitable.

[Alexriga]

Thank you, awesome thread. Interesting to see beautiful nature of America. Capitols are also awesome. Also it is great to see pictures from less known states.

[Somnifor]

The natural beauty of the prairies is very underrated. Most people think of the table flat farm land of the eastern Midwest but the wide open spaces, rolling prairies and big skies of the western plains kick ass.

[Bahnsteig4]

So right. Amazing landscape. I've been to quite a few US states (21/50) and so far the midwest hasn't appealed to me a lot, but now I feel I just gotta go there.

[brothejr]

I'm glad that some of this has sparked some interest to go and see these states. I know that I haven't been there yet, but as I do research on these states I find myself wishing I could leave as soon as possible to see them!

And now: South Dakota


South Dakota (IPA: /ˌsɑʊθdəˈkoʊtə/) is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota (Sioux) American Indian tribes. South Dakota was admitted to the Union on November 2, 1889. (North Dakota was admitted simultaneously.)

Located in the north-central United States, South Dakota is bisected by the Missouri River, dividing the state into two socially and economically distinct halves, known to residents as "West River" and "East River." In the southwestern portion of the state rise the Black Hills, a group of low, pine-covered mountains. A region of great religious importance to local American Indians as well as a major draw for the state tourism industry, the Black Hills are also the location of Mt. Rushmore, probably the best-known location in the state and a widely-used symbol of South Dakota.

Historically dominated by an agricultural economy and a rural lifestyle, South Dakota has recently sought to diversify its economy in an effort to attract and retain residents. The state is still largely rural, though, with one of the lowest population densities in the United States. The centrally-located city of Pierre serves as the state capital, and Sioux Falls, with 150,000 people, is the largest city in the state.

State Capital of South Dakota

By larryn2009

The city of Pierre (pronounced /ˈpɪr/) is the capital of the U.S. state of South Dakota and the county seat of Hughes County. Founded in 1880 on the Missouri River opposite Fort Pierre, Pierre has been South Dakota's capital since it gained statehood on November 11, 1889. It is also a major statewide transportation hub and is famous for its memorial hall. The Capital Journal is the local newspaper.

Pierre is the principal city of the Pierre Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Hughes and Stanley counties.

Mount Rushmore and Flag Row

By Uncletom2007

Originally known to the Lakota Sioux as Six Grandfathers, the mountain was renamed after Charles E. Rushmore, a prominent New York lawyer, during an expedition in 1885. At first, the project of carving Rushmore was undertaken to increase tourism in the Black Hills region of South Dakota. After long negotiations involving a Congressional delegation and President Calvin Coolidge, the project received Congressional approval. The carving started in 1927, and ended in 1941 with a few injuries but no deaths.

As Six Grandfathers, the mountain was part of the route that Lakota leader Black Elk took in a spiritual journey that culminated at Harney Peak. Following a series of military campaigns from 1876 to 1877, the United States asserted territorial control over the area, a claim that is still disputed based on the 1868 Treaty of Fort Laramie (see Controversy below). Among white American settlers, the peak was known variously as Cougar Mountain, Sugarloaf Mountain, Slaughterhouse Mountain, and Keystone Cliffs. It was named Mount Rushmore during a prospecting expedition by Rushmore, David Swanzey (whose wife Carrie was the sister of author Laura Ingalls Wilder), and Bill Challis.

Historian Doane Robinson conceived the idea for Mount Rushmore in 1923 to promote tourism in South Dakota. In 1924, Robinson persuaded sculptor Gutzon Borglum to travel to the Black Hills region to ensure that the carving could be accomplished. Borglum had been involved in sculpting the Confederate Memorial Carving, a massive bas-relief memorial to Confederate leaders on Stone Mountain in Georgia, but was in disagreement with the officials there. The original plan was to perform the carvings in granite pillars known as the Needles. However, Borglum realized that that plan was impossible because the eroded Needles were too thin to support sculpting. He chose Mount Rushmore, a grander spot, partly because it faced southeast and enjoyed maximum exposure to the sun. Borglum said upon seeing Mount Rushmore, "America will march along that skyline." Congress authorized the Mount Rushmore National Memorial Commission on March 3, 1925. President Coolidge insisted that along with Washington, two Republicans and one Democrat be portrayed.

Between October 4, 1927, and October 31, 1941, Gutzon Borglum and 400 workers sculpted the colossal 60-foot (18 m) carvings of U.S. presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln to represent the first 150 years of American history. These presidents were selected by Borglum because of their role in preserving the Republic and expanding its territory. The image of Thomas Jefferson was originally intended to appear in the area at Washington's right, but after the work there was begun, the rock was found unsuitable, so this figure was moved to Washington's left.

In 1933, the National Park Service took Mount Rushmore under its jurisdiction. Engineer Julian Spotts helped with the project by improving its infrastructure. For example, he had the tram upgraded so that it could reach the top of Mount Rushmore for the ease of workers. By July 4, 1934, Washington's face had been completed and was dedicated. The face of Thomas Jefferson was dedicated in 1936, and the face of Abraham Lincoln was dedicated on September 17, 1937. In 1937, a bill was introduced in Congress to add the head of civil-rights leader Susan B. Anthony, but a rider was passed on an appropriations bill requiring that federal funds be used to finish only those heads that had already been started at that time. In 1939, the face of Theodore Roosevelt was dedicated.
A model at the site depicting Mount Rushmore's intended final design. Insufficient funding forced the carving to end in October 1941.

The Sculptor's Studio—a display of unique plaster models and tools related to the sculpting—was built in 1939 under the direction of Borglum. Borglum died from an embolism in March 1941. His son, Lincoln Borglum, continued the project. Originally, it was planned that the figures would be carved from head to waist, but insufficient funding forced the carving to end. Borglum had also planned a massive panel in the shape of the Louisiana Purchase commemorating in eight-foot-tall gilded letters the Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution, Louisiana Purchase, and seven other territorial acquisitions from Alaska to Texas to the Panama Canal Zone.

The entire project cost US$989,992.32. Notably for a project of such size, no workers died during the carving.

On October 15, 1966, Mount Rushmore was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. An essay from Nebraska student William Andrew Burkett, selected as the winner for the college-age group in 1934, was placed on the Entablature on a bronze plate in 1973. In 1991, President George H. W. Bush officially dedicated Mount Rushmore.

In a canyon behind the carved faces is a chamber, cut only 70 feet (21 m) into the rock, containing a vault with sixteen porcelain enamel panels. The panels include the text of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, biographies of the four presidents and Borglum, and the history of the U.S. The chamber was created as the entranceway to a planned "Hall of Records"; the vault was installed in 1998.

Ten years of redevelopment work culminated with the completion of extensive visitor facilities and sidewalks in 1998, such as a Visitor Center, Museum, and the Presidential Trail. Maintenance of the memorial annually requires mountain climbers to monitor and seal cracks. The memorial is not cleaned to remove lichens. It has been cleaned only once. On July 8, 2005, Kärcher GmbH, a German manufacturer of cleaning machines, conducted a free cleanup operation; the washing used pressurized water at over 200 °F (93 °C). (From Wikipedia)

Deadwood

By helenjagcat

Deadwood started off illegally, as its location was, at the beginning of its history, part of Native American territory. The Treaty of Laramie of 1868 had guaranteed ownership of the Black Hills to the Lakota people. However, in 1874, Colonel George Armstrong Custer led an expedition into the Hills and announced the discovery of gold on French Creek near present-day Custer, South Dakota. Custer's announcement triggered the Black Hills Gold Rush and gave rise to the lawless town of Deadwood, which quickly reached a population of around 5,000.

In early 1876, frontiersman Charlie Utter and his brother Steve led a wagon train to Deadwood containing what were deemed to be needed commodities to bolster business, including gamblers and prostitutes, which proved to be a profitable venture. Demand for women was high, and the business of prostitution proved to be a good market. Madam Dora DuFran would eventually become the most profitable brothel owner in Deadwood, closely followed by Madam Mollie Johnson. Businessman Tom Miller opened the Bella Union Saloon in September of that year.

Another saloon was the Gem Variety Theater opened April 7th, 1877 by Al Swearengen who also controlled the opium trade in the town. After the saloon was destroyed by a fire and rebuilt in 1879, it burned down again in 1899, causing Swearengen to leave the town.

The town attained notoriety for the murder of Wild Bill Hickok, and remains the final resting place of Hickok and Calamity Jane, as well as slightly less famous figures such as Seth Bullock. It became known for its wild and almost lawless reputation, during which time murder was common, and punishment for murders not always fair and impartial. The prosecution of the murderer of Hickok, Jack McCall, had to be sent to retrial because of a ruling that his first trial, which resulted in an acquittal, was invalid because Deadwood was an illegal town. This moved the trial to a Lakota court, where he was found guilty and then hanged.

As the economy changed from gold rush to steady mining, Deadwood lost its rough and rowdy character and settled down into a prosperous town. In 1876 a smallpox epidemic swept through the camp, with so many falling sick that tents had to be set up to quarantine them. Also in that year, General George Crook pursued the Sioux Indians from the Battle of Little Big Horn on an expedition that ended in Deadwood, and that came to be known as the Horsemeat March.

A fire on September 26, 1879, devastated the town, destroying over 300 buildings and consuming everything belonging to many inhabitants. Without the opportunities of rich untapped veins of ore that characterized the town's early days, many of the newly impoverished left town to try their luck elsewhere.

A narrow gauge railroad, the Deadwood Central Railroad, was founded by Deadwood resident J.K.P. Miller and his associates in 1888, in order to serve their mining interests in the Black Hills. The railroad was purchased by the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad in 1893. A portion of the road between Deadwood and Lead was electrified in 1902 for operation as an interurban passenger system, which operated until 1924. Apart from a portion from Kirk to Fantail Junction, which was converted to standard gauge, the railroad was abandoned in 1930. The remaining section was abandoned by the successor Burlington Northern Railroad in 1984.

Some of the other early town residents and frequent visitors included Al Swearengen and his employees Dan Doherty and Johnny Burns, E. B. Farnum, Charlie Utter, Sol Star, Martha Bullock, A. W. Merrick, Samuel Fields, Harris Franklin, Dr. Valentine McGillycuddy, the Reverend Henry Weston Smith, Buffalo Bill, First Federal Judge Bennett, General Dawson, and Madame Canutson (woman bull-whacker)

The entire town was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1961. The pressure of development may have an effect on the historical integrity of the landmark district. (From Wikipedia)

Badlands at sunset

By adriangonsalves


By Dracs

[brothejr]

Nebraska


Nebraska (IPA: /nəˈbræskə/) is a state located on the Great Plains of the United States of America. Nebraska gets its name from a Chiwere word meaning "flat water," after the Platte River that flows through the state. Once considered part of the Great American Desert, it is now a leading farming state. Nebraskans are sometimes colloquially referred to as "Cornhuskers" (which is derived from the state nickname).

On May 30, 1854, the Kansas-Nebraska Act created the Kansas Territory and the Nebraska Territory, divided by the Parallel 40° North. The territorial capital of Nebraska was Omaha.

In the 1860s, the first great wave of homesteaders poured into Nebraska to claim free land granted by the federal government. Many of the first farm settlers built their homes out of sod because they found so few trees on the grassy land.

Nebraska became the 37th state in 1867, shortly after the American Civil War. At that time, the capital was moved from Omaha to Lancaster, later renamed Lincoln after the recently assassinated President of the United States Abraham Lincoln.

The Arbor Day holiday began in Nebraska, and the National Arbor Day Foundation is still headquartered in Nebraska City.

Nebraska has a long history of civil rights activism, starting in 1912 with the foundation of Omaha's National Association for the Advancement of Colored People chapter.

Brownville, NE

By jc/pics

Established in 1854 and incorporated in 1856, Brownville quickly became the largest town in what was then the Nebraska Territory. It became an important port on the Missouri River and grew to a population of 1,309 by 1880.

The rise of the railroad was ultimately Brownville's undoing. The railroads siphoned traffic away from the Missouri River's steamboats. Brownville's attempt to secure a railroad of its own was severely botched and led to immense tax increases to pay the bonds for the failed venture. This drove most of the population away and led to the county seat being transferred to Auburn in 1885.

Today, owing to its place in Nebraska history, Brownville is primarily a tourist attraction, with several old houses having been opened for tours or converted to museums. Art galleries and wineries in and near Brownville have also helped to make the town an increasingly attractive getaway for residents of the region's larger cities. The Brownville Bridge over the Missouri River is on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Cooper Nuclear Station is south of the city.

In 1992-1993, the Governor Furnas Arboretum was planted.

Lincoln Nebraska Capitol

By Robert Wurth

The City of Lincoln is the capital and the second most populous city of the U.S. state of Nebraska. Lincoln is also the county seat of Lancaster County and the home of the University of Nebraska.

Lincoln started out as the village of Lancaster, which was founded in 1856, and became the county seat of the newly-created Lancaster County in 1859. The capital of Nebraska Territory had been Omaha since the creation of the territory in 1854; however, most of the territory's population lived south of the Platte River. After much of the territory south of the Platte considered annexation to Kansas, the legislature voted to move the capital south of the river and as far west as possible. The village of Lancaster was chosen, in part due to the salt flats and marshes. However, Omaha interests attempted to derail the move by having Lancaster renamed after the recently-assassinated President Abraham Lincoln.[citation needed] At the time, many of the people south of the river had been sympathetic towards the Confederate cause and it was assumed that the legislature would not pass the measure if the future capital was named after Lincoln. The ploy did not work, as Lancaster was renamed Lincoln and became the state capital upon Nebraska's admission to the Union on March 1, 1867.

Old Market Passageway

By PGornell

Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States. It is the county seat of Douglas County. Located on the eastern edge of Nebraska, it is on the Missouri River, about 20 miles (30 km) north of the mouth of the Platte River. Omaha is the anchor of the Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area. Council Bluffs, Iowa lies directly across the Missouri River from Omaha.

The city grew on the Missouri River, with the first settlement extending from the Lone Tree Ferry crossing from Kanesville, Iowa in the early 1850s. Omaha earned its nickname, the "Gateway to the West", because of its central location as a transportation hub for the United States in the late 1800s.

Today Omaha has a rich cultural background, including the Joslyn Art Museum, the Durham Western Heritage Museum, the Holland Performing Arts Center, and the Omaha Community Playhouse. The city's historical and cultural attractions have been lauded by numerous national newspapers, including the Boston Globe and the New York Times.

Tranquil Stream

By bsmith4815

Oak Lake Park

By Robert Wurth

[Bahnsteig4]

MORE PICTURES!!!

[Unionstation13]

Great pictures! You really show the charm and REAL America.
Though Indiana in 1800 was not settled only by natives. We have a major french town from 1735 that boasted a population of around 2000 Europeans by the end of the 18th-century.

[brothejr]

Kansas


Kansas (IPA: /ˈkænzəs/) is a Midwestern state in the central region of the United States of America, an area often referred to as the American "Heartland". It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa tribe, who inhabited the area. The tribe's name (natively kką:ze) is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south wind", although this was probably not the term's original meaning. Residents of Kansas are called "Kansans".

Historically, the area was home to large numbers of nomadic Native Americans that hunted bison. It was first settled by European Americans in the 1830s, but the pace of settlement accelerated in the 1850s, in the midst of political wars over the slavery issue. When officially opened to settlement by the U.S. government in 1854, abolitionist Free-Staters from New England and pro-slavery settlers from neighboring Missouri rushed to the territory to determine if Kansas would become a free state or a slave state. Thus, the area was a hotbed of violence and chaos in its early days as these forces collided, and was known as Bleeding Kansas. The abolitionists eventually prevailed and on January 29, 1861, Kansas entered the Union as a free state. After the Civil War, the population of Kansas exploded when waves of immigrants turned the prairie into productive farmland. Today, Kansas is one of the most productive agricultural states, producing many crops, and leading the nation in wheat and sunflower production most years.

South Hall

By tylerphotos

Arkansas City is a city situated at the confluence of the Arkansas and Walnut rivers in the southwestern part of Cowley County, located in south-central Kansas, in the central United States.

The name of this city is not pronounced like the nearby state of Arkansas, but rather as "Ar-Kansas" (the final "s" is pronounced). Over the years there has been much confusion about the regional pronunciation of "Arkansas," which locals render as "Ar-KAN-zus" rather than "AR-ken-saw." Throughout much of Kansas, residents use this alternate pronunciation when referring to the Arkansas River, as well as Arkansas Street in the city of Wichita. Very few people from other states, and even much less from the state of Arkansas (which has a law that mandates the French pronunciation), use or have ever heard the anglicized pronunciation. Because of this, and for the sake of brevity, Arkansas City is most often referred to as simply Ark City.

Kansas State Capital Building Dome

By kyds120

Topeka is the capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat and most populous city of Shawnee County. It is situated along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, located in northeast Kansas, in the Central United States.

The name "Topeka" comes from a Kansas tribal name meaning "a good place to grow potatoes". (The name "potato" in this case refers to the prairie potato, a perennial herb which was an important food for many Native Americans.)

Topeka, laid out in 1854, was one of the Free-State towns founded by Eastern antislavery men immediately after the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Bill. In 1857, Topeka was chartered as a city.

Allen-Lambe House

By Rock Chalk Jayhawk Cartographer

The Allen-Lambe House (1915), designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, in Wichita, Kansas.

Monument Rocks - Gove County, Kansas

By kansasexplorer

In the light of the setting sun. Monument Rocks are well off the beaten path on privately owned land, accessible only by gravel roads, and are not familiar to most Kansans. These sentinels of the prairie long served as landmarks for the indigenous peoples and for those traveling on the Butterfield Overland Dispatch (aka Smoky Hill Trail), a stage coach route from Atchison, Kansas, to California. This area, once the bottom of an ocean, is now designated as a U.S. National Natural Landmark.

Kansas-meso

By unripegreenbanana

[brothejr]

Oklahoma


Oklahoma (pronounced /ˌoʊkləˈhoʊmə/) is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. Its name is derived from the Choctaw words okla and humma, meaning "red people", and is known informally by its nickname, The Sooner State. Formed from Indian Territory on November 16, 1907, Oklahoma was the 46th state to enter the union. Its citizens are known as Oklahomans, and the state's capital and largest city is Oklahoma City.

Bricktown Canal in Downtown Oklahoma City

By Monte J

Oklahoma City was settled on April 22, 1889, when the area known as the "unassigned lands" was opened for settlement in an event called "The Oklahoma Land Run". Some 10,000 homesteaders settled what is now downtown Oklahoma City, creating a tent city in a single day. Within 10 years the population had doubled in what became a permanent settlement and the future capital of Oklahoma.

By the time Oklahoma was admitted to the Union in 1907, Oklahoma City had already supplanted Guthrie, the territorial capital, as the population center and commercial hub of the new state. Soon after, the capital was moved from Guthrie to Oklahoma City. Oklahoma City was a major stop on Route 66 during the early part of the 20th century and was prominently mentioned in Bobby Troup's 1946 jazz classic, "(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66," later made famous by Nat King Cole. Pre-World War II activity saw Oklahoma City's development into a major stockyard location and, with the discovery of oil within the city limits (including under the State Capitol), a center of oil production. Post-war growth occurred with Oklahoma City's location as a major interchange on the Interstate Highway System, with the convergence of I-35, I-40 and I-44 in the city, and the development of Tinker Air Force Base. The 1970s and '80s witnessed a gradual decline in the inner-city, as families increasingly chose to live in nearby suburbs. Urban Renewal projects in the 1970s removed many older historic structures but failed to result in much additional development. A notable exception was the construction of the Myriad Gardens and Crystal Bridge, a botanical garden and modernistic conservatory in the heart of the city.

In 1993, the city passed a massive redevelopment package known as the Metropolitan Area Projects (MAPS), which succeeded in helping to rebuild the city's core, adding a new baseball park, central library, renovations to the civic center, convention center and fairgrounds, and a canal to the Bricktown entertainment district. In recent years more housing has been developed downtown, creating new opportunities for developers. However, this has also raised some potential problems, such as an increased need for grocery stores and similar retail. The "Core-to-Shore" project was created to relocate I-40 one mile (1.6 km) south and replace it with a boulevard that will set as an entrance. This allows the central portion of the city to expand south toward the Oklahoma River, thus connecting the core of the city to the shore of the Oklahoma River.

The city has also seen a so called renaissance in the past five to ten years. Several of the downtown buildings are being renovated and restored to their original stature. One of the biggest was the renovation of the Skirvin Hotel in 2007. The famed First National Center is also going through a renovation as a real estate company out of Los Angeles has been pumping millions of dollars into the building.

Main Street, Norman OK

By rhythmandcode

The Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway planned Norman as a station site in Indian Territory in 1886-87, taking the name "Norman's Camp," a phrase that (the story goes) had been carved in a nearby tree 16 years earlier by the crew of a U.S. Land Office surveyor, Abner E. Norman, who camped nearby while mapping the area. The town itself, while platted by the railroad, wasn't settled until the Great Land Run of 1889, the mad dash by settlers to claim the Unassigned Lands at the center of Indian Territory.

By nightfall on April 22, 1889, Norman probably had several hundred residents, camped in tents and covered wagons on town lots that wouldn't remain vacant for long. Almost overnight, the settlement developed into a thriving town. It was near Norman, in 1895, that Doolin Gang members George "Bittercreek" Newcomb and Charlie Pierce were killed by the "Dunn Brothers", who were bounty hunters from Ingalls, Oklahoma.

City Plex Towers

By Okie1962

Tulsa (pronounced /ˈtʌlsə/) is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 45th-largest in the United States. city serves as the county seat of Tulsa County, the most densely populated county in Oklahoma.

Tulsa was first settled in the 1830s by the Creek Native American tribe. In 1921, it was the site of the infamous Tulsa Race Riot, one of the largest and most destructive acts of racial violence in the history of the United States. For most of the 20th century, the city held the nickname "Oil Capital of the World" and played a major role as one of the most important hubs for the American oil industry. Tulsa has been credited as the birthplace of Route 66 and the home of Western Swing music.

Once heavily dependent on the oil industry, economic downturn and subsequent diversification efforts created an economic base in the energy, finance, aviation, telecommunications and technology sectors. The Tulsa Port of Catoosa, at the head of the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System, is the most inland riverport in the U.S. with access to international waterways. Two institutions of higher education within the city operate at the NCAA Division I level, Oral Roberts University and the University of Tulsa.

Located near Tornado Alley, the city frequently experiences severe weather. It is situated on the Arkansas River at the foothills of the Ozark Mountains in northeast Oklahoma, a region of the state known as "Green Country." Considered the cultural and arts center of Oklahoma, Tulsa houses two world-renowned art museums, full-time professional opera and ballet companies, and one of the nation's largest concentrations of art deco architecture. In 2005, the city was selected as one of "America's Most Livable Large Cities." People from Tulsa are described as "Tulsans."

Clear to the Left

By Wright914

Natural Falls State Park Oklahoma.

By SSAP_OK

[brothejr]

Due to events in RL, I'm going to have to speed up the one state per day to at least two states. I've got something coming up in my schedual that is going to require me to be away from my computer for a couple weeks in the very near future. Instead if I do two states a day I should be able to get it done before I leave. I figured that would be the only fair thing to do instead of not posting a state for over two weeks.

Texas


Texas (IPA: /ˈtɛksəs/) is a state geographically located in the south-central part of the United States, which the Census Bureau places in a sub-region of the U.S. South designated West South Central. It is also known as the Lone Star State.

With an area of 268,820 square miles (696,200 km²) and a rapidly growing population of 23.9 million, as estimated in 2007, spread among 254 counties, Texas is the second largest U.S. state in both area and population. Houston is the largest city. Dallas is the third largest city in Texas, but has the largest metropolitan statistical area, which includes Fort Worth. Other major cities include the state capital of Austin, the state's oldest major city of San Antonio, and the western city of El Paso. Due to its long history as a center of the American cattle industry, Texas is associated throughout much of the world with the image of the cowboy.

The easternmost section of the state is covered by the same piney woods that cover much of the Deep South. Moving westward, this vegetation evolves into semi-forests of oak and cross timbers, then, as the climate gradually becomes more arid, turns into rolling plains and prairie and, eventually, desert in the Big Bend region surrounding El Paso. It is these wide open spaces of the Texas prairie that have lent currency to the phrase that "everything is bigger in Texas."

Because of its large size and unique history, the regional affiliation of Texas is often debated. Historically and culturally, it has very close ties to the South. However, due to Texas's history as a Spanish colony, its border with Mexico, and its large Latino population, Texas can also be considered a Southwestern state. Nevertheless, while most residents acknowledge these categories, many claim an independent "Texan" identity superseding regional labels.

Spain was the first European country to claim Texas. Starting in the 1820s, North American and European immigrants began arriving in the area, and in 1836 Texas declared its independence from Mexico. It continued as the independent Republic of Texas for nearly a decade. In 1845, it joined the United States as the 28th state. Texas is one of only four independent states to enter the US federation. Annexation of Texas led the United States to war with Mexico, leading to the Mexican Cession and helping to plant seeds for the U.S. Civil War. Texas was the 7th state to join the Confederate States of America. Shortly after the start of the 20th century, discovery of oil led to an economic boom in the state and greatly increased funding for higher education. Texas grew rapidly, becoming the second largest state in population by 1994. It has become economically diversified, with a growing base in high technology.

Texas State Capitol

By Visualist Images

Before the arrival of settlers from the United States, the area that later became Austin was inhabited by a variety of nomadic Native American tribes, including the Tonkawa tribe, the Comanches, and the Lipan Apaches.

Edward Burleson laid out the town of Waterloo in the mid-1830's. In 1838 Mirabeau Lamar, vice-president of the Republic of Texas, visited Waterloo, where he stayed with one of the earliest settlers, Jacob Harrell. Lamar was elected president shortly thereafter. When the Texas Congress formed a commission to seek a site for a new capital to be named Austin, Lamar advised the commissioners to investigate Waterloo, which was then indeed chosen. In May 1839 Lamar's designated government agent Edwin Waller organized and led a workforce of about 200 men from Houston to Waterloo to construct the new city.

At first, the new capital thrived. By the early 1840's the population stood at about 850 people. But when Lamar's political enemy Sam Houston regained the presidency in 1841, he used two Mexican army incursions to San Antonio as an excuse to move the government to Washington (now known as Washington-on-the-Brazos). Within months Austin's population had shrunk to about 200, and many Texans assumed that the city would die. Remaining Austin residents responded to the threat by forcibly keeping the national archives in their city in defiance of President Houston's attempts to bring them to Washington.

Anson Jones became president in 1844. The following year he called a convention in Austin to discuss annexation to the United States as well as to consider a new constitution. Once annexation became official, delegates wrote a new state constitution in which Austin was again named the seat of government.

The Texas State Capitol was completed in 1888 advertised as the 7th largest building in the world. Funded by the famous XIT Ranch, the building still remains part of the Austin skyline. The state capitol is slightly smaller than the United States capitol.

In September of 1881, Austin public schools held their first classes. The same year, Huston-Tillotson College opened its doors. The University of Texas at Austin held its first classes in 1883.

In the 1950s, Austin's first research labs and think tanks were built. As Austin's economy prospered, several movie theaters, public pools, and a local library system were opened.

The Austin music scene was born in the 1970s when artists such as Willie Nelson and venues such as the Armadillo World Headquarters brought national attention.

Today, Austin is known as much for its cultural life as its high-tech innovations. It is also known for the senators and schoolteachers who shaped its beginnings. The same success that has gained the city a national reputation has brought with it many difficult choices.

Stormy Dallas

By rm2photo

Before Texas was claimed in the 16th century as a part of the Viceroyalty of New Spain by the Spanish Empire, the Dallas area was inhabited by the Caddo Native Americans. Later, France also claimed the area, but in 1819 the Adams-Onís Treaty made the Red River the northern boundary of New Spain, officially placing Dallas well within Spanish territory. The area remained under Spanish rule until 1821, when Mexico declared independence from Spain and the area became part of the Mexican state of Coahuila y Tejas. In 1836, the Republic of Texas broke off from Mexico to become an independent nation. In 1839, four years into the Republic's existence, Warren Angus Ferris surveyed the area around present-day Dallas. He shot the bears, poisoned the wolves, chased off the natives, and made the area safe for John N. Bryan to "found" the city of Dallas in 1841. In 1846 the Republic of Texas was annexed by the United States and Dallas County was established. It is strongly debated that the City of Dallas, Texas is named after the U.S. Vice President, George Mifflin Dallas.

Mission San José arches

By hey tiffany!

Mission San José was founded on Trinity Sunday (June 11), 1797 on a site located in the "Mission San Jose District" of Fremont, California (formerly an independent town, a spot that the natives called Oroysom or Orisom) in the "Valley of San José." The settlement was the site of the first Ceasarian section childbirth in Alta California. The Mission entered a long period of gradual decline after secularization in 1834, though numerous restoration efforts in the intervening periods have reconstructed many of the original structures. The original padre's quarters are now a small museum; Saint Joseph's Church at the Mission San José is today a local parish church of the Diocese of Oakland. The church has a regular Mass schedule and also has a visitors' center, museum (open daily) and slide show telling the history of the Mission.

In the early part of the 1900s a sign was erected on the roof of the museum which read "Mission San Jose de Guadalupe" (in reference to el pueblo de San José de Guadalupe, the first civic settlement in Alta California, founded in 1777). Regrettably, this misnomer is often used by authors and even government agencies to this day when referring to the installation.

South Rim

By OneEighteen

South rim of the Chisos Mountains, Big Bend National Park, Texas. Looking out over the desert toward the Rio Grande and Mexico.

Mountain Desert

By Birdman of Hell Paso

Part of the Franklin Mountains in El Paso Texas

[Bahnsteig4]

No replies? Stange, very strange.

Great pix again. Make me wanna visit the US again.

[Booze]

Great job

[Unionstation13]

Oklahoma city is quiet jazzy. It is in the biblebelt and it is a rather young city for the US. But it has a lot going for it.