1

Pro: More local tax revenue

Data centers generate unusually large property-tax bills because they house millions of dollars' worth of servers and specialized equipment. That often makes them among the largest taxpayers in a county .

In Northern Virginia, tax revenue from data centers helps fund schools, roads, parks, libraries, and emergency services. Some counties report receiving far more in taxes than they spend on providing public services to these facilities.

2

Con: Constant noise

Cooling equipment, ventilation systems, and electrical infrastructure operate continuously to keep thousands of servers from overheating. Together, they can produce a steady mechanical hum day and night.

Residents living closest to certain facilities have complained that low-frequency noise is noticeable even indoors , especially during quiet nighttime hours when background noise is minimal.

3

Pro: Better infrastructure investment

Building a major data center often requires improvements to nearby infrastructure. Utilities may expand electrical capacity, while roads, substations, and water systems are upgraded before the facility opens .

Although these improvements primarily support the project itself, neighboring communities frequently benefit from stronger infrastructure that might otherwise have taken many years to receive through normal public investment.

4

Con: Massive electric consumption

Modern data centers consume enormous amounts of electricity because servers run continuously while powerful cooling systems remove the heat they generate around the clock .

As cloud computing and artificial intelligence continue expanding, experts expect electricity demand from American data centers to grow rapidly, requiring utilities to build additional generating and transmission capacity.

5

Pro: Construction jobs and economic activity

Constructing a hyperscale data center is a massive undertaking that can last several years. Hundreds of construction workers, electricians, engineers, truck drivers, and contractors may be involved during the building phase .

The project also boosts nearby hotels, restaurants, equipment suppliers, and local businesses serving the temporary workforce. Much of this economic activity occurs before the facility even begins operating.

6

Con: High water use

Many facilities use water-based cooling systems to improve efficiency, particularly during hot weather. Depending on the technology used, consumption can be significant throughout the year .

This has become a growing concern in drought-prone regions, where residents and local officials debate whether expanding technology campuses should compete with other important community water needs.

7

Pro: Some permanent high-paying jobs

Once completed, data centers require technicians, network specialists, electricians, maintenance engineers, and security staff to keep operations running around the clock without interruption.

Although permanent staffing is relatively small, many of these technical positions pay well above average local wages and can help attract additional technology companies to the surrounding area.

8

Con: Large, industrial-looking buildings

Most data centers are designed for function rather than appearance. They are typically large, windowless buildings surrounded by fences, cooling equipment, substations, and security systems.

Even with landscaping, these facilities often resemble industrial warehouses . Some residents worry they will permanently change the character of suburban neighborhoods or previously rural communities.

9

Pro: potential property-value gains in some markets

The effect on nearby home values varies from one community to another. In some growing technology regions, new investment has coincided with rising demand for housing and stable property prices .

Researchers caution that there is no universal rule. Local planning, neighborhood design, and overall economic growth all influence whether nearby homeowners ultimately benefit from higher property values.

10

Con: Limited long-term employment relative to their size

Construction creates hundreds of temporary jobs, but the finished facility usually requires only a relatively small permanent workforce to operate and maintain its systems .

Critics argue that billion-dollar campuses occupying vast amounts of land often provide far fewer long-term jobs than factories, manufacturing plants, or large distribution centers of similar size.

11

Pro: Very little traffic after construction

Construction brings heavy equipment, delivery trucks, and hundreds of workers. Once the building is finished, however, daily traffic usually drops dramatically compared with many other industrial sites .

Unlike warehouses or factories, operational data centers employ relatively few people. Most days, only technicians, maintenance crews, security personnel, and occasional service vehicles enter the property.

12

Con: Backup generator emissions and air quality concerns

Nearly every data center maintains large diesel backup generators that automatically provide power during electrical outages. They are also tested periodically to ensure reliable operation.

Although these engines are regulated under environmental laws, nearby residents sometimes express concerns about exhaust emissions, air quality, and the cumulative effects as more facilities are built .

1

The term "Speakeasy" came from a whispered instruction

Image: Shtefan Lounge

This expression, by now forever associated with the Prohibition Era, came from bartenders quietly warning patrons to "speak easy" when ordering illegal drinks.

It is believed that the phrase was already in use in 1800s saloons, but it took off during Prohibition. Hidden behind trapdoors or fake businesses, these secret bars required passwords or knocks to enter.

2

Prohibition sparked the rise of NASCAR

Image: Caleb Woods

Southern moonshiners during Prohibition needed to move whiskey fast. To evade federal agents, they needed to modify cars for speed and for driving through uneven terrains under the cover of the night.

What do you do with that peculiar set of skills when the Prohibition ends, then? Many of these trained drivers began racing each other for fun , and eventually for prizes. These informal competitions laid the groundwork for stock car racing, and in 1948, NASCAR was officially founded.

3

Grape bricks were a legal alternative

Image: Keegan Houser

Though commercial winemaking was banned, winemakers adapted quickly by selling "grape concentrate bricks" legally.

They were dense blocks that came with a cheeky warning: "Do not dissolve in water , add yeast, and let sit for 21 days, or it may ferment into wine." Of course, that’s exactly what people did.

4

Al Capone opened a soup kitchen

Image: Drew Gilliam

During the Great Depression, mob boss Al Capone operated a soup kitchen in Chicago, serving thousands of unemployed individuals .

The sign outside read "Free Soup, Coffee & Doughnuts for the Unemployed." It was certainly a clever PR move that helped soften his infamous image, even as he profited from illegal booze and violence.

5

There was a "whiskey prescription" loophole

Image: Anastasia Zhenina

While Prohibition outlawed alcohol sales, there was one major exception: whiskey prescribed by a doctor. The government allowed the writing of prescriptions for " medicinal liquor ," so millions were written. Patients could pick up their booze at a local pharmacy, usually in a clearly labeled bottle: "For Medicinal Use Only."

6

"Mountain Dew" meant Moonshine

Image: Josh McLain

Long before it was a neon-green soda, "mountain dew" was slang for homemade whiskey . The term already appeared in folk songs of the Appalachian region back in the 19th century, and it became especially popular during Prohibition, as illegal distilling became widespread.

In the 1940s, the creators of the soft drink Mountain Dew originally formulated it as a mixer for whiskey. The name was a wink after the bootlegging culture it came from.

7

Women were on both sides of the front lines

Image: Agustina Tolosa

Fierce women activists led the temperance movement, yes. For example, Carrie Nation famously stormed saloons with a hatchet. But many women also thrived in the world of illegal liquor.

Some saw Prohibition as an opportunity and became successful bootleggers, smugglers, and speakeasy owners. One of the most famous was Gertrude "Cleo" Lythgoe, nicknamed "The Queen of the Bahamas," who smuggled high-end liquor from Nassau to the U.S. East Coast and built a fortune.

8

Toothpaste and hair tonics were alcoholic

Image: Chelms Varthoumlien

With liquor banned, some people turned to unlikely products to get drunk. Items like bay rum aftershave, vanilla extract, hair tonics, and even toothache drops were legally sold and packed with high-proof alcohol. Desperate drinkers downed them despite the awful taste and potential health risks.

In New York City alone, an estimated 150,000 gallons of bay rum were consumed for intoxication in a single year.

9

Bootlegging funded jazz and nightlife

Image: cottonbro studio

Prohibition did help launch a cultural revolution . Speakeasies became centers of nightlife and music, and in places like Harlem, they gave rise to the Harlem Renaissance. Jazz greats like Duke Ellington and Billie Holiday got their start playing in these clubs.

10

New York’s mayor toasted the end with a beer… on air

Image: Muhammed ÖÇAL

When the 21st Amendment officially ended Prohibition on December 5, 1933, New Yorkers celebrated with flair. So did their mayor. Fiorello La Guardia, a vocal critic of the alcohol ban , marked the occasion by cracking open a beer during a press conference and drinking it on live radio.

La Guardia had long argued that Prohibition bred crime and disrespect for the law, so this on-air symbolic gesture made sense and marked the beginning of instant change.

11

Some states didn’t ratify the end until the 21st century

Image: Chris Hardy

Though the 21st Amendment repealed Prohibition in 1933, some states and counties held out for decades . Mississippi didn’t officially end state Prohibition laws until 1966; that’s 33 years after the national repeal. Kansas, meanwhile, banned public bars until 1987.

Even today, Prohibition echoes remain. Several U.S. counties are still "dry," meaning alcohol sales are restricted or banned outright.

1

Oregon: Official microbe

In 2013, Oregon became the first state to declare an official state microbe, Saccharomyces cerevisiae . While this might seem bizarre, it relates to an important part of Oregonian identity: their craft beer. Commonly known as brewer's yeast or baker's yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a fungus instrumental to brewing and winemaking , and therefore a key element in Oregon’s history and economy.

2

Nebraska: Kool-Aid, official soft drink

As the birthplace of Kool-Aid, Nebraska has made sure to include this popular drink among its symbols. Nebraska is one of at least 20 states with milk as their official beverage, but Kool-Aid has a category of its own. Designated as the state’s official soft drink , it is celebrated annually in the city of Hastings, where it was developed in 1927.

3

Maryland: Jousting, official sport

Maryland was the first state to adopt an official state sport in 1962, and the choice was peculiar, but rooted in the state’s history. Jousting was brought from England by Maryland’s first governor, Cecil Calvert, second Lord Baltimore (1605–1675). Originally a combat sport between mounted knights, it developed into a show of horsemanship where mounted contestants try to spear hanging rings , and became extremely popular among farmers in the 19th century. For those not interested in medieval tournaments, Maryland has also chosen Lacrosse as its official team sport.

4

Illinois: Tully Monster, official fossil

Despite its name, the Tully Monster is not Illinois’ official cryptid, but its official fossil. Discovered in 1958 in a coal mine by Francis Tully, it is believed to have lived around 300 to 310 million years ago. Going by the scientific name Tullimonstrum , the Tully monster was a marine creature, although scientists are unable to determine if it was a vertebrate or invertebrate. The Tully monster is the only fossil that is native to Illinois, and has become a local celebrity.

5

Utah: Jell-O, official snack

Jell-O is a beloved snack for many Americans, but Utah leads the race when it comes to consumption, which has led to the designation of Jell-O as the state’s official snack. But why is this dessert so popular among Utahns? According to some sources, Jell-O’s marketing in the 1960’s was centered around being affordable, tasty, and light, which made it perfect for Mormon families with many children.

6

Tennessee: "My Homeland, Tennessee" and 15 other official songs

Forty-nine out of 50 states have an official song (New Jersey is the exception), and some have even two or three. Tennessee, however, has 16 different officially designated state songs , which shouldn’t come as a surprise considering the state’s musical history, especially when it comes to country music. The first designated song, "My Homeland, Tennessee", was adopted in 1925. In 1996, the song "A Tennessee Bicentennial Rap: 1796-1996" was adopted during the bicentennial celebration of the state, under the special title of "official bicentennial rap song".

7

Mississippi: Teddy bear, official toy

You might know that teddy bears owe their name to President Theodore Roosevelt, but did you know that the story behind it happened in Mississippi? During a hunting trip in the Mississippi Delta in 1902, Roosevelt famously refused to shoot a bear that had been injured and tied for the sole purpose of him shooting it — which he considered to be unsportsmanlike . After a cartoon poked fun at the incident, a New York City store owner started selling stuffed bear toys under the name "Teddy’s bears". In honor of the Mississippian origin of the toy, teddy bears were designated the official state toy of Mississippi in 2002.

8

New Mexico: Tarantula hawk wasp, official insect

Most states have a designated official insect, usually some species of butterfly, bee, or an equally lovely insect. New Mexico, however, stands out from the rest with its choice of the tarantula hawk wasp, named after their behavior of paralyzing tarantulas to hunt them . An insect key in controlling the spider population of the Southwest, it was chosen as part of an elementary school kids' initiative, where three insect candidates were chosen and voted on in schools across the state.

9

Oklahoma: Gusty, official cartoon character

Oklahoma’s official cartoon character, Gusty, a lively and round wind figure who changes according to the weather, was actually born in Kansas under the name "Windy". Drawn by meteorologist Don Woods as part of his TV weather forecast, it was redesigned and renamed "Gusty" when Woods moved to Oklahoma and to a new TV channel. A part of Oklahoma’s weather reports for 35 years, Gusty was designated as the state’s official cartoon character in 2005.

10

Vermont: Maple, state flavor

Maple is a recurring theme in New England and Northeastern state symbols, usually as a tree. The state of Vermont has the sugar maple as its official state tree, but has also designated maple as its state flavor, the only state to have this category. But unusual symbols seem to be the norm in Vermont: when declaring apple pie as the official state pie (surprisingly not shared with other states), the law explicitly stated that Vermonters should make a "good faith effort" to serve it accompanied by milk, vanilla ice cream, or half an ounce of cheddar cheese.