1

Colorado once rejected the Winter Olympics

In the 1970s, Colorado turned down the opportunity to host the Winter Olympics in Denver. Voters opposed the plan due to concerns about cost, environmental damage, and overcrowding .

This made Colorado the only U.S. state in history to reject the Olympics—even though it’s home to the U.S. Olympic Committee. The decision reflected a strong commitment to protecting the state’s environment and way of life.

2

Wyoming has only two escalators

Wyoming has just two escalators, both located in Casper— one at First Interstate Bank and the other at Hilltop National Bank.

A third once existed at a JCPenney in Cheyenne but was removed when the store relocated to Frontier Mall. The two remaining escalators operate in both directions and remain the only ones in the state.

3

The highest vehicular tunnel in America is in Colorado

The Eisenhower Tunnel on I-70 in Colorado is the highest vehicular tunnel in the United States , sitting at an elevation of 11,158 feet. It stretches 1.6 miles beneath the Rocky Mountains.

Built to improve winter travel across the Continental Divide, the tunnel is both a vital transportation route and an impressive feat of engineering, connecting the eastern and western regions of Colorado.

4

Shootout reenactments in Wyoming

Since 1957, Jackson Hole, Wyoming, has hosted the world’s longest-running shootout reenactment. It takes place six days a week in the town square. While the event doesn’t portray a particular historical shootout, it is still fun to watch.

The event runs from Memorial Day through Labor Day, Monday through Saturday, beginning at 6:00 p.m. each evening.

5

The world’s largest flat-top mountain is in Colorado

Grand Mesa, located in western Colorado, is the largest flat-top mountain in the world in terms of surface area . It spans over 500 square miles and rises more than 10,000 feet above sea level. The mesa offers sweeping views and breathtaking natural beauty.

The area is rich in forests, alpine lakes, and wildlife, making it a favorite destination for fishing, hiking, and skiing. It’s a must-see for nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts.

6

Ghost stories from Wyoming

Yellowstone National Park—Wyoming’s most famous landmark—is said to be haunted. Over the years, many ghost sightings have been reported throughout the park.

The most well-known spirit is the Headless Bride , believed to be a young woman who was murdered by her husband-to-be . Readers will be relieved to know that the event never actually happened. The entire story is a famous piece of local folklore, albeit a very curious one.

7

Colorado once had 3 Governors in a single day

On March 17, 1905, Colorado experienced a rare political event—three different governors held office in a single day. Alva Adams resigned after allegations of election fraud , including suspicious vote counts in his favor.

He was replaced by his opponent , James H. Peabody , who had contested the results. However, Peabody agreed to step down immediately—on the condition that his lieutenant governor, Jesse F. McDonald, would succeed him . And so, all three men held the governorship within 24 hours.

8

A parachuting daredevil landed atop Devil's Tower in Wyoming

In 1941, George Hopkins parachuted from a plane onto the summit of Devil's Tower as a publicity stunt. However, his plan to descend by rope failed when the rope fell out of reach. Park officials kept him supplied with food while he was stranded for six days . Eventually, a team of seven climbers rescued him—while more than 7,000 spectators watched from below.

Today, the tower’s dramatic rock columns attract climbers year-round. All climbers must register and check in before and after their climbs. The site closes to climbers during the month of June out of respect for Native American cultural practices.

9

Colorado Rose Onyx can only be found in the state Capitol building

Colorado Rose Onyx is a rare decorative stone found only in Colorado . It was quarried in Beulah and used entirely in the construction of the Colorado State Capitol.

Because the entire known supply was used in the building, none remains available today—making it one of the rarest decorative stones in the world.

10

Wyoming King-size bed

Most people are familiar with the California king-size bed, but few know that there’s also a Wyoming king-size bed. It measures 84 by 84 inches, making it a full foot wider than a California King .

Other oversized options include the Texas King and the massive Alaskan King, which offer even more space for those who want extra room to stretch out.

11

Mike, the headless chicken from Colorado

In Fruita, Colorado, locals honor "Mike the Headless Chicken" with a festival and a statue. The odd celebration is rooted in a real event that occurred in 1945.

Farmer L.A. Olsen tried to behead Mike for dinner, but the chicken surprisingly survived . Remarkably, Mike lived for 18 months without a head.

12

A Wyoming town was sold for $900,000

Bufford, a Wyoming town, lost its residents over a span of 150 years through a classic combination of railroad rerouting, urbanization, and personal family life cycles. In 2016, the town, which had just one resident , was sold for $900,000 . The buyer was an anonymous Vietnamese businessman.

The 4-hectare town included a gas station, a store, and a home. Don Sammons, who moved there from Los Angeles in 1980, owned the whole town after his wife passed away.

1

The first post office? A Boston tavern

Image: Mick Haupt

In 1639, the first organized mail service in British North America started at Richard Fairbank’s tavern . The owner collected and distributed mail brought by ship.

Although informal and modest by today’s standards, this post office laid the foundation for communal mail collection and delivery.

2

Enter Benjamin Franklin

Image: Brett Wharton

From 1753, Franklin served as joint Postmaster General for the colonies and undertook a sweeping reform: he organized delivery routes, aligned them with major roads and rivers, and cut the mail travel time between Philadelphia and New York to about 33 hours .

He also introduced the first rate chart, standardizing delivery costs based on weight and distance, turning what had been a scattered courier network into a more reliable, structured mail system.

3

National Postal System founded

Image: David Trinks

With the American Revolution underway, the Second Continental Congress established the first national postal agency in 1775 , appointing Benjamin Franklin as the first Postmaster General.

This new postal service initially handled mostly military and diplomatic correspondence, but the agency laid the groundwork for what would become a national communications service.

4

The Age of Steam: mail by steamboat

Image: mandylin

In 1813, Congress authorized the Postmaster General to contract steamboat companies to carry mail. Soon, steamboats were ferrying mail up and down the East Coast and the Mississippi River .

By 1848, mail even traveled to California via steamship and across the Isthmus of Panama, a three-week voyage.

5

Overland stagecoaches and the Butterfield Overland Mail

Image: Ricky BiggsSr

Between 1858 and 1861, the Butterfield Overland Mail stagecoach service carried U.S. mail across the western frontier, from eastern posts like Memphis and St. Louis to San Francisco .

This service helped connect the eastern U.S. with rapidly growing western settlements long before the completion of the transcontinental railroad.

6

Railroads enter the picture

Image: Jay Kettle-Williams

As railroads expanded, the postal service started to use this new technology: in 1832, the first mail deliveries by train were made.

Rail transport vastly improved speed and reliability compared to horse and stagecoach travel , and became a key advance as mail traffic increased and the nation expanded westward.

7

First U.S. postage stamps

Image: The New York Public Library

In 1847, the first official U.S. postage stamps were issued: a 5-cent stamp featuring none Ben Franklin and a 10-cent stamp featuring George Washington .

Prepaid stamps simplified payment and collection of postage, removing complications from pay-on-delivery systems and helping the postal system function more efficiently.

8

The Pony Express

Image: The New York Public Library

In 1860, the Pony Express started its overland mail route between Missouri and California, nearly 1800 miles of relay horseback riding . The mail took 10 days between endpoints.

Although short-lived (it ended in 1861), the Pony Express demonstrated the demand for rapid cross-country communication.

9

City-wide home delivery

Image: Lesli Whitecotton

In 1863, free city mail delivery began , allowing residents in major cities to receive letters directly at their homes rather than picking them up at a post office.

This represented a major shift: mail became a part of everyday domestic life, not just something dropped off and picked up by hand.

10

Pneumatic tube mail in NYC

Image: The New York Public Library

In 1897, a pneumatic-tube mail system began operation in New York City. Mail could travel underground at high speeds, from the General Post Office to other offices in Manhattan within minutes .

At its peak, the system carried thousands of letters daily: at one point, nearly 30% of New York City mail went through this immense underground network.

11

Parcel post service launches

Image: Olivier Rouge

On New Year’s Day 1913, the U.S. Post Office inaugurated the first official parcel post service , allowing packages, not just letters, to be sent through the mail.

The impact was immediate: within the first five days, millions of packets passed through post offices, fueling mail-order business and expanding commerce everywhere.

12

First airmail route

Image: Qihao Wang

In 1918, the postal service launched the first regularly scheduled air mail route between Washington, D.C., and New York , marking the beginning of mail carried by airplane.

Airplane mail allowed far faster coast-to-coast and long-distance communication, a major leap from sailboats, stagecoaches, or railroads.

1

Alaska has more coastline than the rest of the U.S. combined

Alaska’s size is already impressive: it’s the largest state in the country by far, over twice the size of Texas (the second largest state by area). But what surprises many people is just how much coastline it has.

With over 33,900 miles of shoreline, including islands, Alaska has more coastline than all the other U.S. states combined. Its rugged shores stretch along the Arctic Ocean, the Pacific Ocean, and the Bering Sea.

2

Arizona is home to one of the best-preserved meteor craters

Arizona’s desert landscape holds one of the most famous impact sites on Earth: Meteor Crater. This massive depression, measuring about 3,900 feet across and more than 500 feet deep, was formed around 50,000 years ago when a large iron meteorite struck the ground with unimaginable force. It’s so well preserved that scientists have used it to study planetary impacts for decades.

3

California has the tallest, largest, and oldest trees

California is home to some incredible tree-based records. On the northern coast, redwoods grow routinely over 300 feet, and represent the tallest tree species on Earth. In addition, giant sequoias hold the record for the largest trees by volume, and bristlecone pines in eastern California are among the oldest living trees on the planet, some reaching more than 4,800 years of age.

4

Colorado contains the highest paved road in North America

Colorado’s mountainous terrain makes it a paradise for scenic drives, but one road stands above all the rest. Literally.

The Mount Blue Sky Scenic Byway climbs to over 14,000 feet above sea level, making it the highest paved road in North America. It visits Echo Lake Park, the Mount Goliath Natural Area, the Dos Chappell Nature Center, and Summit Lake Park, and culminates in the highest peak of the region, Mount Blue Sky (formerly known as Mount Evans). A fee is charged to travel State Highway 5 to the summit, and vehicles over 30 feet long are not allowed for safety reasons.

5

Florida is the only state that borders both the Atlantic and the Gulf

Florida’s location gives it a special geographic distinction. It is the only U.S. state that borders both the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of America, known globally as the Gulf of Mexico.

This unique positioning helps explain why Florida has so many beaches, marine ecosystems, and one of the longest coastlines in the country, second only to the aforementioned Alaska.

6

Hawaii grows coffee commercially

Coffee production in the United States is rare, but Hawaii, sitting in the Pacific Ocean about 2,000 miles southwest of the U.S. mainland, is one of the few places where it happens on a large scale. The state’s volcanic soil and tropical climate make perfect conditions for growing coffee, especially the famous Kona coffee grown on the slopes of volcanoes on the Big Island.

7

Kansas is flatter than a pancake, sort of

Kansas has long been joked about as being extremely flat. But, in 2003, researchers from the geography departments of Texas State University and Arizona State University took the matter to the lab, and worked to mathematically determine if Kansas is actually flatter than a standard pancake purchased from IHOP.

The researchers concluded that, mathematically speaking, Kansas is actually flatter than a pancake when measured over large distances. The study became famous for both its humor and its unusual approach.

8

Louisiana has parishes instead of counties

48 of the states divide their local governments into counties. Alaska uses the term boroughs. Louisiana, however, is divided into parishes . The reason lies with the state's early history with the Roman Catholic Church.

A parish , in many Christian denominations, is a territory under the care and jurisdiction of a priest. Before the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, the region had been under both French and Spanish influence, both catholic countries. When the state of Louisiana joined the Union in 1812, it had already inherited an organized system of administrative units derived from those used by the catholic church. Eventually, when a new state constitution was ratified in 1845, local tradition won, and the name parish stuck.

9

Nevada is the most mountainous state

When people think of Nevada, they often picture either endless deserts or the chaotic energy of Las Vegas, with its world-famous hotels and casinos. But Nevada is a very large state (the 7th largest overall), and its 110,572 square miles are filled with mountains.

Nevada contains more mountain ranges than any other state in the country, over 300 of them, thanks to the geological stretching of the Basin and Range region. These mountain ranges create isolated valleys that serve as refuges for endemic species.

10

Oregon has a lake inside a volcano

Oregon is home to Crater Lake, one of the many stunning natural sights in the US. It formed inside the collapsed caldera of an ancient volcano called Mount Mazama. No river flows in or out of the lake; the system stays stable because evaporation is compensated by rain and snowfall.

Crater Lake is the deepest lake in America, reaching depths of nearly 2,000 feet, and its intense blue and water clarity solidify it as one of the country's most sought-after tourist destinations.