1

Wild Alaskan salmon sandwich

Image: Thomas Mertens

In Alaska, the sandwich of choice comes straight from its icy waters . The wild Alaskan salmon sandwich features freshly caught salmon, often grilled or lightly smoked, served on hearty bread with crisp lettuce, tomato, and a tangy dill sauce.

2

Frybread "Navajo Taco"

Image: Bob LaCour

Tacos with a twist: Arizona’s beloved frybread "Navajo taco" is a sort of open-faced sandwich. A variety of taco fillings served on pillowy frybread ; golden and crisp on the outside, soft inside.

It’s generously topped with seasoned ground beef or shredded meat, beans, lettuce, cheese, and sometimes salsa or sour cream.

3

Deep-Fried catfish sandwich

Image: Jonathan Borba

In Arkansas, a true taste of home often comes between two buttered buns. The deep-fried catfish sandwich features flaky catfish fillets, breaded in cornmeal and fried to a golden crisp. It usually contains a smear of tartar sauce, a few pickles, and maybe some shredded lettuce.

4

Italian Beef Sandwich

Image: Yoad Shejtman

Chicagoans take their beef seriously, and nothing embodies the city’s flavor like the Italian beef sandwich. Thinly sliced roast beef is simmered in its own seasoned jus, piled high on an Italian-style roll, and often topped with giardiniera or sweet peppers.

5

Pork Tenderloin Sandwich

Image: Jacinto Diego

Indiana’s pride comes between two buns: the legendary pork tenderloin sandwich. This oversized, breaded, and deep-fried pork cutlet, often wider than the bun itself, is served with classic toppings like lettuce, tomato, and pickles.

6

Hot Brown

Image: Natalia Gusakova

The Hot Brown is Louisville’s indulgent favorite. This open-faced marvel layers roasted turkey and crisp bacon atop toasted bread , smothered in creamy Mornay sauce, and baked until golden. It was created in 1926 at the Brown Hotel, designed as a late-night supper for hotel guests.

7

Jucy Lucy

Image: Juan Santos

Burgers count! Minneapolis is home to a burger with a deliciously molten secret: the Jucy Lucy. This cheese-stuffed masterpiece hides gooey American cheese inside two patties of seasoned beef. Today, it’s a must-try for any visitor seeking a twist on a classic American burger.

8

Pastrami Sandwich

Image: Akhil Pawar

Few sandwiches are as iconic as New York’s pastrami on rye, and Katz’s Delicatessen is the reigning champion. Brined, smoked, and expertly sliced pastrami piled high on fresh rye bread , often with mustard, has been a favorite since the deli opened in 1888.

9

The Elvis Sandwich

Image: Dexter McQueen

Tennessee claims a sweet-and-savory creation forever linked to its most famous son: Elvis Presley. The Elvis sandwich combines peanut butter, banana, and crispy bacon . Would you like to try it?

10

Lobster Roll

Image: Jesse

This one was an easy choice: no Maine culinary list is complete without the lobster roll. Bursting with fresh, tender lobster meat lightly dressed in butter or mayo and nestled into a soft, toasted roll, this sandwich is a staple of seaside shacks .

1

Levi Strauss

Image: Eric Prouzet

Although his name will forever be associated with American business pioneers, Levi Strauss was not born in the United States. That's right! The inventor of the iconic blue jeans was born in Bavaria, Germany, in 1829. In 1847, he came to America along with his siblings in search of new opportunities, settling in New York. Eventually, he moved to San Francisco, where his famous company would be founded.

2

Irving Berlin

Image: Sandra Grünewald

While he can be considered one of the most American of Americans, Irving Berlin was actually born in Russia. That's right; the legendary composer and lyricist was born in 1888 in what was then the Russian Empire, and his family immigrated to the US when he was just a child. How lucky for us! Can you imagine life without classics like "White Christmas," "God Bless America," and "There's No Business Like Show Business"? Neither can we!

3

Alexander Graham Bell

Image: Carlos Eduardo

Although he became a naturalized US citizen in 1882, Alexander Graham Bell was born in 1847 in Edinburgh, Scotland. He arrived in the United States in 1871, where he worked as a teacher and researcher. It was in America, in 1876, that he made his most famous invention: the telephone.

4

Elizabeth Taylor

Image: Color Crescent

Elizabeth Taylor, our Cleopatra, wasn't born in the United States. As you probably know, she saw the world for the first time in England in 1932 and moved to America in 1939, just before World War II started. But here's an important detail: Her parents were American! So, she was a US citizen from birth; she just happened to be born overseas.

5

Alfred Hitchcock

Image: Usha Kiran

Yes, Alfred Hitchcock was born in England, but we probably wouldn't have had the pleasure of enjoying cinema classics like Rear Window (1954), Vertigo (1958), Psycho (1960), and The Birds (1963) if he hadn't come to live and work in America. Although he was already a successful director in his home country, Hitchcock decided to come to the United States in 1939, drawn by the promise of Hollywood's growing film industry.

6

Audrey Hepburn

Image: Paige Johnson

Although she became an American citizen in the 1950s and won our hearts on the big screen, the legendary Audrey Hepburn was actually born in 1929 in Brussels, Belgium. In 1945, she settled in England, where she began taking ballet classes and started landing modeling and acting roles. Finally, in 1951, she came to America to star in the Broadway production of Gigi .

7

Isaac Asimov

Image: Phillip Glickman

Science fiction as we know it wouldn't be the same without the incredible work of Isaac Asimov. However, we may never have had the opportunity to enjoy his brilliant writing if his family hadn't immigrated to America. Asimov was born in 1920 in Petrovichi, Russia. His parents decided to move in 1923, just a year after the Soviet Union was established. At only 3 years old, he arrived in the US, and by the age of 8, he was a full American citizen.

8

Charles Chaplin

Image: Mimi Di Cianni

The unforgettable Charlie Chaplin was born in London in 1889. Before he turned 20, he arrived in the US as a young performer with a vaudeville company. Here, he found fame and became a global icon of silent film. Surprisingly, even after living and working here for over 40 years, he never officially became an American citizen, but Americans embraced him wholeheartedly all the same.

9

Albert Einstein

Image: WikiImages

Albert Einstein, one of the most famous scientists in the world, was born in Germany. And he chose to be American! He was born in Ulm, Germany, on March 14, 1879, and later became a US citizen in 1940.

His first trip to America was in 1921, when he came to New York as a renowned scientist. Then, in 1933, he returned for good and accepted a position at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey, where his former house still stands.

10

Joseph Pulitzer

Image: Jorien Loman

Joseph Pulitzer revolutionized the press in America and around the world, but before becoming a renowned US citizen, he lived in Hungary, the place where he was born in 1847. At the age of 17, he left Europe in search of greater opportunities and arrived in the US in 1864. Here, he went on to become a pioneering journalist and newspaper publisher, even giving his name to the prestigious awards honoring excellence in journalism and the arts.

1

Antelope Canyon, Arizona

Image: Paul IJsendoorn

Technically, pronghorns are not true antelopes , but try telling that to early settlers. This stunning slot canyon was named in their honor.

Winding through the Navajo Nation in northern Arizona, its entrance was once grazed by herds of pronghorns gracefully navigating the red rock terrain. Although the original inhabitants have mostly been scared away, the beautiful landscape remains.

2

Buffalo, New York

Image: Pixabay

Despite the name, no actual buffalo roam here—only football fans in snow boots. There are several theories about the origin of the name: some say it comes from the French beau fleuve ("beautiful river"), while others insist early settlers mistook bison sightings for true buffalo .

Either way, the city still honors the animal’s spirit through bronze statues, sports teams, and, of course, Buffalo wings.

3

White Salmon, Washington

Image: Drew Farwell

White Salmon, Washington. This charming town above the Columbia River Gorge got its name from an unusual fish tale. In 1805, Lewis and Clark spotted pale-colored Chinook salmon swimming upstream and named the White Salmon River, which later lent its name to the town.

The white salmon themselves are rare spring sightings, but the name stuck, like a good fishing story.

4

Mammoth Cave, Kentucky

Image: Jonathan Cooper

No, they didn’t find woolly mammoth bones here. The name "Mammoth" refers to the size , not the species, of this mind-bending cave system. With over 400 miles explored, this south-central Kentucky cave is the largest known cave system on Earth.

5

Eagle River, Alaska & Wisconsin

Image: Greg Johnson

Two towns, one majestic bird , and a very straightforward name. In Alaska, Eagle River sits just outside Anchorage, where bald eagles actually soar overhead—and sometimes steal a salmon right out of your hands.

In Wisconsin, Eagle River offers a quieter charm: a hub for lake lovers and snowmobilers who know how often the eagle motif appears on murals, signs, and T-shirts.

6

Wolf Creek Pass, Colorado

Image: Deepak Adhikari

The name alone sounds like it belongs in a Western, and the real place doesn’t disappoint. This high mountain pass in southern Colorado winds its way through the San Juan Mountains, where wolves once prowled the slopes .

Though they’ve long been gone from the area, the name remains, also immortalized in a song by C.W. McCall.

7

Pelican Bay, Florida

Image: J Dean

This coastal enclave near Naples is all palm trees, golf carts, and private beaches, but yes, there are still pelicans.

Big, slightly clumsy, and oddly charming , they’re often seen gliding above the Gulf waters or crash-landing into the surf. The bay itself is a protected estuary, and the birds serve as unofficial greeters.

8

Moose, Wyoming

Image: Danika Perkinson

If you were to walk around the area, you’d understand why this town got its name: actual moose wander here. Just outside Grand Teton National Park, the scenic town of Moose offers ranger stations, cozy lodges, and the occasional 1,200-pound mammal chewing shrubs near the parking lot.

9

Fox River, Illinois & Wisconsin

Image: David Gomez

This river wasn’t named directly after the clever creature, but after the Fox (Meskwaki) Native American tribe . The winding river flows more than 200 miles, passing through Midwest towns, bike trails, and history-rich spots

Today, statues, murals, and local school mascots keep the fox theme alive, although you’re unlikely to spot a red fox along the riverbanks these days.

10

Bear Lake, Utah & Idaho

Image: Megan Nixon

This turquoise lake marks the Utah–Idaho border and was named after, you guessed it, actual bears.

Grizzly and black bears once roamed the surrounding area, though nowadays you’re more likely to spot jet skis than paw prints. Locals call it the "Caribbean of the Rockies," thanks to its unique limestone-rich, electric-blue waters.

11

Cougar, Washington

Image: Leah Huyghe

Cougar, a tiny town in southwestern Washington, gets its name from the sleek mountain lions that once roamed the thick forests nearby. The area is best known for its proximity to Mount St. Helens. A post office called "Cougar" was established there in the early 1900s, and the unincorporated community followed soon after.

12

Coyote, California

Image: Kaylin Pacheco

In what is now Silicon Valley, Coyote was once a standalone ranch town named for the clever canines that run across the hills.

While coyotes still prowl the region—occasionally crashing backyard barbecues—the town itself has been mostly absorbed into San Jose. Still, the name lingers in road signs, local parks, and historic maps.

13

Hawk Mountain, Pennsylvania

Image: Frank Cone

High above the Appalachian ridges of eastern Pennsylvania, Hawk Mountain is a sanctuary. It was transformed into the world’s first refuge for birds of prey in the 1930s.

Today, birdwatchers flock here every fall to witness thousands of hawks, eagles, and falcons gliding overhead. There’s no town—just trails and sky.