Geography Geography 5 min read

Long-held misconceptions

Maine isn't where we thought it was, and 9 other truths about states

Image: Megan Clark

How can Canada be south of the United States? Is the Statue of Liberty really in New York? It turns out many of the "facts" Americans grew up learning in school aren’t completely true. From states that aren’t where you think they are to maps that wildly distort size and distance, these 10 geography myths will make you see the United States in a totally different way.

1
Where is the Statue of Liberty really located?

Image: Pierre Blaché

Most of us have always associated the Statue of Liberty with New York City. It’s on postcards, movies, souvenirs, and more. But technically, the famous statue stands in New Jersey’s waters.

The statue itself sits on Liberty Island, which legally belongs to New York, even though it’s actually closer to Jersey City than to Manhattan. Under an 1834 agreement between the two states, New York kept ownership of Liberty and Ellis Islands, while New Jersey retained control of the surrounding waters. So while the Statue of Liberty is officially New York property, it’s technically sitting on New Jersey’s side, something that still surprises many Americans today.

2
Canada is not always north

Image: Floris Siegers

Because of the way maps have always looked to us, most Americans grow up thinking you always have to travel north to reach Canada; we even call it "our neighbor to the north." For almost everyone, that’s true… except the people in Detroit, Michigan.

Thanks to the curve of the Detroit River and the city’s unusual location, the Canadian city of Windsor actually sits south of Detroit. That means when drivers cross the bridge from Detroit into Canada, their compass literally points south, even though they’re entering "The Great White North."

3
Daylight Saving Time isn't for everyone

Image: stefan moertl

Most Americans are used to Daylight Saving Time: clocks move forward one hour on the second Sunday in March and back again on the first Sunday in November. But two "rebel" states refuse to follow the rest of the country.

We’re talking about Hawaii and Arizona, which stay on Standard Time year-round. Hawaii skips Daylight Saving Time because its tropical location means daylight hours barely change between summer and winter. Arizona, meanwhile (except for the Navajo Nation), stopped observing it in 1968 because of the state’s extreme desert heat. During a 1967 trial run, they found that an extra hour of evening sunlight actually increased energy use, so Arizona decided it simply wasn’t worth it.

4
Maps distort Alaska

Image: Richard N Horne, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

For generations, the maps hanging in American classrooms have tricked us about the true size of Alaska.

On many US maps, Alaska is squeezed into a small box in the corner, making it seem only slightly bigger than states like Texas or California. But the reality is shocking: Alaska covers about 663,300 square miles, making it so enormous that you could fit Texas, California, and Montana combined inside it. The distortion happens because flat maps shrink and compress distant areas to make them fit neatly on the page. In real life, though, "The Last Frontier" is far more vast than we think.

5
Maine is not located where we thought

Image: Mercedes Mehling

If someone asked, "Which is the easternmost US state?" most Americans would probably answer Maine without even thinking twice. But surprisingly, that’s not actually correct.

While it’s true that Maine is the easternmost state in the contiguous US, when all 50 states are included, the answer surprises many: the easternmost state is actually Alaska. How is that possible? It turns out that Alaska’s Aleutian Islands stretch so far west that they cross the 180th meridian into the Eastern Hemisphere, meaning part of Alaska is technically farther east than Maine.

6
Is California always west of Nevada?

Image: shutterstock

If you were standing in California and needed to travel to Nevada, you’d probably assume you’d have to head east. But geography has a surprise here, too.

Believe it or not, Reno is actually about 86 miles farther west than Los Angeles. But how could a city in Nevada be farther west than a city on the Pacific coast? The answer is in California’s curved coastline. Because the coast bends inward so dramatically, Los Angeles sits farther east than most people realize, while Reno stretches surprisingly far west.

7
Not all deserts are hot

Image: shutterstock

When most Americans picture a desert, they imagine blazing sun and unbearable heat, but not all deserts in the US fit that image.

The huge Great Basin Desert, which stretches across much of Nevada and parts of Utah, California, Oregon, Idaho, and Wyoming, is classified as a cold desert. In fact, during winter, its temperatures can plunge below freezing, with heavy snowfall covering the landscape. The lowest official temperature ever recorded in the area was on January 8, 1937: an incredible -50 °F.

8
Almost all of the US is privately owned

Image: Yina Li

Many of us grew up assuming that most land in the United States is privately owned. And in much of the East, that idea is accurate. But for the West, the reality is different.

In the Western United States, about 47% of the land is owned by the federal government . And when you add state-owned land, the share of public land becomes even larger. Some states are especially striking: in Nevada, about 87% of the land is public, while in Utah, it’s around 75% .

9
The most populous state

Image: Luca Bravo

The incredible New York City is the most populous in the United States, with about 8.48 million residents, and there’s no doubt about that. Maybe that’s why many people naturally assume the state of New York is also the most populated, but it isn’t.

That distinction actually belongs to the state of California, with around 39.35 million residents , compared to roughly 20 million in New York state.

10
Which state is closest to Africa?

Image: Kristin Wilson

As we’ve seen, flat maps can distort how we think about distance and size. Because of that, many Americans assume Florida is the US state closest to Africa. But that’s actually not true.

Because of the Earth’s curvature, the US state closest to Africa is actually Maine. The northeastern tip at Quoddy Head is about 3,154 miles from El Beddouza, Morocco. By comparison, Florida’s eastern edge (around Singer Island) is roughly 4,085 miles from the African coast near Guerguerat, Western Sahara.

Culture Culture 6 min read

From real life to music

Bob Dylan wrote it to save his marriage: the real people behind 10 hits

Image: Featureflash Photo Agency

You’ve sung along to these songs, danced to them, and probably heard them hundreds of times. But do you know the real stories behind them? Some of the biggest hits ever were inspired by real people, real relationships, and real moments. There were secret romances, jealousy, heartbreak, and a few surprises that sound too strange to be true. Here are the real stories behind 10 famous songs.

1
"Jolene" by Dolly Parton

Image: Bart Sherkow

One of Dolly Parton’s most famous songs, 1973’s "Jolene," has resonated across generations because its story of jealousy feels so relatable. And it was inspired by a real experience in Dolly’s life.

As she recounted in interviews, the song was inspired by an attractive female bank teller who paid a little too much attention to her husband, Carl Dean. But while the jealousy was real, the woman wasn’t named Jolene. Dolly got that name from a young fan with beautiful red hair and green eyes who introduced herself to the singer after a concert.

2
"Sweet Caroline" by Neil Diamond

Image: Larry Bessel, Los Angeles Times, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Neil Diamond wrote "Sweet Caroline" in 1969, drawing on his feelings for his wife at the time, Marcia Murphey. But if it was about her, why "Caroline"?

Diamond needed a three-syllable name for the lyrics, and he remembered a photo of First Daughter Caroline Kennedy with her horse that he had seen in LIFE magazine in 1962. Diamond kept the connection to JFK’s eldest secret for nearly 40 years until 2007, when he sang the hit for Caroline at her 50th birthday and finally told her the story. She was "struck by it and really, really happy," Diamond revealed.

3
"You're So Vain" by Carly Simon

Image: Arthur D'Amario III

When a relationship ends, the inspiration can show up in unexpected ways. For Carly Simon, it became one of her biggest hits: "You’re So Vain."

As Simon herself confirmed, most of the lyrics were inspired by actor Warren Beatty, with whom she had a brief but intense relationship in the early 1970s that ended after he cheated on her. But Beatty wasn’t the only "vain" one. Although she didn’t confirm it, there’s speculation that other famous men from her past, including Mick Jagger and Jack Nicholson, also inspired parts of the song.

4
"I Will Always Love You" by Dolly Parton

Image: Moeller Talent, Inc. Nashville (management), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Despite what many assume, "I Will Always Love You" wasn’t written about a romantic breakup. Dolly wrote it as a professional farewell .

After more than seven years working with her mentor and longtime duet partner, Porter Wagoner, on The Porter Wagoner Show , Dolly felt it was time to pursue a solo career. But the decision wasn’t easy, and Wagoner was reluctant to let her go. When ordinary conversations weren’t working between them, Dolly did what she knew best: she put her feelings into a song. She brought her guitar to his office, sat him down, and played it for him. Wagoner was moved to tears, called it the prettiest song he had ever heard, and finally agreed to let her leave the show.

5
"American Pie" by Don McLean

Image: Aija Lehtonen

A song can be a farewell, a declaration of love, or a tribute born of admiration. That was the case when Don McLean wrote the beautiful yet haunting "American Pie" in 1971.

This epic folk-rock song became a memorial to "the day the music died," the tragic plane crash on February 3, 1959, that took the lives of rockers Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. Richardson . McLean was just 13 at the time, but he later said the tragedy had a profound impact on him. The song didn’t come together all at once, either; he wrote it in stages over several years.

6
"Billie Jean" by Michael Jackson

Image: Matthew Rolston; Distributed by Epic Records, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

In his 1988 autobiography Moonwalk , Jackson explained that his classic "Billie Jean" was inspired partly by experiences involving women who approached his older brothers while the Jackson 5 were touring.

However, the event that really shaped the song happened in 1981, when Jackson received thousands of messages from a woman who claimed he was the father of her children. The unsettling situation stayed with him and eventually became part of the inspiration for one of his biggest hits.

7
"My Sharona" by The Knack

Image: McSleepy

Have you ever wondered who "Sharona" was in The Knack’s famous hit? The answer comes from a real story involving the band’s lead singer, Doug Fieger.

In 1978, Fieger met Sharona Alperin, a clothing store clerk in Los Angeles. He was instantly attracted to her, and after breaking up with his then-girlfriend, he spent several months trying to win Sharona over before she finally agreed to a date. Their romance lasted from 1979 to 1982, and inspired one of the most danceable hits of the 20th century. Even after they broke up, Sharona and Doug remained close friends until he passed in 2010.

8
"Sweet Child O' Mine" by Guns N' Roses

Image: L Paul Mann

In 1986, Axl Rose was dating model Erin Everly, daughter of Don Everly of The Everly Brothers. He was so in love that he wrote her a love poem in just a few hours, without knowing it would eventually become one of his most famous songs.

That same year, at the band’s shared house, guitarist Slash was playing around with some chords when he came up with an interesting riff. Izzy Stradlin joined in, and when Rose heard the melody from upstairs, he brought down the poem he had written for Everly and adapted the lyrics to fit the music, resulting in the iconic "Sweet Child o’ Mine." Rose and Everly eventually married in 1990, but the marriage ended soon afterward.

9
"Walk On the Wild Side" by Lou Reed

Image: Man Alive!, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Music crossed paths with other forms of art when Lou Reed wrote his 1972 classic "Walk on the Wild Side".

The song is essentially a series of portraits of real people from Andy Warhol’s circle at The Factory, his famous New York City studio and collective. In the song, "Holly" is a reference to Holly Woodlawn, a transgender actress who appeared in Warhol’s underground films such as Trash (1970). "Candy" was Candy Darling, another prominent actress who starred in Flesh (1968) and Women in Revolt (1971). "Little Joe" referred to Joe Dallesandro, the actor and model who became one of Warhol’s male muses. Other figures from the era’s counterculture are also in the song, bringing a very specific art scene of 1970s New York to a much wider audience.

10
"Sara" by Bob Dylan

Image: Stoned59, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

In 1975, Bob Dylan was in the middle of a creative rush, writing and recording his album Desire . But while his career was going well, his marriage to Sara Lownds was falling apart. So he decided to write a love song for his wife.

"Sara," a heartfelt and personal song, was recorded in 1975 with Sara in the studio, and it became the raw, emotional closing track on the album. It helped spark a brief reconciliation, and Sara even joined Dylan on his subsequent Rolling Thunder Revue tour. However, the marriage ultimately ended in divorce in 1977.

Geography Geography 4 min read

Discovering America

What's the easternmost point of the US? If you say Maine, think again!

Image: Jon Sailer

We’ve all picked up "facts" about the fifty states somewhere along the way, but not all of them hold up. Some are half-truths passed around for generations , others are just plain wrong. So, in an attempt to set the record straight once and for all, we’ve gathered some fun truths that clear up the biggest mix-ups about our states.

1
Arizona skips Daylight Saving Time

Image: Christoph von Gellhorn

This is partly true because most of the state doesn’t bother with Daylight Saving Time . They stopped changing the clocks back in 1967. The exception is the Navajo Nation, which stretches into Utah and New Mexico and keeps DST so all its communities stay on the same schedule. Now, as for the smaller Hopi reservation, inside the Navajo Nation, it sticks with Arizona time… Yes, quite confusing if you’re not a local.

2
Georgia isn’t really the Peach State

Image: Jessica Furtney

Georgia loves its peaches, sure, but the state’s top fruit money-maker is actually blueberries . In recent years, blueberries have brought in several times more cash for farmers than peaches. Meanwhile, California grows far more peaches than Georgia ever has. The nickname stuck from the old days when Georgia peaches were famous for their flavor, not their volume. So while the pride is real, the peaches aren’t quite the powerhouse people may think.

3
Nevada didn’t record the hottest US temperature

Image: tommao wang

You probably think of Nevada’s desert heat as unmatched, but the all-time record belongs to California’s Death Valley . In July 1913, it hit a mind-melting 134 degrees Fahrenheit, the hottest temperature not only in America but the hottest ever recorded on Earth!

4
Minnesota doesn’t have the most lakes

Image: Tom Conway

Minnesota proudly calls itself the "Land of 10,000 Lakes," but that’s selling itself short… The real number is closer to 12,000. However, Alaska wins this battle . The state has more than 3 million lakes over five acres in size. In fact, Alaska contains over 40 percent of the nation’s surface water. If you love fishing, kayaking, or just staring at a quiet stretch of water, the true lake capital of America is far up north.

5
Pineapples aren’t native to Hawaii

Image: Christian Joudrey

Pineapples are everywhere in Hawaiian imagery, but the plant actually comes from South America , mainly Paraguay and southern Brazil. Spanish explorers likely brought them to Hawaii in the 1500s after spreading them across the Pacific to places like the Philippines and Guam. Hawaii’s climate turned out to be perfect for growing them and by the 1900s, the islands were producing so many pineapples that the fruit became a symbol of Hawaii itself.

6
Maine isn’t the country’s easternmost point

Image: Chris Henry

If you’re a Geography geek, you’ll love this one. You might picture Maine’s rocky coast as the eastern tip of America, but the actual easternmost point is thousands of miles away, on Alaska’s Semisopochnoi Island in the Aleutians. How is that possible? Well, that’s because it crosses the 180th meridian, putting it in the Eastern Hemisphere. That means part of Alaska technically sits farther east than anywhere in Maine.

7
The biggest US earthquake didn’t happen in California

Image: Lala Miklós

California has suffered some big earthquakes in its history, but the most powerful earthquake in America struck Alaska in 1964 . It hit Prince William Sound with a magnitude of 9.2. It was so strong it shook the ground for four and a half minutes and triggered massive tsunamis. In today’s dollars, the damage would total more than $2 billion. Alaska sits on a collision zone of tectonic plates, making it one of the world’s most seismically active regions.

8
The Everglades isn’t America’s biggest swamp

Image: Joshua J. Cotten

A lot of people picture the Florida Everglades when they think of swamps, but technically, the Everglades isn’t a swamp at all. The real title of the largest swamp in the United States goes to Louisiana’s Atchafalaya Basin , which spans about 1.4 million acres. This swamp has a vast mix of cypress forests, bayous, and marshes, and it’s more than twice as productive as the Everglades when it comes to wildlife and plant life.

9
Big cities aren’t always capitals

Image: Mackenzie Cruz

It surprises people how often the biggest city isn’t the state capital . New York City? Not the capital… Albany is. Chicago? Nope, that honor goes to Springfield. Pennsylvania’s capital isn’t Philly or Pittsburgh, it’s Harrisburg. Even California’s capital isn’t L.A. or San Francisco, it’s actually Sacramento. Out of fifty states, only seventeen have their most populous city as the capital.

10
Alaska isn’t divided into counties

Image: Rod Long

Alaska likes to do things its own way. Instead of counties, it’s split into boroughs , and a massive area known as the Unorganized Borough has no local government at all. People out there don’t pay property taxes, but that freedom comes with challenges, limited services, fewer job options, and tough living conditions.

Maine isn't where we thought it was, and 9 other truths about states