page_title: Historic regions of the United States
section_title: Former organized territories
hierarchical_section_title: Historic regions of the United States / Former organized territories
caption_attribution_description: English: perry-castenada: Admission of States and Territorial Acquisition U.S. Bureau of the Census (341K) http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/histus.html
context_page_description: This is a list of historic regions of the United States that existed at some time during the territorial evolution of the United States and its overseas possessions, from the colonial era to the present day. It includes formally organized territories, proposed and failed states, unrecognized breakaway states, international and interstate purchases, cessions, and land grants, and historical military departments and administrative districts. The last section lists informal regions from American vernacular geography known by popular nicknames and linked by geographical, cultural, or economic similarities, some of which are still in use today.
context_section_description: The following is a list of the 31 organized U.S. territories that have become states, in the order of the date organized.
  Northwest Territory (1787–1803), became the state of Ohio, and the Territory of Indiana.
  Territory South of the River Ohio (also known as the Southwest Territory) (1790–1796) became the State of Tennessee.
  Territory of Mississippi (1798–1817) became the State of Mississippi and the Territory of Alabama.
  Territory of Indiana (1800–1816) split into the Illinois Territory, the Michigan Territory, and the State of Indiana.
  Territory of Orleans (1804–1812) became the State of Louisiana.
  Territory of Michigan (1805–1837) became State of Michigan and the Territory of Wisconsin.
  Territory of Louisiana (1805–1812) (preceded by the District of Louisiana), then renamed the Territory of Missouri.
  Territory of Illinois (1809–1818) split into the State of Illinois and additions to the Michigan Territory.
  Territory of Missouri (1812–1821) became the State of Missouri and Unorganized Territory (the eastern part of which was attached to the Territory of Michigan in 1834).
  Territory of Alabama (1817–1819) became State of Alabama.
  Territory of Arkansaw (1819–1836) became the State of Arkansas, additions to the unorganized territory of the original Louisiana Purchase, and the unorganized Indian Territory (which eventually spawned Indian Territory, Oklahoma Territory and No Man's Land).
  Territory of Florida (1822–1845) became the State of Florida.
  Territory of Wisconsin (1836–1848) split into the State of Wisconsin, the Iowa Territory and Unorganized Territory.
  Territory of Iowa (1838–1846) split into the State of Iowa and unorganized territory of the original Louisiana Purchase.
  Territory of Oregon (1848–1859) preceded by the unrecognized Oregon Country; split into the State of Oregon and Washington Territory.
  Territory of Minnesota (1849–1858) preceded (mostly) by unorganized territory of the original Louisiana Purchase; split into the State of Minnesota and unorganized territory of the original Louisiana Purchase.
  Territory of New Mexico (1850–1912) preceded by Nuevo Mexico; (the southern part was known as the Arizona Territory (CSA) (1861–1864) by the Confederate States of America); split into the Arizona Territory (USA) and State of New Mexico (USA).
  Territory of Utah (1850–1896) preceded by Alta California and the unrecognized State of Deseret; split into the State of Utah, the Nevada Territory, additions to the Colorado Territory and additions to the Wyoming Territory.
  Territory of Washington (1853–1889) became the State of Washington and additions to the Idaho Territory.
  Territory of Kansas (1854–1861) preceded by unorganized territory of the original Louisiana Purchase; split into the State of Kansas and additions to the Colorado Territory.
  Territory of Nebraska (1854–1867) preceded by unorganized territory of the original Louisiana Purchase; split into the State of Nebraska, the Dakota Territory, additions to the Idaho Territory and additions to the Colorado Territory.
  Territory of Colorado (1861–1876) preceded by parts of the territories of: Kansas, Utah, New Mexico and Nebraska; became the State of Colorado. (See also Jefferson Territory.)
  Territory of Nevada (1861–1864) preceded by the Utah Territory and the unrecognized State of Deseret; became the State of Nevada.
  Territory of Dakota (1861–1889) became the State of North Dakota, the State of South Dakota, additions to the Idaho Territory and additions to the Wyoming Territory.
  Territory of Arizona (1863–1912) became the State of Arizona and an addition to the State of Nevada.
  Territory of Idaho (1863–1890) preceded by parts of the territories of: Washington, Dakota, and Nebraska; became the State of Idaho, the Montana Territory, additions to the Dakota Territory and additions to the Wyoming Territory.
  Territory of Montana (1864–1889) became the State of Montana.
  Territory of Wyoming (1868–1890) preceded by parts of the territories of: Dakota, Utah and Idaho; became the State of Wyoming.
  Territory of Oklahoma (1890–1907) (preceded by the unorganized Indian T
caption: Census Bureau map depicting territorial acquisitions and effective dates of statehood
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