US States Map, List of 50 States, American States in Alphabetical Order Get Custom Mapping Quote +1 408 637 0064 | sales@mapsofworld.com Disclaimer × Disclaimer : All efforts have been made to make this image accurate. However Compare Infobase Limited,its directors and employees do not own any responsibility for the correctness or authenticity of the same. The United States abbreviations map shows each of the 50 states and their borders. Click any state on the map to view more about that state. About 50 States of US The United States of America is country located in North America in the Western Hemisphere. The USA consists of fifty (50) individual states and one federal district, the capital, Washington DC. Forty-eight of the states are contiguous, meaning connected. Alaska is not directly connected to the other forty-eight states, but still located on the same continent, separated by part of Canada from the rest of the lower forty-eight. Alaska is part of the continental United States, but not the contiguous United States. Hawaii, located far out in the Pacific Ocean, is not connected to any of the states, and is not part of the contiguous or continental United States.

Each of the states has its own state-level government, but the states are unified, falling under the federal government that governs all fifty states, and is headed by the President of the United States. List of 50 US States with Abbreviations State State Policies on Sex Education in Schools State Policies on Sex Education in Schools State Policies on Sex Education in Schools 2/16/2016 All states are somehow involved in sex education for public schoolchildren. As of March 1, 2016: 24 states and the District of Columbia require public schools teach sex education (21 of which mandate sex education and HIV education). 33 states and the District of Columbia require students receive instruction about HIV/AIDS. 20 states require that if provided, sex and/or HIV education must be medically, factually or technically accurate. State definitions of “medically accurate" vary, from requiring that the department of health review curriculum for accuracy, to mandating that curriculum be based on information from “published authorities upon which medical professionals rely.” (See table on medically accuracy laws .) Many states define parents’ rights concerning sexual education: 38 states and the District of Columbia require school districts to allow parental involvement in sexual education programs.

Four states require parental consent before a child can receive instruction. 35 states and the District of Columbia allow parents to opt-out on behalf of their children. Why Is Sexual Education Taught in Schools? A 2011 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) survey indicates that more than 47 percent of all high school students say they have had sex, and 15 percent of high school students have had sex with four or more partners during their lifetime. Among students who had sex in the three months prior to the survey, 60 percent reported condom use and 23 percent reported birth control pill use during their last sexual encounter Sexual activity has consequences. Though the teen birth rate has declined to its lowest levels since data collection began, the United States still has the highest teen birth rate in the industrialized world. Roughly one in four girls will become pregnant at least once by their 20th birthday. Teenage mothers are less likely to finish high school and are more likely than their peers to live in poverty, depend on public assistance, and be in poor health.

Their children are more likely to suffer health and cognitive disadvantages, come in contact with the child welfare and correctional systems, live in poverty, drop out of high school and become teen parents themselves. These costs add up, according to The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, which estimates that teen childbearing costs taxpayers at least $9.4 billion annually Adolescents are disproportionately affected by sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Young people ages 15 to 24 represent 25 percent of the sexually active population, but acquire half of all new STIs, which amounts to 9.8 million new cases a year. About 3.2 million adolescent females are infected with at least one of the most common STIs. Human papillomavirus is the most common STI among teens; some estimates find that up to 35 percent of teens ages 14 to 19 have HPV. Girls age 15 to 19 have the highest rates of Gonorrhea and the second highest rate of Chlamydia of any age group. Young males also get STIs, but their infections often are undiagnosed and unreported because they are less likely to have symptoms or seek medical care.

The most recent data available, in 2000, indicates the estimated direct medical costs for treating young people with sexually transmitted infections was $6.5 billion annually, excluding costs associated with HIV/AIDS. In 2011, approximately 24 percent of new HIV diagnoses were young people age 13 to 24. The box allows you to conduct a full text search or use the dropdown menu option to select a state. Select a State BILL | SUMMARY | STATUS Alaska HB 156 Requires local school boards to adopt policies to promote the involvement of parents in the school district’s education program, in consultation with parents, teachers and school administrators. Among other requirements, the policies must allow parents to object to and withdraw a child from an activity, class or program. The policies must also include a procedure for notifying parents at least two weeks before any activity, class or program with content involving human reproduction or sexual matters is provided to a child. Sex education, human reproduction education and human sexuality education curriculum and materials must be approved by the school board and available for parents to review. In addition, sets requirements for those who teach sex education, human reproduction education or human sexuality education. Enacted.

Arizona SB 1020 Amends existing law to allow school districts to provide sex education instruction unless a parent provides written permission for a student to opt out of instruction. Requires that school districts provide sex education that is medically accurate and age and developmentally appropriate in grades kindergarten through 12. Creates additional requirements for sex education, including the importance of using effective contraceptives to prevent unintended pregnancy, HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. Education requirements also include information to support students in developing healthy relationships and skills such as communication, critical thinking, problem solving and decision making. Requires the Department of Education, among other things, to develop list of appropriate curricula and create rules for instructor qualifications. Failed- Adjourned. HB 2410 Amends existing law to allow school districts to provide sex education instruction unless a parent provides written permission for a student to opt out of instruction. Requires that school districts provide sex education that is medically accurate and age and developmentally appropriate in grades kindergarten through 12. Creates additional requirements for sex education, including teaching the benefits of delaying sexual activity and stressing importance of using effective contraceptives to prevent unintended pregnancy, HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases.

Education requirements also include information to support students in developing healthy relationships and skills such as communication, critical thinking, problem solving and decision making. Requires the Department of Education, among other things, to develop list of appropriate curricula and create rules for instructor qualifications. Failed- Adjourned. California AB 517 Amends the State Comprehensive Sexual Health and HIV/AIDS Prevention Education Act that authorizes school districts to provide sexual health education that include HIV/AIDS prevention education. Requires district that elect to provide education taught by outside consultants, or elect hold to an assembly to deliver such education by guest speakers, to request written permission from a pupil's parent or guardian. Prohibits a student's attendance without such permission. Authorizes related alternative education. Failed. Colorado SB 146 Updates existing law related to sexually transmitted infections (STIs) to apply provisions that previously only applied to HIV to all STIs. A new definition is established to include HIV and relevant types of hepatitis in the STI definition. The bill includes that accurate, age-appropriate and culturally responsive STI prevention curricula shall be provided to schools. Enacted.

Florida HB 859 / SB 1056 Requires each public school that offers programs regarding human sexuality, including family planning, pregnancy, or sexually transmitted infections prevention, including the prevention of HIV and AIDS, to provide comprehensive, medically accurate, and factual information that is developmentally and age appropriate. Provides that a student may be excused from the portion of a program or class upon written request by the student's parent or guardian. Failed. Georgia HB 406 Requires age-appropriate sexual abuse and assault awareness and prevention education in kindergarten through grade 12. Also provides that professional learning and in-service training may include programs on sexual abuse and assault awareness and prevention. Failed- Adjourned. Hawaii HB 459 / SB 395 Amends existing sexuality health education law to specify additional requirements for information that helps students form healthy relationships and communication skills, as well as critical thinking, decision making and stress management skills, and encourages students to communicate with adults. Requires all public schools to implement sex education consistent with these requirements beginning in 2016-2017. Allows written permission by parental or legal guardian to opt out of sexuality education.

Allows the Department of Education to make modifications to ensure age-appropriate curricula in elementary school. Requires the Department to maintain a public list of curricula that meets requirements of law and to create standards for instructor qualifications. House Version: Failed-Adjourned; Senate Version: Failed. HB 595 Amends existing sexuality health education law to specify additional requirements for information that helps students form healthy relationships and communication skills, as well as critical thinking, decision making and stress management skills, and encourages students to communicate with adults. Allows written permission by parental or legal guardian to opt out of sexuality education. Allows the Department of Education to make modifications to ensure age-appropriate curricula in elementary school. Requires the Board of Education to collaborate with the Department to maintain a public list of curricula that meets requirements of law. Requires the Department to create standards for instructor qualifications. Failed. Kansas HB 2199 Requires parental consent for sexuality education and provides that sexuality education materials will be available for parental review. Also requires the boards of education of each school district to adopt policies and procedures related to sexuality education, including prohibiting the distribution of materials to any student whose parent has not consented. Failed- Adjourned.

Massachusetts HB 3754 Requires each school district or public school that offers sexual health education to provide medically accurate, age-appropriate education that teaches the benefits of abstinence and delaying sexual activity in conjunction with contraceptives and barrier methods to prevent unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS. Provides that sexual health education should help students develop the relationship and communication skills to form healthy relationships free of violence, coercion, and intimidation. Requires the school to adopt a written policy ensuring parental or legal guardian notification of the comprehensive sexual health education and the right of the parent or legal guardian to withdraw his or her child from all or part of the instruction shall be adopted. Pending- Carryover. SB 2062 Requires every city, town, regional school district, vocational school district or charter school with a curriculum on human sexuality to adopt a written policy ensuring parental or legal guardian notification of the comprehensive sexual health education provided by the school, the right of the parent to withdraw a student from instruction and the notification process to the school for withdrawal.

Provides that sexual education shall be medically accurate, age-appropriate education that teaches the benefits of abstinence and delaying sexual activity in conjunction with contraceptives and barrier methods to prevent unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS. Also stipulates that education should help students develop the relationship and communication skills to form healthy relationships free of violence, coercion, and intimidation. Provides that the department of elementary and secondary education shall establish age-appropriate guidelines for child exploitation awareness education. Pending- Carryover. Michigan HB 1403 / SB 512 Requires that material and instruction in sex education shall teach pupils that in order for consent to be given by both parties to sexual activity it must be affirmative consent and includes the definition of “affirmative consent.” House Version: Pending; Senate Version: Pending. HB 4859 / SB 467 Provides for age-appropriate, medically accurate, and objective sexuality education in public schools. Provides that factual information includes medical, psychiatric, psychological, empirical, and statistical statements. House Version: Pending; Senate Version: Pending. Mississippi HB 756 Requires sex-related education to consist of medically accurate comprehensive instruction or program.

Requires certain teaching components including the appropriate approaches to accessing health care services related to the human reproductive system, and health complications resulting from consensual or nonconsensual sexual activity and available resources for victims of rape, sexual assault or other instances of nonconsensual sexual activity. Failed. SB 2413 Revises the curriculum on sex-related education and requires the local school board of each school district to implement a program on personal responsibility education into the middle and high school curriculum. Requires that curriculum selected must have been deemed evidence based and medically accurate by the Mississippi State Department of Health. Stipulates that the curriculum must include information that abstinence from sexual activity is the only way to prevent unintended pregnancy. Requires that the school shall provide a written consent form to the parent/guardian of every student eligible to participate in the program and asks the parent/guardian if they choose for their child to participate. Failed. HB 932 Revises the requirement and standards of curriculum to be used in public school districts for the teaching of sex education and removes the requirement that such program be abstinence only. Provides that the required policy to be adopted to implement sex education shall be comprehensive in nature and provide medically accurate, complete, age and developmentally appropriate information. Failed.

HB 992 Revises the curriculum on sex-related education and requires the local school board of each school district to implement a program on personal responsibility education into the middle and high school curriculum. Requires that curriculum selected must have been deemed evidence based and medically accurate by the Mississippi State Department of Health. Stipulates that the curriculum must include information that abstinence from sexual activity is the only way to prevent unintended pregnancy. Requires that the school shall provide a written consent form to the parent/guardian of every student eligible to participate in the program and requires a signature from the parent or legal guardian. Failed. SB 2594 Requires Mississippi school districts to adopt a sex education curriculum that includes medically accurate, complete, age and developmentally appropriate information and to provide information about the prevention of unintended pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections (including HIV), dating violence, sexual assault, bullying and harassment. Stipulates that the curriculum shall promote and uphold the rights of young people to information in order to make healthy and responsible decisions about their sexual health. Failed. Missouri HB 1905 Amends laws related to sex education in schools.

In addition to existing criteria of medically and factually accurate, requires that curricula must also be age appropriate and based on peer review. Adds stipulations to cover certain topics, including helping students develop critical thinking, decision making, and stress management skills in order to support healthy relationships. Specifies that curricula promote communication with parents. Failed- Adjourned. SB 713 Creates the Teen Dating Violence Prevention Education Act to provide students with the knowledge, skills, and information to prevent and respond to teen dating violence. Authorizes school districts and charter schools to provide teen dating violence education as part of the sexual health and health education program in grades seven through 12 and to establish a related curriculum or materials. Also allows age appropriate instruction on domestic violence. Failed- Adjourned. Nebraska LR 334 Designates an interim study be conducted to look at the link between academic achievement and risky health behaviors and to identify specific strategies in schools proven to simultaneously address and improve both academic achievement and health outcomes. Specifically looks at comprehensive sex education and how it can promote healthy attitudes on adolescent growth and positively affect adolescent behavior. Failed – Adjourned.

New York AB 1037 Amends existing education law to add prevention of sexual abuse and assault to health education in all public schools. Requires instruction to be based on current practice and standards and to include recognizing, avoiding, refusing and reporting sexual abuse and assault. Establishes teacher training and standards for type of teacher who can instruct in elementary and secondary school. Pending. AB 1616 / SB 700 Establishes an age-appropriate sex education grant program through the Department of Health. Requires that applicants teach information that is medically accurate and age appropriate and does not teach religion. Makes provisions for other components, which are not required but may not be contradicted by applicants, including instruction that: teaches and stresses abstinence as well as provides information about contraceptives, teaches skills that support development of healthy life skills and decision making skills, and encourages communication with parents, among other things. Authorizes the commissioner to determine certain topics of instruction to be optional for age-appropriate reasons. Assembly Version: Pending; Senate Version: Pending. SB 1889 Establishes an age-appropriate sex education grant program through the Department of Health. Requires that applicants teach information that is medically accurate and age appropriate and does not teach religion.

Makes provisions for other components, which are not required but may not be contradicted by applicants, including instruction that: teaches and stresses abstinence as well as provides information about contraceptives, teaches skills that support development of healthy life skills and decision making skills, and encourages communication with parents, among other things. Authorizes the commissioner to determine certain topics of instruction to be optional for age-appropriate reasons. Includes the legislative intent of the bill. Pending. SB 905 Mandates comprehensive, medically accurate and age-appropriate sex education be taught in grades one through 12 in all public schools. Provides that the Commissioner of Education will create and establish a curriculum to accomplish such goal within one year of the effective date of this legislation. Allows boards of education to adopt their own curricula with approval of Commissioner of Education. Pending. AB 9261 Mandates comprehensive, medically accurate and age appropriate sex education be taught in all public schools, grades one through twelve; provides that the commissioner of education will create and establish a curriculum to accomplish such goal within a specified timeframe. Pending. North Carolina HB 29 Repeals existing health education statute. Requires the same comprehensive health education and reproductive health education as existing law. Makes organizational to language of law.

Failed- Adjourned. HB 596 Amends the expertise required for review and acceptance of materials used in reproductive health and safety education and prohibits teaching about certain drugs as part of reproductive health and safety education. Failed- Adjourned. Ohio SB 101 / HB 132 Requires the board of education to include sexually transmitted infection prevention education, including HIV/AIDS prevention education, within the prescribed curriculum for all schools. Prescribes that instruction shall stress abstinence but shall not exclude other instruction and materials on contraceptive methods and infection reduction measures, and that instruction shall be medically accurate and age-appropriate. Requires each school district to notify the parent or guardian of each pupil about instruction in comprehensive sexual health education and HIV/AIDS prevention education. Allows for the excusal from any such class if the school has received a written request from the pupil's parent or guardian. Senate Version: Pending- Carryover; House Version: Pending- Carryover. Oklahoma HB 1507 Provides that school districts may provide programs to students in grades 7 through 12 addressing sexual violence, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking awareness and prevention. The programs may address the issue of consent to sexual activity and educate students about the affirmative consent standard.

Programs may be offered as a separate program or as a part of a sex education class or program. The program outline shall be made available to the public online through the school district website. No student shall be required to participate in the program if a parent or guardian objects in writing. Failed- Adjourned. HB 2721 Requires sex education curriculum to be medically accurate, factual information that is age-appropriate and designed to reduce risk factors and behavior associated with unintended pregnancy. Failed- Adjourned. Pennsylvania SB 1338 Requires public school districts to provide sexual health education. Instruction and materials must be age appropriate and all information presented must be medically accurate. Also stipulates certain content that the sexual health education must include, such as information on sexting and affirmative consent. Failed- Adjourned. South Carolina HB 3447 / SB 574 Amends existing law related to comprehensive health education in schools to include that instruction must be medically accurate. Also requires school districts to publish on its website the title and author of health education materials used. House Version: Failed- Adjourned; Senate Version: Failed- Adjourned.

Utah HB 246 Requires the state board of education to establish curriculum with instruction in comprehensive human sexuality education which includes evidence-based information about topics such as human reproduction, all methods to prevent unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases and infections (including HIV and AIDS) and sexual or physical violence. Stipulates that this curriculum shall include instruction to help students develop skills to make healthy decisions and not making unwanted verbal, physical, and sexual advances. Also provides that the curriculum shall include the information on sexual abstinence as well as increasing the use of condoms and other contraceptives. Requires that the state instructional materials commission shall consult with parents, teachers, school nurses, and community members in evaluating instructional materials for comprehensive human sexuality curriculum that comply with this section. Failed. Washington SB 5506 Adds information on sexual assault and violence prevention and understanding consent to existing health education requirement. Failed- Adjourned. Wash. Rev. Code § 28A.230.070 Wash. Rev. Code § 28A.300.475 Schools shall adopt an AIDS prevention education program using model curriculum or district-designed curriculum approved for medical accuracy by the office on AIDS within the department of social and health services.

The curriculum shall be updated as necessary to incorporate newly discovered medical facts. By September 1, 2008, every public school that offers sexual health education must assure that sexual health education is medically and scientifically accurate, age-appropriate, appropriate for students regardless of gender, race, disability status, or sexual orientation, and includes information about abstinence and other methods of preventing unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. All sexual health information, instruction, and materials must be medically and scientifically accurate. Abstinence may not be taught to the exclusion of other materials and instruction on contraceptives and disease prevention. Wisconsin Wis. Stat. § 118.019 A school board may provide an instructional program in human growth and development in grades kindergarten through 12. Program shall be medically accurate and age-appropriate. Abstinence will be presented as the sure way to prevent pregnancy and STIs. Instruction must identify the skills necessary to remain abstinent. *Medical accuracy is not specifically outlined in state statue, rather it is required by the New Jersey Department of Education, Comprehensive Health and Physical Education Core Curriculum Content Standards . ** Medical accuracy requirement is pursuant to rule R277-474 of the Utah Administrative Code.

Source: NCSL, 2015; Guttmacher Institute, 2015; Powered by StateNet Additional Resources Georgia's Historic Capitals | New Georgia Encyclopedia Georgia's Historic Capitals Edwin L. Jackson , University of Georgia, 07/28/2005 Last edited by NGE Staff on 08/02/2016 Explore This Article Georgia State Capitol gold-covered capitol dome in the Atlanta skyline signifies that the city is home to Georgia's state government. That would seem to make sense, as Atlanta is the largest and best-known city in the state, but interestingly, the size of a city has nothing to do with its designation as a state capital. Of Georgia's five contiguous states, only in South Carolina does the largest city serve as capital. In fact, in only seventeen states is the state capital also the largest city. Georgia has had five different state capitals. Almost every state has moved its state capital at least once. Only Massachusetts, Nevada, North Dakota, Vermont, Washington, and Wyoming have had a single capital city since their creations as colonies, territories, or states.

Georgia's Colonial Capital In February 1733 James Oglethorpe and the first Georgia colonists landed at Yamacraw Bluff, where they laid out the new settlement of Savannah . Three months later, Oglethorpe and the Yamacraw chief Tomochichi signed a treaty, which ceded Creek lands from the Savannah to the Altamaha rivers, inland from the coast as far as the tide flowed, to the Trustees. Savannah was not technically the colony's "capital" or "seat of government" during this period. Official governmental power resided with the Trustees in England, whose decisions were subject to the king's assent and approval by the Board of Trade. By virtue of their 1732 charter, the Trustees were given control of the new colony for twenty-one years, after which Georgia would become the responsibility of the British crown. Instead of designating a governor to administer the colony, the Trustees instead retained much of the control themselves. Concern over the Spanish forces at St. Augustine in Florida led Oglethorpe to return to England and plead for a British military presence south of Savannah.

In 1736 Oglethorpe returned to Georgia with the regiment and additional colonists, with whom he established a new settlement on St. Simons Island . Here, they laid out the town of Frederica (named in honor of Frederick, King George II's eldest son) and built Fort Frederica on the island banks of the inland waterway. Oglethorpe spent the rest of his time in Georgia at Frederica (or to the south, in military campaigns against the Spanish), leading some historians to credit Frederica as Georgia's de facto capital from 1736 to 1743, when Oglethorpe returned to England. However, in 1737 the Trustees had designated William Stephens , who lived in Savannah, as secretary of the colony of Georgia, meaning that for the following six years, Savannah could also make a claim to the seat of government for the colony. In 1743 the confusion ended when Oglethorpe returned to England and the Trustees designated Stephens "president" of the colony of Georgia. From this point, Savannah clearly served as the center of the colony's government (such as was authorized or allowed).

With Georgia's transition from a trustee to a royal colony in 1754, the Board of Trade declared Savannah the "seat of government," and thus the royal governor, new legislative assembly , and courts established headquarters there. Georgia's first royal governor, John Reynolds, made a tour of Georgia in 1755. He was impressed with a bluff located about fourteen miles from the mouth of the Ogeechee River. Reynolds named the site Hardwick and began a campaign to designate it the capital of the colony. Such action would require approval by the Board of Trade back in England. In his appeal to the board, Reynolds wrote, "Hardwicke has a charming situation, the winding of the river making it a peninsula; and it is the only fit place for the capital. There are many objections to this town of Savannah being so, besides its being situated at the extremity of the province, the shoalness of the river, and the great height of the land, which is very inconvenient in the loading and unloading of ships." Twenty-seven lots were laid out at Hardwick, and 21,000 acres of nearby land were granted.

Plans for a large fort were also drafted, and a few people actually settled there. However, the Board of Trade failed to fund the undertaking, and Georgia's proposed capital never became more than a small trading town. Two decades later, as the Revolutionary War (1775-83) approached, Savannah became the center of the movement for independence from Great Britain; during 1775 both the newly convened provincial Congress and the royal Commons House of Assembly met in Savannah. By the end of 1775, however, the royal government no longer controlled the colony. Savannah: Georgia's First State Capital At the time of statehood in 1776, Georgia's revolutionary government operated from Savannah, though no document or election formally designated Savannah as the capital city. As the largest city of the new state, and by virtue of the tradition of the past three decades, Savannah remained the seat of government. Georgia's first state constitution —that of 1777—directed that the state legislature meet in Savannah, although it also allowed the assembly to meet at other places as it should decide. Just after Christmas in 1778, Savannah fell to British forces.

Georgia's government fled the city and attempted to reorganize in Augusta , located 127 miles to the north. After the capture of Savannah, British and Tory sympathizers attempted to reinstitute royal government in the city. In January 1779 an attempt was made to convene the revolutionary legislature in Augusta, but representatives from only three counties were present, and thus no quorum could be assembled. A temporary governing executive council was named, but it had to flee later that month as the British arrived in Augusta. The council later returned when the British abandoned the city in February. Other attempts to organize a government in Augusta were made that year, but the revolutionary forces were split into two factions. Finally, in January 1780, a new assembly was convened in Augusta and a resolution was passed designating Heard's Fort—a site to the northeast in Wilkes County —as the meeting place for the legislature in case of attack. Soon the British recaptured Augusta, and Georgia's government convened at Heard's Fort in May 1780. This fortification , named after Stephen Heard , president of the executive council, was located eight miles from the present-day city of Washington.

Heard's Fort disappeared after the American Revolution, and no trace remains of the village that served as a temporary seat of Georgia government during the war. Little Savannah Meeting Place is known about the location of Georgia's state government over the next year. Likely, it kept on the move in Wilkes County and may even have moved into South Carolina. By April 1781, a new offensive was under way by Continental forces against the British, and Augusta was soon recaptured. An effort was again made to reassemble a state government for Georgia in Augusta, and in August a newly elected legislature was convened. This body elected a new governor and other state officials and proceeded to enact a variety of laws. Augusta served as the capital from August 17, 1781, until May 4, 1782. By this time, the tide of war had changed in favor of the American forces, and by July 1782, the British had evacuated Savannah. As Georgia state officials prepared to return to Savannah, one other city served temporarily as the unofficial seat of government until the British evacuated.

New Ebenezer , a small Salzburger settlement on the Savannah River twenty-five miles upstream from Savannah, served as the meeting site for Georgia's House of Assembly on July 3 and 4, 1782. On July 4, the legislature also convened here but adjourned to meet in Savannah. New Ebenezer, once the center of Georgia's hoped-for silk industry, would later fade from existence, as did Frederica and Heard's Fort. Savannah and Augusta as Rotating Capitals Following the recapture of Savannah from the British, the state legislative assembly convened in the coastal city on July 13, 1782. However, a rift between coastal and upland Georgia, which had been growing before the Revolutionary War, surfaced. The increasing importance of Augusta led the executive council to spend part of the year in that city, and the capital subsequently rotated between Savannah and Augusta until 1785. In January 1783 the General Assembly met in Savannah, but in February the council resolved to move the capital to Augusta so that it would be nearer the growing backcountry. On May 15 lawmakers attempted to convene in Augusta, but no quorum was present until July 8.

Once the session began, however, it remained under way for about a month. On January 6, 1784, the General Assembly returned to Savannah, adjourning that session in February with a motion to meet in Augusta the following July. On July 5, 1784, lawmakers attempted to convene in Augusta, but for a week no quorum could be assembled, and the members present asked the governor to call the assembly, and name a time and place, when a meeting of the legislature should become necessary. Such a meeting was called for on October 6, 1784, in Savannah. Again a quorum could not be assembled, and the session adjourned on October 14. On January 4, 1785, another session was convened in Savannah, marking the last episode of that city's history as the capital of Georgia. Where precisely the assembly met in Savannah is uncertain, as there was no statehouse building. The legislature likely followed the earlier example of various revolutionary assemblies, which met in taverns (including that of Peter Tondee ), private homes, and perhaps other meeting halls.

Augusta: Georgia's Second Capital As large inland areas neighboring the coastal area of the state had been obtained from Native American groups and opened to white settlers, the center of population began shifting from Savannah and the coast. The frontier settlers discovered the convenience of the capital's location in Augusta, for in those days, many matters handled by courts today, such as divorces and name changes, had to be enacted by the legislature. Additionally, the legislature approved land grants, bridges and ferries, pardons, excusals from paying taxes, authorizations to practice law , and a number of other things, which made living near the meeting site of the legislature important. Thus, by 1784 there was growing concern among the new settlers that the capital would revert to Savannah. The agitation for a new capital became so great that when the General Assembly adjourned its last meeting in Savannah on February 22, 1785, it resolved that "all future meetings of the Legislature shall be and continue at that place (Augusta) until otherwise ordered by the General Assembly." Augusta thus became the official capital, and the first session of the legislature convened there on January 3, 1786.

However, for many, Augusta was situated too far east, and on January 26, 1786, the legislature appointed a commission to find a "proper and convenient place" for a new capital—one that would be centrally located and accessible to all (white) residents of the occupied sections of Georgia. For the 1786 session, lawmakers rented the Augusta house of Abraham Jones, which was located on the southwestern corner of Broad Street and Lincoln Street (later Third Street). Needing a larger facility, the General Assembly negotiated with the trustees of Richmond Academy for the rental of its building on the eastern corner of Lincoln Street and Elbert Street (later Fourth Street). Louisville: Georgia's Third Capital The commission appointed by the legislature in 1786 to find a new site for the capital was not entirely unbridled in its task, for the legislature's mandate also stipulated that the commission select a location within twenty miles of an Indian trading post known as Galphin's Old Town, or Galphinton, on the Ogeechee River in what is now Jefferson County . George Galphin had established a trading post at the site two decades earlier.

The commission was authorized to purchase 1,000 acres for the new capital, which would be patterned after Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the first capital of the United States. The legislature also directed that the new capital site be called Louisville in honor of Louis XVI of France, in appreciation for French assistance during the Revolutionary War. The actual site selected for the capital was at the intersection of three roads—one leading to Savannah, one to Augusta, and one to now-forgotten Georgetown—where a market, built in 1758, still stands today. Approved plans for the new capital city called for five streets on each of the four sides of the market, with a statehouse and governor's mansion located an equal distance on either side. Despite the designation of the new capital city, Augusta continued to serve as the state capital for ten more years, until 1796. The building of the capital at Louisville was delayed by a lack of funds, the death of the contractor, and the rush to obtain and disburse Creek and Cherokee lands. Finally Yazoo Act Burning in 1795, a special constitutional convention was held, in part to correct for land speculation during the infamous Yazoo Land Fraud .

The convention members adopted a new amendment to the Constitution of 1789 that officially designated Louisville as the "permanent seat of government" and directed that the governor and other state officials be in the new capitol at Louisville before the next meeting of the legislature. By March 1796 a new capitol building designed in the red-brick Georgian architectural style was completed, and Georgia's state government soon occupied it. There are no known paintings or sketches of the building, except for several artists' renderings of the burning of the Yazoo Act on the grounds of the Louisville capitol. In a new state constitution adopted in 1798, Louisville was designated the "seat of government," but the term "permanent," which had been included in the previous document, was omitted. The General Assembly could now change the site of the capital by a legislative act. The press for new Indian lands continued unabated, and Louisville would serve as the Georgia state capital for only ten years. Reportedly, the desire to move the capital also arose out of a concern about malaria in the Louisville area. In 1802 Creek lands west of Louisville were ceded to Georgia.

No sooner had this territory been divided into counties than a drive to move the seat of government was again initiated. Only seven years after Louisville became the capital, the May 11, 1803, joint session of the General Assembly appointed a commission to select a site suitable for a permanent capital at the head of navigation of the Oconee River. On December 12, 1804, lawmakers passed an act to build a new capital, which would be named Milledgeville in honor of the current governor, John Milledge . It is not known precisely when state officials left Louisville for the new capital, although it is known that the legislature at Louisville passed an act appointing the commissioners of the town of Milledgeville in December 1806. In 1807 the legislature turned the Louisville statehouse into a public arsenal. It later served as an Irish lodge and as a county court building. Eventually the building was condemned as unsafe and torn down. The Jefferson County Courthouse now stands on the site, where a plaque marks the location of Georgia's first capitol building.

Milledgeville: Georgia's Fourth Capital Some 3,240 acres were appropriated for the new capital in Milledgeville; lots were sold in the city, and the proceeds were used to construct the new statehouse. Construction of the capitol took two years, and by the fall of 1807 the building was ready for occupation, although the finishing touches would not be completed until 1811. (Over the next thirty years, two wings were added.) Government Square occupied almost twenty acres in the city. In October 1807 fifteen wagons carrying the treasury and public records of the state left Louisville for Milledgeville. The new Gothic revival brick building, located about three-quarters of a mile from the Oconee River, was a parallelogram, with walls four feet thick. Although it was a magnificent statehouse for its time, State Capitol at Milledgeville the structure did not have the dome commonly associated with capitol buildings and resembled instead a castle or fortress. For sixty years Milledgeville served as Georgia's capital city. The pressure to acquire more Indian lands continued, however, particularly after the forced removal of the Cherokees from the state in 1838.

Lawmakers anticipated that, once again, a desire to move the capital would soon be heard, and this time the arrival of the railroad era would play a role in the debate. The new candidate for the capital city was a small settlement located ninety miles northwest of Milledgeville, near the Chattahoochee River in DeKalb County . The site was part of a large area ceded to Georgia by the Creeks in 1821. In December 1836, the Georgia legislature chartered the Western and Atlantic Railroad to connect the Chattahoochee and Tennessee rivers. By 1838 construction on the railroad had begun, and soon the collection of stores and shacks supplying the railroad builders from the southern end of the line was known as Terminus. In mid-1842 Samuel Mitchell, who had donated land to the Western and Atlantic, and Charles Garnett, a chief engineer, changed the name of Terminus to Marthasville in honor of former governor Wilson Lumpkin 's youngest daughter, Martha. In December 1843 the legislature incorporated Marthasville.

Some residents and workers objected to a frontier railroad town bearing such a feminine name, however, so the name Atlanta (based on the Western and Atlantic Railroad) was proposed. Despite Lumpkin's disapproval of what he considered a slight to his daughter, the General Assembly formally approved the name change in December 1847. Atlanta was soon to vie for consideration as the state capital, in part due to its rapid growth and its status as the rail center of Georgia. By 1845 the Georgia Railroad linked Atlanta to Augusta, and the following year the Macon and Western (later the Central of Georgia ) connected Atlanta to Macon. Soon Charleston, South Carolina; Memphis, Tennessee; and other cities would link with Atlanta, prompting that city to initiate a campaign for becoming Georgia's next capital. The first legislative proposal to make Atlanta the capital came in December 1847, but the General Assembly defeated the measure by a 68-55 vote. Seven years later, Atlanta proponents succeeded in getting lawmakers to place the proposal before the electorate.

In the 1854 general election, the statewide tally was 49,781 for staying in Milledgeville; 29,337 for moving to Atlanta; and 3,802 for moving to Macon . Milledgeville remained Georgia's official state capital throughout the Civil War (1861-65), though the statehouse was evacuated in November 1864 as Union general William T. Sherman approached the city. Many official state records were loaded on trains, which pulled out just before Sherman's troops reached the city. Sherman spared the capitol from burning, but the building was ransacked by Union troops. With Union forces in control of Milledgeville, the state government fled to various other locations. The General Assembly held a special session from February 15 through March 11, 1865, at Macon's old city hall. In November the governor, Joseph E. Brown , fled Macon to escape Sherman's troops on their March to the Sea . He took refuge at his plantation in Cordele but was back in Milledgeville by December.

In May 1865, following the surrender of the Confederate army to the Union, Governor Brown called the legislature to convene later that month in Milledgeville at the statehouse, but he was arrested by Union troops, and the legislature did not meet. Subsequently, Union troops took charge of state government in Georgia. A new constitution was adopted, elections were held, and in December 1865, the legislature met at the Milledgeville capitol. In 1867 the U.S. Congress assumed control of Reconstruction efforts (1867-76) in the South, with Georgia and other southern states again placed under military authority. Major General John Pope was placed in command of Georgia on April 1, 1867, and shortly afterward took up his duties in Atlanta. A new constitutional convention was called for the state, and General Pope ordered the convention to assemble in Atlanta, reportedly because Milledgeville innkeepers had proclaimed that black delegates would not be welcome in their inns. The convention met in Atlanta from December 1867 to March 1868.

During this session, Atlanta city officials again made a bid for the city's designation as the state capital—especially in light of Atlanta's recent population growth and better rail accessibility. In February 1868, the Atlanta City Council held a special meeting to frame a formal proposal to the constitutional convention. Essentially, the council's offer was that Atlanta, if designated as Georgia's capital, would provide suitable buildings for the legislature, the governor, other state officials, and the supreme court at no charge for ten years. Additionally, city officials offered the twenty-five-acre fairground or the choice of any unoccupied ten acres in the city for a state capitol. The constitutional convention accepted the offer and included in the Constitution of 1868 a formal provision: "The seat of government of this State, from and after the date of the ratification of this constitution, shall be in the city of Atlanta, and the general assembly shall provide for the erection of a new capitol, and such other buildings as the public welfare may require." By a vote of 89,007 to 71,309 the new constitution was ratified in April 1868.

Georgia now had a new capital—its fifth in less than a century. Subsequently, the Milledgeville capitol building served as Baldwin County 's courthouse for several years. In 1879 it was converted into the Middle Georgia Military and Agricultural College (later Georgia Military College ). Though severely damaged by fire in 1941, the building was rebuilt and continues to be used by the school today. In 2000 the Old Capitol was restored. And in 2001, it once again served as the state capitol—although only for a day. To recognize the 250th anniversary of representative government in Georgia, Governor Roy Barnes addressed a joint session of the General Assembly in the Old Capitol. Atlanta: Georgia's Fifth Capital On June 30, 1868, a train of sixteen railcars left Atlanta for Milledgeville with an order from the provisional governor to bring back the statehouse furniture and furnishings. Included in this inventory were five full-length paintings—of Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, the Marquis de Lafayette , James Oglethorpe, and George Washington—painted by C. R. Parker in 1826.

The portraits of Oglethorpe and Lafayette had hung in the house chamber, while those of Washington and Jefferson had adorned the senate chamber. Today, these paintings hang in the capitol rotunda and represent some of the few surviving artifacts from the Milledgeville capitol. On July 4 Old Atlanta City Hall the first meeting of the legislature in Atlanta took place in the Atlanta City Hall and Fulton County Courthouse. This structure, built on the same site as today's capitol, served as the statehouse from July 1868 to January 1869, although it was immediately apparent that the building was not large enough. In August 1868 Atlanta's city council met with a house committee on the matter, and the city offered either to construct an addition to city hall or to complete an unfinished opera house in Atlanta to be used by the legislators. The legislature chose the latter. In 1867 the Atlanta Opera House and Building Association had acquired the southwest corner of Marietta Street and Forsyth Street and begun construction of a five-story opera house. By 1868 the outside walls had been erected, but the association's funds were depleted, and construction was halted.

At a receiver's sale on June 2, 1868, the unfinished structure and the land on which it stood were purchased by Edwin N. Kimball for $31,750. Within two months Kimball and his brother, H. I. Kimball, were promoting the idea of completing the building and outfitting it for use by the legislature, with the Kimballs promising to have it ready by January 1, 1869. Kimball Opera House Their proposal also stipulated that Atlanta would rent a portion of the building for five years at $6,000 per year and turn over the rented portion to the state. At the end of the five years, the legislature would either purchase the building or authorize the erection of a new statehouse at another location. By January 1869 the new building—which would serve as the state capitol for the next two decades—was ready for occupation by the state legislature. In August 1870 the General Assembly approved the state's purchase of the Kimball Opera House. Georgia's Current Capital In the 1870s, after Reconstruction had ended, the location of Georgia's capital city again became a matter of debate.

A constitutional convention met in Atlanta in 1877, and the question of Georgia's capital was put before the body. The convention decided that the location of the capital should be kept out of the new constitution, but it passed an ordinance declaring that, at the next general election, voters of the state would decide between Atlanta and Milledgeville. Soon a spirited competition developed between the two cities over which should be the site of the state capital. More than a million circulars concerning the Milledgeville-Atlanta battle were sent out in 1877, with nearly every Georgia newspaper taking a position on the issue. Speeches were made across the state, with Milledgeville supporters associating Atlanta with the abuses of Reconstruction and arguing that the temptations of the big city were too great for members of the legislature. Additionally, Milledgeville supporters pointed to the Old Capitol Building awaiting the return of the state government, whereas new facilities would have to be constructed if the capital remained in Atlanta. On the other side, Atlanta supporters pointed to the growing importance of Atlanta within the state, emphasizing the city's superior rail facilities.

On December 5, 1877, voters across Georgia reaffirmed Atlanta as the capital city of Georgia by a vote of 99,147 to 55,201. Two years later, in 1879, the legislature accepted Atlanta's proposal and selected the city hall as the site for the new capitol. Today, it seems unimaginable that Georgia would move its capital city again. Except for an unsuccessful effort by Macon boosters in 1919 to have that city designated the state capital, there have been no serious efforts to move the capital. Interestingly, however, there have been efforts to decentralize state government by moving some agencies or divisions to other locations in Georgia. For example, the secretary of state has moved some of the functions of that office to Tifton and Macon. In 2003 the state archives moved to a new facility in Morrow. The Department of Natural Resources also has moved some of its offices to other cities. While decentralization may continue, most state government officials and agencies likely will remain in the state capitol complex in Atlanta. You Might Also Like The ONE Thing You Must Do In Each U.S.

State | The Huffington Post The ONE Thing You Must Do In Each U.S. State 02/25/2014 07:28 am ET | Updated Jun 10, 2016 5.4k Suzy Strutner Associate Lifestyle Editor, The Huffington Post "If you could only tell a visitor to do ONE thing in your whole state, what would it be?" We asked this question to ourselves, to our trusted friends, and to a whole bunch of HuffPost editors. We thought our comrades' answers would help us create the ultimate American travel guide. But their suggestions -- from ice cream scoops to National Park hikes -- did much more than that. They reminded us that America is truly beautiful... every snow-capped, white-sand, deep-fried corner of it. pu We'll never be able to capture each state's huge array of awesomeness in a single post. But if you're looking to travel back to your American roots, this bucket list might be a good place to start. ALABAMA Go to space camp at the U.S.

Space & Rocket Center Aspiring astronauts ages 9 to 99 come to Huntsville for a chance to sleep in bunks, spin in the Multi-Axis Trainer , and handle a crisis on simulated intergalactic missions. ALASKA Hang with polar bears in their real home at the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge The villages of Kaktovik and Barrow , located on Alaska's 19 million-acre wildlife refuge , are especially spectacular spots to stay the night, meet a guide, and watch polar bears live wild and freely. ARIZONA Yes, you could settle for a standard daytime walk around the rim. But that way, you wouldn't see Havasu Falls . Recommended by Yasmine Hafiz, associate editor of Huffington Post Religion ARKANSAS Visit Anthony Chapel in Garvan Woodland Gardens Nestled within 210 acres of flowers, streams and waterfalls is a sky-high (okay, six stories high ) chapel made of pine beams and floor-to-ceiling glass windows. You can practically hear Mother Nature singing. CALIFORNIA Drive State Route 1 through Big Sur Nothing is more California than a coastal road trip, and this one will take you past some of the most precious views on Earth.

Stop at Nepenthe for sunset cocktails on cliffs over the water. Recommended by Suzy Strutner, associate editor of Huffington Post Travel COLORADO Go sandboarding at Great Sand Dunes National Park If you thought Colorado's mountains were shreddable, wait till you speed down the tallest dunes in North America on a fiberglass board . Don't worry; you can usually still see snowcapped peaks in the background. Recommended by Sebastian Murdock, associate editor of Huffington Post Crime & Weird News CONNECTICUT Order the white clam pizza at Frank Pepe Pizzeria "Pepe's" is one of the oldest pizza joints in the country . It was Frank Pepe himself who invented apizza -- now a New Haven delicacy -- by subtracting mozzarella, adding oregano, and thinning the crust of the average slice. Pepe's white clam apizza has been called the best pizza in America . Recommended by Yasmine Hafiz, associate editor of Huffington Post Religion WASHINGTON, D.C. Go paddle boating on the Tidal Basin There's something about seeing D.C.'s biggest monuments from the water. On a warm spring day, you can paddle past the Jefferson Memorial and catch sun between the cherry trees.

Recommended by Emma Gray, senior editor of Huffington Post Women DELAWARE Walk the Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk Finally, a U.S. boardwalk that hasn't lost its vintage vibe . At precisely one mile long , your stroll will last the perfect amount of time to finish a Kohr Brothers cone. Stop at Arena's Deli for a sandwich if you're still hungry. Recommended by Lisa Miller, associate editor of Huffington Post Travel FLORIDA Climb the Shark Valley tower Take a tram tour or brave the humidity and bike around this zone of Everglades National Park . Halfway through, there's an observation tower you can climb-- it lets you realize, from above, just how many zillions of alligators have been lurking in the swamps all along. Recommended by Julie Thomson, associate editor of Huffington Post Taste GEORGIA Eat at the Olde Pink House in Savannah This refined Southern restaurant has played many roles as a residence, a bank and an army headquarters-- this is something James Habersham , the home's original owner, is apparently not happy about. Patrons have reportedly seen Mr. Habersham's ghost hanging around the bar... so take your spiked raspberry lemonade to go and walk along the Savannah River outside.

Recommended by Kate Palmer, Huffington Post national editor HAWAII Ok, we can't exactly promote this hike, since it's technically illegal . But the view is actually spectacular. IDAHO Drive Interstate 90 across the Panhandle This fast, furious, 75-mile zoom across Idaho's top portion will remind you why driving is an American pastime. Stop in scenic Coeur d'Alene for a cold PBR. Recommended by Chris Gentilviso, senior editor of Huffington Post Politics ILLINOIS Have a drink at the top of the Hancock Building Whether it's the sunset hour or late at night, the best way to see Chicago is from a table at The Signature Lounge on the 95th floor... with an esquire martini in hand. INDIANA Try the tenderloin sandwich at Ivanhoes This family-run restaurant in Upland has 100 shakes and sundaes to choose from. For a total Midwest experience, complement yours with thin-pounded, deep-fried pork loin on a hamburger bun. Mmm... tastes like country. IOWA Visit the Butter Cow at the Iowa State Fair A dynasty of five master artists have sculpted the Butter Cow over the years...

he's been a State Fair tradition since 1911. At 600 pounds, the Butter Cow could butter 19,200 slices of toast . Recommended by Lisa Miller, associate editor of Huffington Post Travel KANSAS One day, Gerald Wyman 's wife told him to please stop brewing beer in their kitchen. A few years later, Wyman had a charming-yet-modern storefront and a Gold World Beer Cup Award for his Oatmeal Stout. Recommended by Lauren Zupkus, fellow with Huffington Post Entertainment This photo of Gella's Diner & Lb. Brewing Co. is courtesy of TripAdvisor KENTUCKY Drive and drink (but don't drink and drive!) along the Bourbon Trail This pre-planned route leads you past eight of Kentucky's distilleries, from Jim Beam to Maker's Mark. If you can't be trusted to operate a motor vehicle, hire a party bus . Recommended by Kate Auletta, senior editor of Huffington Post Travel LOUISIANA Go to the French Quarter Festival New Orleans's classic neighborhood hits its prime during this free three-day music festival every spring.

It's also the best way to fit every local delicacy into your stomach at once: restaurants sell little sample-size plates at the " world's largest jazz brunch ." MAINE Watch the sunrise on Cadillac Mountain Most of the year, this is the first place the sun comes up in the whole United States. It's also the most famous hike in beautiful Acadia National Park . MARYLAND Crack a crab at Cantler's You can drive your boat directly up to this "riverside inn," where they sort crabs in a wash basin right before your eyes. Accompany with LOTS of Old Bay seasoning. Recommended by Christine Dalton, associate editor of Huffington Post Comedy MASSACHUSETTS Dance at The Beachcomber on Cape Cod This rollicking, old-school dance bar is parked right on the beach in a former lifesaving station . After a few mudslide cocktails, the live reggae and rock will make you feel supercharged enough to sprint into the ocean.

Recommended by Herbie Ziskend, chief of staff at the Huffington Post MICHIGAN Visit the Shinola Store Shinola is aiming to "reinvigorate the storied American brand" -- and reinvigorate Detroit in general -- by manufacturing quality watches, bikes and leather goods right in the heart of the city. At their hipster-licious storefront , you can shop for timepieces and watch the bicycle assembly line. MINNESOTA There are over a thousand individual lakes in this slice of Superior National Forest . Many of them are only reachable if you paddle past majestic pine groves and hulking rock formations. MISSISSIPPI Listen to blues at The Lyric in Oxford When you need -- if you need -- a break from the beer bars and battle cries of the Ole Miss students in Oxford, hide out in this movie-theater-turned-concert-hall . It first served as a stable for William Faulkner's family. Recommended by Kate Auletta, senior editor of Huffington Post Travel MISSOURI Explore the Ozark Caverns Out of thousands of caves in Missouri, the most famous feature is Angel Showers , where water constantly flows from the ceiling like a waterfall.

During your tour , you might also encounter the rare blind salamander . MONTANA You'll feel like you're in one of those nature-themed IMAX movies during this 50-mile drive through Glacier National Park . NEBRASKA Throw horseshoes during Popcorn Days in North Loup At this festival, Nebraskans pay tribute to their state's most prosperous crop with three days of polka dancing, turtle racing, bull riding, and UNLIMITED FREE POPCORN ! NEVADA Order a late-night Awful Awful Burger at The Nugget Gamblers say they're coming to Reno for the refreshingly low-key vibe at Peppermill Casino . What they're actually after, however, is probably just The Nugget's world-famous Awful Awful Burger , served with a "mountain of fries." NEW HAMPSHIRE Add your pumpkin to the wall at the Pumpkin Festival Every year, people from far and wide lug pumpkins to New Hampshire's big gourd fest.

They're usually battling to either defend or win back the official world record for "most jack-o'-lanterns in one place." Recommended by Cayla Rasi, social media editor at The Huffington Post NEW JERSEY Climb Barnegat Lighthouse on Long Beach Island There are 217 steps in this tower, which locals affectionately refer to as "Barney." It's clearly not the tacky Jersey shore you've seen on TV. Recommended by Katelyn Mullen, editor of Huffington Post Travel NEW MEXICO Watch a Balloon Glow at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta At the biggest balloon rally in the world , hundreds of hot air balloons hit the big blue sky at once. When they light up for a Balloon Glow night ascent , you feel all magical and ticklish inside. NEW YORK Go wine (and pie) tasting on Long Island's North Fork You'd never guess that 30 picture-perfect wineries were so close to the city-- or so insanely cheap to tour. A strawberry pie from Briermere Farms will further alter your life.

Recommended by Jenna Amatulli, fellow with Huffington Post Crime & Weird News NORTH CAROLINA Tour the Biltmore Estate Exploring the largest private residence in the United States feels like being at the Palace of Versailles...except you're in America. And you can rent bikes to whiz freely around the gigantic property. Recommended by James Nichols, associate editor of Huffington Post Gay Voices NORTH DAKOTA Climb White Butte This massive hill outside the town of Amidon is the highest point in the whole state , at 3,507 feet above sea level. The hike (or "wilderness stroll," shall we say) to the top only takes about an hour , but climbers from all over the world come to conquer it because the trail is littered with dangerous rattlesnakes . Pack a celebratory picnic in case you survive. OHIO Get a scoop of black raspberry chocolate chip at Graeter's Ice Cream This adorable store in Cincinnati has been selling its famous, ultra-thick ice cream (made in tiny two-gallon batches ) for well over a hundred years... and it's sooo good.

Recommended by Kate Auletta, senior editor of Huffington Post Travel OKLAHOMA Go to the Norman Music Festival What started in 2008 as a tiny, one-day music fest has exploded into a three-day concert experience with multiple stages, art walks, and local food tastings... all for free . That's the Oklahoman way. OREGON This bookstore in Portland claims it's the largest one in the world ... and considering 1.6 acres of bookshelves and nine color-coded rooms , we're inclined to believe them. PENNSYLVANIA Go to a mud sale in Lancaster County Mud sales (named for the wet ground in springtime) are the live auctions and craft sales that happen every year in Amish Country. Pennsylvanians -- both Amish and not -- haggle with each other to score a handmade quilt or home-baked pie. Take a tour of the quaint Amish countryside afterward! Recommended by Chris Gentilviso, senior editor of Huffington Post Politics RHODE ISLAND Take the Cliff Walk in Newport Ocean on one side, gigantic Gilded Age mansions on the other. Your only problem in life will be deciding which view to look at.

SOUTH CAROLINA Taste the barbecue hash at Sweatman's BBQ They call this 100-mile barbecue because it's totally worth the long drive to Bub Sweatman's house-turned-buffet-room in the town of Holly Hill. Recommended by Dana Oliver, senior beauty editor of Huffington Post Style SOUTH DAKOTA This multi-use facility isn't all that interesting on the inside. But the outside, it's truly a sight. The building is actually decorated with crop art and is redesigned each year with a new theme! Recommended by Kate Palmer, national editor of the Huffington Post TENNESSEE Spend a day in Dollywood It's the most awesomely kitschy and fabulously delicious experience in all of Tennessee. The park, in Pigeon Forge, is run in a partnership between the great Dolly Parton and Herschend Family Entertainment. Think food, waterslides and all things Dolly. Recommended by Ashley McAdams, content director of Huffington Post Lifestyle & Local TEXAS Tube the Guadalupe River Nothin' says Texas like drifting down the river on a toasty summer day with all your best friends and a massive floating cooler of Coors.

UTAH Hike to Delicate Arch It's the most famous sandstone formation in Arches National Park and the same one you'll see on Utah's license plates . The Olympic torch even passed through the arch in 2002, making this hike both beautiful and historic. Recommended by Lauren Zupkus, fellow with Huffington Post Entertainment VERMONT Take a brewery tour For a small state, Vermont packs an alcoholic punch-- it has the most breweries per capita of any state. Visit as many breweries as possible, without having to travel very far! The Vermont Breweries Association offers a full list of options. Make sure to check out Magic Hat Brewery in South Burlington and take a free guided tour. VIRGINIA See a movie at The Byrd Theater in Carytown Carytown is Richmond's cutesy shopping district, and The Byrd is the big, glamorous old-time movie palace that's been showing films since 1928-- on Saturdays, you can still hear an organ performance before your movie. Tickets are $1.99 , which means you have more than enough spare change for a french toast donut from Dixie Donuts .

Recommended by Chris Gentilviso, senior editor of Huffington Post Politics WASHINGTON Hike the Ape Caves They're actually ultra-long lava tubes near Mount St. Helens , one of our country's "highest threat" volcanoes . Wander through the dark, cold tubes with a headlamp, and pop out in a sunny forest on the other side . Recommended by Andy Campbell, news editor of Huffington Post Crime & Weird News WEST VIRGINIA Eat a pepperoni roll from Country Club Bakery Never heard of a pepperoni roll? That's because they're basically only in West Virginia . The Country Club Bakery in Fairmont is where it all began, when Italian immigrant Giuseppe Argiro first stuffed freshly-seasoned pepperoni into a warm roll. Recommended by Paige Lavender, senior editor of Huffington Post Politics WISCONSIN Shop the Dane County Farmer's Market Everyone in Madison -- from hippies to soccer moms -- shops the Saturday smorgasbord that sets up around the Capitol building (they're open almost all year round !). Be sure to pick up some classic Wisconsin cheese curds .

Recommended by Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, executive editor of Huffington Post Religion WYOMING Go to Cheyenne Frontier Days On your way to Cheyenne, pass through Wyoming's seven national parks to get a feel for the state's supreme scenery. Then, meet their supreme people at "The Daddy of 'em All," a 10-day rodeo-meets-small-town-bonanza with free pancake breakfasts and concerts from the likes of Brad Paisley . This article has been updated to note a change of location for New Hampshire's annual Pumpkin Festival. Also on HuffPost:

Question: What is the only city in the US not technically located in a state?
Answer: Washington DC