The Blue Ridge Mountains are noted for having a bluish color when seen from a distance. Trees put the "blue" in Blue Ridge, from the isoprene released into the atmosphere, thereby contributing to the characteristic haze on the mountains and their distinctive color.

In 1927, record producer Ralph Peer of Victor Records began recording local musicians in Bristol, Tennessee in attempt to capture the local sound of traditional "folk" music of the region. One of these local sounds was created by the Carter Family. They received $50 for each song they recorded. Another performer who auditioned for Peer in an empty Bristol warehouse was Jimmie Rodgers, the "Father of Country Music". The U.S. Congress officially recognized Bristol as the "Birthplace of Country Music" in 1998.

The state is named for the Missouri River, which was named after the indigenous Missouri Indians. It is said they were called the ouemessourita (wimihsoorita), meaning "those who have dugout canoes."

When it comes to fishing in South Carolina, stick to the rod and reel. You can find yourself in handcuffs if you use a yo-yo or dynamite to bring in the catch. Also, buying or selling an electric eel will land you in hot water. And it's illegal to possess a walking catfish.

With about 345,000 words, Alabama beats out all other states for the title of longest state constitution. For comparison, keep in mind that the United States Constitution only contains 4,543 words. The shortest state constitution is the Constitution of Vermont, adopted in 1793 and currently 8,295 words long.

Kentucky was admitted into the Union as the 15th state on June 1, 1792, splitting from Virginia in the process. It had previously been considered the "backlands" of Virginia.

The only attack on a mainland American military site during World War II occurred on June 21, 1942, on the Oregon coastline. After trailing American fishing vessels to bypass minefields, a Japanese submarine made its way to the mouth of the Columbia River. It surfaced near Fort Stevens, an antiquated Army base that dated back to the Civil War, and fired 17 shells at the fort. Believing that the muzzle flashes of the fort's guns would only serve to more clearly reveal their position, the commander of Fort Stevens ordered his men not to return fire. The plan worked, and the bombardment was almost totally unsuccessful. A nearby baseball field bore the brunt of the damage.

The long-held notion that the Red River is the legal border between Texas and Oklahoma is more perception than reality nowadays. Over time the river has shifted its banks with erosion and silting and jumped its banks during floods. Land on one side of the river has often ended up on the other side, with pockets of Oklahoma existing in many places south of the river, and pockets of Texas existing north of it.

On May 21, 1901, Connecticut became the first state to pass a law regulating motor vehicles, limiting their speed to 12 mph in cities and 15 mph on country roads.

The Great Salt Lake, located in the northern part of the U.S. state of Utah, is the largest saltwater lake in the Western Hemisphere. Although it has been called "America's Dead Sea", the lake provides a habitat for millions of native birds, brine shrimp, shorebirds, and waterfowl, including the largest staging population of Wilson's phalarope in the world.