Category: Brain Teasers

Trivia: Which state capital is the largest by land area?

Sacramento, California
Juneau, Alaska
Denver, Colorado
Helena, Montana

The correct answer is Juneau, Alaska

So why is this answer correct? : Juneau, Alaska, is certainly not the most populous state capital, but it is the largest by at least one measure: land area. Alaska’s vast size has influenced its municipal boundaries — while many U.S. metropolitan areas are carved up by smaller municipalities, Alaska’s cities are comparably huge. Juneau’s city limits are so large that they could contain the entire state of Delaware.

Trivia: What is the least populous state capital?

Annapolis, Maryland
Dover, Delaware
Juneau, Alaska
Montpelier, Vermont

The correct answer is Montpelier, Vermont

So why is this answer correct? : With a population of around 7,500 people, Montpelier, Vermont is America’s smallest capital city by population size. Montpelier is also the only U.S. state capital that does not have a McDonald’s. The country’s smallest capital by land area is Annapolis, Maryland, which covers just 6.73 square miles.

Trivia: Which state capital is known as the “City in a Forest”?

Concord, New Hampshire
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Olympia, Washington
Atlanta, Georgia

The correct answer is Atlanta, Georgia

So why is this answer correct? : The Georgia capital is nicknamed the “City in a Forest” because nearly half of the city is covered by tree canopy, a substantially higher figure than other large U.S. cities. Pines, oaks, magnolias, and dogwoods — some dating back more than 200 years — dominate Atlanta’s urban setting, providing shade and filtering out pollutants.

Trivia: Which state capital is closest to Canada?

Bismarck, North Dakota
Lansing, Michigan
Juneau, Alaska
Montpelier, Vermont

The correct answer is Juneau, Alaska

So why is this answer correct? : Only one U.S. capital shares its border with another country: Juneau, Alaska’s capital since 1906,is bordered to the east by the Canadian province of British Columbia. Naturally, this makes it the closest state capital to our northern neighbors. Other close Canadian neighbors include Montpelier, Vermont (52 miles from the border); Lansing, Michigan (81 miles); and Augusta, Maine (82 miles).

Trivia: Which state capital features a full-scale replica of the Parthenon?

Montpelier, Vermont
Nashville, Tennessee
Dover, Delaware
Lansing, Michigan

The correct answer is Nashville, Tennessee

So why is this answer correct? : Taking its cues from the original Parthenon built in Athens in 447 BCE, the “Athens of the South” is a true copy of the monument down to its finest details. This replica was built in 1897 for the Tennessee Centennial Exposition and intended to be a temporary exhibit, but proved so popular that it was restored several times and is now an art museum and a venue for city events.

Trivia: Which state’s capital has the longest name?

Massachusetts
Utah
Pennsylvania
Missouri

The correct answer is Missouri

So why is this answer correct? : Nope, it’s not Tallahassee, Oklahoma City, Salt Lake City, or Indianapolis — Missouri’s capital of Jefferson City is the longest with 13 letters. Famed frontiersman Daniel Boone laid out Jefferson City after it was selected as the state capital in 1821. It was named after the third president and co-author of the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson.

Trivia: Which two states feature their names in their capital cities?

Idaho and Missouri
Missouri and Oregon
Indiana and Oklahoma
Alabama and Kansas

The correct answer is Indiana and Oklahoma

So why is this answer correct? : Indianapolis derived its name from the state’s name, which means “Land of Indians,” and “polis” is the Greek word for “city.” Oklahoma’s name is based on the Choctaw words okla and humma, which mean “people” and “red,” respectively, and were used by the Choctaw to describe their people. Oklahoma City became the state capital in 1910.

Trivia: What state capital used to be called “Pig’s Eye Landing”?

Pierre, South Dakota
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Montgomery, Alabama
Salem, Oregon

The correct answer is Saint Paul, Minnesota

So why is this answer correct? : In 1838, the first settlement in what is now Saint Paul, Minnesota, was known as Pig’s Eye Landing. It was named after a tavern owner named Pierre “Pig’s Eye” Parrant who was one of the first to stake his claim there. The name only lasted until 1841, when a Roman Catholic missionary built a chapel dedicated to the apostle Paul, and the area became known as Saint Paul.

Trivia: Which state capital has the highest elevation?

Santa Fe, New Mexico
Juneau, Alaska
Sacramento, California
Denver, Colorado

The correct answer is Santa Fe, New Mexico

So why is this answer correct? : Move over, Mile High City: At 7,198 feet, Santa Fe is America’s highest capital city. New Mexico’s capital lies in the Sangre de Cristo foothills in the southern Rockies. The former Spanish colony was founded between 1607 and 1610, which also makes it America’s oldest capital city. The picturesque city features Pueblo architecture and a lively creative arts scene.

Trivia: What is notable about Jackson, Mississippi’s state capital?

Southernmost state capital
Only capital named for a President
It’s built atop a dormant volcano
It has been the capital twice

The correct answer is It’s built atop a dormant volcano

So why is this answer correct? : Below the capital of Mississippi lies the dormant volcano known as the Jackson Volcano. Discovered in the early 19th century, the volcano is believed to be some 70 million years old and dormant for the better part of its existence. The volcano lies 2,900 feet below the surface of Jackson.