Last week, I wrote about all kinds of interesting, geographic information about my home town of Carson City.
This week, I am writing about all kinds of interesting, geographic information about the United States.
With many thanks to the Internet website Wikipedia.com, here is a whole bunch of information for winning bets from your favorite pigeon, or, from your loud-mouth, know-it-all, obnoxious brother-in-law.
Extreme geographical points in the United States:
Northernmost:
1. Point Barrow, Alaska is the northernmost point in all of the United States.
2. Barrow, Alaska is the northernmost town in all of the U.S., plus it is the northernmost community on the North American mainland.
3. Northwest Angle, Minn. is the northernmost point in the lower 48 states.
4. Seattle is the northernmost, major metropolitan city in the lower 48 states.
Southernmost:
1. Ross Atoll, American Samoa is the southernmost point in all of the U.S.
2. Ka Lae, Hawaii is the southernmost point in the 50 states.
3. Na alehu, Hawaii is the southernmost town in the 50 states.
4. Western Dry Rocks, Florida is the southernmost point in the lower 48 states, occasionally above water at low tide.
5. Ballast Key, Florida is the southernmost point in the lower 48 states continuously above water.
6. Key West, Florida is the southernmost city in the lower 48 states.
7. Cape Sable, Florida is the southernmost point on the U.S. mainland.
Easternmost:
1.Point Udall, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands is the easternmost point in all of the U.S. by direction of travel.
2. Sail Rock, just offshore of West Quoddy Head, Maine is the easternmost point in the lower 48 states by direction of travel.
3. West Quoddy Head, Maine is the easternmost point on the U.S. mainland.
4. Lubec, Maine is the easternmost town in the lower 48 states.
5. Pochnoi Point, Semisopochnoi Island, Alaska is the easternmost point in all of the U.S. by longitude.
6. Peacock Point, Wake Island has the first sunrise in all of the U.S.
Westernmost:
1. Udall Point, Guam is the westernmost point in all of the U.S. by direction of travel.
2. Peaked Island, off shore from Cape Wrangell, Attu Island, Alaska is the westernmost point in the 50 states, by direction of travel, and it has the last sunset in all of the U.S.
3. Adak, Alaska is the westernmost town in the U.S. by direction of travel.
4. Amatignak Island, Alaska is the westernmost U.S. point by longitude.
5. Cape Prince of Wales, Alaska is the westernmost point on the North American continent.
6. Umatilla Reef, offshore from Cape Alava, Washington is the westernmost point in the lower 48 states, above water at low tide.
7. Bodelteh Islands, offshore from Cape Alava, Washington is the westernmost point in the lower 48 states, continuously above water.
8. Cape Alava, Washington is the westernmost point on the U.S. mainland.
9. Ozette, Washington is the westernmost town in the lower 48 states.
Extremes in high elevation:
1. Mt. McKinley, Alaska (20,320′) is the highest point in all of the U.S.
2. Mt. Whitney (14,505′) is the highest point in the lower 48 states.
3. Winter Park, Colorado (12,060′) is the highest town in the lower 48 states.
4. Climax, Colorado (11,360′), now a ghost town, was formerly the home of the highest U.S. post office. That honor now goes to Alma, Colorado.
5. Alma, Colorado (11,355′) is the highest town with permanent residents.
Extremes in low elevation:
1. Calipatria, California (-184′) is the lowest city in all of the U.S.
2. Badwater Basin, Death Valley, California (-282′) is the lowest point in all of the U. S.
Other extremes:
1. Ipnavik River, National Petroleum Reserve, Alaska is the most remote point in all of the U.S. (120 miles from the nearest habitation).
2. Approximately 20 miles north of Belle Fourche, South Dakota is the geographic center of the 50 states.
3. The geographic center of the lower 48 states is approximately 4 miles west of Lebanon, Kansas.
Some Nevada geography items:
1. Nevada is the seventh largest state in the U.S with 110,567 square miles.
2. The width of the state is 322 miles.
3. The length of the state is 490 miles.
4. The highest point of the state is Boundary Peak (13,140′).
5. The lowest point of the state is the Colorado River (479′).
Finally:
If that is not enough geographic info for you to win some sucker bets, then you are beyond any help and you are totally on your own.
Bet Your Favorite Pigeon
Bet your favorite pigeon that he can’t tell you where is the most westerly highway point in the United States that you can reach by a vehicle.
If he grins and says, “Heck, that’s easy, it is at Anchor Point, Alaska, located just north of Homer,” he could have been with me on one of my several King Salmon and Halibut fishing trips to Anchor Point.
