Every state has a place in being thankful and grateful, albeit for clearly and widely distinct reasons. While thankfulness can be understood at the regional level, such as regarding differences between New England, the Mid-Atlantic, the South, and elsewhere, the story of what to be thankful for becomes even more interesting under a state-by-state breakdown. While the following information may not be representative of every state in the union, novaTopFlex is utilizing the Travel Itinerary to provide an assortment of possible travels and events to be thankful for.
Maine
State residents should be thankful for having in-state access to such attractions as the Saint John Valley, Mount Katahdin at Baxter State Park, and even the Bar Harbor area. Apart from the natural and scenic beauty of the mountainous state, however, residents of the State should also be thankful for major and minor art galleries and collections on the Atlantic Ocean, whether at Kennebunk/Kennebunkport, Ogunquit, York, or otherwise.
New Hampshire
Residents of the State of New Hampshire should be thankful for the scenic beauty that exists throughout the State. From north to south, residents should be thankful for the Connecticut Lakes, Mount Washington, Lake Winnipesaukee, Laconia, Concord, Manchester, and Nashua. Apart from the communities along the central spine of the State, residents should also be thankful for Mount Monadnock and the area around Keene in Cheshire County at the southwestern corner of the State. Furthermore, the elite community, even from elsewhere, should also be thankful that Hanover, New Hampshire, is home to Dartmouth of the Ivy League. Additional sites that residents should be thankful for include the southern portion of the Isles of Shoals; New Hampshire’s Stonehenge at Salem; and iconic communities in Derry, Londonderry, and elsewhere.
Vermont
Any true Vermonter should be thankful to live with easy access to regions with minimal cell service or other online access, especially throughout the Northeast Kingdom. Northern Vermonters should be thankful for Lake Champlain in the west and Lake Memphrémagog in the east, with the Burlington area along the former and Newport along the latter. Residents should also be thankful to live in the state with the smallest state capital (Montpelier), the smallest largest city (Burlington), the second-smallest total population (only Wyoming is smaller), a moderately low population density (ranked 31st out of 50 states), strong progressive policies, the world’s tallest filing cabinet, and the nation’s largest zipper, just to name a few. Additional sites that any true Vermonter should be thankful for in-state include the Vermont State Fair at Rutland, the Tunbridge World’s Fair at Tunbridge in Orange County, and the Vermont SummerFest along Route 7, just to name a few attractions.
Massachusetts
Bay Staters should be thankful to have a wide and growing plethora of in-state attractions, including the origin stories of New England by way of the Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay Colonies. From Martha’s Vineyard and the Island of Nantucket to the Berkshires and everywhere in between, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is effectively a geographic cross-section of all of New England, even if the Commonwealth land area is particularly small. Perhaps in spite of the size of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, however, numerous attractions exist throughout effectively all corners of the Commonwealth, and understanding what such Bay Staters should be thankful for is every bit as complicated as the story of the Commonwealth itself.
For Nantucket County, residents should be thankful predominantly for the Maria Mitchell history and connections of the island to the Women in STEM community. Historically underrepresented in the industry as they were often forbidden under traditional gender roles, modern-day life encourages breaking the barriers to entry for such opportunities. Through the ability to break such barriers to entry, the Maria Mitchell Observatory and additional exhibits under her name can exist and remain steadily intact.
Within Dukes County, residents should be thankful for the geography of Martha’s Vineyard and of the Elizabeth Islands of the Town of Gosnold. The maritime history of Dukes County is of particular importance, with Buzzards Bay separating the Elizabeth Islands from the mainland and the Vineyard Sound separating the Elizabeth Islands from Martha’s Vineyard. Different towns of interest for residents may include Aquinnah, Chilmark, Tisbury, Edgartown, and Oak Bluffs—all with distinct historical backgrounds and subtext. While Vineyard Haven, located within Tisbury, often dominates the island region, Edgartown and Oak Bluffs also play roles in identifying the distinctive features of the region. However, even traveling into the island from elsewhere, different ferry routes provide service to Falmouth, Woods Hole, New Bedford, Fall River, and even North Kingstown (Rhode Island), just to name a few places with nearby access routes. While Fall River may not be directly located on the SouthCoast nor provide a direct ferry route to Martha’s as a result, the economic ties and partnerships with the region remain at the utmost of importance.
Unlike Dukes and Nantucket Counties, Barnstable County, located on the mainland of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is renowned for quite a uniquely iconic identity. Within Barnstable County, Massachusetts, the county seat is located at Barnstable. However, the county is also home to Provincetown “Ptown,” a popular vacation destination for the LGBTQIA+ (lesbian, gay, bi, trans, queer, intersex, aromantic/asexual, and other marginalized genders and sexualities) community. While Provincetown is most renowned for the LGBTQIA+ community, the area, along with numerous other communities further up Cape Cod, is also known for numerous art galleries and places of historical significance, such as the Wellfleet Town Clock, the only town clock in the world that keeps time by sounding ship’s horn. In addition to the aforementioned elements of cultural vibrancy, residents and visitors to alike should also be thankful for access to excursions involving Monomoy Point and even the aforementioned excursions to Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket.
If Barnstable County is renowned for Cape Cod sites, and if Dukes and Nantucket Counties are renowned for island locations, then Bristol County is notable for the SouthCoast. Located predominantly along Buzzards Bay in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the SouthCoast region may also extend into Little Compton and Tiverton in Rhode Island to the west. Residents of Bristol County, Massachusetts, along with neighboring Bristol County, Rhode Island, should be thankful for the Portuguese heritage of the region, as the region is home to a disproportionate number of Portuguese-Americans thanks to the whaling history of the region around New Bedford and, to a lesser extent, Fall River. Unlike Cape Cod, however, the SouthCoast of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts presents cultural vibrancy through larger art and maritime exhibits along Buzzards Bay and nearby to Rhode Island sites in Newport and Bristol Counties.
Even though the southeastern portion of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts may be difficult to decode at first glance, Plymouth County is perhaps the easiest of such counties to identify with the Greater Boston area, since Brockton is essentially located due south of the City of Boston while Plymouth is located along the Massachusetts Bay. Perhaps the most iconic distinction between Plymouth, New Bedford, and Cape Cod is that Plymouth is renowned for the historic settlement by the Pilgrims, while New Bedford is about whaling and Cape Cod is about travel and tourism. Even within Plymouth County and the surrounding communities, traditional county lines become significantly more complicated, with Cohasset along Massachusetts Bay being entirely surrounded by the County of Plymouth and Brookline, directly to the west of Boston, being located directly in between Middlesex and Suffolk Counties. Outside the Plymouth area exhibits and Plymouth Rock, not much exists countywide in terms of tourist sites. However, residents should be thankful to live in communities on the south side of Boston, including a few communities approaching Buzzards Bay as well as numerous other communities along the Massachusetts Bay.
Also on the south side of Boston is Norfolk County, where residents should be thankful to have a football team at Foxborough, history with the Adams family and associated families in Quincy, numerous historic town centers, and other amenities associated with traditional “first suburbs” on the south and west sides of Boston. Dedham, the county seat of Norfolk County, is one of such suburbs, and is home to the Fairbanks House, while numerous other communities in Norfolk County are home to historical societies associated with their respective cities and towns.
More centrally located along the Massachusetts Bay is the early Puritan settlement area that would later evolve into modern-day Boston. Although Boston and Plymouth were originally in separate colonies, the Pilgrims would later become absorbed into the Puritans and, in turn, into Massachusetts Bay. Following the Plymouth absorption into Massachusetts Bay, the region would become well-renowned for numerous communities and community structures, including, but not limited to, land reclamation projects involving Boston Logan International Airport and even entire neighborhoods in the reclaimed area around the peninsula that defines the city. Located along the Charles River, residents of Boston, Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop should be thankful for historic sites and communities, including, but not limited to, Faneuil Hall, the Old South Meeting House, Paul Revere sites, the New England Aquarium (though smaller aquariums also exist in other communities such as along Buzzards Bay in the SouthCoast), Boston Common, and numerous museums and additional historical sites that define the city. Residents of all four (4) communities should be very thankful that there is no escaping history from any of the communities in question.
Opposite the Charles River from the City of Boston and the surrounding areas is the County of Middlesex, home to Lowell, Cambridge, and numerous other world-renowned communities. The highly intellectual population of the nation should be thankful for Harvard University, the first in the United States of America and most prestigious of the entire Ivy League, as well as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Tufts University, UMass Lowell, Framingham State University, and perhaps more–all within just one county in the Commonwealth. Local residents of Lowell should be thankful to live in a historical place traditionally renowned for the textile industry, while the communities of Cambridge, Somerville, and Medford should be thankful for prestigious institutions that exist in all three. While Cambridge is home to Harvard and MIT, Medford and Somerville share the main campus of Tufts University further north. Throughout Middlesex County, including communities such as Lowell and Dracut along the Merrimack River as well as additional communities such as Framingham, Chelmsford, and Billerica, just to name a few, residents should be thankful for living in a very historic area associated with American history from as early on as the seventeenth century. Such history also exists further up the Charles River from Harvard, with communities such as Watertown and Waltham, the latter of which is home to Bentley University. Even apart from the numerous universities and industries of Middlesex County, the county is also often associated with beginning the Boston Marathon in Hopkinton and with Minute Man at Lexington and Concord from the Revolutionary War. While numerous modern and historical sites and amenities often coexist within Middlesex County, numerous lesser-known events and event venues also exist that contribute to the cultural vibrancy of the area north of Boston, even above the inner city area of Boston.
Further east is Essex County, Massachusetts, home to Lawrence, Salem, and numerous other communities. In the State University System of Massachusetts, which contains state university campuses at Bridgewater, Fitchburg, Framingham, Salem, Westfield, and Worcester, Salem State University is the university located within Essex County, Massachusetts. Salem is also highly renowned in American history for the witch trials, with modern-day reenactments existing atop both judgment and moral panics. The County of Essex is also home to the mouth of the Merrimack River, which defines the border with the State of New Hampshire, three miles north of and parallel to the river in the easternmost sections of the border, beginning with Lowell and Dracut in Middlesex County and ending with such communities as Salisbury and Newburyport. Throughout Essex County, the Merrimack River is of both cultural and historical significance, with numerous industrial zones existing on both the north and south sides of the river. While only three miles of Massachusetts exist to the north of the Merrimack River, the region is home to numerous historic towns and town centers, with nearly every amenity existing at a human scale typical of the New England region. Compact historical development that is often unmatched in similarly historic communities, even in Virginia, is a clearly distinctive feature of the region. Within the vast majority of the County, however, additional key locations that influence the regional culture as a whole include Ipswich, Beverly, Peabody, Marblehead, and Gloucester, the last of which is located on Cape Ann.
While Eastern Massachusetts is generally celebrated for the historical context of the origins of New England, Central Massachusetts is significantly less structured and renowned. Worcester County is the primary county associated with the Central portion of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, bordering the States of New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. Although the central region of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is predominantly associated with Worcester, Leominster, and Fitchburg, additional communities located throughout the Commonwealth include Winchendon along the New Hampshire line; Oxford, home of Clara Barton; Webster, home of Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg; and Rutland, home to the geographic center of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The public state university cities of Worcester and Fitchburg are each home to art museums, albeit in somewhat different formats representative of the respective contexts. Worcester is also located fairly nearby to the source of the Blackstone River, which flows toward Pawtucket and Providence in Rhode Island.
At the western edge of Worcester County is the Quabbin Reservoir, which is also partly along the eastern county lines of Franklin and Hampshire Counties. East of the Quabbin Reservoir, the land remains fairly hilly, but becomes flatter as individuals and communities travel east. Therefore, residents of much of Worcester County should be thankful for their respective cities and towns. Further west, however, is the Pioneer Valley regional corridor, also known as the northern part of the Hartford-Springfield corridor. Numerous cities and towns in the region, both in Massachusetts and in Connecticut, have economic partnerships with one another. The Pioneer Valley name refers specifically to the communities along the Connecticut River that exist within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and include such communities as Northfield in Franklin County (which is one of only four [4] cities or towns spanning both sites of the Connecticut River). At the northern edge of the Pioneer Valley region is the state line with both Vermont to the west and New Hampshire to the east, since the Connecticut River divides those two states from one another. From north to south, residents of the Pioneer Valley region should be thankful for Greenfield, Deerfield, Amherst (home to Amherst College, Hampshire College, and UMass Amherst [the flagship campus of the UMass system, which also includes UMass Boston, UMass Lowell, and UMass Global, just to name a few]), Hadley, Northampton (home to Smith College), South Hadley (home to Mount Holyoke College and the namesake mountain), Holyoke (the birthplace of volleyball, invented by William G. Morgan of Lockport, New York), Chicopee (home to the College of Our Lady of the Elms), Springfield (home to Springfield College, American International College, and Western New England University), and Longmeadow (home to Bay Path University)–all along the Connecticut River on either side. Residents further away from the Connecticut River within Hampden County should also be thankful for Westfield State University in Westfield and the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield. Additional communities such as Palmer, Monson, and Agawam also play large roles in the county, even if more suburban and less conducive to tourism by nature.
At the western edge of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is Berkshire County, largely renowned for the Berkshires and a portion of the Taconic Mountains closest to the New York state line. Along the western border of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the areas nearby, residents should be grateful to live within reach of Tanglewood, the location of the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Additional amenities that residents and visitors alike should be thankful for include the Clark Art Institute and the influence of Williams College in Williamstown, the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (Mass MoCA) in North Adams, the W. E. B. DuBois National Historic Site in Great Barrington, and the birthplace of Susan B. Anthony in Adams. Additionally, Berkshire County is home to the official Autism Treatment Center of America in Sheffield along the line with Litchfield County, Connecticut.
Rhode Island
The state population of Rhode Island, the second most densely populated state after New Jersey, should be thankful to live in the smallest U.S. state by land area, containing thirty-nine municipalities in the entire state. Of the thirty-nine municipalities, the State of Rhode Island contains eight cities and thirty-one towns. The five counties associated with Rhode Island are Providence, Kent, Washington, Newport, and Bristol. Bristol County, Rhode Island, is not to be confused with neighboring Bristol County, Massachusetts. However, Bristol County residents should be thankful for the Towns of Barrington, Warren, and Bristol, the three towns that comprise the exceptionally small county. Most of the state should be thankful for access to the Narragansett Bay; however, Westerly residents should be more thankful for ferry access to New Shoreham on Block Island, the island located immediately to the east of Montauk and Long Island. Whether referring to Brown University of the Ivy League, the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), or other institutions of Providence or elsewhere in Rhode Island, different communities should be thankful for the distinct characteristics that create specialty and uniqueness for every individual city and town.
Connecticut
Residents of and visitors to the State of Connecticut should be thankful for a plethora of different types of places, including the Gold Coast in the southwest, the Quiet Corner covering the predominantly rural areas of the northeast corner of the State, and the Greater Hartford and New Haven areas along the Connecticut River. While most renowned for Yale of the Ivy League, located within the City of New Haven, numerous additional colleges and universities, such as Trinity in Hartford, Quinnipiac in Hamden, UConn in Mansfield (Storrs CDP), and Eastern Connecticut State University in Windham (Willimantic CDP since 1983), have also largely impacted the culture throughout the State of Connecticut. History tourists in particular should be thankful for Nathan Hale historical sites, while art tourists should be grateful for the Wadsworth Athenaeum Museum of Art in Hartford and general/maritime tourists should be grateful for such communities as Old Saybrook and Mystic. Stamford, Bridgeport, Greenwich, Stratford, Danbury, Norwalk, and Fairfield are also vital to the culture of the State of Connecticut as a whole, and communities within that section of the area specifically should be thankful for wealth and proximity to the City of New York, including all five boroughs but especially The Bronx.
New York
Residents of the State of New York should be thankful for numerous types of communities, including all five boroughs of the City of New York, as well as locales further east along Long Island, further north along the Hudson, and beyond. Elsewhere within the State of New York, residents should be thankful for numerous historical interests, particularly due to the significant cultural differences alongside the Upstate/Downstate cultural divide. Upstate, residents should be thankful for historical figures including Susan B. Anthony in places like Battenville, Rochester, and Canajoharie. Additional historical traits that Upstate residents should be thankful for include baseball history in Cooperstown and Oneonta and boxing history in Canastota as well as the former university culture of Cazenovia. Furthermore, state residents of New York should be thankful for the notability of the Hudson River on both sides, not just on the east side nor just on the west side. The region is perhaps amongst the most professional of regions within the entirety of the United States, because of the modern and historical importance of the city center of Albany and surrounding regions to both the north and the south. New Yorkers who live in such a region should also be thankful to live in an area where the Hudson River is a tidal estuary as far north as Troy in Rensselaer County. But further south, very important communities of historical significance include Hyde Park, associated with the Roosevelt family lineage; Poughkeepsie; Hudson; and Catskill, just to name a few. Additional facets of New York that residents should be thankful for include IBM at Armonk, formerly at Endicott in the dissolved tri-city region with Johnson City and Binghamton. Even further west are locations such as Elmira, Corning (renowned for glass), Alfred (the most college-heavy of college towns by percentage of population, notable for ceramic art), and additional communities of small and medium sizes. By the western end of the State of New York is Niagara Falls which, while shared with Ontario, Canada 🇨🇦, is actually a place that New Yorkers should be thankful for on the United States 🇺🇸 side of the border. Additional regions of scenic beauty that should be considered in New Yorkers’ thankfulness include the Adirondacks, the Catskills, the Finger Lakes, the Mohawk Valley, the Borscht Belt, and more. The upper Delaware Valley also begins within the general area. Of these upstate regions, the Borscht Belt is particularly distinct, containing a disproportionate presence of Ukrainian and Jewish—especially Hasidic Jewish—populations ✡️ 🇺🇦.
For the City residents of New York, thankfulness should be centered around the five 5️⃣ boroughs and the distinct characteristics that distinguish between different portions of the city 🏙️. Such differences may include the distinction between Queens and the state population to the east, outside the city limits; as well as distinctions to be made between Manhattan, Brooklyn (formerly Breukelen), Queens, The Bronx, and Staten Island. While Manhattan contains nearly all of the globalized interests that serve modern capitalism, the four 4️⃣ other boroughs serve distinct purposes as well. While Staten Island is no modern suburbia, the borough, coextensive with Richmond County, often feels more suburban in spirit in traditional ways. Brooklyn and Queens, though sharing land, are also quite distinct from one another as municipalities. However, even the boroughs themselves often do not capture the entire story of New York, because the neighborhoods serve as the patchwork that is most clearly represented as a microcosm of capitalism. One of the more notable neighborhoods of Queens is Flushing, where the downtown area is largely determined by the more recent waves of immigration particularly involving China 🇨🇳, Taiwan 🇹🇼, India 🇮🇳, 🇯🇵, South Korea 🇰🇷, and possibly a few other countries and regions of South Asia and East Asia alike. While the aforementioned “melting pot” style may apparently resemble the cultural traits of Singapore 🇸🇬, Flushing is not truly a microcosm of Singaporean life stories, particularly since Malay influence is minimal in comparison to the additional ethnicities that determine Singaporean culture. Additional notable neighborhoods in the Queens borough include Long Island City, directly opposite Manhattan; and Astoria, home to the renowned Waldorf Astoria hotel for the city. Within the Brooklyn borough are such neighborhoods as Flatbush, with every neighborhood containing a sense of history that feels less tainted by capitalism and capitalist expectations. Such residents and visitors to Brooklyn should be particularly thankful for the Wyckoff, Schenck, and Lefferts families. Additionally of interest for elite scholars is Columbia University, which that section of the population should potentially be thankful for.
New Jersey
Residents of the Garden State should be thankful to live in a productive transitional zone, whether in the northern or the southern portions of the State. Within the northern part of New Jersey are such locations as Montclair State University, the Newark Art Museum, the Montclair Art Museum, and other productive locations associated with Newark, Jersey City, Elizabeth, Paterson, Hackensack, Morristown, and the surrounding areas. Unlike New York, however, the major satellites and perhaps independent cities in New Jersey are often overshadowed by the New York locations and lack a significant tourism industry as a result. Morristown contains particular historical significance as the site where George Washington and his troops spent the harshest winter on record. Further south are locations such as Freehold, Shrewsbury, Asbury Park, and related areas in Monmouth County, known historically for the Battle of Monmouth. Monmouth County, New Jersey, is named for Monmouthshire (now Gwent), Wales; however, the communities in New Jersey are significantly more productive in terms of connection to the global city of New York almost immediately to the north. Even further south in the State of New Jersey is the Ivy League’s Princeton University, the historic site of the Battle of Trenton, and even communities such as Camden opposite or otherwise nearby to the Philadelphia area. Along the Atlantic Ocean, however, residents and tourists alike should be thankful for the boardwalks and other amenities associated with the region, whether in Atlantic City, Ocean City, Cape May, or otherwise.
Pennsylvania
Within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, residents and tourists alike should be thankful to live in a highly productive part of the nation, particularly in the east around Philadelphia, Lancaster, Allentown, Reading, York, Bethlehem, Easton, and numerous smaller communities of the area. In the southeast of Pennsylvania, communities should be thankful for coexisting with different identities and expressions with minimal fear of judgment, negotiating boundaries both within and between communities. Communities should also be thankful for the numerous colleges and universities that exist within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, including Penn State and the Borough of State College, where the university mailing address is known as University Park instead. Different industrial pasts should be recognized, even though much of the Commonwealth has since de-industrialized and such communities as Johnstown and Altoona may be more appropriately compared with the Rust Belt. Even Pittsburgh and Southwestern Pennsylvania should be thankful for upper Appalachian lifestyle traits and traditional frontier history. While the southern two-thirds of the Commonwealth can be thankful for authentic Pennsylvania history, the northern third may be better understood through the lens of Yankeedom and Yankee history. Mount Jewett residents should be thankful for the Swedish heritage of the community, while communities elsewhere in the rural Pennsylvania Wilds and the upper Susquehanna Valley may be grateful to live in compact communities in more peaceful harmony with rural surroundings.
Delaware
Residents and visitors of the State of Delaware should be thankful for the opportunity to be physically located in a state with only three counties: New Castle, Kent, and Sussex. While New Castle County is renowned for being home to the City of Wilmington, which is unfortunately subordinate to Philadelphia to the north, Kent and Sussex Counties are home to state administration in Dover and numerous smaller towns and communities, both inland and along the Atlantic Ocean, in such Sussex County locations as Georgetown, Milford, Rehoboth Beach, Lewes (home of the original Dutch colony of Zwaanendael), and Fenwick Island.
Maryland
Within the State of Maryland, residents and tourists alike should be thankful for the Tidewater heritage of the former colony, with a cultural fusion of different histories occurring even in spite of the original Roman Catholic intent of the Maryland Colony. Despite being intended for Roman Catholics, Maryland was among the colonies with more religious freedom, as was the case with Pennsylvania, a colony that had highly attracted not just Quakers, but also Amish, Mennonites, and other associated communities. Different historical sites associated with Maryland that communities should be thankful for include the Star-Spangled Banner, Harriet Tubman, the Underground Railroad, the Potomac River, and select art exhibitions and communities located on either or both sides of the Chesapeake Bay. Throughout the nation, Marylanders should also be thankful for the history involving the National Road.
District of Columbia
Residents and visitors to the national capital of the United States of America 🇺🇸 should be thankful for existing in a highly governmental and political area, where every change to the city often symbolizes change to the entirety of the nation, whether for the better or for the worse. The National Mall and numerous amenities associated with the strip that is the National Mall should also be included in thankfulness, including, but not limited to, the Smithsonian collections. The District of Columbia is also divided into wards, with different wards for locals, tourists, and government officials.
Virginia
Virginians should be thankful for living in a society reminiscent of prom and prom culture, from the origins of plantation culture and traditional family values and social roles in the Tidewater region and the culture of slavery to the post-slavery culture that pushes the Commonwealth of Virginia to modern living. While human slavery has long been denounced, even in traditionally slave areas as with Virginia, following the Union victory with the Civil War, numerous Virginians continue to associate with the traditional industries of the region, such as tobacco farming, in various regions such as Southside Virginia. For all Virginians, thankfulness should include respect for the Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, Tyler, Henry, Lee, Custis, and Tayloe families, just to name a few. The University of Virginia is yet another institution that should be identified as a direct result of Charlottesville and Thomas Jefferson’s contributions to the region in and around Albemarle County, which also contains Monticello, now open for tours and more. Another element of Virginian culture to refer to is Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, renowned for the prestige of the institution.
North Carolina
North Carolinians should be thankful for the Outer Banks (OBX) region, as well as the Inner Banks (IBX), the Research Triangle, the Piedmont Triad, and the Great Smoky Mountains. Residents of North Carolina should be thankful to live in a culturally and geographically diverse state, from mountains in the west to the coastal plain in the east, with a Piedmont area, as with Virginia, in the middle.
South Carolina
South Carolinians should be thankful for the religious Charleston area, where traditional cultural values remain strictly enforced within most corners of the State. Unlike North Carolina, South Carolina is largely home to settlements directly related to Barbados 🇧🇧, with the City of Charleston resembling the Barbadian capital city of Bridgetown. Even outside Charleston, the State of South Carolina contains a highly religious community and hierarchical population structure. While South Carolinians already take pride in the roles assigned within the state population, the residents and tourists alike should also be thankful for the heritage of South Carolina lifestyles.
Georgia
Within the State of Georgia, individuals and communities should be thankful for the historic City of Savannah, located along the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the Savannah River. Opposite South Carolina, Savannah is home to the Savannah College for Arts and Design (SCAD), as well as to the birthplace of the Girl Scouts as an organization. Cultural vibrancy in Savannah is otherwise fairly similar to cultural vibrancy in Charleston, though there are a few notable differences, resulting directly from the cultural transition from Charleston south toward Savannah and the southward migration of such Deep South settlers, even continuing on toward Brunswick and Glynn County. Apart from southward migration, westward migration from South Carolina has also influenced the cultural elements of life in the State of Georgia.
Alabama
The most notable cultural trait about the State of Alabama that residents should be thankful for is the City of Huntsville, which had recently surpassed Birmingham to become the largest city in the State while also being correctly identified as the “Rocket City,” referring to the strong outer space heritage associated with the area.
Tennessee
Within the State of Tennessee, three Grand Divisions exist, separating out the people around Memphis and Jackson from the Nashville and the Knoxville areas. While thankfulness and gratitude may be more difficult in more hostile or dangerous areas, thankfulness is always possible regardless of the socioeconomic factors and conditions at play. Within West Tennessee is Memphis, renowned for civil rights history and a significant musical impact. Middle Tennessee is very similar, except with rolling hills instead of the Mississippi River and with more diverse forms of music, largely renowned for the Grand Ole Opry and for being the true city associated with the “Music City” label. While all portions of the State of Tennessee are of historical significance, Middle Tennessee is notable for Andrew Jackson while West Tennessee is perhaps most famous for Elvis Presley. Unlike West and Middle Tennessee, however, East Tennessee is home to a more modest region where natural beauty and ample charm coexist with realities of life to a greater extent, with Knoxville being somewhat smaller than either Nashville or Memphis. However, Chattanooga and the Tri-Cities (Bristol, Kingsport, and Johnson City) do not exist far from the primary city of Knoxville and also share Appalachian cultural traits, such as a stronger sense of unity with Roanoke than with Nashville.
Kentucky
If Tennessee is about music in general and the Appalachians in the east, then Kentucky is about horses, country music specifically, and cultural vibrancy throughout the state. While economic conditions may affect individual and community abilities to be proud and thankful, societal norms remain fairly consistent nonetheless. Kentuckians should be thankful for the birthplace of Abraham Lincoln in Hodgenville, as well as for the Cumberland Gap with Virginia and Tennessee, the university city of Lexington, Muhammad Ali, the Louisville Sluggers, horse racing, Mammoth Cave, and more.
West Virginia
The population of West Virginia, including tourists to the State, should be thankful for Harpers Ferry, Martinsburg, Ranson, Charles Town, the Washington family history, the upper reaches of the Potomac River, and the separatist movement that had resulted in the division of Virginia into two. Outside of the Eastern Panhandle, West Virginians should also be grateful for the Northern Panhandle including Wheeling and Weirton as well as the north-central communities of Morgantown, Fairmont, Clarksburg, Bridgeport, Salem, Pruntytown, Grafton, Buckhannon, and Elkins. Further south is Tamarack, the “Best of West Virginia,” located in Beckley on the journey south beyond Charleston toward Bluefield.
Ohio
Ohioans should be thankful for the world’s largest D-Day reenactment, located in Conneaut, as well as amenities located elsewhere in the Greater Cleveland, Akron, Canton, and Youngstown areas such as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Cuyahoga Valley National Park, numerous historic town squares within the boundaries of the Connecticut Western Reserve, LeBron James, Charles Follis (largely associated with Ohio but born in the Roanoke Region of Virginia), and the Butler Institute of American Art. Apart from Northeast Ohio, numerous additional communities of cultural vibrance exist such as Columbus, home to the Center of Science and Industry, KEMBA Live!, the Ohio Theatre, numerous art galleries, the Ohio Expo Center and State Fair, Short North, the University District, Old North Columbus, and suburban areas including Worthington and Westerville in the surrounding areas. Granville is located further east and is the home of Denison University, while Gambier further north is home to Kenyon College. Additional communities of possible interest are largely determined by numerous festivals and events that occur throughout the State, including in Central and Southwest Ohio as well as perhaps less structured events in Northeast Ohio. Colleges and universities that the State of Ohio is grateful for in the State University system include The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio University in Athens, Central State University (historically black) in Wilberforce, Wright State University in Fairborn (near Dayton), the University of Cincinnati, Cleveland State University, the University of Akron, Youngstown State University, Kent State University, Shawnee State University in Portsmouth, Miami University in Oxford, the University of Toledo, Bowling Green State University, and the Northeast Ohio Medical University in Rootstown.
Indiana
The Hoosier State should be thankful for the Circle City of Indianapolis as well as for Brainerd’s roundabouts in Carmel, Indiana, immediately to the north of the capital city. Even further north is Grand Park in suburban Westfield, Indiana; numerous additional communities in Hamilton County can be thankful for wealth and prosperity within Central Indiana. Apart from Carmel, Westfield, Noblesville, Fishers, Cicero, Atlanta, Arcadia, Sheridan, and additional smaller and unincorporated areas, including agricultural areas in northern Hamilton County, the State of Indiana is also home to numerous additional cultural centers, including Evansville serving Southern Indiana, Bloomington of Indiana University, Lafayette, Fort Wayne, and South Bend. The city of South Bend should be thankful for strong cultural ties with Chicago to the west, while Evansville should be thankful for the position of the city along the Ohio River. Additional locations of potential interest include Terre Haute, home to Indiana State University and the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in the surrounding area.
Illinois
Within the State of Illinois, residents and tourists alike should be thankful not just for Chicagoland, but also for the areas around Rockford, Bloomington—Normal, Champaign, Springfield, Decatur, Effingham, Mount Vernon, and the Metro East region opposite St. Louis, Missouri. Within the Chicago area, numerous cultural sites exist to represent the circumstances of modern living in the area, albeit to a lesser extent than in New York. However, Chicago, along Lake Michigan and the Chicago River, is a place to certainly be thankful of for the Roosevelt Collection Shops in addition to the numerous towers and even skyscrapers that may exist throughout the city.
Michigan
Along four 4️⃣ of the five 5️⃣ Great Lakes—Michigan, Erie, Superior, and Huron—the State of Michigan is a scenic beauty where the residents should be thankful for the geographic perfection, including along the Strait of Mackinac, the Saginaw Bay, and numerous peninsulas associated with each of the Great Lakes. Perhaps the most notable of these peninsulas is the Keweenaw Peninsula along Lake Superior, geologically ideal for the copper mining industry and home to a disproportionate amount of the 🇫🇮 Finnish-American population. Additional cultural sites of interest include iron mining regions around Ironwood, Iron Mountain, and the Wisconsin line; as well as St. Ignace and Sault Sainte Marie on opposite sides of the eastern Upper Peninsula in the State. Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan, is also located opposite the St. Mary’s River from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada 🇨🇦. On the contrary, St. Ignace is located along opposite the Strait of Mackinac from Mackinaw City, Michigan, with Mackinac Island in the middle renowned for a complete ban on automobiles since the earliest moments of the twentieth century.
While most of the information above pertains to the Upper Peninsula of the State of Michigan, the Lower Peninsula, home to the vast majority of the Michigan state population, is home to numerous markers and historic sites, including a vast array of notable houses in the Detroit area. Apart from historical sites, however, the vast majority of the attractions that make Michigan unique are generally located along one of the Great Lakes. Unlike in Vermont, the Northwoods of the State of Michigan lack significant local cultural amenities, yet the beauty of the State is that the northern sections are mostly rural communities. Without much representation in American history in Michigan, however, relative to the history of westward migration that is publicly documented at tourist attractions, the State of Michigan draws tourists toward the Dutch-settled areas at such places as Neli’s Dutch 🇳🇱 Village in Holland, Michigan. For summer tourism, South Haven is also a popular tourist destination, and so are Saugatuck and Douglas, both of which are particularly attractive to the LGBTQIA+ community.
Wisconsin
Residents of the State of Wisconsin can be thankful for access to the Door Peninsula for tourism, as well as to major and minor cities alike, including Milwaukee, Kenosha, Racine, Madison, Janesville, Beloit, Oconomowoc, Waukesha, Wausau, Rhinelander, La Crosse, Eau Claire, Hudson, Hurley, and Marinette, just to name a few. Bayfield, Wisconsin, is one of just a few communities associated with Lake Superior. Although Wisconsin as a state touches Lake Superior, the technical boundaries of the State do not extend to touch the Canadian border in any way, since Michigan and Minnesota border one another within the waters of the Lake. However, even internally within the State of Wisconsin, communities such as Oshkosh, Appleton, and Fond du Lac exist all along Lake Winnebago, immediately to the south of the sound that separates the Door Peninsula from the mainland. Over the course of the summer, the City of Eau Claire hosts the official event known as Country Jam USA, though the name may also correctly refer to an event in Colorado that should be referred to as Country Jam Ranch to avoid confusion. Residents of much of Wisconsin—and even into the areas surrounding the Twin Cities in Minnesota, typically around a ninety-minute drive west of the City of Eau Claire—should be thankful for access to the Country Jam USA festival.
Missouri
Within the State of Missouri, residents and visitors should be thankful for the St. Louis Arch, better known as the Gateway Arch; the Lewis and Clark (Meriwether Lewis and William Clark) Expedition, and numerous amenities within the Kansas City area, the vast majority of which is technically located within the State of Missouri. While Jefferson City serves as the state capital, the City of Columbia is a larger city to the north that serves as a university community anchored around the University of Missouri.
Iowa
Residents and visitors alike, even in spite of the “flyover country” moniker and the stereotype that the State of Iowa is boring, should be thankful to live in perhaps a more manageable environment and a possible final frontier for economic success and upward mobility, apparently defying the rules of capitalism just based on discouraging geography and lack of cultural appeal. However, since the term “flyover country” can also refer to Missouri, Kansas, and Nebraska, the State of Iowa in particular is home to surprising attractions even in spite of the illusion of lower costs and prices. Such attractions include Dutch settlements and influence in and around Pella, as well as the Hinterland Music Festival at the Avenue of the Saints Amphitheater in St. Charles, Iowa. Throughout Des Moines, Council Bluffs, Davenport, Dubuque, and numerous other communities and community locations, the region is home to numerous attractions even in spite of the corn and flat land stereotype that is largely true.
Minnesota
Within the State of Minnesota, residents and visitors should be thankful for the attractions that exist within the State, including the Minnesota State Fair. Although the Texas State Fair sees the greatest total attendance numbers of all regional and state fairs within the United States, the Minnesota State Fair welcomes the greatest number of visitors daily and a significantly higher percentage of the total state population overall, at nearly forty percent of the number for all of Minnesota! The State of Minnesota is also home to the American Swedish 🇸🇪 Institute, Swedish heritage (including the Swedish flag 🇸🇪) within the Chisago Lakes region, Itasca (the headwaters of the Mississippi River), the Mall of America, the Nicollet Mall, numerous prestigious colleges and universities, and more. Such colleges and universities include, but are not limited to, Carleton, St. Olaf, and Macalester, the first two 2️⃣ of which are exurban Northfield institutions and the last of which is within the inner Minneapolis-St. Paul area. Pride can also be taken at face value amongst the Paul Bunyan statues, and for urbanist communities, the Strong Towns movement had originated in Brainerd. Additional locations of interest include Digi-Key Electronics of Thief River Falls and industries and communities in Crookston and approaching Fargo, North Dakota. The northeastern portion of the State of Minnesota is also home to the Mesabi Range, the largest iron range in the United States of America and not far from the St. Louis River nor from Lake Superior, the only Great Lake that the State of Minnesota borders.
Kansas
While the State of Kansas is located within the “flyover country” region of the United States of America, significant cultural elements and differences also exist within the State. Although all respect to the remaining Indigenous populations should be granted as much as possible, reclamation may unfortunately not be possible under current systems. However, since reclamation is unlikely, the most important cultural difference that remains is the difference between the grasslands of Western and Central Kansas and the more developed areas of Eastern Kansas, such as around Kansas City, Lawrence, Topeka, Manhattan, Junction City, Wichita, Emporia, Leavenworth, Atchison, Baxter Springs, and Pittsburg.
Nebraska
The State of Nebraska is, like the State of Kansas, a Great Plains and “flyover country” state where residents should be proud to live in a community that claims to remain a frontier and to celebrate frontier culture lifestyles. Unlike in Kansas, where Lawrence is a chief college town, Nebraska’s arguable college town is actually Lincoln, the capital city associated with the State. Additional interests associated with the State include Omaha of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, as well as Hastings, Holdrege, Grand Island, Kearney, and potentially as far west as North Platte and McCook.
South Dakota
South Dakotans should be thankful for access to the East River and West River communities, either side of which contains cultural distinctions from the other. Western South Dakotans should be thankful for Mount Rushmore, the Black Hills, and the Badlands, while Eastern South Dakotans should be thankful for the Corn Palace at Mitchell and for communities such as Aberdeen, Brookings, Pierre, Watertown, and of course, Sioux Falls.
North Dakota
Within the State of North Dakota, residents and visitors should be thankful for the Theodore Roosevelt National Park in the west and for such cities and communities as Williston, Watford City, Devils Lake, Minot, Dickinson, Medora, Jamestown, Grand Forks, Fargo, and Wahpeton. Residents may also be thankful for the very sparse population of the State, which is also ranked fourth-lowest in terms of population, after only Alaska, Vermont, and Wyoming, albeit with a significantly lower population density than Vermont.
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