Bismarck, North Dakota, USA

Forty-eight of our 50 states were born as singletons. Two were born as twins: South Dakota and North Dakota. They were admitted to the Union on the same day: November 2, 1889, which makes them 133 years old today. Yet, to highlight their different personalities, one gave their capital city a French name, and the other chose a name from Germany. [2021]

Corydon, Indiana, USA

Who stole the historical marker? Maybe, though, its absence is an opportunity. Let's get the high school history classes to write a new one. Then, have a competition to see which class does the best job. [2022]

Topeka, Kansas, USA

". . . the people of the Territory of Kansas . . . on the twenty-ninth day of July, one thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, did form for themselves a constitution and State government . . . and asked the Congress of the United States to admit the said Territory into the Union as a State." A year and a half later, in 1861, Congress complied. Happy Birthday, Kansas! [2021]

Pierre, South Dakota, USA

Forty-eight of our 50 states were born as singletons. Two were born as twins: South Dakota and North Dakota. They were admitted to the Union on the same day: November 2, 1889, which makes them 132 years old today. Yet, to highlight their different personalities, one gave their capital city a French name, and the other chose a name from Germany. [2021]

Denver, Colorado, USA

Today, the State of Colorado is 145 years old. Yet, that is only two generations. Any native Coloradan who was born in 1876 has undoubtedly passed on, but, if he fathered a child at the age of fifty, that child could be a spry 95 this year. In those 145 years, however, an entire era of human geography has closed: See the statue? [2019 and 2005]

Boise, Idaho, USA

Idaho was born 131 years ago today, and the state began life with Boise as its capital. A new state house was built about thirty years later, very much in line with the style of the U.S. capitol in Washington. Most Americans could not tell you when their state celebrates statehood. In Idaho, at least the date it easy to remember: a day before the nation's birthday. [2020]

Nashville, Tennessee, USA

It seems a shame to celebrate Tennessee's 225th birthday here at the state capitol without also celebrating something musical. So, here's 'The Story': Country+ singer Brandi Carlile has a birthday today, as well. Although not born in Tennessee, she can still pack the Ryman auditorium, and native-born Dolly still gives voice to her lyrics. [2019]

Madison, Wisconsin, USA

Wisconsin's current capitol was built in 1917. Amazingly, it has always been a true capitol, serving as home to all three branches of state government: the governor, the legislature, and the supreme court. In other states, that is not always the case. On this date in 1848, Wisconsin became the 30th state to join the Union. [2019 and 1991]

Indianapolis, Indiana, USA

Re-gilding the eagle begins tomorrow. Let's hope the last four years of lies, hate, perfidy, and sedition are an aberration in American history. And, let's remember that re-gilding begins at home, with each and every one of us. This American eagle watches over the Indiana state capitol. [2018]

Salt Lake City, Utah, USA

It's time to celebrate Utah's qasquicentennial! Statehood came 125 years ago, making it the last state of the nineteenth century to join the union. The capitol was finished ten years later. When you see Capitol Hill up close, it looks like the humid East, but when you zoom out you realize it is all an illusion: You are in a desert. [2020 and 2003]

Atlanta, Georgia, USA

After the anchor triumvirate (led by Delaware) ratified the Constitution in 1787, Georgia kicked off the new year with ratification on January 2, 1788. It never occurred to you, though, that a new name might be in order. Your birth name honored a colonial king (one of those Georges!). Fortunately, there was also George Washington to give you cover. [2020]

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, USA

♫ These Are a Few of My Favorite Things ♫ ~ Capitols: Born only a few blocks from the capitol dome in Pennsylvania's capital city, Geographically Yours fell in love with both capitals and capitols. His ambition, right here on Geographically Yours, is to feature a picture of each state capitol on statehood day. (Yes, GY is both a person, me, and a blogsite.) [2018]

Helena, Montana, USA

On this date in 1889, Montana became the 41st state to join the United States of America. The capitol opened in 1902. Lady Liberty stands atop the dome. On the day this picture was taken, the air was charged with smoke from the massive Pacific coast wildfires. [2020]

Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

America's 50th state celebrates the 61st anniversary of its admission to the union today. Happy birthday, Hawaii! You are our only tropical state, and your statehouse shows it. See how the palm trees out front are also built into the architecture? If not, focus on the pillars that hold up the roof. [2011]

Harrisburg and the West Shore, Pennsylvania, USA

Today is the 10th anniversary of Geographically Yours. At one picture per day, that amounts to over 3,600 photographs, all taken by me. To celebrate, I am posting a few favorite pictures from high school: pictures that I thought captured each moment well, pictures taken as slides on a Kodak Instammatic. [1968 and 1969]

THE BACKSTORY ~ Posted on the 10^th Anniversary of Geographically Yours, 4 August 2020: By the time I got to high school, cameras were cheap enough to be affordable, and I was old enough to be responsible. Some of my first photos are posted here. They reflect the advantages of growing up in Central Pennsylvania. East of where I lived was the state capitol which offered performance art on a regular basis. West of where I lived were the great outdoors, which offered places to walk, to camp, and to hike, places where you might find a hillside spring proffering a cool drink. The performance art at the capitol was usually political. It was good theater whether or not you liked the politics (and I didn’t); I just enjoyed the idea that I could get close enough to a political candidate to take his picture, right there on the front steps of the capitol, right near the spot where my grandfather and I used to feed the squirrels on the capitol grounds. In the other direction were the woods in Rossmoyne, the meadows along the Yellow Breeches Creek, and, yes, those springs. Where this one was, I have long forgotten! Whether alone (which I was in two of the pictures) or with friends, I discovered how much fun it was to document the people and places of my world, a world that would gradually expand from Central Pennsylvania to six of the seven continents and four of the five oceans. You can see my world, as documented in Geographically Yours on the map below. D.J.Z.

Albany, New York, USA

The architecture of the Empire State's capitol seems to be a fitting place from which to govern an empire. Romanesque architecture just seems to exude the heritage of imperial Rome. But, this must be the lightest Romanesque ever (thanks to the French influence). Happy 232nd birthday New York! [2019]

Providence, Rhode Island, USA

Little state, big capitol: That's Rhode Island. It could almost be mistaken for the national capitol in Washington. From colonial times until the early 20th century, however, "Little Rhody" had more than one capitol, including the Old Colony House (below). Rhode Island was the last of the thirteen to ratify the new Constitution: on this date in 1790. [👆2018 and 👇2008]

The Old Colony House in Newport, Rhode Island

Columbia, South Carolina, USA

South Carolina ratified the Constitution on this date in 1788, so South Carolina has been one of "these united States" for 232 years. Or do we have to subtract the Civil War years when South Carolina was part of the Confederate States of America? Either way, it is time to say Happy Birthday to the Palmetto State. [2016]

Annapolis, Maryland, USA

In Pennsylvania, it would be called the capitol. In Maryland, it is always called the state house. In Pennsylvania, you would be laughed at if you called that a dome. In Maryland, they brag about having the largest wooden dome in the country. But, today, it is all about Maryland: Happy 232nd birthday! [2018 and 2002]

Augusta, Maine, USA

Maine separated from Massachusetts in 1820, and Augusta became the official capital in 1832, the year the capitol building was finished. Do you see the resemblance between the Massachusetts and the Maine capitols? Charles Bullfinch designed both. 1820 to 2020: Happy bicentennial birthday, Maine! [2019 and 1987]