Each region of our great nation has its own claim to fame.
We tip our hats to the South for its deep-fried delicacies. We thank farmers in the Midwest for putting food on our tables. We nod to the West Coast for its beautiful beaches. We admire New England for its rich history.
For this edition of #MeetMajority, we asked each member of our team what makes their home state special. As it turns out, each state has plenty to be proud of – from historical significance to downright wacky traditions.
The South
“My hometown in Arkansas is home to the first Walmart.”
– Albert
“My hometown, Plant City, hosts the Florida Strawberry Festival each year. Over ¾ of the nation’s midwinter strawberries come from Plant City!”
– Ashlee
“The Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is the world’s busiest.”
– Alexandra
“Tim Tebow played football at Nease High School, my alma mater.”
– Brenna
“Louisiana has an entire season devoted to cake. What’s better than that?”
– Moe
“There’s a dialect called ‘Texas German’ that is spoken only in the Lone Star State by Germans whose families settled there in the 1800s.”
– RJ
“Jacksonville, where I grew up, was named after Andrew Jackson.”
– Ken
“Francis Bavier, Aunt Bee from the Andy Griffith Show, retired and is buried in my hometown of Siler City, NC.”
– Ryan
“Tarpon Springs, Florida, is known for sponge diving so it’s fitting that my high school’s mascot was the Spongers. I’m proud to say it was rated the 2nd worst mascot in the U.S. on Letterman.”
– Tyler
“In Texas, we’re known for our independence and excellent Mexican food.”
– Erin
“From the Cajun culture and crawfish to the Mardi Gras celebrations and sports fanaticism, Louisiana is like none other.”
– Evan
“Georgia is the home of Coca-Cola.”
– Drew
“The annual Frog Leg Festival is held a few miles down the road from my hometown of Sebastian, Florida. To set the record straight, they don’t taste like chicken.”
– Megan
“Yorktown, Virginia, is where General Cornwallis surrendered to George Washington.”
– Kyle
“Kelly Slater graduated from my high school in Cocoa Beach, Florida.”
– Camryn
The Midwest
“I grew up in Springfield and attended Kickapoo High with Brad Pitt.”
– Randy
“Detroit is the only city where you have to travel south to reach Canada. It’s also home to the world’s only floating post office.”
– Chad
“Scotch tape, Post-It notes and Wheaties were all invented in Minnesota. You’re welcome.”
– Kelli
“People from all over Ohio descend on Columbus for the State Fair. If you go, don’t miss the butter cow.”
– Whit
“I share a hometown with Eminem, Kid Rock, Tom Selleck and Madonna. Detroit’s got a lot to be proud of.”
– Jason
“The Academy Award-nominated film ‘A Simple Plan’ starring Bill Paxton and Billy Bob Thornton was filmed in my small hometown of Delano, Minnesota.”
– Matt
“Columbus, Ohio, is where the Bush family political dynasty got its start.”
– Reid
The West
“Seattle is home to the very first Starbucks.”
– Nessanne
“Las Vegas is not only the entertainment capital of the world, but also my hometown.”
– Mike
“The Hanford Nuclear Reservation is near my hometown in Washington. That’s where they processed the plutonium used in the atomic bomb ‘Fat Man’ that was dropped on Nagasaki on August 9th 1945.”
– Ryan
“Idaho is famous for potatoes, but its ice cream potatoes (yes, ice cream shaped like a potato topped with cocoa powder and whipped cream) are a lesser-known gem.”
– Andrew
“I grew up down the street from where the U.S. Open was held last year.”
– Jackie
“I’m proud to say my home state of Washington is known for producing more apples than any other state.”
– Anthony
Northeast
“Legend has it that Rumson, New Jersey, got its name because early settlers bought the land from the Native Americans in exchange for rum. Rumson’s other claim to fame is that Bruce Springsteen and Bon Jovi live there.”
– Kim
“The goalie for the Miracle on Ice (the US hockey victory over the USSR in the 1980 Olympics) graduated from my high school. I used to babysit his kids.”
– Anthony
“I grew up in Lincroft, New Jersey, and had class with Tony Reali, a sports commentator for ESPN.”
– Brett
“Philly cheesesteaks. Pat’s Cheesesteaks was even featured in Rocky.”
– Bec
“Bristol, Rhode Island, is home to the oldest annual 4th of July celebration, starting in 1785.”
– Megan
Our hometowns are scattered across the map, reaching from sea to shining sea. That localized approach we take to creating engaging and memorable voter contact mail and mobile advertising?
We’ve got the map covered.
Learn More About the Majority Strategies Team:
#MeetMajority: What Makes Us H(app)y
#MeetMajority: What Motivates Us
#MeetMajority: Top Dogs