The Quirky Geography of the United States
The United States is a canvas painted with an astonishing diversity of landscapes, from towering mountain ranges to sprawling deserts. However, beyond the natural spectacles lies a fascinating layer of geographical oddities, quirks born from an interplay of geological forces, historical happenstance, surveying and, sometimes, political compromise.
These peculiarities transform the map of America into a treasure trove of cartographical curiosities.
Four Corners Monument
One of the most celebrated and perfectly precise oddities is undoubtedly the Four Corners Monument.
Located in the southwestern United States, it's the only place in the country where four states come together at a single, exact point; Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico meet in a perfect cross. Visitors can quite literally place a hand or foot in each of the four states at the same time.
Panhandles
Another pervasive feature of American geography comes in the form of panhandles. These elongated, narrow strips of land extend from the main body of a state, creating distinct and often awkward territorial appendages.
The Oklahoma Panhandle, for instance, is a direct legacy of historical disputes and compromises, initially existing as a "No Man's Land" before being appended to the state. Florida’s Panhandle, with its sweeping coastline, owes its shape to a blend of historical land claims and its natural coastal orientation. Far to the northwest, the Idaho Panhandle was strategically crafted to give the territory access to rivers and to create a buffer between the Washington and Montana territories.
Even the mountainous state of West Virginia possesses two distinct panhandles, northern and eastern, both outcomes of intricate boundary disputes during the state’s formation amidst the tumult of the American Civil War. Maryland, too, stretches westward with a narrow panhandle, a result of original colonial charters and expansive land grants.
Exclaves and Enclaves
Further complicating the clean lines of state divisions are the numerous exclaves and enclaves that dot the American landscape. These are pieces of territory legally belonging to one administrative unit, but are geographically separated from its main body.
Perhaps the most famous example is Point Roberts, Washington, an American exclave that's physically connected to British Columbia, Canada. It's separated from Washington state by Boundary Bay. To get to the location from the US mainland by land, you have to cross through Canada or, alternatively, travel by boat or air.
Another striking example is the Kentucky Bend, also known as the New Madrid Bend, a peculiar portion of Kentucky almost entirely encircled by Missouri and Tennessee. This geographical oddity was formed by a dramatic meander of the mighty Mississippi River. Despite the waterway's constantly shifting course, the state line, once established, remains fixed, leaving this pocket of Kentucky isolated.
Extreme Points
The sheer scale of the United States also lends itself to some surprising extreme points that stretch the imagination.
When considering the westernmost point of the country, one might think of either California or Hawaii, but the true extreme lies much further afield: Cape Wrangell, Attu Island, Alaska. This remote outpost is situated so far west that it's nearly in the Eastern Hemisphere, making the United States technically a trans-hemispheric nation.
Similarly, identifying the easternmost point presents an unexpected twist. While Sail Rock at West Quoddy Head, Maine, holds the distinction for the contiguous US, the absolute easternmost point of all American territory is actually Pochnoi Point, Semisopochnoi Island, Alaska.
Great Salt Lake, Utah
The Great Salt Lake in Utah is the largest salt lake in the Western Hemisphere and the largest natural lake west of the Mississippi River. What makes it unique is its status as an endorheic lake, meaning it has no natural outlet. This leads to extreme salinity, making it far saltier than the ocean and creating a unique ecosystem that supports brine shrimp and other specialized life forms.
The lake is a dramatic remnant of the much larger prehistoric Lake Bonneville, and its vast, flat salt plains are famous as a proving ground for land speed records.
Death Valley, California
In stark contrast to the Great Salt Lake’s vast, ancient waters, California's Death Valley in offers another extreme of American geography. It contains Badwater Basin, which, at 282 feet below sea level, is the lowest point in all of North America. Not only is it the lowest, but it's also routinely one of the hottest places on Earth, with summer temperatures often soaring to astonishing highs.
The dramatic juxtaposition of this extreme low elevation and searing temperatures, often in close proximity to towering mountain ranges, creates a landscape of unparalleled geological diversity within a relatively small area.