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South Dakota
It was August 10, 1927. United States president Calvin Coolidge waited beneath a huge, granite cliff in South Dakota. He watched as a 60-year-old man climbed to the top of the cliff. The man was Gutzon Borglum. He drilled some holes into the stone. The cliff was the face of Mount Rushmore, and Borglum had begun sculpting one of America’s most famous landmarks.
THE MOUNT RUSHMORE STATE
South Dakota is nicknamed the Mount Rushmore State. Borglum and about 400 workers sculpted Mount Rushmore for 14 years. They carved the heads of U.S. presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt into the granite cliff. The heads are 60 feet (20 meters) tall. More than a million people visit Mount Rushmore every year.
Tennessee
Tennessee is in the Southern United States, but not by much. Like Kentucky to the north, Tennessee is considered one of the border states separating the North and the South. It lies between the Mississippi River in the west and the rugged Appalachian Mountains in the east.
The name Tennessee probably comes from the Cherokee Indian word Tanasi. The Cherokees used this word for a village on the Little Tennessee River.
THE VOLUNTEER STATE
Tennessee’s nickname is the Volunteer State. That’s because volunteer soldiers from Tennessee showed great valor during wars in the 1700s and 1800s.
Utah
Utah is a place to see colorful canyons, a salt sea, salt deserts, and weird rock formations. Five national parks and 45 state parks preserve Utah’s natural beauty, especially its unusual rock formations.
THE BEEHIVE STATE
Have you ever watched honey bees? They are constantly buzzing about looking for food for their hives. When people work hard, we say they are “busy as bees.” Utah is nicknamed the Beehive State because its founders believed in working hard like bees. They worked together to create a community.
Texas
Texas has long been known for its size. It was the largest state in the United States until 1959, when Alaska became a state. Now Texas is second largest. “Texas-sized” describes anything really huge, like a great big steak or the Texas ten-gallon hat.
GUSHERS AND WILDCATTERS
Texas is famous for its oil. Today, Texas leads all other states in the production of oil and natural gas. Texas has become wealthy from oil money and from manufacturing related to oil, such as chemicals and oil-drilling equipment.
Vermont
Vermont is known for its spectacular scenery. It is known especially for winding country roads, pretty villages nestled in hillsides, and covered wooden bridges. The state also has mountains, lakes, and streams.
A POPULAR VACATION STATE
Forests cover much of Vermont. In the fall, visitors come to see the changing colors of the leaves. Vermont’s many maple trees offer especially brilliant colors.