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New York is in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. With 62 counties, it is the country's third most populous state. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, and shares a water border with Rhode Island as well as an international border with the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario. New York City, which is both the largest city in the state and in the entire United States, is known for its history as a gateway for immigration to the United States and its status as a financial, cultural, transportation, and manufacturing center. |
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| Capital |
Albany |
| Population |
18,976,457 |
| Governor |
Eliot L. Spitzer (D, to January 2011) |
| Entered the Union |
July 26, 1788, as the 11th State |
| Motto |
Excelsior (Ever Upward) |
| Nickname |
Empire state |
| Flower |
Rose |
| Bird |
Bluebird |
| Song |
I Love New York |
| Major Active Sports Teams |
New York Knicks (Basketball); Buffalo Bills, New York Jets, New York Giants (Football); New York Yankees, New York Mets (Baseball); New York Rangers, New York Islanders, and Buffalo Sabres (Hockey) |
| Origin of Name |
In honor of the English Duke of York |
| Major Industries |
Manufacturing, Foreign Trade, Commercial and Financial Transactions, Book and Magazine Publishing, Theatrical Productions, Cattle, Corn, Poultry, Fruits and Vegetables, Wine |
| Historical Sites |
Castle Clinton, Fort Stanwix, Franklin D. Roosevelt's House in Hyde Park, Theodore Roosevelt's Houses in Oyster Bay and New York City, Grant's Tomb, Federal Hall in New York City, Fort Ticonderoga, Saratoga Battlefield |
| Points of Interest |
Statue of Liberty National Monument, Niagara Falls, the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, the United Nations, and many world famous museums and parks |
| Bordering States |
New York borders New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, and Rhode Island (water border). |
| Flag |
Emblazoned on a dark blue field is the state coat of arms. The goddess Liberty holds a pole with a Liberty Cap on top. Liberty stands for freedom. At her feet is a discarded crown, representing freedom from England at the end of the revolutionary war. On the right is the goddess, Justice. She wears a blindfold and carries the scales of justice. Meaning that everyone receives equal treatment under the law. The state motto "Excelsior" on a white ribbon expresses the idea of reaching upward to higher goals. On the shield a sun rises over the Hudson highlands and ships sail the Hudson river. Above the shield is an eagle resting on a globe representing the Western Hemisphere. |
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Did You Know …
• The term "The Big Apple" was coined by touring jazz musicians of the 1930s who used the slang expression "apple" for any town or city. Therefore, to play New York City is to play the big time - THE BIG APPLE.
• New York was the first state to 1) preserve an historic site (Washington's Headquarters at Newburgh); 2) establish a state park (Niagara Reservation); and 3) declare land "forever wild" (the Adirondack and Catskill forest preserves) in the State Constitution.
• The first railroad in America ran between Albany and Schenectady, a distance of 11 miles.
• New York is a world capital with headquarters of the United Nations in New York City.
• After the adoption of the Federal Constitution, New York City was chosen to be the nation's first capital and was the site of the inauguration of George Washington as President on April 30, 1789.
• New York has a state muffin! The Apple Muffin was created for the Bear Road Elementary School children in North Syracuse, who were instrumental in getting the Governor to sign a bill making it the official State muffin.
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Famous People from the State of New York …
• President Martin Van Buren (born in Kinderhook in 1782)
• President Millard Fillmore (born in Locke Township, now Summerhill, in 1800)
• President Theodore Roosevelt (born in New York City in 1858)
• President Franklin D. Roosevelt (born in Hyde Park in 1882) were all from New York
• Michael Jordan, professional basketball player for the Chicago Bulls.
• Aaron Copland, composer.
• George Eastman, inventor of roll film and founder of Eastman Kodak Company.
• Norman Rockwell, painter and illustrator.
• Walt Whitman, poet.
• Lou Gehrig, baseball player.
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For more information about the State of New York, please visit their official website at: http://www.state.ny.us/
For more information about the Grange in the State of New York, please visit the New York State Grange website at: http://www.nysgrange.com |
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