12 Fun Facts You May Not Know about the Midwest

One fun part of travel is learning interesting facts about the places you visit. Following are bits of trivia I’ve picked up about each of the Midwest states.

■   The world’s tallest man, Robert Wadlow, was from Alton, Illinois. He reached 8’11.1” and was still growing when he died at the age of 22.

Robert Wadlow foot■   Most Americans know that Abraham Lincoln was born in a cabin in Kentucky and that he spent his pre-presidential adult years in Illinois. But did you know that the Lincoln family moved to Indiana when Abe was a young boy? It was in Indiana that he spent his formative years.

Replica of Lincoln Cabin■   Snake Alley in Burlington Iowa was dubbed the crookedest street in the world by Ripley’s Believe It or Not! The 600-foot Lombard Street has eight switchbacks, or one switchback for every 75 feet.

Driving Snake Alley, Burlington Iowa■   Cawker City, Kansas, is home to the world’s largest ball of twine, measuring more than ten feet in diameter. Read about it in an article by fellow travel bloggers, The Walking Tourists.

■   Colon, Michigan, is known as the Magic Capital of the World. This small city of 1100 people manufactures more magic supplies than anywhere else, has three magic stores, hosts two magic conventions each year and even has a cemetery full of interred magicians.

Rick Fisher■   The Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota, the largest shopping mall in the United States, does not have a central heating system. Instead, the mall is heated through skylights, lighting fixtures and body heat of visitors.

■   Although the ice cream cone was patented in 1903 by an Italian immigrant to New York, it became popular as a result of the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis, Missouri. When an ice cream vendor ran out of dishes, a vendor selling a wafer-thin waffle pastry in the next booth rolled one of the waffles into a cone and gave it to the ice cream vendor.

■   The Union Pacific’s Baily Yard in North Platte, Nebraska, is the world’s largest railroad yard. The yard is 8 miles long and 1.5 to 2 miles wide with 301 sets of rails set on 2,850 acres.

Bailey Yard■   North America’s geographical center is in Rugby, North Dakota.

■   Ohio has a larger Amish population than any other state, with 69,255 as of 2015.

■   The largest concentration of mammoth remains in the world is located at the Mammoth Site of Hot Springs, South Dakota.

■   Wisconsin is the largest producer of cranberries, taking over the lead from Massachusetts in 1995.

What Midwest fun facts can you add to the list? Answer in the Comments section below.

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38 thoughts on “12 Fun Facts You May Not Know about the Midwest

  • July 5, 2016 at 9:37 am
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    I think it’s funny that I knew most of these besides the one about the Mall of America not having a central heating system … and I’m from Minnesota! I should’ve known that, but then again, it’s always so warm in MOA that I always just assumed it was heated! Especially in our cold cold winters.

    These are some great fun facts. It makes me proud to be a Midwesterner. 🙂

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    • July 5, 2016 at 12:32 pm
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      It really is hard to believe that in a city with winters as cold as those in Minneapolis, there is no heating system in MOA.

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      • December 13, 2017 at 1:48 pm
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        I did not know that.

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  • December 13, 2017 at 1:47 pm
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    You get reasherach from it.

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  • March 14, 2018 at 2:40 pm
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    Thanks for the facts I am doing a report on what Region I want to live in and I chose this one. Though I live in the Midwest I have to write an Opinion Paragraph about it and these facts helped me a lot. This is from a kid who lives in Topeka, Kansas. Thanks So Much.

    Sincerely, Brody

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    • March 14, 2018 at 8:10 pm
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      Thank you, Brody. We’re glad we could help. Good luck on your opinion paragraph!

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  • March 15, 2018 at 11:32 am
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    Thanks I am almost done and I am sure I will ace this.

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  • September 25, 2018 at 1:27 pm
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    Iowa has the richest soil in North America

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    • September 25, 2018 at 1:51 pm
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      Thank you for your addition to Fun Facts about the Midwest, Dayne. Iowa certainly does have rich soil, as does Illinois. Some people argue as to which is richer.

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  • November 6, 2018 at 5:49 pm
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    I think this website is sooo awesome! I love this site! I never knew about any of these things! Thank you for making this site!!!! #Love it!!!!!!!

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    • November 7, 2018 at 10:13 am
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      Aww, thank you so much!

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  • March 27, 2019 at 8:07 pm
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    Thank you so much I am trying to surprise my teacher since we are doing the Midwest states

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    • March 28, 2019 at 12:18 pm
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      That’s great, Ariel! I hope your teacher is surprised. –Connie

      Reply
  • May 3, 2019 at 12:25 pm
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    I had to write Facts about The Midwest and this was most helpful

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    • May 3, 2019 at 1:51 pm
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      We’re so glad it helped, Charlie!

      Reply
  • September 16, 2019 at 4:31 pm
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    Wow, these are awesome facts! I’m so glad I checked out this website!

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    • September 29, 2019 at 7:48 pm
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      You’re welcome!

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      • February 29, 2024 at 2:53 pm
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        i LOVE this! such great facts!

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  • April 30, 2020 at 5:48 pm
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    Thanks for the facts I’m doing a report and got an A+ 🙂

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    • May 3, 2020 at 12:13 pm
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      That’s awesome, Christopher! Congratulations on your A+!

      Reply
  • September 9, 2020 at 11:23 am
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    Doing a Seventh grade report for on Midwest and other regions and this definitely helped me

    Reply
    • September 9, 2020 at 1:01 pm
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      I’m glad we were a help to you!

      Reply
  • May 14, 2021 at 9:18 am
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    I am doing a midwest region report so i am finding out facts

    Reply
    • May 19, 2021 at 2:50 pm
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      Awesome, Mckenzie! I hope our article helped you. Good luck on your report.

      Reply
  • Pingback: Fun Facts About Iowa USA - How Many Do You Know? - Between England & Iowa

  • May 24, 2023 at 1:50 pm
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    This is really helping me with my report for the Midwest.

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    • May 28, 2023 at 8:55 am
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      So glad we could help, Brandon!

      Reply
  • September 12, 2023 at 8:07 am
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    One correction I see: The geographical center of North American is Rugby, ND – not Ruby.

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    • September 13, 2023 at 12:15 pm
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      Thanks for catching the typo, Mary Jo! We’ve corrected it.

      Reply
  • January 24, 2024 at 4:19 pm
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    This site helped me so much, for the report I’m doing in geography. Totally recommend it to anyone having trouble finding geographical facts for a school report.

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    • January 27, 2024 at 4:57 pm
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      Thank you! I’m glad we helped you.

      Reply
  • February 1, 2024 at 1:28 pm
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    hi thank you for the facts because I am doing a note about the midwest I need to do it for my class project I am a girl that lives in cherry hill NJ Bye

    Reply
    • February 2, 2024 at 11:22 am
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      I’m glad we could help. Good luck on your assignment!

      Reply

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