If someone asked you to pick the labels that fit you, which ones would you choose? A poll this year asked North Carolinians exactly that, and the ranking holds a few surprises. Here’s how the labels ranked, from the ones that fit the most people on down. How the Poll Was Run The Elon University…
Ask an Alabamian and a Mississippian who held the first Mardi Gras, and you’ll get two confident, different answers. Neither are wrong; both states can point to historical records. Here’s how each side makes its case, and why the argument goes beyond Mardi Gras. The Mobile Carnival Mobile’s Mardi Gras claim starts with a museum…
Tell someone from the South what a Michigan winter looks like, and you may get a long pause. Michiganders take winter in stride, but their habits can baffle anyone who’s never lived with this much snow. Here’s a look at Michiganders’ winter customs that baffle anyone from below the Mason-Dixon line. 1. Christmas Trees on…
Maine’s “Down East” sounds like a trip south. Take its other sayings at face value, and you may get the meaning backward. These are the things many Mainers say that mean the opposite. 1. “Cunnin’” “Cunnin’” sounds like a word for a schemer. If someone aims it at your child, you might brace for an…
Delaware may be small, but its traditions are anything but. Locals take them in stride, while visitors may wonder what on earth is going on. Here’s a look at the local customs that can puzzle outsiders. 1. Low-Digit License Plates Delaware Live reported in 2023 that, to some, a low-digit license plate signals deep roots…
Somewhere around your second or third year in Missouri, something shifts. You stop asking why things work the way they do, and you start explaining them to the next newcomer. Here’s what Missourians know that new arrivals haven’t figured out yet. Note: This is general information, not tax or legal advice. Tax rules and deadlines…
Crossing a state line doesn’t change the road, but it can change what you pay and what you’re allowed to do. North Carolinians and South Carolinians who make the trip may be surprised by what’s different on the other side. Here’s what to know before your next drive from North Carolina to South Carolina. Note:…
“Wait, you don’t do it that way here?” is what a Tennessean might say to a new neighbor in another state. Some of those moments are small. Others can show up on your bill or your calendar. Here’s where Tennessee’s routines and other states’ rules don’t match up. Note: This is general information, not legal…
Some things just click when you’re talking to someone from your own state. South Carolinians share foods, sayings and traditions that other Americans often have to ask about. This is what makes the state feel like home to the people who live there. 1. Boiled Peanuts The state Department of Agriculture calls boiled peanuts an…
Tell someone you’re from Kentucky, and the questions can start fast. Gold might come up. So might a famous feud. Here’s what Kentuckians are tired of explaining to everyone who asks. 1. Commonwealth Status Kentucky is one of four U.S. states called commonwealths, along with Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. It’s the only one of the…
