Twenty two facts about New York State

  1. New York is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous.
  2. New York covers 54,556 square miles (141,300 km²) and ranks as the 27th largest state by size.
  3. New York is often referred to as New York State to distinguish it from New York City.
  4. Capital: Albany
  5. The Dutch colonized the Albany and Manhattan areas in 1624. The British took over Manhattan and the colony by annexation in 1664.
  6. New York was the first state to require license plates for cars. 
  7. Both state and city were named for the 17th century Duke of York, James Stuart, future James II and VII of England and Scotland.
  8. Joseph Gayetty of New York City invented toilet paper in 1857. 
  9. New York was inhabited by the Algonquin, Iroquois, and Lenape Native American groups at the time Dutch and French nationals moved into the region in the early 17th century.
  10. The “New York Post,” founded in 1803 by Alexander Hamilton, is the oldest running newspaper in the United States. 
  11. The borders of the British colony, the Province of New York, were roughly similar to those of the present-day state.
  12. The first American chess tournament was held in New York in 1843. 
  13. About one third of all of the battles of the Revolutionary War took place in New York.
  14. Niagara Reservation became the first state park in the U.S. 
  15. New York became an independent state on July 9, 1776, and enacted its constitution in 1777.
  16. The longest game in baseball history was played between Rochester and the Pawtucket Red Socks. The game lasted a total of 33 innings. 
  17. The highest elevation in New York is Mount Marcy in the Adirondacks.
  18. The Genesee River is one of the few rivers in the world to flow south to north.
  19. The world’s smallest church, only 3.5X6 feet, is located in Oneida. 
  20. New York City, which is geographically the largest city in the state and most populous in the 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.
  21. New York has the most extensive public library facilities in the United States, including the New York Public Library, one of the nation's largest.
  22. The first women's rights convention met at Seneca Falls in 1848.
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