If you’re looking for another boastful topic for an interstate rivalry debate, check out this hilarious map from SizeGraph. The site pulled information from the Guinness World Records to share the awards given for the biggest things in each state. These range from things you can be proud of, like trees, lakes, animals, and statues, to weird World Records, such as Florida’s claim to fame for the largest ball of human hair.
Photo: SizeGraf
The World Record Largest Thing Each State Is Known For
Each US state — bar Delaware, which remains record-free in the realm of the outlandish — holds some sort of record. In this map, SizeGraf has pulled together the most interesting biggest item for each state.
Photo: SizeGraf
California holds the dubious honor of the largest flock of birds ever to invade a house — over a thousand swifts took over a Pasadena chimney in 1998. Indiana is known for its enormous high heel race, which in 2010 saw a staggering 967 participants strut their stuff. Montana, meanwhile, celebrates with a decidedly different kind of giant — the world’s largest testicle festival, where brave souls can sample bull testicles. Texas takes the cake (quite literally) with a massive diaper cake built in Cedar Park in 2020, using a whopping 50,112 diapers. Florida’s record is a bit more unusual — the Sunshine State held the title for the largest ball of human hair in 2021, clocking in at a hefty 225 pounds. Even our canine companions get in on the action. Colorado hosted the biggest dog “wedding” ceremony in 2007, with 178 canine couples tying the knot. And finally, Tennessee takes the record for the most people covered in duct tape, with 752 sticky participants gathering in Knoxville in 2014.
You can view a full list of the thousands of World Records at SizeGraf, but there are the weirdest big things in every state.
- Alabama — Nerf blaster
- Alaska — Cabbage
- Arizona — UFO convention
- Arkansas — Collection of ice cream freezers
- California — Flock of birds to invade a house
- Colorado — Dog wedding ceremony
- Connecticut — Wedding cake
- Delaware — Nothing
- Florida — Ball of human hair
- Georgia — Plate inserted in human skull
- Hawaii — Lens in a lighthouse
- Idaho — Toy car sentence
- Illinois — Object removed from stomach
- Indiana — High heel race
- Iowa — Pickleball paddle
- Kansas — Human-made crop picture
- Kentucky — Water balloon fight
- Louisiana — Prison farm
- Maine — Revolving globe
- Maryland — Videogame map made of LEGO
- Massachusetts — Chicken nugget
- Michigan — Collection of Snow White memorabilia
- Minnesota — Gathering of people with moustaches
- Mississippi — Watermelon eating competition
- Missouri — Hot dog cart
- Montana — Testicle festival
- Nebraska — Ice cream sandwich
- Nevada — Hacker convention
- New Hampshire — Game arcade
- New Jersey — Chicken egg
- New Mexico — Collection of Slinky toys
- New York — Crayon
- North Carolina — Vegetarian burger
- North Dakota — Wooden baseball bat
- Ohio — Chicken dance
- Oklahoma — Pizza party
- Oregon — Fungus
- Pennsylvania — Bobblehead
- Rhode Island — Sock
- South Carolina — Living cat
- South Dakota — Collection of Swamp Thing memorabilia
- Tennessee — Gathering of people wearing duct tape
- Texas — Diaper cake
- Utah — Macaroni and cheese
- Vermont — Ball of stickers
- Virginia — Prison breakout from death row
- Washington — Underground house
- West Virginia — Gathering of people wearing unicorn horns
- Wisconsin — Lawn mower parade
- Wyoming — Concentration of geysers
