Weird Geography Facts

[twincyties]

The earth is flat

 

[jcyclonee]

This is my biggest problem with living in Minnesota.

I've grown to like the term "hot dish" because it makes for a great euphemism but Gray Duck... ugh.

 

[CascadeClone]

Considering that as an Iowan, I usually think of Minnesota as north, and Missouri as south, I find the following to be surprising.

If you travel directly north from Cascade, the first state you run into is…
Wisconsin.

If you travel directly south from Cascade, the first state you run into is…
Illinois.

(Same is true for any town of your choice in that part of the state.)

You chose correctly.

 

[JM4CY]

So like Clive and Waukee?

What is going on in these weird little areas?

 

[Die4Cy]

Rome is closer to Rome, IA (5007 miles) than Rome, GA (5034 miles)

No way

 

[State2015]

An Iowa city is west of the Missouri River.

I haven't had my coffee yet and read this as "Iowa City is west of the Missouri River" and I thought you were tryna make a joke about them losing to Mizzou

 

[Mr Janny]

There's a thread on another board I frequent dedicated to weird, or maybe more accurately "unexpected" geography facts, and I find it fascinating as hell. Figured folks here might have some interesting contributions. Some examples of what I'm talking about:

-Youngstown, Ohio is east of Neptune Beach, Florida which is on the Atlantic.

-Keokuk is closer to Paducah, Kentucky than it is to Larchwood.

-Hamburg, IA is closer to Tulsa than it is to Decorah.

-Detroit is closer to Boone, NC than it is to Ironwood, MI.

-Dalhart, TX is closer to Cheyenne, WY than it is to Austin.

-Rome is north of Des Moines.

The first time I was driving in Detroit, my mind was blown when I saw a sign indicating that you needed to go South to get to the Canadian border. Looked it up on a map and sure enough...

 

[mj4cy]

Greenland is further north, south,east, and west of Iceland

 

[AltoonaFish]

And it has one of the coolest barns I've ever seen.

Pictures don’t do it justice. I think it was built in something like 1876.

 

[WooBadger18]

Also hot dish vs. casserole.

I also like pointing out that the quad cities are where the Mississippi flows east/west. That’s surprising to people before they think about it.

 

[CloneLawman]

They wish they were the Fort Dodge of Western Iowa.

True. No Taco Tico.

 

[CYCLNST8]

San Diego is north of Shreveport.

 

[ackatch]

An Iowa city is west of the Missouri River.

We stayed in said city last year when we went over for the NCAA tourney. It was so weird to keep going between states. Not like it really mattered, but it was just weird.

 

[Die4Cy]

The geographical center of Iowa is an unincorporated town in Story County called Fernald.

How does one correctly determine the geographical center of an irregular shape like Iowa? I imagine there are different ways of doing that. Is it where the four corner points all cross on intersecting lines? Genuinely curious about that.

 

[CYCLNST8]

True. No Taco Tico.

Taco Tico blows away the competition: Bell, Toxic Juan's, Tasty. No idea how the one in Webster City failed. If they put one in across the street from where I work, I can guarantee a profitable business.

 

[AltoonaFish]

How does one correctly determine the geographical center of an irregular shape like Iowa? I imagine there are different ways of doing that. Is it where the four corner points all cross on intersecting lines? Genuinely curious about that.

Google tells me so.

But I would assume math is involved as well as maybe the stars, moon and sun as well.

 

[CloneLawman]

Taco Tico blows away the competition: Bell, Toxic Juan's, Tasty. No idea how the one in Webster City failed. If they put one in across the street from where I work, I can guarantee a profitable business.

Little-known fact-- @jcyclonee is a part owner of the Dodge Tico.

 

[ISUTex]

There's a thread on another board I frequent dedicated to weird, or maybe more accurately "unexpected" geography facts, and I find it fascinating as hell. Figured folks here might have some interesting contributions. Some examples of what I'm talking about:

-Youngstown, Ohio is east of Neptune Beach, Florida which is on the Atlantic.

-Keokuk is closer to Paducah, Kentucky than it is to Larchwood.

-Hamburg, IA is closer to Tulsa than it is to Decorah.

-Detroit is closer to Boone, NC than it is to Ironwood, MI.

-Dalhart, TX is closer to Cheyenne, WY than it is to Austin.

-Rome is north of Des Moines.

Rhode Island is neither a road nor an island.

 

[jcyclonee]

How does one correctly determine the geographical center of an irregular shape like Iowa? I imagine there are different ways of doing that. Is it where the four corner points all cross on intersecting lines? Genuinely curious about that.

Math nerds, answer this please.

 

[jcyclonee]

Little-known fact-- @jcyclonee is a part owner of the Dodge Tico.

I truly wish this were true.