Indiana is a WAY more interesting place than the vast majority of people – including some Hoosiers – ever give it credit for. It’s got an amazingly diverse array of landscapes, from plains and woodlands to wetlands and even sand dunes; the folks who live here are typically kind and warm – it’s the Midwestern way, after all. But did you know that Indiana is home to lots of firsts – the stoplight and the rear-view mirror were invented here, for example – and there are lots of other fun and wacky things you probably didn’t know? Here are nine unique trivia facts about Indiana you might not know:

1. Indiana has 92 counties.

Bart Everson/Flickr
I mean, that's... a little excessive, don't you think? Compare this to Arizona; Arizona is three times larger than Indiana is and only has 15 counties. Come on, Indiana, get it together.

2. The first-ever pro baseball game was in Indiana on May 4, 1871.

Eric Allix Rogers/Flickr
In Fort Wayne. Oh, and Indiana is home to five pro baseball teams – none of which are in the major leagues. What's even up with that?

3. Elvis Presley’s last live performance was at Market Square Arena in 1977.

Midnight Believer/Flickr
He would die three months later, cutting short what was nothing short of a legendary career.

4. What do New York's Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center, the Pentagon, the U.S. Treasury and 14 state capitols have in common? Indiana limestone.

Shabbir Siraj/Flickr
The Hoosier State has one of the richest supplies of limestone in the world. See, we're not just corn!

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5. The first train robbery happened in Indiana.

Steve Knight/Flickr
Curse those Reno brothers! The first train robbery in US history occurred near Seymour, Indiana, on October 6, 1866. The whole story is a wild ride. Imagine being the guy to come up with robbing a TRAIN for the first time.

6. The Lewis and Clark expedition started in Indiana.

Samuel Love/Flickr
In Fort Vincennes, to be exact. To this day, the town of Vincennes is absolutely brimming with history.

7. Indiana was a pivotal place on the Underground Railroad.

DCHistoryAndCulture/TripAdvisor
The town of Fountain City – once called Newport – was considered the “Grand Central Station” of the railroad. While you're here, you definitely cannot leave without checking out the legendary Levi and Catharine Coffin house.

8. Indiana was home to the world’s first-ever theme park.

Jeremy Thompson/Flickr
August 3, 1946 – Holiday World opens up in Santa Claus, Indiana. It would be nearly another decade before Disneyland cropped up.

9. Ninety precent of the world’s popcorn supply comes from Indiana.

Francis Trudeau/Flickr
And you thought all that corn was just for aesthetics. Orville Redenbacher himself was born in Brazil, Indiana!

 

Heading to Vincennes and need somewhere to stay? Let our friends at Booking.com do the heavy lifting for you. So, what do you think? Are you surprised to learn any of this? I kinda was, not gonna lie. Do you have a favorite fun fact? Let me know in the comments.

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