Ten extremely unexpected U.S. state firsts illustrate how each corner of the nation loves to brag about being the pioneer of something. From quirky inventions to pioneering services, these surprising milestones show that “firsts” aren’t always the ones you’d expect. Below we count down ten of the most off‑beat state “firsts” that you probably never heard about.
10 Alabama: The First 911 Call
In 1968, the very first 911 call ever made was placed in the tiny town of Haleyville, Alabama. Before that year, the emergency number across the United States was simply “0.” Callers would reach an operator, who would then patch them through to police, fire, or medical services.
By 1968, officials recognized the need for a dedicated dispatch center and a unique number that could be dialed in emergencies, streamlining the whole process. Trained dispatchers could answer, coordinate fire, police, and EMS, and the response time dropped dramatically. City leaders in Haleyville were eager to be the first spot in America to roll out this new system. On February 16, 1968, they did just that.
That morning, the Alabama speaker of the house lifted a red telephone and made the inaugural 911 call. Congressman Tom Bevill waited on the other end, ready to receive the dial‑in. The two exchanged a few minutes of pleasantries, confirming that the line worked and that dispatchers could hear clearly. Congress had only just mandated 911 as the national emergency number weeks earlier, so Haleyville’s swift implementation was remarkable. Soon after, many other municipalities followed suit, and today dialing 911 is ingrained in the American consciousness from childhood onward.
9 Florida: The First Sunscreen
In 1944, the sun‑splashed beaches of Miami, Florida, attracted adventurous tourists and local beach‑goers alike. As World War II wound down, Americans anticipated a return to peacetime leisure, sparking a surge of outdoor activity even before the war officially ended. Enter Benjamin Green.
Green, serving as an airman during the war, also worked as a pharmacist, giving him solid medical knowledge and a keen awareness of the human body. An avid surfer, he grew weary of the painful sunburns that followed his time in the surf.
Combining his scientific background with his love of the outdoors, Green tinkered until he perfected a lotion that darkened tans while protecting skin from harsh UV rays. This suntan lotion, which both bronzed and shielded, quickly took hold. Miami residents embraced Green’s creation, praising its ability to give a healthy glow without the dreaded red burns. The product’s success blossomed into the brand we now know as Coppertone, all stemming from that 1944 breakthrough in Miami.
8 Iowa: The First Computer
You might picture Silicon Valley as the ultimate tech hub, but back in the late 1930s, the first major center of computing was actually in Ames, Iowa. In 1937, Iowa State University physics professor John Vincent Atanasoff began experimenting with what would become the world’s first electronic computer.
Working alongside graduate student Clifford Berry, Atanasoff spent five years refining a massive, unwieldy device. By 1942, the machine was ready for demonstration, heralded as the first electronic computer capable of computing, reading, and writing data. It earned the name Atanasoff‑Berry Computer, or simply the ABC Computer.
The ABC was far from today’s sleek laptops: it occupied a desk‑sized space and weighed over 750 pounds (340 kg). Yet it boasted groundbreaking features—rotating drums for memory, a read/write system for numbers, glowing vacuum tubes, separate memory and computing units, electronic amplifiers acting as on‑off switches, circuits dedicated to addition and subtraction, and a binary arithmetic system. Though technology soon vaulted beyond the ABC, its 1942 debut marked a pivotal moment in computing history, rooted in Iowa’s humble university labs.
7 New York: The First Brewery
New York can proudly claim one of the earliest public breweries in what would become the United States. Long before the nation’s independence, the Dutch controlled the area they called New Amsterdam, and in 1632 they established the first public brewery.
During the first decade of Dutch rule, most beer was brewed at home. That changed dramatically in 1632 when an enterprising group set up a commercial brewery on lower Manhattan’s Brewery Street—now known as Stone Street. The surrounding region supplied ample grain, malt, and hops, making production straightforward.
Within a few years, the brewery’s popularity surged, turning beer‑making into New Amsterdam’s biggest industry. Dutch brewers multiplied across the settlement, each competing to sell their suds to locals. While not akin to today’s craft‑beer scene, this early enterprise laid the foundation for America’s massive alcohol industry. Cheers to New York’s pioneering brew!
6 South Carolina: The First Opera
On February 8, 1735, the opera *Flora* premiered in a makeshift theater built in Charleston, South Carolina. Already a hit in England, the work quickly captured American audiences, marking the first opera ever staged in what would become a U.S. state.
*Flora* resonated as a “ballad opera,” prompting local theater producers to adjust their offerings to satisfy the growing appetite for music‑driven drama. South Carolina, not yet a state, unintentionally became the birthplace of American opera.
Although it may seem minor, this event reshaped American theater. The success of *Flora* pushed playwrights to weave songs more tightly into storylines, sowing seeds for the modern musical. Today’s Broadway spectacles, including the megahit *Hamilton*, owe a debt to South Carolina’s early operatic venture.
5 Maryland: The First Dental School
Maryland earned a historic distinction by founding the United States’ first dental school, which also held the world’s inaugural title. In colonial America, dentistry was a chaotic mix of part‑time practitioners and untrained “tooth‑pullers,” often leading to painful experiences for patients.
Enter the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery, established in 1840. This institution became the first regulated dental school in the nation and set a global precedent. Its graduates were far more skilled than the era’s typical self‑taught dentists.
As the college produced increasingly competent practitioners, oral health across the country improved steadily. Eventually, the school merged into Maryland’s public university system and continues today as the University of Maryland School of Dentistry, a lasting legacy of pioneering dental education.
4 Maine: The First City
The town of York, Maine, holds the honor of being the New World’s first officially chartered city, a status granted in 1641. Although the area was first settled in 1624 by Captain John Smith—who had first explored it in 1614—settlement didn’t begin until a decade later.
Initially called Agamenticus, the settlement received an official charter in 1641 from explorer Sir Ferdinando Gorges, who renamed it Gorgeana—essentially stamping his own name on the place. This charter marked the birth of America’s first recognized city.
Eleven years later, the Massachusetts Bay Company seized control, revoking Gorges’s charter and issuing a new one that renamed the city York, after England’s Yorkshire. Despite a devastating raid by the Abenaki in 1692, York persisted and today draws history enthusiasts with its colonial charm, housing under 15,000 year‑round residents.
3 Michigan: The First Paved Road
When Henry Ford’s Model T rolled through Detroit in the early 1900s, the city realized it needed better infrastructure for the burgeoning automobile traffic. In 1909, a mile of Woodward Avenue in Detroit became the United States’ first concrete‑paved road.
While brick‑paved streets existed elsewhere, a smooth concrete surface was unprecedented. Early cars struggled on uneven brick, prompting officials to fund a smoother solution. Construction crews worked through the spring of 1909, and on April 20, the mile‑long stretch between Six Mile Road and Seven Mile Road opened as a concrete highway.
The project cost roughly $1,400, with about $1,000 supplied by the state. This pioneering effort paved the way—literally—for modern road construction across the nation.
2 Minnesota: The First Mall
Minnesota later became synonymous with massive shopping complexes, most famously the Mall of America. Yet the state also pioneered the very concept of the modern mall in the post‑World II era.
After soldiers returned home in 1945, the ensuing decade saw a boom in family formation, home buying, and disposable income. Visionary executives responded by creating immersive shopping experiences where virtually everything could be purchased under one roof.
On October 8, 1956, Southdale Center opened in the Minneapolis suburb of Edina, marking the world’s first fully enclosed, climate‑controlled shopping center. Its indoor, year‑round environment proved essential in Minnesota’s harsh winters, drawing crowds and inspiring the spread of malls across America.
1 Arizona: The First Drive‑Thru
The concept of a fast‑food drive‑thru may have floated around many restaurants, but Arizona claims the distinction of being the first to implement it. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, McDonald’s executives explored ways to serve a car‑centric clientele.
Franchisees in Los Angeles and San Diego first inquired about drive‑thru windows, and an Oklahoma City franchise expressed interest in opening the nation’s first. However, renovation delays stalled that plan.
Seeking a quick solution, McDonald’s turned to a location in Sierra Vista, Arizona, near Fort Huachuca Army Base. Soldiers stationed there were prohibited from leaving their vehicles while in civilian areas, limiting their ability to order food. Recognizing this, McDonald’s installed a drive‑thru window at the Sierra Vista restaurant, creating the first fast‑food drive‑thru. The success of this model sparked a nationwide rollout, making the drive‑thru a staple of American fast‑food culture.