Ella Walter
The US has ten panhandles, but only nine states have this feature. A panhandle is a long, narrow projection of a larger territory that is not a peninsula. West Virginia is the only state with two panhandles, while Alaska, Florida, Texas, Nebraska, Idaho, Maryland, Oklahoma, and Connecticut each have one.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of States with a Panhandle | 9 |
| Number of Panhandle Regions | 10 |
| States with Two Panhandles | West Virginia |
| Panhandle States | Alaska, Florida, Texas, Nebraska, Idaho, Maryland, Oklahoma, Connecticut, West Virginia |
| Panhandle Nicknames | "the Rod" (West Virginia), "the Other Idaho" (Idaho), "the Panhandle State" (Oklahoma) |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
What is a panhandle?
A panhandle is a long, narrow projection of a larger territory that is not a peninsula. Panhandles are narrow parts of a land area that stick out from a larger area. They are usually considered to be a part of a state.
The word "panhandle" is an Americanism first recorded in the late 19th century, so-called because of the resemblance of the extended arm to a panhandle. The term is used to refer to a long, narrow projection of a larger territory, especially when it is a part of a state.
There are ten panhandles in the United States, with nine states having this feature. West Virginia has two panhandles, the Eastern Panhandle and the Northern Panhandle, bringing the total number of panhandle states to nine. The Eastern Panhandle borders Virginia and Maryland, while the Northern Panhandle borders Pennsylvania and Ohio.
Some of the most well-known panhandles in the US include the Florida Panhandle, which constitutes the northwestern portion of the state, the Texas Panhandle, the northernmost part of the state, and the Alaska Panhandle, also referred to as South Alaska, which is a protrusion on the southeastern part of the state. Other panhandle states include Maryland, Nebraska, and Oklahoma.
The Monster's Depiction in Pan's Labyrinth: A Symbolic Analysis
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Panhandle states
In geography, a panhandle is a long, narrow strip of land that projects from the main body of an area. The term is derived from the part of a pan that is used to lift it off a surface. The difference between a panhandle and a peninsula is that a panhandle is not bordered by water on three sides but by land on two or more sides.
The concept of a panhandle is not purely geographic but can also include a demographic component. Panhandles are usually awkward add-ons that tug away from a state's main mass. While the US has ten panhandles, only nine states have this feature.
West Virginia is the only state with two panhandles, the Eastern Panhandle and the Northern Panhandle. The Eastern Panhandle stretches from the northeastern part of the state and borders Virginia and Maryland. It includes the lowest and highest elevations in West Virginia and is separated from the rest of the state by the Allegheny Front. The Northern Panhandle is the northernmost extension of West Virginia, bordering Pennsylvania and Ohio.
Other panhandle states include Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Maryland, and Idaho. The Texas Panhandle is located in the northernmost area of the state. The Oklahoma Panhandle is the most obvious "panhandle" shape in the US. Nebraska's western end is considered a panhandle, while Utah's similar protrusion is not. The Idaho Panhandle, also known as North Idaho, encompasses the ten northernmost counties of the state.
Additionally, the Alaska Panhandle, also referred to as South Alaska, is a protrusion on the southeastern part of Alaska, bordering British Columbia, Canada. The Connecticut Panhandle is the southwestern extension of Connecticut, entirely contained within Fairfield County. The Florida Panhandle constitutes the northwestern portion of Florida, bordered by Alabama and Georgia, with Tallahassee, the state's capital, located within it.
US Companies: TAN and PAN Compliance
You may want to see also
Explore related products
How Texas's panhandle was created
The Texas Panhandle, consisting of the northernmost 26 counties in the state, was shaped by the Compromise of 1850, which resolved the state's controverted territorial claims. The region is bordered by New Mexico to the west and Oklahoma to the north and east. The Compromise of 1850 removed territory north of the 36°30' north latitude line from Texas, setting the border between the Texas Panhandle and the New Mexico Territory at the 103rd meridian west. The eastern border at the 100th meridian west was inherited from the Adams–Onís Treaty of 1819, which defined the border between the United States and New Spain.
The Texas Panhandle has a rich and complex history that dates back centuries. Contrary to popular belief, the region was not first settled in the late 1800s, but instead by prehistoric Plains villagers around 800-900 years ago. These early inhabitants left behind evidence of their sustained presence, including stone ruins of villages and hamlets in the valleys and along various rivers. The villagers were part of the Plains Village tradition, a semi-settled way of life in the Great Plains. They depended on a combination of bison hunting and horticulture for their survival.
In the early 1500s, Plains villagers abandoned much of the western and southwestern parts of the Southern Plains. Historians believe that these ancient villagers spoke Northern Caddoan languages and migrated over long distances. Over time, the Texas Panhandle became a site of commercial trade between the Plains and the river valleys of New Mexico. Goods were traded at prearranged sites in West Texas, and Comancheros emerged as the principal agents of commerce. However, by the 19th century, the Comanchero trade took on a more sinister aspect, dealing in stolen livestock and human trafficking.
The Texas Panhandle was also influenced by the presence of Spaniards and Pueblo Indians, who regarded the region as part of New Mexico. In 1821, the region began to shift towards the United States, leading to a series of overlapping phases in its history. By the late 1800s, the military phase of the Panhandle's history came to an end, and the region was opened up for settlement. In 1876, the Texas legislature marked off the 26 Panhandle counties, transforming the region from a southwestern Hispanic cultural domain to an Anglo-American one.
Stain Removal Strategies: Eradicating Stubborn Marks from Pan Sheets
You may want to see also
Explore related products
West Virginia's two panhandles
West Virginia is the only state with two panhandles. The Eastern Panhandle borders the states of Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia, while the Northern Panhandle borders Pennsylvania and Ohio. The Eastern Panhandle is a small stretch of territory in the northeast of the state, while the Northern Panhandle is the northernmost extension of West Virginia.
The Eastern Panhandle includes West Virginia's oldest chartered towns, Romney and Shepherdstown, as well as the state's two oldest counties: Hampshire (1753) and Berkeley (1772). The region is also home to two religious learning centers: the Buddhist Bhavana Society Forest Monastery and Retreat Center in High View and the Global Country of World Peace's Transcendental Meditation Learning Center and Retreat in Three Churches. The eastern panhandle includes both West Virginia's highest and lowest elevations above sea level: Spruce Knob, at 4,863 feet (1,482 m), and Harpers Ferry, the state's easternmost town. The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, now CSX, runs through the panhandle.
The Northern Panhandle was shaped by the Ohio River along its western border, with the eastern border formed by the Mason-Dixon Line, the mid-1700s dividing line between the North and the South. The region includes the panhandle coalfield and three four-year colleges: West Liberty University, Bethany College, and Wheeling University. The Northern Panhandle’s largest city, Wheeling, is home to Independence Hall, the site of the state’s first capital. The Wheeling Suspension Bridge, completed in 1872, spans the Ohio River and connects the eastern and western sections of the country’s first highway, now the Historic National Road.
The Eastern Panhandle is West Virginia's fastest-growing region in terms of population and housing. According to the 2010 census, the eight counties of the Eastern Panhandle had a combined population of 261,041, giving the region 11.75% of West Virginia's population. The Northern Panhandle, on the other hand, had a total combined population of 132,295 in the 2010 census, counting only the counties physically on the panhandle. This number increased to 158,086 when including Wetzel and Tyler counties, which are sometimes considered part of the Northern Panhandle.
Gotham Steel Pans: Scratch-Resistant?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The most obvious panhandle state
The US has ten panhandles, but only nine states have this feature. West Virginia is the only state with two panhandles, the Eastern Panhandle and the Northern Panhandle, bringing the total number of panhandle states to ten.
When people think of a panhandle state, they usually think of Florida. This is because it has the most obvious handle, and it is synonymous with the word. The Florida Panhandle constitutes the northwestern portion of the state, bordered by Alabama and Georgia to the north and west, and the Gulf of Mexico to the south. It is approximately 200 miles long and 50 miles wide at its narrowest point and 100 miles at its widest. The Emerald Coast is a major tourist draw, and the state is known for its beaches and amusement parks.
However, some sources cite Oklahoma as having the most obvious "panhandle" shape in the States. This may be the unluckiest rectangle of plains in world history, as it was the hardest stretch to cross on the old Santa Fe Trail and was hit hard by the 1930s Dust Bowl. For decades in the mid-18th century, it sat unwanted as "No Man's Land," unclaimed by anyone.
Other panhandle states include Alaska, Texas, Idaho, Nebraska, Connecticut, and Maryland.
Coconut Oil and Non-Stick Pans: A Bad Combination?
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
There are 10 geographic/state panhandles in the US, with West Virginia being the only state to have two.
The states with a panhandle are Alaska, Florida, Texas, Nebraska, Idaho, Maryland, Oklahoma, Connecticut, and West Virginia, which has two.
A panhandle is a long, narrow projection of a larger territory that is not a peninsula. It refers to the narrow portion of a state that extends away from the main state.
The most obvious panhandle is that of Oklahoma, which is sometimes nicknamed the panhandle state.
The Idaho panhandle is thought to be the only panhandle created out of pure spite.
