Montgomery, Alabama
In 1955, Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to relinquish her bus seat to a white man, thereby becoming a catalyst for desegregation
of the city's transit system one year later. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., concluded his Civil Rights March from Selma to Montgomery
in 1965. The Yellowhammer State's capital, with a population of almost 200,127, is also where legendary county music singer
Hank Williams is buried. ( http://www.visitingmontgomery.com/) Montpelier, Vermont
With only approximately 8,003 residents, the Green Mountain State's capital is the least populated in the U.S. Montpelier
is also the only U.S. state capital without a McDonald's franchise. Tourists fill the city's historic downtown and capitol
region, which doubles as a gorgeous backdrop for biking enthusiasts. ( http://www.travelvermont.com/) Nashville, Tennessee
Nicknamed "Music City," Nashville is the Christian pop and rock music industry headquarters, and its Country Music Hall of
Fame—formerly the Grand Old Opry[PL1]—is the annual site of the CMA Music Festival. With a population of approximately 549,110,
the Volunteer State's capital has been home to famous musicians including Jimmy Buffet, Johnny Cash, Sheryl Crow, and Loretta
Lynn. ( http://www.nashvillecvb.com/) Olympia, Washington
Located on Budd Inlet on Puget Sound, the Evergreen State's capital city offers sweeping water views, including the boardwalk
surrounding Capital Lake. Its Legislative Building is topped by one of the tallest self-supporting masonry domes in the world.
Some of Olympia's nearly 44,114 locals may recall when earthquakes rocked the capitol in 1949, 1965, and 2001. ( http://www.visitolympia.com/) Pierre, South Dakota
With a population of only about 14,052, Pierre is the second least populated state capital. Situated on the Missouri River,
it offers fishing, hunting, boating, and bird watching along lake waters and river islands. The capitol and South Dakota Cultural
Heritage Center are major tourist attractions. ( http://www.pierre.org/) Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh's capitol building is the subject of many legends. Did Confederate spies really use secret rooms during the Civil
War? Is it the most haunted capitol in America? Additionally, nearly 341,530 residents in the Tar Heel State's capital—where
"American Idol" finalist Clay Aiken hails from—frequent its North Carolina Museum of Art, which attracts over 100,000 visitors
per year to the "City of Oaks." ( http://www.visitraleigh.com/) Richmond, Virginia
Attractions along Richmond's Monument Avenue tell the story of its rich history. At St. John's Church in 1775, Patrick Henry
set the course for independence when he delivered his "Give me Liberty or Give me Death" speech—which Thomas Jefferson and
George Washington attended. The nearly 192,913 residents of the Old Dominion State's capital city are working toward a downtown
revival, including a new Canal Walk and Convention Center, plus construction of a new performing arts center. ( http://www.richmond.com/visitors/) Sacramento, California
Nicknamed the "Camelia Capital of the World," the city hosts a Jazz Jubilee each May and French Film Festival each July. With
a population of approximately 456,441, the Golden State's capital is also home to the oldest public art museum west of the
Mississippi River—the Crocker Art Museum. Old Sacramento features cobbled streets and rides on steam-hauled historic trains
and paddle steamers. ( http://www.sacramentocvb.org/)
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