New England is a stunning region of the country, with incredible coastlines, gorgeous mountain ranges, and rich forests spread throughout its 6 states (Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut). It’s home to some of the first English cities and towns in the U.S. and packed full of American history, but it’s geography is just as fascinating. Geography by Geoff presented 15 incredible facts about New England’s geography that you probably haven’t heard before.
15 Facts About New England:
- Mount Washington’s Extreme Weather: The summit of Mount Washington, New Hampshire, is known as “Home of the World’s Worst Weather.” It held the world record for the fastest wind gust (231 mph in 1934) for over 60 years and experiences hurricane-force winds over 100 days a year.
- Cape Cod as a Glacial Sandbar: Cape Cod is a geologically young landform made of glacial debris (terminal moraine and outwash plain) from the last Ice Age, essentially a massive, eroding sandbar losing about 3 feet per year on its Atlantic side.
- Maine’s Drowned Coastline: Maine’s intricate tidal coastline stretches 3,478 miles (longer than California’s) due to glaciers carving valleys that were flooded by rising sea levels, creating a classic “ria” coast with thousands of islands and bays.
- Whale Fossils in Landlocked Vermont: Vermont has beluga whale fossils (including its state marine fossil) from the Champlain Sea, a temporary inland ocean that existed after the Ice Age when the land was depressed by glaciers.
- Exotic Bedrock Foundation: New England’s bedrock consists of “exotic terranes”, fragments from ancient continents (including Europe and Africa) that collided with North America during Pangea’s formation, making it rich in metamorphic rocks.
- 240,000 Miles of Stone Walls: Forests hide about 240,000 miles of stone walls built by 18th-19th century farmers clearing glacial boulders from fields; they now mark abandoned farmland reclaimed by trees.
- Boston Built on Landfill: Much of modern Boston (e.g., Back Bay, South End, Logan Airport) is man-made land from 19th-century filling of tidal marshes and harbor, more than doubling the original Shawmut Peninsula’s size.
- Rivers Powered the Industrial Revolution: New England’s short, steep, fast-flowing rivers provided ideal water power at their fall lines, fueling early textile mills and sparking America’s Industrial Revolution in cities like Lowell and Pawtucket.
- 1938 Hurricane Reshaped the Coast: The unforecasted 1938 Great New England Hurricane permanently altered the coastline with massive storm surges, cutting new inlets (e.g., Shinnecock Inlet) and destroying vast areas of coast and forest.
- The Aroostook “War” Border Dispute: A nearly bloodless 1838-1839 standoff (Aroostook War) between the U.S. and Britain over the valuable St. John River Valley led to the 1842 treaty establishing the modern Maine-Canada border.
- The Great Forest Paradox: Despite high population density, New England is heavily forested (Maine 89%, New Hampshire 84%, the top two U.S. states), due to abandoned 19th-century farmland regrowing and population clustering in urban coastal areas.
- Town Meeting Government: Unlike most of the U.S., New England’s primary local government unit is the “town” with direct democracy traditions. Counties are weak or abolished in several states.
- Maple Syrup Capital: New England, especially Vermont (over 50% of U.S. production, 3.1 million gallons in 2024), dominates maple syrup due to ideal sugar maple tree conditions from cold winters and warming springs.
- Smallest State Capitals: New England’s capitals are tiny and decentralized: Montpelier, Vermont (pop. ~8,000) is the smallest U.S. state capital (and only one without a McDonald’s), while Augusta, ME and Concord, NH are also among the smallest.
- Higher Education “Industry”: New England has the highest concentration of colleges/universities per capita in the U.S., making education a major economic driver, shaping demographics, high-tech/biotech sectors, and culture.
