Thanksgiving is right around the corner. I wanted to take a moment to think about all the reasons why the rest of the country should be thankful for the state of Indiana.

The rest of the United States doesn’t realize it, but Indiana is a pretty incredible state. Over the years, we’ve contributed a lot to the history of the USA. Just imagine what the United States would be like if Indiana didn’t exist? I don’t want to think about it either!

1. A lot of Hoosiers have grown up to be Vice Presidents.
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Schuyler Colfax Jr., Thomas Hendricks, Charles W. Fairbanks, Thomas R. Marshall, and Dan Quayle were all born in Indiana.
2. Michael Jackson was born in Indiana.
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Yes, Michael Jackson was born in Indiana. Do you think the music industry would be the same without him?
3. Long distance auto races in the United States exist because of Indiana.
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Did you know the very first long-distance auto race in the USA was held on May 30, 1911, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indiana?
4. Abraham Lincoln grew up in the state of Indiana.
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Did you know that Abraham Lincoln moved to Indiana when he was just seven years old and spent most of his childhood in Spencer County with his parents?
5. The Raggedy Ann doll was created in Indiana!
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Did you know Marcella Gruelle created the very first Raggedy Ann doll in 1914 in Indianapolis?
6. We are responsible for professional baseball too.
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Did you know the very first professional baseball game was played in Fort Wayne on May 4, 1871?
7. David Letterman was born in Indianapolis.
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You have Indiana to thank for the existence of the Late Night Show, who knew?
8. Santa Claus, Indiana exists.
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Did you know over half a million letters to Santa are sent to Santa Claus, Indiana every year?
9. Home of the only working rotary jail in the United States.
Both images are from yelp.com taken by the owner of the jail.
Did you know Crawfordsville is home to the one and only working rotary jail in the entire United States?
10. Home to the Covered Bridge Capital of the world.
From the covered bridge's website.
Did you know Parke County has 32 beautiful covered bridges?

I hope everyone has a fantastic Thanksgiving with your families! Please be sure to tell me in the comments what you are most thankful for!

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