Alabama Facts

• In 1919, the city of Enterprise erected a monument to the boll weevil in recognition of the destructive insect’s role in saving the county’s economy by encouraging farmers to grow more lucrative crops such as peanuts instead of traditional cotton.

• The DeSoto Caverns near the city of Birmingham, which contain a 2,000-year-old Native American burial site, served as a clandestine speakeasy with dancing and gambling during Prohibition.

• Alabama was the first state to declare Christmas a legal holiday, in 1836.

• The Tuskegee Airmen, the first African-American flying unit in the U.S. military, were trained in Alabama. Their accomplished combat record, including the accumulation of more than 850 medals, was an important factor in President Truman’s decision to desegregate armed forces in 1948.

• In 1965, five months before President Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act prohibiting discriminatory voting practices, thousands of non-violent protesters joined a 54-mile selma to montgomery march to bring attention to the injustice African Americans faced when attempting to register to vote.

• The Saturn V rocket that made it possible for humans to land on the moon was designed in Huntsville, Alabama.

Hawaii Facts

• Before the arrival of British Captain James Cook in 1778, the Hawaiian language was strictly oral. Natives were taught by missionaries to read their language so that they could communicate the scriptures of the Bible. Banned in 1898 when Hawaii became a U.S. Territory and then resurrected as the official language in 1978, Hawaiian contains only 12 letters: five vowels and seven consonants.

• In 1866, after leprosy had begun to swiftly spread among the Hawaiian population without a cure, more than 100 victims were forcefully shipped to Kalaupapa on the island of Molokai to live in complete isolation. At its peak in 1890, more than 1,000 people resided in the colony.

• Mount Waialeale on Kauai is one of the wettest places on earth. It receives an average of around 460 inches of rain each year.

• With rich volcanic soil and ideal farming conditions, Hawaii is the only U.S. state that grows coffee. In 2006, Kona coffee was named by Forbes.com as one of the world’s top 10 most expensive brews at around $34 per pound.

• Standing 13,796 feet above sea level, Mauna Kea is Hawaii’s tallest volcano. But it stretches an additional 19,680 feet below the surface of the water, making Mauna Kea the tallest mountain in the world at 33,476 feet. Mount Everest’s elevation, measured from sea level, is 29,035 feet.

• Hawaii’s population center is the most isolated on Earth—more than 2,300 miles from the United States, 3,850 miles from Japan, 4,900 miles from China and 5,280 miles from the Philippines.
• Hawaii’s Mauna Kea is the tallest mountain on earth, with a height of over 30,000 feet from its base—on the floor of the Pacific Ocean—to its peak.

Arkansas: Economy

A major cotton-producing state in the 19th cent., Arkansas has since diversified its agricultural production and overall economy. Cotton is still an important crop, but ranks below soybeans and rice. Arkansas has become a leading producer of poultry, raising over one billion broiler chickens a year; turkeys, dairy goods, and catfish are also important. The state's most important mineral products are petroleum, bromine and bromine compounds, and natural gas, and it is the nation's leading bauxite producer. Principal manufactures are food products, chemicals, lumber and paper goods, electrical equipment, furniture, automobile and airplane parts, and machinery. The Pine Bluff Arsenal is among military installations contributing to the Arkansas economy.

Arkansas: Government and Higher Education

The state constitution (1874) provides for an elected governor and bicameral legislature, with a 35-member senate and a 100-member house of representatives. Arkansas sends two senators and four representatives to the U.S. Congress and has six electoral votes.

Bill Clinton was elected governor five times between 1978 and 1990. Jim Guy Tucker, a Democrat, succeeded Clinton but resigned in 1996 when he was convicted of fraud in a Whitewater -related scheme; Republican Mike Huckabee, the lieutenant governor, became governor, and was reelected in 1998 and 2002. In 2006, Mike Beebe, a Democrat, was elected to the post; he was reelected in 2010. Republican Asa Hutchinson was elected governor in 2014.

Among the institutions of higher education in the state are the Univ. of Arkansas , at Fayetteville; Arkansas State Univ. , at Jonesboro; Hendrix College and the Univ. of Central Arkansas, at Conway; Ouachita Baptist Univ. and Henderson State Univ., at Arkadelphia; the Univ. of the Ozarks, at Clarksville; Lyon College, at Batesville; and Harding College, at Searcy.

ARKANSAS GEOGRAPHY

The Arkansas River flows southeast across the state between the Ozark plateau and the Ouachita Mountains and runs down to the southern and eastern plains to empty into the Mississippi River. The other rivers of the state also flow generally SE or S to the Mississippi; these include the Saint Francis (which forms part of the E Missouri line), the White River , the Ouachita , and the Red River (which forms part of the Texas line). The state's transportation network is based on rivers as well as roads, railroads, and air travel. The 440 mi (708 km) Arkansas River Navigation System links Oklahoma and Arkansas to the Mississippi River.

The capital and largest city is Little Rock ; other important cities are Fort Smith , North Little Rock , Pine Bluff , Hot Springs , and West Memphis .

The climate of Arkansas is marked by long, hot summers and mild winters. The state's many lakes and streams and its abundant wildlife provide excellent hunting and fishing. The mineral springs at Hot Springs also attract many visitors to Arkansas, where tourism is an important industry.

Arkansas License Plates: Special
State: Arkansas Year: 1928 Type: Sample Notes: 1928 Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1929 Type: Sample Notes: 1929 Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1930 Type: Sample Notes: 1930 Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1931 Type: Sample Notes: 1931 Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1932 Type: Sample Notes: 1932 Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1933 Type: Sample Notes: 1933 Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1934 Type: Sample Notes: 1934 Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1935 Type: Sample Notes: 1935 Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1936 Type: Sample Notes: 1936 Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1937 Type: Sample Notes: 1937 Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1938 Type: Sample Notes: 1938 Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1939 Type: Sample Notes: 1939 Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1940 Type: Sample Notes: 1940 Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1941 Type: Sample Notes: 1941 Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1944 Type: Sample Notes: 1944 Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1945 Type: Sample Notes: 1945 Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1946 Type: Sample Notes: 1946 Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1948 Type: Sample Notes: 1948 Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1949 Type: Motorcycle Notes: 1949 Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1950 Type: Sample Notes: 1950 Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1951 Type: Sample Notes: 1951 Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1951 Type: Sample Notes: 1951 Truck Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1952 Type: Sample Notes: 1952 Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1953 Type: Motorcycle Notes: 1953 Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1954 Type: Sample Notes: 1954 Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1956 Type: Motorcycle Notes: 1956 Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1956 Type: Sample Notes: 1956 Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1956 Type: Special Notes: 1956 Pine Bluff Taxi Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1960 Type: Dealer Notes: 1960 Dealer Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1960 Type: Special Notes: 1960 Trailer Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1961 Type: Truck Notes: 1961 Truck Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1963 Type: Motorcycle Notes: 1963 Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1963 Type: Sample Notes: 1963 Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1965 Type: Motorcycle Notes: 1965 Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1965 Type: Truck Notes: 1965 Truck Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1966 Type: Special Notes: 1966 Farm Products Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1967 Type: Motorcycle Notes: 1967 Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1968 Type: Truck Notes: 1968 Truck Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1969 Type: Motorcycle Notes: 1969 Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1972 Type: Dealer Notes: 1972 Dealer Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1974 Type: Motorcycle Notes: 1974 Black on White Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1974 Type: Motorcycle Notes: 1974 White on Black Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1976 Type: Special Notes: 1976 State House of Representatives Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1976 Type: Truck Notes: 1976 Natural Resources Truck Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1976 Type: Special Notes: 1976 Ambulance/Hearse Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1976 Type: Dealer Notes: 1976 New Car Dealer Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1976 Type: Truck Notes: 1976 Truck Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1976 Type: Dealer Notes: 1976 New Car Extra Dealer Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1976 Type: Special Notes: 1976 Full Cotton Trailer Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1976 Type: Special Notes: 1976 Semi-Trailer Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1976 Type: Special Notes: 1976 Church Bus Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1976 Type: Sample Notes: 1976 Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1976 Type: Sample Notes: 1976 Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1977 Type: Motorcycle Notes: 1977 Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1977 Type: Truck Notes: 1977 Truck Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1977 Type: Special Notes: 1977 Semi-Trailer Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1978 Type: Sample Notes: 1978 US Congressman Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1980 Type: Special Notes: 1980 Handicapped Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1982 Type: Special Notes: 1982 State House of Reps. Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1990 Type: Special Notes: 1990 Ambulance-Hearse Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1992 Type: Dealer Notes: 1992 Dealer Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1994 Type: Apportioned/Combo Notes: 1994 Apportioned Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1994 Type: Dealer Notes: 1994 Used Car Dealer Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1994 Type: Special Notes: 1994 State Property Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1995 Type: Dealer Notes: 1995 Dealer Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1995 Type: Special Notes: 1995 Firefighter Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1995 Type: Special Notes: 1995 Transporter Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1995 Type: Motorcycle Notes: 1995 Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1996 Type: Motorcycle Notes: 1996 Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1996 Type: Apportioned/Combo Notes: 1996 Apportioned Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1996 Type: Dealer Notes: 1996 Dealer Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1996 Type: Special Notes: 1996 Farm Product Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1996 Type: Dealer Notes: 1996 New Car Dealer Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1997 Type: Apportioned/Combo Notes: 1997 Apportioned Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1997 Type: Special Notes: 1997 Border City Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1997 Type: Dealer Notes: 1997 New Car Dealer Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1997 Type: Dealer Notes: 1997 Used Car Dealer Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 1998 Type: Special Notes: 1998 Vanity Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 2000 Type: Special Notes: 2000 Manufacturer Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 2000 Type: Special Notes: 2000 Disabled Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 2000 Type: Motorcycle Notes: 2000 Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 2001 Type: Motorcycle Notes: 2001 Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 2001 Type: Motorcycle Notes: 2001 Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 2001 Type: Dealer Notes: 2001 Special Dealer Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 2002 Type: Motorcycle Notes: 2002 Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 2002 Type: Motorcycle Notes: 2002 Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 2003 Type: Special Notes: 2003 Manufacturer Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 2003 Type: Dealer Notes: 2003 Mobile Home Dealer Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 2003 Type: Motorcycle Notes: 2003 Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 2004 Type: Motorcycle Notes: 2004 Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 2004 Type: Motorcycle Notes: 2004 Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 2007 Type: Special Notes: In God We Trust Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: 2007 Type: Special Notes: Woodpecker Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: n/a Type: Special Notes: In God We Trust Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: n/a Type: Special Notes: Choose Life Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: n/a Type: Special Notes: Ducks Unlimited Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: n/a Type: Special Notes: Mallard Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: n/a Type: Special Notes: Trout Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: n/a Type: Special Notes: Unknown Year--Local Police? Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: n/a Type: Special Notes: Arkansas State Police 50's through 1976 Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: n/a Type: Special Notes: Weights & Standards 35 to 50's Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: n/a Type: Special Notes: Deer Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: n/a Type: Special Notes: Hummingbird Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: n/a Type: Special Notes: Bass Download JPG Image
State: Arkansas Year: n/a Type: Special Notes: Wild Turkey Download JPG Image