Statehood Dates
SHARE:NAME |
DATE/ORDER |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|
| Delaware | Dec. 7, 1787 1 st |
The first of the original 13 colonies. |
| Pennsylvania | Dec. 12, 1787 2 nd |
The second of the original 13 colonies. |
| New Jersey | Dec. 18, 1787 3 rd |
The third of the original 13 colonies. |
| Georgia | Jan. 2, 1788 4 th |
The fourth of the original 13 colonies |
| Connecticut | Jan. 9, 1788 5 th |
The fifth of the original 13 colonies. |
| Massachusetts | Feb. 6, 1788 6 th |
The sixth of the original 13 colonies |
| Maryland | April 28, 1788 7 th |
The seventh of the original 13 colonies. |
| South Carolina | May 23, 1788 8 th |
The eighth of the original 13 colonies. |
| New Hampshire | June 21, 1788 9 th |
The ninth of the original 13 colonies |
| Virginia | June 25, 1788 10 th |
The 10th of the original 13 colonies. |
| New York | July 26, 1788 11 th |
The 11th of the original 13 colonies. |
| North Carolina | Nov. 21, 1789 12 th |
The 12th of the original 13 colonies. |
| Rhode Island | May 29, 1790 13 th |
The 13th of the original 13 colonies. |
| Vermont | March 4, 1791 14 th |
Until statehood, had been a region claimed by both New York and New Hampshire |
| Kentucky | June 1, 1792 15 th |
Never a territory, it was part of Virginia until statehood. |
| Tennessee | June 1, 1796 16 th |
Was Southwest Territory before statehood. |
| Ohio | March 1, 1803 17 th |
Was part of the Northwest Territory until statehood. |
| Louisiana | April 30, 1812 18 th |
With certain boundary changes, had been the Territory of Orleans. |
| Indiana | Dec. 11, 1816 19 th |
There was a residue of Indiana Territory that continued to exist under that name until Dec. 3, 1818, when it was attached to Michigan Territory. |
| Mississippi | Dec. 10, 1817 20 th |
Territory by Act of April 7, 1798, effective May 7, 1798. |
| Illinois | Dec. 3, 1818 21 st |
. |
| Alabama | Dec. 14, 1819 22 nd |
Territory by Act of March 3, 1817, effective Aug. 15, 1817. |
| Maine | March 15, 1820 23 rd |
What is now the state of Maine was, before statehood, called the District of Maine and belonged to Massachusetts. |
| Missouri | Aug. 10, 1821 24 th |
The state was much smaller than the territory. The area to the west and northwest of the state, which had been in the territory, was commonly known as the "Missouri Country" until May 30, 1854, and certain of the post offices in this area show a Missouri abbreviation in the postmark. |
| Arkansas | June 15, 1836 25 th |
The territory was larger than the state. After statehood the leftover area to the west had post offices that continued for some years to use an Arkansas abbreviation in the postmarks, although they were really in the "Indian Country." |
| Michigan | Jan. 26., 1837 26 th |
. |
| Florida | March 3, 1845 27 th |
. |
| Texas | Dec. 29, 1845 28 th |
Was an independent republic before statehood. |
| Iowa | Dec. 28, 1846 29 th |
. |
| Wisconsin | May 29, 1848 30 th |
The state is smaller than the territory and the leftover area continued to be called the Territory of Wisconsin until March 3, 1849. |
| California | Sept. 9, 1850 31 st |
Ceded by Mexico by the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo, concluded Feb. 2, 1848, and proclaimed July 4, 1848. From then until statehood, California had a military government until Dec. 20, 1849, and then a local civil government. It never had a territorial form of government. |
| Minnesota | May 11, 1858 32 nd |
. |
| Oregon | Feb. 14, 1859 33 rd |
. |
| Kansas | Jan. 29, 1861 34 th |
. |
| West Virginia | June 20, 1863 35 th |
Was part of Virginia until statehood. |
| Nevada | Oct. 31, 1864 36 th |
. |
| Nebraska | March 1, 1867 37 th |
. |
| Colorado | Aug. 1, 1876 38 th |
. |
| North Dakota | Nov. 2, 1889 39 th or 40 th |
Was part of Dakota Territory before statehood. Admitted on same day as South Dakota |
| South Dakota | Nov. 2, 1889 39 th or 40 th |
Was part of Dakota Territory before statehood. Admitted on same day as North Dakota |
| Montana | Nov. 8, 1889 41 st |
. |
| Washington | Nov. 11, 1889 42 nd |
. |
| Idaho | July 3, 1890 43 rd |
. |
| Wyoming | July 10, 1890 44 th |
. |
| Utah | Jan. 4, 1896 45 th |
. |
| Oklahoma | Nov. 16, 1907 46 th |
The state was formed from Oklahoma Territory and Indian Territory. |
| New Mexico | Jan. 6, 1912 47th |
. |
| Arizona | Feb. 14, 1912 48 th |
This region was sometimes called Arizona before 1863, although it was still in the Territory of New Mexico. |
| Alaska | Jan. 3, 1959 49 th |
A district from Oct. 18, 1867, until it became an organized territory Aug. 24, 1912. |
| Hawaii | Aug. 21, 1959 50 th |
The territorial date Aug. 12, 1898 is that of the formal transfer to the United States, with Sanford B. Dole as first Governor. |
Source: Scott Stamp Monthly (April 1998)