List of bodies of water of capital cities of the United States
This is a list of bodies of water of capital cities of the United States. The list distinguishes between bodies of water that each capital was founded upon and bodies that are within or bordering each city through expansion or annexation.
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State capitals
State |
Abr. |
Capital |
Body Founded Upon |
Body Type |
Body Upon Through Annexation |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alabama |
AL |
Montgomery |
Alabama River |
River (Navigable) |
||
Alaska |
AK |
Juneau |
Gastineau Channel |
Bay (Pacific Ocean) |
||
Arizona |
AZ |
Phoenix |
Salt River |
River (Non-Navigable) |
Founded upon the Salt River near where it flows into the Gila River. |
|
Arkansas |
AR |
Little Rock |
Arkansas River |
River (Navigable) |
||
California |
CA |
Sacramento |
Sacramento River, approximately a mile downstream of its confluence with the American River |
River (Navigable) |
||
Colorado |
CO |
Denver |
Confluence of the South Platte River and Cherry Creek |
Confluence of Rivers (Non-Navigable) |
||
Connecticut |
CT |
Hartford |
Connecticut River |
River (Navigable) |
||
Delaware |
DE |
Dover |
St. Jones River |
|||
Florida |
FL |
Tallahassee |
None |
Not Applicable |
Lake Jackson and Lake Lafayette |
Both lakes are natural |
Georgia |
GA |
Atlanta |
Chatahoochie River |
River (Navigable) |
||
Hawaii |
HI |
Honolulu |
Honolulu Harbor |
Bay (Pacific Ocean) |
Pearl Harbor lies entirely to the west of the City and County of Honolulu |
|
Idaho |
ID |
Boise |
Boise River |
River |
||
Illinois |
IL |
Springfield |
Sangamon River |
River |
||
Indiana |
IN |
Indianapolis |
White River |
River |
||
Iowa |
IA |
Des Moines |
Des Moines River |
River |
||
Kansas |
KS |
Topeka |
Kansas River |
River |
||
Kentucky |
KY |
Frankfort |
Kentucky River |
River |
||
Louisiana |
LA |
Baton Rouge |
Mississippi River |
River (Navigable) |
||
Maine |
ME |
Augusta |
Kennebec River |
River |
||
Maryland |
MD |
Annapolis |
Severn River at Chesapeake Bay |
River mouth and bay |
||
Massachusetts |
MA |
Boston |
Charles River at Boston Harbor |
River mouth and bay |
||
Michigan |
MI |
Lansing |
Grand River |
River |
||
Minnesota |
MN |
Saint Paul |
Mississippi River |
River (Navigable) |
||
Mississippi |
MS |
Jackson |
Pearl River |
River |
Pearl River forms the easternmost portion of the Mississippi-Louisiana border |
|
Missouri |
MO |
Jefferson City |
Missouri River |
River (Navigable) |
||
Montana |
MT |
Helena |
None |
Not Applicable |
Within 10 miles of the Missouri River, though no body of water was relevant to the location of Helena’s founding. |
|
Nebraska |
NE |
Lincoln |
Salt Creek |
River |
||
Nevada |
NV |
Carson City |
None |
Not applicable |
Lake Tahoe and the Carson River |
|
New Hampshire |
NH |
Concord |
Merrimack River |
River |
||
New Jersey |
NJ |
Trenton |
Delaware River |
River (Navigable) |
||
New Mexico |
NM |
Santa Fe |
Santa Fe River |
River (Non-Navigable) |
Santa Fe River is seasonal and endangered. |
|
New York |
NY |
Albany |
Hudson River |
River (Navigable) |
||
North Carolina |
NC |
Raleigh |
None |
Not applicable |
Neuse River |
While various creeks run through the area, Raleigh’s location was chosen for its centrality within North Carolina rather than its proximity to a water resource. |
North Dakota |
ND |
Bismarck |
Missouri River |
River (Navigable) |
||
Ohio |
OH |
Columbus |
Confluence of Scioto and Olentangy Rivers |
Confluence of Rivers |
||
Oklahoma |
OK |
Oklahoma City |
Oklahoma River |
River |
||
Oregon |
OR |
Salem |
Willamette River |
River |
||
Pennsylvania |
PA |
Harrisburg |
Susquehanna River |
River |
||
Rhode Island |
RI |
Providence |
Providence River at Narragansett Bay |
River mouth and bay |
||
South Carolina |
SC |
Columbia |
Saluda River and Broad River at confluence forming the Congaree River |
Confluence of rivers |
||
South Dakota |
SD |
Pierre |
Missouri River |
River (Navigable) |
||
Tennessee |
TN |
Nashville |
Cumberland River |
River (Navigable) |
||
Texas |
TX |
Austin |
Colorado River (Texas) |
River (Navigable) |
The Colorado River of Texas is dammed to form the seven “Highland Lakes |
|
Utah |
UT |
Salt Lake City |
Jordan River (Utah) near its mouth at the Great Salt Lake |
River |
||
Vermont |
VT |
Montpelier |
Winooski River |
River |
||
Virginia |
VA |
Richmond |
James River |
River (Navigable) |
||
Washington |
WA |
Olympia |
Budd Inlet of Puget Sound |
Bay (Pacific Ocean) |
Capitol Lake (artificial) |
Capitol Lake was formed by damming the Deschutes River estuary. |
West Virginia |
WV |
Charleston |
Elk and Kanawha Rivers |
Confluence of Rivers |
||
Wisconsin |
WI |
Madison |
Lake Mendota and Lake Monona, natural lakes of the Yahara River |
Lakes (natural) |
Lake Waubesa |
One of Madison’s nicknames is the “City of the Four Lakes,” referencing a nearby fourth lake of the Yahara, Lake Kegonsa. |
Wyoming |
WY |
Cheyenne |
Crow Creek |
River |
The location on Crow Creek was strategically important due to its selection as the Union Pacific Railroad crossing. |
|
Insular area capitals
Insular area |
Abr. |
Capital |
Body Founded Upon |
Body Type |
Body Upon Through Annexation |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
American Samoa |
AS |
Pago Pago (de facto capital) |
Pago Pago Harbor |
Bay (Pacific Ocean) |
||
American Samoa |
AS |
Fagatogo (constitutional capital) |
Pago Pago Harbor |
Bay (Pacific Ocean) |
||
Guam |
GU |
Hagåtña |
Hagåtña River and Agana Bay |
Mouth of River and Bay (Pacific Ocean) |
||
Northern Mariana Islands |
MP |
Saipan |
The entire island of Saipan is organized as a single municipality, with the center of government located in the village of Capital Hill, which is not on the coast or any notable body of water. |
|||
Puerto Rico |
PR |
San Juan |
San Juan Bay |
Bay (Atlantic Ocean) |
Bahia de Puerto Nuevo, Candado Lagoon, Laguna Los Corozos, Laguna San Jose, Rio Puerto Nuevo, and Caño Martín Peña |
|
U.S. Virgin Islands |
VI |
Charlotte Amalie |
Saint Thomas Harbor |
Bay (Caribbean Sea) |
||