Why Alaska is both the easternmost and westernmost state

A closer look

Alaska looked at the compass and decided that merely being the furthest north and west simply wasn't greedy enough. Alaska is obviously the westernmost state in the US, but thanks to the Aleutian Islands stretching deep into the Pacific, it actually crosses the 180th meridian. This invisible line separates the Eastern and Western Hemispheres. Because a few of those freezing islands technically spill into the Eastern Hemisphere, Alaska gets to legally claim the title of the easternmost state as well. It’s a geographical technicality that guarantees you’ll win at bar trivia.