Rhode Island is the smallest U.S. state by area but packs a lot of quirky history into its borders. It boasts the nation’s oldest continuously operating tavern, houses a giant 58-foot-long fiberglass termite on top of a pest control building, and its official state drink is sweet coffee milk. A few more hyper-specific, fun details about the Ocean State: [1]The State’s Longest Name: Until voters opted to officially shorten it in November 2020, the state’s official title was the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. This made it the longest state name in the union. Watch Hill’s Historic Carousel: The Flying Horse Carousel in Watch Hill is the oldest operating platform carousel in the United States, built in 1876. The horses are suspended from chains rather than attached to the floor, allowing them to swing outward as the ride spins. The “Big Blue Bug”: Providence is home to a 58-foot-long, 2-ton Eastern Subterranean Termite affectionately named Nibbles Woodaway. Sitting atop the Big Blue Bug pest control headquarters, it is famously known as the world’s largest artificial bug. Historical Firsts: Rhode Island is famously full of American “firsts.” It was home to the first circus in the country, and Newport hosted the very first U.S. Open and the first national polo field.