U.S. State Capitals Named After Presidents

Four U.S. state capitals are named directly for U.S. presidents:

1. Jackson, Mississippi — Andrew Jackson (7th President)
2. Madison, Wisconsin — James Madison (4th President)
3. Jefferson City, Missouri — Thomas Jefferson (3rd President)
4. Lincoln, Nebraska — Abraham Lincoln (16th President)

Common Misattributions

• Monroe, Louisiana / Monroe, Michigan / Monrovia, CA — Named for James Monroe (5th President), but none are state capitals.
• Harrisburg, Pennsylvania — Named for John Harris Jr. (founder) and his father-in-law William Harris (state senator, Continental Congress delegate)—not a president. William Henry Harrison (9th President) has no capital namesake.
• Washington, D.C. — Named for George Washington, but is a federal district, not a state capital.

Presidents Without Capital Namesakes

Most presidents lack a capital namesake. Only the four above (Jackson, Madison, Jefferson, Lincoln) hold this distinction. Several have major cities (Cleveland, OH; Garfield Heights, OH; McKinley, TX; Roosevelt, NY; Kennedy, TX; Reagan, TX; Obama, Japan—not US).