Historical Highpoints of the United States
Just before my trip to Mount Whitney in August of 2003, my dad pointed out to me that High Sierra, starring Humphrey Bogart and Ida Lupino was on Turner Classic Movies (TCM). The television guide described the movie as " a bandit takes refuge at Mount Whitney." Being a true highpointer, anything that mentions a highpoint perks my attention, so I watched the movie the night before my trip.
The movie was no Casablanca or African Queen, but if you're a Bogey fan, you'd enjoy it. There's not much Mount Whitney, except for the final fifteen minutes when Bogey leads the police on a high speed chase up the Whitney Portal Road. The movie ends with Bogey pinned down behind a rock, somewhere near the Whitney Portal store.
A few times in the movie, they refer to Mount Whitney as the highest mountain in the United States. Well, it was, in 1941. That got me thinking. Throughout our history, a number of highpoints have held the reign as "highest in the United States." The following chart lists the highest peaks as our nation grew. Remember, in order to be the highest peak in the United States, the peak must be located in a state which has been admitted to the Union. Peaks in US territories don't count.
Steve Urbanski, September 9, 2003
Highest Point in United States Listed Chronologically
|
No. |
State |
Highpoint* |
Height |
Reign |
| 1 | Delaware | Ebright Azimuth | 448 feet | December 7, 1787 to December 10, 1787 |
| 2 | Pennsylvania | Mount Davis | 3,213 feet | December 11, 1787 to January 1, 1788 |
| 3 | Georgia | Brasstown Bald | 4,784 feet | January 2, 1788 to June 20, 1788 |
| 4 | New Hampshire | Mount Washington | 6,288 feet | June 21, 1788 to November 20, 1789 |
| 5 | North Carolina | Mount Mitchell | 6,684 feet | November 21, 1789 to December 28, 1845 |
| 6 | Texas | Guadalupe Peak | 8,749 feet | December 29, 1845 to September 8, 1850 |
| 7 | California | Mount Whitney | 14,497 feet | September 9, 1850 to January 2, 1959 |
| 8 | Alaska | Denali | 20,320 feet | January 3, 1959 to Present |
Highest Point in United States Listed by Length of Reign
|
No. |
State |
Highpoint* |
Height |
Length of Reign |
| 1 | California | Mount Whitney | 14,497 feet | 108 years, 116 days |
| 2 | North Carolina | Mount Mitchell | 6,684 feet | 56 years, 38 days |
| 3 | Alaska | Denali | 20,320 feet | 44 years, 250 days and counting** |
| 4 | Texas | Guadalupe Peak | 8,749 feet | 4 years, 254 days |
| 5 | New Hampshire | Mount Washington | 6,684 feet | 1 year, 53 days |
| 6 | Georgia | Brasstown Bald | 4,784 feet | 172 days |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | Mount Davis | 3,213 feet | 22 days |
| 8 | Delaware | Ebright Azimuth | 448 feet | 4 days |
* The name of the highpoint listed is the current name. Further research will be conducted to determine the actual name of the highpoint at the time of the highpoint's reign.
** This is as of the writing of this article on September 9, 2003. Denali will surpass Mount Mitchell on February 10, 2015. It will surpass Mount Whitney on April 28, 2067.