Alaska Is Both the Westernmost and Easternmost US State

Alaska holds a geographic paradox. While it is clearly the westernmost state, it is also technically the easternmost. How? The Aleutian Islands stretch so far west that they cross the 180th meridian into the Eastern Hemisphere. This means some Alaskan islands are actually west of Hawaii but also east of Maine. It is the only state that spans both the Eastern and Western Hemispheres.