The 1973 proposal aimed to reduce the number of U.S. states from 50 down to 38.
In 1973, American geographer George Etzel Pearcy proposed cutting the number of U.S. states from 50 to 38 by redesigning state boundaries to better align with economic regions, transportation systems, and major population centers.
Pearcy believed that many existing state lines were outdated remnants of historical compromises and no longer reflected the way Americans actually lived, worked, and traveled. His proposal reorganized the country into larger states centered around major metropolitan and regional hubs, eliminating many familiar borders in the process. Under the plan, states such as California, Texas, and New York would vanish and be replaced with newly named states based on geography, culture, or regional identity. The redesign also aimed to reduce cases where major cities and their suburbs were split across multiple states.
Pearcy presented the concept in his book, A 38 State U.S.A., as an academic exercise in political geography. While the unusual map drew attention and curiosity, the proposal was never seriously pursued by lawmakers.