Connecticut "The Elevator State"

If you had, pre-1990, asked any scientist on Earth where the best place to build a space elevator was, not a single one would have told you central Connecticut. The aliens, called the Rusigarians, did not agree with that idea and that is exactly where they built Skyhook 1, the 50,000 mile long collection of cables and machinery that carries 100-foot-long elevator cars up to the asteroid counterweight. After that, it's off to the Lunar or Mars colonies or perhaps one of the 6 space stations that ring our planet.

And to think that the Rusigarians built it to thank us for finding a cure for the fungus that was killing them.

The state of Connecticut derives vast wealth from Skyhook 1, not only from the operation of it, but from the many millions of tourist dollars that come from people coming just to look at it. In fact, aside from Skyhook 1 and tourism, the state has no other large businesses or industries any more. The space elevator alone employs 50,000 people, half on each end. The tourist industry employs another 150,000. Most other residents either work out of state in New York or Massachusetts or they run small mom and pop businesses. As of 2010, Connecticut was the second richest state after California.

Connecticut is also famous for the Rusigarians who chose to live there and help with the elevator's operation. There are 2,000 of these reptilian aliens in the state and they all live on the five square mile elevator site. They are well liked by the people of the state and every year they join in celebrating Elevator Day.