Why do some states have more than one area code, and how did they get assigned in the first place?

It Ah, the tale of area codes is a surprisingly fascinating slice of American ingenuity and a dash of chaos! Back in the 1940s, when the telephone was becoming the heartbeat of communication, the North American Numbering Plan was created to give every place in the U.S. its own numerical identity. The first area codes were designed with simplicity in mind: states with big populations got numbers that were quicker to dial on rotary phones (like New York’s 212), while smaller states were given higher, slower-dialing numbers (sorry, Montana!). But as phones became as common as pizza delivery, those original area codes started to run out of space. So, states added new ones, often carving them into different regions or layering them over the same area like a patchwork quilt. Today, having multiple area codes in one state—or even one city—is like a badge of honor, a sign that your hometown has grown from its humble rotary-dial beginnings to a bustling hub of connectivity. Plus, it’s a fun little geography lesson every time someone asks, "Wait, where’s 424?"