Arkansas: “Arkansas is the only state mentioned in the Bible” (joke)

It is sometimes claimed that Arkansas is the only state mentioned in the Bible because Noah looked out of the “Ark and saw.”
 
“When was Noah in America? When he was on the Ark-and-saw” was printed in the Western Reserve Chronicle (Warren, OH) on May 6, 1868. “New Jersey is trying to claim Noah, because he was a New-ark man. Yes, but you know he looked out of his Ark-and-saw land” was printed in the Rocky Mountain Christian Advocate (Salt Lake City, UT) on February 1, 1882.
 
     
Wikipedia: Arkansas
Arkansas (/ˈɑːrkənsɔː/) is a state in the south central region of the United States, home to more than three million people as of 2018. Its name is from the Osage language, of Siouan derivation; it denoted their related kin, the Quapaw people. The state’s diverse geography ranges from the mountainous regions of the Ozark and the Ouachita Mountains, which make up the U.S. Interior Highlands, to the densely forested land in the south known as the Arkansas Timberlands, to the eastern lowlands along the Mississippi River and the Arkansas Delta.
     
Newspapers.com
6 May 1868, Western Reserve Chronicle (Warren, OH), pg. 4, col. 6:
When was Noah in America? When he was on the Ark-and-saw.
 
Newspapers.com
1 February 1882, Rocky Mountain Christian Advocate (Salt Lake City, UT), pg. 7, col. 2:
New Jersey is trying to claim Noah, because he was a New-ark man. Yes, but you know he looked out of his Ark-and-saw land. Give the South a fair show in this thing.
 
Newspapers.com
21 May 1886, The Union (Sun City, KS), “Bob Ups,” pg. 3, col. 3:
It is now claimed that Noah discovered the Arkansaw river, as the bible states that when he started the dove out to find land, he stood in the Ark-and-saw.
 
Newspapers.com
12 November 1905, Fort Smith (AR) Times, pg. 8, col. 5:
“Through Mr. Waller’s eyes Texas and Arkansas became an earthly paradise, and he gave point to his statement that Arkansas was the best state in the union because it is the only one mentioned in the Bible, which states that Noah looked out of the Ark-and-saw,”
 
Newspapers.com
23 January 1914, Douglass (KS) Tribune, pg. 8, col. 2:
A Manhattan man has discovered that of all the states in the Union, Arkansaw is the only one mentioned in the Bible. Back in Genesis you will read that Noah looked out of the “Ark-and-saw” a dove.
 
Newspapers.com
19 May 1915, The Arkansas Gazette (Little Rock, AR), pg. 12, col. 5:
When Governor Hays was introduced he said various explanations had been given as to the pronunciation of “Arkansas,” but that the reason it is pronounced “Arkansaw” was that the Bible ordained it, and in a humorous way called attention to the fact that:
 
“Noah looked out of the Ark and saw.”
   
Newspapers.com
7 September 1917, The Fort Scott Tribune and The Fort Scott Monitor (Fort Scott, KS), pg. 1, col. 7:
ARKANSAW ONLY BIBLE STATE
(...)
When Mr. Brown took the platform, in answer to Mr. Scholfield’s remark about Arkansaw, he asked if the people were not aware that Arkansaw was specifically mentioned in the Bible. He says the Bible said that “Noah looked out of the Ark-and-saw.”
 
Newspapers.com
18 January 1919, Boston (MA) Globe, pg. 10, col. 2:
“Arkansaw” in the Bible
Each year Arkansas—which Gov Brough confides is the only State mentioned in the Bible (Noah came out of the Ark And Saw)—grows more lily white.
   
Newspapers.com
2 July 1920, Stockton (CA) Daily Evening Record, pg. 5, col. 5:
Arkansaw’s governor said that his state was the only state that was mentioned in the Bible: “Noah looked out of the Ark-an-saw.”
 
Twitter
Sue Levy
@rabbibird
#BIble What is 1st mention of an American state in #Torah? Noah looked out of the ark and saw…
5:47 AM · May 28, 2009·Twitter Web Client
   
Twitter
Steve Hargis
@Flybyrv
leaving for the wilds of Arkansas, the only state named in the bible; it rained for 40 days and Noah looked off the Ark and saw. . . water
9:42 AM · Jun 18, 2009·Twitter Web Client
   
Twitter
John
@johnmarkharris
Do you know the first state mentioned in the Bible? Arkansas - Noah looked out of the ark-and-saw
1:51 PM · Jan 8, 2010·Twitter Web Client
   
Twitter
Jackie Sousa
@jackie_sousa
How do you make holy water? Boil the Hell out of it. What state is mentioned in the Bible? Arkansas, b/c Noah looked out of the Ark-and-saw.
2:10 AM · Mar 12, 2010·Twitter Web Client
 
Reddit—Dadjokes
Posted by u/watzit_t00ya November 7, 2020
Arkansas is the only state mentioned in the Bible.
“Noah walked out onto the ark and saw….”