I mapped one "Epitome City" for each state, using one of the nicknames where possible, (most states have multiple nicknames,) another state characteristic elsewhere. Here's the list. Where no word of explanation is given, the pattern is "Blah, Somestate, The Blah State." Click on the map below to get the full-size version.
  1. Cottontown, Alabama   (The Cotton State)
  2. Alyeska, Alaska   (The Great Land, which is "Alyeska" in Aleut)
  3. Grand Canyon, Arizona
  4. Natural Dam, Arkansas   (The Natural State)
  5. El Dorado, California
  6. Centennial, Colorado
  7. Deep River, Connecticut   (The state name is Mohegan for "place beside river.")
  8. First Hill, Delaware   (The First State)
  9. Orange, Florida
  10. Peach Orchard, Georgia   (The Peach State)
  11. Pacific Heights, Hawaii   (The Paradise Of The Pacific)
  12. Gem, Idaho
  13. Lincoln, Illinois   (Land Of Lincoln)
  14. Hoosier, Indiana
  15. Hawkeye, Iowa
  16. Sunflower, Kansas
  17. Bluegrass Station, Kentucky   (The Bluegrass State)
  18. Pelican, Louisiana
  19. Pine Point, Maine   (The Pine Tree State)
  20. Freeland, Maryland   (The Free State)
  21. Bayside, Massachusetts   (The Bay State)
  22. Wolverine, Michigan
  23. Lakeville, Minnesota   (Land Of 10,000 Lakes)
  24. Magnolia, Mississippi
  25. Cave, Missouri
  26. Big Sky, Montana   (Big Sky Country)
  27. Cornlea, Nebraska   (The Cornhusker State)
  28. Silver City, Nevada   (The Silver State)
  29. Granite, New Hampshire
  30. Clam Island, New Jersey   (The Clam State)
  31. Chaparral, New Mexico   (whose state bird is roadrunner, a.k.a. chaparral bird)
  32. Excelsior Springs, New York   (whose state motto is "Excelsior")
  33. Tar Heel, North Carolina
  34. Lakota, North Dakota   (The Sioux State; The Sioux called themselves Dakota or Lakota.)
  35. Buckeyeville, Ohio   (The Buckeye State)
  36. Sooner, Oklahoma
  37. Beaver, Oregon
  38. Keystone, Pennsylvania
  39. Hope, Rhode Island   (whose state motto is "Hope")
  40. Palmetto, South Carolina
  41. Coyote Lookout, South Dakota   (The Coyote State)
  42. Limestone, Tennessee   (whose state rock is limestone, a.k.a. "Tennessee Marble")
  43. Lone Star, Texas
  44. Deseret, Utah
  45. Maple Corner, Vermont   (whose state tree is sugar maple)
  46. Dominion, Virginia   (Old Dominion)
  47. Evergreen, Washington
  48. Mountain, West Virginia
  49. Dairyland, Wisconsin   (America's Dairyland)
  50. Four Corners, Wyoming   (whose state shape is rectangular!)