Discover the Untold Secrets of Star Trek's Iconic Earth Locations

Summary

Earth stands as the paramount hub of the United Federation of Planets, encompassing vital Federation landmarks like the esteemed Starfleet Headquarters and the esteemed office of the Federation President.

Earth is frequently targeted by Federation adversaries, including the Xindi, Klingons, and Borg, owing to its crucial role and central position. Star Trek showcases numerous Earth destinations throughout its episodes, such as Toronto, Paris, Riverside, Carbon Creek, New Orleans, Roswell, Broken Bow, Los Angeles, Bozeman, and San Francisco, emphasizing the importance of these locations within the Star Trek universe.

Star Trek's focus may be on narrating tales of unfamiliar worlds throughout the galaxy, but it cannot be ignored that some of the most crucial events of the Star Trek universe happen on Earth. Serving as the capital of the United Federation of Planets, Earth boasts numerous significant establishments, such as the renowned Starfleet Headquarters positioned in San Francisco, California, and the office of the Federation President situated in Paris, France. It is worth noting that Earth serves as the home planet for humanity and hosts a sizable portion of Starfleet's exceptional officers. Furthermore, following the formation of the Federation in 2161, all the nations on Earth achieved unity and established peace under the governance of the United Earth government.

Earth frequently serves as the backdrop for Star Trek's time travel episodes, where characters often find themselves exploring various cities from the past. Additionally, Earth also features in multiple episodes portraying alternate timelines, some revealing a dystopian society emerging on Earth, while others depict the complete annihilation of the planet. Due to its strategic location at the heart of the Federation and its immense significance, Earth has been targeted on numerous occasions by various adversaries of the Federation, including the Xindi, the Klingons, and the Borg. Presented below are ten of the most noteworthy Earth locations witnessed throughout the Star Trek series.

10 Toronto, Canada

Toronto, Canada provides the backdrop for the second season episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds titled "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow." In this episode, Lt. La'an Nooien-Singh (Christina Chong), the Chief of Enterprise Security, and an alternate-universe version of Captain James T. Kirk (Paul Wesley) find themselves transported to 21st-century Toronto. Their mission becomes twofold: to restore the correct timeline and to find a way back to their own reality. "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow" not only holds significant importance for La'an as a character, but it also unveils the origins of a young boy who will eventually grow up to become the formidable dictator known as Khan Noonien-Singh (Desmond Sivan). Interestingly, Khan is now residing in Toronto. The obliteration of Toronto by Romulan time travelers results in a grim alternate timeline, which La'an successfully circumvents.

9 Paris, France

The office of the President of the United Federation of Planets is situated in Paris, France, a city that also houses a Federation Outpost. Paris continues to be a renowned tourist hotspot in the future of the Star Trek universe, and it serves as the backdrop for numerous holodeck programs. Although not hailing from Paris itself, Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) was born in the charming French village of La Barre and would occasionally frequent a café in Paris. This particular café, known as Café des Artistes, has become a beloved holodeck destination thanks to its splendid view of the majestic Eiffel Tower.

8 Riverside, Iowa

The birthplace of Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner), the small town of Riverside, Iowa, holds a unique distinction. While Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry initially established that Kirk was born in Iowa, it was the people of Riverside who first declared their town to be his birthplace. Eventually, Roddenberry agreed, but it wasn't until the Star Trek: Strange New Worlds episode "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow" that Kirk officially proclaimed Riverside as his hometown. In J.J. Abrams' 2009 Star Trek film, James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) was depicted as being born on a starship, although the movie did showcase glimpses of his childhood in Iowa. Additionally, in Abrams' alternate Kelvin timeline, the USS Enterprise was constructed in an Iowa shipyard.

7 Carbon Creek, Pennsylvania

In season 2, episode 2 of Star Trek: Enterprise, Sub-Commander T'Pol (Jolene Blalock) shares a tale about her great-grandmother, T'Mir (also portrayed by Jolene Blalock), a Vulcan scientist whose survey ship had an emergency landing on Earth in 1957. Although the official First Contact between Vulcans and humans was scheduled for 2063, T'Mir and her two Vulcan companions became the first Vulcans to interact with humans. The Vulcans skillfully blend into human society while avoiding suspicion, and they eventually get rescued by a Vulcan ship. One of the Vulcans decides to stay on Earth to observe the development of humanity.

6 New Orleans, Louisiana

New Orleans, Louisiana became a popular destination for holodeck enthusiasts. However, its most notable claim to fame is that it is the birthplace and childhood home of Captain Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks). Captain Sisko's father, Joseph Sisko (Brock Peters), owned and operated a restaurant called Sisko's Creole Kitchen in the vibrant French Quarter.

When the Bajoran wormhole is sealed and Jadzia Dax is killed by the possessed Cardassian, Gul Dukat (Marc Alaimo), Captain Sisko and his son Jake (Cirroc Lofton) find themselves living with Joseph and working in the family restaurant for several months.

In an alternate timeline, portrayed in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "The Visitor," Jake Sisko marries and ages gracefully in the beautiful city of New Orleans.

5 Roswell, New Mexico (Area 51)

In the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "Little Green Men," the characters Quark, Rom, and Nog find themselves transported through time and space, arriving in 1947 Roswell, New Mexico. The Ferengi trio is swiftly apprehended by Air Force officers and brought to Area 51, a United States Air Force Base. However, using the assistance of a human couple and Constable Odo, who had secretly hidden onboard their shuttlecraft, they manage to elude their captors and escape. The intriguing events presented in "Little Green Men" not only provide a fictional explanation for the longstanding rumors and theories surrounding the existence of extraterrestrial beings at Area 51 but also help to reinforce the feeling that the Star Trek universe is set in our own future.

4 Broken Bow, Oklahoma

In the debut episode of Star Trek: Enterprise, the Klingon known as Klaang (played by Tommy 'Tiny' Lister, Jr.) crashes onto a farmland in Broken Bow, Oklahoma in 2151. The human farmer, Moore (portrayed by Ron King), who is the owner of the land, confronts Klaang but they are unable to understand each other's language. As a result, Moore fires a plasma rifle at Klaang, almost causing his death. However, the Starfleet doctors manage to save his life. Led by Captain Jonathan Archer (played by Scott Bakula), the starship Enterprise NX-01 safely returns Klaang to his home planet of Qo'noS, preventing the terrorist group known as the Cabal from creating a division within the Klingon Empire.

3 Los Angeles, California

In the two-part "Past Tense" episode of Star Trek: Voyager, the crew of the USS Voyager encounters Captain Braxton (Allan Royal), a pilot from the future. After an intense firefight, Voyager gets pulled into a time rift and ends up in 1996 Los Angeles, California. Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) and her crew must adapt to the 20th century while ensuring they don't disrupt the timeline as they search for a way back home. In a similar twist of fate, Admiral Jean-Luc Picard and his friends are sent back in time to 2024 by Q (John de Lancie) to save the future in season 2 of Star Trek: Picard.

2 Bozeman, Montana

1 San Francisco, California

Bozeman, Montana gained fame for being the site of the initial encounter between the Vulcans and Earth in what is known as First Contact. It was from this location that Zefram Cochrane, portrayed by James Cromwell, launched his groundbreaking warp-capable spacecraft, the Phoenix. In the climactic scenes of Star Trek: First Contact, the Vulcan race detected the distinctive warp signature emitted by Cochrane's ship and descended upon Bozeman on April 5, 2063, marking the official beginning of the interaction between Vulcans and humans. As a tribute to this historic event, a statue of Zefram Cochrane was later erected at the same spot, and the area eventually saw the development of a theme park named Historical Bozeman. In the Star Trek: Lower Decks episode "Grounded," Ensign Brad Boimler, played by Jack Quaid, and his companions pay a visit to this captivating theme park.

The Charter of the United Federation of Planets was signed in 2161, officially establishing the Federation. This historic event took place in San Francisco, California, solidifying the city's status as the heart of the Federation. San Francisco holds significant institutions within the Star Trek universe, such as Starfleet Headquarters, Starfleet Academy, and the Federation Council. Both Star Trek: The Next Generation and its subsequent shows feature numerous characters who visit Starfleet Headquarters or the Academy. Unfortunately, the city faced adversity during the Dominion War when it was attacked and suffered damage from the Breen. Additionally, the Borg targeted San Francisco on Frontier Day, leading to further challenges. Interestingly, various Star Trek captains also find themselves in the past version of San Francisco, often resulting in captivating time-travel adventures.

Most of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home is set in 20th century San Francisco as Admiral Kirk and the Enterprise travel back in time to save Earth. In a similar vein, Captain Picard and his crew also find themselves in the past, specifically in 1893 San Francisco, after Lt. Commander Data is accidentally transported through a time portal. The DS9 episode "Past Tense" features Commander Sisko, Lt. Jadzia Dax, and Dr. Julian Bashir being transported to 2024 San Francisco where they become involved in the historically significant Bell Riots. Although Star Trek is known for its exploration of the unknown in space, it also presents captivating stories that take place on planet Earth.