This is how I got it working:
ADDED this to functions.php:
function include_template_function( $template_path ) {
global $wp;
if ($wp->request == 'state') {
$template_path = locate_template( array ( 'state.php' ) );
}
return $template_path;
}
$state_name = $_GET['st']; //this is added to use as a global variable
ADDED THIS to header.php because WP thinks it’s serving a 404 page
if ($wp->request == 'state') {
echo 'Member Centers in ' . $state_name . ' | ';
} else {
wp_title( '|', true, 'right' );
}
?>
</title>
ADDED THIS to the base template (page.php):
<?php
$baseURL = esc_url( home_url( "https://wordpress.stackexchange.com/" ) );
$ak_link = $baseURL . 'state?st=Alaska'; // for each state
?>
<a href="https://wordpress.stackexchange.com/questions/124326/<?php echo $ak_link; ?>">Show Alaska Pages</a>
CREATED state.php template that handles state queries:
<?php global $state_name; ?> ?>
<?php
$mypages = get_pages('child_of=".$parent_page_id."&sort_order=ASC&parent=".$parent_page_id."&meta_key=ctr_state&meta_value=".$state_name);
foreach($mypages as $page)
{
?>
... Do Stuff! ...
<?php } ?>