Happy Friday, everyone!
This week's poll question, suggested by Rod, has to do with cities and towns whose names make you laugh. Or blush.
Here in Washington and Idaho, we seem to have more than a few: Dosewallops ("Doe-see-wallups"). Puyallup ("Pyoo-al-up"). Sequim ("Squim").
Or these:
(And yes, the name really is pronounced with a short a.)
What's the funniest town name in your neck of the woods?
Looking forward to reading your replies!
Here in England, I once read a newspaper review of a restaurant just south of London which said, "Geographically the restaurant is located between Elmer's End and Pratt's Bottom. Gastronomically, it's about the same..."!
Turnip Hole, PA. The story goes that there is a place in the river where the current "turns up." But no one knew how to spell it. That's the story.
I'm born and raised in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. The story goes, and old Indian Chief kept on having sons and wanted a daughter, and everytime his wife would deliver an off-spring, he'd announce, "She's A Boy Again!". More recently, a group radio operator took over three FM's and a heritage AM and flipped them to 'cookie cutter' formats, with one employee per signal. My radio friends call that market "Sheer Boredom!"
Gee, I know there are a LOT of places I've gone through thinking, "Why would anyone want to say I live in....".
The only one that comes to mind right now is Intercourse, PA.
Andy
In Indiana...Toad Hop, Gnawbone, Oolitic, Loogootee, and others too numerous to mention. Oolitic and Loogootee were both mentioned as opponents to Hickory in the movie "Hoosiers." OO i their case is pronounced with the long O sound...actually names of types of limestone.
Dry Prong, LA
Belcher, LA
Boutte, LA (Boot-TEA)
Cut Off, LA
Krotz Springs, LA
Pleasure Bend, LA
In Amish Countrty, PA, a couple of interesting town names are Intercourse, and right near it, Blue Ball. Can anyone see the irony?
I believe there is a Nimrod OR or WA.
The North East of England has many.
Staindrop.
Newbottle.
Two Ball Lonen
But my favourite of all time is Shitterton in Dorset.
Alf Tonks.
Although I'm from the iron range in Minnesota, I lived in Madison, WI while finishing my undergrad. Sheboygan tops my list of unique city/town names (funny to see it has already been mentioned).
I live about 6 miles from a town called Sexton, Iowa and just over the border in Minnesota is Fertile. Far to close.
We have a town about 30 miles west of Vail, CO called "No Name". Guess they just couldn't be bothered!
Although I reside in Alberta, I am aware of the following series of towns in Newfoundland:
Heart's Desire, Heart's Delight, and Heart's Content.
Also, at the risk of risque, a nearby town to these three is named Dildo.
We have within our coverage area: Nothing Arizona, Someplace, Arizona, Nowhere Arizona. We also have a station in Baghdad, Arizona!!!!
Possumneck, Mississippi. I used the name in one of my commercials for a private swim club, that was opening their membership to "anyone." You could even live in Possumneck, Mississippi....and join the swim club. (Club was in IN. )
I know several: Intercourse, PA; Blue Ball, PA; Boring, MD; Custis Tomb, Machipongo, Wachapreague, Pungoteague and Nassawaddox, all on the Eastern Shore of Virginia.
Were you all aware that there is a town in EVERY STATE of the union called "Springfield?" Also there is only ONE Poughkeepsie and only one Peekskill; they're both in the Hudson River valley of NY.
How about Frog Level, NC?
I think it's also funny when communities SAY the name differently than you would think!!
I live in South Dakota... our capitol is Pierre (we say it like Peer)
I used to live in Norfolk, Nebraska (they say Norfork)
Also in Neb is Cairo (pronounced Ka-row)
There was a pretty good list of other SD names... but you missed Lead (right next to Deadwood), Beresford, Letcher, Gayville, Volin, Rapid City and one of my favorites is Yale, SD.... I always wished I could have went to school there... so I could have said... "I graduated from Yale" ;o)
A town in Montana, a few years ago, changed its name to "Joe." I'm NOT making this up.
Bucksnort or Frog Jump
Oklahoma is full of unusual names and here are just a few...
Hoot Owl, Ok
Gene Autry, Ok
Fort Coffee, Ok
Lotawata, Ok
From RSC member William D. Holderfield, "Two Egg, Florida." You can read about the history of the name here.
