Place names

Subject: Place names
From: Bert
Date: 24 Apr 99 - 02:13 PM

Diverging from the WWII thread.

What are your favorite place names.

Here's some of mine...

Turnham Green - in London.
Much Hadham - in Essex.
Gurley - in Alabama.

I don't have any songs about them though.
One time I had a friend who was trying to do an English version of 'This land is your land'. But he only got as far as...
.. From Stoke Poges to Canvey Island.

Bert.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: The Shambles
Date: 24 Apr 99 - 02:39 PM

There is a place in Kent called Pluck's Gutter.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 24 Apr 99 - 02:58 PM

Moose Jaw Alberta, and Ball's Falls Ontario. Come by Chance Newfoundland should be in there as well.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: katlaughing
Date: 24 Apr 99 - 03:17 PM

Ten Sleep, Wyoming (it was ten "sleeps" from wherever the Native Americans were measuring distance from.

Metacomet Trail, CT

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Joe Offer
Date: 24 Apr 99 - 03:31 PM

Say, Bert, it's interesting you didn't mention that Pennsylvania has a reputation for interesting place names, especially in the Pennsylvania Dutch Country. My favorite is Bird-in-Hand.
I guess we get used to place names in our own area and don't think of them as unusual. Northern California, where I live, has lots of colorful place names - the Gold Rush towns have especially interesting names. "Rough and Ready" is my favorite.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Tucker
Date: 24 Apr 99 - 03:37 PM

PeePee Creek (nope, not what you think, folks tried to establish ownership here by carving initials on trees...thus PP), Hurricane WV, Possum Hollow, Greasy Ridge ( I was there the other day, I had no trouble with my footing although the view was stupendous). Zillions of others, Hell, just ask Catspaw.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Art Thieme
Date: 24 Apr 99 - 04:43 PM

DOWNERS GROVE, IL
Always has made me think of pills hangin' from the trees!!

Art

Subject: RE: Place names
From: The Shambles
Date: 24 Apr 99 - 04:55 PM

Art

The people there would feel right at home here at Came Down.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Tucker
Date: 24 Apr 99 - 06:42 PM

Came 'down. Love it. Is "brought up"nearby?

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Graham Pirt
Date: 24 Apr 99 - 08:36 PM

In Durham County, UK we've got Pity Me Seldom Seen

and in East Yorkshire there's Land of Nod

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Robin McG
Date: 24 Apr 99 - 08:46 PM

Michigan has Paradise and Hell, both great places.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Susan A-R
Date: 24 Apr 99 - 08:52 PM

B'lieve that there's a place called Forg Level, somewhere where VA, KY TN and WV meet. I've also always loved traveling through Maine and going through Poland, Mexico and such. I distinctly remember that we were camped in Norway the night Nixon resigned. Vermont also has a rather bad reputation (earned, I'm afraid) of naming towns after foreign places, then pronouncing them in interesting ways. Calais is pronounced like those things you guitar players get on your fingers. We also have little parts of townd named things like Mud City or MacVille or BeanVille. Say, this is almost as much fun as the thread name game, but I'll stop now.

Susan

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Alice
Date: 24 Apr 99 - 09:29 PM

Ringling, Montana (remember the Jimmy Buffett song?)

Subject: RE: Place names
From: bill\sables
Date: 24 Apr 99 - 09:37 PM

I noticed Graham Pirt entered Pitty Me in Co.Durham U.K. There is also, in the same county, a place called "No Place," and I remember being in Cornwall U.K. in a village called "Come To Good" Cheers Bill

Subject: RE: Place names
From: rich r
Date: 24 Apr 99 - 09:44 PM

North Dakota trio: Zap, Gackle and Mott. Zap was the site of a near riot 30 years ago when the University of North Dakota student newspaper suggested that as a springtime lark everyone should "Zip to Zap" The crowd that showed up strained the little town's facilities not to mention the beer supply.

rich r

Subject: RE: Place names
From: LEJ
Date: 24 Apr 99 - 11:59 PM

Nada,Kentucky, which means nothing. If you went there you'd realize they weren't being ironic. No Name, Colorado, which is an example of either an abundance of imagination or the total lack thereof...LEJ

Subject: RE: Place names
From: campfire
Date: 25 Apr 99 - 03:25 AM

There's a part of Milwaukee, WI known as "Piggsville". Not a place many would proudly claim to hail from, I don't suppose.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: katlaughing
Date: 25 Apr 99 - 10:34 AM

I forgot to mention "Greasy Grass". Can't remember if it is in WY, SD, or MT, but it is a translation of a Native American designation.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: katlaughing
Date: 25 Apr 99 - 10:34 AM

There is also Crazy Woman creek in WY

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Alice
Date: 25 Apr 99 - 11:32 AM

Then there is the town of Ismay, MT, which changed its name to Joe, Montana, in the hope of attracting more visitors. It didn't work.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Margo
Date: 25 Apr 99 - 01:32 PM

How about Jump Off Joe Creek in Southern Oregon? Also in Oregon are Boring and Wonder. Boring is boring, and Wonder is so small it makes you wonder how it did merit a name and a spot on the map. Then there's Drain. I'm drained.

But I think Pee Pee Creek and Balls Falls take the cake.

Margie

Subject: RE: Place names
From: The Shambles
Date: 25 Apr 99 - 02:34 PM

Then here in Dorset there is Puddletown.

It had it's name changed, so as not to offend visiting royalty. It takes it's name from the river valley that it is in and should be called Piddletown.

And no, I am not taking the P___! It's all true.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: arkie
Date: 25 Apr 99 - 03:10 PM

Here are a few places of interest in the Bear State, otherwise known as Arkansas. Accident School, Apt, Back Gate, Birdeye, Blue Ball, Blue Eye, Big Scuffle Church, Cow Faced Hill, Devil's Den, Dogpatch, Fifty Six (fifty-sixth school district), Forty Four (forty four names on the petition to get a post office), Fly Gap, Frog Level, Hogscald Hollow (hogs scalded in a natural basins created by erosion), Ink, Lost Corner, Marked Tree, Nail, Oil Trough (where bear grease was rendered and transported to the White River via hollow log troughs), Pair O'Geese Lake, Peel, Pee Dee, Pickle Gap, Possom Grape, Romance, Rough and Ready, Smackover, Sweet Home, and Toad Suck. Toad Suck Days are celebrated annually and was recognized by Jay Leno who referred to it as Toad Sucking Days.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Paco
Date: 25 Apr 99 - 03:38 PM

Growing up we lived in a place which was about as far away as you could get from everything (except mountains, trees and the like) it is called Summit Valley (located in Washington.)

Whenever I hear "Rocky Mountain High" or "Take me Home Country Roads" by John Denver it takes me back to that place and to those days!

Paco

PS ever hear of Moab in Utah? Fantastic Sandstone arches there!

Subject: RE: Place names
From: mike cahill
Date: 25 Apr 99 - 03:45 PM

In yorkshire England, (is there another one?) there is a place called IDLE (this means someone who is lazy or without work) and the place has a working mans club. It must be great to be able to say that you are a member of the IDLE working mans club

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Bobby Bob, Ellan Vannin
Date: 25 Apr 99 - 04:04 PM

In Kent there's a place called Loose. Part of the social scene is to belong to the Loose Women's Institute.

Shoh slaynt,

Bobby Bob

Subject: RE: Place names
From: ddw in windsor
Date: 25 Apr 99 - 05:43 PM

Some of my favorites are Cowpens, SC and a little community in the southwestern corner of VA called Goosepimple Junction.

Regina, Saskatchewan was originally called Pile of Bones, but changed it.

And there's a native community, I believe in the Northwest Territories, but I could be wrong, called Sheshatshit -- pronounced exactly as it's written. That caused a few chuckles in the newsroom when they had some big happening there a few years ago.

cheers, ddw

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Night Owl
Date: 25 Apr 99 - 06:34 PM

Assinnippi, Mass. (located in southeastern Massachusetts).

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Peter Fisher
Date: 25 Apr 99 - 07:50 PM

Some years ago while living in South Dakota I was startled by a newspaper headline: "Porcupine Man Captured." Since this was the state that gave us Wall Drug and the postcards of Jackalopes, my imagination ran wild. Turns out a resident of the town of Porcupine, South Dakota, had been eluding police, and was finally nabbed.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Charlie Baum
Date: 25 Apr 99 - 08:06 PM

Pennsylvania has placed state colleges in towns named California and Indiana, so I know someone who went to California State University--in California, Pennsylvania.

New Jersey offers us Double Trouble, Ong's Hat, and Manunka Chunk Junction. (No I'm not making these up--look at a map!)

I've been to Accident, Maryland. A town which was surveyed twice, by accident. Downtown is a gas station and repair shop: the Accident Garage. The other peculiar thing about the town is that the two main streets are North Street and South Street, but the town is divided in half, but not the way you'd expect: there's North North Street and South North Street, and North South Street and South South Street.

-Charlie Baum

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Roddy
Date: 25 Apr 99 - 09:26 PM

What about the quite descriptive "Hackballscross" in S. Armagh. Thereby hangs a tale. Roddy

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Lyle
Date: 25 Apr 99 - 09:54 PM

When I lived in Mason City, Iowa, there were two towns just north of there, and about 10 miles apart, by the name of Manly and Fertile; you can imagine all of the local jokes that brought on.

Lyle

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Art Thieme
Date: 25 Apr 99 - 10:01 PM

Eleva, Wisconsin---named when they ran out of paint while putting the word ELEVATOR on the town grain facility.

Galva, IL --- GALVANIZED STEEL produced there.

In Illinois------a town on the Mississippi River where steamboats would "wood up"---stop for a load of wood which the townspeople would cut. If a boat wanted one load, they'd cut two. If you wanted two loads they'd cut three. They were always one "cord over"------ie. the town name of Cordova.

Climax, Kansas ('nuf said!)

When early pioneers came to another Illinois town on the Mississippi they found no animals at all but rabbits. So they named the town Albany. (all-bunny)

In Illinois there are towns named Normal, Oblong and Standard. A local news article was headed with: NORMAL MAN DIVORCES OBLONG WOMAN AND MARRIES STANDARD WOMAN.

and finally,

Condom, California !!!

Art

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Tucker
Date: 26 Apr 99 - 12:51 AM

Speaking of towns with foreign names.....Dublin, Rome,Athens,Portsmouth,Ohio (and that's just in my neck of the woods. And of course Frankfort and Paris Kentucky (there'll Always be Paris, here's looking at you kid). Then there's Intercourse Pennsylvannia and Truth or Consequences New Mexico (named after the TV show in the 50's). Tons of cool names! It makes it fun to read maps.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: The_one_and_only_Dai
Date: 26 Apr 99 - 06:14 AM

Matching Tye, in Essex
Nempnett Thrubwell (oo-er) in Somerset

Subject: RE: Place names
From: The_one_and_only_Dai
Date: 26 Apr 99 - 06:17 AM

Oh, and Eglwyswrw, which is in Glamorganshire. Wrap yer dipthongs round that one...

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 26 Apr 99 - 06:45 AM

I remember Frankie Howerd years ago finding new names in the AA (Automobile Association) Handbook: "Arise, Sir Melton Mowbray!". I'll dig my raod maps out tonight & find a few good ones.

Steve

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Penny
Date: 26 Apr 99 - 07:49 AM

Kent - Pratt's Bottom? (Sorry, got corrupted at Meeting yesterday.)
And on a completely different level, Sussex - Cross-at-Hand

Subject: RE: Place names
From: The_one_and_only_Dai
Date: 26 Apr 99 - 09:57 AM

Steve - if that's all you can find to do, you can buy me a pint instead if you like...

Subject: RE: Place names
From: folk1234
Date: 26 Apr 99 - 10:28 AM

And there's Gotebo, Bowlegs, Bugtussle, Cookietown, Pumpkin Center, Remus, Romulus, Slick, and McWillie all in Oklahoma.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 26 Apr 99 - 10:35 AM

I stopped for a beer in two Pennsylvania towns that caught my eye from the highway sign, Mars and Zelienople.

While we're on the topic, I was recently asked if I knew where the name Australia originated. Can anyone help with this one?

For those of you who are interested, Canada is from a North American Indian word meaning meeting place.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Art Thieme
Date: 26 Apr 99 - 10:51 AM

In Michigan there's EATON RAPIDS-------I always figured it was the best place to get "fast food"!!

Art

Subject: RE: Place names
From: The_one_and_only_Dai
Date: 26 Apr 99 - 11:03 AM

Steve Latimer: Australia is, I believe, from the latin 'Australis' meaning 'southern'. Oppo of 'Borealis'. cf 'Occidens' and 'Oriens'...
Ave.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Bert
Date: 26 Apr 99 - 11:21 AM

That's not what I heard about the origin of the name Canada.

When the country was young, they couldn't agree on a name for it, so they formed a committee of three bigwigs and a secretary. Well this committee met for a long time and still couldn't come up with a suitable name.
As the deadline approached the secretary suggested that they put some letters in a hat and each member would pick out a letter and the secretary would write the letters down.
The first guy picked and said "C eh!"......

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Margo
Date: 26 Apr 99 - 11:22 AM

In California, when coal was heavily in use, the train had coaling stations A, B, and C. When coal was no longer in use, coaling stations B and C disappeared. But the other became Coalinga, California.

Margarita

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Peter Fisher
Date: 26 Apr 99 - 11:40 AM

Here's some places I would like to see:

Lo, Cal.
Ho Chi, Minn.
Eenie Meanie Minie, MO
Ex, Conn.
Off, KY
No New, Texas (new home of national spelling champ Dan Quayle)
Excuse Me, Miss.
Just Call Me, AL
Why, ME
Either, OR
Noahs, Ark.
AhOooh, GA

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Felipa
Date: 26 Apr 99 - 12:03 PM

UK: Rest and Be Thankful
US: Highway Behind Lots (a street in a new development; I think it was in Long Island, NY; certain it was northeast US)

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 26 Apr 99 - 12:27 PM

"Terra Incognito Australis", they used to call Aussie: everyone had a good idea it was there, but nobody could be bothered to go and find out. Nowadays, of course, we all know where it is, but ...

Someone reviewed a restaurant once and said, "geographically, it's halfway between Elmer's End and Pratt's Bottom; gastronomically, it's the same." They don't write 'em like that today! And real places, too.

Dai, we should meet again: let's see who can say "Llanfairpwllgyngwyllgogerichllandrobwyllllantisiliogogogoch" after a few pints of 6X!

Steve

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Bert
Date: 26 Apr 99 - 01:13 PM

I would think you could ONLY say that after a few pints.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Charlie Baum
Date: 26 Apr 99 - 03:01 PM

Obtuse Rocks is a section of Brookfield, Connecticut.
Lake Chargoggagoggmanchaugagoggcharbunagungamaugg is mainly in Massachusetts, but crosses the line into COnnecticut. On the other hand, Naromiyocknowhusunkatankshunk Brook is entirely within the town of Sherman, Conn.

--Charlie Baum