Subject: Very Odd Place Names
Posted by: Cymruambyth
Date: Jul 27 08
How about sharing some of the strange place names in your country, state, province, whatever. In Alberta, there's a place called Jumping Pound, which is close to a high bluff over which native people would drive bison. The poor beasts would be killed by the fall and there'd be plenty of meat for the camp! In Newfoundland, there's a place called Joe Batt's Arm and another called Come By Chance. I don't know how they got their names. My favourite strange place name, though, is a place in Herefordshire called Wormlow-under-the-Tump, and, no, I don't know how it got its name, either. Have you any items to add?
Posted by: Cymruambyth
Date: Jul 27 08
How about sharing some of the strange place names in your country, state, province, whatever. In Alberta, there's a place called Jumping Pound, which is close to a high bluff over which native people would drive bison. The poor beasts would be killed by the fall and there'd be plenty of meat for the camp! In Newfoundland, there's a place called Joe Batt's Arm and another called Come By Chance. I don't know how they got their names. My favourite strange place name, though, is a place in Herefordshire called Wormlow-under-the-Tump, and, no, I don't know how it got its name, either. Have you any items to add?
147 replies. On page 5 of 8 pages. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
cologuy 
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Tin Cup,Co. an old mining town.The story goes that a thirsty prospector dipped his tin cup into a stream and saw gold dust at the bottom of his cup.Other unusual named Colo. towns are Parachute,Rifle,Hot Sulphur Springs and Teds Place. Reply #81. Aug 09 10, 8:14 PM |
tezza1551
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There is actually a book published in Australia, investigating the origins of some place names. It's titled "The Road to Mount Buggery", and apparently, that is a real place ! Reply #82. Aug 09 10, 8:50 PM |
Cymruambyth
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cologuy, is Parachute anywhere near the US Air Force Academy? It would be appropriate! Reply #83. Aug 09 10, 9:17 PM |
| cologuy
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Cymruambyth,in answer to your question.No,Parachute is on the western side of the state in the Grand Valley nearer to Grand Junction,Colo.,whereas the US Air Force Acadamy is on the front range just outside of Colo.Springs and about 50mi south of Denver.If you are ever in Colo. the Air Force Acadamy is a really nice place to visit.Real nice scenery as it sits along the base of the mountains. Reply #84. Aug 10 10, 5:38 PM |
Emma058
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How about this place in Austria f***king. Here is the blurb from wikipedia about it:" is an Austrian village[2] in the municipality of Tarsdorf,[3] in the Innviertel region of western Upper Austria. The village is located 33 kilometres (21 mi) north of Salzburg, four kilometres (2.5 mi) east of the German border. Despite having a population of only 104 people, the village has become famous for its name, particularly in the English-speaking world. Its road signs are a popular attraction for visitors, and they were often stolen by souvenir-hunting tourists until 2005 when they were modified to be theft-resistant. Reply #85. Aug 10 10, 6:08 PM |
| Cymruambyth
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A CBC interview with two women from Newfoundland remonded me of yet another very odd place name from that part of the world (which abounds in places with strange names). One of the women was from Dildo. I hasten to inform you that the town was named for a Captain Dildo, lest you think otherwise! Reply #86. Aug 26 10, 12:55 AM |
alaspooryoric
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How about Possumneck, Mississippi? Reply #87. Dec 24 10, 10:22 AM |
naerulinnupesa
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Aa is a little village that manages to find its way in most crosswords. Similarly, there's a place called Ii in Finland. Quite a few have been named after places from abroad: Norra (Norway), Pariisi, Moldova, Soodoma. The oddest ones that I could come up with: Taevaskoda (House in Heaven) - a beautiful place indeed Tapa (Kill!) Püssi (Shotgun) Mudaaugu (Mudhole) Litsmetsa (Harlot's Woods) Kanepi (Hemp) Kohatu (Indecent/No Place) Viinahaua (Vodka's Grave) Vinni (Zit) Luua (Broom) Moe (Fashion) Reply #88. Mar 29 11, 12:50 PM |
MotherGoose
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In our capital city (Perth, Western Australia), we have two suburbs called Innaloo and Upper Swan. When we were children, we used to say "I'd rather live in a loo than up a swan". (For those who don't get it, loo is slang for toilet). Reply #89. Mar 29 11, 5:14 PM |
Spaudrey
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We have a town in Iowa called What Cheer. Conflicting reports on how they came up with this one. Reply #90. Mar 29 11, 6:38 PM |
speedracerusa
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My last name is Rentz, and there is a city called Rentz in Georgia lol Reply #91. May 18 11, 2:15 PM |
Radain
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In Kent, England, Ham is a village on the outskirts of Sandwich. The last I heard, they've given up replacing the road sign. I gather there is a district called Burning Mattress - on the outskirts of Hot Springs in Arkansas. And another language triple - Pendle Hill in Lancashire translates as 'Hill Hill Hill'. Reply #92. Jul 26 11, 6:57 AM |
wildwohl
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Jackass Flats, Nevada. Lots of experiments for nuclear reactors, pretty cool. Reply #93. Jul 28 11, 5:52 AM |
DR.NO
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High weirdness in town naming can be found across the entire state of Maryland: Accident Appeal Assawoman Bay Bagtown Bald Friar Beantown Beetree Berlin Bestpitch Bethlehem Blueball Bootjack Boring Bowlings Alley Brigadoon California Crapo Detour Dogtown Dry Run Fairplay Featherbed Frogeye Frogtown Glass Hill Golden Ring Good Hope Good Luck Gratitude Gunpowder Holler Hollywood Hurry Indian Hammock Indian Head Jugtown Kings Ransom Knocks Folly Loves Folly Merry Midnight Mexico Monks Misery Mousetown Parole Pomonkey Prettyboy Prettyboy Garth Recovery Reliance Rising Sun Sassafras Savage Scientists Cliffs Scotland Secretary Security Shanty Town Spook Hill Stab Stringtown Sunshine Sweet Air Texas Thanksgiving Thrift Treetops Tuxedo Unicorn Vinegar Hill Whiskey Bottom Reply #94. Jul 28 11, 6:27 AM |
| salami_swami
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In Colorado, besides the ones already mentioned, we have... Dinosaur Downieville-Lawson-Dumont Fairplay Lazy Acres Phippsburg (just so dang fun to say) Sugarloaf Swink Two Buttes Yellow Jacket And my favorite, where one of my old teachers lives.... South Fork Reply #95. Aug 11 11, 10:30 AM |
REDVIKING57
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Was your old teacher JR? Or Miss Ellie? Reply #96. Aug 11 11, 11:12 AM |
| salami_swami
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Huh? Don't know what you're asking. lol. Reply #97. Aug 17 11, 12:39 PM |
daver852
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Near where I grew up in southern Illinois there were places named Shakerag, Buzzard Flats and You-Be-Damn Holler. In the interest of political correctness, the latter hs been renamed "Paradise Hollow." Reply #98. Aug 30 11, 1:46 PM |
| Cymruambyth
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More odd place names from Canada: Community Punch Bowl, Hairy Hills, Manyberries - all in Alberta; Baldy Hughes, Cheekye, Horsef;y, Poopoo Creek, all in B.C.; Jerry's Nose, in Newfoundland; Thumb Island in the Northwest Territories; Bang Falls, Chimney Corner, Coddle Harbour, Coffee Cove, Meat Cove, Mushaboom and Old Sweat, in Nova Scotia; Bastard, Carrying Place, Punkeydoodles Corners in Ontario East Royalty and Poodles Corner in Prince Edward Island; and Chicken and Holdfast in Saskatchewan. Reply #99. Oct 04 11, 2:17 PM |
| Tori_2s
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Slapneck, Michigan The community no longer exists but Slapneck River and Slapneck road does. It was named for John F Slapnick but they got the name wrong. Hell, Michigan From Wikipedia: There are two theories for the origin of Hell's name. The first is that a pair of German travelers stepped out of a stagecoach one sunny afternoon in the 1830s, and one said to the other, "So schön hell!" - translated as, "So beautifully bright!" Their comments were overheard by some locals and the name stuck. Soon after Michigan gained statehood, George Reeves was asked what he thought the town he helped settle should be called, and replied, "I don't care, you can name it Hell for all I care." The name became official on October 13, 1841. The second theory is tied to the "hell-like" conditions encountered by early explorers including mosquitos, thick forest cover and extensive wetlands. Christmas, Michigan No idea! Reply #100. Oct 04 11, 4:20 PM |
147 replies. On page 5 of 8 pages. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
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