Weird town names +

How 10 American Towns Got Their Weird Names

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                                                             A list of weird town names.

Plan to hit the road next summer, but don't know where to go? Don't mean to be rude, but have you considered Hell? Hell, Michigan, that is. (And you thought you had to drive south.) For a different kind of vacation, check out this tour of off-road America, where unusual names are the main attraction:

Hell, Michigan
If you've always wanted to see Hell freeze over, visit this place in winter, when the Highland Lake dam often gets icy enough to stop the water flow. In summer, when temperatures are moderate, the town has a "Satan's Holidays" festival and a road race called "Run to Hell." In October is the "Halloween in Hell" Celebration. The town got its name in 1841, when George Reeves, an early settler in this low, swampy place in southeast Michigan, was asked what the thought the town should be named. "I don't care," Reeves said. "You can name it 'Hell' if you want to."

Slapout, Alabama
Oscar Peeples, the town grocer in the early 1900s, was forever waiting on customers who asked for things he didn't have. "I'm slap out of it," Peeples would say. This central Alabama community, north of Montgomery, is now little more than a crossroads, with a church, bank, barber shop, and the tumbledown remains of Peeples' old store.

Noodle, Texas
In the late 1800s, Texans often used the word noodle to mean "nothing," which is exactly what they found when they arrived at this locale near Abilene. Now there are two churches, a store and an old gin.
For nearly a century, the population has held steady at about 40 people.

Joe, Montana
When quarterback Joe Montana signed on with the Kansas City Chiefs in 1993, a Missouri radio station urged the folk of Ismay, in southeast Montana near the North Dakota border, to change the town's name to "Joe." The sports-minded citizenry, all 22 of them, voted in favor of the change, and a new industry was born. In fact, money raised from selling, "Joe, Montana" souvenirs enabled the town to build a new fire station.

Lizard Lick, North Carolina
Since 1972, the residents of this town, 16 miles east of Raleigh, have held lizard races every fall to herald the farming community's unusual name. It dates back to the days when the area was home to a federally operated liquor still, and lizards were brought in to cut down on the insects. Traveling salesman noticed the creatures and dubbed the community Lizard Lick.

Chicken, Alaska
The village, in the Alaskan wild near the Canadian border, is named for a bird, but not the one you think. In the late 1800s, gold miners found a reliable meal in the abundance of ptarmigan, a grouse-like critter whose white feathers make it look, from a distance, like a chicken. When the townsfolk decided to incorporate in 1902, none of them knew how to spell ptarmigan. So they went with the look-alike Chicken to avoid the jokes of misspelled name would incur. Unfortunately, poultry jokes now abound. The town has a full-time population of about 30 people and mail delivery every Tuesday and Friday. There's a saloon, but no telephones or central plumbing. Incidentally, the ptarmigan is now the Alaska state bird.

Spot, Tennessee
A dot in the road about an hour west of Nashville, Spot was named by a sawmill operator who was always writing folks about business. One day, pen in hand, the sawmill operator sat at his desk, worrying over a letter from postal authorities wanting to know what to call the town. A spot of ink dropped onto the sawmill operator's white stationery, and the town had its name. By town, we mean a couple of houses and a ramshackle store.

Peculiar, Missouri
In the spring of 1868, Postmaster E.T. Thomson decided to name his town "Excelsior," but postal officials told him it was already taken. Thomson reapplied with new names, and received the same response time after time. Exasperated, he finally told postal officials to assign the town a unique name, one that was "sort of peculiar." Peculiar, near the Kansas border just south of Kansas City, is home to about 1,800 people.

Zap, North Dakota
A Northern Pacific Railroad official, in charge of naming settlements on the line, named Zap after Zapp, Scotland, because both places had coal mines. The city, about 15 miles south of Lake Sakakawea, encompasses one square mile and is home to about 300.

Embarrass, Minnesota
If faces are red here, it's only because the town - 205 miles north of St. Paul - is typically the coldest spot in the continental United States. The midwinter temperature often drops to -60 °F, and snow has been known to fall in June. The name comes from early settlers, who used the French word for obstacle - embarras - to describe the hardships they faced in the frigid territory. Today, the population is largely Finnish. They celebrate their thriving community with a Finnish-American Festival every summer.
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Here are some more of the weirdest town names in the United States. These are actually real places, even though they sound a little strange. Look them up if you don't believe me. I'm sure after you read this page your going to want to visit these towns!

Alabama
Aimwell
Bobo
Burnt Corn
Eclectic
Intercourse
Muck City

Alaska
Chicken
Deadhorse
Eek
Lefthand Bay
Nightmute
Unalaska

Arizona
Bagdad
Boneyard
Bootlegger Crossing
Bumble Bee
Carefree
Chloride
Floss
Goobertown
Goodyear
Many Farms
Nothing
Show Low
Strong
Surprise
Three Forks
Tuba City
Two Guns
Why
Winkleman

Arkansas
Bald Knob
Beaver
Biggers
Blue Eye
Experiment
Fannie
Fifty-Six
Flippin
Gassville
Greasy Corner
Grubbs
Hasty
Hooker
Magazine
Moscow
Nuckles
Okay
Pocahontas
Possum Grape
Romance
Smackover
Strawberry
Toad Suck
Turkey Scratch
Umpire
Weiner
Yellville

California
5 Brooks
Advance
Alliance
Arcade
Aromas
Avocado
Badger
Badwater
Bagdad
Bee Rock
Bend
Bivalve
Blunt
Booneville
Bumblebee
Bummerville
Cabbage Patch
Cactus
Chiquita
Clapper Gap
Confidence
Cool
Cow Creek
Dairyville
Date City
Deadman Crossing
Deadwood
Dixieland
Doghouse Junction
Dogtown
Dunmovin
Eureka
Fair Play
Fallen Leaf
False Klamath
Forks of Salmon
Fort Dick
Freedom
Fruitland
Frying Pan
Gas Point
Globe
Grand
Hallelujah Junction
Hardy
Harmony
Hellhole Palms
Hells Kitchen
Honda
Honeydew
Hooker
Idlewild
Igo
Java
Jupiter
Keg
King Salmon
Klondike
Last Chance
Laws
Little Penny
Mad River
Mormon Bar
Mystic
Nashville
Needles
Ono
Orange
Peanut
Plaster City
Priest
Ragtown
Rainbow
Rancho Cucamonga
Relief
Rescue
Rice
Roads End
Rough and Ready
Sargent
Scarface
Secret Town
Shrub
Siberia
Skidoo
Sky High
Skytop
Soapweed
Soda Springs
Squabbletown
Standish
Steam
Stone
Stovepipe
Strawberry
Sucker Flat
Surf
Surfside
Surprise
Tarzana
Teakettle Junction
Thorn
Timbuctoo
Toadtown
Truths Home
Volcano
Weed
Weedpatch
Wimp
You Bet
Yreka Zzyzx

Colorado
Climax
Dinosaur
Hygiene
Last Chance
No Name
Parachute
Security
Tincup
Yellow Jacket

Connecticut
Giants Neck
Mianus
Moodus
Moosup
Delaware Blue Ball
Cocked Hat
Hourglass
Little Heaven

Florida
Christmas
Frostproof
Jupiter
Howey-in-the-Hills
Kissimmee
Lorida
Mayo
Niceville
Okahumpka
Panacea
Plant City
Red Head
Sopchoppy
Two Egg
Webster
Weeki Wachee
Weewahitchka
Yeehaw Junction
Yellow Water

Georgia
Between
Chickasawhatchee
Climax
Enigma
Cumming
Hopeulikit
Jinks
Santa Claus
Snapfinger
Talking Rock
Hawaii Papa
Idaho Beer Bottle Crossing
Fruitland
Star

Illinois
Big Foot Prairie
Fishhook
Grand Detour
Kickapoo
Metropolis
Normal
Oblong
Paw Paw
Roachtown
Sandwich
Wonder Lake

Indiana
Acme
Ballstown
Beanblossom
Beehunter
Buddha
Carefree
Fickle
Floyds Knobs
French Lick
Gas City
Gnaw Bone
Loogootee
Munster
Pinhook
Plainvillle
Roachdale
Santa Clause
Spraytown
Steam Corner
Surprise
Toad Hop

Iowa
Diagonal
Gravity
Manly
What Cheer

Kansas
Admire
Beaver
Buttermilk
Cuba
Denmark
Gas
Holland
Hope
Jetmore
Plainville
Ransom
Rome
Zurich

Kentucky
Beaver Lick
Beefhide
Bug
Bugtussle
Busy
Butterfly
Combs
Crummies
Do Stop
Drip Rock
Dwarf
Eighty-eight
Hand Shoe
Hi Hat
Jinks
Jugville
Lick Fork
London
Monkey's Eyebrow
Mousie
Mud Lick
Oddville
Ogle
Ordinary
Oven Fork
Paint Lick
Paris
Possum Trot
Rabbit Hash
Soft Shell
Spring Lick
Typo
Uno

Louisiana
Belcher
Bunkie
Convent
Cut-Off
Dry Prong
Eros
Fort Necessity
Goodbee
Grosse Tete
Jigger
Metropolis
Mudville
Tickfaw
Uncle Sam
Waterproof
Zylks

Maine
Bald Head
Bath
Beans Corner Bingo
Dickey
Robinhood

Maryland
Accident
Assawoman Bay
Boring
California
Cockeysville
Hollywood
Pomonkey
Secretary

Massachusetts
Belchertown
Braintree
Cow Yard
Dorothy Pond
Egypt
Gay Head
Marblehead
Mashpee
Sandwich
Swampscott
Ware (I'm from Ware?)


Michigan
Bad Axe
Christmas
Climax
Eden
Gay
Hell
Jugville
Kalamazoo
Olive Branch
Paradise
Pigeon
Pine Stump Junction
Podunk
Slapneck

Minnesota
Blue Earth
Climax
Embarass
Fertile
Nimrod
Nowthen
Savage
Sleepy Eye

Mississippi
Alligator
Arm
Askew
Basic
Battles
Bobo
Chunky
Coffeeville
Cold Water
Darling
Denmark
D'Lo
Dragon
Eden
Egypt
Hollywood
Hot Coffee
Kokomo
Midnight
Olive Branch
Onward
Paris
Pocahontas
Possumneck
Sanatorium
Scooba
Soso
Tie Plant
Walls
Yazoo

Missouri
Bean Lake Station
Bible Grove
Blue Eye
Coldwater
Conception
Enough
Fairdealing
Fidelity
Frankenstein
Humansville
Licking
Mexico
Nevada
Paris
Peculiar
Pleasant Hope
Reform
Roach
Romance
Sleeper
Tightwad
Useful

Montana
Belt
Big Arm
Eureka
Bigfork
Big Sky
Bitterroot
Checkboard
Divide
Elmo
Happy's Inn
Hungry Horse
Offer
Opportunity
Outlook
Rocky Boy
Saint Regis
Square Butt
Sweetgrass
Two-dot
Yaak

Nebraska
Beaver Crossing
Colon
Fort Crook
Loup City
Roach
Surprise
Valentine
Wahoo
Weeping Water
Worms

Nevada
Jackpot
Searchlight
Weed Heights
New Hampshire Berlin
Bow
Bungy
Contoocook
Grape Corner
Hell Hollow
Lost Nation
Sandwich Landing
Rye

New Jersey
Bivalve
Brick
Cheesequake
Cherry Hill
Cologne
Colts Neck
Egg Harbor
Good Intent
Ho-ho Kus
Little Egg Harbor
Love Ladies
Succasunna

New Mexico
Elephant Butte
Texico
Tingle
Truth or Consequences

New York
Bath
Cat Elbow Corner
Climax
Florida
Gayhead
Hicksville
Horseheads
Neversink
Painted Post
Place Corners
Result
Ronkonkoma
Surprise
Yaphank Yonkers

North Carolina
Askewville
Avon
Bahama
Bat Cave
Bath
Big Lick
Blowing Rock
Bolivia
Bunlevel
Climax
Duck
Frog Level
Frog Pond
Grimesland
Gum Neck
Horneytown
Kill Devil Hills
Meat Camp
Lizard Lick
Speed
Tick Bite
Toast
Welcome
Wise
Whynot

North Dakota
Antler
Colgate
Concrete
Hoople
Voltaire
Zap

Ohio
Ai
Blue Ball
Climax
Fly
Hicksville
Home
Knockemstiff
Three Legs Town
Tobasco

Oklahoma
Bowlegs
Cookietown
Frogville
Happy Land
Hooker
Kremlin
Okay
Pumpkin Center
Slapout
Slaughterville

Oregon
Beaver
Boring
Drain
Eureka
Half.com
Idiotville
Sodaville
Windmaster Corner
Zig Zag


Pennsylvania
Bath
Balltown
Bath Addition
Beaver
Beverly Hills
Big Beaver
Bird-in-Hand
Blue Ball
California
Climax
Corner Store
Desire
Drab
Eighty Four
Experiment
Fear Not
Forty Fort
Gravity
Hershey
Home
Indiana
Intercourse
Jersey Shore
King of Prussia
Loyalsockville
Mars
Moon (On the border of the Pittsburgh Int'l Airport - "Fly me to the moon...")
Moscow
Nanty Glo
New Beaver
Ono
Panic
Paradise
Peach Bottom
Pillow
Porkey
Possum Hollow
Pottstown
Quiggleville
Scalp Level
Slate Lick
Slippery Rock
Transfer
Telescope
Torpedo
Uno
Virginville

Rhode Island
Mooseup Valley
Quidnick
Quonochontaug
Woonsocket

South Carolina
Coward
Due West
Little Switzerland
Ninetimes
Ninety Six
North
Round O
Six Mile
Southern Shops
South of the Border
Townville
Welcome

South Dakota
Bath
Epiphany
Faith
Farmer
Gayville
Green Grass
Hammer
Hitchcock
Ideal
Igloo
Java
Kidder
Lemmon
Oral
Parade
Peever
Porcupine
Potato Creek
Pringle
Pumpkin Center
Red Shirt
Tolstoy
Vienna
Wall
White
Wood
Yale

Tennessee
Blue Goose
Bugscuffle
Bugtussle
Bucksnort
Defeated
Difficult
Disco
Ducktown
Finger
Life
Nameless
Only
Paris
Smartt
Static
Sweet Lips

Texas
Bacon
Bean Station
Ben Hur
Black Jack
Canadian
China
Comfort
Converse
Cut -n- Shoot
Ding Dong
Dime Box
Earth
Echo
Energy
Flower Mound
Grapevine
Gun Barrel City
Happy
Hoop and Holler
Humble
Little Hope
London
Looneyville
Marathon
Muleshoe
Noodle
Oatmeal
Paint Rock
Paris
Pointblank
Quail
Smiley
Sour Lake
Spur
Sugar Land
Tarzan
Telegraph
Telephone
Trophy Club
Turkey
Uncertain
Valentine
Veribest
Waxahachie
West
Wink

Utah
Eureka
Hurricane
Mexican Hat
Orangeville
Orderville
Paradise
Plain City
Vermont Bread Loaf
Mosquitoville
Notown
Moscow
Satans Kingdom

Virginia
Antlers
Bagdad
Bane
Ben Hur
Bosses
Bumpass
Butts
California
Clam
Croaker
Cuckoo
Delaware
Eureka
Fourway (2 of them)
Fries
Frogtown
Goochland
Hurricane
Hurt
Jamaica
Java
Joe Neets
Kermit
Lick Skillet
Lipps
Moon
Moonlight (2 of them)
Mutt
Needmore
Nuttsville
Ontario
Ordinary
Peach Bottom
Shiny Rock
Short Pump
Simplicity
Threeway
Pocket

Washington
Forks
George
Humptulips
Index
Tukwila
Tumtum
Tumwater
Walla Walla

West Virginia
Big Chimney
Big Ugly
Crum
FiveMile
Friendly
HooHoo
Hundred
Hurricane
Junior
Kermit
Left Hand
Looneyville
Lost City
Man
Nitro
Odd
Paw
Pinch
Quick
Van
War

Wisconsin
Beetown
Embarrass
Footville
Imalone
Spread Eagle
Ubet
Wanderoos

Wyoming
Baggs
Big Sandy
Camel Hump
Chugwater
Cokeville
Meeteetse
Muddy Gap
Point of Rocks
Sand Draw

Out of the USA but worth mentioning:
Blow Me Down, Newfoundland, Canada
Dildo, Newfoundland, Canada
F**king, Austria