num_pages: 112
description: Paris, Tightwad, Peculiar, Neosho, Gasconade, Hannibal, Diamond, Quarantine, Zif, and Zig. These are just a few of the names Margot Ford McMillen covers in her lively book on the history of place names in Missouri. The origins behind the names range from humorous to descriptive:• Tightwad, Missouri, is said to have been named after a store owner who cheated a mailman out of his rightful watermelon to make an extra fifty cents. • Plad, Missouri, was supposed to be named "Glad," but the post office printed the name wrong, and it was too much trouble to get it changed. • Some place names describe a location, such as Big Spring or Flat River. • Other names show the influence of immigrants to the state, like Hermann, which is a German name, or the Maries River, which was derived from the French. • Many places are named for people or wildlife found nearby, while others are backed up by legend or simply picked out of thin air.
language: English
title: Paris, Tightwad, and Peculiar: Missouri Place Names (Volume 1)
titlecomplete: Paris, Tightwad, and Peculiar: Missouri Place Names (Volume 1) (Missouri Heritage Readers)
ratings_count: 4
publisher: University of Missouri