Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-11-12
QUEER JERSEY NAMES
towns All Over the State Losing Their
Curious Nomenclature,

succession of attractive suburban
towns. With this transformation,
which is taking place in every locality
mat the states numerous trolley lines
nave reached, the old and curious
names for which the state has been
famous are gradually disappearing
Most of the Indian names, however, are
peihS spared. These possess certain
romantic picturesqucnesS and lend
character and interest to the towns to
which they are appended. The queer
Names or most of them, are in the
piainest of plain English and the ugli-
est of all ugly Anglo-SaXon.
"Scra bblctown,'' for instance, is IN
! euphonious enough to be identified as
good Old English at the very first
syllable. There were two Scrabble
towns" but each now has Il new name
i-Pointsville, in Burlington County
and Milford, in Mercer County. The
| name recalls the old fable of tho Cor
man grant, whose giant hen, Hard
Scrabble, scratched moat around bis
castle III Germany when his enemies
were seen approaching through the
forest TO do him harm. Applied to a
Town The name signifies hard pickinrs
y. nara uncs, fine title to be rid Of
town has any hopes Of success
40 doubt the majority Of the uncom-
phinchtary designations to he noted
are the inventions of ncighborip., com
iluhitles. Who, for example. but a
rival would compose such n name as
Earmint's Town." which onca die
unsuishcd small hamIct in
iunterdon County? The more com
Piacent appcllations which lovoI
citlzeas strove to establish in onnosi-
tioh were generally overratcd bv The
sense OF humor of the majority. Horce
mummy Town prevails, with its i'm
fhcations Of numbskuIls. and .Swines-
burg which needs no analysis. Oc-
cdSiohally, however, by tri,mnbal
CROWN or by spirited action among It's
citi=cils, a town has succeeded in living
uo"h an uncomfortable nicknapoc
as ~" ranglcboro" did in Gloucester
| county, "SnufTletown" in Sussex. tho
various "Dogtowns' in the various
coulltics, and, in particular, "Jugtown."
III Hunterdon County, a place of noted
collViviality seventy-iivc wears ago
AS JuStoWn" it had forcot.n, II.
oflSylai name, which was West End -
|
II had to be introduced anew on the
map and chose bethlehem" for lis
title and inspiration.
"Heiltown' was a transient er,itbot
applied to Five Points" GIoucostcr
County because Of conditions induced
by its hospitable tavern situated an tba
"po' covered row by a Methodist
church. For similar reasons two small
SGlIlelnpntf.
respectively as 'Sodom" One was in
Sussex and is now called "rpdc,s-
oui6' IL was a popular resort for
'hose VINO wanted cheap whiskey and
appieJack. The other "Sodom." too
now Glen Gardner" Huntcrdon
county. gained its rcpute as a purvevo,
OF cheap whiskcy.
cabbage Town." of Mercer County
mas passed away forever from
| laStldinus consideration and Nov
canton takes its place. What M.
once called Hungry Hill" because in
hospitablc folks. it is alleged were
settled there, who refused provendcr 10
travellers, between Bordcntowu and
iilghtston, is Newton Station nov.
IurkeytoWn' and "Scrapctown" nc
burlington County are changed into
one OF the many "Magnolias" of tho
state VI inc
remington" it is said. derives its
hamo from ''Pcnnytown." when until "a
| served rs q token Of tho towns irei,-,iG
cifce in the pubic regard. N IN, c,.o
~ Mcrccrviilc, once Sandvtrwn thn 49,
fn,. r. nIin" Sticks m popular phraseJlogy
i'' ~ r,hSnns which are "bvio1is. -
Ne" JERSEYS Curious n1rrc>t boxvc,.o,.
Nov - ~ terms OF acknowledgements If
~ ~, ..i'iStnn. or Mount Misery Hri,,, "
iIEort Is also not many miles away in
Of ..,, non County. the pleasant hamlet
Tor %nG Hope thT %own aTG i, $eT ta,,I
.Iiorew"lis. 'F.llnws iiirt,. flour hour
shi ,i'rn i'i;,t ani Il hamlet Of Friend
C,iratitId" in Sussex. .'.;"nd int@nt IN IN
nor, mnh,N. md many 'IIarmonys."
S"v'rIl small town; started ttcr,enI,-.,
uhn'r hiGhly pr!rtious t:tlrs designer to
a,tiirt prosperity. liIl" "Prpau,itown'
ana Good Luck" in Monmouth cnmtv.
sue .cSS u Queen Comfy. And "RmstI,
Town IN burlington. Eut the cnntr1ri
n.H" ~ ittr III" opposed in each casc IN.
Htt"iApt 70 bait good fortune ana nnnc 81
tn'S' aspiring communities has achieved:
ny Iul 'h'f cStirrtl"1 than its name
- H,'li rs ~ nth" towns have boon
F,Gd HIlcr me t'v"rn which frequently
l"itI'd IN" nucleus and stronghold Of thn
settlement. I'm this class occur such
n"hr rs 'Elu' Anchor" Camdcr Conn
~ brfS% '"Stl'. NIr.cn County: ''Ofd
ia, way, pC'.u County: Three TIuSi
OF burlington County. and numbers OF |
Cross KEYS" which. as the sign Of the
treasurer Wcrr popular for hosiery doors
all over the country
NHDthcr tavern name of frequent occur
renee which mas h"qucat hcd itself Ia M
in,rpiiS towns. both extinct and extnnt is
Nh,t" Horse" tn" name became very
n"0nlnr in Revolutionary times. having |
occurred originally in honor Of Gcnrrai |
v "shinGtons white horse. 1t WIS enough
i n" famous animal with its rider on IT.
hlck uid only PISS the door Of an inn 70 |
elect. Str"iightwav its remaining as the
White Horse 'r1vcrn,' swinging a white
horse on it's sign
hero there WIS no village tavern. or /
Wh'rn 1t WAS not foremost ir public CS-
teen. some other striking fcitl'rn gave its
name t" the town. as the town pump
named IL" village Of Pump Town.
som" oldtimc smelling works H. Eilrling-
,"n County l,am"d two hamote Mary |
Ann Furnace" and Martha Furnace"
and various whit" houeCs here and there
v'rr responsible for the rlany white
ftouSc" villages which have flouriShcd at
one time ar another
Tn. most famous example Of th.s class
!. 'f'riCk Church" Of Essex County. a |
short distance ont by trolley from New
ark Il takes its name from the ancient |
church which was built IF brick ut 2