Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-10-27
Odd Names of Towns

i ever had so many extraordinary town
names as the United States.
An examination of " The Post Office Guide. "
disclosing the fact that there seventy or
more towns bearing the name OF JACKSON and
its combinations of willie city" and so
forth. not to speak OF the fifty Washingtons
and twenty-four Lees, speedily impresses one
with the notion that the American people are
afflicted with a sad poverty OF invention in
the matter of names. Further study, however,
creates an entirely opposite impression; for
we find an abundance of names that, it seems,
nothing but an almost malignant ingenuity
could have devised.
For example there is Buck Snort in Ala
barna and Tennessee; Calf Killer in Tennessee
You Bet in California, Ubet IN Montana,
Ultima Thule in Arkansas, Allsup in Alabama,
Mouth of Wolf in Tennessee, King OF Prussia in
PENNSYLVANIA, Bird in Hand in Pennsy lvania
Blowout in Texas, BobO in three States, and
Grub Gulch in California.
There are some wonderfully long and TN
couth names, such as Hushpuckena IN Missis-
sippi and Humptulips in Washington; but
there is a far greater number of eccentric short
names. Here is partial list, alphabetically
arranged
Al, Air, B, Babb, Bac, Barr, Bet, Bob
Ice Igo, Ink, Jeff, Joe, Jump, IA, Kit, Lui
Lum, Man, Nat, Nix, Pom, Pig, P K Rat, Re,
Sac, Sim, Sip, Tub, Ubly, u, Wax, Witt,
Yell, Y, L. Zif, Zig
Many eccentric post office names are per
haps worthy of note on account OF the story
that they tell of some adventure struggle
in the early history of the place. Some of them
Indicate pure despair on the part of the first
inhabitants, such, for instance, as Stuck in
Washington, Dearth in Pennsylvania, Worry
in North Carolina, TrbulatiOn in Missouri
and Blizzard In tennessee. There quite
number of Hurricanes and Cyclones.
Content, on the contrary, is found in two
States and Comfort in six Competition is
~ Missouri md i1O
finger is in Georgia, and Selfville in Alabama
Congruity is in Pennsylvania Energy is to
be found in two States, and Back Bone in
two, Virginia and Kentucky. Ball PLAY comes
under the head of Alabama and Tennessee, and
Best is in five of the States Then too there are
Big Bug In Arizona, and Big Isaac in West
Virginia. The names of several places are
not exactly suggestive of excessive modestv
on the part of the natives such as Brag in
Georgia, Blowhorn in Alabama, Braggadocio
IN Missouri, and Unique in Iowa
The names of other towns carry a suggestion
of boundeSs faith in their location on the part
of the residents. OF these there are fortv-five
Edens and some seventeen Paradises, together
with twenty-three Arcadias, four Olympuses
one Celestia, and one Elvsian Fields Utopia
is found in six States. Twelve towns bear the
name OF Climax, one post office is Nice one is
Correct and Is Cute. Eight TumbOs
Indicate faith in future greatness.
Some merely queer names may be cited:
Choccolocco, Cash, Chap, Cowboy, Bumbebee,
Ca Ira, Cat Spring, Dodo, Horseshoe, Snake,
Viper, Veto, Alone, Accident, Adieu, Atich
Uwchlan Violin, Vox Populi, Assurance,
Check, Pysht, Puyallup, Semiamoo, and
Utsaladdv
Unexpected determinations are to be found
in The Guide" For instance there are
thirteen Germantowns but only one Irish
town. There are fourteen Mauds, but only
seven Ediths and four Lulus. There is a
Hodunk, but no Podunk And finally, while
there are tWentX-one Alrhas thert. are ONLY