Monday, August 31, 2026
Poems o' Place Names!
Wow! Quite an outpouring of poems on place names this week! More than anyone, we had great output from Jill Scoggins, who explained it this way:
Is it apparent
that I've thought a lot about
place names in my life?
that I've thought a lot about
place names in my life?
Leading to this about Idaho:
Coeur d'Alene's meaning?
Unknown. It just sounds pretty
to say it out loud.
Unknown. It just sounds pretty
to say it out loud.
And this:
Which town you want to
live in, Sulphur or Sour
Lake? (yes, these are real)
live in, Sulphur or Sour
Lake? (yes, these are real)
And this:
Woman Hollering
Creek prob'ly has a superb
story behind it.
Creek prob'ly has a superb
story behind it.
And even this:
Best state name must be
Mississippi. Lyrical
double letter sounds.
Mississippi. Lyrical
double letter sounds.
Crystal Beach isn't.
But the name conjures up a
lifetime of mem'ries.
But the name conjures up a
lifetime of mem'ries.
We also had a LOT of Virginia place names referred to, including this from Mark L.:
Croaker, Norge, two names
One interstate exit sign
Thought they were one place
One interstate exit sign
Thought they were one place
And a follow-up from Des:
Driving past Croaker
and Norge, we see Lady Smith.
Where’s Black Mambazo?
and Norge, we see Lady Smith.
Where’s Black Mambazo?
And Craig A:
Short Pump used to be
Lovely farmland with quirky
name, now shopping mall.
Lovely farmland with quirky
name, now shopping mall.
There were two referring to Michigan, including this one from my mom:
Slapneck, Michigan
Gnaw Bone, West Virginia
Both seen on road trips.
Gnaw Bone, West Virginia
Both seen on road trips.
And one from Christine:
In Michigan you
Can visit both Paradise
Or Hell - seen neither.
Can visit both Paradise
Or Hell - seen neither.
The Medievalist brought a little Texas:
Is it Waco? or
Is it Wacko? I'm tired of
explaining the name.
Is it Wacko? I'm tired of
explaining the name.
As did Jill Scoggins (and I love this image):
Houston's Buffalo
Speedway: Mind pix of bison
driving Indy cars.
Speedway: Mind pix of bison
driving Indy cars.
A great anonymous one for Minnesota (I know these signs!):
Finlayson Askov
Is Driving North driving South
Askov Finlayson.
Is Driving North driving South
Askov Finlayson.
Dr. Daniel Price had a good one (from where I don't know, but I don't want to go there):
I must have misheard
the name "Hairy Man Road";
the name "Hairy Man Road";
Nope, turns out I didn't.
