Can you Name that City, Village or Town?
Ask anyone to name the quirkiest city in America and you might hear New Orleans, Key West, New York or even Austin, TX or Portland, OR — as the latter two have the word “weird” in their town mottos.
Introduced in 2003 as an initiative to support local businesses, “Keep Portland Weird” has become Portland’s unofficial motto. Anyone who has been to the city or even watched cult TV show Portlandia will know that the phrase has been taken to heart, and Portland is proud to be, well, a little bit quirky.
Believe it or not, the “Keep Portland Weird” concept did not start in Portland. It started in Austin, Texas with “Keep Austin Weird,” a motto intended to increase traffic to local businesses. Since then, like Portland’s residents, Austin’s citizens use the slogan to refer to all aspects of their city.
But, let’s face it, quirkiness or weirdness is in the “eye of the beholder”, and you can find examples in every state of the United States.
In addition to the map above, here are a few to consider:
Truth or Consequences, New Mexico – Originally called Hot Springs, the town renamed itself after a popular 1950’s NBC Radio host Ralph Edwards challenged American cities to rename themselves after his quiz show.
From Intercourse, Pennsylvania to Buttzville, New Jersey (founded in 1839 by Michael Robert Buttz, who must surely have been bullied in school, even back then), there are hundreds of small villages, settlements and even ghost towns throughout our USA with names that will make you stop and ponder, “why would someone name their town that“?
Here are a few more to consider before you comment on my post and share some more stories of some you know!
Goat City, Tennessee – I was unable to get any information on this city, other than it exists. Why? We will never know, and the goats are not saying anything at all!
Spunky Puddle, Ohio — a ghost town, meaning no one lives here anymore.
Swede Heaven, Washington — It is unclear whether this community is a heaven for Scandinavians or Sweet Potatoes.
Booger Hole, West Virginia — Here is a Fun Fact (although untrue per Wikipedia). Supposedly after a spate of about a dozen murders in the area, it is claimed that this town was named after the Boogeyman.
Hopeulikit, Georgia … Once upon a time there was a popular dancehall here with the same name (and that’s “like” not “lick”, because Georgia is a God-fearing state).
