It was an ordinary day. Still practicing "social distancing," wearing my mask and being bored! So, what to do? Well, we did need some food for the cats so I headed the couple of blocks to the pet store to stock up on both wet and dry food. Took me all but half an hour and I was home again trying to find something to do. I've already cleaned the grout between the tiles in our kitchen and hallway and trimmed all the bushes around the property and mowed the grass twice within a week. My next task for the day was to sit on my lounge chair and do something constructive such as type something for all to read. Talked with my wife, Carol, about an idea or two, opened the top on my MacBook Air and hit the orange colored box with the big letter "E" on it. The "E" stands for Extraordinary which happens to be the first word in the title of my blog. Carol suggested I write about the Easter holiday or perhaps something going on around the city where we live, Lancaster. Tough to do right now, since I am limited in where and when I may drive. Then I remembered a street sign I had seen on the way home from getting my cat's food which read "Bareville". To many, the name of the little town is hilarious. And...I guess it could be. But, I could list many other towns nearby that are funnier than that. Then I had my "Ah Ha" moment. I've already written about towns such as Blue Ball, Mt. Joy, Lititz, Bird-In-Hand so why not find a few towns that I have never heard with strange names and write about them. I found a recent post that listed a few towns that have names that you might be glad you don't have to tell people that's where you live. They are:
Boogertown, North Carolina. When I first saw this one I did have to laugh a bit. I'm sure you probably did also, unless you happen to live in Boogertown...and then I'm sure you don't laugh at the name anymore. So, why is this town called Boogertown? Well, it actually refers to the stories of boogeymen who lived in and hunted the forests of a North Carolina town. But, boogeymen never really existed; it was just a name made up by bootleggers who were trying to keep townspeople and authorities out of the woods while they made their "juice". This town is in Gaston County, NC and has as many events and activities as any other town in any other state in the country. Just happens to have a funny name that makes everyone laugh.
Humptulips, Washington. A town with a really odd name. And, I'm positive that most of you had to laugh when you read it. The name originated thousands of years ago and is a Salish word of the native Chehalis tribe. The word translates to "hard to pole" which refers to navigating the Humptulips River with downed timber in its water. Now, others see it differently and say it means "chilly region". Doesn't really matter what it means except for the fact that it is a region with a proud native history.
Two Egg, Florida. This has to be a joke, right! Nope, it is an area in Jackson County, Florida that doesn't have a city government so no one pays taxes or has access to municipal services. The name came about when the Great Depression hit in the 1930s and mothers would send their children to the general store to trade two eggs for sugar. The store eventually became known as a "two-egg store" and visitors began calling area Two Egg. It actually made it onto the Florida map in 1940.
Hell, Michigan. So you really can go to hell if you want. And, I'm sure many people really do go to hell. The town is near Ann Arbor and was first settled in 1838 where it had a general store and grist mill. The founder of the town, George Reeves, would pay farmers for grain with whiskey. The farmer's wives used to claim their husbands had "gone to Hell again" when they visited Reeves at harvest time. But, wait! There is yet another reason for the name. "So schön hell" translates to "so beautifully bright." But, then Reeves comes along and says, "I don't know, you can name it Hell for all I care." So, no matter what the reason might be, it officially became Hell, Michigan in 1841. And, today you can pay to be the Mayor of Hell, Michigan for an hour. How much will it cost you? Hell, I don't know.
And, the final town is one that I have been through as well as have shopped in many times...Intercourse, Pennsylvania. This town is in the heart of Amish Country and is surrounded by his and valleys of farmland. The shops in the town sell Amish goods such as hand-made quilts, furniture, toys and crafts. The town is one of the biggest draws when tourist come to see The Amish. Heck (notice I didn't type something else) if I came to visit I certainly would want to buy something that said I was involved in Intercourse. Heavens, I have been through Intercourse many times in my life. The town was originally called Cross Keys, but it wasn't a colorful enough name, so in 1814 the name was changed to Intercourse. After all it is at the intersection of State Routes 340 and 772. Intercourse, PA was featured in the Harrison Ford and Kelly McGillis 1985 film, "Witness".
Well, there you have a few new names you can talk about at supper. Perhaps you may want to visit one of them or at least go online and buy a sweatshirt, t-shirt or cap with the name of the town on it. Then everyone who sees you could have a good laugh. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.
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