This follows along with the recent discussion of nicknames.
In my office is a map of North Carolina that is about five-feet wide. It appears to have every city, town, crossroads, community, hamlet, burg, etc., that exists in this fine state. I will occasionally take a look at a section of the map and find some place name that I had never heard of. More often than not I come across a place with a name that is, well, interesting and makes me chuckle. Through the years, I have attempted to jot some of these down. I claim that these are -- or were at one time -- real places in the Old North State. And I'm sure I've only scratched the surface. Enjoy!
Floral, fruit, food and gem names:
Hothouse
Waterlilly
South Hominy
Fruitland
Scuppernong
Zirconia
Graphite
Heavenly names:
Zionville
Job names:
Ranger
Farmer
Spies (?)
Mason
Warrior
Huh?
Ogreeta
Uree
Mashoes (Possibly pronounced “my shoes?”)
Walla Watta
Blatant shills:
Named for famous -- and not-so famous -- people?
Nixonton
Ellijay
Othello
Boomer
Henry
Doolie
Georgeville
Timothy
Ivanhoe
Elroy
Lizzie
Bruce
Crisp
Mildred
Travis
Named for natural traits:
Newfound Gap
Sandymush
Paint Rock
State Road
White Stone
Old Field
Merry Oaks
Orange Factory
Bushy Fork
Wood
Outlaws Ridge
Stumpy Point
Named after feelings or human traits:
Thankful
Relief
Welcome
Wise
Friendship
Intelligence
Named for other states/large cities:
Francisco
Kilkenny
Cisco
Yuck!
Meat Camp
Roten Fig
Pigeonroost
Bee Log
Frog Pond
Finger
Frogsboro
Bug Hill
Savage
Goat Neck
“Store” names:
Hesters Store
Gentrys Store
Dennys Store
Dixons Store
Others:
Democrat (in the west, or “left” part of the state)
Republican (you guessed it -- in the east/right!)
Shooting Creek
Mountain Home
Idlewild
Happy Valley
Sunshine
Cricket
Horneytown
Sunnyside
Toast
Handy
Eldorado
Gum Tree
Quick
Old Hundred
Hasty
Quail Roost
Picks
Marmaduke
Justice
Emit
Tomahawk
Charity
Cabin
Institute
Shine
Best
Old
11 comments:
Love this blog, it is very interesting and informative. I wanted to alert you to the correct pronunciation of Mashoes. It is pronounced "MA-shoes" by the locals in Manns Harbor. It a village of about 10 houses located on the northern end of Dare County.
Stuart, thanks for the clarification -- and the props.
I want to make it my life's goal to personally visit all of these places.
Hey, you forgot Lizard Lick. :-)
I have a long list like this one. In addition to the ones you listed, there's Seven Devils, Turkey Neck, Duck, Nags Head, Faith, Mars Hill, Half Moon, Tar Heel, Jupiter, Kill Devil Hills, Bunn, Harmony, Locust, Maiden, Gamewell, Sapphire, Young Harris, Hardscrabble, Lickskillet, Bear Wallow, Loafer's Glory, Possum Trot, Rabbit Hop, Half Hell, Monogram, Big Curve, Myrtle Head, Little Prong, Honey Pond, Cool Run, Prosper, Easy Hill, Goose Hollow, Wananish, Red Bug, Little Kelly, Shaken, Brown Town, White Stocking, Register, Fountain, Peru, Beautancus, Perfection, Tick Bite, Honolulu, Black Jack, Egypt, Scotts Store, Golden Place, Old Ford, Godley Store, Small, Acre, Bear Grass, Grabtown, Cremo, Bethlehem, Muddy Cross, Topsy, Savage Crossroads, Goose Pond, Folly Fork, Mud Castle, Gretna Green (I like saying that one), Sims, Crockers Nub, Daddysville, Shotwell, Overshot, Pet Crossroads, Joyland, Few, Bahama, Needmore, Silk Hope, Hairtown, Barbecue, Hog Island (not an island), Manly, Horse Neck, Floral College, Moss Neck, Saddletree, Sandy Bottoms, Wind Blow, Foxfire, Candor, Cheeks, Comnock, Topnot, Happy Home, Progress, Light, Palestine, Chip, Big Lick, Churchland, V Point, Neatman, Turkey Ford, Love Valley, Call, Vashti, Cansellers, Thankful, Oval, Listening Rock, Soda Hill, Index, Comet, Fig, Rhodhiss, Cat Square, Rattlesnake Lodge, Paint Fork, Bowditch, Paint Gap, Day Book, Toecane, Wing, Bandana, Cane, Spillcorn, English, Trust, Luck, Jugtown, Sunburst, Retreat, Ducktown, Seeshore, Canaan, Speedwell, Shookville, Love Field, Vests, Suit, Elf, Burger Town, Grape Creek, Fields of the Wood, Conetoe, Cycle.
Whew!
There is a great book that my father had when I was growing up called "Who said there ain't no such places, Volume 1: Alligator to Zephyr" by Henry King. It outlined 50 communities in NC with unusual names. You can find a few copies via Amazon. And I know Wake Co. public library carries it (under the subtitle "Alligator to Zephyr"), so I bet other public libraries will too.
Wow! Thanks for the heads up, Kevin!
And NQ, how on EARTH did I forget Lizard Lick!?
There's also a small, one road town called Dirty Ankle. You guessed it, the one road is Dirty Ankle Rd. It's near Lawndale and Casar.
The locals space it out to be Sandy Mush. We just got our first stoplight last month.
The locals space it out to be Sandy Mush. We just got our first stoplight last month.
What about Dublin, NC? It's probably the sister city to Dublin, Ireland or something...
No Climax? "That's what she said."
No Climax? "That's what she said."
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