Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Some funny/quirky/disgusting place names in N.C.

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:

Valhalla

Zionville


Job names:

Ranger

Farmer

Spies (?)

Mason

Warrior


Huh?

Ogreeta

East Laport (but there’s no West Laport)

Uree

Mashoes (Possibly pronounced “my shoes?”)

Walla Watta


Blatant shills:

Duke Power Village

Texaco Beach


Named for famous -- and not-so famous -- people?

Nixonton

Standing Indian Mountain

Ellijay

Othello

Boomer

Henry

Doolie

Georgeville

Timothy

Ivanhoe

Elroy

Lizzie

Bruce

Crisp

Mildred

Travis


Named for natural traits:

Newfound Gap

Sandymush

Paint Rock

Thermal City

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:

Oakland

Quebec

Minneapolis

Long Island

Francisco

Houston

Philadelphia

W. Philadelphia

Liberia

Shanghai

Phoenix

Belfast

Kilkenny

Milwaukee

California

Cisco

Buffalo City

Nebraska


Yuck!

Bat Cave

Meat Camp

Roten Fig

Pigeonroost

Bee Log

Boger City

Frog Pond

Finger

Colon

Frogsboro

Bug Hill

Savage

Goat Neck

Crab Point Village


“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

Pumpkin Center

Sunnyside

Toast

Handy

Eldorado

Gum Tree

Quick

Cognac

Old Hundred

Hasty

Quail Roost

Picks

Marmaduke

Justice

Emit

Tomahawk

Charity

Cabin

Institute

Shine

Best

Old Sparta

Speed

11 comments:

Unknown said...

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.

M. Lail said...

Stuart, thanks for the clarification -- and the props.

I want to make it my life's goal to personally visit all of these places.

Niki said...

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!

kevin said...

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.

M. Lail said...

Wow! Thanks for the heads up, Kevin!

And NQ, how on EARTH did I forget Lizard Lick!?

Anonymous said...

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.

Anonymous said...

The locals space it out to be Sandy Mush. We just got our first stoplight last month.

Anonymous said...

The locals space it out to be Sandy Mush. We just got our first stoplight last month.

Brenda Porter-Rockwell said...

What about Dublin, NC? It's probably the sister city to Dublin, Ireland or something...

KC said...

No Climax? "That's what she said."

KC said...

No Climax? "That's what she said."