It's gonna be as hot as Seven Devils this week. Sure would love some Relief.

We are blessed here in North Carolina to have ample good qualities like good food, a variety of landscapes, cultures, etc. We also have a fair number of quirky town names, as we have discussed in the past. As we are heading into one of the hottest weeks of the year (so far), it struck me that some of these names are relevant. To wit:

For instance, it is going to be as hot as Seven Devils this week as the temperature gets over Old Hundred. You could probably Toast bread on a Bee Log. The last thing I need to drink is a Toddy or visit Thermal Creek. Sure would love to take a dip in some Cool Springs right about now -- or, better yet, in Coldass Creek! That would give me some Welcome Relief.

As always, be sure to check out the N.C. Gazetteer for more interesting N.C. place names.

Devilish North Carolina

We're on the cusp of Halloween, so this post (found via The Atlantic Cities) seemed appropriate: A Hellish Tour of America. The so-called United States Devil Map is referenced, which notes those places with names like "Hell's Kitchen" or "Devil's Swamp" or or "Hades Canyon" or "Lucifer Falls." You get the drift.

Our fair state has its fair share of ominous-sounding names -- even if the places themselves are anything but. Off the top of my head I can think of a couple that made the Devil Map:

• Kill Devil Hills
• Seven Devils (warning: blatant shilling)

I had not heard of Hell Gate Creek or Hell Swamp -- but I'm sure a glimpse into the North Carolina Gazetteer would pull up all sorts of devilish places.

One place that is blatantly missing from the Devil Map? Why, the Devil's Tramping Ground, of course.  I also imagine Nancy Roberts could find some others.

Any others that didn't make the map?