Alexandria Wyckoff
Every town in America has an origin story. While some are filled with tales of explorers laying down their claim, visionaries building a community of their own, and other entrancing tales, some American towns are rooted in quirkiness. These six American towns not only have strange names but intriguing origin stories that are unique to each location. Keep reading to learn more about these towns and what makes their name and locations so special.
6. Egg Harbor, Wisconsin
Starting our list of American towns is Egg Harbor, Wisconsin. There are a few origin stories about the town, but the most intriguing connects to a historical food fight. In 1825, a group of fur traders was making their way back to Mackinac Island and stopped in what would become Egg Harbor. They decided to race to shore, and those behind the leading boat threw food missiles. While they started with hardtack, they switched to eggs, dotting the surface of the water with eggshells.
5. Salton City, California
Fifth on our list of American towns is Salton City, California. Established during the mid-1900s, the city seemed like a great location. Situated right on the beachfront, it was the perfect resort town. That is, until the Salton Sea became inhospitable to fish and birds due to a higher salinity level. Plus, the location was remote and hard to maintain. While many people left, Salton City is still a functioning town with a population of around 3,000.
4. Cut & Shoot, Texas
Next on our list of American towns is Cut & Shoot, Texas. The town got its name back in 1812 due to an argument that split the community. While the exact cause of the disagreement varies between the shape of the town’s new steeple or a sideways preacher who wanted to preach at the community hall, the real importance lies in what happened next. As tensions rose, a boy is said to have shouted, “I’m going to cut around the corner and shoot through the bushes in a minute.” The declaration stuck, and they named the town as such.
3. Whynot, North Carolina
Rounding out the top three American towns is Whynot, North Carolina. Getting the opportunity to name a town is a big event. However, sometimes the novelty can wear off, and everyone just wants to go home. In this case, it was the latter. The story goes that a community meeting was held for the town’s name, though one resident got so exhausted by the decision-making he cried, “Why not name the town Whynot and let’s go home!” The resident got his way, leaving the town with a very unique name.
2. Eighty Eight, Kentucky
Second on our list of American towns is Eighty Eight, Kentucky. The name originated from the town’s postmaster, Dabnie Nunnally. He concluded the town should have a number for a name, mainly because his handwriting was so difficult to read. As for the number Eighty Eight? That’s allegedly how many cents were in Nunnally’s pockets when he had the idea.
1. Zilwaukee, Michigan
Last but not least on our list of American towns is Zilwaukee, Michigan. If this town’s name looks eerily similar to “Milwaukee,” that wasn’t by accident. Brothers Daniel and Solomon Johnson settled in the area in the mid-1800s. They wanted to take some of Milwaukee’s popularity, giving the town a similar name to confuse travelers into coming to their town instead. While it’s not proven that this happened, it was the time before electronic maps, so anything is possible.