TOPONYMS

A Commentary by Prof. Richard Einer Peterson

I have fallen in love with American names,
The sharp names that never get fat,
The snakeskin-titles of mining-claims,
The plumed war-bonnet of Medicine Hat,
Tucson and Deadwood and Lost Mule Flat.

A toponym is a place-name and toponomy itself is the study of place-names, a subject of interest to me for many years. I have collected newspaper articles relating to place-names since 1979. At one time, my dream was to travel America on the Blue Highway -- the roads less travelled -- and visit these peculiarly-named towns of verve. Here's my list of the "Top Twenty":

1. Ah! Wilderness CO
2. Aloha OR
3. Belt Buckle TN
4. Black Cat DE
5. Blue Eyes AR
6. Red Eye VA
7. Nameless TN
8. No Name CO
9. Nothing AZ
10. Purgatory CO
11. Peculiar MO
12. Resume Speed TX
13. Total Wreck AZ
14. Tranquility CA
15. You Bet CA
16. Ding Dong TX (located in Bell County)
17. 96 SC

    The only major league baseball player to wear the name of his home town on his uniform was pitcher Bill Voiselle. He wore 96.

18. What Cheer? IA (the only U. S. town that's questionable)
19. Agawam MA 01001 (the lowest zip code in the U. S.)
20. Santa Claus, North Pole, Canada HOHOHO (not a town, but a postal location)