What's in a Name? A Lot of History

When traveling, I enjoy finding unusual names of cities, rivers and various locations or businesses - and often capture those in photos. After spending part of the morning today at the Ferndale Historical Museum, I was amused to find the meaning of that city's name, too.

Ferndale, formerly called Urbanrest, was so named in 1921 when a telephone company employee announced his awe at its greenery from a perch over wires, says Garry Andrews, the museum's director and curator. That prompted me to do a search of other interesting city names.

Within many state locales, family or tribal names appear. Clubs, organizations, schools and colleges all bear proof of our residents from the past, who have since gone on to their rewards - well, rewards beyond having things named for them. Within Oakland County alone, there are some interesting ones that should be researched in the future.

Among them are Big Beaver, Five Points, Four Towns, Charing Cross, Oxbow, Quakertown and Seven Harbors. Michigan names run the gamut from Eden to Hell to just about everything in between.

Of course, this doesn't begin to compare with some stranger ones. Arkansas sports Toad Suck (yes, it really exists!), Hogeye, Greasy Corner, Ink, Snowball, Romance, Apt and Smackover. Texas has Grit, Noodle and Cut and Shoot, while Oregon claims Remote and Boring. New York brings a Hoosick and Owl's Head to the table.

It's probably worth mentioning that Arkansas' Ink resulted during a voting campaign organized by a Polk County teacher for a post office name. Instructions for those taking part in the decision-making process were observant of the legibility problem with penciled-in suggestions. So, the ballots read, "Write in Ink."

The name Ink won by an overwhelming majority.

Does it get any better than this?

http://www.arkansas.com/things-to-do/history-heritage/colorful_names.aspx

http://michigan.hometownlocator.com/mi/oakland/