There are TONS of small towns with strange names in Missouri, which makes you wonder what some of the founders were thinking. In a previous post , we brought you names like Peculiar, Turtle, Licking, Bacon, Tightwad, Vulcan, Bland, Elmo, Humansville, and Clever. We didn’t even scratch the surface! Here are a few more…
1. Knob Noster
In the Ozarks, knob typically refers to an isolated summit. The knobs of the town's namesake are not only a geographical landmark for the town, but are also claimed to be the site of a battle of Native American tribes. Sometimes there are stories that gold or treasure is buried in the knobs, although these stories have never been confirmed.
(Towns with similar names: Knob Lick, Ballknob)
2. Bourbon
I just love how the water tower says, "Bourbon." And yes, the town was named for bourbon whiskey.
3. Cuba
Named after the island of Cuba. There are also towns named after Mexico and Japan.
4. Kissee Mills
Google Earth
Kissee Mills was named for A. C. Kissee, a miller and merchant, but that doesn't mean it's not still a fun name to say.
5. Conception Junction
Google Earth
Conception Junction was named for a railroad junction between the Wabash and the Chicago Great Western Railroads. Both lines are now gone. Nearby is Conception, Missouri, home of Conception Abbey.
6. Blue Eye
Google Earth
Blue Eye received its unique name because the postmaster in the area had extremely blue eyes. Yep, that's it.
7. Devil's Elbow
The town is situated on the Big Piney River and was named for a particularly bad place in the river known as a "devil of an elbow."
8. Bois D'Arc
Google Earth
The town gets its name from the osage-orange (also known as a bois d'arc) tree planted by an early settler.
9. Hale
Google Earth
Not particularly strange unless you say it with a southern accent. Then it becomes "Hell, Misery."
It was actually named for a man named John P. Hale.
10. Goodnight
Google Earth
Goodnight, Missouri!
11. Halfway
Halfway was given its name due to its location between Bolivar and Buffalo.
12. Pittsville
Google Earth
Not a very positive name, is it?
13. Braggadocio
The community was named for the knight and horse thief Sir Braggadoccio, in Edmund Spenser's The Faerie Queene.
14. Herculaneum
This town was named after the ancient Roman town of Herculaneum, destroyed by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius. It is said to have been chosen because the limestone ledges overlooking the Mississippi River resembled a Roman amphitheatre.
15. Cooter
The name might sound silly to us, but it was actually named for the Coutre family, early settlers to the area.
And for just a few more: Fidelity, Sleeper, Current View, Grubville, Easyville, Hollywood, Competition, Fertile, Frankenstein, and Toad Hollow.
What are some other strange names of towns in Missouri? Do you live in any of these towns? Please share in the comments below.
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