These 10 Pennsylvania Towns Have The Silliest Names But Are So Worth A Visit
By Beth Price-Williams|Published April 16, 2018
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Beth Price-Williams
Author
A professional writer for more than two decades, Beth has lived in nearly a dozen states – from Missouri and Virginia to Connecticut and Vermont – and Toronto, Canada. In addition to traveling extensively in the U.S. and the U.K., she has a BA in Journalism from Point Park University (PA), a MA in Holocaust & Genocide Studies from Stockton University (NJ), and a Master of Professional Writing from Chatham University (PA). A writer and editor for Only In Your State since 2016, Beth grew up in and currently lives outside of Pittsburgh and when she’s not writing or hanging out with her bunnies, budgies, and chinchilla, she and her daughter are out chasing waterfalls.
Okay, fellow Pennsylvanians! Time for a little fun! We can all probably name – off the top of our heads – at least a dozen Pennsylvania towns with silly, unique, or downright weird names. Of course, we go to our own Jersey Shore, right here in PA. Bird-in-Hand boasts some quaint restaurants and shops. And one would be remiss not to mention the towns of Paint, Climax, and Frogtown. Here are just 10 Pennsylvania towns with unique names that are certainly worth a visit.
A tiny town about a half an hour from Pittsburgh, Wilmerding is well known for once housing the Westinghouse Air Brake Company. The quaint town gained its moniker quite simply. Wilmerding was the middle name of a well-known landowner’s wife: Joanne Wilmerding Negley.
Nanty Glo – or Nant-Y-Glo in Welsh – means the "Valley of the Coal." The small town, a part of the Johnstown area, is known for its rich coal mining history.
Pringle probably has a much different meaning to people today (think: potato chips) than it did long ago. The charming borough of Pringle pays homage not to the potato chip, but to Thomas Pringle. Pringle, the Scotsman, was well known as a poet, a writer, and an abolitionist. Experience the cozy feel of small-town PA when you visit Pringle, with a population of just over 1,100.
Yep, you’ll find a spaceship right smack dab in the middle of the town of Mars. And the townspeople call themselves Martians. How Mars got its name is debatable. Some say that the town simply shortened its original name "Marshall" to "Mars." Others say the man named Marshall, who founded the town, loved the planet Mars. Thus, the town name was born.
Pennsylvania certainly has its fair share of otherworldly towns. Mars. Moon. And, of course, Venus. Only 76 miles from Mars, PA, Venus has just under 1,200 residents. If you start in Mars, you can visit Mars, Venus, and Moon all in one day, and it will only take 2.5 hours of driving.
With only 300 residents, the tiny town of Pillow promises peace and relaxation. Pillow got its name from General Gideon Pillow. The town was founded in 1818. Townspeople and visitors will gather in this historic town in September 2018 to celebrate Pillow’s 200th birthday.
You might assume that Shoemakersville got its name because the town housed shoemakers. Well, it did. Two, in particular. Charles and Henry Shoemaker. The tiny town in Berks County is home to less than 1,500 residents.
The tiny town of Hop Bottom claims just over 300 residents. Tucked in Susquehanna County, Hop Bottom earned its name from the meadows of hops used for brewing, found in the town and, in particular, at the bottom of the creek.
The photo above illustrates just how unique PA’s town’s names are: Panic, Desire, Paradise, and Dubois just scratch the surface. Panic sits in Jefferson County. Some surmise the town got its name from the financial panic of 1837.
More than 2,500 Pennsylvanians call Normalville, in Fayette County, home. The small town, just seven miles from Connellsville, was founded in 1853.
C’mon and add to the list of Pennsylvania towns with the silliest names. Dozens more – from Intercourse to Bird-in-Hand – could make the list, right? Which others would you add? Share in the comments! Then click here to read about some of the silliest street names in the state.
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