News:

Thanks to everyone for the feedback on what errors you encountered at https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=33904.0
Corrected several already and appreciate your patience as we work through the rest.

Main Menu

City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind

Started by webny99, January 14, 2019, 12:01:00 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

webny99

The opposite thread to the ambiguous city/town name thread.

What are some city/town names that occur once, and only once - no doubles anywhere on the planet?
So even if you mentioned said city/town to a stranger, they could look it up and know exactly what you were talking about.

Skaneateles, NY
Irondequoit, NY
Canandaigua, NY

I believe everything else in my area is either generic, recurring, or named after someone or something else.


hotdogPi

All in MA, near me:

Dracut
Billerica
North Reading
North Andover
Swampscott
West Newbury
Nahant
Boxborough
Framingham
Clinched, minus I-93 (I'm missing a few miles and my file is incorrect)

Traveled, plus US 13, 44, and 50, and several state routes

I will be in Burlington VT for the eclipse.

webny99

Quote from: 1 on January 14, 2019, 12:11:20 PM
North Reading
North Andover

I wouldn't really count those since Reading and Andover are so common.
But the rest definitely qualify!

hbelkins

I would have thought that my hometown of Beattyville was the only one in the world. But years ago, I found a Beattyville shown in the Rand McNally atlas in Quebec. It hasn't been shown in years. Apparently it was an old logging town that no longer exists.


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

TheHighwayMan3561

self-certified as the dumbest person on this board for 5 years running

The Nature Boy

Quote from: webny99 on January 14, 2019, 12:30:34 PM
Quote from: 1 on January 14, 2019, 12:11:20 PM
North Reading
North Andover

I wouldn't really count those since Reading and Andover are so common.
But the rest definitely qualify!

There's a West Newbury, Vermont so that one is at least not unique.

Brandon

Illinois
Normal
Naperville
Herrin
Machesney Park
Crest Hill
Romeoville
Bolingbrook
Des Plaines
Winnetka
Streator

Rare Names, but not totally unique:
Joliet (also Joliette - Texas, Montana, North Dakota, & Quebec)
Schaumburg (there's one in Germany)
"If you think this has a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention." - Ramsay Bolton

"Symbolic of his struggle against reality." - Reg

hotdogPi

Quote from: Brandon on January 14, 2019, 01:20:23 PM
Illinois
Normal
Herrin
Winnetka

Normal is a word, so there's no way it can only refer to the city.
Herrin: one exists in France, and it's also a last name.
Winnetka: Neighborhood in Los Angeles.
Clinched, minus I-93 (I'm missing a few miles and my file is incorrect)

Traveled, plus US 13, 44, and 50, and several state routes

I will be in Burlington VT for the eclipse.

Brandon

Quote from: 1 on January 14, 2019, 01:24:32 PM
Quote from: Brandon on January 14, 2019, 01:20:23 PM
Illinois
Normal
Herrin
Winnetka

Normal is a word, so there's no way it can only refer to the city.
Herrin: one exists in France, and it's also a last name.
Winnetka: Neighborhood in Los Angeles.

1. There's only one incorporated "Normal" around.
2. Herrin in France is more like a township than a town, but I'll grant you that.
3. Neighborhoods don't count.  These are at the municipal level if I read the OP correctly.
"If you think this has a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention." - Ramsay Bolton

"Symbolic of his struggle against reality." - Reg

kevinb1994

There's actually a Napierville in Quebec, believe it or not.

Brandon

Quote from: kevinb1994 on January 14, 2019, 01:40:48 PM
There's actually a Napierville in Quebec, believe it or not.

But not spelled the same, nor related in way, shape, or form.  Nor even pronounced the same (English versus French).
"If you think this has a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention." - Ramsay Bolton

"Symbolic of his struggle against reality." - Reg

Buck87

a few in Ohio:

Put-in-Bay
Uhrichsville
Tipp City
Blanchester
Zaleski

Beltway

http://www.roadstothefuture.com
http://www.capital-beltway.com

Baloney is a reserved word on the Internet
    (Robert Coté, 2002)

triplemultiplex

Anything place name derived from Native American words stands a good chance of being unique.

For example, I think about all the "wau's" here in Wisconsin.
Waukesha
Wautoma
Wausau
Wausaukee
Waunakee
Waubesa
Waupun

One isn't going to find those in other places.
"That's just like... your opinion, man."

ET21

Quote from: Brandon on January 14, 2019, 01:20:23 PM
Illinois
Normal
Naperville
Herrin
Machesney Park
Crest Hill
Romeoville
Bolingbrook
Des Plaines
Winnetka
Streator

Rare Names, but not totally unique:
Joliet (also Joliette - Texas, Montana, North Dakota, & Quebec)
Schaumburg (there's one in Germany)

I'll throw Skokie and Wauconda IL
The local weatherman, trust me I can be 99.9% right!
"Show where you're going, without forgetting where you're from"

Clinched:
IL: I-88, I-180, I-190, I-290, I-294, I-355, IL-390
IN: I-80, I-94
SD: I-190
WI: I-90, I-94
MI: I-94, I-196
MN: I-90

mgk920

Is there another Green Bay in existence?  (I am aware of an 'Appleton, MN', though.)

Other larger city names in Wisconsin that exist in other states include Oshkosh (NE), Madison (several), Watertown (several), Fond du Lac (MN).
OTOH, Milwaukee, Stevens Point, Eau Claire, Racine, Kenosha, Janesville, Beloit, Marinette, Menasha, Neenah, Manitowoc, Sheboygan, De Pere, and Ashwaubenon are unique.  (Yes, there is a 'Milwaukie, OR' and a 'Cheboygan, MI', but their spellings are different).

Mike

1995hoo

My gut tells me Fucking, Austria, is unique. Wank, Germany, probably is as well.
"You know, you never have a guaranteed spot until you have a spot guaranteed."
—Olaf Kolzig, as quoted in the Washington Times on March 28, 2003,
commenting on the Capitals clinching a playoff spot.

"That sounded stupid, didn't it?"
—Kolzig, to the same reporter a few seconds later.

kphoger

Keep right except to pass.  Yes.  You.
Visit scenic Orleans County, NY!
Male pronouns, please.

Quote from: Philip K. DickIf you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use them.

Big John


US 89

In Utah, any of the Mormon-derived names, like
Lehi
Nephi
Manti
Moroni
Deseret

As well as a few names from various Native American languages:
Parowan
Paragonah
Panguitch
Koosharem
Tabiona
Tooele

NWI_Irish96

Indiana: counties 100%, highways 100%
Illinois: counties 100%, highways 61%
Michigan: counties 100%, highways 56%
Wisconsin: counties 86%, highways 23%

inkyatari

Quote from: Brandon on January 14, 2019, 01:43:42 PM
Quote from: kevinb1994 on January 14, 2019, 01:40:48 PM
There's actually a Napierville in Quebec, believe it or not.

But not spelled the same, nor related in way, shape, or form.  Nor even pronounced the same (English versus French).

One time David Letterman had a science teacher on his show from Illinois, and he pronounced the town NapIerville.
I'm never wrong, just wildly inaccurate.

Flint1979

Zilwaukee, Michigan which was purposely named that so people would confuse it with Milwaukee, Wisconsin in hopes of luring people there to work.


SCtoKC

Some that I'm familiar with:

Ninety Six, SC
Honea Path, SC
Six Mile, SC
Walhalla, SC
Clemson, SC
Olathe, KS
Tonganoxie, KS
Basehor, KS
Peculiar, MO
Tightwad, MO
Auxvasse, MO

kphoger

Quote from: Flint1979 on January 14, 2019, 05:16:21 PM
Zilwaukee, Michigan which was purposely named that so people would confuse it with Milwaukee, Wisconsin in hopes of luring people there to work.

Tell me it didn't work.




My favorite unique town name is Funk.
Keep right except to pass.  Yes.  You.
Visit scenic Orleans County, NY!
Male pronouns, please.

Quote from: Philip K. DickIf you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use them.



Opinions expressed here on belong solely to the poster and do not represent or reflect the opinions or beliefs of AARoads, its creators and/or associates.