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Non-Road Boards => Off-Topic => Topic started by: webny99 on January 14, 2019, 12:01:00 PM

Title: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: webny99 on January 14, 2019, 12:01:00 PM
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.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: hotdogPi on January 14, 2019, 12:11:20 PM
All in MA, near me:

Dracut
Billerica
North Reading
North Andover
Swampscott
West Newbury
Nahant
Boxborough
Framingham
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: 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!
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: hbelkins on January 14, 2019, 12:48:22 PM
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.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: TheHighwayMan3561 on January 14, 2019, 12:49:11 PM
Truth or Consequences, NM
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: The Nature Boy on January 14, 2019, 12:58:52 PM
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.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: 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)
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: hotdogPi 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.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: Brandon on January 14, 2019, 01:27:55 PM
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.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: kevinb1994 on January 14, 2019, 01:40:48 PM
There's actually a Napierville in Quebec, believe it or not.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: 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).
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: Buck87 on January 14, 2019, 01:56:02 PM
a few in Ohio:

Put-in-Bay
Uhrichsville
Tipp City
Blanchester
Zaleski
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: Beltway on January 14, 2019, 02:05:25 PM
Front Royal, VA
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: triplemultiplex on January 14, 2019, 02:22:20 PM
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.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: ET21 on January 14, 2019, 02:52:08 PM
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
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: mgk920 on January 14, 2019, 03:10:42 PM
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
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: 1995hoo on January 14, 2019, 03:22:01 PM
My gut tells me Fucking, Austria, is unique. Wank, Germany, probably is as well.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: kphoger on January 14, 2019, 03:22:10 PM
Quote from: mgk920 on January 14, 2019, 03:10:42 PM
Is there another Green Bay in existence? 

Unincorporated, yes.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: Big John on January 14, 2019, 03:45:09 PM
Quote from: kphoger on January 14, 2019, 03:22:10 PM
Quote from: mgk920 on January 14, 2019, 03:10:42 PM
Is there another Green Bay in existence? 

Unincorporated, yes.
such as in Virginia.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: US 89 on January 14, 2019, 03:55:20 PM
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
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: NWI_Irish96 on January 14, 2019, 04:43:05 PM
Swayzee, IN, or so they claim.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: inkyatari on January 14, 2019, 05:12:19 PM
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.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: 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.

Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: SCtoKC on January 14, 2019, 05:23:38 PM
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
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: kphoger on January 14, 2019, 06:19:17 PM
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 (https://goo.gl/maps/nqBcxUcLbGA2).
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: GaryV on January 14, 2019, 07:01:21 PM
Michigan in addition to Zilwaukee

Kalamazoo
Oshtemo
Otsego
Novi
Muskegon
Makatawa
Dowagiac
Allegan
Saugatuck
Hesperia
Newaygo
Onekama
Mackinac/Mackinaw
Tawas
Alpena
Escanaba
Cheboygan
Ontonagon
Petoskey
Charlevoix (or is there one in France?)
Epoufette
Naubinway
Brevort
Brimley
Munising
Manistee
Manistique
Ishpeming
Negaunee
Michigamme
Watersmeet
Copper Harbor


Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: TheHighwayMan3561 on January 14, 2019, 07:21:58 PM
There's an Otsego, MN.

MN contenders:
Bemidji
Mahtomedi
Elko New Marlet (the formerly separate towns of Elko and New Market merged via voter referendum)
Grand Portage
Shakopee
Owatonna
Albert Lea
Zumbrota
Castle Danger
Illgen City
Brainerd
Miesville
Minnetonka
Marine on St. Croix
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: Jim on January 14, 2019, 07:26:41 PM
I don't know if they're right, but Stephentown, New York, is very proud of being the only Stephentown on Earth.  New York 43 East.  May 11, 2003.

(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.teresco.org%2Fpics%2Fsigns%2F20030511%2Fstephentown.jpg&hash=fea34e20de0292c5fd8b554b80df744f7ad09757)
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: Flint1979 on January 14, 2019, 07:54:05 PM
Quote from: kphoger on January 14, 2019, 06:19:17 PM
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 (https://goo.gl/maps/nqBcxUcLbGA2).
Lol it didn't work. Zilwaukee is a small city right outside of Saginaw.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: vdeane on January 14, 2019, 07:57:12 PM
I would imagine Niskayuna, Coxsackie (forget Coxsackie - there's both the town and village), and Castleton-on-Hudson are pretty unique.  Not Schenectady, though - the city is in the county of the same name.

Quote from: TheHighwayMan394 on January 14, 2019, 07:21:58 PM
There's an Otsego, MN.
Also the name of a county in New York.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: kevinb1994 on January 14, 2019, 08:16:34 PM
Quote from: GaryV on January 14, 2019, 07:01:21 PM
Michigan in addition to Zilwaukee

Kalamazoo
Oshtemo
Otsego
Novi
Muskegon
Makatawa
Dowagiac
Allegan
Saugatuck
Hesperia
Newaygo
Onekama
Mackinac/Mackinaw
Tawas
Alpena
Escanaba
Cheboygan
Ontonagon
Petoskey
Charlevoix (or is there one in France?)
Epoufette
Naubinway
Brevort
Brimley
Munising
Manistee
Manistique
Ishpeming
Negaunee
Michigamme
Watersmeet
Copper Harbor

There's Sheboygan in Wisconsin.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: oscar on January 14, 2019, 08:16:57 PM
There are two (https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=13239.msg2000683#msg2000683) prior (https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=2951.0) threads about funny/strange place names, that would be good places to look for one-off city/town names. Some of them have been mentioned here already.

For some others from those threads, which I've visited:

Dildo and South Dildo, Newfoundland (NL also has a Dildo Run, but that's just a waterway in a different part of the province)
Asbestos, Quebec
Swastika, Ontario (but there is an unincorporated community in New York also named Swastika)

Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan might also be a unique city name, as might Saskatoon.

Maybe also Heart's Content and Heart's Desire, both near each other in Newfoundland and on the same peninsula as Dildo and South Dildo.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: Takumi on January 14, 2019, 08:19:44 PM
Quote from: oscar on January 14, 2019, 08:16:57 PM
There are two (https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=13239.msg2000683#msg2000683) prior (https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=2951.0) threads about funny/strange place names, that would be good places to look for one-off city/town names. Some of them have been mentioned here already.

For some others from those threads, which I've visited:

Dildo and South Dildo, Newfoundland (NL also has a Dildo Run, but that's just a waterway in a different part of the province)
Asbestos, Quebec
Swastika, Ontario

Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan might also be a unique city name.

Maybe also Heart's Content and Heart's Desire, both near each other in Newfoundland and on the same peninsula as Dildo and South Dildo.

There isn't much to do in Newfoundland, is there? ;)
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: Flint1979 on January 14, 2019, 08:20:08 PM
Quote from: kevinb1994 on January 14, 2019, 08:16:34 PM
Quote from: GaryV on January 14, 2019, 07:01:21 PM
Michigan in addition to Zilwaukee

Kalamazoo
Oshtemo
Otsego
Novi
Muskegon
Makatawa
Dowagiac
Allegan
Saugatuck
Hesperia
Newaygo
Onekama
Mackinac/Mackinaw
Tawas
Alpena
Escanaba
Cheboygan
Ontonagon
Petoskey
Charlevoix (or is there one in France?)
Epoufette
Naubinway
Brevort
Brimley
Munising
Manistee
Manistique
Ishpeming
Negaunee
Michigamme
Watersmeet
Copper Harbor

There's Sheboygan in Wisconsin.

They are spelled differently.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: oscar on January 14, 2019, 08:24:41 PM
Quote from: Takumi on January 14, 2019, 08:19:44 PM
Quote from: oscar on January 14, 2019, 08:16:57 PM
Dildo and South Dildo, Newfoundland (NL also has a Dildo Run, but that's just a waterway in a different part of the province)
There isn't much to do in Newfoundland, is there? ;)

There is a lot of commercial fishing. And "dildo" means, among other things, a part of a boat.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: hotdogPi on January 14, 2019, 08:38:00 PM
Quote from: GaryV on January 14, 2019, 07:01:21 PM
Michigan in addition to Zilwaukee

Kalamazoo
Oshtemo
Otsego
Novi
Muskegon
Makatawa
Dowagiac
Allegan
Saugatuck
Hesperia
Newaygo
Onekama
Mackinac/Mackinaw
Tawas
Alpena
Escanaba
Cheboygan
Ontonagon
Petoskey
Charlevoix (or is there one in France?)
Epoufette
Naubinway
Brevort
Brimley
Munising
Manistee
Manistique
Ishpeming
Negaunee
Michigamme
Watersmeet
Copper Harbor

Kalamazoo – several others in the US
Otsego – several others in the US
Novi – "new" in some languages; "nine" in others
Saugatuck – river and neighborhood in Connecticut
Hesperia – city in California that's 100× as populous as the one in Michigan
Mackinaw – one in Illinois
Tawas – a word, but not particularly common
Alpena – Arkansas, South Dakota
Charlevoix – several things with that name in Quebec
Brevort – township was named after a person
Brimley – last name of several people
Manistee – one in Alabama
Manistique – racehorse, not named after the city in Michigan
Watersmeet – town in South Africa, plus several buildings in England
Quote from: TheHighwayMan394 on January 14, 2019, 07:21:58 PM
There's an Otsego, MN.

MN contenders:
Bemidji
Mahtomedi
Elko New Marlet (the formerly separate towns of Elko and New Market merged via voter referendum)
Grand Portage
Shakopee
Owatonna
Albert Lea
Zumbrota
Castle Danger
Illgen City
Brainerd
Miesville
Minnetonka
Marine on St. Croix

Albert Lea – named after a person
Brainerd – one in Kansas
Minnetonka – there's a cave with that name in Idaho

Quote from: mgk920 on January 14, 2019, 03:10:42 PM
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

Milwaukee – Pennsylvania and North Carolina
Racine – several in other states and one in Quebec, and it is a last name
Janesville – several
Beloit – several
Marinette – a current community in Nova Scotia and a ghost town in Arizona
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: ce929wax on January 14, 2019, 09:39:56 PM
Plainwell, MI.  There are no other Plainwell's in the United States.  I have no idea about other countries.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: kphoger on January 14, 2019, 09:53:43 PM
Quote from: triplemultiplex on January 14, 2019, 02:22:20 PM
Anything place name derived from Native American words stands a good chance of being unique.

I remember seeing Judy Collins on TV once, and she was talking about her early days.  At one point, having mentioned Tatamagouche and another town with a similarly strange-sounding name, she stopped in the middle of her thought and said something like– You know, those town's names sound completely normal in Nova Scotia, but they sound really funny out here in Manitoba.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: MNHighwayMan on January 14, 2019, 11:06:26 PM
Quote from: TheHighwayMan394 on January 14, 2019, 07:21:58 PM
Elko New Market (the formerly separate towns of Elko and New Market merged via voter referendum)

If we're going to include that, then we can't forget Norwood Young America. (Same thing: city merger.)
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: Flint1979 on January 15, 2019, 02:10:29 AM
I've got another one for Michigan. Ann Arbor named for the wives of the founders, both named Ann and the stands of bur oak trees.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: Bruce on January 15, 2019, 02:33:50 AM
This thread is pretty much going to be a bunch of indigenous names.

The largest U.S. cities with indigenous names (that were not significantly Anglicized/rendered in other European languages) are Seattle, Milwaukee, Albuquerque, Miami, Oklahoma City, and Tucson.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: formulanone on January 15, 2019, 06:52:06 AM
Quote from: Bruce on January 15, 2019, 02:33:50 AM
This thread is pretty much going to be a bunch of indigenous names.

The largest U.S. cities with indigenous names (that were not significantly Anglicized/rendered in other European languages) are Seattle, Milwaukee, Albuquerque, Miami, Oklahoma City, and Tucson.

There's a Miami (mi-ami-uh) in Oklahoma and the Miami River Valley representing a good deal of south central Ohio along the Miami River.

Though Florida also has many Seminole, Miccosukee, and Creek place names...doubtful there's another Tallahassee, Okeechobee, or Weeki Wachee somewhere else in the world - though not impossible - in the way things can be Anglicized.

I was surprised that there's multiple places called "Bug Tussle" in the US, figuring Alabama had that one to herself.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: CNGL-Leudimin on January 15, 2019, 08:10:18 AM
My very own hometown, Huesca. I still have to find another. Actually, pick a random village in Aragon, Spain and chances it's the only place in the world with that name are very high. Although most of them are also last names, these are derived from the places, not the other way round as it mostly happens in the USA.

However, I can shot down Moran (https://www.google.es/maps/@42.2829964,-0.7560288,3a,19.1y,327.03h,89.17t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1suN1R7pAtJNDuUsPS80uuyg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656) Junction in the Grand Teton NP, WY from this thread.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: US 81 on January 15, 2019, 08:50:17 AM
There are several (presumably) unique names of communities in Texas, though they are often unincorporated.  A quick search is only showing one each of

Gun Barrel City
Cut and Shoot.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: SSOWorld on January 15, 2019, 09:23:16 AM
See Hawai'i
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: webny99 on January 15, 2019, 10:49:53 AM
Quote from: TheHighwayMan394 on January 14, 2019, 07:21:58 PM
There's an Otsego, MN.

Not sure who you were responding to, but there is an Otsego County, NY, also.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: US 89 on January 15, 2019, 11:18:29 AM
Quote from: GaryV on January 14, 2019, 07:01:21 PM
Michigan in addition to Zilwaukee

Otsego

Quote from: TheHighwayMan394 on January 14, 2019, 07:21:58 PM
There’s an Otsego, MN.

Quote from: vdeane on January 14, 2019, 07:57:12 PM
Also the name of a county in New York.

Quote from: webny99 on January 15, 2019, 10:49:53 AM
Not sure who you were responding to, but there is an Otsego County, NY, also.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: webny99 on January 15, 2019, 11:29:37 AM
^ Now I look like a fool, but at least everybody can have a good laugh about it!  :-D

Quote from: US 89 on January 15, 2019, 11:18:29 AM
Quote from: GaryV on January 14, 2019, 07:01:21 PM
Michigan
Otsego
Quote from: TheHighwayMan394 on January 14, 2019, 07:21:58 PM
There's an Otsego, MN.
Quote from: vdeane on January 14, 2019, 07:57:12 PM
Also the name of a county in New York.
Quote from: webny99 on January 15, 2019, 10:49:53 AM
Not sure who you were responding to, but there is an Otsego County, NY, also.
I was actually wondering, maybe Otsego would qualify for this thread.  :hmmm:
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: triplemultiplex on January 15, 2019, 12:07:03 PM
Quote from: formulanone on January 15, 2019, 06:52:06 AM
I was surprised that there's multiple places called "Big Tussle" in the US, figuring Alabama had that one to herself.

You mean "Bug Tussle", right?
Makes me think of some podunk little corner of the South where there's nothing to do but crack open a Busch Light and watch a couple of insects throw down.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: Rushmeister on January 15, 2019, 12:52:41 PM
Indiana (almost certainly one-of-a-kinds)
Nappanee
Oolitic
Gnaw Bone

Indiana (maybes)
Birdseye
Popcorn
Santa Claus
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: Flint1979 on January 15, 2019, 01:46:36 PM
Quote from: Rushmeister on January 15, 2019, 12:52:41 PM
Indiana (almost certainly one-of-a-kinds)
Nappanee
Oolitic
Gnaw Bone

Indiana (maybes)
Birdseye
Popcorn
Santa Claus
I've been to Nappanee and think that's a cool name lol. It also is the longest city name containing each letter in it's name twice.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: formulanone on January 15, 2019, 03:04:26 PM
Quote from: triplemultiplex on January 15, 2019, 12:07:03 PM
Quote from: formulanone on January 15, 2019, 06:52:06 AM
I was surprised that there's multiple places called "Big Tussle" in the US, figuring Alabama had that one to herself.

You mean "Bug Tussle", right?
Makes me think of some podunk little corner of the South where there's nothing to do but crack open a Busch Light and watch a couple of insects throw down.

Yup, that's the one.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: lepidopteran on January 15, 2019, 04:07:36 PM
There are a handful in northeastern PA

Catawissa
Shickshinny
Wapwallopen (sounds like a bowling term, LOL!)
Paxinos
Selinsgrove

Then there's Shamokin, but there's also a Shamokin Dam in the region.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: GaryV on January 15, 2019, 04:50:17 PM
Quote from: lepidopteran on January 15, 2019, 04:07:36 PM
There are a handful in northeastern PA

Catawissa
Shickshinny
Wapwallopen (sounds like a bowling term, LOL!)
Paxinos
Selinsgrove

Then there's Shamokin, but there's also a Shamokin Dam in the region.

What about those Amish names, Intercourse and Bird-in-Hand?  Are those unique?
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: roadman65 on January 16, 2019, 10:16:00 PM
Kissimmee in Florida I would guess there is none other like it.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: jp the roadgeek on January 17, 2019, 03:53:02 AM
CT
Middle Haddam
Haddam Neck
Clarks Falls
(North) Grosvenor Dale
Killingly (and all derivatives)
Attawaugen
Ballouville
Putnam Heights
Scitico
Hadlyme
Old & East Lyme
Old Saybrook
Eastford
Northford
Gaylordsville
Barkhamsted
Yalesville
Jewett City
Gales Ferry
Uncasville
Upper Stepney
South Britain
Weatogue (there is a Wetaug, IL)
Occum
Old Mystic
Harwinton
Torringford
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: Takumi on January 17, 2019, 10:22:15 AM
Poquoson, VA
Also Newport News, though Newport by itself is far from unique.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: hotdogPi on January 17, 2019, 10:27:27 AM
Interesting fact about data: If you gather the names of all cities/towns in the country or in the world, almost exactly half of names will be unique.

Half of names, not half of cities. For example, if the list has 25000 places and 3000 unique names, then there will be 1500 unique names and 1500 names with more than one entry from the other 23500 places.

This is true for other data sets, as it is a mathematical property.

The number qualifying for this thread is lower than half, though; some unique town names are also people's names, words that can be found in a dictionary, etc.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: Ian on January 17, 2019, 03:54:35 PM
Like many states, Maine has a fair amount of town names derived from the local Native tribes, usually named for nearby water or geological features. To name a few, we have...

Skowhegan
Passadumkeag
Kenduskeag
Millinocket (and East Millinocket)
Macwahoc
Damariscotta
Allagash
Wiscasset
Meddybemps (my favorite)
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: cjk374 on January 19, 2019, 02:50:11 PM
When I started working for my railroad, we had a depot agent job in Gibsland. In the depot, I had access to the KCS's system-wide computer system called MCS. An option it had was a nation-wide station master list of every city, town, community (incorporated or not), and railhead (siding, no town necessary). It also gave the zip code of all of these communities. I would type in a community name and see how unique of a name it was.

I typed in my downtown's name in one day. I found out there are 3 places named "Simsboro" in all of North America...AR, TX, & LA. After looking on GMSV, I discovered that my Simsboro is the biggest of the three. The one in AR is unincorporated on AR highway 50 southwest of Memphis & has place signs. The one in TX is located on an old branch line of the Rock Island RR. It doesn't have place signs on the roads, and you wouldn't even know you were in a named community.

I wish I still had access to MCS. That was a fun system to play with.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: dvferyance on February 05, 2019, 06:23:43 PM
I am sure it's good bet Milwaukee suburbs like Muskego, Mukwonago, Pewaukee, Menomonie Falls and Mequon are unique. Most likely Cudahy too as it was named after Patrick Cudahy. I am also sure there isn't another South Milwaukee since the only other Milwaukees that exist are tiny unincorporated areas.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: kphoger on February 05, 2019, 08:36:30 PM
Quote from: dvferyance on February 05, 2019, 06:23:43 PM
Most likely Cudahy too as it was named after Patrick Cudahy.

California has one with more than 20k people.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: Throckmorton on February 07, 2019, 12:31:57 PM
   
Without doing exhaustive research I'm gonna say Knob Noster and Tightwad, both in the State of Missouri.   
   
   
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: Road Hog on March 10, 2019, 08:41:33 PM
In Arkansas lies the unincorporated community of Drasco in Cleburne County. I had to scroll through four pages on Google before I found someone with even the surname of Drasco.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: Max Rockatansky on March 10, 2019, 08:52:10 PM
Coalinga, California is unique.  The name apparently originated as a shortening of the rail siding name "Coaling Station A."   I'm fairly certain Firebaugh is unique to California as well.  It is named after a guy who operated a ferry on the San Joaquin River and toll road over Pacheco Pass. 
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: bing101 on March 11, 2019, 05:35:13 PM
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoosick_Falls,_New_York

There's a Hoosick Falls, NY a Village.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: Scott5114 on March 14, 2019, 01:11:24 AM
Quote from: formulanone on January 15, 2019, 06:52:06 AM
Quote from: Bruce on January 15, 2019, 02:33:50 AM
This thread is pretty much going to be a bunch of indigenous names.

The largest U.S. cities with indigenous names (that were not significantly Anglicized/rendered in other European languages) are Seattle, Milwaukee, Albuquerque, Miami, Oklahoma City, and Tucson.

There's a Miami (mi-ami-uh) in Oklahoma and the Miami River Valley representing a good deal of south central Ohio along the Miami River.

Though Florida also has many Seminole, Miccosukee, and Creek place names...doubtful there's another Tallahassee, Okeechobee, or Weeki Wachee somewhere else in the world - though not impossible - in the way things can be Anglicized.

I was surprised that there's multiple places called "Big Tussle" in the US, figuring Alabama had that one to herself.

Close but no cigar: there's a Tullahassee, OK.

Keep in mind that even indigenous names can repeat, because the indigenous residents had a tendency to get kicked off their land and moved to Oklahoma, where they reused names from home for features that reminded them of the originals.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: jakeroot on March 14, 2019, 01:25:01 AM
An indigenous name in Washington State that a lot of people struggle with is "Puyallup". One-of-a-kind for sure.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: nexus73 on March 14, 2019, 01:53:15 AM
Oregon South Coast unique names: Port Orford, which to those who are more familiar with Port Orchard WA, gets confused with.  Coquille was originally on US 101 until the bypass was built in 1961 to tie Coos Bay and Bandon directly.  Pronounced as koh-queel by locals, the ones not from here say koh-quill. 

Powers sounds like a plebian name but it is the only city of Powers I could find with a web search.  Their high school is called the Cruisers, which is about timber cruising, not car cruising or naval warships.  Myrtle Point also sounds like something which should be common but once again, the name surprises by being unique.  Myrtlewood is a tree which grows here.  If you go to their football stadium, a gorgeous myrtlewood tree is just outside the east endzone.  Their team name is ordinary though.  They are the Bobcats.

Coos Bay is the name of the bay here.  After an election to consolidate the adjacent cities of North Bend (Bulldogs) and Marshfield (Pirates) failed in 1943, Marshfield went ahead with the name change that was part of the consolidation measure, so they became the city of Coos Bay.  There are no other cities of Coos Bay but strangely enough, there is another Coos County.  It is in New Hampshire and has half the population of Oregon's Coos County.  Here is a short blurb about it:


Coös County, frequently spelled Coos County, is a county in the U.S. state of New Hampshire. As of the 2010 census, the population was 33,055, the least of any New Hampshire county. The estimated population as of 2017 is 31,634. en.wikipedia.org
County Seat: Lancaster
Population: 31,634

By the way, Coquille is the county seat for Oregon's Coos County while Coos Bay is the city with the largest population, a bit over 16K currently.

Curry County's county seat also has an unique name which one would think would be found elsewhere.  Gold Beach is on US 101 at the mouth of the Rogue River.  The drive from Brookings in the south to Port Orford in the north has Gold Beach at the midway point.  You can see the Pacific Ocean for almost the entire mileage.

Names of our cities which show up elsewhere: Lakeside (various), Bandon (Ireland), Brookings (South Dakota).

Oregon is so full of unique city names.  I will leave room for other Oregonians here on the forum to post those from their areas.

Rick
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: KEVIN_224 on March 14, 2019, 07:18:22 AM
The city of New Britain, CT has roughly 72,000 people. It's only 9 miles southwest of Hartford. The only other New Britain I've heard of is northwest of Philadelphia. I believe it's on one of the SEPTA rail lines. There's nothing there, from what I've been told, however.

I've seen Hartford, VT (contains the village of White River Junction) and New Haven, IN before.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: Brandon on March 14, 2019, 12:04:21 PM
Quote from: nexus73 on March 14, 2019, 01:53:15 AM
Powers sounds like a plebian name but it is the only city of Powers I could find with a web search.  Their high school is called the Cruisers, which is about timber cruising, not car cruising or naval warships.

Powers, Michigan (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Powers,_Michigan), a village in the UP.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: GreenLanternCorps on March 18, 2019, 10:24:17 AM
Two from Ohio:

Fairborn  (created by merger of Fairfield and Osborn Ohio)

Beavercreek  (As opposed to Beaver Creek, CO)
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: briantroutman on March 18, 2019, 11:06:23 AM
Quote from: KEVIN_224 on March 14, 2019, 07:18:22 AM
The only other New Britain I've heard of is northwest of Philadelphia. I believe it's on one of the SEPTA rail lines. There's nothing there, from what I've been told, however.

New Britain, PA is just west of Doylestown and is served by its Regional Rail line (formerly known as R5). And while it isn't particularly populous or significant, it's still a bit more than nothing–an incorporated borough with a population of about 3,100.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: sandwalk on March 18, 2019, 12:47:26 PM
Galion , Ohio
Sweetser, Indiana
Loves Park, Illinois
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: Mark68 on March 18, 2019, 03:44:20 PM
Pretty sure my hometown of Anaheim, CA is the only Anaheim. Its name derives from the original founders who emigrated from Germany and named their town using the Santa Ana River (which is nearby) and the German word for "home".
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: nexus73 on March 18, 2019, 07:00:31 PM
Quote from: Brandon on March 14, 2019, 12:04:21 PM
Quote from: nexus73 on March 14, 2019, 01:53:15 AM
Powers sounds like a plebian name but it is the only city of Powers I could find with a web search.  Their high school is called the Cruisers, which is about timber cruising, not car cruising or naval warships.

Powers, Michigan (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Powers,_Michigan), a village in the UP.

Is a village in Michigan incorporated or unincorporated?  Powers in Oregon is an incorporated city.  The police department is one man, the chief.  Recently he was set upon by some who wished to do him harm and the citizenry came to his rescue.  It sounds like something from the Wild West but that ~is~ the ethos of Powers, an isolated logging town in the Coast Range.

Rick
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: Bruce on March 18, 2019, 11:26:40 PM
Quote from: Scott5114 on March 14, 2019, 01:11:24 AM
Quote from: formulanone on January 15, 2019, 06:52:06 AM
Quote from: Bruce on January 15, 2019, 02:33:50 AM
This thread is pretty much going to be a bunch of indigenous names.

The largest U.S. cities with indigenous names (that were not significantly Anglicized/rendered in other European languages) are Seattle, Milwaukee, Albuquerque, Miami, Oklahoma City, and Tucson.

There's a Miami (mi-ami-uh) in Oklahoma and the Miami River Valley representing a good deal of south central Ohio along the Miami River.

Though Florida also has many Seminole, Miccosukee, and Creek place names...doubtful there's another Tallahassee, Okeechobee, or Weeki Wachee somewhere else in the world - though not impossible - in the way things can be Anglicized.

I was surprised that there's multiple places called "Big Tussle" in the US, figuring Alabama had that one to herself.

Close but no cigar: there's a Tullahassee, OK.

Keep in mind that even indigenous names can repeat, because the indigenous residents had a tendency to get kicked off their land and moved to Oklahoma, where they reused names from home for features that reminded them of the originals.

Plus there's plenty of repeated names that have no connection due to the rather limited forms of Anglicization afforded in the 19th century. "Sauk" comes up in several locations despite having no connection between native language families.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: roadman65 on March 19, 2019, 12:05:34 AM
Is Cuckoo, VA duplicated?
Newport News, VA there maybe Newports in other places, but none with News in the end.

Frelinghuysen, in New Jersey I doubt would be anyplace else as that was named after a person.  Most uncommon sir names with towns after them will be one of a kind.

Griggstown, in Franklin (Somerset County), NJ is most likely one.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: nexus73 on March 19, 2019, 12:55:05 AM
Here's an Utah grouping that will be hard to beat.  The city of Beaver is the county seat of Beaver County.  Their high school is called Beaver High School and of course, they are the Beavers!

For a more humorous combo from the Beehive State there is Millard County and its county seat is Fillmore.

Rick
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: Avalanchez71 on March 19, 2019, 01:17:29 AM
There is a incorporated town in Tennessee called Bulls Gap.  There is also a Bean Station, TN.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: kevinb1994 on March 19, 2019, 02:22:14 AM
Quote from: nexus73 on March 19, 2019, 12:55:05 AM
Here's an Utah grouping that will be hard to beat.  The city of Beaver is the county seat of Beaver County.  Their high school is called Beaver High School and of course, they are the Beavers!

For a more humorous combo from the Beehive State there is Millard County and its county seat is Fillmore.

Rick

There is a Beaver County in Pennsylvania as well, with Beaver Borough as its county seat.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: Beltway on March 19, 2019, 06:27:32 AM
Quote from: roadman65 on March 19, 2019, 12:05:34 AM
Newport News, VA there maybe Newports in other places, but none with News in the end.

Dozens of places named Newport in the U.S., Canada and Europe.  I couldn't find anywhere else that have a dual name with News.

Not really sure how the city got the name --

No one knows for sure where Newport News got its name, but "Newportes Newes" first appears in the Virginia Company records in 1619, making it one of the oldest place names in the New World.  The most widely accepted folktale is that our city is the namesake of Captain Christopher Newport, commander of Susan Constant, which was the flagship of the three-ship English fleet that landed on Jamestown Island in 1607.  He made several voyages to Newport News in the early days of the Jamestown Colony, bringing "good news" of supplies and settlers.

https://www.newport-news.org/visitors/about-our-city/overview-and-fun-facts/
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: Brandon on March 19, 2019, 10:41:02 AM
Quote from: nexus73 on March 18, 2019, 07:00:31 PM
Quote from: Brandon on March 14, 2019, 12:04:21 PM
Quote from: nexus73 on March 14, 2019, 01:53:15 AM
Powers sounds like a plebian name but it is the only city of Powers I could find with a web search.  Their high school is called the Cruisers, which is about timber cruising, not car cruising or naval warships.

Powers, Michigan (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Powers,_Michigan), a village in the UP.

Is a village in Michigan incorporated or unincorporated?  Powers in Oregon is an incorporated city.  The police department is one man, the chief.  Recently he was set upon by some who wished to do him harm and the citizenry came to his rescue.  It sounds like something from the Wild West but that ~is~ the ethos of Powers, an isolated logging town in the Coast Range.

Rick

A village in Michigan is incorporated.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_villages_in_Michigan
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Administrative_divisions_of_Michigan
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: US71 on March 19, 2019, 10:55:08 AM
Hogeye, AR

Peculiar, MO

There used to be a Bugtussle, AR, but they got assimilated years ago.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: wxfree on March 19, 2019, 01:52:53 PM
In Texas, there are some names that seem unusual but I could see being used elsewhere, such as Mobeetie and Tacubaya.  Then there are names that don't even seem to fit together as words.  One is Darrouzett, although the town was named after someone.  Another is Lazbuddie.  This one was named after two people, so is more likely to be unique.  Also in the compound name category is Iraan, which is (almost) a combination of Ira and Ann, but I wouldn't be surprised to hear of another one.

A short word that seems like it could be unique is Toyah, an American Indian word for "flowing water."  Nearby is Toyahvale, which suggests "flowing water valley."  These are both in the area of Balmorrhea, which has a state park with a beautiful swimming pool.  It's 25 feet deep, absolutely clear, is over an acre in size, and holds 3.5 million gallons of water.  It's fed by a spring that produces 15 million gallons of water per day.  It's the reason the towns in this desert area have water names.  Balmorrhea (pronounced bal-morray) is also a contender.

Of the places I mentioned, Darrouzett, Iraan, Toyah, and Balmorrhea are incorportated.  The two I like best for this purpose are Lazbuddie, named after D. Luther (Laz) Green and Andrew (Buddie) Sherley, and Balmorrhea, which I just found out "is an amalgamation of Balcom, Morrow, and Rhea, the surnames of its founders" (quoth Wickerpaedia).  That explains the short "a" sound at the beginning and the "ray" at the end.  I suspect these amalgamatia may be a good source of names for this list because they're more likely to be unique.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: nexus73 on March 19, 2019, 06:10:21 PM
Quote from: Brandon on March 19, 2019, 10:41:02 AM
Quote from: nexus73 on March 18, 2019, 07:00:31 PM
Quote from: Brandon on March 14, 2019, 12:04:21 PM
Quote from: nexus73 on March 14, 2019, 01:53:15 AM
Powers sounds like a plebian name but it is the only city of Powers I could find with a web search.  Their high school is called the Cruisers, which is about timber cruising, not car cruising or naval warships.

Powers, Michigan (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Powers,_Michigan), a village in the UP.

Is a village in Michigan incorporated or unincorporated?  Powers in Oregon is an incorporated city.  The police department is one man, the chief.  Recently he was set upon by some who wished to do him harm and the citizenry came to his rescue.  It sounds like something from the Wild West but that ~is~ the ethos of Powers, an isolated logging town in the Coast Range.

Rick

A village in Michigan is incorporated.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_villages_in_Michigan
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Administrative_divisions_of_Michigan

Thank you for that information!  Knowing about parishes instead of counties in Louisiana was about the extent of my knowledge regarding unusual political subdivision names. 

Rick
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: noelbotevera on March 19, 2019, 07:40:31 PM
Since I live in Amish Country, there are a lot of unique town names to play with. Here's a sample...

Bird-in-Hand
Intercourse
Blue Ball
Fivepointville
Leacock
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kindq
Post by: kevinb1994 on March 20, 2019, 12:09:35 AM
Quote from: noelbotevera on March 19, 2019, 07:40:31 PM
Since I live in Amish Country, there are a lot of unique town names to play with. Here's a sample...

Bird-in-Hand
Intercourse
Blue Ball
Fivepointville
Leacock

We drove through a couple of them as part of Jason's Central PA Road Meet back in April of 2016, except for Bird-in-Hand, Intercourse, and Fivepointville, which were not on the itinerary route. Driving through Blue Ball and Leacock was quite the experience, no?
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: CNGL-Leudimin on March 20, 2019, 09:05:33 AM
Quote from: wxfree on March 19, 2019, 01:52:53 PMAlso in the compound name category is Iraan, which is (almost) a combination of Ira and Ann, but I wouldn't be surprised to hear of another one.

Even though not quite a match, there's the one country formerly known as Persia :sombrero:.
Quote from: noelbotevera on March 19, 2019, 07:40:31 PM
Since I live in Amish Country, there are a lot of unique town names to play with. Here's a sample...

Intercourse

There's the well known Austrian village of Fucking, which basically means the same thing as Intercourse :bigass:.

Okay, now more seriously, Fucking in itself isn't unique, since there are Öberfucking and Unterfucking (literally "Upper Fucking" and "Lower Fucking") in another part of Austria, and Fugging used to be called Fucking too, but got renamed perhaps because it's too close to Vienna and thus it would have got more troubled than the Fucking near Salzburg. Now that I think, what a f***ing post I've written.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: nexus73 on March 20, 2019, 10:42:41 AM
Quote from: CNGL-Leudimin on March 20, 2019, 09:05:33 AM
Quote from: wxfree on March 19, 2019, 01:52:53 PMAlso in the compound name category is Iraan, which is (almost) a combination of Ira and Ann, but I wouldn't be surprised to hear of another one.

Even though not quite a match, there's the one country formerly known as Persia :sombrero:.
Quote from: noelbotevera on March 19, 2019, 07:40:31 PM
Since I live in Amish Country, there are a lot of unique town names to play with. Here's a sample...

Intercourse

There's the well known Austrian village of Fucking, which basically means the same thing as Intercourse :bigass:.

Okay, now more seriously, Fucking in itself isn't unique, since there are Öberfucking and Unterfucking (literally "Upper Fucking" and "Lower Fucking") in another part of Austria, and Fugging used to be called Fucking too, but got renamed perhaps because it's too close to Vienna and thus it would have got more troubled than the Fucking near Salzburg. Now that I think, what a f***ing post I've written.

Don't forget Phuket in Thailand...LOL!

Rick
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: hotdogPi on March 20, 2019, 11:01:42 AM
Quote from: nexus73 on March 20, 2019, 10:42:41 AM
Don't forget Phuket in Thailand...LOL!

Rick

That's a result of transliteration. The name of the city, pronounced correctly, doesn't sound like a swear.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: Paulinator66 on March 20, 2019, 12:22:33 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on January 14, 2019, 12:48:22 PM
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.

There's a Beatty, NV.  It's NW of Las Vegas on US-95.  It's always been a desire of mine to go there since it's my last name.  Now I'm also going to have to stop by your hometown next time I'm in the area.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: Paulinator66 on March 20, 2019, 12:25:16 PM
Bellefontaine Neighbors, MO.

It has has the distinction of being the longest named city in America.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bellefontaine_Neighbors,_Missouri (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bellefontaine_Neighbors,_Missouri)
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: roadman65 on March 28, 2019, 11:38:34 PM
Texahoma has to be one of a kind being that the two states the town straddles is its namesake.  I doubt there is another town between Texas and Oklahoma that would duplicate it.

Marydel along the DE- MD border has the same issue I would imagine, though a Delmar but not another Marydel.  Delmar is duplicated in California even though not on the DE- MD state border.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: CNGL-Leudimin on March 29, 2019, 04:39:56 AM
Quote from: oscar on January 14, 2019, 08:16:57 PM
For some others from those threads, which I've visited:

Asbestos, Quebec

Spelled "Asbestos" maybe, but there is Shimian (石棉) county in Sichuan, China, which translates to "Asbestos".
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: Brandon on March 29, 2019, 07:22:19 AM
Quote from: CNGL-Leudimin on March 29, 2019, 04:39:56 AM
Quote from: oscar on January 14, 2019, 08:16:57 PM
For some others from those threads, which I've visited:

Asbestos, Quebec

Spelled "Asbestos" maybe, but there is Shimian (石棉) county in Sichuan, China, which translates to "Asbestos".

And Asbest, Russia.  Guess what they mine there?
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: MNHighwayMan on March 29, 2019, 04:22:42 PM
Quote from: CNGL-Leudimin on March 29, 2019, 04:39:56 AM
Quote from: oscar on January 14, 2019, 08:16:57 PM
For some others from those threads, which I've visited:

Asbestos, Quebec
Spelled "Asbestos" maybe, but there is Shimian (石棉) county in Sichuan, China, which translates to "Asbestos".

If we're going to count translations, then many names in the US that are derived from Native American languages don't count either.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: roadman65 on March 30, 2019, 09:45:17 PM
Chugwater, WY.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: roadman65 on April 01, 2019, 10:14:59 PM
Rahway in New Jersey has to be one of a kind.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: CNGL-Leudimin on April 02, 2019, 08:17:41 AM
Another big no for this thread. Houma, Louisiana isn't unique, as there is the county-level city of 侯马 (Hóumǎ) in Shanxi, China.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: MNHighwayMan on April 02, 2019, 02:28:00 PM
Quote from: CNGL-Leudimin on April 02, 2019, 08:17:41 AM
Another big no for this thread. Houma, Louisiana isn't unique, as there is the county-level city of 侯马 (Hóumǎ) in Shanxi, China.

I don't think that counts.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: hotdogPi on April 02, 2019, 02:29:20 PM
Quote from: MNHighwayMan on April 02, 2019, 02:28:00 PM
Quote from: CNGL-Leudimin on April 02, 2019, 08:17:41 AM
Another big no for this thread. Houma, Louisiana isn't unique, as there is the county-level city of 侯马 (Hóumǎ) in Shanxi, China.

I don't think that counts.

It should. A city named Beijing in the US wouldn't count because of the one in China, even though it's also transliterated.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: MNHighwayMan on April 02, 2019, 02:32:23 PM
Quote from: 1 on April 02, 2019, 02:29:20 PM
Quote from: MNHighwayMan on April 02, 2019, 02:28:00 PM
Quote from: CNGL-Leudimin on April 02, 2019, 08:17:41 AM
Another big no for this thread. Houma, Louisiana isn't unique, as there is the county-level city of 侯马 (Hóumǎ) in Shanxi, China.
I don't think that counts.
It should. A city named Beijing in the US wouldn't count because of the one in China, even though it's also transliterated.

Sure, but that's because a hypothetical Beijing in the US is likely named for the Chinese city.

Houma, LA was named for the natives who formerly lived there. Vastly different etymology from whatever the Chinese city is named after.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: kphoger on April 02, 2019, 02:47:57 PM
Quote from: MNHighwayMan on April 02, 2019, 02:32:23 PM
Quote from: 1 on April 02, 2019, 02:29:20 PM
Quote from: MNHighwayMan on April 02, 2019, 02:28:00 PM
Quote from: CNGL-Leudimin on April 02, 2019, 08:17:41 AM
Another big no for this thread. Houma, Louisiana isn't unique, as there is the county-level city of 侯马 (Hóumǎ) in Shanxi, China.
I don't think that counts.
It should. A city named Beijing in the US wouldn't count because of the one in China, even though it's also transliterated.

Sure, but that's because a hypothetical Beijing in the US is likely named for the Chinese city.

Houma, LA was named for the natives who formerly lived there. Vastly different etymology from whatever the Chinese city is named after.

So, then, what about towns named Clinton that aren't named after the same person?
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: MNHighwayMan on April 02, 2019, 04:22:32 PM
Quote from: kphoger on April 02, 2019, 02:47:57 PM
So, then, what about towns named Clinton that aren't named after the same person?

The name "Clinton" likely has the same origin/etymology between two different people with that same last name, even if they're not related. I would count that as the same.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: roadman65 on April 02, 2019, 08:01:25 PM
Quote from: CNGL-Leudimin on April 02, 2019, 08:17:41 AM
Another big no for this thread. Houma, Louisiana isn't unique, as there is the county-level city of 侯马 (Hóumǎ) in Shanxi, China.
Houma I almost moved there.  Great city not too much development and far enough away from NOLA to want to go to the big city without a lengthy drive.

If my friend did not wiggle out of a deal he made with someone and meet a conman in the process I would have helped him build a community there.  I liked the people there and though not one of a kind name a one of a kind type of city.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: Bruce on April 03, 2019, 01:42:35 AM
Houma, Shanxi has 290,000 people

Houma, Louisana has...34,000.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: pdx-wanderer on April 03, 2019, 01:29:38 PM
Cal-Nev-Ari, NV
Kanorado, KS
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: bing101 on April 20, 2020, 11:36:42 AM
Quote from: CNGL-Leudimin on March 29, 2019, 04:39:56 AM
Quote from: oscar on January 14, 2019, 08:16:57 PM
For some others from those threads, which I've visited:

Asbestos, Quebec


Spelled "Asbestos" maybe, but there is Shimian (石棉) county in Sichuan, China, which translates to "Asbestos".

Tom Scott did a segment on Asbestos, Quebec due to the history of mining in that area.


Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: Finrod on April 20, 2020, 04:27:14 PM
Quote from: Rushmeister on January 15, 2019, 12:52:41 PM
Indiana (almost certainly one-of-a-kinds)
Nappanee
Oolitic
Gnaw Bone

Don't forget East Oolitic.

Question: would Texarkana, TX/AR and Kansas City, KS/MO be considered one city or two for the purposes of this thread?
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: DandyDan on April 21, 2020, 05:12:24 AM
This one is a challenge for Iowa, if native American names don't count. The one that definitely fits is Le Mars. I suspect Dubuque and Bettendorf are unique.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: vegas1962 on April 22, 2020, 12:03:32 AM
A few I can think of off the top of my head:

Bad Axe, MI
Frankenmuth, MI
Pinconning, MI
Pigeon Forge, TN
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: sprjus4 on April 22, 2020, 12:10:46 AM
Elizabeth City, NC
Kill Devil Hills, NC
Kitty Hawk, NC
Virginia Beach, VA
Myrtle Beach, SC
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: jakeroot on April 22, 2020, 01:19:59 AM
Quote from: sprjus4 on April 22, 2020, 12:10:46 AM
Elizabeth City, NC

This seems like a cop-out. There's a lot of cities named "Elizabeth".
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: sprjus4 on April 22, 2020, 01:33:27 AM
Quote from: jakeroot on April 22, 2020, 01:19:59 AM
Quote from: sprjus4 on April 22, 2020, 12:10:46 AM
Elizabeth City, NC

This seems like a cop-out. There's a lot of cities named "Elizabeth".
Yes, but not "Elizabeth City" .
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: jakeroot on April 22, 2020, 03:15:15 AM
Quote from: sprjus4 on April 22, 2020, 01:33:27 AM
Quote from: jakeroot on April 22, 2020, 01:19:59 AM
Quote from: sprjus4 on April 22, 2020, 12:10:46 AM
Elizabeth City, NC

This seems like a cop-out. There's a lot of cities named "Elizabeth".
Yes, but not "Elizabeth City" .

So adding "City" makes it one-of-a-kind? I guess it gets in on a technicality**, but I feel like it misses the spirit of the thread.

Then again, I ain't the OP. Just my opinion.

** There was an Elizabeth City (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_City_(Virginia_Company)) in the Virginia Colony
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: sprjus4 on April 22, 2020, 08:03:46 AM
Quote from: jakeroot on April 22, 2020, 03:15:15 AM
** There was an Elizabeth City (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_City_(Virginia_Company)) in the Virginia Colony
This is where the name comes from. Used to be where Hampton is today.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: ftballfan on April 22, 2020, 11:03:39 AM
Quote from: nexus73 on March 18, 2019, 07:00:31 PM
Quote from: Brandon on March 14, 2019, 12:04:21 PM
Quote from: nexus73 on March 14, 2019, 01:53:15 AM
Powers sounds like a plebian name but it is the only city of Powers I could find with a web search.  Their high school is called the Cruisers, which is about timber cruising, not car cruising or naval warships.

Powers, Michigan (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Powers,_Michigan), a village in the UP.

Is a village in Michigan incorporated or unincorporated?  Powers in Oregon is an incorporated city.  The police department is one man, the chief.  Recently he was set upon by some who wished to do him harm and the citizenry came to his rescue.  It sounds like something from the Wild West but that ~is~ the ethos of Powers, an isolated logging town in the Coast Range.

Rick
Powers is incorporated. Fun fact about the Michigan Powers: Their high school (the North Central Jets) won three state titles in a row in boys basketball from 2015 to 2017, winning 84 consecutive games along the way
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: jakeroot on April 23, 2020, 02:27:59 AM
Quote from: sprjus4 on April 22, 2020, 08:03:46 AM
Quote from: jakeroot on April 22, 2020, 03:15:15 AM
** There was an Elizabeth City (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_City_(Virginia_Company)) in the Virginia Colony
This is where the name comes from. Used to be where Hampton is today.

This website (https://web.archive.org/web/20091203163008/http://www.carolina-north.com/elizabeth_city.html) seems to indicate that Elizabeth City was named after either Queen Elizabeth or Elizabeth Tooley, the latter being more likely as that was the name of a woman who owned a large chunk of the land where the city is today. It could have been named after Queen Elizabeth, but that would simply mean that both the colonial city, as well as the city in North Carolina, had the same eponym.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: wriddle082 on April 23, 2020, 07:04:21 AM
Statesboro, GA is the only Statesboro in existence.

Other possible one-of-a-kind places that I can think of:
Hohenwald, TN
Tullahoma, TN
Vonore, TN
Sneedville, TN
Alcoa, TN

Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: cwf1701 on April 26, 2020, 03:00:50 PM
Quote from: GaryV on January 14, 2019, 07:01:21 PM
Michigan in addition to Zilwaukee

Kalamazoo
Oshtemo
Otsego
Novi
Muskegon
Makatawa
Dowagiac
Allegan
Saugatuck
Hesperia
Newaygo
Onekama
Mackinac/Mackinaw
Tawas
Alpena
Escanaba
Cheboygan
Ontonagon
Petoskey
Charlevoix (or is there one in France?)
Epoufette
Naubinway
Brevort
Brimley
Munising
Manistee
Manistique
Ishpeming
Negaunee
Michigamme
Watersmeet
Copper Harbor

and Hell MI.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: hotdogPi on April 26, 2020, 03:02:07 PM
Quote from: cwf1701 on April 26, 2020, 03:00:50 PM
and Hell MI.

There's one in Norway.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: J3ebrules on April 27, 2020, 11:34:28 PM
Let's see... New Jersey.

My birth town, Hoboken.
Piscataway (it's an unincorporated place in Maryland, so doesn't count against the Jersey one).
Parsippany
Hackensack
Paramus
Barnegat
Oradell
Shamong
Hi-Nella

And of course, Ho-Ho-Kus.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: Hwy 61 Revisited on April 28, 2020, 01:20:41 AM
A few in NEPA:

Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: allniter89 on April 29, 2020, 02:21:37 AM
Niceville, Ebro, Kissimmee, Gulf Breeze & DeFuniak Springs, FL
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: CNGL-Leudimin on April 29, 2020, 12:54:13 PM
Quote from: allniter89 on April 29, 2020, 02:21:37 AM
Ebro

The Ebro river is a major Spanish river. So not quite unique :-P
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: MikieTimT on April 29, 2020, 01:46:40 PM
Arkansas has a bunch of, mostly unincorporated, town names that are assuredly unique:

1) Figure Five
2) Blue Ball
3) Toad Suck
4) Bald Knob
5) Possum Grape
6) Stinking Bay
7) Goobertown
8) Monkey Run
9) Greasy Corner
10) Bee Branch
11) Negro Head Corner
12) Fifty-Six
13) Piggott
14) Portia
15) Texarkana (well, two of a kind)
16) Marked Tree
17) Tyronza
18) Weiner (good one to end on)

Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: webny99 on April 29, 2020, 09:53:38 PM
Quote from: MikieTimT on April 29, 2020, 01:46:40 PM
Arkansas has a bunch of, mostly unincorporated, town names that are assuredly unique:

1) Figure Five
2) Blue Ball
3) Toad Suck
4) Bald Knob
5) Possum Grape
6) Stinking Bay
7) Goobertown
8) Monkey Run
9) Greasy Corner
10) Bee Branch
11) Negro Head Corner
12) Fifty-Six
13) Piggott
14) Portia
15) Texarkana (well, two of a kind)
16) Marked Tree
17) Tyronza
18) Weiner (good one to end on)

Great job! :thumbsup:
That was 100x more fun and enjoyable than most of the other lists of random unpronounceable items that I just skipped entirely.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: noelbotevera on April 29, 2020, 10:27:02 PM
Pennsylvania edition II, or: Whose Idea Was This?

Balls Mills
Loyalsockville
English Center
Quiggleville
Quakake
Bryn Athyn
Slovenska Narodna Podporna Jednota (it's real! (https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1988/09/29/the-town-that-does-nothing-but-polka/a37ecb4f-f29a-4f99-bcec-e40743f00ab5/))
Smethport

And my favorite: Jersey Shore, located in the middle of the woods
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: briantroutman on April 29, 2020, 11:28:12 PM
Quote from: allniter89 on April 29, 2020, 02:21:37 AM
Kissimmee

I know of at least one additional Kissimmee–in Pennsylvania (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kissimmee,_Pennsylvania).
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: hbelkins on April 30, 2020, 03:48:02 PM
Quote from: wriddle082 on April 23, 2020, 07:04:21 AM
Statesboro, GA is the only Statesboro in existence.

Other possible one-of-a-kind places that I can think of:
Hohenwald, TN
Tullahoma, TN
Vonore, TN
Sneedville, TN
Alcoa, TN

How could you forget Soddy-Daisy or Gruetli-Laager?
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: kphoger on April 30, 2020, 07:51:01 PM
Quote from: DandyDan on April 21, 2020, 05:12:24 AM
This one is a challenge for Iowa, if native American names don't count. The one that definitely fits is Le Mars. I suspect Dubuque and Bettendorf are unique.

Dubuque, I'm not aware of any other.

Bettendorf, Haut-Rhin, Grand Est, France (https://goo.gl/maps/w9mfn8Ez89MKV4Jv6)
Bettendorf, Diekirch, Luxembourg (https://goo.gl/maps/z2KjMWd6yaB8B15K9)
There's also a Bettendorf in Rheinland-Pfalz (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bettendorf_(Taunus)), but Germany doesn't really do GSV.

Le Mars, Pliboux, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France (https://goo.gl/maps/cPeZQi6esobjYDXR9)
Le Mars, Clion, Nouvelle-Acquitaine, France (https://goo.gl/maps/3Vn2uwhYJUXsy1oj6)
Le Mars, Moings, Nouvelle-Acquitaine, France (https://goo.gl/maps/skNmxep3Wenwv5P29)

I can't find any signs for Dubuque, Kansas (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dubuque,_Kansas).  But I'm not sure there are any people left living there, really.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: formulanone on May 01, 2020, 11:35:54 AM
Quote from: hbelkins on April 30, 2020, 03:48:02 PM
How could you forget Soddy-Daisy or Gruetli-Laager?

I always think of some sort of lawn care supplement and an obscure small-batch beer when I see those two town names.

For that matter, there probably will never be another Helena-West Helena (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helena%E2%80%93West_Helena,_Arkansas) because it sounds so ridiculous.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: MikieTimT on May 04, 2020, 12:50:59 PM
Quote from: formulanone on May 01, 2020, 11:35:54 AM
Quote from: hbelkins on April 30, 2020, 03:48:02 PM
How could you forget Soddy-Daisy or Gruetli-Laager?

I always think of some sort of lawn care supplement and an obscure small-batch beer when I see those two town names.

For that matter, there probably will never be another Helena-West Helena (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helena%E2%80%93West_Helena,_Arkansas) because it sounds so ridiculous.

I can't imagine the mental gyrations that were behind West Helena maintaining its name in the consolidation.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: golden eagle on May 31, 2020, 11:28:45 PM
Quote from: MikieTimT on April 29, 2020, 01:46:40 PM
Arkansas has a bunch of, mostly unincorporated, town names that are assuredly unique:

1) Figure Five
2) Blue Ball
3) Toad Suck
4) Bald Knob
5) Possum Grape
6) Stinking Bay
7) Goobertown
8) Monkey Run
9) Greasy Corner
10) Bee Branch
11) Negro Head Corner
12) Fifty-Six
13) Piggott
14) Portia
15) Texarkana (well, two of a kind)
16) Marked Tree
17) Tyronza
18) Weiner (good one to end on)

Speaking of Arkansas, Paragould may be the only one of its kind. It's a portmanteau of railroad magnates JW Paramore and Jay Gould.

Hattiesburg, MS and Ann Arbor, MI, are probably the only cities with their names.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: kphoger on June 01, 2020, 09:15:40 AM
Quote from: golden eagle on May 31, 2020, 11:28:45 PM
Speaking of Arkansas, Paragould may be the only one of its kind. It's a portmanteau of railroad magnates JW Paramore and Jay Gould.

Hattiesburg, MS and Ann Arbor, MI, are probably the only cities with their names.

I believe you're correct for all three.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: golden eagle on June 01, 2020, 11:58:28 AM
Any other Tuscaloosas besides Alabama? I
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: MikieTimT on June 01, 2020, 04:42:28 PM
Quote from: golden eagle on May 31, 2020, 11:28:45 PM
Quote from: MikieTimT on April 29, 2020, 01:46:40 PM
Arkansas has a bunch of, mostly unincorporated, town names that are assuredly unique:

1) Figure Five
2) Blue Ball
3) Toad Suck
4) Bald Knob
5) Possum Grape
6) Stinking Bay
7) Goobertown
8) Monkey Run
9) Greasy Corner
10) Bee Branch
11) Negro Head Corner
12) Fifty-Six
13) Piggott
14) Portia
15) Texarkana (well, two of a kind)
16) Marked Tree
17) Tyronza
18) Weiner (good one to end on)

Speaking of Arkansas, Paragould may be the only one of its kind. It's a portmanteau of railroad magnates JW Paramore and Jay Gould.

Hattiesburg, MS and Ann Arbor, MI, are probably the only cities with their names.

Yeah, and it pissed off Jay Gould to no end that his name came second!
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: ari-s-drives on June 02, 2020, 01:04:03 AM
Contra Costa Centre, CA
Lodoga, CA
Duncans Mills, CA
Temecula, CA
Calexico, CA
Cal-Nev-Ari, NV
Copperopolis, CA
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: roadman65 on March 11, 2022, 09:51:53 AM
Bat Cave, NC.

The only other place that is used is in Batman Reruns, " Right Robin, Let's go the Batcave."
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: plain on March 11, 2022, 10:35:52 AM
Has anyone mentioned Lizard Lick, NC yet?

Appomattox, VA
Aquebogue, NY
White Sulphur Springs, WV
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: Dirt Roads on March 11, 2022, 11:21:41 AM
West Virginia (trying not to duplicate those I mentioned in a recent thread):

    Anawalt
    Anmoore
    Ansted
    Barrackville
    Bayard
    Belington
    Black Betsy*
    Bolivar
    Bramwell
    Bruceton Mills
    Camden-on-Gauley
    Capon Bridge
    Carpendale
    Delbarton
    Droop*
    Dunlow*
    Durbin
    East Lynn*
    Elk Garden
    Ellenboro
    Falling Spring
    Fort Gay
    Gassaway
    Gauley Bridge
    Grant Town
    Granville
    Great Cacapon*
    Grimms Landing*
    Hacker Valley*
    Hambleton
    Harpers Ferry
    Hartford City
    Hazelgreen*
    Hedgesville
    Hurricane
    Huttonsville
    Iaeger
    Jane Lew
    Jumping Branch*
    Kanawha Falls*
    Kanawha Head*
    Kiahsville*
    Lavalette*
    Lesage*
    Looneyville*
    Lost Creek
    Lumberport
    Mabscott
    Marlinton
    Matewan
    Matoaka
    Meadow Bridge
    Middlebourne
    Minnehaha Springs*
    Mineralwells*
    Mitchell Heights
    Monongah
    Mount Carbon*
    Nutter Fort
    Oakvale
    Oceana
    Paw Paw
    Pax
    Petroleum*
    Pie*
    Pipestem*
    Poca
    Queen Shoals*
    Quinwood
    Quinnimont*
    Rainelle
    Rhodell*
    Rivesville
    Rowlesburg
    Salt Rock*
    Scott Depot*
    Shepherdstown
    Sissonville
    Six*
    Skygusty*
    Spanishburg*
    Spurlockville*
    Star City
    Terra Alta
    Triadelphia
    Tunnelton
    War
    Wardensville
    West Milford
    West Union
    Wharncliffe*
    Womelsdorf (Coalton)
    Yawkey*

The ones without an asterisk are purportedly incorporated.  I have added some of the more interesting unincorporated placenames, marked with an asterisk*.
And the ones with interesting names ending in "crick", "hollar", "ferk" and "bottum" can be found here:  https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=31050.msg2709558#msg2709558
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: kphoger on March 11, 2022, 11:38:41 AM
Quote from: Dirt Roads on March 11, 2022, 11:21:41 AM
    Bolivar

Nope.  I've driven through Bolivar, MO, several times.

Quote from: Dirt Roads on March 11, 2022, 11:21:41 AM
    Granville

Nope.  Granville, OH, and Granville, NY, each have more than 5000 people living there.

Quote from: Dirt Roads on March 11, 2022, 11:21:41 AM
    Hurricane

Nope.  Hurricane, UT, has a population of more than 20,000.

Quote from: Dirt Roads on March 11, 2022, 11:21:41 AM
    Paw Paw

Nope.  I've guerilla-camped in and hitchhiked out of Paw Paw, MI.

Quote from: Dirt Roads on March 11, 2022, 11:21:41 AM
    Star City

Nope.  Star City, AR, is a county seat.

Quote from: Dirt Roads on March 11, 2022, 11:21:41 AM
    West Union

Nope.  West Union, IA, and West Union, OH, would have something to say about that.




And those are just the ones I know of.  I'm sure there are others on your list that aren't unique to WV.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: mgk920 on March 11, 2022, 12:45:47 PM
Quote from: kphoger on March 11, 2022, 11:38:41 AM
Quote from: Dirt Roads on March 11, 2022, 11:21:41 AM
    Bolivar

Nope.  I've driven through Bolivar, MO, several times.

Quote from: Dirt Roads on March 11, 2022, 11:21:41 AM
    Granville

Nope.  Granville, OH, and Granville, NY, each have more than 5000 people living there.


Granville, WI was an unincorporated township in Milwaukee County before it joined the City of Milwaukee in the late 1950s.

Mike
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: kphoger on March 11, 2022, 12:51:04 PM
Quote from: mgk920 on March 11, 2022, 12:45:47 PM

Quote from: kphoger on March 11, 2022, 11:38:41 AM

Quote from: Dirt Roads on March 11, 2022, 11:21:41 AM
    Granville

Nope.  Granville, OH, and Granville, NY, each have more than 5000 people living there.

Granville, WI was an unincorporated township in Milwaukee County before it joined the City of Milwaukee in the late 1950s.

Fixed the quote string for you.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: mgk920 on March 11, 2022, 01:06:41 PM
Quote from: KEVIN_224 on March 14, 2019, 07:18:22 AM
The city of New Britain, CT has roughly 72,000 people. It's only 9 miles southwest of Hartford. The only other New Britain I've heard of is northwest of Philadelphia. I believe it's on one of the SEPTA rail lines. There's nothing there, from what I've been told, however.

I've seen Hartford, VT (contains the village of White River Junction) and New Haven, IN before.

There is also a City of Hartford, WI.  It's not far northwest of Milwaukee.

Nike
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: SD Mapman on March 11, 2022, 01:47:52 PM
Nebraska (for sure):
Wahoo (there's a church in Florida but it's not an actual town)
Wymore
Weeping Water

South Dakota:
Spearfish
Wounded Knee
Wanblee
Dupree?
Yankton (there's an unincorporated place in Oregon, but it's not an actual town)
Sioux Falls
Pierre (especially how we pronounce it lol)
Belle Fourche
Lemmon/North Lemmon ND (same town)
Wakonda

This is just off like 10 minutes digging, but SD/ND probably have a lot more because of placenames derived from Lakota.

Funnily enough, there are two places named Conde in the world. Condé in France, from where we get the famous Princes of Condé etcetera... and Conde, South Dakota, a dying farm town in the middle of nowhere.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: formulanone on March 11, 2022, 02:23:03 PM
A quick search in my travel expense software shows there's only one Winner (in South Dakota).
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: frankenroad on March 11, 2022, 02:57:44 PM
Quote from: formulanone on March 11, 2022, 02:23:03 PM
A quick search in my travel expense software shows there's only one Winner (in South Dakota).

But can you get a chicken dinner there?
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: kphoger on March 11, 2022, 03:16:29 PM
The Homesteader – Winner, SD (https://goo.gl/maps/uGu6xLYMGgcFQMkg6)

Quote from: Pamela Squires
A chicken strip dinner was around $24.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: westerninterloper on March 11, 2022, 04:10:54 PM
Quote from: Rushmeister on January 15, 2019, 12:52:41 PM
Indiana (almost certainly one-of-a-kinds)
Nappanee
Oolitic
Gnaw Bone

Adding:
Loogootee
Toad Hop
Floyds Knobs
Churubusco
Young America
Roachdale
Hessen Cassel
Jeff
French Lick
Odon

Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: golden eagle on March 11, 2022, 04:35:08 PM
Quote from: westerninterloper on March 11, 2022, 04:10:54 PM
Quote from: Rushmeister on January 15, 2019, 12:52:41 PM
Indiana (almost certainly one-of-a-kinds)
Nappanee
Oolitic
Gnaw Bone

Adding:
Loogootee
Toad Hop
Floyds Knobs
Churubusco
Young America
Roachdale
Hessen Cassel
Jeff
French Lick
Odon

There's Nappanee, Ontario. It's the hometown on singer Avril Lavigne.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: kphoger on March 11, 2022, 04:38:49 PM
Preview, people.  Preview.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: golden eagle on March 11, 2022, 04:40:22 PM
Here's some possible places in Mississippi that could be only ones in the world:

Bay St. Louis
Belzoni
Escatawpa
Gautier
Hushpuckena
Learned
Pass Christian
Rolling Fork
Saucier
Shuqulak
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: US71 on March 11, 2022, 06:54:22 PM

Peculiar, MO
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: thspfc on March 11, 2022, 09:05:21 PM
If I somehow get really rich I'm going to buy a bunch of land, build houses and a post office on it, and name it Waunakee.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: Scott5114 on March 11, 2022, 09:07:30 PM
Quote from: westerninterloper on March 11, 2022, 04:10:54 PM
Young America

Nope–there's a Young America, MN as well (I only know that because when I was a kid there was some sort of promotion I took part in that involved mailing bottle caps to Young America, MN). Technically the town in MN is called "Norwood Young America" because it merged with a town called Norwood, but I think that's still enough to be able mark Young America, IN off the list of "one-of-a-kind" names.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: iowahighways on March 11, 2022, 09:08:20 PM
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.

There's also Waukee, Iowa, which was apparently named for the Milwaukee Railroad, but it is pronounced with the accent on the second syllable (wau-KEE). I'm not aware of any other places named Waukee.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: kphoger on March 11, 2022, 10:07:20 PM
Quote from: Scott5114 on March 11, 2022, 09:07:30 PM

Quote from: westerninterloper on March 11, 2022, 04:10:54 PM
Young America

Nope–there's a Young America, MN as well (I only know that because when I was a kid there was some sort of promotion I took part in that involved mailing bottle caps to Young America, MN). Technically the town in MN is called "Norwood Young America" because it merged with a town called Norwood, but I think that's still enough to be able mark Young America, IN off the list of "one-of-a-kind" names.

The one in Minnesota is the only one I was familiar with, actually.

I've driven through that town a few times.  Back when my wife's grandparents lived in Waverly, Norwood Young America was along my somewhat convoluted back-road route (https://goo.gl/maps/1daNBgdmYCvpad9s5) from I-35.

And yes, Norwood and Young America were two separate towns until 1997.  I've heard it referred to as simply "Young America" for short, though–as well as simply "Norwood".
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: 7/8 on March 11, 2022, 11:31:10 PM
Some I suspect are unique to Ontario:
Penetanguishene
Niagara-on-the-Lake
Kawartha Lakes
Batchawana Bay
Kakabeka Falls
Moonbeam
Moosonee
Moose Factory
Petawawa

EDIT: How did I forget Mississauga?
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: achilles765 on March 11, 2022, 11:32:32 PM
Has anyone mentioned "Cut and Shoot"  Texas.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: Flint1979 on March 12, 2022, 09:57:36 AM
Quote from: iowahighways on March 11, 2022, 09:08:20 PM
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.

There's also Waukee, Iowa, which was apparently named for the Milwaukee Railroad, but it is pronounced with the accent on the second syllable (wau-KEE). I'm not aware of any other places named Waukee.
That's kind of funny to me because I lived in Zilwaukee for the first 7 years of my life and the street I lived on is called Waukee Lane. I lived there during the years that the Zilwaukee Bridge was being built as well and remember watching it as it was being built.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: tdindy88 on March 12, 2022, 10:11:16 AM

Quote from: Rushmeister on January 15, 2019, 12:52:41 PM
Indiana (almost certainly one-of-a-kinds)
Nappanee
Oolitic
Gnaw Bone

Adding:
Loogootee
Toad Hop
Floyds Knobs
Churubusco
Young America
Roachdale
Hessen Cassel
Jeff
French Lick
Odon


How about another one for Indiana: Indianapolis
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: Flint1979 on March 12, 2022, 10:11:53 AM
How about Tittabawassee? It's the name of a township, road and river in Michigan.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: Stephane Dumas on March 12, 2022, 10:59:18 AM
Quote from: oscar on January 14, 2019, 08:16:57 PM
There are two (https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=13239.msg2000683#msg2000683) prior (https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=2951.0) threads about funny/strange place names, that would be good places to look for one-off city/town names. Some of them have been mentioned here already.

For some others from those threads, which I've visited:

Asbestos, Quebec

Due to the controversal reputation of asbestos, the town of Asbestos was renamed Val-des-Sources last year.

Btw, there's no other villages or cities named Coaticook, Magog, Shawinigan. ;)
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: skluth on March 12, 2022, 11:44:19 AM
A few I haven't seen mentioned
Shawano WI
De Pere WI (pronounced Dee Pier or Deep Ear)
Thiry Daems WI
Omro WI
Taycheedah WI
Grantwood Village MO
Webster Groves MO
Olivette MO
Cool Valley MO
Bel-Ridge MO
Moline Acres MO
Dardenne Prairie MO
Des Peres MO (pronounced Day Pair)
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: Dirt Roads on March 12, 2022, 12:14:00 PM
Quote from: kphoger on March 11, 2022, 11:38:41 AM
Quote from: Dirt Roads on March 11, 2022, 11:21:41 AM
    Bolivar

Nope.  I've driven through Bolivar, MO, several times.

Quote from: Dirt Roads on March 11, 2022, 11:21:41 AM
    Granville

Nope.  Granville, OH, and Granville, NY, each have more than 5000 people living there.

Quote from: Dirt Roads on March 11, 2022, 11:21:41 AM
    Hurricane

Nope.  Hurricane, UT, has a population of more than 20,000.

Quote from: Dirt Roads on March 11, 2022, 11:21:41 AM
    Paw Paw

Nope.  I've guerilla-camped in and hitchhiked out of Paw Paw, MI.

Quote from: Dirt Roads on March 11, 2022, 11:21:41 AM
    Star City

Nope.  Star City, AR, is a county seat.

Quote from: Dirt Roads on March 11, 2022, 11:21:41 AM
    West Union

Nope.  West Union, IA, and West Union, OH, would have something to say about that.




And those are just the ones I know of.  I'm sure there are others on your list that aren't unique to WV.

Probably so; indeed I should have remembered Paw Paw, Michigan since I've been to Kalamazoo (using US-131 and I-94 east of there).  I should also point out that Bolivar sounds like Oliver [Twist], and Hurricane rhymes with gun (and locals will remind you of the difference).  But in the case of the latter, most folks in West Virginia would say pronounce "Hurricane Katrina" the same way as herr-ee-cun, but they would not pay attention to the difference if you said hurr-eh-cane.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: CNGL-Leudimin on March 12, 2022, 02:11:38 PM
Quote from: kphoger on March 11, 2022, 11:38:41 AM
Quote from: Dirt Roads on March 11, 2022, 11:21:41 AM
    Granville

Nope.  Granville, OH, and Granville, NY, each have more than 5000 people living there.

And there's a Granville in France as well, in the department no. 50 (Manche) to be exact.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: iowahighways on March 12, 2022, 02:39:53 PM
Quote from: DandyDan on April 21, 2020, 05:12:24 AM
This one is a challenge for Iowa, if native American names don't count. The one that definitely fits is Le Mars. I suspect Dubuque and Bettendorf are unique.

Council Bluffs fits the bill, as does Sioux City (unless you count its directionally-named neighbors in Nebraska and South Dakota).

While it's a Native American name, Muscatine is also unique; it was originally named Bloomington, which is anything but unique. I'll add Sigourney; while it's a personal name, unlike the actress, it has a different pronunciation (SIG-er-nee).

I know there are places named Des Moines in Washington and New Mexico, but am not aware of any other place named West Des Moines.

There are also places named Iowa City in California (although Wikipedia says it's called Iowa Hill (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iowa_Hill,_California) now) and Florida (northeast of Orlando), but Iowa City, IA, is the only incorporated place with that name. I thought neighboring Coralville was unique as well (aside from a fictional ghost town on an episode of The Snorks when I was a kid), but there's one in New South Wales, Australia.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: kphoger on March 12, 2022, 06:44:51 PM
Quote from: Dirt Roads on March 12, 2022, 12:14:00 PM
I should also point out that Bolivar sounds like Oliver [Twist],

:-|  So does the one in Missouri.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: webny99 on March 12, 2022, 09:36:56 PM
Quote from: kphoger on March 12, 2022, 06:44:51 PM
Quote from: Dirt Roads on March 12, 2022, 12:14:00 PM
I should also point out that Bolivar sounds like Oliver [Twist],

:-|  So does the one in Missouri.

And the one in New York (https://www.google.com/maps/place/Bolivar,+NY+14715/@42.070094,-78.1826886,14z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x89d20e48d775a595:0x39fcfeef2eea7620!8m2!3d42.0667332!4d-78.1677878).*




*Actually, I'm not entirely sure if it sounds like Oliver. I've always said Bolivar with a hard -ar at the end. But, regardless of how it's pronounced, it definitely exists!
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: Great Lakes Roads on March 12, 2022, 11:01:38 PM
How about Saint-Louis-du-Ha!-Ha! in Quebec?
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: MATraveler128 on March 13, 2022, 11:22:43 AM
Golf, Florida.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: NWI_Irish96 on March 13, 2022, 12:16:43 PM
Quote from: BlueOutback7 on March 13, 2022, 11:22:43 AM
Golf, Florida.

Also a Golf, Illinois
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: plain on March 13, 2022, 12:46:42 PM
Quote from: Great Lakes Roads on March 12, 2022, 11:01:38 PM
How about Saint-Louis-du-Ha!-Ha! in Quebec?

Yeah good luck finding another one of those! Ha! Ha!
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: LilianaUwU on March 15, 2022, 01:55:38 AM
I'm pretty sure there's no other Taumatawhakatangi­hangakoauauotamatea­turipukakapikimaunga­horonukupokaiwhen­uakitanatahu (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taumatawhakatangi%C2%ADhangakoauauotamatea%C2%ADturipukakapikimaunga%C2%ADhoronukupokaiwhen%C2%ADuakitanatahu).
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: Flint1979 on March 15, 2022, 07:24:53 AM
Quote from: LilianaUwU on March 15, 2022, 01:55:38 AM
I'm pretty sure there's no other Taumatawhakatangi­hangakoauauotamatea­turipukakapikimaunga­horonukupokaiwhen­uakitanatahu (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taumatawhakatangi%C2%ADhangakoauauotamatea%C2%ADturipukakapikimaunga%C2%ADhoronukupokaiwhen%C2%ADuakitanatahu).
How do you even say that word? It has 85 letters in it holy shit.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: kphoger on March 15, 2022, 09:45:00 AM
Quote from: LilianaUwU on March 15, 2022, 01:55:38 AM
I'm pretty sure there's no other Taumatawhakatangi­hangakoauauotamatea­turipukakapikimaunga­horonukupokaiwhen­uakitanatahu (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taumatawhakatangi%C2%ADhangakoauauotamatea%C2%ADturipukakapikimaunga%C2%ADhoronukupokaiwhen%C2%ADuakitanatahu).

not a city/town name
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: kphoger on March 15, 2022, 09:45:55 AM
Quote from: Flint1979 on March 15, 2022, 07:24:53 AM
How do you even say that word?

[tɐʉmɐtɐ.​ɸɐkɐtɐŋihɐŋɐ.​koːɐʉɐʉ.​ɔ.​tɐmɐtɛɐ.​tʉɾi.​pʉkɐkɐ.​piki.​mɐʉŋɐ.​hɔɾɔ.​nʉkʉ.​pɔkɐi.​ɸɛnʉɐ.​ki.​tɐnɐ.​tɐhʉ]
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: MATraveler128 on March 15, 2022, 09:51:00 AM
Llanfairpwyllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, Wales.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: Flint1979 on March 15, 2022, 06:46:03 PM
Quote from: kphoger on March 15, 2022, 09:45:55 AM
Quote from: Flint1979 on March 15, 2022, 07:24:53 AM
How do you even say that word?

[tɐʉmɐtɐ.​ɸɐkɐtɐŋihɐŋɐ.​koːɐʉɐʉ.​ɔ.​tɐmɐtɛɐ.​tʉɾi.​pʉkɐkɐ.​piki.​mɐʉŋɐ.​hɔɾɔ.​nʉkʉ.​pɔkɐi.​ɸɛnʉɐ.​ki.​tɐnɐ.​tɐhʉ]
I give up lol.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: frankenroad on March 16, 2022, 01:46:07 PM
Pretty sure Naubinway MI is unique.
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: Mark68 on March 16, 2022, 02:00:30 PM
Truth or Consequences, NM
Puyallup, WA
Sequim, WA
Anaheim, CA (my hometown)
Mancos, CO
Mexican Hat, UT
Moab, UT
Kayenta, AZ
Tonalea, AZ
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: US 89 on March 17, 2022, 12:44:26 AM
Quote from: Mark68 on March 16, 2022, 02:00:30 PM
Mexican Hat, UT

Unique as it is, it may not be one-of-a-kind enough as there is a Mexican Water very close by across the border in Arizona. There's even a sign with both places on it at the US 191/163 split, which has to be confusing if you aren't familiar with the area...

(https://i.imgur.com/uQokQpz.jpg)
Title: Re: City/Town Names that are one-of-a-kind
Post by: XamotCGC on March 17, 2022, 01:05:35 AM
Beaverlick Kentucky located in Boone County
Dwarf, Kentucky located in Perry County