Unfortunate Town Names

[Dupo]

I've actually been to two of these towns. Bird in Hand and Intercourse.

[alanmcorcoran]

From my Myspace Blog last year:

Live from Inspiration, AZ.

Last week Hilary and Barack made nice in Unity, New Hampshire, and earlier this week, Mr. Obama defended his patriotism (as well as McCain's) in Independence, Missouri.

Is this the start of another smarmy political trend? Will Ms. Clinton, for instance, announce a convention floor battle for the nomination from Crazy Woman Creek, Wyoming? Will Mr. Obama court the GLBT vote from Gayway Corner, Idaho? Or Knob Lick Kentucky? Or Three Way, Arizona?

McCain can go for the straights in Dickville and Beavertown, both denizens of the Garden State of New Jersey.

Obama could re-ignite McCain's lobbyist sex scandal from Hooker Point, Florida. McCain could fire back from Defiance, Iowa. He should definitely stay away from Pussy Creek, Ohio, Horneytown and Hump Mountain, NC.

Barack can pander to whites in Crackertown, Florida and African Americans in Blackman, Tennessee.

McCain, who fancies himself a tough guy, could schedule a speaking tour that passes through Manly, IA; Studley, KS; Torpedo, PA; Backbone, VA; and Nitro WV. Exhausted, he'd wrap it up in Poopout Hill, CA.

Obama could promote his elitist, liberal agenda from Wimp, CA or Chicken, AK. Maybe he could polish his "regular guy-ness" by chugging a few in Beersville, PA.

The GOP Dirty Tricksters are sure to resurrect Barry's reefer madness, probably in a town meeting in Weed, NM or perhaps Stoner, CO.

Demo's will counter with McCain's age, with sound bites from Dinosaur, CO and Bald Head, ME.

Ultimately, if things go as they usually do, election coverage streaming in from Jackass Flats, NV, Idiot Creek, OR and Suckerville, ME will confirm what the people in Bummerville, CA and Little Hope, PA already know: We'll be dividing our next four years between Slickpoo, ID and Stinking Creek, TN.

[Water Warrior 2]

Some pretty neat names there. Here's a question. What is the reason for Chicken Alaska being called Chicken.

[alanmcorcoran]

The Internet is your friend:

Why Do They Call it "Chicken?"
Good Question. In the late 1800's, early miners traveled far in search of gold. Food was sometimes scarce, but a particular area near the South Fork of the 40-Mile River was abundant in Ptarmigan, now the state bird which bears a resemblance to a chicken (Ah the foreshadowing is thicker than steel.) The miners kept themselves alive with the help of the Ptarmigan (if you consider being eaten as helping.)

In 1902, Chicken was to become incorporated, the second town in Alaska to do so. The name "Ptarmigan" was suggested. Many people liked the name, but felt the quotation marks were too presumptuous. The name was shortened to Ptarmigan.

The only problem was that nobody could agree on the correct spelling. They didn't want their town name to be the source of ridicule and laughter, so they decided on "Chicken." (The irony is thicker than the foreshadowing.)

[Water Warrior 2]

The Internet, that's cheating. I had to go all the way to Chicken Alaska to get that same info.