Sperling's BestPlaces is rolling out a new series of light-hearted lists in which we bring you U.S. cities and towns with quirky, weird, bizarre, or unusual names.
As we've pored through our lists of thousands of towns and cities, we saw certain themes and similarities arise. For example, dozens of towns have comical animal-themed names and others have food related monikers.
In our first installment, we bring you 13 towns with place names that can best be described as "Adult Themed" - ones that might elicit a chuckle around the workplace for their unintentional (or intentional - who knows?) sexual nature or allusion to drugs.
In order of subjective quirkiness, here are the cities that will surely cause the inner-immature teenager in you to crack up laughing. Of course, no offense is intended towards the fine people who call these places home, but if you live in Dick Johnson, Indiana we hope that you have a good sense of humor and have heard all the jokes before.
1. Buttzville, New Jersey
Buttzville, New Jersey
- Population 194
- Median Home Price $172,700
According to Wikipedia, the town was named after its founder, Michael Robert Buttz. Naturally, he wanted to spread his grief to future generations by naming a town Buttzville. Sure, he could've gone with Michael City but perhaps that sounded too cool.
2. Dick Johnson, Indiana
Dick Johnson, Indiana
- Population 1,421
- Median Home Price $111,600
This burg was actually named after the 9th Vice President of the United States, Richard Mentor Johnson, who was Martin Van Buren's partner in crime. The use of a nickname and insisting on both first and last names combines for an awkward, appendage related city name.
3. Intercourse, Pennsylvania (population 1,300)
Intercourse, Pennsylvania
- Population 1,300
- Median Home Price $243,200
A longtime favorite on lists like this and joked about in countless movies and TV shows, the prevailing theory is that this Amish country town was named after the intersection of two roads. So why didn't they just name it "Intersection?"
4. Pleasure Point, California (population 6,004)
Pleasure Point, California
- Population 6,004
- Median Home Price $735,500
This Northern California town is famous for its surfing and for possibly inspiring the classic Hitchcock movie "The Birds." According to the nearby City of Capitola website, locals like to tell people it got its name from being the site of a brothel, but the more accepted origin is that in the early 20th Century it was the home of a health spa and salt water swimming pool called "The Pleasure Point Plunge." Sounds legit, but it still sounds like a place that Men's Health magazine helps you find in the dark.
5. Climax, Georgia
Climax, Georgia
- Population 273
- Median Home Price $65,000
Known for its annual pig themed festival, Swine Time, Climax gets its name from being the highest point of the railroad that stretches between the city of Savannah and the Chattahoochee River (Wikipedia). So, nothing to do with the another kind of climax. Maybe.
6. Plentywood, Montana
Plentywood, Montana
- Population 1,923
- Median Home Price $131,200
We probably could have guessed that this had something to do with firewood or trees. And we'd be right for doing so. According to a few stories floating out there, this town near the Canadian border got its name from either a nearby cluster of trees or a cowboy explaining that a few miles up the creek "You'll find plenty (fire) wood." (Wikipedia)
7. Licking, Indiana
Licking, Indiana
- Population 7,611
- Median Home Price $80,000
Indiana is also home to French Lick, and both places get their names from the proximity to natural salt licks, areas where animals can lick the ground to get minerals and nutrients, like salt. Good times.
8. Blue Ball, Pennsylvania
Blue Ball, Pennsylvania
- Population 1,097
- Median Home Price $187,600
Blue Ball gets its name from the Blue Ball Hotel, which was erected over two hundred years ago before going flaccid (torn down) in 1997. Why someone decided to name their hotel Blue Ball is still a mystery, but hey, we're still writing articles about it so maybe they won.
9. Bangs, Texas
Bangs, Texas
- Population 1,581
- Median Home Price $64,533
Bangs was named after Samuel Bangs, who either had a Dumb and Dumber hairstyle, sold fireworks, or got a lot of action. Just kidding we think that was just his name.
10. Weed, California
Weed, California
- Population 2,556
- Median Home Price $153,100
Weed is a slang term for marijuana and stoners everywhere enjoy posting pictures of the "Weed Next 3 Exits" sign off Interstate 5 in Northern California. Weed is also a name for unwanted plants growing rampantly in a garden. However, this Mt. Shasta adjacent town gets its name from neither, but instead founder and local businessman Abner Weed.
11. Ballville Township, Ohio
Ballville Township, Ohio
- Population 5,887
- Median Home Price $133,000
Ballville was named after Colonel James V. Ball, a member of the army in the War of 1812. So, another case of "that was just the guy's name." And sure, he could have just called it Ball, but Ballville is funnier.
12. Ballplay, Alabama
Ballplay, Alabama
- Population 1,444
- Median Home Price $63,500
This was not named after William H. Ballplay. There is no such person. We think. It was however, possibly named because local Native Americans would play a ball game in the area to settle disputes between tribes, according to Wikipedia. So why didn't they name the town Fenway Park or Wrigley Field?
13. Blowing Rock, North Carolina
Blowing Rock, North Carolina
- Population 1,292
- Median Home Price $308,200
Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Blowing Rock gets it name from a unique rock formation above a gorge that manipulates wind currents and causes them to blow in all sorts of directions. Or something. Pretty cool actually.
Sources:
Wikipedia
City of Capitola, California Website