Charm, Ohio
  With its winding country roads and Amish ambience, Charm is the perfect moniker for this town. |
Cuckoo, Virginia  This looked like a perfectly normal small town to me. |
Dismal River (Nebraska)  Perhaps this Nebraska waterway was an obstacle for early settlers of the region. But now it is a scenic view along the sometimes monotonous U.S. Highway 83. |
Greasy Corner, Arkansas  Well, I'm not sure if this is Greasy Corner, Arkansas, or not. It's on a map, but I didn't see any signs. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Happy, Texas
  The "Town Without A Frown" was pretty quiet when I was there on a Sunday morning. No one was around, so I don't know if they were smiling or not. |
Happy, Arkansas
  The GPS and the map said this was supposed to be Happy, Arkansas. No signs, though. |
Goofy Ridge, Illinois  This weaterbeaten sign pointed the way to the Goofy Ridge Cafe. I found an equally decrepit building that once housed a community hotspot. | Podunk, New York  Podunk is a wide spot in the road in the Finger Lakes region. But its name is not about size or insignificance. According to the website for the nearby town of Ulysses, Podunk got its name "from the way the rushing waters of Bolter Creek descended on a sawmill wheel" — a bit closer to a word of Algonquin origin that referred to a marshy place. | ||||||||||||||||
Fair Play, South Carolina
  One of the tenets of the Rotary Club (the apparent sponsor of the above sign) reads: "It is fair to all concerned?" So it seems that Fair Play lives up to its motto, "Our Name Says It All." Fairdealing, Kentucky  Don't have any information about Fairdealing. It just seems to fit here. | Friendship, Indiana  Friendship not only welcomes you, but also bids you a gracious farewell. Friendship is known as the home of the Museum of the National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association. Friendly, West Virginia  The name of this small town has more to do with ancestry than attitude (named for Friend Cochrane Williamson, the grandson of an early settler). It was also the setting of the novel "Shiloh." |
Metropolis, Illinois  Well, it may not be as big as the city in the Superman comics. But Metropolis, Illinois goes all out to capitalize on the more famous Metropolis. A super-size statue stands in front the courthouse, the site of Truth, Justice and the American way. North Pole, Alaska  Another town named for a famous place lives up to its name, and not just at Christmas. |
Crooked Tree, Ohio  Not sure which tree they are referring to, but the approach to the settlement is quite scenic. Chunky, Mississippi  The name of this town has nothing to do with the girth of its residents. It is an adaptation of a Choctaw Indian word. As for Hero...don't have any info on that. | ||||||||||||
Joe, Montana
  Well, the actual name of the town is Ismay. But awhile back, as part of a radio station publicity stunt, the town unofficially took the name of the famous football player. |
George, Washington  You can't help but chuckle when you see "George" on the exit sign off I-90. There's not much here, and the restaurant named for First Lady Martha has gone by the wayside. |
Nowhere, Oklahoma  It's hard to find, but Nowhere is a familiar place to folks who are on their way to Fort Cobb State Park. Fishermen and campers stock up on supplies at this general store. |
Ideal, South Dakota  This bucolic settlement on the South Dakota prairie is a beautiful spot. | ||||||||
Rabbit Hash, Kentucky
 Rabbit hash used to be the meal of choice back in the day when this charming settlement was a thriving Ohio River port. By the way, the sleeping dog in the street in front of the store was the town's honorary mayor until he passed away in 2008. |
Anamoose, North Dakota Actually, moose have little to do with the town's name. Anamoose means dog in Chippewa. |
Possum Trot, Kentucky There are apparently a number of U.S. towns called Possum Trot, but this one's in Kentucky. Didn't see any critters, though. |
Peculiar, Missouri There's nothing peculiar about this Missouri city. According to the City of Peculiar website, three names were under consideration for the community 1883, but they were being used elsewhere. So the postmaster was given the task of making the decision, as long as "it is sort of peculiar." The rest, as they say, is history. | ||||
Creeping Swamp (Alabama) Not sure if this is actually the Creeping Swamp, but it is in the neighborhood, according to the GPS. | Clever, Missouri  I wouldn't mind living in a place called Clever. | Why Not, Mississippi The volunteer fire department at Why Not isn't really begging people to call 911. | Wynot, Nebraska According to the Village of Wynot website, "in selecting a name for the town, it is said that one struck the fancy of an elderly gentleman from whom the land was purchased, he responded 'JA, Vy not? Warum nicht?'. The Wynot?" And so that name was chosen." |
Opportunity, Montana This tiny community at the edge of the Pintlar wilderness area has breathtaking views. | Time, Illinois Time really seemed to stand still in this bucolic farming area. | Italy, New York Perhaps this lovely location in the Adirondack Moutains region reminded early residents of home. | Patriot, Indiana Flags are a common sight in this small town on the Ohio River. |