Toad Suck, AR[/caption]
In June 2007 I took a trip with my son Solomon down to Texas (see here for full trip report). Along the way we visited some unique places. Like Kentucky and West Virginia, Arkansas has a number of odd place names. Toad Suck is one of those places.
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Sumoflam in Toad Suck, AR[/caption]
Like many odd named communities, Toad Suck has a small population.
According to a local website, the town got its name as follows:
“What does “Toad Suck” mean anyway? Well, the answer is quite simple… Long ago, steamboats traveled the Arkansas River when the water was at the right depth. When it wasn’t, the captains and their crew tied up to wait where the Toad Suck Lock and Dam now spans the river. While they waited, they refreshed themselves at the local tavern there, to the dismay of the folks living nearby, who said: “They suck on the bottle ’til they swell up like toads.” Hence, the name Toad Suck. The tavern is long gone, but the legend and fun live on at Toad Suck Daze”
I looked for other signage on Toad Suck, but all I really got for photos was the one of me above taken at the park along the Toad Suck Ferry Lock and Dam.
I may want to note that there is a small gas station near the park called Toad Suck One Stop and they sell all sorts of Toad Suck gear, like t-shirts and such. Makes for a fine memento…
Toad Suck, AR
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