Cross Country Road Trips – Page 36 – Less Beaten Paths of America

06Mar 2012 by David Kravetz

A Boring Trip

Backroads Discoveries, Cross Country Road Trips, Landscapes, Mountains, Oregon, Place Names, Roadside Attractions, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places

Entering Boring, OR[/caption] Today I actually flew to Portland for iHigh work and a couple of hours to spare, so I took a drive south of Clackamas, where I am staying and made my way to Boring, a small town south of Portland. [caption id="attachment_105" align="alignleft" width="300"] Welcome to Boring[/caption] Boring really is actually a nice town nestled in the fir covered hills heading towards Mt. Hood. Boring was actually named after William H. Boring, who was an early resident of the area. He was a Union veteran who had moved out to Oregon after the Civil War and had served with the 33rd Illinois Infantry. Boring died in 1932 at the age of 91 and was buried with his wife Sarah in Damascus Pioneer Cemetery, just north of Boring.…

05Mar 2012 by David Kravetz

What in the world does Toad Suck mean?

Arkansas, Backroads Discoveries, Cross Country Road Trips, Place Names, Roadside Attractions, Town Names, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places

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. [caption id="attachment_96" align="aligncenter" width="300"] 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…

04Mar 2012 by David Kravetz

Staying Cool..in Texas

Backroads Discoveries, Cross Country Road Trips, Family Travel, Flowers, Roadside Attractions, Texas, Town Names, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, US Highway 180

Welcome to Cool, TX[/caption] Just over 2 years ago I was making my way from Fort Worth to Mineral Wells High School. Along the way I came across the VERY small (blink your eye small) town of Cool, Texas. In fact, the town is only 1.6 square miles in size. The only thing of significance in Cool is the Cool Cafe. [caption id="attachment_81" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Cool Cafe: If We Ain't Shut We're Open[/caption] I had hoped to visit but they were "Shut". On a subsequent visit in April 2010 I made my way to Mineral Wells again and tried again. One more time: [caption id="attachment_82" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Cool Cafe Shut[/caption] I thought it would be a Cool place to eat, but I may never know. The April trip did offer…

03Mar 2012 by David Kravetz

Coolville – Now that's an awesome name!

Backroads Discoveries, Cross Country Road Trips, Ohio, Place Names, Post Offices, Roadside Attractions, Town Names, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, US Highway 50

Coolville, OH[/caption] Back in May 2008, on a return trip to Canada for work at the Toyota Plant in Woodstock, Ontario, I took a trip up along the Ohio River, basically on the Ohio/WV border. (see my entire trip report for some unusual other places here). Along the way I came into the town of Coolville. Pretty cool name!! [caption id="attachment_69" align="alignleft" width="300"] There is a Post Office in Coolville![/caption] You Scooby Doo fans out there may remember the fictional place called Coolsville, OH in the cartoon series. This is NOT that place. Rather, Coolville is a small town of about 530 people clear in the southeastern part of the state. It was named after Ashel Cooley, who was apparently a great grandson of Benjamin Cooley of Springfield, MA (see…

01Mar 2012 by David Kravetz

I am certain this is Uncertain

Backroads Discoveries, Bucket List Trips, Cross Country Road Trips, Family Travel, Landscapes, Louisiana, Mythical Creatures, Pelicans, Place Names, Post Offices, Roadside Attractions, Selfies, Swamps, Texas, Town Names, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Houses, Unique Places, Yard Art

Uncertain, Texas[/caption] Welcome to Uncertain, TX, a small village on the side of Caddo Lake in eastern Texas bordering Louisiana. This is the home of the largest natural fresh water lake in Texas and is also home to a huge swamp...yes, gators and pelicans and swamp things, oh my... [caption id="attachment_47" align="alignleft" width="300"] The Uncertain General Store and Grill[/caption] Uncertain derives its name from surveyors who were attempting to delineate the border between Texas and Louisiana and discovered that they were "uncertain" as to which side of the line they were on as they began surveying that particular part of Caddo Lake. I can imagine why this is. The swamp always changes. I got to Uncertain on a cool February morning in 2010. Fisherman were readying their boats to head…

29Feb 2012 by David Kravetz

Maybe not strange, but Peculiar…

Backroads Discoveries, Cross Country Road Trips, Missouri, Place Names, Post Offices, Random Thoughts, Roadside Attractions, Town Names, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, Water Towers

Peculiar, MO[/caption] Just as there is a Normal in Illinois, there is a Peculiar in Missouri. Yes, this is more than a strange name for a town, it is a Peculiar name. On a trip to Kansas City in January 2011, I made my way to Peculiar. [caption id="attachment_34" align="alignleft" width="300"] Peculiar welcome sign[/caption] I love hitting places like this. According to legend, Peculiar received its name when the first postmaster, Edgar Thomson, had his first choice, Excelsior, rejected because it already existed in Atchison County, MO. Apparently, a number of other choices were also rejected. So, the annoyed Thomson wrote to the Postmaster General to complain saying, among other things, "We don't care what name you give us so long as it is sort of 'peculiar'." Thomson submitted the…

Category: Cross Country Road Trips