But what about a memorable nickname? Colorful Colorado boasts a slew of very unusual ones. Check out our favorites from across the state below.
10. Telluride: To Hell You Ride According to the blog Katrina Runs For Food, the story behind this moniker dates back to the period when Telluride was a silver-mining boom town: "Due to it's location, in a box canyon with jagged peaks on three sides, travel by horseback was dangerous. The legend says that the postmaster who delivered mail on horseback would tell those going to the town, 'To hell you ride!!' because of the dangerous travel."Possibly apocryphal, but definitely awesome.
9. South Park: Grab-All Long before Stan, Eric, Cartman and Kenny were twinkles in Trey Parker and Matt Stone's eyes, South Park had another association according to AmericanTowns.com: "Gold was first found on Tarryall Creek in the summer of 1859. Rumors of the discovery soon brought hordes of prospectors. But the original discoverers had quickly staked all worthwhile claims and armed guards 'encouraged' the latecomers to move on. The disgruntled newcomers derided the claim holders, dubbing the camp as 'Grab-All.'"Sounds sorta dirty, appropriately enough.
Page down to continue our countdown of the oddest Colorado town nicknames. 8. Colorado Springs: The City of Millionaires Pikes-Peak.com notes that "at the turn of the 19th century, Colorado Springs was the leading mining exchange center of the world and was called 'the City of Millionaires.'" Why? "By 1904, Colorado Springs had 35 of the nation's 100 millionaires from gold mined in Cripple Creek."Hope Springs eternal.
7. Arvada: Celery Capital of the World Arvada's website tells us that "in the early years, Arvada was famous for its pascal celery, which was served for holiday dinners at the White House in the early 1900s."That's a nickname with some crunch.
Page down to continue our countdown of the oddest Colorado town nicknames. 6. Eaton: The Garden of Eaton This nickname conjures up forbidden fruit, at least until you hear the full handle featured on the town's Wikipedia page -- "The Garden of Eaton: Beef, Beats and Beans."Make that the forbidden musical fruit.
5. Deer Trail: Home of the World's First Rodeo Deer Trail's website backs up its nickname claim with actual documentation: "In 1969, Colorado House Joint Resolution No. 1025, with the Senate and the House of Representatives concurring, declared the first rodeo held in the world was in Deer Trail, Colorado on July 4, 1869."Although back then, wasn't every day like a rodeo?
Page down to continue our countdown of the oddest Colorado town nicknames. 4. Brush: Brush! Yes, the nickname is the same as the community's name, except (as seen on the Brush website) there's an exclamation point added.Oops. I meant, "There's an exclamation point added!"
3. Severance: Where the Geese Fly and the Bulls Cry Colorado.com tells the tale: "Since 1959, when owner Bruce Ruth began serving Rocky Mountain Oysters, Bruce's Bar in Severance has been the place, according to the bar's motto, where the geese fly and the bulls cry" -- a slogan that's now associated with Severance as a whole.Which takes a lot of balls.
Page down to continue our countdown of the oddest Colorado town nicknames. 2. Creede: There Is No Night in Creede New York may be the city that never sleeps, but there is no night in Creede. The phrase, featured on the Creede website, is drawn from a poem by Cy Warman, a pioneering railroad writer. It reads in part:Here meek and mild-eyed burros"On mineral mountains feed
It's day all day in the daytime
And there is no night in Creede"
That'd be worth an exclamation point if Brush hadn't already used them all.
1. Fruita: Home of Mike the Headless Chicken Fruita has an entire website devoted to Mike the Headless Chicken, who lived for eighteen months in the 1940s after literally losing his noggin. There's also an annual festival in his name, with this year's version taking place May 18-19. It's head and shoulders (or maybe just shoulders) above the rest. And as a bonus, the website notes that Mike is running for president under the slogan, "A No-Brainer."Sounds like he's perfectly qualified.
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More from our Lists & Weirdness archive: "Photos: Ten memorable Missed Connections from Denver Craigslist."
