You can’t help but wonder why certain communities have such strange names. Once you find out, you want to visit the town to check if it lives up to its name.
Whether they are quirky or not, Kentucky boasts a number of communities with unusual names. While some of the names are appropriately named, others are yet unidentified.
The origin of their town’s name is a topic of frequent discussion among locals. Check out your thoughts on these strangely named towns.
Fleming-Neon
At first, Fleming and Neon were two distinct towns. In honor of one of their leaders, George Fleming, the town was named Fleming when Elkhorn Coal Company started in 1913.
In 1913, the town of Neon was also founded. Some claim that the conductor of the train that stopped there to pick up coal was heard shouting “KNEE-ON” because any passengers boarding the train would be told to place a knee on a stump and climb on, while the origin of the term is unknown.
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Anyway, the two communities combined to form Fleming-Neon in 1977, but most people just call it Neon. Go to Jenkins, which is nearby, to see the David A. Zegeer Coal-Railroad Museum.
The 1.5-hour drive to Martins Fork Lake is well worth it because of its stunning white sand beach and excellent hiking.
Barbourmead
Meade means “meadow,” most likely referring to the town’s open green space, despite being an odd suffix for a town.
The town bears the names of Thomas and Richard Barbour, two well-known residents. It’s intriguing that James Barbour is the namesake of Barbourville, another municipality. Whether they were connected or not is unknown.
For excellent cuisine and service, check out Martini Italian Bistro.
The adjacent Clermont’s Bernheim Forest and Arboretum is worth seeing for its carved statues of woodland creatures, such as the Little Elina Forest Giant, and its Sensory Garden, which is particularly designed for those with autism spectrum disorders or vision impairments but is enjoyed by everybody.
Paducah
The town, which was first called Pekin, was populated in 1815. Eurpeans and Native Americans coexisted peacefully as its residents.
The region’s Superintendant of Indian Affairs was William Clark, the brother of George Rogers Clark, half of the Lewis and Clark exploring team. Title to the land was granted to him in 1827, and he called it after the Paducas, a Native American tribe.
International modern quilters’ creations are on display at the National Quilt Museum. Discover more about the town’s past at the William Clark Market House Museum, which features a drugstore from the 19th century that has been rebuilt.
Eat at Grill 211 or Max’s Brick Oven. Make careful to admire the murals located around downtown and on the floodwall.
Hazard
One wonders what must have transpired in a place to merit such a moniker when it is synonymous with hazard or danger.
However, research reveals that the town was originally named for the naval hero of the War of 1812, Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry.
By attacking the British fleet and seizing control of Lake Erie on September 10, 1813, Perry and his fleet stopped the British from invading Ohio and Pennsylvania through Canada.
One of Perry’s most well-known quotes is “We have met the enemy, and they are ours.”
See what life was like in Hazard and Perry County in the past and pay tribute to the residents who lost their lives during World War II by visiting the Bobby Davis Museum and Park.
Another must-see is the Mother Goose House! Using a goose skeleton as a guide, George Stacy constructed the house between 1935 and 1940.
Salt Lick
In this instance, the strange name of a town really makes sense after you figure it out. Wild creatures who are thirsty and enjoy the salty flavor of the water are drawn to the area when water surges up from underground salt springs.
The term “licks” was coined to describe these regions. The word Salt Lick is simply more precise.
What do you think the history of Union, Kentucky’s Big Bone Lick State Park is?
Given the size of their petrified bones, it appears that some very enormous animals, like mammoths, lapped the mud and water in this location a very long time ago. While admiring the park’s contemporary bison herd, visitors might consider this past.
