In response to data from the USA Census Bureau, there are 29 cities and cities throughout America with names that embody the spirit of Christmas. For instance, nestled within the Adirondack Mountains is the small city of North Pole, New York, the place Christmas by no means ends. The city is residence to Santa’s Workshop, one of many first American theme parks, full with varied points of interest—rides, a carousel, and even actual reindeer—all of that are devoted to preserving the Christmas spirit alive year-round.
This checklist, nonetheless, focuses on cities and cities that, regardless of their festive namesake, have a historical past that, mockingly, has nothing to do with Christmas. From names devoted to the primary Caucasian male born within the village to a Mormon settlement whose identify is a mix of two church members to a reputation picked solely on luring vacationers to a pecan farm to a city named because of an error, these ten Christmas- and winter-named cities, cities, and villages had been named for varied causes, none of which should do with the December vacation or the winter season.
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10 Rudolph, Wisconsin
Integrated in 1960, Rudolph, Wisconsin, was the second city to be established in Wooden County and is situated roughly 7 miles (11 km) north of Wisconsin Rapids. The tiny village is residence to only 432 residents however is named the most effective dairy areas in Wisconsin. In reality, Dairy State Cheese, a retail retailer and manufacturing facility, has been working in Rudolph for greater than 70 years and boasts over 200 kinds of Wisconsin cheese. Moreover, Rudolph is named the “Dwelling of the Well-known Grotto Shrine and Surprise Cave.”
Father Phillip Wagner was learning for the priesthood in Europe in 1912, however sadly, his well being was failing. Due to this fact, Father Wagner visited Our Woman’s Shrine in Lourdes, France—which is well-known for therapeutic—and made a promise to the Virgin Mary that, if his well being was restored, which might enable him to be ordained, he would construct a shrine in her honor sometime.
Father Wagner’s situation slowly improved, and his power returned, permitting him to be ordained in 1915. The Rudolph Grotto was began within the Nineteen Twenties as a success of that promise. The Grotto—a non secular oasis—now spans over 5 acres (2 hectares), comprises lush flower beds, quite a few shrines, a museum, and a present store; it attracts roughly 30,000 guests annually.
Simply because the village’s identify suggests, Santa’s well-known reindeer is very regarded in Rudolph. Avenue indicators locally have an image of the red-nosed reindeer, the submit workplace has a particular reindeer stamp that may be imprinted on outgoing mail, and the annual Rudolph County Christmas options all kinds of occasions—a dwell nativity, Belgian horse and wagon rides, cookie adorning, storytelling, a craft sale, practice rides, and a lighted Christmas parade that includes Santa and his sleigh—simply to call a number of.
Nevertheless, regardless of all of the Christmas and reindeer-themed enjoyable throughout the village, it wasn’t named due to Santa’s reindeer in any respect. In reality, the village of Rudolph was named after Rudolph Hecox, the primary Caucasian male born within the city within the 1850s.[1]
9 Snowflake, Arizona
Whereas the state of Arizona is understood for its cactuses, warmth, and deserts, it is usually residence to a city named Snowflake. Nevertheless, regardless of a reputation that seems like a winter wonderland, Snowflake is just not very snowy in any respect, receiving solely about 13 inches (33cm) of snow for your entire yr. Though its identify isn’t tied to Christmas or the winter staple, the historical past of Snowflake, Arizona, and its identify is chock filled with distinctive, non secular historical past.
The city of Snowflake has a inhabitants of roughly 7,000 residents and rests in Arizona’s White Mountains, between Holbrook and Present Low. Nevertheless, Snowflake’s historical past dates all the way in which again to 1878. Within the late 1870s, a land agent named William J. Flake and 5 different households had been among the many quite a few people despatched by Bringham Younger of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to ascertain Mormon colonies all through the southwest. At the moment, nonetheless, Arizona was only a U.S. territory quite than a state.
After promoting his land in Beaver, Utah, Flake and his pioneer companions obeyed the command given by Younger, and upon arriving within the Little Colorado Valley, they established the settlements of Ballinger’s Camp, Sundown, Previous Taylor, and Allen’s Camp. Nevertheless, the hostile setting and the problem of residing the requirements set by the “United Order”—a church motion that known as for a collectivist, communal residing—led Flake to search for a spot to construct a brand new settlement. Particularly, Flake was trying to decide on Silver Creek, a 45-mile-long (72-km) stream situated within the White Mountains.
Sadly, the 300-acre (12-hectare) space was owned by a rancher named James Stinson. Stinson agreed to promote his land for $12,000, however after negotiating, Flake was capable of get the value diminished to $11,000 in money. Flake then raised the cash by convincing church leaders to obtain the sale of cattle from their Utah ranches. On July 21, 1878, Flake and different pioneer households moved onto the ranch.
On September 24, 1878, Flake met with Mormon Apostle Erastus Snow, who was dedicating the brand new Mormon colonies. Whereas some settlers needed to call the city after Snow, and a few needed to call it after Flake, it was later determined that the settlement could be known as Snowflake, a mix of the 2 males’s final names.[2]
8 Garland, Texas
Along with stockings, mistletoe, and wreaths, garland is one other Christmas ornament that may be draped alongside mantles, staircases, and doorways so as to add a festive contact to our houses. Though the town of Garland, Texas, shares an identical identify and is characterised by its numerous neighborhood, wealthy historical past, and thriving financial system, the colourful metropolis’s identify has nothing to do with strands of greenery. As a substitute, it was based to settle a dispute between two rival communities.
Nestled throughout the Dallas-Fort Price metroplex, Garland’s beginnings could be linked to the competitors between the Duck Creek neighborhood, which was situated alongside the Dallas and Greenville Railroad line, and the neighborhood of Embree, a mile to the east of Duck Creek alongside the Santa Fe Railroad line. Sadly, in 1887, a hearth destroyed a lot of the enterprise district of “Previous” Duck Creek, and in consequence, the submit workplace was moved to Embree. Nevertheless, when Embree got down to incorporate as a city, Embree was accused of illegally counting a portion of Duck Creek’s inhabitants with a purpose to meet the minimal inhabitants required for incorporation. From there, the struggle escalated to the courts.
In late 1887, Congressman Joseph Abbott settled the difficulty by creating the impartial city of Garland between the 2 cities and establishing a submit workplace there. The brand new city was named for U.S. Legal professional Normal Augustus H. Garland, who served beneath President Grover Cleveland.[3]
7 Noel, Missouri
Based in 1891, the city of Noel, Missouri, was named for early residents Clark Wallace Noel and William Jasper Noel, two brothers who raised livestock and had been the house owners of a sawmill. Whereas Noel is without doubt one of the phrases you hear on a regular basis at Christmas, this city’s identify has nothing to do with Christmas carols and is definitely pronounced Nole. Nevertheless, that hasn’t stopped the city from making a reputation for itself.
In the course of the Nice Melancholy, Frenchman and Postmaster Edward T. Roussett shared the which means of Noel in French and proposed the thought of a particular Christmas postmark from the one city within the nation named Noel. The thought gained much more momentum after famed vocalist Kate Smith talked about it on her radio present.
This custom has been going robust since 1932, and now, greater than 9 a long time later, the Publish Workplace in Noel will get letters and packages from each state and several other overseas nations, together with Japan and China. There, volunteers stamp all vacation mail with certainly one of 4 Christmas greeting stamps: a inexperienced tree or pink wreath that reads “Christmas Greetings Noel, Mo. The Christmas Metropolis in Ozark Trip Land,” one pink Noel, or one blue Noel. Along with the Christmas postmarks, starting in December of every yr, the city adjustments the pronunciation of its identify from “Nole” to “Noel.”
Though the Christmas postmarks did little towards making Noel a winter vacationer vacation spot, the custom did earn the two-square-mile (3.2 sq km) city in McDonald County a brand new nickname—the Christmas Metropolis.[4]
6 Santa Claus, Georgia
Santa Claus, Georgia, is a tiny hamlet between Macon and Savannah that’s residence to lower than 300 residents. Whereas there’s no assure that guests will truly see the massive man in pink right here, this charming little city is Christmas-themed year-round however really turns right into a winter wonderland at Christmastime.
The city of Santa Claus boasts quite a lot of extremely festive Christmas-themed streets, equivalent to Sweet Cane Lane, Dancer Avenue, Prancer Avenue, Rudolph Approach, and Noel Avenue. Moreover, the Santa Claus Metropolis Corridor constructing is situated at 25 December Drive, and the Christmas decorations stay up all yr. Though Santa Claus doesn’t have any eating places, accommodations, or a lot in the way in which of facilities, there’s a welcome heart situated at 2317 Noel Avenue, which homes a historic museum and present store the place guests can browse Christmas and Santa Claus-themed goodies. Christmas Eve, nonetheless, is when the city of Santa Claus actually shines, fairly actually!
On Christmas Eve annually, the residents of Santa Claus line the streets with luminaries, remodeling Sleigh Avenue and Sweet Cane Lane right into a well-lit pathway for Santa to land his sleigh. Whereas the Christmas spirit is actually alive in Santa Claus, the city mockingly wasn’t named for its festivities; as an alternative, its identify was devised as a part of a strategic advertising and marketing ploy.
You see, Santa Claus, Georgia, was based within the Thirties by a neighborhood pecan farmer named C.G. “Farmer” Greene, who peddled pecans, contemporary fruits, and souvenirs to passing motorists. Nevertheless, Greene knew that he wanted to decide on a reputation for the city that may not solely make individuals chuckle however would lure them off U.S. Freeway 1 and over to his pecan enterprise. Due to this fact, he named the city Santa Claus, which did the job![5]
5 Shepherd, Montana
Shepherd, Montana, developed within the early 1900s as the USA authorities incentivized immigrants to settle within the district. After the creation of the 65-mile (104 km) Billings Bench Water Affiliation canal in 1905, Dutch, German, and Scandinavian farmers arrived, taking the world as soon as used for cattle ranching and turning it into farmland. Sadly, because of the mixture of drought, thistle, coyotes, prairie canine, and, later, grasshoppers that devoured the sugar beet crop in 1936, many of the farmers picked up their stakes and moved on. The land then went again to getting used for ranching.
As we speak, Shepherd is a humble farming neighborhood and a suburb of Billings, situated on the Yellowstone River. Regardless of its inhabitants of 815, the small city provides a peaceable countryside really feel whereas nonetheless offering loads of alternatives for enjoyable and leisure.
Though the identify might remind you of the shepherds who’re displayed in Christmas nativity scenes and had been the primary to witness the beginning of Jesus, the city wasn’t named after them or the world’s historical past of ranching. As a substitute, the city’s identify is derived from one of many earliest European settlers, R.E. Shepherd, who was credited with founding the Billings Land and Irrigation Firm, together with Service provider’s Nationwide Financial institution.[6]
4 Snowball, Arkansas
America has barely greater than 25,000 cities, cities, and villages scattered throughout its 3.8 million sq. miles. Nevertheless, solely two are named Snowball—one in Minnesota and one in Arkansas. On condition that the identify would counsel enjoyable winter actions equivalent to snowball fights and constructing a snowman, it could actually look like an acceptable identify for a small Minnesota city. Sarcastically, nonetheless, the identify Snowball was by no means meant to be the identify of the Arkansas city in any respect.
Settlers started arriving within the Calf Creek Valley within the 1830s, and the settlement started to develop through the years as a grist mill and a cotton gin had been constructed. Then, in 1885, Calf Creek Masonic Lodge No. 426 was based, and a yr later, a two-story lodge, which additionally served as a church and college, was erected. The Masons named this new construction Snow Corridor to acknowledge Benjamin Franklin Corridor, the Searcy County sheriff on the time.
Because the settlement started to develop much more, a petition was made in 1888 for the institution of a submit workplace. Nevertheless, because of both a doable prankster or an unlucky clerical error, the applying for a Snow Corridor submit workplace was formally accredited because the Snowball Publish Workplace. The neighborhood has been often known as Snowball ever since.
The city thrived till a hearth destroyed a lot of the enterprise district on October 19, 1945. By the Seventies, Snowball’s inhabitants had declined from round 500 to only 4 households. Whereas the back-to-the-land motion introduced some younger individuals again to the world, by the flip of the twenty-first century, the city had only some residents and no lively companies. Nevertheless, the Masonic Lodge remains to be lively, as is the Snowball Baptist Church.[7]
3 Christmas Valley, Oregon
Within the Southern Oregon neighborhood of Christmas Valley, you, sadly, won’t discover any colourful mild shows or outlets promoting nutcrackers, even supposing the city is residence to the likes of Snowman Street and Christmas Tree Lane. In reality, even when the sagebrush and alfalfa fields of Christmas Valley are coated in a blanket of snow, guests are hard-pressed to seek out something “Christmassy” in regards to the city.
Like a lot of Oregon’s excessive desert, Christmas Valley is dry, sparsely populated, fiercely scorching in the summertime, and bitterly chilly within the winter. So, then, how did this city’s identify come to be, and what does it should do with Christmas?
Nothing! Christmas Valley, Oregon, takes its identify from the close by dry lake mattress, Christmas Lake. Like Christmas Valley, the identify behind Christmas Lake had nothing to do with the December vacation. In reality, the lake was named after Peter Christman, a pioneer stockman who used the world for grazing. By means of the years, nonetheless, his identify was corrupted to Christmas.
Nevertheless, whereas the city is missing in Christmas cheer, Christmas Valley’s breathtaking panorama is a treasure trove of pure wonders. The realm is residence to outstanding geological formations equivalent to Fort Rock and the Christmas Valley Sand Dunes and, inside an hour’s drive, sits Crack-in-the-Floor, a 2-mile-long (3.2-km) volcanic fissure that’s residence to a 70-foot (21-meter) below-ground mountain climbing path.[8]
2 Blitzen, Oregon
Catlow Valley is a 1,300-square-mile (2,092-km), seemingly floor-leveled basin within the high-desert space of Harney County, Oregon. From 1905 to 1920, a dry-farming homestead drew many would-be farmers to the northern Nice Basin, together with Catlow Valley. Tons of of optimistic individuals settled in on the sagebrush flats, dug wells, and tried to develop grain, with the biggest city being Blitzen.
The city, nonetheless, wasn’t named in reference to any of Santa’s reindeer, however as an alternative, it was named after the Donner and Blitzen River that flows close by. And no, the river additionally has no ties to Christmas or Santa’s sleigh-pulling reindeer. The river was named in 1864 by Military commander Captain George Currey, who, when compelled to cross the river throughout a thunderstorm, known as the river Donner ünd Blitzen, which is German for “thunder and lightning.”
Sadly, regardless of buying its first submit workplace in 1915 and the event of a basic retailer, a college, a saloon, and several other residences, the city’s inhabitants steadily declined to zero, and the submit workplace was later closed in 1943. Sadly, Blitzen is now nothing greater than a ghost city with no hint of ever being inhabited.[9]
1 Egg Nog, Utah
The neighborhood of Eggnog, Utah, was established in 1979 and is situated in Garfield County, simply southeast of Capital Reef. Though the city wasn’t particularly named for the liquid custard sometimes served in the course of the Christmas and New Yr’s holidays, it’s believed that the city was named for the truth that its residents usually served eggnog to ranchers.
With its hefty texture and fattening qualities—comprised of overwhelmed eggs, sugar, cream or milk, and sometimes a small amount of alcohol—the drink was a fast solution to restore power for the laborers.[10]
