Brag about your hometown here!

[DubbsFaris]

So, quite by accident sometime back, I found out a couple interesting facts about MY hometown.

 

The obvious:

You guys all know about the Alamo

 

BUT,

 

Did you know that San Antonio brought you :

Big Red

Cheetos

Fritos (and frito pie)

 

So, that made me think as I had a laid back fritos friendly dinner....

 

What have you found out about YOUR hometown? Throw out the obvious, why not. But then wow us with something most probably dont know!

 

Btw- Doritos were invented in CA, not in TX. Surprising, I know.

[ingram4868]

My Dad and Mom were born in Ingram, Oklahoma. My grandparents got to name the town after themselves as part of the Oklahoma land rush. The town next to them is Welston and because they had a few stores it continued to grow and the Ingram's moved into Welston to be closer to the amenities. A portion of the Ingram property became the Welston cemetery.

[07SGT2899]

schenectady ny:

 

home and birthplace of general electric

 

but less cmmonly known, schenectady is the only city in the world named schenectady, it is a mohawk indian word that translates to the place beyond the pine plains

 

some of you may have seen the new movie called the place beyond the pines starring ryan gosling, it was filmed entirly in schenectady, taking its name from the translation of schenectady. it was a pretty big deal locally when it came out. i recognized evey scene in the movie as places i've been, roads i've driven, even houses of friends!

[Secondo]

Southington, CT., settled in 1698 and incorporated in 1779. First carriage bolt making machines, tinsmiths, fanning mill (an invention separating grain from chalf and dirt) and cement mill in the U.S. Under-water hardening cement, rectangular shaped paper bags and screw-propeller for boats invented here. Generals George Washington and Count Rochembeau and their armies camped here during the revolutionary war. The tavern they partied at for 4 days, twice, still stands today. During World War II, the war department selected Southington to be their representation of America in a booklet and dropped thousands of copies over nazi-occupied Europe. Also home of the U.S.'s oldest (1846) operating amusement park, "Lake Compounce."

Edited September 3, 2013 by Secondo

[DubbsFaris]

Some really cool facts so far!! Awesome!!

[Jer]

My hometown is Fall River, MA, formerly the leading textile producer in America, site of the Lizzie Borden murders, and birthplace of Joe Raposo, who wrote the theme for the "Three's Company" TV show. It features a military museum known as Battleship Cove, with destroyers, battleships, and a submarine, all nestled under the enormous Braga Bridge. Quite a sight to see. It has the largest Portuguese population of any American city, and - thus - has an amazing array of food. One of the largest public gatherings was in North Park in the early 1970s when a regional up-and-coming band played a free show: Aerosmith.

 

 

Jer

 

 

[verlyn12]

I grew up in Lemmon, South Dakota, a very small town but it has a unique petrified rock park that is beautiful. I don't know of another one like it. I have a picture with our Shelby in front of some of it but I am too technically challenged to be able to post it to the profile on this page! There is relatively no ethnic diversity in this part of the country. The area was primarily settled in the early 1900s by Scandinavian immigrants along the railroad line. Largest population was in the 60s and 70s with about 3000 people but as in most of the Midwest the farms have gotten larger and the population has declined. Now it is about 1500. We are about 100 miles south of the North Dakota oil boom area so traffic is getting to be a problem. After I was married 44 years ago, I moved south 45 miles to my husbands ranch and still live there.

[SexyStang]

My previous hometown was Bristol, CT., In 1721 Daniel Brownson became the first person to buy land in Bristol. The early European settlers in this area were mostly farmers. Bristol was initially incorporated as a town in 1785 and was known as the "Bell City" due to its history as a manufacturer of innovative spring-driven doorbells. It was also a clock-making town in the 1800's and was reincorporated as a city in 1911. Bristol is primarily known as the home of ESPN and also shares America's oldest amusement park "Lake Compounce" with the town of Southington.

 

Now I live in a new hometown with Secondo. B)

Edited September 3, 2013 by SexyStang

[George Hill Jr]

My hometown Clifton Forge is a small town in the mountains of Virginia. It was once home to the Chesapeake and Ohio's largest railroad steam engine repair shop. My whole family were railroad machinists and managers. It is truly a beautiful area, great hunting and fishing, that is in decline. The railroad closed up when I was young and my family was transferred to Tidewater area of Virginia. Without business the area's younger people have left for work and the city has now become a town. The county is famous however for the Homestead Resort, Douthat State Park and some really fine home brew (not for sale) !!!

[ageishecker]

Hopkinton, Massachusetts for the first 22 years of my life.

 

Incorporated in 1715. It's best known for being the starting point of the Boston Marathon. In the mid-1800s it was one of the largest textile and shoe manufacturing centers in the northeast. Manufacturing came to an end after the main part of town was destroyed by fire for the third time in 1900, following devastating fires in 1876 and 1882. A couple of early residents were Daniel Shays (leader of Shays' Rebellion) and John Young (father of Brigham Young.)

Edited September 4, 2013 by Al G.

[Cobramach1]

I'm originally from Leola, South Dakota. It is a VERY small town in northern SD. I grew up on a farm/ranch outside of there. We are the self proclaimed Rhubarb Capital of the World and each year they hold Rhubarb Days to celebrate!

[Doug_GT350]

I was born in Allentown and raised in Bethlehem PA for my first 20 years.

 

Originally it was a typical Moravian Settlement Congregation where the Church owned all the property. The settlement was named after the town of Bethlehem in Judea, the birthplace of Jesus. In 1762, Bethlehem built the first water-works in America to pump water for public use. While George Washington and his troops stayed in Valley Forge, Washington stored his personal effects at the farm of James Burnside in Bethlehem. The Bethlehem Steel Corporation (1857–2003), founded and based in Bethlehem.

There is quite a lot of history associated with Bethlehem.

[mywickedshelby]

Born in Manhattan, New York......you may have heard of New York City........

 

Manhattan Island is now the bustling heart of New York city and one of the most important financial, cultural, and commercial center in the United States. It is also the most densely populated county in the United States. Not long ago, however, it was nothing but undeveloped land inhabited by a few indians. This article gives the early history of Manhattan island.

In 1524, Giovanni da Verrazzano became the first European explorer to pass New York Harbor. He was also the first European to meet the area's natives, the Lenape Indians. It was not until 1609, however, that any further contact with the natives were made. On September 11th of that year, the English explorer Henry Hudson came to Manhattan Island while working for the Dutch East India Company. He mapped the island before continuing up what would become known as the Hudson River.

More of the history can be found here:

http://voices.yahoo.com/the-early-history-manhattan-island-734541.html

Giovanni~

Interersting how Sept 11th has always been a very important part of NYC history~!

Edited September 3, 2013 by mywickedshelby

[ViperNC]

Born in Charlotte, NC

 

Charlotte gets her name from Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, wife of King George III; and our “hornet’s nest” nickname comes from General Cornwallis during the Revolutionary War—after he was driven out by a swarm of rebellious residents. Charlotte's iconic crossroads, known today as The Square, is the main reason there's a city here. Long before white settlers began to arrive in the mid 1700s, Native Americans traveled the trading paths between the Yadkin and Catawba rivers on their way to the mountains or coast. The north-south path was part of the Great Wagon Road (now Tryon Street in honor of William Tryon, a royal governor of colonial N.C.), and the east-west route is today's Trade Street. Today, Charlotte boasts the 2nd largest trading floor in the country and home to some of the worlds largest financial institutions.

 

Ain’t no drag, “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag” was recorded right here in Charlotte in 1965 at Arthur Smith Studios. Today we enjoy the NC Music Factory for live performances and a great party atmosphere. In addition, the film industry has been growing in Charlotte with the Showtime series "Homeland" starring Damian Lewis (he played Major Winters in the HBO series "Band of Brothers") being the most recent project currently being filmed here.

 

I grew up going to AA baseball games. Known as the Charlotte Orioles (the O’s) in the mid-1970s, Charlotte’s AA baseball team once played at Calvin Griffith Park on Dilworth’s Magnolia Avenue. Later renamed Crockett Park, Charlotte teams played at the facility until 1985 which at the time was the country's last standing wooden professional baseball park, but unfortunately it was destroyed by arson. In 1980, Charlotte won the Southern League title due in part to Cal Ripken Jr.’s 25 home runs and 80 RBIs. Little did I know at the time I was watching a future MLB legend.

These days when I'm not driving my Shelby, you can find me racing my mountain bike at the United States National White Water Center - the largest man made white water facility in the world. The facility has been a major draw for tourism and used as a training facility for the US Olympic Team.

Edited September 3, 2013 by ViperNC

[VorpalBunny]

I was born on a US Army Service Base, father was in the Engineer Corp.

 

But my home for the past 28 years is Terlingua, Texas in the Big Bend of Texas.

 

www.terlinguaracingteam.com for a little history

 

www.nps.gov/bibe for area attarctions

 

www.visitbigbend.com for more.

 

Did I mention I have a Terlingua as well, RAOTFLMAO!

 

You'all come on down and stay a while.

 

 

David

[Captain Beyond]

So, quite by accident sometime back, I found out a couple interesting facts about MY hometown.

 

The obvious:

You guys all know about the Alamo

 

BUT,

 

Did you know that San Antonio brought you :

Big Red

Cheetos

Fritos (and frito pie)

 

So, that made me think as I had a laid back fritos friendly dinner....

 

What have you found out about YOUR hometown? Throw out the obvious, why not. But then wow us with something most probably dont know!

 

Btw- Doritos were invented in CA, not in TX. Surprising, I know.

 

...and home to our 4 time world champion Spurs.

Edited September 4, 2013 by Captain Beyond

[Wayne Grey]

Ilion, New York - The home of Remington Arms. A small town in the Mohawk Valley in central New York.

[CSX4833]

Indianapolis. For all of us speed freaks we all know about the "Greatest Spectacle in Racing" the Indianapolis 500. One would be hard to argue that it probably is the sports capital of he country as more NCAA basketball tournaments, and Olympic trials take place in Indianapolis than any other city. Home of Eli Lilly the inventor company of penicillin.

[05mustangman]

Upland, CA.

 

Located on an east-west trail that was used by Indians and Spanish missionaries, what is now known as the Old Spanish Trail. Founded in 1882 by George Chaffey as an irrigation community and was mostly farm land that was known for it's citrus, mainly Lemons. Upland now hosts an annual Lemon festival every year. The train line was built in 1887 by the Atchinson, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway. Now served by the Metrolink. The Upland train station still uses the AT&SF station that was built in 1937.

Home to Cable Airport, the world's largest family-owned, public use, general aviation airport. The Euclid Ave. trolley which ran north and south was originally mule powered. The mule pulled the trolley up to the north trolley stop and would ride in the trolley for the trip down the hill. The trolley was converted to electric but then closed in 1928.

Route 66 runs right through the heart of Upland and is still used heavily today but is known as Foothill Blvd.

The city has several museums including the Cooper regional history museum and the Upland Fire Department Museum.

 

Other than the history of Upland, I don't know anything super famous about the city.

Edited September 4, 2013 by 05mustangman

[IngotSilverSnake]

You all seem to have some great home towns. You are lucky. I am ashamed to say I was born in Chicago, IL. Can't think of a good thing about the town and it just keeps getting worse. Have not been back in decades and never will go back.

[ejrail]

I was born n Altoona, PA, home of the world famous railroad site, The Horseshoe Curve. When I was 6, we lived in Bradford, Pa, home of Kendall GT-1 oil and Zippo lighters. I went to sleep every night watching a neon lighter open and close on top of the factory. When it was open, a gas flame shot out of the top.

 

We moved to Raritan, NJ when I was 7. The name is Natirar~~~, an Indian name. It was founded by the Dutch in the early 1700s. They reversed the Indian name for some reason. Alexander Hamilton helped pursade the local powers to build the Delaware-Raritan Canal. The Raritan Woolen Mills made Union uniforms during the Civil war and Army blankets in WW1. During WWII, the residents bought so many War Bonds the Navy commissioned the SS Natirar, using the original Indian name, in my town's honor. We were also the home to John Baslione, a highly decorated Iwo Jima veteran. His statue is at the end of Main St.

[Denstang65]

My home town is Anaheim, CA. All I can say about it are 3 things; Orange groves, Disneyland and the Ducks Hockey team. On a side note, I currently live in LA which was the birthplace of the worlds greatest cars on the planet; The Shelby Cobra CSX2000

[CSX4833]

You all seem to have some great home towns. You are lucky. I am ashamed to say I was born in Chicago, IL. Can't think of a good thing about the town and it just keeps getting worse. Have not been back in decades and never will go back.

At least Chicago isn't bankrupt (e.g. Detroit).

[Hopsgt500]

It is great to read about all of your hometowns. So much history. I am originally from Champaign, Ill. Home of the fighting Illini, but moved to Millington, Tenn when I was around 10. Millington is the home of Justin Timberlake and Al Green. Infact I went to high school and graduated with Justin's dad Robert Timberlake. It was a great place to grow up, lots of country and a great state park "Meman-Shelby Forest State Park". During WWI the Army leased land there for flight training and it eventually became a huge Naval Air Training Base, but it was downsized and now just a Naval Support Activity.

[NMAv]

Ramsey, NJ - Lumineers, ME ......

[dh777]

Houston - Originally named Harrisburg was the first capital of the Republic of Texas. The area was later named Houston after President Sam Houston.

[SnakeEater]

Council Grove, KS

1848: Osage and Kanza tribes held council with early military allowing safe passage & trade route to Santa Fe (aka The Santa Fe Trail). Council Grove at the "Neosho River crossing" became the "last chance" for supplies & repairs before traveling westward. The Kanza reservation covered most of the Flint Hills region between their northern hunting boundary on the Kanza River and southern boundary on the lower Kanza River ... the Kanza word for lower is "AR" .... so therefore the names KANZA and ARKANZA Rivers. Over the years, Kanza became Kansas and the Kanza River became the "Kansas" River and the Arkanza River became the "Arkansas" River (pronounced "R Kansas" not "R can saw"). Following the Civil War, the Kanza tribe was relocated to the Indian Territory/Oklahoma.

[glroy]

Something a little different. Guess what our home town is.

 

Glen/Lisa

 

OUR HOMETOWN:

• SLURPEE CAPITAL OF THE WORLD
• FIRST CITY IN THE WORLD TO DEVELOP THE 911 EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBER
• ITS UNION STATION WAS DESIGNED BY SAME ARCHITECTS RESPONSIBLE FOR GRAND CENTRAL STATION
• HOMER SIMPSON WAS MADE AN HONOURARY CITIZEN IN 2003
• WINNIE THE POOH IS NAMED AFTER OUR HOMETOWN
• THE FIRST MILLION DOLLAR HOCKEY PLAYER (BOBBY HULL) PLAYED HERE AND GOT HIS CHEQUE AT PUBLIC CELEBRATION IN 1972 ON “FAMOUS” CORNER OF PORTAGE AND MAIN
• HOME TO ONE OF NORTH AMERICA’S LARGEST OUTDOOR MUSIC FESTIVAS – THE FOLK FESTIVAL
• ‘THE SOCIAL’ WAS INVENTED HERE. SOCIALS ARE LARGE PARTIES WHERE YOU BUY TICKETS TO GAIN ACCESS. DRINKS ARE SOLD TO RAISE MONEY, USUALLY FOR A COUPLE ABOUT TO GET MARRIED BUT FOR OTHER CAUSES TOO. DANCING WITH MUSIC AND BUFFET (SANDWICH MEATS, GARLIC SAUSAGE, PICKLES ETC) AT END OF EVENING. TONS OF FUN.
• BOB HOPE PLAYED HIS FIRST ROUND OF GOLF HERE
• HARLEQUIN ROMANCE PUBLISHING EMPIRE BEGAN HERE
• THE MINT LOCATED HERE PRODUCES CURRENCY FOR CANADA AND MINTS COINS FOR MORE THAN 75 COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD. IN 2004, THE MINT PRODUCED THE WORLD’S FIRST COLOURED CIRCULATION COIN – THE 2004 REMEMBRANCE DAY 25 CENT PIECE WITH A RED POPPY ON THE REVERSE.
• 2008 GUINESS WORLD RECORD FOR THE LONGEST NATURALLY FROZEN SKATING TRAIL
• SOME FAMOUS PEOPLE FROM HERE:
  • MUSIC -- NEIL YOUNG, THE GUESS WHO, RANDY BACKMAN (GUESS WHO AND THEN BTO), CRASH TEST DUMMIES
  • ENTERTAINERS: WRESTLER CHRIS JERICHO, COMEDIAN DAVID STEINBERG, MONTY HALL, LEN CARIOU, NIA VARDALOS (ACTORS), DOUG HENNING (MAGICIAN); AUTHORS CAROL SHIELDS AND MARGARET LAURENCE ;PETER NYGARD (NYGARD FASHION)
  • OLYMPIC SPEEDSKATER AND CYCLIST CLARA HUGHES
  • SECOND WORLD WAR’S MOST FAMOUS SPY SIR WILLIAM STEPHENSON, THE MAN CALLED INTREPID AND THE INSPIRATION FOR IAN FLEMING’S JAMES BOND WAS BORN AND RAISED HERE.

[Cali_KR]

 

Something a little different. Guess what our home town is.

 

Glen/Lisa

 

OUR HOMETOWN:

• SLURPEE CAPITAL OF THE WORLD
• FIRST CITY IN THE WORLD TO DEVELOP THE 911 EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBER
• ITS UNION STATION WAS DESIGNED BY SAME ARCHITECTS RESPONSIBLE FOR GRAND CENTRAL STATION
• HOMER SIMPSON WAS MADE AN HONOURARY CITIZEN IN 2003
• WINNIE THE POOH IS NAMED AFTER OUR HOMETOWN
• THE FIRST MILLION DOLLAR HOCKEY PLAYER (BOBBY HULL) PLAYED HERE AND GOT HIS CHEQUE AT PUBLIC CELEBRATION IN 1972 ON “FAMOUS” CORNER OF PORTAGE AND MAIN
• HOME TO ONE OF NORTH AMERICA’S LARGEST OUTDOOR MUSIC FESTIVAS – THE FOLK FESTIVAL
• ‘THE SOCIAL’ WAS INVENTED HERE. SOCIALS ARE LARGE PARTIES WHERE YOU BUY TICKETS TO GAIN ACCESS. DRINKS ARE SOLD TO RAISE MONEY, USUALLY FOR A COUPLE ABOUT TO GET MARRIED BUT FOR OTHER CAUSES TOO. DANCING WITH MUSIC AND BUFFET (SANDWICH MEATS, GARLIC SAUSAGE, PICKLES ETC) AT END OF EVENING. TONS OF FUN.
• BOB HOPE PLAYED HIS FIRST ROUND OF GOLF HERE
• HARLEQUIN ROMANCE PUBLISHING EMPIRE BEGAN HERE
• THE MINT LOCATED HERE PRODUCES CURRENCY FOR CANADA AND MINTS COINS FOR MORE THAN 75 COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD. IN 2004, THE MINT PRODUCED THE WORLD’S FIRST COLOURED CIRCULATION COIN – THE 2004 REMEMBRANCE DAY 25 CENT PIECE WITH A RED POPPY ON THE REVERSE.
• 2008 GUINESS WORLD RECORD FOR THE LONGEST NATURALLY FROZEN SKATING TRAIL
• SOME FAMOUS PEOPLE FROM HERE:
  • MUSIC -- NEIL YOUNG, THE GUESS WHO, RANDY BACKMAN (GUESS WHO AND THEN BTO), CRASH TEST DUMMIES
  • ENTERTAINERS: WRESTLER CHRIS JERICHO, COMEDIAN DAVID STEINBERG, MONTY HALL, LEN CARIOU, NIA VARDALOS (ACTORS), DOUG HENNING (MAGICIAN); AUTHORS CAROL SHIELDS AND MARGARET LAURENCE ;PETER NYGARD (NYGARD FASHION)
  • OLYMPIC SPEEDSKATER AND CYCLIST CLARA HUGHES
  • SECOND WORLD WAR’S MOST FAMOUS SPY SIR WILLIAM STEPHENSON, THE MAN CALLED INTREPID AND THE INSPIRATION FOR IAN FLEMING’S JAMES BOND WAS BORN AND RAISED HERE.

 

 

The frozen tundra of Winterpeg....er, I mean Winnipeg...

 

I guess I'm exempt from playing as I'm an expat myself.

 

You forgot one factoid, Winnipeg is the coldest large city (over 200,000 population) on earth.

[ejrail]

I forgot one thing about Raritan NJ. They banned swearing in the 90's.