Growing up in Texas, you inevitably pass through some towns with hilarious and bizarre names that will leave you talking about them for days with your friends and family. We've all driven through several of these towns and we've all definitely wanted to get out and take a picture of the sign to add to our scrapbooks of Texas adventures (if you've got one, anyway - we do). We couldn't cover them all, but these are some of the funniest, weirdest names of towns we could find throughout the Lone Star State. These strange towns in Texas are definitely worth a picture in front of their signs:
1) Cut N Shoot
The story of how this funny little East Texas town got its name goes like this (in the shortened version): An Apostolic preacher by the name of Preacher Stamps was invited to hold a meeting at the Community House, a place for people of varying denominations to gather. However, he had a questionable reputation, and some people in the town didn't feel comfortable with his presence at the church. So, the town became divided between those in favor of the preacher, and those not. On the day of the meeting, both sides drew up in buggies, bringing knives and guns with them. This scared a little boy, who said, "I'm scared! I'm going to cut around the corner and shoot through the bushes in a minute!" Thus, the name Cut N Shoot was born.
2) Ding Dong
This unincorporated community in Central Texas always makes lists for unusual names. Zulis Bell and Bert Bell, two early settlers in the area, opened a store and hired an artist to paint a sign for it. He painted two bells, and wrote "Ding" under one and "Dong" under the other. Simple, but the name stuck ever since.
3) Elmo
This unincorporated community in Kaufman County has a population of 90, and was named after Elmo Scott, a T&P Railroad Surveyor.
4) Kermit
Where there's Elmo, there has to be a Kermit, right?! Kermit is located way out west in Winkler County, and was named after Kermit Roosevelt after his father Theodore paid a visit to the town.
5) Jot 'em Down
Another tiny unincorporated community, you'll find it way up north in Delta County. It was supposedly named after the Jot Em Down Gin Corp, a store featured in Lub and Abner's radio show.
6) Bigfoot
Named for the famous Texas Ranger William A. A. "Bigfoot" Wallace, a former resident of the town, you'll find it in Frio County in South Central Texas.
7) Uncertain
Located in the beautiful woods of East Texas, settlers couldn't determine which side of Caddo Lake they were standing on - the Texas side, or the Louisiana side.
8) Nameless
Turns out Nameless does indeed have a name. In 1869, residents of the community couldn't get the post office department to accept the names they suggested. After six attempts, one resident said "Let the post office be nameless and be damned!" They took that very literally, and Nameless was born.
9) Oatmeal
Mmm, gotta love some steel cut oats! We have several towns named after foods in Texas, and this one is just the start.
10) Bacon
This should be Texans' favorite town! It's located about 7 miles north of Wichita Falls.
11) Noodle
These town names are making me hungry...you'll find it in Jones County, named after Noodle Creek, which was a local term for "nothing" according to history.
12) Paris
See, you don't need to travel to France to see the Eiffel Tower; we've got one right here in Texas!
13) Muleshoe
Located in the Panhandle near the New Mexico-Texas border, the name can be traced back to a man named Henry Black, who purchased land in 1860 and named it Muleshoe Ranch. Interesting how town names come about, often through seemingly insignificant happenings.
14) Notrees
Obviously named for the lack of vegetation in the area, it's located in west Texas in central Ector County. Despite the obvious reasoning, the name is still a cause for laughter on long road trips passing through the town!
15) Dime Box
This unincorporated community in Lee County actually stems from the town of Old Dime Box, named after a custom in which early settlers would use a large, wooden box to forward and receive mail. Well, now you know what's really in a name!
We know there are many towns out there that didn't make the cut, but you can always share your favorites in the comments! What are your picks for the best-named strange towns in Texas?
Need a little more weird and wonderful Texas? This article might give you some ideas, especially if you like haunted road trips.
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