Memorial Day weekend is the signal! School is over, or soon will be. Summer is here and families are planning vacations. With air travel costly, complicated and stressful and gas prices dropping a bit each day, many families will travel by car and look for interesting ways to entertain everybody during the trip. When we travel I read the road atlas and the signs and wonder about names of the towns along the way (when I’m not enjoying my Kindle, which is so easy on the eyes when riding in a car).
Last weekend we traveled to our daughter’s home for the confirmation of our oldest grandson. We travel frequently on those east-west highways in south-central Texas, but this past Sunday I thought more seriously about the intriguing names of the towns. Where in the world did some of these names come from?
Some are rather simple with the name of a significant person and “ville” tacked on at the end. Smithville, Rutersville, Deanville, Somerville all pay tribute to some hard-working or wealthy settler. And who was Mr. Bleibler, who challenged the postal system with his hometown of Bleiblerville?
Tributes to geography are everywhere along the highway with Long Point, Greenvine, Round Top, and Quarry. Did these names offer directions like “turn left at the fence with the Greenvine climbing on it,” or go right at the Quarry and then follow the road to the Red Rock or the High Hill. I wonder if dogs are allowed to live in Cat Spring?
Imaginations can go wild in the car as you contemplate the history of Jeddo, Rek Hill, or Hogg. Do the residents work harder in Industry? And how about the person who may have moved from Katy in the Houston area and staked his claim at New Katy near Austin? When you get to Dime Box and don’t find what you’re looking for just drive a short way to the west and check out Old Dime Box. Now that will get the stories going, for sure.
North Zulch can confuse every traveler. Don't go looking for the real, original Zulch. Save your fuel. I’ve tracked the highways all the way to Brownsville. When you get to North Zulch you’ve seen all that old man Zulch laid claim to.
See how much fun traveling by car can be? Interesting villages and landmarks are everywhere and paint a picture for us of places and people who built our country. Make up stories, songs, poems. You may not be taking an airplane to your vacation destination but great ideas can take flight in the car. Have the road atlas handy and keep your eyes open for those signs pointing the way to new, interesting locations.
By the way, Cut and Shoot near Conroe is on my list of “places to go this summer.” If you get there before I do, email me and let me know what you find. Have a safe and creative summer!
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