What's in a STREET name?

[Tuckervill]

Northwest of Birmingham is the town of Winfield, which is west of Guin. In between is the town of Gu-Win...

snip
Sweet Home Alabama!

I've been to Guin, but not to Gu-Win. Or is it the other way 'round?

I so want to hear that story.

Karen

[Mr. Bloom]

I've been to Guin, but not to Gu-Win. Or is it the other way 'round?

I so want to hear that story.

Karen

Trust me, if you've been to one, it's likely you were at the other...but you might have blinked

[silver]

I've been to Guin, but not to Gu-Win. Or is it the other way 'round?

I so want to hear that story.

Karen

I think that Mr. was quoting from Forest Gump.....Not sure how that related to Guin or Gu-Win or Winfield, but I do have a story to tell or tale

But, BTW, it's hard to believe that you went to Guin but not Gu-win, since they are so close together and if you are driving from Memphis to Birmingham, they are all three on the way. Anyhooo....

When Silverson was born, we lived in Memphis and all the grandparents lived in Birmingham. My father, Henry, was still working, so the in-laws, Bill and Pat, and my mother, Mary, all drove to Memphis to see the Grandson. Bill and Pat stayed a couple of days and left my Mary to stay to help me out. a couple of weeks later, Henry drove to Memphis to see Silver son and to retrieve his wife, Mary. Just happens, that on his way, just outside of Guin, or Gu-Win, or Winfield (they just sort of merge together) he hits a traffic jam. Ends up, leaving his car in the road and goes into a local eatery, has time for lunch. Asks around why the total traffic jam?

Seems it's the annual Mule Day Parade and the entire road is shut down.

[Crankin]

Mr. Silver, most people call that lake in MA Webster lake. It's in the town of Webster, which used to be a summer resort in the early 20's. It's now sort of a a skanky place to live (hope no one lives there). I did a ride by the lake 2 years ago. It's quite beautiful.

Robyn

[Mr. Bloom]

After 30 years of having the name and the meaning (albeit, not the spelling) memorized, I finally know where it is!

Lake Chargoggagoggmanchaugagoggchaubunagungamaugg, a name derived from a Nipmuc Native American tribe transates "fishing place at the boundary" but townspeople prefer the innaccurate translation: "You fish on your side, we'll fish on our side, and nobody will fish in the middle." It is often regarded as the longest place name in the United States. A shorter name for this body of water is Lake Chaubunagungamaug, or simply Webster Lake.

[Drtgirl]

My parents live at the corner of Curtis and Mayfield...I always thought that was kind of funny.

[RoadRaven]

Lake Chargoggagoggmanchaugagoggchaubunagungamaugg, a name derived from a Nipmuc Native American tribe <snip> A shorter name for this body of water is Lake Chaubunagungamaug, or simply Webster Lake.

OK... so you have my attention... but how do I say it?

Can you spell it in phonetics please?

[Mr. Bloom]

OK... so you have my attention... but how do I say it?

Can you spell it in phonetics please?

Well, you say it exactly how it looks

sha - gog - a gog - man chog a gog - sha buna gunna mog

At the age of 12, I had to make it into a song to remember, but until Robyn let me know, I didn't know it's modern name...but I still remembered the song I made up 33 years ago!

[RoadRaven]

Okily dokliy Mr S... since you sang it to remember it, you realise you should really record the song and pop a soundbyte hear for us, don't you

Cheekily yours
Rave

[Jolt]

Mr. Silver, most people call that lake in MA Webster lake. It's in the town of Webster, which used to be a summer resort in the early 20's. It's now sort of a a skanky place to live (hope no one lives there). I did a ride by the lake 2 years ago. It's quite beautiful.

Robyn

Speaking of bodies of water in MA, you reminded me of something else that should go in this thread even if it's not a street name. There is a pond in Oxford, MA called Carbuncle Pond, and it has a little beach area where people can go to swim; the YMCA has swimming lessons there also. Isn't that a disgusting name for a place where people swim?

[Zen]

Seems it's the annual Mule Day Parade and the entire road is shut down.

Hoo! If he thought it was a traffic jam on Mule Day it's prolly a good thing he wasn't around for Opossum Day!

[Mr. Bloom]

Hoo! If he thought it was a traffic jam on Mule Day it's prolly a good thing he wasn't around for Opossum Day!

That's ironic for a couple of reasons:

• When Henry stopped in the traffic on a FOUR LANE US HWY 78, he asked someone "what's happening?"
• An old guy nearby said: "it's the MULE day parade. M*U*L*E Mule"
• I think the old guy was proud he could spell...Opussum may have been a challenge for him

Only in Alabama...

[SouthernBelle]

Columbia, TN also has a Mule Day.

[Tuckervill]

I think that Mr. was quoting from Forest Gump.....Not sure how that related to Guin or Gu-Win or Winfield, but I do have a story to tell or tale

But, BTW, it's hard to believe that you went to Guin but not Gu-win, since they are so close together and if you are driving from Memphis to Birmingham, they are all three on the way. Anyhooo....

I seem to remember that you get off Hwy 78 right there at the two of them, and one is to the left and one is to the right. Turn right to go to B'ham, and that's why I thought I may have been at one and not the other. But it's been a LONG time since I drove from Memphis to Birmingham--at least 4 years, maybe 8.

Karen

[nancielle]

One of the towns in my neck of the woods has Bow Wow Road.

Regarding the lake, CHARGOGGAGOGGMANCHAUGGAUGGAGOGGCHAUBUNAGUNGAMAUGG er,
Webster Lake, I believe it hosts the swimming third of the Danskins Triathlon each year.