From Bug Tussle, Alabama, to Donnybrook, New York, this pop-culture history offers a highly entertaining survey of America's most unusual place-names and their often-humorous origins. Frank K. Gallant traveled the country — meeting locals, eating in their restaurants, staying at their hotels ... read more
Customers who bought this book also bought:
Our Editors also recommend:
Exploring Historic Dutch New York: New York City * Hudson Valley * New Jersey * Delaware by Gajus Scheltema, Heleen Westerhuijs, Russell Shorto This comprehensive guide to touring important sites of Dutch history also serves as an engrossing cultural and historical reference. Art and architecture, cooking, furniture and antiques, much more. Color photographs and maps.
"The Loveliest Home That Ever Was": The Story of the Mark Twain House in Hartford by Steven Courtney, Hal Holbrook The official guide to The Mark Twain House & Museum, this volume tells the dramatic story of the author and his family and their Victorian mansion. Architectural drawings, period photos, plus modern color images.
Bain's New York: The City in News Pictures 1900-1925 by Michael Carlebach Original hardcover compilation of 100 images from the photographic archives of one of the United States' earliest news agencies. Police activity, immigration, politics, street life, sports — everything from the mundane to the monumental. Detailed captions.
Lost America, Volume II: From the Mississippi to the Pacific by Constance M. Greiff Part of a two-book set, this handsome volume of more than 300 images chronicles the disappearance of many historic properties in the West and urges the preservation of America's architectural heritage.
The Chicago World's Fair of 1893: A Photographic Record by Stanley Appelbaum 128 rare, vintage photographs: 200 buildings — 79 of foreign governments, 38 of U.S. states — the original ferris wheel, first midway, Edison's kinetoscope, much more. 128 black-and-white photographs. Captions. Map. Index.
The Building of Manhattan by Donald A. Mackay, Donald A. Mackay Meticulously accurate line drawings and fascinating text explain construction above and below ground, including excavating subway lines and building bridges and skyscrapers. Hundreds of illustrations reveal intricate details of construction techniques. A selection of the Common Core State Standards Initiative.
America As Seen by Its First Explorers: The Eyes of Discovery by John Bakeless Striking portrait of the New World as experienced by first explorers and settlers. Based on scores of original journals, diaries, letters, Indian narratives. 68 illustrations. Bibliography.
American Barns and Covered Bridges by Eric Sloane Lovingly written book, accompanied by the author's own sketches, depicts Maine-styled barns attached to houses, an "open" log barn in Virginia, a 2,088-foot covered bridge at Clark's Ferry, Pennsylvania, and a host of other structures.
American Yesterday by Eric Sloane Immensely enjoyable book lovingly describes careers of dowsers, tithingmen, sawyers, nailers, plumbum-men (plumbers), barber-surgeons, sellmongers, fence-viewers, and other old-time artisans and craftworkers. 96 black-and-white illustrations.
Do's and Don'ts of Yesteryear: A Treasury of Early American Folk Wisdom by Eric Sloane Combining two of Mr. Americana's popular little etiquette guides, this hardcover collection offers cozy, homespun advice that recalls a less hectic time. Covers proper behavior for "At the Table," "In Dress and Habits," and more.
Eric Sloane's America: Paintings in Oil by Michael Wigley, Mimi Sloane Eric Sloane's evocative oils of America's landscape and material culture shimmer with immense historical and nostalgic appeal. This original hardcover collection gathers nearly a hundred of his finest paintings, with subjects ranging from New England to the American Southwest.
A Museum of Early American Tools by Eric Sloane Describes scores of tools and the wooden and metal artifacts made with them. Covers farm and kitchen implements, as well as the tools of curriers, blacksmiths, and other craftsmen. 184 black-and-white illustrations.
Our Vanishing Landscape by Eric Sloane Charming anecdotes about a bygone era describe networks of canals, corduroy roads, and turnpikes; waterwheels and icehouses; colorful road signs and their painters; circus folk; and more. 81 black-and-white illustrations.
The Bridges of New York by Sharon Reier Stirring text-and-picture tribute to over 75 New York City bridges — among them the Brooklyn Bridge, Throgs Neck, Verrazano Narrows, Whitestone, George Washington, and other splendid structures.
New York in the Forties by Andreas Feininger A former Life magazine photographer presents more than 160 photos of skyscrapers under construction, Harlem nightclubs, waterfront activity, Bowery flophouses, the Brooklyn Bridge, Chinatown, Coney Island, and more. Captions.
New York in the Thirties by Berenice Abbott Nearly 100 classic images by noted photographer: Rockefeller Center on the rise, Bowery restaurants, dramatic views of the City's bridges, Washington Square, old movie houses, rows of old tenements, and many other landmarks.
Covered Bridges of the Northeast by Richard Sanders Allen In a priceless tribute to masterpieces of a bygone era, this profusely illustrated text describes foot bridges, latticework and double-decked structures, drawbridges, and more. 150 black-and-white illustrations.
Garrets and Pretenders: Bohemian Life in America from Poe to Kerouac by Albert Parry, Paul Buhle Fascinating study recaptures the vibrantly eccentric lifestyles of American hipsters and outsider artists. Accurate, well-illustrated narrative profiles the lives and manners of nonconformists from the early 19th century through the Beat Generation.
Genthe's Photographs of San Francisco's Old Chinatown by Arnold Genthe, John Kuo Wei Tchen 130 rare photos offer fascinating visual record of Chinatown, offering priceless glimpses of the rich street life before the great earthquake and fire of 1906. Informative text traces turbulent history of Chinese-Americans in California.
Life on the Mississippi by Mark Twain Lively recollections of Twain's salad days as a novice steamboat pilot to views from the passenger deck in the twilight of the river culture's heyday. Engrossing and entertaining anecdotes by a peerless storyteller.
My Autobiography: "Chapters" from the North American Review by Mark Twain Famed American author's plain-spoken words recall his boyhood in Hannibal, Missouri, life as a riverboat pilot, as a young adult in rough Nevada mining towns, years spent as a widely renowned author, more.
A Lady's Life in the Rocky Mountains by Isabella L. Bird Eloquent descriptions by a middle-aged Englishwoman — traveling alone in the Colorado Rockies during 1873 — of flora and fauna, isolated settlers, vigilance committees, lynchings, and other fascinating subjects.
My First Travels in North America by Isabella L. Bird, Clarence C. Strowbridge One of the 19th century's most adventurous travel writers offers vivid accounts of her journeys through Canada and the United States, from scenic vistas to dark encounters with cholera and slavery.
Domestic Manners of the Americans by Frances Trollope Witty, entertaining, and controversial account of American life and culture by a woman of rare intelligence and keen perception — with comments on clothing, food, speech, politics, manners, and customs.
Baseball Is . . .: Defining the National Pastime by Paul Dickson, Peter Donahue, Tim Foley Wisecracking, philosophical, nostalgic, and entertaining, these hundreds of quips and observations by players, their wives, managers, authors, and others cover every aspect of our national pastime. It's a great any-occasion gift for fans!
Golf Is . . .: Defining the Great Game by Paul Dickson Enhanced by historical and modern photographs, this gift book collects witty, incisive golf-related quotations. Sources range from duffers to pros, including Wodehouse, Chesterton, Churchill, Hogan, and many others.
How to Drink Like a Mad Man by Ralph Maloney, Leo Summers How did advertising executives in the Sixties stay sharp while boozing around the clock? The answer lies in this authentic document from Madison Avenue, circa 1962. "Side-splittingly funny." — Boston Herald.
New York: The Big Apple Quote Book by Bob Blaisdell More than 1,000 quotes from Walt Whitman, Calvin Trillin, Helen Hayes, Lenny Bruce, and others comment on skyscrapers, subways, the boroughs, Lady Liberty, and why people love and hate New York City.
There's a Saying for That: Proverbs from Around the World by Bob Blaisdell Compilation of the best proverbs from around the world — ancient and modern — offers concise, time-honored wisdom about love, money, politics, and human nature. Handsome gift-book format makes this volume an ideal present.
Product Description:
From Bug Tussle, Alabama, to Donnybrook, New York, this pop-culture history offers a highly entertaining survey of America's most unusual place-names and their often-humorous origins. Frank K. Gallant traveled the country — meeting locals, eating in their restaurants, staying at their hotels — and recorded the best of the stories and legends he encountered. The only nationwide survey of its kind, this book features a state-by-state format for easy reference. It's also an irresistible browsing book for aficionados of American history, language, and culture.
Reprint of the Merriam-Webster, Inc., Springfield, Massachusetts, 1998 edition.
Manufacturing books in the United States ensures compliance with strict environmental laws and eliminates the need for international freight shipping, a major contributor to global air pollution.
And printing on recycled paper helps minimize our consumption of trees, water and fossil fuels.
A Place Called Peculiar: Stories About Unusual American Place-Names was printed on paper made with 10% post-consumer waste,
and the cover was printed on paper made with 10% post-consumer waste. According to Environmental
Defense's Paper Calculator, by using this innovative paper instead of conventional papers,
we achieved the following environmental benefits.
This book was printed in the United States of America.
Dover books are made to last a lifetime. Our US book-manufacturing partners produce the highest quality books in the world and they create jobs for our fellow citizens. Manufacturing in the United States also ensures that our books are printed in an environmentally friendly fashion, on paper sourced from responsibly managed forests.