Surprising facts about where you live

eloquent · Joined: 08 Apr 2004 Posts: 702

Santa Ana, California (one of the cities in Orange County) is home to the John Wayne Airport, named after one of Newport Beach's most famous residents. Rumor has it that the Airport was really named after him due to the frequency of his calls complaining about aiport noise.

Teahugger · Posted: Nov 03, 2009 4:59 pm Post subject:

I live some kilometres away from where the first documented/diagnosed polio epidemic took place (in 1881).
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Chiquita · Joined: 24 Sep 2005 Posts: 645 Location: Tejas

This was true back in 2007 anyway.. from a Texas Monthly article...

"... gay couples in Texas are more likely to have children than those in most other states, or that San Antonio is a gay parenting mecca, with a higher percentage of gay households with children than any other U.S. city..."

jackierocket · Joined: 14 Apr 2004 Posts: 2963 Location: minneapolis

I googled strange MN laws and found these:

�Women may face up to 30 days in jail if they impersonate Santa Claus.
�In Minneapolis, double-parkers can be put on a chain gang.
�Every man in Brainerd is required by law to grow a beard.
�It�s illegal to tease skunks.

I also know that up until about 17 years ago, it was illegal for a bar to be open or a restaurant to serve booze on Election Day (until after the polls were closed)! Because once upon a time (early 1900's) people running for office would troll the bars buying drinks for people who said they'd vote for them.

I may need a t-shirt that reads "I tease skunks, arrest me!"
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Liat · Joined: 15 Apr 2004 Posts: 1842 Location: Calgary, Alberta

Our zoo is the second largest in Calgary.

We have Chinooks. Which are winds that come up over the mountains and can raise the temperature by more then 20C on a good day.

We have the Calgary Stampede which attracts over a million people over the ten day run.

The city has spawned many country singers and athletes, one of the most notable being the Hart family of wrestlers including Brett "The Hitman" Hart.

Our minor league hockey team is named after him.
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Payslee · Joined: 27 Mar 2009 Posts: 130

JackieRocket, that skunk thing is awesome. As if it needs to be *illegal* to tease a skunk, not just obvious.

I live in Detroit. Here are a few:

-The first operated traffic light was installed here.
-MLK Jr. gave the first "I have a Dream" speech here at Cobo Hall
-The nations first Housewives League started in Detroit in 1930.
-Also, it is illegal to chain an alligator to a fire hydrant in Michigan. (I would love to hear about the reasons behind the need for that law.)
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Aliceinwonderland · Joined: 08 Apr 2004 Posts: 1572 Location: Front Range

Milo · Joined: 09 Apr 2004 Posts: 2113 Location: Philadelphia!

I can see the World Series blimp from my kitchen window. (Just not tonight since the game is in NYC)
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carlee134 · Joined: 12 Apr 2004 Posts: 837 Location: orlandoooo

Disneyworld is NOT in orlando!
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scarymonster · Joined: 11 Mar 2007 Posts: 3671 Location: PA

I've lived in several places in this county, all with cool stuff so I'll list them all.

Hanover is known by many as the snack food capital of the world. We make all of the UTZ and Snyder's snack foods here, and not too far away Wolfgang candy, Hershey's, and Martin's chips are made.

There are two mansions owned by two prominent families in Hanover. They both have bowling alleys in their basements, and the bowling alley scene from Girl, Interrupted was filmed in the basement of Shepperd mansion.

Hanover is a few minutes east of Gettysburg, and there are tons of plaques and statues and things around town where Abe Lincoln stopped to take a dump and random things like that.

I now live in York, which was once the capital of the country. For a time, York served as the capital of the continental congress. It was actually the 4th capitol, after Philly, Baltimore and Lancaster. They wrote the Articles of Confederation here.

The York Peppermint Pattie is named for York, as well.
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erilii · Joined: 31 Dec 2005 Posts: 241 Location: sydney, australia

I've got a really lame one!
My suburb (Beverly Hills) has a little plaque on a grassy street corner that states "John Oatley's farm was here" or words to that effect.
But the suburb of Oatley, named after him, is a 15 minute drive away!

Fascinating, yes!

lozenge · Joined: 07 Apr 2004 Posts: 1021 Location: Australia

canberra is in fact, the capital of australia and it was created to be capital, there was no settlement here prior (maybe a sheep farm). not sydney like many many people think.
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hidden animals · Joined: 10 Jul 2005 Posts: 1057 Location: border town, tx

I'm moving! Parts of No Country For Old Men were filmed in my new city.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Del_Rio,_Texas#Del_Rio_Culture_and_Film

Basically, that sums up the look of the town... Dusty, and like the 60s never ended. ;)
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Ms.MonkeyMagic · Joined: 07 Apr 2004 Posts: 1549 Location: Boston

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