# What cities will forever be known for one specific thing/event? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 30, 2002, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-cities-will-forever-be-known-for-one-specific-thing-event/145759 "2002-12-30T22:15:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2003, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-cities-will-forever-be-known-for-one-specific-thing-event/145759/121 "2003-01-03T06:13:08Z")
Wow. I disagree with about 80% of these and I’ve never even heard of at least 15% of them I especially don’t like that someone said when you think of racing you think of Charlotte. There’s not even a racetrack in Charlotte and if there was it certainly wouldn’t be the only thing it was known for. I suspect the same of many other cities mentioned here that I know less about. I think the most accurate city regarding the OP that has been listed so far is probably Pompeii. ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2003, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-cities-will-forever-be-known-for-one-specific-thing-event/145759/122 "2003-01-03T07:33:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TV time \* > **Troy** - no, not New York, the one Helen, Paris, Agamemnon, Achilles and Odysseus horsed around with. I sat here for five minutes trying to figure out what the hell you were trying to tell me. 😉 Cisco, I agree. Ah well, you win some, you lose some. This may be my longest thread ever, though. I was going for cities with exactly **one** claim to fame (or infamy). ---
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2003, 8:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-cities-will-forever-be-known-for-one-specific-thing-event/145759/123 "2003-01-03T08:39:05Z")
I too agree with **Cisco**. The only city I can think of that I think comes close to touching Pompeii’s appropriateness is Vatican City. ---
**Author:** ![owlstretchingtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2003, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-cities-will-forever-be-known-for-one-specific-thing-event/145759/124 "2003-01-03T12:24:12Z")
Wembley Epsom Aintree Ascot Pudding Lane Abbey Rd ---
**Author:** ![EhhMon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@EhhMon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EhhMon)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2003, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-cities-will-forever-be-known-for-one-specific-thing-event/145759/125 "2003-01-03T12:43:11Z")
_ **Gurl** _… **San Francisco**!!! ---
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2003, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-cities-will-forever-be-known-for-one-specific-thing-event/145759/126 "2003-01-03T12:45:27Z")
San Francisco, of course, the home of StarFleet! ---
**Author:** ![ceyjen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3bc359/32.png) [@ceyjen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ceyjen)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2003, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-cities-will-forever-be-known-for-one-specific-thing-event/145759/127 "2003-01-04T23:58:05Z")
> [@](#): > > _originally posted by mudcrutch_ **White Sands, New Mexico** There is no town in New Mexico _named_ **White Sands**. The nearest town is **Alamogordo** , which was mentioned before. However, when I think of White Sands, I always think of the Missile Range where the space shuttles land. And I think of the Sands themselves where I try to take my son as often as possible in the summers. _Incidentally_, when I think of Alamogordo, I think of Holloman AFB where the Stealth fighters are. ---
**Author:** ![jacksen9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ce73a5/32.png) [@jacksen9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jacksen9)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2003, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-cities-will-forever-be-known-for-one-specific-thing-event/145759/128 "2003-01-05T01:08:59Z")
Did anybody mention Green Bay Wisconsin? Go Packers! ---
**Author:** ![Jello](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f05b48/32.png) [@Jello](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jello)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2003, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-cities-will-forever-be-known-for-one-specific-thing-event/145759/129 "2003-01-05T02:53:08Z")
Fatima (Virgin Mary appearances) Borodino (Napoleon vs. Russia) Marathon (Battle of, 490 BC, Athenians vs. Persians) Andersonville (Civil War prison) Yorba Linda (Richard Nixon birthplace) Warm Springs (FDR deathplace) When I think “Avignon” I automatically think “Babylonian Captivity” but other events assuredly took place there as well. ---
**Author:** ![IMF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/6de8d8/32.png) [@IMF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IMF)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2003, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-cities-will-forever-be-known-for-one-specific-thing-event/145759/130 "2003-01-05T03:18:07Z")
I agree with Winkelried, Cisco and Archener on the argument that the cities to be highlighted here on this board should be those whose names are almost synonyms for the events they provided history. Thus, I’d like to highlight some cities already mentioned above: **Chernobyl, Pompeii, Hiroshima, Auschwitz, Bhopal, Liverpool** (some may disagree with this one in particular), **Woodstock, Bretton Woods.** Some mentioned the NYC attack on this discussion, which made me remind of some thoughts I already had over this topic. What was the WTC attack compared to the US (the only country that used the atomic bomb in history) attack of Hiroshima and Nagasaki? 3,000 casualties in NYC versus 130,000 of both japanese cities. What is Tupelo compared to Liverpool? (Sorry about this off-topic comment) ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2003, 10:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-cities-will-forever-be-known-for-one-specific-thing-event/145759/131 "2003-01-05T10:31:02Z")
Excuse my ignorance, and maybe I know the answer to this but it’s obviously slipping my mind right now: What happened in Liverpool? I thought people were mentioning it because of the Beatles. ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2003, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-cities-will-forever-be-known-for-one-specific-thing-event/145759/132 "2003-01-05T12:55:06Z")
Halabja Kitty Hawk Hastings Seattle Gutenburg Tiananmann Square Winchester(England- Cathedral, I suppose the US Winchester is associated with just one thing too) Versailles, two things actually. Mecca Amritsar Tipperary Rhodes ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2003, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-cities-will-forever-be-known-for-one-specific-thing-event/145759/133 "2003-01-05T13:04:12Z")
Seattle? You’ve got to be kidding. I can’t even think of what the one thing is that you are thinking of. ---
**Author:** ![IMF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/6de8d8/32.png) [@IMF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IMF)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2003, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-cities-will-forever-be-known-for-one-specific-thing-event/145759/134 "2003-01-05T13:45:59Z")
Cisco, I was expecting a question like yours; that ws the reason I wrote some disagreement could arise due to that city. I was thinking about the Beatles when I said Liverpool. But maybe one may argue that the importance of The Beatles are far less than the drop of two atomic bombs, or a chemical tragedy, or the muderer of hundreds of thousands jews. But in my perception, the Beatles were the best rock band that ever existed. And rock is one of the music genres I most admire. Since they have influenced many musicians from different music styles and countries, I believe they’ve made a revolution in music. But, sure, this issue is mostly related to your perception of music. Cheers. ---
**Author:** ![Ignatz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/3be4f8/32.png) [@Ignatz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ignatz)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2004, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-cities-will-forever-be-known-for-one-specific-thing-event/145759/135 "2004-10-24T01:28:17Z")
> [@UncleBill](#): > > Buffalo, NY - Blizzard of '77, where it really didn’t snow much, it just blew the accumulated snow off of ice-covered Lake Erie. > > Chappaqua, MA Chappaqua is in NY and might be notable as the latest home of the Clintons. The intended one, I suspect, was Chappaquiddick, MA My choices would be (been to all): Bethlehem Jerusalem (West (Wailing) Wall, Dome of the Rock, Church of the Nativity) Baalbek (One of the ancient Wonders of the World) Malta, G.C. (survived more than a year of German bombing in the WWII siege) Beirut (bombing of the US Marine barracks) (see [www.beirut-documentary.org](http://www.beirut-documentary.org)) Istanbul ex-Constantinople (seat of the eastern branch of the Roman Empire) Athens (birthplace of Democracy)(and the 2004 Summer Olympics) Vatican City (seat of the Roman Catholic Church) Gibraltar (home of the Rock) ---
**Author:** ![iwakura43](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de0a6/32.png) [@iwakura43](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iwakura43)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2004, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-cities-will-forever-be-known-for-one-specific-thing-event/145759/136 "2004-10-24T02:03:23Z")
Gary, IN - pollution and funny smells (apparently) New Rome, OH - speed traps Hyannisport, MA - home of the Kennedys Newark, NJ - race riots, the airport, urban decay Lowell, MA - textile mills Plymouth, MA - landing site of the Mayflower ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2004, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-cities-will-forever-be-known-for-one-specific-thing-event/145759/137 "2004-10-24T02:11:22Z")
Y’know, the admin sorta frowns on resurrecting old threads, **Ignatz**. Just so’s ya know. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Ignatz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/3be4f8/32.png) [@Ignatz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ignatz)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2004, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-cities-will-forever-be-known-for-one-specific-thing-event/145759/138 "2004-10-24T03:40:44Z")
> [@Qadgop the Mercotan](#): > > Y’know, the admin sorta frowns on resurrecting old threads, **Ignatz**. Just so’s ya know. 😉 Thanks for the advice, QM. :smack: I’m brand new to all of this and did not see that rule. It’s not the first toe I’ve stubbed in my first week. I didn’t notice the last posting date until you mentioned it. Are there guidelines on how long after the last posting that new ones are frowned upon? I posted a new thread the other day and then noticed that there had been none since July 2004, but it got dozens of posts even though it had been on for at least two separate earlier periods. Would you please advise how I post a “location” in the “number of postings” block? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2004, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-cities-will-forever-be-known-for-one-specific-thing-event/145759/139 "2004-10-24T04:27:21Z")
> [@Ignatz](#): > > Are there guidelines on how long after the last posting that new ones are frowned upon? Nothing set in stone but the staff has requested that threads which have been dead for over three months not be bumped. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2004, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-cities-will-forever-be-known-for-one-specific-thing-event/145759/140 "2004-10-24T04:28:10Z")
> [@](#): > > **What if I want to continue / add to the discussion on a topic that was mentioned in an old thread?** > > Start a new thread with a link to the old thread. A general guideline for “old” would be a thread older than three months. Per the FAQ in ATMB. [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=106617](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=106617) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-cities-will-forever-be-known-for-one-specific-thing-event/145759.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-cities-will-forever-be-known-for-one-specific-thing-event/145759.md?page=8)