# What is the city of...? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 14, 2012, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-city-of/643979 "2012-12-14T00:59:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-city-of/643979/21 "2012-12-14T13:59:31Z")
Schenectady used to be “The City that Lights and Hauls the World.” Now, it’s not. It’s still called “The Electric City,” though. ---
**Author:** ![bahimes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e36b37/32.png) [@bahimes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bahimes)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-city-of/643979/22 "2012-12-14T14:22:31Z")
Orlando the “City Beautiful” (1960s, not bothered to check if current.) ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-city-of/643979/23 "2012-12-14T15:16:46Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Dallas was known as the City of Hate after the Kennedy assassination. > > BTW: Paris was nicknamed the “City of Light” (_not_ City of Lights) originally because it was a vast center of education and ideas during the Age of Enlightenment. Then in 1828, it began lighting the Champs-Elysees with gas lamps, the first city in Europe to do so, and so earned the nickname “La Ville-Lumière” from that. > [@Slithy\_Tove](#): > > IIRC, London had gas lighting first, which makes sense given the abundance of coal gas and it being the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution; and used Napoleonic War-surplus musket barrels for piping (perhaps apocryphal). Can’t trust those damned frogs. ☹ Bangkok is only called Bangkok by foreigners. Thais call it Krung Thep (City of Angels). Los Angeles, if you will. ---
**Author:** ![leahcim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b4bc9f/32.png) [@leahcim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leahcim)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-city-of/643979/24 "2012-12-14T15:27:57Z")
> [@the\_diego](#): > > Does “city that doesn’t sleep” qualify as a human emotion? Probably not, but I nominate Santa Fe, NM as the “city that takes a solid nap at 2:30 in the afternoon and still is in bed by 10:00”. ---
**Author:** ![Iggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iggy/32/3364_2.png) [@Iggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggy)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-city-of/643979/25 "2012-12-14T15:28:11Z")
I grew up in the [City of Pointless Revenge](http://voices.yahoo.com/the-hanging-mary-elephant-erwin-tennessee-558267.html). They actually arrested an executed an elephant for killing a man. OK, officially it was called [The Model City](http://www.kingsporttn.gov/?q=history), being one of the first cities designed by a [landscape architect](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Nolen). ---
**Author:** ![mcgato](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac8455/32.png) [@mcgato](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mcgato)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-city-of/643979/26 "2012-12-14T16:32:58Z")
Chicago is the Windy City. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-city-of/643979/27 "2012-12-14T16:47:20Z")
San Diego: America’s Finest City. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-city-of/643979/28 "2012-12-14T16:54:38Z")
> [@cormac262](#): > > Best Philly story: I’m flying back from somewhere, and I am connecting through Philly. As we are about to land, the “fasten your seat belt…” announcement is made, and ends with “…and welcome to the city of brotherly love.” > > I turn to the guy next to me, and ask if he lives here. He says “yes.” So I ask “So what’s up with this ‘city of brotherly love’ crap ? I’ve spent time in Philly.” > > He laughs and says, “You know what my brother calls it ? ‘The City that Hates You Back’” > > If only they sold that t-shirt ! That was because Philly’s current slogan is “The City That Loves You Back”. Personally, my favorite take-off on that is “The City That Shoves You Back”. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-city-of/643979/29 "2012-12-14T17:32:08Z")
> [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](#): > > I think that Cairo could be the City Of Wistfulness. Surely Cairo is the City of Denial… ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-city-of/643979/30 "2012-12-14T17:34:36Z")
> [@Hypno-Toad](#): > > Surely Cairo is the City of Denial… You’re such a Khartoum character. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![pancakes3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba9def/32.png) [@pancakes3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pancakes3)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-city-of/643979/31 "2012-12-14T17:42:12Z")
Grew up in Richmond, Va - the River City. and visited in the past year: Charleston, SC - the Holy City (because of all the churches) Pittsburg, Pa - the Iron City Louisville, KY - Derby City Hershey Pa - Sweetest place on Earth Las Vegas - Sin City and hometown DC has some of the greatest: Chocolate City, City of Magnificent Intentions, and Hollywood for Ugly People Hard time thinking of any for East Asian cities. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-city-of/643979/32 "2012-12-14T17:51:41Z")
> [@pancakes3](#): > > Pittsburg, Pa - the Iron City PittsburgH, please. Pittsburg’s in Kansas or something. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-city-of/643979/33 "2012-12-14T18:11:48Z")
I think Cleveland is more the City of Frustration than the City of Meh. We can’t have nice things. It’s very frustrating. Akron is The Rubber City. Yeah baby! [rubber tires] ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-city-of/643979/34 "2012-12-14T18:23:50Z")
> [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](#): > > Okay so Paris is supposed to be the City Of Love. But I was wondering if there are or should be cities of other emotions or states of being. > > So, for instance, what would be the City Of Hate? Or the City Of Pride? Or the City Of Sarcasm? > > I think that Cairo could be the City Of Wistfulness. > > Now, if you want to have a go at the City Of Hate, please play nicely… Actually, I thought Paris was the City of **Light** ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-city-of/643979/35 "2012-12-14T18:24:34Z")
Fort Myers is the City of Palms ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-city-of/643979/36 "2012-12-14T18:37:19Z")
Madison (Wisconsin) is sometimes called “Mad City”, but it seems like it does not really mean angry to crazy, just punny. “Chicago” allegedly derives from a NA word that meant “Place of Bad Smells”. Jackson Wyoming is the city of “If you have to ask …” But I am still not clear on what exactly “The Big Easy” is supposed to mean. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-city-of/643979/37 "2012-12-14T19:15:22Z")
> [@pancakes3](#): > > Hard time thinking of any for East Asian cities. Tokyo: The City of WTF ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-city-of/643979/38 "2012-12-14T19:19:23Z")
> [@For You](#): > > But I am still not clear on what exactly “The Big Easy” is supposed to mean. From Wikipedia: "The Big Easy was possibly a reference by musicians in the early 20th century to the relative ease of finding work there. It also may have originated in the Prohibition era, when the city was considered one big speak-easy due to the inability of the federal government to control alcohol sales in open violation of the 18th Amendment. The term was used by local columnist Betty Gillaud in the 1970s to contrast life in the city to that of New York City.[160] The name also refers to New Orleans’ status as a major city, at one time “one of the cheapest places in America to live.” ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-city-of/643979/39 "2012-12-14T21:32:30Z")
Copenhagen is often referred to as the Paris of the north. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-city-of/643979/40 "2012-12-14T21:45:50Z")
> [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](#): > > Okay so Paris is supposed to be the City Of Love. Um, Paris: City of Lights. Rome: City of Love. [Here’s](http://got.net/~landauer/lists/CityOf.html) a list. Also, another claimant to City of Fountains is Portland, OR. City of Amnesia? Brooklyn. (As in fuhgeddaboudit.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-city-of/643979.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-city-of/643979.md?page=3)