# What's your town famous for? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 20, 2004, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-town-famous-for/270285 "2004-10-20T21:33:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Ignatz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/3be4f8/32.png) [@Ignatz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ignatz)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2004, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-town-famous-for/270285/121 "2004-10-23T22:39:06Z")
> [@AsecretK](#): > > Archibald Willard was born in my hometown of Bedford, Ohio. He painted The Spirit of 1776 šŸ™‚ And the original hangs in the town hall of my birth town (Iā€™m not there now) which also built the first ship of the American Navy, the _Hannah,_ supplied Col. John Glover and his Mariners who rowed Washingtonā€™s army across the Delaware River to defeat the Hessians on Christmas Eve in Trenton, (why we donā€™t speak British and drive on the wrong side of the road today) (rent _The Crossing_, with Bill Paxton as Washington to see all about it), supplied Elbridge Gerry (with a hard ā€œGā€, 4th vice president, the originator of gerrymandering (with a hard ā€œgā€, please), i.e., the drawing of boundaries of geographical areas to include/exclude certain numbers (or types?) of voters-his resembled a salamander, current home of Kyle Hamilton, biker in the Athens Olympics ---
**Author:** ![Lillith\_Fair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bb73d2/32.png) [@Lillith\_Fair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lillith_Fair)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2004, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-town-famous-for/270285/122 "2004-10-24T01:03:10Z")
Sam Shepherd might have killed his wife Marilyn in Bay Village, Ohio. Famous case that The Fugitive was loosely based on. I think he may have been involved, but I donā€™t think he did it because there was blood in the house that was not his or his wifeā€™s. A few years ago the house was torn down and rebuilt. The old house was usually for rent and no one wanted to live there. The thing is, itā€™s right on the lake so is prime property. So when you drive people by to see the house it really doesnā€™t matter because itā€™s not the same house. ---
**Author:** ![dwyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwyr/32/363_2.png) [@dwyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwyr)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2004, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-town-famous-for/270285/123 "2004-10-24T09:09:39Z")
> [@Kizarvexius](#): > > Oh, I almost forgot. > > Greetings and saluatations to \*\*dwyr \*\*. I have plenty of relatives in E-Town. Hmmmā€¦ my mother once told me that a branch of her fatherā€™s family moved to Texas many, many years agoā€¦ šŸ˜‰ > [@Enola Straight](#): > > I have, too! In fact, my uncle is an honest-to-God Kentucky Colonel, just like KFCā€™s Col. Sanders! So was my Great Aunt. You can hardly turn around here without tripping over one. None quite so memorable as Harland Sanders though. ---
**Author:** ![Marlitharn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/779978/32.png) [@Marlitharn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marlitharn)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2004, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-town-famous-for/270285/124 "2004-10-24T10:28:29Z")
Some guy named Churchill once gave a speech about some kind of Iron Curtain at one of the colleges here in my hometown. šŸ˜‰ Speaking of Churchill, we are also the proud owners of a sculpture made from a chunk of the Berlin wall and sculpted by Churchillā€™s granddaughter. Also the birthplace of Henry Bellaman, author of _Kingā€™s Row_. Later made into a movie (and a very good one, IMHO) starring Ronald Reagan, in which he got to scream, ā€œWHEREā€™S THE REST OF ME?!?ā€ Affectionately known to its inhabitants as ā€œF\*\*\*ed Up Little Town On Narcotics.ā€ ---
**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:** [October 24, 2004, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-town-famous-for/270285/125 "2004-10-24T14:08:32Z")
Springfield, Illinois. Abraham Lincoln lived and worked here for about 25 years. He also left for Washington from here. Heā€™s buried here. Just about every other landmark in this city is named ā€œLincoln Thisā€ or ā€œLincoln That.ā€ ---
**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:** [October 24, 2004, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-town-famous-for/270285/126 "2004-10-24T16:16:32Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > Springfield, Illinois. > > Abraham Lincoln lived and worked here for about 25 years. He also left for Washington from here. Heā€™s buried here. > > Just about every other landmark in this city is named ā€œLincoln Thisā€ or ā€œLincoln That.ā€ Oh, also- the Donner Pary left from Springfield. Although the Donner Party stuff is completely overshadowed by the Lincoln stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2004, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-town-famous-for/270285/127 "2004-10-24T22:28:14Z")
Not my town. But a town on the Isle of Man. Castletown. The home of the guy who steered HMS Victory in the battle of Trafalgar. I was there today. Took some pics of the house. When I get around to updating my website (or even paying for ā€˜properā€™ webspace) Iā€™ll upload them. P.S. I think ā€˜townā€™ should exclude cities in this thread. Itā€™s piss-easy to live in a city in America thatā€™s famous for _something_. ---
**Author:** ![Lsura](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Lsura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lsura)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2004, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-town-famous-for/270285/128 "2004-10-24T22:33:05Z")
> [@tpayne](#): > > Chin up, **Aesiron**. Cleveland Tennessee is famous for being the-great-shortcut-if-you-want-to-miss-Chattennooga-on-75. > > Or at least it used to beā€¦ now itā€™s too built up, so maybe your pathos is right onā€¦ šŸ˜ƒ With the construction on 75 between Cleveland and Chattanooga? The last time I drove between Knoxville/Atlanta and back again, I still took the shortcut through Cleveland. The lights and traffic can slow you down a little - but depending on the time of day, you can still sometimes do better going through Cleveland. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2004, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-town-famous-for/270285/129 "2004-10-24T22:50:52Z")
[house](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v98/lobley/DSCF0049.jpg) (If I were a good photographer Iā€™d have moved the wheely-bin) [plaque](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v98/lobley/DSCF0047.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2004, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-town-famous-for/270285/130 "2004-10-24T22:57:49Z")
> [@Marlitharn](#): > > Speaking of Churchill, we are also the proud owners of a sculpture made from a chunk of the Berlin wall and sculpted by Churchillā€™s granddaughter. Is she anywhere near as endearing as his Grandson, [Fatty Soames MP](http://www.nicholassoames.org.uk/)? ---
**Author:** ![Chanteuse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9de053/32.png) [@Chanteuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chanteuse)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2004, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-town-famous-for/270285/131 "2004-10-25T13:43:20Z")
Hometown of country music legends William Lee Golden of The Oakridge Boys and Hank Locklin. Bill Golden Iā€™ve never seen hereā€“just in Branson, where I had to pay (would this be an example of irony?)! Hank Locklin I see around pretty regularly, and I spoke to him once in the grocery store. A very nice gentleman! ---
**Author:** ![owlstretchingtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2004, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-town-famous-for/270285/132 "2004-10-25T14:01:54Z")
Where I live now - The Wimbledon Tennis Championships (no theyā€™re not in Wimbledon) and Wombles. Where I grew up: Capital of England prior to London, Home of Winchester Cathedral (which just stood there and watched as my baby left town). Home of King Arthurā€™s round table; Home of one of Britainā€™s best schools (where I went and was in the same year and house as Joss Weedon - who went on to create Buffy the Vampire slayer, but he was still ā€œjoe the yankā€ back then.) ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2004, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-town-famous-for/270285/133 "2004-10-25T14:11:07Z")
The Curtiss candy family owned the property adjacent to mine. They had a fabulous place, but it was abandoned quite some time ago. Teenagers turned it into a make-out party place, and eventually everything was bulldozed so the tree people could turn it into a forest preserve. Before the place was trashed, I dated a guy who took me to a party there (the Curtiss people had already sold the house). It was a very cool place, with French doors that opened over a stream ( :eek: ). Iā€™m glad the tree people saved the area. I donā€™t want any neighbors. ---
**Author:** ![Shrinking\_Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@Shrinking\_Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shrinking_Violet)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2004, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-town-famous-for/270285/134 "2004-10-25T14:58:07Z")
My home town: Birthplace of [**Thomas Gainsborough**](http://www.gainsborough.org/) Birthplace of [**Simon of Sudbury**](http://www.britannica.com/eb/article?tocId=9067853&query=Simon%20of%20Highbury%2C%20Lord) On the outskirts is [**Borley Rectory**](http://www.prairieghosts.com/brectory.html) - ā€œThe Most Haunted House In Englandā€ Is the town named **Eatanswill** in Dickensā€™ Pickwick Papers My current town: Ummmmm ā€¦ ---
**Author:** ![Selkie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbce88/32.png) [@Selkie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Selkie)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2004, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-town-famous-for/270285/135 "2004-10-25T15:16:31Z")
The first McDonaldā€™s. A locally infamous parking garage, now demolished. John Wayne Gacy (although he didnā€™t live here,he spent quite a bit of time here and it was a local cop who caught on that he was a scary clown). ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2004, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-town-famous-for/270285/136 "2004-10-25T15:24:35Z")
Donā€™t know if Ethilrist beat me in here, but: We are of course the capital city. We had the hostage crisis at SUNY Albany several years ago. All the politicians come here at least for a little while during campaign season. We have Empire Plaza, the most esoteric and unusual piece of construciton around. And we have Albany International Airport which isnā€™t International. Oh, and we have Pepsi Arena the most annoying traffic jam around. ---
**Author:** ![sWitchazel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@sWitchazel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sWitchazel)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2004, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-town-famous-for/270285/137 "2004-10-25T17:38:59Z")
My hometown is Tullahoma, TN, known for [whisky](http://www.dickel.com.html) and [windtunnels](http://www.arnold.af.mil/). ---
**Author:** ![sWitchazel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@sWitchazel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sWitchazel)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2004, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-town-famous-for/270285/138 "2004-10-25T17:41:33Z")
:smack: Corrected [link](http://www.dickel.com/home.html). ---
**Author:** ![MelCthefirst](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eada6e/32.png) [@MelCthefirst](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MelCthefirst)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2004, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-town-famous-for/270285/139 "2004-10-25T20:01:33Z")
> [@Grape Girl](#): > > Hey guys, > Long time lurker, 1st time poster. (Please be nice) > Anyways the reason my town draws tourists is cos we have a head of a saint in our church!! not even mummified or anything! Its gross but for some reason it draws 1000ā€™s of tourists every year! What town is that and are there any pictures of the head? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-town-famous-for/270285.md?page=6)