You’ve heard of Snowflake, Why and Bumble Bee. But have you ever seen Nothing or Hope in your travels?
Arizona is home to many uniquely named landmarks and places that are sure to make you laugh in delight or seriously wonder where the name came from.
Local social media users were quick to share their favorites in a June 14 post on Reddit, and the names run the gamut from major metro Phoenix cities to straight up goofy ghost towns that are no more than a speck on the map.
Here are 14 unusual Grand Canyon States place names Arizonans love.
Ajo
While this town’s name does translate to garlic, Ajo’s name has a deeper history. It actually comes from a Tohono O’odham word (au’auho) for paint. When Latino miners came to the area to mine copper, the name was contracted to the familiar Spanish word.
Bagdad
The origin of Bagdad’s name is not as clear as many other mining towns. Some say the central Arizona place has an Arabian origin tied to an early settler’s love of “Arabian Nights.” Others claim it comes from a father-son mining operation as the son would yell “Bag, Dad,” when he needed another bag for ore.
Chloride
Chloride was founded in 1863 and was once the largest city in Mohave County. The town was named after the ore’s they mined, which were heavy in silver chloride.
Christmas
This nearly forgotten mining town in Gila County is in line with other holiday-themed Arizona places, like Santa Claus and Valentine.
The land that Christmas would later be founded on was part of the San Carlos Apache Reservation. However, prospectors petitioned the government to gerrymander the reservation lines, allowing them to mine there, according to True West Magazine. One miner, wanted the land so badly he set up hired riders to relay any news about the bill changing the land rights while he camped outside the land. He got word the bill passed on Christmas Eve and took possession of the land the next day.
He was quoted as saying he hoped “Santa Claus would bring them a fine fortune.”
Contention City
This Cochise County ghost town was founded in the late 1800s after two mining partners found ore and quickly got into a fight over who would own the stake.
The town was also a stop along stage lines heading to Tucson and Tombstone. Over the years, Contention City played host to major gun battles and showdowns between law enforcement and outlaws. However, as the mines dried up, so too did the town.
Crown King
Crown King, which is located northwest of Black Canyon City, was named after the nearby Crowned King Mine. Over time, the town’s name was shortened to simply Crown King.
Hope
This La Paz county town was settled in 1909 as Johannesburg. However, after the nearby traveling route was changed to bypass the town, they moved to a new location and formed a new town. They called it “hope” as they strongly wished for good fortune in their new home.
Nothing
Nothing today is nothing more than a tiny ghost town off of the U.S. 93, south of Wikieup. But there was a time when Nothing bustled, as much as a town of four residents ever does. It is unclear where the name came from, but it brought the town a measure of fame. Nothing was something in those days.
Surprise
According to the city’s official website, Surprise’s name was taken from a comment from its founder Flora Mae Statler. Statler’s daughter said that when the city was just one square mile of farmland around 1938, her mother once commented she would be “surprised if the town ever amounted to much.”
Three Way
This area in eastern Arizona near Duncan is named after the three roads (US 191, State Route 75 and SR 78) that form a junction there.
Top-of-the-World
When you hear Top-of-the-World, you might imagine a place teetering atop a high peak with a view of an astonishing landscape, but the community’s name might not live up to the expectations it evokes. Some believe the name is a misnomer from a camping and recreation facility created in 1922 by the old alignment of U.S. 60, about two miles west of current Top-of-the-World.
Tortilla Flats
Tortilla Flats in eastern Maricopa County was named after nearby rock formations, which early settlers said looked like tortilla.
Tuba City
In 1875, early settlers from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints named the community they built near the Hopi communities of Moenkopi after their leader Tuvi. However, the settlers’ pronunciation was wrong, giving rise to the name Tuba City. In the early 1900s, the Mormons left the area as they had settled on land reserved for the Native American use.
Today, the Navajo people who have lived there since the late 1800s as Tó Nanees’dizí, which means “tangled waters” due to the underwater springs, according to Visit Arizona.
Wikieup
Wikieup is a small community in Mohave County. It’s name comes from the Mohave word for “shelter” or “home.” As the town’s founders settled in the area there was a small shelter near their post office site. Thus, Wikieup was selected as the town’s name, beating Owens, Neal and Sandy.
What other unusual Arizona place names do you love? Have any place names you are curious about? Send them to trending editor Shelby Slade at shelby.slade@gannett.com.
See the full Housing Inventory article, or, read more Arizona real estate investing news. Up to you! Either way, you’re on your game!
