What's Your Hometown Known For?

[jennifert9]

Collin and I recently gave a "mini-orientation" of our new hometown area to some employees that he hired for the building here in York. They are both originally from Syracuse NY, also our hometown! We just showed them around and pointed out things like the mall and Wal-mart, grocery stores, the movie theaters, restaurants, things like that...
It's funny though because they made almost the same type of comments and asked the same questions as we did when we first moved here! It made me start thinking...
In Syracuse, there is a grocery store called Wegmans. I know it is in PA,(nowhere near here though) NJ, VA, NY and soon to be MD. Does anyone have one near them? Lucky ducks if you do!! Anyway, it's the BEST grocery store, it really is! In all the places I have lived and traveled, I have never seen a store that even compares to a Wegmans grocery store. It's cool, you can check it out at www.wegmans.com if you want.
Anyway, these guys were disappointed in the grocery stores here as one would expect growing up with Wegmans everywhere. Syracuse also has these GREAT hot dogs called Hoffmann hot dogs and coneys that you can only buy in upstate NY as far as I know. I have family that drives up from Virginia a few times a year and stocks up on them! Collin and I usually buy about 10 packs when we go home too! (We are all out right now but our friends are bringing some this weekend!! ) Syracuse also has salt potatos which I have never seen anywhere else either! They are just small white potatos but you cook them with a ton of salt and dip them in butter...ummm they are so good!
I can't think af anything else that Syracuse is known for except maybe the men's basketball and lacrosse teams, the NY State Fair!, the 2nd biggest mall in the US...

So I wondered if your hometown is known for something and what it is? I know each town has their own personality, what is it you would miss if you were away from home?
It will be interesting to hear and learn a little about everyone's hometowns!

[finn's mom]

Unfortunately, I don't know much about Columbia's history or whatever. Lake Murray is a big lake, that's about all I can say. Gosh, that's sad. Oh, but, there's a sign when I'm heading home that says....Irmo, town of the okra strut....or something like that. Don't know how famous it is, but, it's fun to say!

[jennifert9]

LOL!! That is funny! What is the Okra Strut, I wonder? Some kind of dancing vegetable?

Kari, this is totally off the topic and I should PM you but I am on this old computer so PMing takes F O R E V E R!! But I heard a song on the radio today that reminded me of you...I have no idea who sings it but it was on the local Top 40 channel and the lyrics were something about how the singer wants someone to come back to Texas, it's not the same without you, blah, blah, blah...he names all these famous Texans and Texas "things" but the chorus is "come back to Texas please, we miss you" or something like that anyway!! So I thought of you and thought it would be a good song for Ben to dedicate to you...didn't you meet him when you lived in Texas?!

Anyway, back to hometowns!!

[catnapper]

I'm originally from Philadelphia... that one's easy! Hoagies and cheesesteaks! Even here is Reading, which is only 60 miles away, you cannot get a true Philly steak. It just doesn't exist.

Here in Reading, we have Pretzels. Soft pretzels, hard pretzels, you name it. There's a place called "unique pretzels" that makes the BEST hard pretzels. Name your flavoring - they have it. Their "Xtra salt" ones are unbelievable. My somn lives for the jalepeno pretzel.

We also have Icy Tea - which must have crack in it because its so addictive --- watch out for that one Jen! Don't even start drinking it. I gave it up at Christmas time and I swear beating drugs or cigarette must be easier han beating Icy Tea. Only around here would someone understand that statement and two people can go into long conversations based on just this iced tea. It NUTS!

[slleipnir]

Potatoes and red soil?? lol. We have the best potatoes though..mm...

[Karen]

I grew up in North Oxford, Massachusetts - the birthplace of Clara Barton, the founder of the American Red Cross, the "Angel of the Battlefield," and other myriad accomplishments.

When you grow up down the street from Clara Barton birthplace, your schoolbus travels down Clara Barton Road, and you go to Clara Barton Elementary School, you grow up thinking she's one of the most famous women ever.

Oxford was the settling place for Huguenots - Protestants thrown out of Catholic France. It was "established" three times - first two settlements were wiped out by the Nipmuc (Native Americans).

Oxford was the birthplace of Elliott Joslin, a pioneering doctor in the treatment of diabetes.

These days, it's where Dad lives. No food landmarks, um - there's a big flood control project, where on many years you can tell how wet the winter was by how soon the water retreats from the pitcher's mound of the baseball field ...

[jennifert9]

Audrey, isn't PEI the smallest Canadian province? Or am I crazy and have no idea what I am talking about?
Kim, is Icy tea the brand name of this crack/tea? I haven't seen it if it is but I will look for it now! Turkey Hill Iced Tea seems to be the crowd favorite here but since I am from the north, a "yankee" as Collin and I have been called TWICE since we've been here, I drink my tea unsweetened and with no lemon. I feel like I'm mixing up a witches brew in my kitchen and God forbid any of the neighbors decide to get friendly finally and ask for a glass!! We'll be sent back to NY!
BTW, Collin says he won't drink or eat anything with "turkey" in the brand name! Guess that means I get the whole 1/2 gallon of ice cream I just bought to myself!!

[petslover]

Birthplace of Elvis Presley!

[catnapper]

Yum, Turkey Hill ice cream is great! Their iced tea is ok, not great, just ok. I'm a conneseur of iced tea!

Icy Tea is the brand name. It should be available by you. You won't find it at Sheetz, WaWa or TurkeyHill because they all sell their own brands. It amazes me that I even got hooked; I too only drink black iced tea. Its a fine recipe I have --- nuke a mug of water with a tea bag for one-minute-20, then fill a tall glass with ice, pour nuked tea in glass... ta da! Instant iced tea! I always feel most bottled drinks are too sweet. Even most juices. So WHY I fell for this iced tea concoction of PURE sugar is beyond me!

I can't believe people called you yankees! LOL

[K9karen]

Philly-delphia is also known for "Scrapple" (which I wouldn't touch w/a ten foot pole but people swear by it). Seriously, I had clients from GB and they had hoagies and cheesesteaks and nearly fell over! You haven't eaten until you consume a few of those!
Of course there's the Liberty Bell, Betsy Ross' house, Independence Hall, Valley Forge and lots of historical sights. I'd rather talk about food, though...

[jennifert9]

YUP, people called us Yankees!! Funny isn't it? Granted Collin has Jersey plates on his car and I have NY plates on mine so it's a dead giveaway!! We ran into some folks at the laundromat that REALLY took offense to my plates...I have no idea why but as soon as we walked in they whispered loudly, "Oh, they think they're so great because they're from the Big City..." And the ironic part is that we're NOT from the "Big City" at all!! LOL!!

A funny thing happened today too with the mailwoman. She came up to our front porch as we were leaving and asked us if the neighbors were home. I told her that I didn't know but that their car wasn't there so I would assume they weren't. She said, "Do they only have one vehicle?" I told her, "no I think they have 2 but I don't see either one." So Collin and I went on our way to the pool and a few minutes later he turns to me and says "what did she ask you?' I repeated it. Turns out he didn't understand the word "vehicle" when she said it. She said it like vee-HICKLE, like pickle instead of like veh-icle. I don't know if I'm explaining that right but it was funny that he didn't understand her!

And once again...I'm off topic!! LOL!! I should probably emntion what my new town is known for too since it's only fair! Kim, you would probably know better than I but York has the largest Harley-Davidson factory(big draw for people to visit us so we milk that one!), York Barbell which I understand is world-famous in certain circles, Three-Mile Island is nearby although I don't know if that is good or bad...some of the bugs here are REALLY big!! LOL!! And I don't know what else...?

[Fox-Gal]

There's not much my town is known for except the 12 hours of Sebring, races.

Once a years we get hit with race fans and this little town turns into wall to wall cars and people. I do my best to stay home on those days, Races fans are nuts.

We are also known for our Caladium fields. 95% of all Caladiums are grown here. Right on my road. It's so neat to drive my road, when they are in full bloom. One grower, plants his, so it looks like a quilt, with all the different colors of plants. Then ever year we have the Caladium festival. Fun.

The only other thing I can think of is we have the 4th largest lake in Florida and it's known for it's Osprey, (Totally spelled wrong, I think) it's a bird. They look just like Eagles, sort of, only small. People come from all around in time for the babies to fly off, just to watch.

[CountryWolf07]

St. Louis - the Arch

[davidpizzica]

I'm from Pittsburgh! Home of the Steelers and the Pirates. WE're famous for being the home of H.J. Heinz, Islays chipped/chopped ham, and steel production. WE're NOT the smoky city anymore!

[IRescue452]

Cheese! and many many casper white Dutch people in one place. Little Chute- home of the Great American Cheese Fest and where every single yard has a blue and white windmill with tulips and wooden shoes painted on. We're even getting a giant working windmill/flour mill put up for a tourist attraction. You can see it from our windows. Great that will really boost our home's value.