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Local Place Name Brainstorm

· Posted Wednesday July 12, 2006 by jamie

So I have issues with a few of the place names around here. I think we should sort it all out. After all, Auburn used to be called Slaughter, and they eventually saw the light…

First on the chopping block: University Place. Now here’s a name that doesn’t make any sense at all. Sure, UPS almost was located there, but that was, like, over 100 years ago. I think we may have moved beyond this name making any sense. So I’ve got two ideas. The first is “Ladenburg”; it’s got a nice sound and would honor the dude that’s building them a world-class golf course. Alternately, I’d propose “Yooplace”...everybody already calls it that anyway.

Next up: Federal Way. Okay, this name might have made sense in a geographical sense back before there was actually a city there. As in, “I’m going to the Spanish Castle down along the Federal Way”. That’s “the Federal Way” as in Highway 99. But just as no one in their right mind would name their town “Highway 99”, “Federal Way” was a bad choice from the start. My choice? Rename the whole darn city “Enchanted Village”. Who wouldn’t want to live in Enchanted Village, WA?

Just one more for now: Parkland. My problem here is that, aside from the PLU campus, where is all of this park land they speak of? In this case, though, I actually like the name, so the clear solution is to create more parks…

So what do we think, loyal readers? Any South Sound locales you’d love to rename (or redefine)? Let’s hear it!


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Comments:

  1. Jamie,

    I’d also like to consider a new name for Spanaway. It’s name sounds like it’s between everything, which, in some ways, it is. But it’s a bad name. I’ve got three cheers for Enchanted Village, WA, though!

    — Erik Hanberg    Jul 12, 07:01 PM    #

  2. names to consider:
    Awesometown, WA
    Rocket Sauce, WA
    Pen Island, WA
    Farside, WA

    — Richard R. Anderson    Jul 13, 06:22 PM    #