Some merchants want to put a sign on the east edge of Jefferson City, Mo., welcoming people to town. The question came up during a city council discussion of the proposal: Just what is the name of the seat of Cole County? Is it Jefferson City or The City of Jefferson?
Maybe towns should not use City as part of their name. We lived in Rockwell City, Iowa, for years. I tried not to use the phrase "Rockwell City City Council" when I wrote newspaper stories about council meetings. "Rockwell City Council" never seemed right either. That county seat was originally called Rockwell until the post office said the name was taken. It still leads to confusion over 125 years later.
Some people in Rockwell City pronounce the name Rock-Well-City. Some (such as I) pronounce it Rock-wul-City. Some just call it Rock-wul.
Let's move south to the capital of Missouri. An awful lot of folks call the town Jeff City. I did not realize that some residents "loathe" that nickname. I think it sounds friendly. Unless you are talking about three four-letter words:
Nothing friendly about that football juggernaut that won 71 games in a row from 1958 to 1966. Bob Priddy tells the story of the Jays' streak here (click on the shaded arrow in the lower left to hear the episode). Even now my stomach churns to think of the Jays of that era.
My high school, Mexico, last beat the Jeff City Jays in 1955. One of the supreme ironies is that "Coach Pete" was a native of Mexico. The Streak started in 1958 when his Jays beat the Mexico Bulldogs.
I think the Bulldogs could have licked the City of Jefferson Jays.
The seat of the county of Cole.
Maybe towns should not use City as part of their name. We lived in Rockwell City, Iowa, for years. I tried not to use the phrase "Rockwell City City Council" when I wrote newspaper stories about council meetings. "Rockwell City Council" never seemed right either. That county seat was originally called Rockwell until the post office said the name was taken. It still leads to confusion over 125 years later.
Some people in Rockwell City pronounce the name Rock-Well-City. Some (such as I) pronounce it Rock-wul-City. Some just call it Rock-wul.
Let's move south to the capital of Missouri. An awful lot of folks call the town Jeff City. I did not realize that some residents "loathe" that nickname. I think it sounds friendly. Unless you are talking about three four-letter words:
Jeff
City
Jays
City
Jays
Nothing friendly about that football juggernaut that won 71 games in a row from 1958 to 1966. Bob Priddy tells the story of the Jays' streak here (click on the shaded arrow in the lower left to hear the episode). Even now my stomach churns to think of the Jays of that era.
My high school, Mexico, last beat the Jeff City Jays in 1955. One of the supreme ironies is that "Coach Pete" was a native of Mexico. The Streak started in 1958 when his Jays beat the Mexico Bulldogs.
I think the Bulldogs could have licked the City of Jefferson Jays.
The seat of the county of Cole.