I've been able to uncover several sources (here's a reliable one) which indicate that the name of my current hometown of Avon, Indiana used to be known as...Smootsdell.
Apparently we wer first known as Hampton. That name didn't stick and soon we were called White Lick, Smootsdell and New Philadelphia. The name "Avon" was assigned by the railroad which plays a prominent role in the city. Apparently, someone from the railroad stuck a sign next to the tracks that said, "Avon" and we gradually inherited the name (how pathetic!).
While we are a fast growing town of close to 10,000 people (just around 6,000 in the year 2000 Census), we've only been officially incorporated since 1995. But I say, let's take back our heritage. I don't want to be a town assigned a name by the railroad that reminds me of a popular cosmetics company. Residents of "Avon" unite. Let's take back our heritage.
LET'S BE SMOOTSDELL!!!
It's totally original--something our town needs since basically we're just a bunch of new housing developments and strip malls located along Rockville Road.
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4 days ago
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9 comments:
Haven't you heard?
The cosmetic company is ALSO considering changing its name to Smootsdell.
How ironic is THaT?
Hey - count yourselves lucky.
You could've been stuck with "Mary Kay"
Well, it would be hard to forget!
SMOOTSDELL!!! That is a flippin' awesome name!!! How can you go from SMOOTSDELL to Avon? Lame.
I don't live in Avon, but when you start the petition - count me in!
Puh! ... Avon. .... Mega lame.
Cool!
Wouldn't that be something to say on "Jeopardy!":
"Meet today's contestants:
"Sarah Johnson, from Columbus, Ohio;
"Randy Underton, from Red Rock, Colorado;
and, our returning champion, Roger Shuman, from Smootsdell, Indi--what the heck?! Smootsdell? Hahaha...ahem...I mean, I've never heard of it."
Fun stuff.
Hey, I'm all for it.
How do you have the time to research that sort of stuff?
I mean, since I work and clean and eat and sleep, I don't have much time to investigate such fascinating tidbits of lost history. ;)
Thanks for the comment on my blog, by the way. It was a very lovely present to find stowed away in my inbox after a full day's work. It means a lot that somebody not only read my thoughts but enjoyed them. More than sheer enjoyment, though, they thought that they were "RIGHT ON." Thanks for that encouragement!
Have a great Sunday, ya'll!
Alex Ehrhardt
Proud Resident of Smootsdell, IN
Smootsdell sounds like a name from a Dr. Seuss book, e.g.:
And THEN
They'd do something
He liked least of all!
Every Smoot down in Smootsdell, the tall and the small,
Would stand close together, with Christmas bells ringing.
They'd stand hand-in-hand. And the Smoots would start singing!
Me like, because truth be told, we're the smootiest town evuh!
But seriously though, if we changed it (back) to Smootsdell, Reece would no longer live in a town by the exact same name as his birth sister's town back in OH. Oh sure, I suppose we could campaign to get them to jump on our band wagon and become New Smootsdell (or East Smootsdell, or Upper Smootsdell).
Blessings,
~Toni~
lol- Smootsdell? Sounds like something from The Simpsons
How'd you like to be the guy Smootsdell was named after?
"Hello. My name is Harold Smoots."
Seeing it in writing isn't as funny as it was in my head, but still, I wouldn't want that as a last name....
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