South Carolina: Weasel (nickname)
Entry in progress -- B.P. Wikipedia: List of mammals of SOuth CarolinaMustelidae . Least weasel (Mustela nivalis). Long-tailed weasel (Mustela frenata). Mink (Mustela vison). North American river…
Archive for 01/2016
New Hampshire: Granite State (nickname)
New Hampshire was first called the "Granite State" at an honorary dinner for Marquis de Lafayette (1757-1834) on June 22, 1825. Philip Carrigain (1772-1842), a former secretary of state…
Nebraska: Cornhusker (nickname)
Citizens of Nebraska were called "Bug Eaters" in the 1800s, and Nebraska was called the 'Bug Eater State" and the "Tree Planters State." Charles Sumner…
Albany: Sturgeondom (nickname)
Sturgeon in the Hudson River were so numerous that they were called "Albany beef" since at least the 1770s. The city of Albany itself was called "Sturgeondom" or…
Nebraska: Bug Eater (nickname)
Citizens of Nebraska in the 1800s were called "Bug Eaters" (or "Bugeaters"), and Nebraska was called the "Bug Eater State." The name is from the bug-eating European…
New England: Eel (nickname)
Eel fishing was very popular in New England in the 19th century. "The Yankees are called Eels" was cited in an 1834 newspaper. "The Eels of New-England" was cited in a passage…
Snowzilla (snow + Godzilla)
"Snowzilla" (snow + Godzilla) is the name of a snow monster -- such as a snowman, a snow machine or a snowstorm. "Snowzilla" was the 1999 name of a snow sculpture, the 2004 name…
Origin of “Gopher” (Minnesota nickname)
Minnesota officially became a state on May 11, 1858. Slightly before 1858, Minnesota had been called the "Gopher State" and its residents called "Gophers." A widely reprinted…
Origin of “Buckeye” (Ohio nickname)
Entry in progress -- B.P. Wikipedia: Aesculus glabraThe tree species Aesculus glabra is commonly known as Ohio buckeye, American buckeye, or fetid buckeye. Glabra is one of 13–19 species of…
Origin of “Badger” (Wisconsin nickname)
People from Wisconsin are nicknamed "Badgers." The University of Wisconsin officially adopted the "Badgers" nickname in 1889. "A keen-eyed leather-belted "badger"…
Origin of “Sucker” (Illinois nickname)
People from Illinois were called "Suckers" in the 1800s, and Illinois was called the "Sucker State." As explained in an 1845 issue of the Brooklyn (NY) Daily Eagle by someone…
Origin of “Wolverine” (Michigan nickname)
Entry in progress -- B.P. Google Books22 February 1834, New-York (NY) American, "Review of the Week," pg. 2, col. 1:Prairie Ronde, (Kalamazoo co. M.T.) Dec. 26.(...)There was a…
Puke State (Missouri nickname)
People from Missouri were called "Pukes" in the 1800s, and Missouri was called the "Puke State." As explained in an 1845 issue of the Brooklyn (NY) Daily Eagle by someone…
“A brain walks into a bar…” (bar joke)
"A guy walks into a bar..." is a typical form of what has been called the "bar joke." A popular joke involving a brain is: "A brain walks into a bar and asks for a pint of…
“Don’t stop and throw stones at every dog that barks” (business adage)
"Cast not a stone at every dog that barks" is a proverb that has been cited since at least 1579. British statesman Winston Churchill (1874-1965) said in 1923: "You will never get to…
“A ghost walks into a bar…” (bar joke)
"A guy walks into a bar..." is a typical form of what has been called the "bar joke." A popular version involving a ghost is: "A ghost walks into a bar. The bartender says,…
City of Flour and Sawdust (Minneapolis nickname)
"City of Flour and Sawdust" is a 19th century nickname of the city of Minneapolis, Minnesota, reflecting its industry of flour mills and lumber mills. "Minneapolis -- City of Flour…
“My friend swallowed some coins and was taken to the hospital” (joke)
People sometimes swallow coins, and it's one of the oldest of American puns: "My friend swallowed some coins and was taken to the hospital. I asked the nurse about his condition, but she…
“I haven’t owned a watch for I don’t know how long”
"For I don't know how long" is an expression for a long period of time, but there's a joke: "I haven't owned a watch for I don't know how long." The joke was…
“Why is the Statue of Liberty surrounded by water?” (riddle)
One popular Statue of Liberty riddle is: Q: Why is the Statue of Liberty surrounded by water?A: She held her hand up, but the teacher didn't call on her soon enough. The joke appeared in the…