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"…
Buildings/Housing/Parks
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 “Canuck” (“Johnny Canuck”) - summary
Entry in progress. More digitized Canadian material due in about a month. -- B.P. Wikipedia: Canuck"Canuck" is a slang term for Canadians. HistoryThe term was coined in the 19th century,…
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 “Hawkeye” (Iowa nickname)
A person from Iowa is called a "Hawkeye" and Iowa is called the "Hawkeye State." The name "Hawkeye" was popularized by author James Fenimore Cooper (1789-1851), who…
Origin of “Hoosier” (Indiana nickname)
Entry in progress -- B.P. Wikipedia: HoosierHoosier (pronounced /ˈhuːʒər/) is the official demonym for a resident of the U.S. State of Indiana. Although residents of most U.S. states typically…
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…
Origin of “Boomer”/“Sooner” (Oklahoma nickname) - summary
Entry in progress -- B.P. Wikipedia: SoonersSooners is the name given to settlers in the midwest of the United States who entered the Unassigned Lands in what is now the state of Oklahoma before…
Origin of “Jayhawk” (Kansas nickname) - summary
Entry in progress -- B.P. Wikipedia: JayhawkerJayhawkers is a term that came to prominence just before the American Civil War in Bleeding Kansas, where it was adopted by militant bands affiliated…
Origin of “Tar Heel” (North Carolina nickname) - summary
Entry in progress -- B.P. Wikipedia: Tar HeelTar Heel (or Tarheel) is a nickname applied to the state and inhabitants of North Carolina as well as the nickname of the University of North Carolina…
ORIGINAL 9-11 SONG: “We Will Stand Together (United We Stand)”
Where is our 9-11 song? Where is the music video? I will always remember the first "Saturday Night Live" after 9-11. Could New York laugh again? Mayor Rudy Giuliani was there to open the…
Original New York Seltzer (from California)
"Original New York Seltzer" is from California. (FACTIVA news database)David Krenbrink: Soft Drink Messiah? By M. R. Annett and W. S. Annett 1,969 words 1 February 1986Bc Business Pg. 52…
Original Six (six oldest NHL teams)
The National Hockey League (NHL) had just six teams from 1942-43 until expansion in 1967. The six teams -- Boston Bruins, Chicago Black Hawks, Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, New York…
Orphan Train
The "orphan trains" operated from about 1850-1929, sponsored by the Children's Aid Society and other societies. The trains moved children from the slums of New York City to the…
Oscar (Academy Award)
The Academy Award was first awarded by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences (AMPAS) in 1929. The origin of the name "Oscar" for the Academy Award has long been contested.…
Oscars of Architecture (Architizer’s A+ Awards)
Architizer.com, an online architecture platform, is a New York City-based company that began in 2009. In October 2012, Architizer announced that it would have its first annual A+ architecture…
Oscars of Street Food (Vendy Awards nickname)
The Vendy Awards originated in 2005 in New York City to honor its street food vendors. The "Vendys" (as spelled on the official website, but "Vendies" has also been used) soon…
Oscars of the East Coast (Met Gala nickname)
The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute has held an annual fundraiser since 1948, called the Costume Institute Gala, but usually known as the "Met Gala" or "Met…
Oscars of the Plus Industry (Full Figured Fashion Week nickname)
New York City has been the host of Full Figured Fashion Week since the 2000s. "Oscar" (Academy Award) has sometimes been used to describe a special event in other industries. Full Figured…