Home of the Grapefruit (Mission slogan)
The city of Mission in the Rio Grande Valley has been advertised as the "Home of the Grapefruit" since 1921. In 1932, the annual Texas Citrus Fiesta was started in Mission. Mission and…
Restaurants/Bars/Coffeehouses/Food Stores
Home of the Haze (Washington Heights)
"Home of the Haze" is a nickname for Washington Heights. The nickname might come from the haze of the Hudson River, but is most clearly identified with the drug "haze" or…
Home of the Hereford (Albany slogan)
The city of Albany in Shackelford County has called itself "Home of the Hereford" since the 1920s. The Texas Central Railroad made a connection to Albany in December 1881 and Albany…
Home of the Oatmeal Festival (Bertram slogan)
Bertram is a small city in Burnet County, about 45 miles northwest of Austin. It's slogan is "Home of the Oatmeal Festival," although the festival actually takes place in nearby…
Home of the Painted Churches (Schulenburg nickname)
Schulenburg, a city in Fayette County, was designated the "Official Home of the Painted Churches of Texas" by the 79th Texas Legislature in 2005. The city had been called "Home of…
Home Office of Baseball (Yankee Stadium)
Yankee Stadium (both the one opened in 1923 and the one opened in 2009) has called the "Home Office of Baseball" or "Baseball's Home Office." "John Smoltz said Yankee…
Home Run Apple
When a New York Mets baseball player hit a home run at Shea Stadium, a large "apple" located just beyond center field rose from inside a black hat. It was a gimmick that was started in…
Home Run Apple (Shea Stadium & Citi Field, 1980-present)
When a New York Mets baseball player hit a home run at Shea Stadium, a large "apple" located just beyond center field rose from inside a black hat. It was a gimmick that was started in…
Homo Set
"Homo" (for "homosexual") is/was an LGBTQ nickname, and the term "homo set" was used for the community. "Two 'private' clubs packing in the homo set…
Honest Politician (when bought, stays bought)
In politics, an "honest man" is often described as someone (a politician or a voter) who, when bought, stays bought. A "dishonest man" is someone who sides with the person who…
Honey Do List (“Honey, do this; honey, do that”)
A "honey do list" is a series of commands when a wife says to a husband, "Honey, do this" and "Honey, do that." The "honey-do" joke stems from the popularity…
Honeymoon Salad (lettuce alone and no dressing)
A 'honeymoon salad," as the old joke has it, is "lettuce alone" ("let us alone"). "Honeymoon salad" ("lettuce alone") is cited in print since 1925.…
Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival
The annual Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival features a race of the dragon boats. The event has taken place in Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens since 1991. The 2006 Hong Kong Dragon Boat…
Hong Kong on the Hudson (Hudson Yards)
The Hudson Yards on Manhattan's far west side are train tracks for the MTA's West Side Yard. In the 2000s, just after New York City lost its bid for the 2012 Summer Olympics (that would…
Honku (honk + hailku)
A "honku" (honk + haiku) is a haiku of anti-honking verses. A haiku is a three-line poem of 17 syllables, in phrases of 5 syllables, then 7 syllables, and then 5 syllables. Aaron…
Honky Tonk (not from Tonk pianos)
It's sometimes said that the term "honky tonk" derives from William A. Tonk's pianos that were manufactured in New York. The first cited term for "honky tonk" was the…
Honorary Texan
"Honorary Texan" appears on gift items at many Texas tourist shops. It's often a joke item, bestowed on a person who was (unfortunately for him or her) not born in the state of…
Hoofer (a dancer)
Entry in progress -- B.P. (Oxford English Dictionary)hoofer n. slang (orig. U.S.) a dancer.1923 N.Y. Times 9 Sept. vii. 2/1 Hoofer, a dancer, also a heel-beater. Chronicling America12 January 1911,…
Hooker
This term is often, incorrectly, "credited" to Civil War General Joseph Hooker and the exploits of his men (1860s) in Washington, D.C. Not that Washington doesn't have hookers, but…
Hoop-and-the-Harm (a basket and a foul shot)
If a basketball player scores a basket, but also gets a foul shot for a three-point play, that player gets "the hoop and the harm" or "the hoop and some harm." "A hoop and…