Biggest Little City in the World (summary)
"Biggest little city/town" pre-dates "Big Apple."
Reno, Nevada is commonly known as the "biggest little city in the world." Although Reno has used this slogan since at least 1910, there have been other American cities both before and after that date that have used the "biggest little city/town" slogan.
Oxnard (CA) used "biggest little city" in 1909 advertisements and this may have influenced the Reno usage.
30 June 1910, Reno (NV) Evening Gazette, pg. 4, col. 1:
As Jim Coffroth said upon his return to San Francisco after a day spent in the Nevada metroplis: "Reno is the biggest little city in the world," which is just what Reno has been saying for many years.
8 February 1931, Los Angeles Times, pg. K18:
RENO - The Biggest Little City
23 May 1882, Atlanta (GA) Constitution, pg. 2:
Gainesville is the biggest little town I ever saw.
31 August 1883, Bismarck (ND) Weekly Tribune, pg. 4, col. 6:
Col. Wm. Thompson, an ex-member of the 30th and 31st congresses from Iowa, and a brigadier general in the late war - one of the fathers of the city - said "gentlemen this is the d--dest biggest little town you ever saw."
(Bismarck - ed.)
20 May 1894, Atlanta (GA) Constitution, pg. 4, col. 4:
Albany was then, and up to the war and during the war, the biggest little town in Georgia.
15 August 1895, Fort Wayne (Ind.) Weekly Gazette, pg. 1, col. 4:
They arrived this morning on the 8:42 train and will return this evening well satisfied that they have had a day's enjoyment in the biggest little town in the state of Indiana.
(Fort Wayne - ed.)
10 September 1901, Coshocton (Ohio) Daily Age, pg. 4, col. 1:
As someone has aptly put it, Coshocton is the biggest little town in the country.
8 October 1901, New York Times, pg. 5:
Macksville claims to be the biggest little town in Kansas, but it is too small a town to contain one holding such views.
14 November 1901, Idaho Daily Statesman, pg. 5, col. 2:
Boise is maintaining its record of being the biggest little city in the union.
21 August 1904, Atlanta (GA) Constitution, pg. A4, col. 2:
...another decade will find Atlanta not the biggest little city in the world - which she is now - but one of the foremost of the big cities of this republic.
24 June 1906, Atlanta (GA) Constitution, pg. 4:
I came into Seattle late Saturday night, and, before going to my hotel, took a carriage drive up and down Second avenue. This is one of the biggest little cities of the United States.
28 September 1906, Ada (OK) Evening News, pg. 7?, col. 2:
Mr. Foster likes the appearance of the biggest little city in the southwest.
(Ada, OK - ed.)
11 July 1909, Los Angeles TImes, pg. IV10:
OXNARD
CALIFORNIA
The Thriving Sugar Town
The Biggest Little City in the State
12 November 1909, Oxnard (CA) Courier, pg. 5, 1:
Oxnard, the biggest little town on the coast, is living up to its reputation.
(...)
It is some distinction to belong to the BIGGEST LITTLE CITY ON THE COAST.
Reno, Nevada is commonly known as the "biggest little city in the world." Although Reno has used this slogan since at least 1910, there have been other American cities both before and after that date that have used the "biggest little city/town" slogan.
Oxnard (CA) used "biggest little city" in 1909 advertisements and this may have influenced the Reno usage.
30 June 1910, Reno (NV) Evening Gazette, pg. 4, col. 1:
As Jim Coffroth said upon his return to San Francisco after a day spent in the Nevada metroplis: "Reno is the biggest little city in the world," which is just what Reno has been saying for many years.
8 February 1931, Los Angeles Times, pg. K18:
RENO - The Biggest Little City
23 May 1882, Atlanta (GA) Constitution, pg. 2:
Gainesville is the biggest little town I ever saw.
31 August 1883, Bismarck (ND) Weekly Tribune, pg. 4, col. 6:
Col. Wm. Thompson, an ex-member of the 30th and 31st congresses from Iowa, and a brigadier general in the late war - one of the fathers of the city - said "gentlemen this is the d--dest biggest little town you ever saw."
(Bismarck - ed.)
20 May 1894, Atlanta (GA) Constitution, pg. 4, col. 4:
Albany was then, and up to the war and during the war, the biggest little town in Georgia.
15 August 1895, Fort Wayne (Ind.) Weekly Gazette, pg. 1, col. 4:
They arrived this morning on the 8:42 train and will return this evening well satisfied that they have had a day's enjoyment in the biggest little town in the state of Indiana.
(Fort Wayne - ed.)
10 September 1901, Coshocton (Ohio) Daily Age, pg. 4, col. 1:
As someone has aptly put it, Coshocton is the biggest little town in the country.
8 October 1901, New York Times, pg. 5:
Macksville claims to be the biggest little town in Kansas, but it is too small a town to contain one holding such views.
14 November 1901, Idaho Daily Statesman, pg. 5, col. 2:
Boise is maintaining its record of being the biggest little city in the union.
21 August 1904, Atlanta (GA) Constitution, pg. A4, col. 2:
...another decade will find Atlanta not the biggest little city in the world - which she is now - but one of the foremost of the big cities of this republic.
24 June 1906, Atlanta (GA) Constitution, pg. 4:
I came into Seattle late Saturday night, and, before going to my hotel, took a carriage drive up and down Second avenue. This is one of the biggest little cities of the United States.
28 September 1906, Ada (OK) Evening News, pg. 7?, col. 2:
Mr. Foster likes the appearance of the biggest little city in the southwest.
(Ada, OK - ed.)
11 July 1909, Los Angeles TImes, pg. IV10:
OXNARD
CALIFORNIA
The Thriving Sugar Town
The Biggest Little City in the State
12 November 1909, Oxnard (CA) Courier, pg. 5, 1:
Oxnard, the biggest little town on the coast, is living up to its reputation.
(...)
It is some distinction to belong to the BIGGEST LITTLE CITY ON THE COAST.