Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Most Gothic Place Names in the United States--Arkansas


[For previous entries, click the "Most Gothic Place Names" label under Features in the right sidebar.]

This Deep South state sports an array of intriguing town/city names.  There's Stinking Bay (hard to ignore what's festering beneath the surface of this place), Graphic (quite the violent scene), Killin (come indulge your murderous urges!), Slabtown (where Killin's less fortunate ultimately end up?), Black Cat (no home for ailurophobes), Rocky Mound (a very grave locale), and Faulknerville (a town abounding in dark, decaying mansions).  Besting all of these, though, for the honor of Most Gothic Place Name in Arkansas is...

Strangers Home.  The odd, almost oxymoronic combination of words conjures images of an invasion by outsiders (such as the masked trio who torment/torture Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman in The Strangers).  At the same time, the name evokes the inciting moment of countless Gothic plots--of innocents seeking assistance at a lone domicile (e.g. after their car breaks down).  It's hard to be at ease in the home of strangers, never knowing if you'll be experiencing hospitality, or deadly hostility.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I believe "Ravenden" bears mention...