Tuesday, June 06, 2006

Celebrate 6/6/06 in Hell

If you're a hexakosioihexekontahexaphobe and avoid all things related to the number 666, I suggest you click over to another blog. Today doesn't scare me though. In fact, I might party it up in Hell today - Hell, Michigan that is.

In recognition of the date, the Hell website reports they're having a party that will last till midnight. T-shirts with "666" have been printed and Screamin Ice Cream is available for 66 cents, along with other souvenirs priced at - you guessed it - $6.66.

Michigan is the only state in the country to have a town named Hell. How did it get it's name? There are two theories:
The first holds that a pair of German travelers stepped out of a stagecoach one sunny afternoon in the 1830s, and one said to the other, "So schön und hell!" - roughly translated as, "So bright and beautiful." Their comments were overheard by some locals and the name stuck.

The second holds that George Reeves [a local businessman] was asked after Michigan gained statehood what he thought the town he helped settle should be called, and reportedly replied, "I don't care, you can name it Hell if you want to."
Personally, I think the second theory sounds more plausible. I've been to Hell. Trust me, it's not very "bright and beautiful." You have to go to Paradise for that.

UPDATE: In keeping with the 666 theme, follow this link from Great White Snark to find the "Queen" of evil.

Finally, in case you'd like to see what Hell is like, Detroit News blogger, Bonnie Bucqueroux, made a videoblog of her visit there yesterday. Check it out - if you dare!

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow, you've literally been to Hell and back. ;-)

I imagine the 266 souls in Hell must have a million of those jokes.

Paradise doesn't sound like nearly as much fun.

Mark Prime (tpm/Confession Zero) said...

Hell, Michigan... Hot year around?

Lew Scannon said...

I believe the town's name was part of an ingenious ploy to keep the Christian Reformed on the west side of the state. They would never go anywhere near Hell.

mikevotes said...

I played tennis with a true Bush Baptist this morning, megachurch and all. He wasn't taking it too seriously, but it seemd to make him uncomfortable which I found really funny.

Apparently I wasn't the first person to ask him about it this morning and it was 8 AM.

Later I found out that his church group did have a little prayer thing this morning where it came up.

Mike

Neil Shakespeare said...

We have two towns a few miles apart in northern MN. The first is "Fertile" and the second is "Climax". I think PA has "Intercourse" and "Paradise". None of them is close to "Hell" though. I don't think...

pissed off patricia said...

I think there is also a town in Pa named blue ball.

I saw the interview on tv of the people in Hell. They looked pretty happy to me. The way I'm living my life I expect to get there some day.

Kathy said...

Abi, Paradise is in Michigan' U.P, and according to the Yoopers who live up there, the entire U.P. is Paradise! ;-)

Poetryman, Hell, Michigan if proof that Hell can freeze over.

Kvatch, Michigan has a 616 area code but no 666. Could it be in Texas?

Lew, I never heard that theory before, but it makes sense. Of course, Paradise is in the U.P. and the Christian Reformed aren't close to that either. I guess they're stuck in limbo!

Mikevotes, you have my sympathy. Living in Texas must be like living in Hell!

Neil, I think Michigan has a Climax too. Considering most of these small towns are pretty old, we all know what was on the minds of the old timers!

POP, I think you'll have lots of company in Hell, don't you?

Lew Scannon said...

Limbo-an apt description of West Michigan.