Baby boomers—the folks born between 1946 and 1964—have had a huge impact on Massachusetts. They grew up in a totally different world, one filled with things that are now fading fast.

Some of the baby boomer’s best traditions, habits, and everyday experiences are disappearing, and future generations might never know what they’re missing.

So, we’re honoring baby boomers by taking a look at some of the best things that are fading from their generation.

Handwritten Letters

Remember when people actually wrote letters?

Not emails. Not texts. Actual letters, with ink and paper.

Boomers were all about that. Writing letters was an art—they took their time, picked out nice stationery, and made sure their handwriting looked good.

There was something special about opening up a letter and seeing someone’s thoughts carefully written out just for you.

Now? Not so much.

These days, it’s all about quick texts, emails, and emojis. Many schools don’t even teach cursive anymore.

Studies show that writing by hand actually helps memory and brain function.

But let’s be real—most Americans barely write anything down anymore. The days of pouring your heart into a handwritten letter are pretty much over.

Drive-In Theaters

If you’ve ever been to a drive-in movie, you know how awesome they are. You pull up in your car, grab some popcorn, and watch a movie under the stars.

For boomers, this was the thing to do on a weekend. It was the perfect date night, family outing, or hangout spot.

But now? Drive-ins are almost extinct.

Back in the ‘50s, there were over 4,000 of them. Now, there are about 325 left.

Due to Netflix, Disney+, and massive movie theaters with reclining seats, drive-ins aren’t keeping up. If you still have one near you, go check it out before they’re all gone!

Landline Phones

Boomers grew up in a time when every house had a landline, and everyone had to share it.

You couldn’t just take your phone and walk away. You had to sit there, sometimes with a ridiculously long cord stretched across the room.

And if you were expecting a call? You had to wait—no caller ID, no texting, just pure suspense.

Today, landlines are practically dinosaurs. Less than 30% of households still have one, compared to over 90% in 2004.

Now, it’s all about cell phones. Few kids today will know the struggle of trying to have a private conversation while your whole family listens in.

Mom-and-Pop Shops

Before Amazon and Walmart took over everything, local shops were the heart of every neighborhood. You knew the owner, they knew you, and they actually cared about customer service.

Whether it was the corner grocery store or a little family-owned hardware shop, these places had charm.

Now, mom-and-pop shops are disappearing fast. Big chains and online shopping make it nearly impossible for small businesses to survive.

Nearly half of small businesses don’t make it past their first five years. The days of walking into a store where workers actually remember your name? Almost gone.

Sunday Blue Laws

Boomers grew up in a world where Sundays were different. Stores were closed, businesses shut down, and people actually took a break.

You couldn’t just run to Target or grab a burger whenever you wanted. Sundays were for family time, church, or just relaxing.

Now, Sundays are just like any other day.

Blue laws, which once kept businesses closed on Sundays, are mostly gone. Sure, it’s convenient to be able to shop or go out on a Sunday, but some people miss the forced slowdown.

It was a time when people actually hung out with family instead of running errands.

Physical Photo Albums

Boomers didn’t have cloud storage or Instagram. They had photo albums—big, heavy books filled with printed photos.

You’d sit down, flip through the pages, and relive memories. There was something real about holding a picture in your hands.

Now, almost no one prints photos anymore. Everything is digital, living on phones, social media, or hard drives (which, let’s be honest, could crash at any second).

Sure, it’s easier to take a million pictures now. But the magic of flipping through an old album is definitely fading away.

Classic Rock on the Radio

For boomers, classic rock wasn’t just music—it was a movement. The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin—these weren’t just bands; they were legends.

And classic rock radio stations kept their music alive for decades.

But younger generations are tuning out. Classic rock stations are slowly vanishing as radio stations shift toward pop, hip-hop, and whatever’s trending.

While you can still stream old-school rock, that feeling of stumbling across an epic song on the radio is becoming rare.

Home-Cooked Meals from Scratch

Baby boomers were raised on home-cooked meals—real food made from scratch. No meal kits, no frozen dinners, no Uber Eats.

Cooking took time, but it was worth it. Family dinners were a daily thing, and recipes were passed down for generations.

Now, eating out is the norm; Americans actually spend more money on dining out than on groceries.

Fast food, takeout, and delivery apps make it easy to skip cooking altogether. Sure, it’s convenient, but there’s something special about a homemade meal that you just can’t get from a drive-thru.

Penmanship and Cursive Writing

Boomers grew up practicing their handwriting until it was practically perfect. Cursive was mandatory in schools, and having neat penmanship was a point of pride.

A good signature actually meant something.

Today? Many kids can’t even read cursive, let alone write it.

According to some reports, only about 33% of students can read cursive handwriting. Now, it’s all about typing.

While it’s cool that technology makes things faster, the art of beautiful handwriting is disappearing fast.

Fixing Things Instead of Replacing Them

Boomers knew how to fix stuff. If something broke, you fixed it.

Toasters, bikes, TVs—you name it, they had a way to make it work again. They didn’t just toss things out and buy new ones.

Now? We live in a throwaway culture.

Stuff isn’t even made to last anymore. Americans create over 8 million tons of electronic waste every year. Instead of fixing things, we just buy new ones.

The fix-it-yourself spirit is dying, and with it, a whole lot of practical know-how.

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Laughs incoming! Anyone with a few American road trips under their belt has likely come across some town names that made them giggle.

Had the towns on this list been formed in the 21st Century, they may have been along the lines of Avocado Toast, Tesla, and Bussin instead of… well, you’ll see.

How many of the Louisiana towns on this list have you visited or lived in?

Defining “Town”

To increase the mileage of your laughs, we’ve included both incorporated and unincorporated towns and communities on this list.

So, what’s the difference?

Unincorporated towns and communities don’t have a local government, whereas incorporated towns do.

We compiled this list by searching Google for the term “Funniest town names in (state).” We then subjectively chose four town names based on what gave our team the biggest laugh.

So, no, we’re not about to claim that these are the only funny town names in the U.S. And since what’s funny is in the eye of the beholder, you might not even find some of them funny yourself.

But with 200 names on this list, we’re willing to bet our bottom dollar that many of them will make you crack a smile.

Alabama

• Burnt Corn, Alabama
• Frog Eye, Alabama
• Eclectic, Alabama
• Bacon Level, Alabama

Alaska

• Deadhorse, Alaska
• Unalaska, Alaska
• Afognak, Alaska
• Chickaloon, Alaska

Arizona

• Nothing, Arizona
• Christmas, Arizona
• Why, Arizona
• Chloride, Arizona

Arkansas

• Booger Hollow, Arkansas
• Weiner, Arkansas
• Possum Grape, Arkansas
• Bald Knob, Arkansas

California

• Forks of Salmon, California
• Cool, California
• Rough and Ready, California
• Hercules, California

Colorado

• Climax, Colorado
• No Name, Colorado
• Hygiene, Colorado
• Old Roach, Colorado

Connecticut

• Hazardville, Connecticut
• Pomfret, Connecticut
• Killingly, Connecticut
• Moodus, Connecticut

Delaware

• Wyoming, Delaware
• Broadkill Beach, Delaware
• Cowgills Corner, Delaware
• Selbyville, Delaware

Florida

• Two Egg, Florida
• Bagdad, Florida
• Yeehaw Junction, Florida
• Frostproof, Florida

Georgia

• Between, Georgia
• Talking Rock, Georgia
• Gumlog, Georgia
• Blitch, Georgia

Hawaii

• Hikapoloa, Hawaii
• Captain Cook, Hawaii
• Volcano, Hawaii
• Cod Fish Village, Hawaii

Idaho

• Slickpoo, Idaho
• Beer Bottle Crossing, Idaho
• Shells Lick, Idaho
• Bone, Idaho

Illinois

• Sandwich, Illinois
• Boos, Illinois
• Boody, Illinois
• Goofy Ridge, Illinois

Indiana

• Floyds Knobs, Indiana
• Blue Lick, Indiana
• Loogootee, Indiana
• Toad Hop, Indiana

Iowa

• What Cheer, Iowa
• Jamaica, Iowa
• Gravity, Iowa
• Lost Nation, Iowa

Kansas

• Speed, Kansas
• Ransom, Kansas
• Good Intent, Kansas
• May Day, Kansas

Kentucky

• Possum Trot, Kentucky
• Sugartit, Kentucky
• Rabbit Hash, Kentucky
• Clayhole, Kentucky

Louisiana

• Cut Off, Louisiana
• Waterproof, Louisiana
• Kickapoo, Louisiana
• Dry Prong, Louisiana

Maine

• Friendship, Maine
• Dixfield, Maine
• Eustis, Maine
• Bangor, Maine

Maryland

• Crapo, Maryland
• Accident, Maryland
• Boring, Maryland
• Savage, Maryland

Massachusetts

• Sandwich, Massachusetts
• Belchertown, Massachusetts
• Unstable, Massachusetts
• Blight Falls, Massachusetts

Michigan

• Jugville, Michigan
• Bad Axe, Michigan
• Colon, Michigan
• Christmas, Michigan

Minnesota

• Embarrass, Minnesota
• Sleepy Eye, Minnesota
• Pillager, Minnesota
• Fertile, Minnesota

Mississippi

• Rolling Fork, Mississippi
• Whynot, Mississippi
• Hot Coffee, Mississippi
• Chunky, Mississippi

Missouri

• Tightwad, Missouri
• Bland, Missouri
• Licking, Missouri
• Blue Eye, Missouri

Montana

• Nimrod, Montana
• Twodot, Montana
• Pray, Montana
• Coffee Creek, Montana

Nebraska

• Beaver Crossing, Nebraska
• Funk, Nebraska
• Crab Orchard, Nebraska
• Cairo, Nebraska

Nevada

• Pahrump, Nevada
• Eureka, Nevada
• Scotty’s Junction, Nevada
• Gabbs, Nevada

New Hampshire

• Effingham, New Hampshire
• Dummer, New Hampshire
• Sugar Hill, New Hampshire
• Pittsfield, New Hampshire

New Jersey

• Brick, New Jersey
• Loveladies, New Jersey
• Shamong, New Jersey
• Buttzville, New Jersey

New Mexico

• Gallup, New Mexico
• Waterflow, New Mexico
• Brilliant, New Mexico
• Chilili, New Mexico

New York

• Neversink, New York
• Butternuts, New York
• Horseheads, New York
• Coxsackie, New York

North Carolina

• Lizard Lick, North Carolina
• Love Valley, North Carolina
• Aho, North Carolina
• Nags Head, North Carolina

North Dakota

• Flasher, North Dakota
• Porcupine, North Dakota
• Dickey, North Dakota
• Zap, North Dakota

Ohio

• Guysville, Ohio
• Crooksville, Ohio
• Okolona, Ohio
• The Plains, Ohio

Oklahoma

• Non, Oklahoma
• Cookietown, Oklahoma
• Frogville, Oklahoma
• Moon, Oklahoma

Oregon

• Bridal Veil, Oregon
• Drain, Oregon
• Woodburn, Oregon
• Butteville, Oregon

Pennsylvania

• Intercourse, Pennsylvania
• Panic, Pennsylvania
• Normalville, Pennsylvania
• Pillow, Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

• Pawtucket, Rhode Island
• Woonsocket, Rhode Island
• Chepachet, Rhode Island
• Weekapaug, Rhode Island

South Carolina

• Ketchuptown, South Carolina
• Ninety Six, South Carolina
• North, South Carolina
• Fish Dam, South Carolina

South Dakota

• Peever, South Dakota
• Highmore, South Dakota
• Bonesteel, South Dakota
• Blunt, South Dakota

Tennessee

• Nameless, Tennessee
• Difficult, Tennessee
• Sweet Lips, Tennessee
• Bitter End, Tennessee

Texas

• Bacon, Texas
• Bigfoot, Texas
• Bug Tussle, Texas
• Blanket, Texas

Utah

• Elmo, Utah
• Hurricane, Utah
• Kamas, Utah
• Tree of Utah, Utah

Vermont

• Dummerston, Vermont
• Bread Loaf, Vermont
• Orwell, Vermont
• Tinmouth, Vermont

Virginia

• Bumpass, Virginia
• Dumfries, Virginia
• Cucumber, Virginia
• Pie, Virginia

Washington

• Humptulips, Washington
• Nooksack, Washington
• Toppenish, Washington
• Sequim, Washington

West Virginia

• Booger Hole, West Virginia
• Bug Ugly, West Virginia
• Odd, West Virginia
• Paw Paw, West Virginia

Wisconsin

• Dairyland, Wisconsin
• Clam Falls, Wisconsin
• Spooner, Wisconsin
• Gillett, Wisconsin

Wyoming

• Ten Sleep, Wyoming
• Jay Em, Wyoming
• Crowheart, Wyoming
• Muddy Gap, Wyoming

History of Town Names

Many of the towns on this list were named by locals a long time ago and point out the obvious.

For example, Frostproof got its name as a marketing ploy to make citrus farmers interested in planting in their town, which was formerly called Keystone City.

While Frostproof typically has an agreeable climate year-round, it just so happens that within a few years of citrus farmers moving there, the town had a frost in 1894. The name Frostproof remained regardless.

In contrast, many town names originate from the first settlers. Bone, Idaho, is an example. Mr. Orlin Bone and his family arrived in an uninhabited part of Idaho.

He opened the Bone Store and a post office (which is now no longer). It only made sense to name the town after himself, too.

Towns Everywhere

As of Statista’s 2019 data, there are 19,502 villages, towns, and cities in the United States.

But here’s where the opportunity lies for naming these places: 16,410 of that number has a population of under 10,000.

A further 1,572 towns have a population between 10,000 and 24,999, and 741 towns have a population between 25,000 and 49,999. In contrast, a mere ten cities in the U.S. have a population of 1,000,000 or more.

New Towns and Cities

If you’re under the impression that settlers already did their thing back in the day by forming all the new towns and cities that would ever exist in the U.S., think again.

Case in point?

In 2021, voters granted the right to create Essex Junction as a city separate from Essex, Vermont.

Similarly, local Utahans voted in favor of Erda becoming a new city in 2022.

So, if you dream of starting up a new town and giving it a funny name, all hope isn’t lost.

However, you’ll need between 1,000 and 2,000 people living there. You also might need enough votes in your favor from nearby locals.

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The Land of the Free and Home of the Brave is also home to the land of some amusing town names.

America is dotted with town names that make those who aren’t from there scratch their heads in confusion (and laugh out loud, too).

Can you guess which two belong to Indiana?

1: North, South Carolina

The founders of North, South Carolina weren’t trying to confuse anyone. They named the town after John North, who donated land for a railway depot, which residents thrived on.

Of course, George Pou and Samuel Livingston also donated land for the cause.

Using their names might have made giving directions to or from the town less complicated. 

2: Paris, Arkansas

Despite its miniature Eiffel Tower, the rural town of Paris, Arkansas, is a far cry from the renowned and iconic city in France.

It’s home to a mere 3,700 residents and the original Warren’s Shoe Store, which isn’t quite on par with the City of Love’s fashion houses.

3: Montana, Wisconsin

Using the name of another state for your town is a perplexing choice, but in Montana, Wisconsin’s case, the town founders weren’t being copycats.

Montana wasn’t a state until 1889, but Montana, Wisconsin, came to be in 1867. 

4: Okay, Oklahoma

Calling a town an affirmative response is confusing in itself.

But Okay, Oklahoma is especially confounding given that “OK” is the abbreviation for Oklahoma. 

5: Halfway, Oregon 

If Halfway, Oregon rings a bell, it may be because it made headlines as the first “internet city” when it changed its name to Half.com in 2000.

Now, it’s back to Halfway, but halfway to where? No one’s entirely sure. 

6: Melbourne, Florida

Melbourne, Florida, is nowhere near the famous Australian city.

Its name is due to a lack of creativity by its founder, an Englishman who spent several happy years in the Land Down Under. 

7: Why, Arizona 

The town of Why isn’t trying to ask a philosophical question. It’s named for a now non-existent Y-shaped intersection that sat in the town’s center.

Founders who wanted to name their home “Y” were met with resistance from the state legislature, which required at least three letters for every city name.

8: Texas, New York 

Technically speaking, Texas, New York is a hamlet, not a town.

It’s located in the town of Mexico, New York, which makes things very confusing.  

9: New York, Texas

Not to be left out of the New York-Texas confusion, the Lone Star State has a town named after the Big Apple.

It’s unclear whether New York, Texas, earned its moniker as a joke or because of its founders’ high hopes for the little town. 

10: Athens, Georgia 

The founders of Athens, Georgia, named it as such because of the recently opened University of Georgia.

Athens was the educational center of ancient Greece, and many hoped it would also become a mecca of learning in the Peach State. 

11: Delhi, New York 

Delhi, New York, is named after Delhi, India, but locals don’t pronounce it that way. Instead, they say, “Del-High.”

The pronunciation started as a jibe against one of the town’s founders, and it stuck. 

12: Alaska, New Mexico 

Perhaps in search of a warmer climate, many Alaskan natives live in this small town in Cibolo County, New Mexico, which is probably how it earned its moniker.

13: New Mexico, Maryland

New Mexico, Maryland isn’t named for the state or the country. Instead, the founders named it after the community across the highway, called Mexico. 

14: Illinoi, Indiana

Illinoi is an unincorporated town that’s technically in Indiana.

However, it sits against the state line, placing it exceptionally close to neighboring Illinois.  

15: Nameless, Tennessee 

Just an hour east of Nashville’s big city lights sits Nameless, Tennessee.

Legend has it that the small town got its name, or lack thereof, when founders left the name blank on their application with the U.S. Postal Service. 

16: Portland, Maine

You may be more familiar with Portland, Oregon, but Portland, Maine, was sort of the original.

The founders of the East Coast port city based its name on the English Isle of Portland. Later, Oregonians named their largest city after the one in Maine. 

17: Berlin, Connecticut

Berlin, Connecticut, was originally called “The Great Swamp Society.”

Even though the new name copies Germany’s capital, it’s arguably still an improvement over the original. 

18: Toronto, Ohio

When Toronto native W.F. Dunspaugh brought his business to Ohio, he said his home city was worth emulating.

Other city founders agreed, and Toronto, Ohio, was born. 

19: Dublin, Ohio

Dublin, Ohio, gets its name from yet another homesick founder. When John Sells decided to set up a village along the Scioto River, he asked his surveyor, John Shields, to name it.

Shields couldn’t think of anything better than his hometown, Dublin, Ireland. 

20: Oxford, Mississippi

The founders of Oxford, Mississippi, chose to name their town after the famous educational center in Oxford, England, even before Mississippi’s first university was built.

They hoped the aspirational name would lead to a university.

The plan worked, and students of the University of Mississippi have been able to say they earned a degree in Oxford ever since. 

21: Warsaw, Indiana

Warsaw, Indiana, was named in honor of Tadeusz Kościuszko, a Polish hero who fought with the Americans in the Revolutionary War.

It’s a nice gesture, but this city does have a small airport, which could make things confusing if you’re trying to get to Poland’s capital city. 

22: Uncertain, Texas

Getting to Uncertain, Texas could quickly become an ordeal. Just imagine trying to buy a bus ticket to this town.

“Where are you heading?”

“Uncertain.”  

23: Stop, Georgia

Stop, Georgia is really a neighborhood within the larger Tyrone, Georgia, but that doesn’t make it any less puzzling.

Naming anything after a verbal command is a sure way to confuse everyone. 

24: Madrid, Iowa 

Before it was Madrid, Iowa, it was Swede’s Point.

The name came from the founder’s wife, who was Swedish, but when said founder had a falling out with his wife’s family, he decided to rename the city to something entirely un-Swedish.

Madrid was his choice. 

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