When I was a lad, I lived in the village of Merzhausen in Germany. Merzhausen and something like five other little villages were all nestled in this beautiful storybook valley on the edge of the Black Forest. The name of the valley? Hexental. (Witches' Valley.)

I wish I knew the story behind that name. It gets the imagination going. I mean, come on. Black Forest? Witches? Maybe the real Hansel and Gretel lived there?

The wikipedia article I linked to above says the name is derived from "Hagstal" or Hag valley. And Hag is a sort of protected clearing surrounded by brush or woods or even fences. So maybe it's a boring explanation, except the translated entry for "Hag" says:

So hag is like a secret garden.

[snigger] He said "hag is"!


Sent by thought transference

From my reading, the hag is a fence, an enclosure, a ... guardian? Protection? Wisdom and safety, comfort. That appears to be the Nordic and Scottish etymology ... the English is definitely negative.

HAGGIS!

In the next county over is Eighty-eight, KY. There is a country store on the way that is called the Forty-four Country Market. Because it's halfway to Eighty-eight, get it?

get what?

We live near Hell, but also saline (Saleen), Milan (My-Lan), South Lyon (Lion) and Climax (uh-uh-uh-uuuh-uh-oooh)

There is also a Delhi road or three here (North, South and Belly/I dunno) pronounced Dell High, of course....

Oh, and Novi. Allegedly also named by the railroad, kinda..... it was Station Number Six before there was anything other than industry there ....But Wikipedia says that and other similar stories are bull. but I like the idea :)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novi,_Michigan