One of America’s Most Challenging to Pronounce

It’s inevitable. Some town names are incredibly dicfficult to pronounce. As a radio host, my worst nightmare is mispronouncing ANY word. I’ve butchered many town names on-the-air.

After arriving in Washington in 2014, I remember referring to Mesa as “May-suh” one morning. My co-worker, Chuck, quickly corrected me, “Uh, Patti, that’s MEE-suh. It’s MEE-suh, here, in Washington.” Due to slick roads, and snow, we were running down the list of delays and closings. You can bet I never made THAT mistake again. But, it happens.

Reader’s Digest Created a List of the Most Hard to Pronounce Towns in the US.

Wow! Some of the towns are really difficult. Like Quonochontaug, Rhode Island, say what? After diving in, I see it’s KWAHN-ah-kahn-tawg. Who knew?

Yachats, Oregon is on the List of the Most Difficult to Pronounce Towns in America.

The ‘C’ is silent. Yachats (pronounced YAH-hahts), is a small town on the Oregon Coast. The name comes from the Siletz (SIGH-lets) language and means “at the foot of the mountain”. Yachats is one one of the best locations for whale-watching.

“In 2007, Budget Travel magazine named Yachats one of the “Ten Coolest Small Towns of the U.S.A.”

Other Oregon Towns That Are Challenging to Pronounce Include:

• Neahkahnie (pronounced NEE-uh-kah-nee), is located in Tillamook County.

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• Champoeg (pronounced Sham-POO-ee), is now a ghost town in Oregon. It’s located halfway between Oregon City and Salem.

• Mulino (pronounced (muh-LINE-oh), not muh-LEEN-oh. Who knew? As a radio announcer, I’ve learned to do my research.

6 Best Beaches in Washington and Oregon to Watch a Winter Storm

These are my favorite beaches for storm watching. November through March is storm season on the coast. Watch the extended forecast for the coastline and get ready to book your room and take a drive to experience nature’s wrath on the coast – you’ll love it.

Gallery Credit: Paul Drake

Experience One of the Most Scenic Hikes on the Oregon Coast

In 1806 Captain Clark of the Corps of Discovery described what is now Ecola State Park in Oregon as “…the grandest and most pleasing prospects which my eyes ever surveyed…”. I completely agree with Captain Clark and that’s why I make it a point to visit the park, which is near Cannon Beach, each year. And, there’s no better time than right now! Scroll down and take a gander at nature’s glory.

Gallery Credit: Paul Drake

5 Weirdly Named and Strangely Famous Small Towns in Washington

Most towns and cities in Washington are named after Native American tribes. Others are named after families or local monuments. Here are five small Washington towns with strange or interesting names and the history behind them. These include the birthplace of United Airlines, murder, and mystery.

Gallery Credit: Paul Drake