The StarTribune: CLIMAX, MINN. — It may be the town’s slogan, but it doesn’t meet the approval of the superintendent, who has placed a school ban on the T-shirts that read: “Climax — More than just a feeling.” Read more
It turns out that Climax, which is in the middle of nowhere north of my hometown in Northwestern Minnesota, is near another town named Fertile. Headline in local paper: “Fertile Woman Dies in Climax” That might be a rural urban legend but up in the Red River Valley they swear it’s true.
That brings to mind one of my favorite typographical jokes. Maybe the only one. I use this story when trying to convey the importance of good spacing in typography. Apparently a headline was written for a newspaper article about a governor exercising his veto power. It read, “Governor’s Pen is a Sword.” But they got some of the word spacing a little to tight.
You know you are a Minnesotan if you can pronounce Wayzata (and you’re from my nieghborhood if you think the people who live there are all rich bastards), Minnetonka, Minnewaska, Pokegama, and Winnebigoshish. Or you pronounce Mille Lacs “Mill Lacks” and Nicollet “Nicklet.” I used to tend bar on the corner of 26th and Nicollet and people would call me up and say “Are you on Nickolay Avenue?” “You’re not from around here are you?”
If I remember my geographic name jokes correctly I think my readers from Pennsylvania might have a contribution here. And of course Canadian place names are funny all by themselves. I mean, Moose Jaw?