World traveling, at home

Why is there a Paris in Texas? Discover 12 U.S. towns with foreign names

Image: Florian Wehde

You don’t need to leave the U.S. to take a trip around the world. All you have to do is check a map! Scattered across the country are dozens of American towns and cities named after faraway places, from Athens, Georgia, to Barcelona, New York. Did you know about these 12 cities and the origin of their names?

Image: Tom W

Birmingham, Alabama, was founded in 1871 and named after Birmingham, England, to reflect its industrial ambitions. James R. Powell, one of the founders, had recently visited the English city and proposed the name.

Inspired by England’s iron and steel hub, the new Birmingham quickly grew and earned the nickname "The Magic City" for its rapid industrial development.

Image: Chris Karidis

Named after the French capital city, Paris, Texas, was officially established in 1844 and became the county seat of Lamar County before the Civil War.

The name was supposedly chosen by founder George W. Wright in a lighthearted or playful spirit, according to local lore.

Image: Florian Wehde

Berlin, Connecticut, was formed from parts of several nearby towns. It was originally called Kensington before being renamed after Berlin, the then capital of Prussia.

The name likely reflected admiration for Frederick the Great, seen as a supporter of the American Revolution. Unlike its German namesake, the town's name is pronounced with the stress on the first syllable.

Image: David Köhler

Rome, New York, was named after Rome, Italy, following a trend of naming towns in upstate New York after classical European cities. The area was previously called Lynchville, after its Irish settler Dominick Lynch.

The name "Rome" had already been given to the township during the "Classical Naming Period."

Image: Florian Wehde

Madrid, Iowa, was named after Madrid, Spain, but the choice was rooted in personal spite. During the third town survey in 1855, local landowner Gaston named it to irritate his Swedish in-laws and a Spanish employee.

Despite the odd origin, the name remained through subsequent surveys and was officially kept when the town was incorporated in 1883.

Image: Constantinos Kollias

Athens, Georgia, was named after Athens, Greece, to reflect ideals of learning and culture. The name was chosen in 1801 by John Milledge when he purchased land for the University of Georgia.

Inspired by classical traditions, Milledge wanted the new town to symbolize intellectual pursuit, much like its ancient namesake.

Image: Michael Parulava

Moscow, Pennsylvania, was settled in the 1830s, with Reverend Peter Rupert, a Lutheran minister, playing a key role in its founding. The town’s early economy centered on lumbering and agriculture.

It was named after Moscow, Russia, possibly due to Russian settlers or shared religious ties with Reverend Rupert.

Image: Brandy Willetts

Versailles, Kentucky, was founded in 1792 on land owned by Hezekiah Briscoe. His guardian, Major Marquis Calmes, named the town after Versailles, France.

The name honored General Lafayette, a family friend and Revolutionary War hero with strong ties to the French city. It was chosen as a personal tribute and reflected French influence.

Image: Ben Seymour

Oxford, Mississippi, was founded in 1837 and named after Oxford, England, to attract a university. The founders hoped to establish the town as a center of learning.

Their plan succeeded when Mississippi chose Oxford as the site for its first state university in 1841. The university opened in 1848, fulfilling the city’s academic vision.

Image: Lāsma Artmane

Frankfort, Illinois, was named after Frankfurt-am-Main, Germany, the hometown of early settler Frederick Cappel. He named it Frankfort Township in 1850.

When the railroad arrived in 1855, it established "Frankfort Station." The village later dropped "Station" when it was officially incorporated.

Image: Joshua Stannard

Venice, California, was founded by Abbot Kinney, who aimed to recreate the charm of Venice, Italy. He designed the town with canals, pedestrian bridges, and Venetian-style architecture.

Kinney envisioned it as a seaside resort with a romantic, European feel. The canals became a key attraction, drawing visitors and shaping the town's unique identity.

Image: Ken Cheung

Barcelona, New York, was originally called Portland and laid out in 1813. In 1836, a local businessman who had spent time in Spain urged the name change to Barcelona.

The village thrived as a harbor in the 1830s and 1840s, but declined after railroads took over regional transport. It later became part of the Town of Westfield.

Everyday phrases

Did you know the military & maritime origins of these 10 idioms?

Image: Filip Andrejevic

It’s fairly reasonable to think that the military and maritime worlds are both pretty guarded environments, right? Don’t get us wrong, we are saying this with the utmost respect for both institutions. What we mean by "guarded" is that some things from these fields might be incomprehensible for any outsiders, "civilians" and "landlubbers" alike. However, it might come as a shock to learn about how many of the idioms that we say every single day come from military and maritime history. With that in mind, here’s our pick of the 10 idioms that come straight from the mouths of soldiers and sailors. Enjoy!

Image: National Library of Scotland

We’ll start with one that defined the lives of countless soldiers throughout history. The first use of trenches in warfare can be traced to the 7th century, but they became truly essential after the advent of firearms. Trenches became synonymous with wars fought in the 18th and 19th centuries, particularly the American Civil War and WWI.

In that sense, the phrase "in the trenches" refers to being in a difficult or demanding situation. This idiom is usually used to describe people on the frontline of a particular environment, like those working at ground level on a job or project.

Image: Boston Public Library

This one goes to any organized parent who might be reading this: We salute you and your ability to maintain order in a household filled with the chaos that children bring. In that sense, this idiom describes you perfectly: Someone who "runs a tight ship" is someone who keeps a keen eye on every small detail, with the sole purpose of preserving peace and order.

As you might have guessed, this idiom comes straight from the nautical world: A "tight ship" would be one running efficiently, with every bit of rope and sail accounted for. However, it is safe to say that its origins come from a firm and uncompromising captain and not from a loving yet strict parent.

Image: Roberto Catarinicchia

Swords and plowshares might not seem that similar, but according to this idiom, they are two sides of the same coin. The expression "to beat swords into plowshares" is actually more of a concept or a philosophy, which involves turning military weapons into peaceful civilian tools. In that sense, a deadly and grim sword once used for warfare can now become a symbol of progress and hard labor.

This idiom comes straight from the Bible, mentioned in the second chapter of the Book of Isaiah. It was famously referenced by President Eisenhower in his farewell speech and by President Reagan in the United Nations General Assembly.

Image: Amy Syiek

For a phrase with such a heavy meaning, the idiom "show your true colors" seems a little too colorful (no pun intended). After all, it conveys the betrayal of someone who pretended to be a close ally, only to double-cross you when the winds change. However, a little digging into its origins proves that this idiom perfectly represents this treachery, since it comes from particularly deceitful and colorful characters: Pirates.

The "colors" described by this phrase are actually the colorful flags flown by ships during the Golden Age of Piracy. During this time, it was common practice for pirates to show false flags to trick a would-be victim into approaching, only showing the true colors on their "Jolly Roger" flags when escaping was impossible.

Image: Mario La Pergola

Any babysitter tasked with "holding down the fort" doesn’t have it easy: Maintaining order in a household filled with children energized by sugar and late-night snacks is a challenge that only the bravest dare to take. In that sense, this idiom seems perfectly appropriate to such an important activity, as military history has shown again and again that forts tend to be strategically essential points during wartime.

Basically, anyone "holding the fort" is temporarily in charge of a household or job. Other prime examples of these unsung heroes are substitute teachers or assistant managers. In that sense, the origins of the idiom are pretty clear: One can almost imagine the struggling forces defending their fort from an enemy attack, eagerly awaiting the arrival of reinforcements.

Image: Nick Diamantidis

It sometimes takes the help and proficiency of someone more experienced to truly learn a skill. Think back on your first day at a new job: Did you have someone who took you under their wing and helped you learn whatever you needed to be more comfortable with your new responsibilities? In that sense, this next idiom can be a perfect description of those kind souls who helped us with their tutelage.

Someone who "knows the ropes" is someone who is particularly familiar with a certain situation or skill, and who has vast knowledge gained solely from experience. This idiom comes straight from sailors: As you might have guessed, the ropes described by the idioms are the many ropes used in sailing ships. Anyone familiar with the miles of ropes intertwined in this type of ship is definitively a sailor worth their salt.

Image: Todd Diemer

This one is slightly controversial since the origins of this idiom aren’t really from the military world. However, this phrase is so ingrained in military history that it felt weird not to include it. To "fight fire with fire" means to respond to an attack with an equal force, usually involving hostility.

Unsurprisingly, this idiom comes from firefighters, people known for their ability to fight fire. The origins of this phrase can be traced back to 19th century America, and from a firefighting practice that involved raising small fires to deprive larger and more dangerous fires of fuel.

Image: Jarrett Fifield

The meaning of the idiom "down in the Doldrums" is remarkably similar to "feeling blue" another maritime idiom: They both relate to a lethargic mood, usually associated with depression. Interestingly, while the word "doldrums" seems to describe an old-fashioned term for a ship section, it actually refers to an actual geographical region.

The Doldrums is a sailing region north of the Equator, characterized by its calm winds produced by the clash of two opposing wind belts. In that sense, sailing this area would represent a sudden halt to an exciting journey, that would understandably put any sealoving sailor in a gloomy mood.

Image: WEB AGENCY

This idiom is remarkably versatile: for example, you can be left "high and dry" by both a friend who doesn’t show up to an appointment, and by a demanding boss that leaves you to fend off a difficult project all by yourself. In any case, this idiom comes from seafaring sailors, desperately stranded whenever their ship was literally left "high and dry".

The origins of this phrase refer to ships stuck in dry land. If the ship was above the tide line and there was not enough water to move it back, then it would remain there until the tide rose, since the ship could be seriously damaged if it was removed without water.

Image: Bermix Studio

We’ll end with what’s probably the most uplifting idiom on this list. Anyone who fights the good fight is doing things right: Although this phrase is commonly used by the military, it applies to everyone doing their part in making their workplace, their home, or even the entire planet a better place.

Like other entries in this article, this idiom was first used in the Bible: This verse in particular calls all believers to "fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life". It became an everyday saying during the 19th century when it was first used in patriotic speeches and songs.