Towns with Gun Names

 By Bobby Thurman 

Most states have names that come from native American or Spanish settler names. I was born and raised in Oregon, most of Oregon cities are named for other American cities in the East. For instance, we have a Portland, Dallas, Springfield, Arlington, Milwaukee, Detroit, Florence, Glendale, Jacksonville and Lake Oswego.

Below I have assembled a list of city/town names that are related to the gun World.

Colt's Neck, New Jersey: This township in central New Jersey is not named for Samuel Colt, it was originally called "Coltsneek" which I have read is a native American word.

Coltsville, Connecticut: This area along the Connecticut River in Hartford, was named for Samuel Colt as it encompasses his factory and home.

Colt, Arkansas: This small town in eastern Arkansas was not named after Sam Colt, but rather a railroad contractor

Cut and Shoot, Texas: A small city outside of Houston, it was named for a statement made by a small boy during a church argument?? No one remembers for sure what the argument was about, but they remembered the statement and named the town for it.

Earp, California: This unincorporated town across the Colorado river from Parker, Arizona was actually named after Wyatt Earp, he and his wife had a house nearby and when he died in 1929 the area was renamed after him.

Gun Barrel City, Texas: Sitting on the banks of the Cedar Creek Reservoir in northeast Texas, Gun Barrel City got its name from a road known as Gun Barrel Lane, a road which was said to be frequented by a depression era gangsters including Bonnie & Clyde.

Gunlock, Utah: This unincorporated area 15 miles from St. George was named for its first settler, William "Gunlock Will" Hamblin. He got the name as he was an amateur gunsmith and was good at repairing the locks of early flint lock rifles.

Gunsight, Texas: Now a ghost town, the former boom town is located due west of Fort Worth, it was named for the Gunsight mountains, which have a notch resembling a gunsight.

Guntown, Mississippi: A small town north of Tupelo, Mississippi, it was named after James G. Gunn who moved there in exile during the Revolutionary War. I guess lost one of the n's at some point.

Pistol River, Oregon: A small, unincorporated town on the southern Oregon coast, it was named for an incident during the Rogue River Wars in which militiaman James Mace lost a pistol in the river.

Point Blank, Texas: This town in east Texas (due north of Houston) was named blanc point by a French woman working as a governess for a local family, the word means white dot, white spot or white point in French, the town's name was later changed to the English version.

Remington, Virginia: a tiny, and I mean tiny town in Virginia, no one really knows who the town was named after, legend is that it was named after a conductor of the railroad that the town owed its existence too, probably not named after the New York gun making family.

Rifle, Colorado: Rifle Colorado was named for the Rifle creek that runs through it, the creek was named by early settlers when a rifle was found on its bank.

Two Guns, Arizona: Sitting 25 miles west of Winslow, it was originally named Canyon Lodge, it was renamed when the railroad came through. It was basically a railroad stop, that morphed into a tourist trap when Route 66 was built. Interstate 40 bypassed the town, and it is now just a mark on a map.

Whitneyville, Connecticut: An area in town of Hamden, Connecticut, it was named after the gun maker and inventor of the Cotton Gin Eli Whitney Jr.

Whitneyville, Maine: Named after Col. Joseph Whitney, who may have been related to gun maker Eli Whitney.

Winchester, Virginia: Not named after Oliver Winchester, the gun maker nor his company, it was named after Winchester, England.

Winchester Wisconsin: Not named after Oliver Winchester, the gun maker nor his company, it was named after Winchester, England.

Winchester, New Hampshire: Not named after Oliver Winchester, the gun maker nor his company, it was named after Charles Paulet (Powlett) the 8th Marques of Winchester (in England)

Winchester, Oregon: Not named after Oliver Winchester, the gun maker nor his company, this unincorporated area along the southern Oregon coast was named after two brothers (named Winchester) who assisted with the exploring expedition which mapped the area in 1850.

Winchester, Texas: This Texas prairie town, 25 miles from La Grange, was named in 1866 for the Winchester rifle model of 1866.

Winchester, Massachusetts: Not named after Oliver Winchester, the gun maker nor his company, it was named after Col. William P. Winchester, a wealthy businessman and member of the First Corps of Cadets.

About the Author:

Bobby Thurman grew up in the wilds of southern Oregon and has been around guns all his life, a navy veteran and SEALs applicant, he has participated in IDPA and other handgun competitions. His latest endeavor is to hit a human sized target at one mile with his Savage rifle in .338 Lapua.