Narrowing Down Nicknames

In a column last week, I wrote that Kalispell needed a nickname and asked for your ideas on a proper one. What followed was a history lesson in the origin of the word, some clever ideas, some sad (but equally clever), and a few that could actually work. So here is a sampling of your suggested tag-lines for our fare city, which apparently is, “A Good Place to Die.” Who knew? If you haven’t submitted an idea, and would like to, hurry up and e-mail me before I send these off to the mayor.

“The Golden Orb City” – a reference to the clouds that often hide the sun in the valley

“The Dusty City” – a reference to the unpaved roads

“Kalispell – Ready for Anything!” – a reference to our durability?

“The Pothole Capital” – a reference to – you guessed it – potholes

“Cowlip Spell” – a reference to something I don’t quite understand

“Lung Disorder Capital” – a reference to the inversion that apparently traps smoke and vehicle emissions in the valley and causes lung cancer

“Kalispell – Real Place, Real People” – a reference to the uniqueness of both the land and the working people here

“The home of blood to the elbows of elk slayers” – a reference to hunters and gatherers of the Upper Kalispel Tribe, which inhabited the land until the mid-1800s

“The land of purple-fingered berry pickers” – a reference to the land that has always provided for residents here

“Kalispell – A Good Place to Die” – slightly morbid, but I like it

“KaliSpellbound!” – a reference to the way we hypnotize people

“Kattlesmell” – a reference to cattle and how they smell

“Kalispell – The Last Real Town in the West” – a reference to a town that’s in a beautiful location but is also still home to regular working people

“Kalifornia” – a reference to the newcomers, I think

“Kloudyspell” – a reference to clouds, again

“Cowsbell” – not sure, maybe cows

“Kalicaid” – a reference to welfare recipients, of whom frequent poster Roark claims a high number exist here

“The City Above the Lake” – a reference to the city’s geography and history (this may be what the word actually means)