Most cities in the United States can be classified based on their nicknames as their identities. These nicknames, which are related to activities, history and main features of the cities are important in revealing their identities. Behind the nicknames are descriptions of the real situation and events that go down within the towns and reflect the pride of the residents. Some of the names are historical while others have been acquired in recent times and may change from time to time depending on the main activities of the city. In this paper, four cities of various states in the U.S are classified based on their nicknames and the popularity of their main features and activities. These cities include Detroit, Indianapolis, San Antonio and the city of Phoenix.
Detroit is the most populated city in United States state of Michigan. The town is within the south-eastern part of the state on the Detroit River. The city is nicknamed ‘The Motor City’ since it main center for the U.S automobile industry (CityTownInfo.com). The name originated a decade after Henry Ford started the Ford Motor Company in Detroit in 1903. The city remains the home of the automobile industry ‘Big 3’ that, apart from Ford, also includes the General Motors and Chrysler. The city is also one of the leading manufacturers in the United States through the manufacture of steel, chemicals, foods, and beverages. Apart from its automobile and manufacturing industries, the city is most popular for producing great names in the music industry including Berry Gordy’s Motown sound and legendary artists such as Marvin Gaye, Madonna, Stevie Wonder, and Eminem (CityTownInfo.com).
The city of Phoenix is a corporate and industrial center in the U.S state of Arizona. It harbors an estimated population of 1.4 million and covers a land area just over 500 square miles in south-central regions of Arizona along the Salt River. The city has been nicknamed the ‘Valley of the Sun’ a name that is descriptive of the Sonoran Desert where it exists (McDonogh, Greg and Cindy 561). During the year this sunny area receives little rainfall. Also, the location of the city is in the Salt River valley. The city was initially dependent on agricultural produce as its industrial source. However, in recent times the city is dominated by light industry including the manufacture of transportation equipment, electronics, cosmetics, and foodstuff.
Indianapolis is a city in the state of Indiana with a metro population of nearly 2 million residents. With a host of recreational facilities, the city is lively, and the residents remain entertained. Based on this, the city is more popularly known as the ‘Racing Capital of the World’ (Shauna). This nickname is related to it Indianapolis Motor Speedway located on the west side area of the city proper and hosts the Indianapolis 500 sporting in May each year. Other recreational facilities include the world’s largest children’s museums and lively downtown which gives the residents a big city life with fewer efforts. These recreational facilities and events within the city provided a significant contribution to the economy of the city of Indianapolis and the adjacent regions within the state of Indiana.
San Antonio is located in Bexar County in the southern part of the U.S state of Texas.it covers an area of 412 square miles and a population of over 2 million. The city is nicknamed the SA Town (pronounced ‘say-town’) and Alamo Town for its famous Alamo (Britannica.com).The city has characteristics blending cultures of both Mexican and Texan nature due to its proximity to the Mexican border at Laredo. It is, therefore, a city that had adopted and maintained cultural diversity. The ascent of this city majorly relates to military installations. It hosts the US Fifth Army headquarters as well as the Army’s institution for medical personnel, the Academy of Health Sciences. Its economy is also made up of education, financial services, businesses, and tourism. It also hosts several manufacturing industries including aerospace equipment, industrial machinery, and textiles. Notably, the city harbors a large part of the U.S-Mexico trade routes through the city’s interstates highway program (Britannica.com).
Classifying these cities based on their nicknames reveals essential historical and current features about them. Some of these nicknames relate to the distant past including the case for Detroit’s ‘Motor City’ and San Antonio’s ‘Alamo Town.' Others are acquired based on natural features as in the case of Phoenix’s ‘Valley of the Sun.’ Others can also be acquired based on the popularity of the current activities carried out in the cities as in the case of Indianapolis’s ‘The Racing Capital of the World,’ which originates from the famous yearly sports racing event in the city. This type of classification gives the cities a unique taste of identity and culture that is important for investors, tourism, and individuals seeking a suitable city to reside.
Works Cited
Britannica.com. San Antonio, 2018,https://www.britannica.com/place/San-Antonio-Texas Accessed 27 Feb, 2018.
CityTownInfo.com. Detroit, Michigan, 2000, https://www.citytowninfo.com/places/michigan/detroit Accessed 27 Feb, 2018.
McDonogh, Gary, Greg, Robert, Wong, Cindy. Encyclopedia of Contemporary American Culture, Routledge: 2001.pp 561.
Shauna, Nosler. “Indianapolis, Indiana.”Real Estate, https://realestate.usnews.com/places/indiana/indianapolis Accessed 27 Feb, 2018.
