Joe, Montana :) Thanks for asking!
In 1993, Ismay, MT, population approximately 30, changed its name in
honor of gridiron "gunslinger" Joe Montana, who played quarterback for
the San Francisco Giants and the Kansas City Chiefs.
Ismay was originally named for two daughters (Isabelle and May) of a
Milwaukee Railroad executive. Located on O'Fallon Creek, 53 miles from
Miles City in Custer County, the village of Ismay, aka Joe, is rumored
to have sought an earlier name change, when it was learned that a male
passenger of the Titanic by the name of Ismay achieved notoriety by
elbowing his way into a lifeboat ahead of waiting women and children.
The 1912 effort was unsuccessful.
Several sources describe the renaming of the town...
"In July of 1993, the town of Ismay, Montana was contacted by a radio
station in Kansas City, MO with a request for them to change the name
of their town in recognition of the Kansas City Cheifs? newly signed
quarterback, Joe Montana. The citizens of Ismay voted, a total
population of 22, and decided to honor this request. Today the town is
referred to as the original name, Ismay, and the new name, Joe. Both
names are registered to the same zip code."
Small Towns of Custer County Montana
http://custer.visitmt.com/Custer%20Root%20Folder/press/btnpath.htm
"The town of Ismay once, briefly changed it's name to Joe to honor the
great football player Joe Montana."
Montana's Largest and Smallest Cities
http://montanakids.com/db_engine/presentations/presentation.asp?pid=197&sub=General+Population+Facts
Additional References:
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Geography - City Changes Name (last paragraph)
http://geography.about.com/library/weekly/aa012400a.htm
Custer County Towns and Map
http://www.rootsweb.com/~mtcuster/map.htm
Essential Reference Guide to the Treasure State - Ismay
http://www.ultimatemontana.com/Section%20Pages/Section%201/ismay.html
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Google Search Terms: town "changed its name"
---larre "Loves the Wild West" ga |
