Origins of the Name The name Zzyzx was invented by a man named Curtis Howe Springer in 1944. He claimed it was the "last word in the English language" and pronounced it "Zye-zix." He created the name as a marketing gimmick to draw attention to his desert health spa.
I've been to Zzyzx, on my way to LA from Las Vegas. Apparently, the dude who named it said it was the last word in the English language. I don't think there's more to it than that. Great video as usual, Gav.
I posted more about it as a top-level comment. It was founded as a health spa and resort by the King of Quacks (as named by the American Medical Association). It was to be the last word in health. After his conviction, the resort was given to California State University, which converted it into the Desert Studies Center.
Zzyzx was founded in 1944 by the "King of Quacks," Curtis Howe Springer, as a hot springs, health spa, and radio station to be the "last word" in health. He sold all sorts of snake oil treatments like Nerve Cell Food (carrots & celery), Antediluvian Herb Tea (a crude mix of laxative herbs), and his biggest seller, "Mo-Hair" hair growth medicine (90% Epsom salt, 10% crust from Soda Lake). Springer became so popular that 26% of US radio stations carried his syndicated radio show (221 stations in the US plus 106 abroad according to Wikipedia). This lasted over a couple decades. Springer was convicted in 1974 of a variety of things including squatting on federal land and false medical claims. He served 49 days of a 60-day sentence. Wee! The property at Zzyzx was confiscated and handed over to California State University, which converted the resort to the Desert Studies Center. Source: The excellent, funny show Smartypants on Dropout TV.
Has CG ever mentioned Chatty Belle (the world's largest talking cow statue). She's in Neillsville, Wisconsin so could be a road trip stop for him. Anyone else seen Chatty before?
I'm excited you got to go to a Market Basket. Best grocery store in the country! I've also been to the one in the NH round. I recognized the back because you can see it from I93
This video got posted while I was on a train back home to Virginia after visiting friends in New Hampshire for 11 days. Did I do well on that map? Of course not. Though I was honestly most annoyed by completely whiffing the western PA round like 30 minutes from where I grew up.
Idk if anyone from Toronto is watching this, but tell me that Austin round isn't the most Toronto looking round ever? I thought this was a bridge over the GO Train tracks, like near Spadina
Ha - I'm pleased I managed to gatecrash the top 10 for the 'New Hampshire Roulette' map, preventing it from otherwise being unsurprisingly all US players (even though I thought I did poorly).
discord.gg/chicagogeographer
Im dissapointed some more sussy places didn't show up but I guarantee they are there if you want to play the map
Origins of the Name
The name Zzyzx was invented by a man named Curtis Howe Springer in 1944. He claimed it was the "last word in the English language" and pronounced it "Zye-zix." He created the name as a marketing gimmick to draw attention to his desert health spa.
I so happy busseyville made it on here
Now you guys know why I knew it in the last quiz vid hahaha
I've been to Zzyzx, on my way to LA from Las Vegas. Apparently, the dude who named it said it was the last word in the English language. I don't think there's more to it than that. Great video as usual, Gav.
I posted more about it as a top-level comment. It was founded as a health spa and resort by the King of Quacks (as named by the American Medical Association). It was to be the last word in health.
After his conviction, the resort was given to California State University, which converted it into the Desert Studies Center.
I live close to Cumming, GA. When I was in high school, a Snapchat filter was released with the town name, and let’s just say it was… egregious.
I can only imagine ☠️
There was also once an “America Runs On Cumming” sign in their Dunkin.
I live there
7:25 blew my mind! thats a small town in sweden nobody ever visits and i go there like twice a year, what are the odds of that?!
omg, Lake County Cow + Busseyville road trip when???
we gotta make 1k likes happen on this video
cow creek south dakota when
@@nkg1190Well it happened
I‘m always looking forward to these videos! They are always so fun. Hope you‘re having an amazing trip!
Thanks a lot!
Absolutley do take a day trip to "big cow" and busseyville :'D
I went to Hungry Horse on my way back from Kalispell over the summer and saw that exact sign!
That war cemetery on the first map is where George Patton is buried with his troops from the Ardennes offensive
I'm new to the channel but already one of my favorites keep the videos coming.
I'm surprised you didn't get Salem Sue in the Big Beef Cow rounds. She's an icon of New Salem North Dakota! Only half an hour west of Bismarck on i94.
HOW is there an "Original Wawa Goose", and a "Wawa Goose" within 1500Yds of each other?!?!? I want my 5K!
14:53 the double dotted yellow is never wisconsin. if someone wants, try to find a double dotted yellow, but im 99% confident theres none in WI
Busseyville mentioned
5:29 "this guy looks Egyptian" moment
17:31 great pun lol
Manatee mailboxes are every common in FL FYI!
18:38 - "Hope December's treating you well ... I'm back in November?" What the...
He prerecorded some videos to post while travelling.
Boalsburg, PA does have a beef cow statue painted the same way, at least last time I saw
I swear this is peak TH-cam content as far as Geoguessr goes.
Zzyzx was founded in 1944 by the "King of Quacks," Curtis Howe Springer, as a hot springs, health spa, and radio station to be the "last word" in health. He sold all sorts of snake oil treatments like Nerve Cell Food (carrots & celery), Antediluvian Herb Tea (a crude mix of laxative herbs), and his biggest seller, "Mo-Hair" hair growth medicine (90% Epsom salt, 10% crust from Soda Lake).
Springer became so popular that 26% of US radio stations carried his syndicated radio show (221 stations in the US plus 106 abroad according to Wikipedia). This lasted over a couple decades.
Springer was convicted in 1974 of a variety of things including squatting on federal land and false medical claims. He served 49 days of a 60-day sentence. Wee!
The property at Zzyzx was confiscated and handed over to California State University, which converted the resort to the Desert Studies Center.
Source: The excellent, funny show Smartypants on Dropout TV.
Has CG ever mentioned Chatty Belle (the world's largest talking cow statue). She's in Neillsville, Wisconsin so could be a road trip stop for him. Anyone else seen Chatty before?
I'm excited you got to go to a Market Basket. Best grocery store in the country! I've also been to the one in the NH round. I recognized the back because you can see it from I93
the sign with 15 mins to Vaduz was a Hiking trail sign they are allway this yellow arrows with small Writing in Swiss/Lichtenstein
You can’t go to Busseyville, you’ll be arrested by the Horní Police.
2:35 it says 15minute by walking to reach the center of city thats why
its pedestrian sign not for car
You most definitely need to see the "Big Cow" in Lake County.
It will be funny if the next episode of this have people only submit Obscure Old Historical Sites to confuse Chicago
I made a map but you'd go nuts trying to play it, as it's water tanks of San Diego County.
I don't remember why or how, but I had actually heard of Hungry Horse, Montana
Would love to see a "big cow" vlog
This video got posted while I was on a train back home to Virginia after visiting friends in New Hampshire for 11 days. Did I do well on that map? Of course not. Though I was honestly most annoyed by completely whiffing the western PA round like 30 minutes from where I grew up.
I still have no idea how that cemetery is top tourist attraction in Luxembourg (or was in 2016 when this list was made I think) :D
So that's the lore of Busseyville
Absolutely gutted they didn't name her Cowey McCowface
Love the content CG 🐐
Zzyzx was given its name after Big beef cow's grand-uncle stepped on the keyboard of Curtis Howe Springer while he was naming the area.
Fair that you didnt know the american cemetary, but France, I mean the eifel tower 😂
603 MENTIONED?! I've played the NH map before. I gotten all locations in the state and no where else which I was surpised about.
Idk if anyone from Toronto is watching this, but tell me that Austin round isn't the most Toronto looking round ever? I thought this was a bridge over the GO Train tracks, like near Spadina
I swear I saw the word Toronto in red as well! I didn’t even question that it wasn’t Toronto after seeing that
BIG BEEF COW
Ha - I'm pleased I managed to gatecrash the top 10 for the 'New Hampshire Roulette' map, preventing it from otherwise being unsurprisingly all US players (even though I thought I did poorly).
where are you from?
@@sabbialmighty7249 none of the Americas.
Obviously. Day trip.
There's a town in Oklahoma called Ho*ker. Very dissapointed it didn't show up smh.
Can we get some more Driftveil city bops?
Michigan has the most sus names.
Gaylord Michigan
Mt Pleasant Michigan
And more.
get it to 1k likes so he can go see the big cow and busseyville
Big dairy cow
Why'd you guess Paris in the last round of map #1... I mean would that be a top tourist attraction in FRANCE?? 🤣
What was wrong with my capitalization?
beef and cow are always lowercase, to honor the original Google Maps location name before they changed it
But it's not a big deal!!
Hey, do you have a discord server, and where can I find it? And if I get geogussr pro for Christmas, just know I’ll make you some awesome maps!
Well I’m stupid, discord is the top comment.
@WoahAstroo It happens to us all. 😄
@@gwts1171 it really does, I made the comment, went back up and saw it. I face Palmed.
why no daily challenges?
Isn’t a cow a she in Chicago English? 🐄🚺
AUSTIN MENTIONED😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍
Is it just me or is the audio offset?
It was for me, but only for a very short time. I had a bit of frame drop, too.
Why does he pronounce the word "but" like that? Sounds like how an Irish person would say it or something.
Bcuz we want to watch you play them lol.
❤
top tour(ist) more like talk tuah
Let's gooooooo
We’re all gonna make it to Zzyzx, California, brah. 🪽💪