Are you guilty of calling Salem Parkway “Old 40"? You’re not alone.
Across the US, communities have created their own nicknames that might confuse out-of-towners asking for directions. Chicago’s Willis Tower is still referenced by locals as the “Sears Tower,” NYC’s Brooklyn-Queens Expressway is lovingly shortened to “the BQE,” and closer to home, Greenvillians in SC call Augusta Street “Augusta Road.”
How the names originate doesn’t matter. Be it a former title that locals can’t let go of or a silly nickname that caught on, we’re curious to know what Winstonians really call things — even if it’s just among friends or family. We’ll go first:
- Many locals affectionately call the Wells Fargo Center... other names that reference its unique shape.
- It’s not uncommon to hear folks shorten Shell Service Station to “The Shell.”
- And of course, Salem Parkway goes by many names; Reader Lydia I. says that “You can tell how long someone has lived here based on what they call the highway through downtown.”
What readers said
We asked our readers what their nicknames for local landmarks, businesses, and streets were. Here’s what they said:
- The strip of Hanes Mall [Boulevard] between Stratford and Jonestown we call “the CF.” — Crash B.
- I still call it “the Reynolds Building.” I still call the tobacco company “Reynolds.” — Frank J.
- The Wells Fargo center is still the “Wachovia Building” to me. And “Gate City Boulevard” in Greensboro is still “High Point Road.” — Julia T.
- I always call Marketplace Cinema the $2 theater, because that’s how much it cost when it first opened. And I would always wait to see the first run movies until they came there a few months later. — Nancy H.
- The end of Silas Creek Parkway near where it meets the Main Street exit-that will ALWAYS be “Corporation Parkway.” — Janet P.
- Burke Public Safety Center is still just PSC! — David K.
- I still hear people call Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Hospital “The Baptist!” — Teresa A.
Share your own nicknames for local landmarks, buildings, or streets in the comments below.
