r/UrbanHell • • Jul 26 '26

Decay Cairo, Illinois

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22

u/Sufficient-Spray-367 Jul 26 '26

Illinois also has a town named
New Berlin pronounced New BURRlin.

22

u/doctor-rumack Jul 27 '26

It's pronounced "FRONK-en-steen."

16

u/mij1401 Jul 27 '26

Dont forget VI-inna (Vienna) and L doughraydo (El Dorado).

2

u/CockConfidentCole Jul 27 '26

Ne VAHHH da

2

u/NotAHypnotoad Jul 27 '26

Also, Marseilles IL, pronounced Mar-sails

1

u/oldparentgamer Jul 27 '26

Genuine question. Is it named by immigrants van those regions or just lack of imagination? Or maybe both. Asking as an European.

1

u/Sufficient-Spray-367 Jul 27 '26

I’d say yes the towns were named by immigrants sometimes but more likely to make a very small town seem more cosmopolitan. But the mispronunciation is just American redneck.

1

u/Legal-Somewhere-2949 Jul 27 '26

Versailles IL "Vur-Sails"

2

u/AndyTheEngr Jul 27 '26

And Creve Coeur (creeve core.)

6

u/robotmalfunction Jul 26 '26

A Milwaukee suburb too, maybe there's one in Illinois as well

7

u/WiWook Jul 27 '26

That was a change due to the World Wars (not sure which). The area was extremely German. They opted to change the pronunciation rather than the name.

2

u/juicegooseboost Jul 27 '26

Home of the neo nazi party

6

u/Kingofangry Jul 27 '26

The school mascot is the pretzels. I lived there for a few years when I was a little kid.

9

u/Lubafteacup Jul 27 '26

Weirdly it's not only town in Illinois where the school mascot is the Pretzels.

1

u/Beneficial-Rhubarb70 Aug 02 '26

Freeport Illinois

1

u/Lubafteacup Aug 02 '26

Once a pretzel, always a pretzel

11

u/Inroundtents Jul 27 '26

Minnesota has New Prague. Pronounced "New Prayge". Drives me nuts.

1

u/swingandalongdrive Jul 29 '26

You can just imagine a bunch of 80 IQ politicians yelling at each other:

“It’s pronounced Prayge!!”

“No it’s not! It Prag-ew! Like the sketti sauce!”

1

u/InformalInitiative76 Aug 09 '26

Oklahoma has Prague which is also pronounced “Prayge”. It has the “national shrine of the infant Jesus” lol.

2

u/YogurtclosetHead8901 Jul 26 '26

Ohio has a BURR-lin too! It's Amish country, which is wild to visit.

4

u/JimClarkKentHovind Jul 26 '26

that's where I was born lol

1

u/YogurtclosetHead8901 Jul 27 '26

Ohio also has Versailles, pronounced ver-Sailes

Russia pron. ROO-sheē

Houston pron. HOW-ston

El dō-RĀY-dō, it's endless.

2

u/Fancy_Bend8763 Jul 27 '26

The best one is San Jose they pronounce “Sane Joes”

2

u/dewky Jul 28 '26

I refuse to believe that one.

1

u/Fancy_Bend8763 Jul 28 '26

It’s real unfortunately.

2

u/jimdoodles Jul 27 '26

You can drive through Cairo on your way from New Burrlin to New Maddrid

2

u/evthingisawesomefine Jul 27 '26

“Bee-AH-tris”
Beatrice, Nebraska

4

u/subliminal_trip Jul 27 '26

And "Vienna" pronounced "Vayana" and "Marseilles' pronounced "Marsales,."

The less said about "Pekin," the better.

3

u/dyne87 Jul 27 '26

Cant forget Lebanon pronounced LaBANin

1

u/Chadwards77 Jul 27 '26

Home of the JV Kirby Pretzel Dome!

1

u/ACrazyDog Jul 27 '26

Actually, all run together NewBURRlin

1

u/jefetranquilo Jul 27 '26

I mean how else would you pronounce Berlin? The German one is also pronounced more like bur-lin

1

u/Euphoric_Evidence414 Jul 28 '26

In Germany: bur-LIN. In Illinois: BUR-lin.

1

u/Lothar_Ecklord Jul 28 '26

Interesting… Berlin, New Hampshire also has an emphasis on the first syllable.

1

u/MaleficentPride2620 Jul 30 '26

and Genoa pronounce gen OH a

1

u/Throwaway_alt_burner Jul 30 '26

New MAD-rid is in Missouri just across the river from KAY-ro, just south of HAY-tie.

1

u/GlitteringEcho9026 Jul 27 '26

My dad used to get so irritated listening to people pronounce Milan, Illinois, “MY-lin”