City Nicknames That Never Stuck

Some city slogans stick around. Hartford is the "Insurance City" and Danbury may never completely shake the "Hat City." For Stamford, however, finding a slogan with staying power hasn't been quite as easy.

"We were 'Lock City' for a long time," Ron Marcus, librarian at the told Patch. The name was popular throughout the late 19th and early 20th century because of the Yale & Towne Manufacturing Company.

Founded in 1869, Yale and Towne was an innovative producer of locks. By 1892, Yale and Towne employed approximately one-fourth of Stamford's population. In its heyday, Yale and Towne took up the entire area between Pacific, Henry, Canal, and Market Streets in South End.

The company left Stamford in the 1950s and the Lock City nickname began to fade from usage. Today, the area is under redevelopment, home to the and original Yale and Towne buildings that have been .

In the 1960s, Stamford tried a new industry-driven nickname on for size — "Research City." The American Cyanamid Company and C.B.S. Laboratories had both taken up residency in the Stamford, but were soon overshadowed by other major corporations. The slogan never really took off.

In recent decades, city slogans have been much more deliberate. In 1988, Stamford Mayor Thom Serrani went as far as to hold a contest to select a new slogan, which brings us to present-day and "The City That Works!"

According to the 's website, "The City That Works!" includes a cheery exclamation point and is a reference to Stamford's economic viability. It is also often read as a reference to the many corporate headquarters located in the city.

We're not alone. "The City That Works" is also the official slogan of Ypsilanti, Michigan and Portland, Oregon. Wilmington, Delaware varies only slightly, known as "An Old City That Works." Chicago, Illinois has also, unofficially, used the same slogan.

Now can anyone explain why people from Connecticut are called "Nutmeggers?"