Most people expect things to get pretty hot in hell. Here in Michigan, we know it is a cold winter when the town of Hell freezes over. Granted, it is early in the season. If were being honest, this 43 degree day is feeling pretty cold. In a few months from now, we will be begging for 43! There are few different theories as to how the town got its name.

attachment-hell gates
loading...

It all began back in the 1830s. The town was built around a sawmill, distillery, and a tavern. George Reeves was the dude responsible. The first comes from German travelers who commented on how bright the area was. The language barrier basically sounded like they were saying, "Bright as hell." The second going theory about the name was from the conditions. The wetlands, heat, mosquitos, and thick forest cover led some workers to call it, "Hell like conditions." My favorite is this one. When Michigan gained its statehood, George was asked what he wanted his town to be named. His reply was priceless. "You can call it Hell for all I care."

So in case you didn't already know, you now have an idea of where Hell came from. The question is, how many times has Hell frozen over? It get's cold. It's Michigan and we know that it get's cold here. Hell is no exception. They celebrate the cold annually on January 31st. Celebrating the cold is one thing, but how many times has Hell actually frozen over? Not as many as you might think.

The town sees subzero temps quite a bit. I don't think anyone in Michigan is unfamiliar with those. The actual town of Hell has only frozen over a few times in the last ten years. All of them came in January. 2014, 2018, and when the, "Polar Vortex," hit back in 2019. Despite being known for freezing over, there are other things to do in Hell. They even have a Facebook group that highlights plenty of those. If you do decide to go to Hell, tag us on the socials and let us know how it went!

LOOK: Here are the best small towns to live in across America

 

More From 97.5 NOW FM