Der Gesner (Gessner)

Bad Wilsnack... Bad–Wil–Snack... Badwills–Nack... Cool name. There is a town in the “thumb” of Michigan near where my wife’s family is from called Bad Axe. I goddam love that name. Bad Axe. I bet there is a riotously funny story that explains the origin of that name involving trees that refuse to cooperate with settler’s attempts to clear the land for agriculture. Not far away from Bad Axe is Grindstone City. Another cool name. [time passes ]Golly, instead of just making shit up like I have to do for pencil history, I should actually google Bad Axe and see if I can find the true story behind the name Bad Axe. It turns out to be a riotously funny story involving two grizzled surveyors, fermented blackberries, a flat stone, and a piece of string.