Curious Names Toad Suck
For KUAR, this is Dan Boice with Naming Arkansas.
Whenever the topic arises of curious Arkansas place names, at the top of the list is Toad Suck in Faulkner County. Between the annual festival and the zany sculptures in downtown Conway, no other Arkansas place name is more revered, laughed at, or explained to non-Arkansans.
The original Toad Suck was a ferry on the Arkansas River, and the standard explanation is that boatmen at the local tavern would suck on the bottle until they swelled up like toads. This is delightful, but there are other, better stories. Ernie Deane writes that a US Geological Survey researcher told him that “suck,” like “lick”, meant a place where animals would get water, and “toad” could refer to a narrow place in a stream. Another writer notes that in parts of Arkansas, a suck can refer to quicksand. We’ll continue our study in another session, but whichever definition you choose is up to you. They’re all fun, and they all celebrate a unique Arkansas place name.
For the University of Arkansas at Monticello, this is Dan Boice.