The Town of Bulls – Bulls, New Zealand - Atlas Obscura

The Town of Bulls

Bulls, New Zealand

The "punniest place on Earth” has nearly as many bull-themed puns as it does people. 

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In 1862, English settler James Bull established a general store on the North Island of New Zealand. Originally named “Bull Town,” the rural village was later renamed when the second Prime Minister of New Zealand urged the town to honor animal-themed last names and its name was reverted to “Bulls.”

With the slogan of “a town like no udder” and a cleverly picked sister city in Cowes, England, the town of Bulls has grown to become “the punniest place on Earth.” Past the Soci-A-Bull Town Hall and the Read-A-Bull library lies the Anglican Church of Bulls, which promises that your sins are “Forgive-A-Bull.” If you see a crime occurring in Bulls, you must head to the Const-A-Bull Police Station, and if in need of a latrine, the Relieve-A-Bull Toilets will suffice. If you happen to experience an injury, there’s no need to fear, as the medical center in Bulls promises that the pain is “Cure-A-Bull.”

The puns in this small New Zealand town continue when it comes to food. Residents of Bulls have the choice of the Himalayan Bull Indian Cuisine for dinner and Coffee on the MOOve for the next morning. The What A Load of Bull sauce company offers Bullshit Worcester Sauce, Calf Custard Mustard, and Han-A-Bull beef jerky.

The town of 1,630 takes its unique name so seriously that it has even erected a giant wooden statue of a bull in its tiny downtown. While some consider Bulls to be too cheesy for their liking, there’s no denying that each visit will be unforgettabull.

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