Doodah

[Shockra]

Excuse my ignorance here, but where exactly does the term "Doodah" come from to describe Wichita? I've heard it over and over, but have never heard why. Can someone enlighten me?

[BA2929]

Read this, it sheds some light on it:

After a century of reliance on conventional promotional slogans to spark Wichita's image, a California historian assesses the city's enduring "Doo-Dah" nickname heritage as a zany "un-slogan" reaction by young people to old-style boosterism.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4179/is_20010610/ai_n11766022

[kcshocker11]

We referred to it as DooDah in the 70's and early 80's. To us it meant stuck int he middle of nowhere, not a happy term. Come on alum anyone here it in the 60's, 50's or 40's? :posterwu: 8)

[engrshock]

"After months of research, Schruben concluded that the term originated with local college students during the 1920s.

Schruben said he got interested in tracking down the origins of the nickname after reading a column a year ago by Wichita Eagle writer Bob Getz, who attributed the nickname to 1950s-era beat- generation poet Allen Ginsberg."


I am in my late 40's and can always remember Doodah as a nickname for the Wichita area. I know that KFDI used that term in the 1960's and it was a term of endearment. I kind of like the nickname.

[Shockra]

Thanks for the info guys!