7 facts about 9 places in the world also called Exeter

(Souce TonyBaldasaro)

Exeter, Devon may be the originator, but we've got tribute acts all over the globe. Let's meet some of our namesakes.

1. Exeter, Rhode Island is a small town in the smallest state in America. It's claim to fame is as the site "one of the best documented cases of the exhumation of a corpse in order to perform rituals to banish an undead manifestation", the Mercy Brown Vampire Incident of 1892. I know, it's a little crazy right?

2. Exeter New Hampshire, is our largest and famous twin. In fact it in inspired a book after two Exeter police officers, Eugene Bertrand and David Hunt, and a local teenager witnessed a bright red UFO at close range in 1965. The sighting attracted national press and the US Air Force admitted to the three men that it had been unable to identify the strange object they had observed. It is still considered to be one of the most impressive UFO sightings on record. Locals have even started putting on a festival in honour of the event.

3. Exeter. CA is apparently the 'citrus capital of the world'. Suck on that Florida!

Exeter Loves Mural (Source BostonPL)

4. Exeter, Canada calls itself, the 'Home of the White Squirrel' and has an annual festival in honour of this furry creature. They also have a town mascot by the name of 'Willy the Wonder Dog', who goes to the town rodeo. Why don't we have a rodeo?

White Squirrel in the Place (Source: Conrad Kuiper)

5. Exeter, Illinois is the smallest Exeter with only 70 people. That's right the entire population could fit onto the dance floor at The Cavern. In fact, they could join the good people of Exeter Tasmania, pop. 389,  and Exeter nr Adelaide, Australia, pop. 397 in the visitors stand at St James Park, with room to spare.

6. Exeter, Pennsylvania - not to be confused with Pennsylvania, Exeter - is a former mining town which was devastated after the Susquehanna River broke into a 150 ft hole in the roof of a neighbouring mine.  The whole network of anthracite mines was flooded during this Knox Mine disaster of 1959.  Approximately 10 billion US Gallons of water poured into the gaping hole, twelve workers died and it was the end of an industry for the town.

7. Exeter Nebraska, got it's name because some of it's settlers were Exeter, New Hampshire but mostly because the railroad needed a town with an 'E' name for their alphabetical railway line. So it sits between Crete and Dorchester to the east, and Fairmont, Grafton, Hastings, Inland, Juniata, Kenesaw and Lowell to the west.

Local folk at Gregs Market in Exeter, Nebraska. (Source: USDAgov)