Wankers Corner, Oregon

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Wanker Corner (pronounced either "wohn-kers" or "waah-nkers") is the name of the intersection of Stafford Road with Borland Road, within the boundaries of Clackamas County, Oregon. Because this is not a recognized community, it has never had a post office established there, nor does it consistently appear on many maps of Oregon (although the AAA map of Oregon shows it in an inset).

The origin of the name of this landmark was explained in a post to the Usenet group alt.folklore.urban (from one "dino", dated May 14, 1995):

Well, Peter and the rest, I called Wanker's Country Store, and talked with one Lois Wanker (that's pronounced "Wonker," how she answered the phone), and got some info. I wrote them a long time ago, both the Wanker's Country Store and Wanker's Corner Saloon and Cafe, but never got a response, so I finally called. She was quite pleasant and friendly on the phone.

Here is what I just learned on the phone: Lois Wanker's grandfather settled there (West Linn, Oregon area, just south of Portland) in 1895. The tavern was founded by Lois's dad in 1931. I gathered that it burned down in something like 1969 but they built a new one (I was scribbling fast and may have missed a few details). They own the store and lease the saloon (see below). I also gather that there is info about this in the Lake Oswego Library, for any friends out in the Beaver State who want to check this out, and in some Oregon Historical Society thing in Oregon City. I should comment, my earlier researches in Oregon place name books and Oregon history books revealed nothing.

In short, it was named for a person named Wanker who settled there, presupposing that she wasn't lying to me.

Funny thing is, I then called the saloon, and got a slightly different story... They (or at least the person with whom I talked) pronounce it "Wanker," "a" as in "at." They claimed no real relation to the store, and I had the feeling that the guy was putting me on. Lois Wanker (yeah, if that *is* her real name) at least sounded believable on the phone and I am more inclined to believe her. I should point out, the store and the saloon are right next to each other.

The tavern located in Wanker's Corners played up the double entendre in its name in the 1990s, and for a while offered for sale a t-shirt showing a kangaroo eating peanuts pulled from its pouch, with the motto, "Grab your nuts at Wanker's Corner." However, with the development of the surrounding farmland into apartments and condos, the tavern was forced to relocate to nearby Wilsonville, where it currently operates with a country and western theme, while still allowing patrons to toss their empty peanut shells on the floor.