Believe it or not, there are actually a number of cities named Valentine. For example:

• Valentine, Nebraska ("America's Heart City") is home to the Valentine National Wildlife Refuge. According to the website, the Heart City plans to host a Valentine's Day event, although -- like shy suitors -- they haven't expressed their feelings about it yet. In 2005, the town hosted a chili cook-off.
• Right off Purple Heart Trail, there's a Valentine, Arizona. Generally speaking, though, unless you're a bit of an adventurer, I doubt this is where you'll be spending your special day.
• Only a few hundred people live in the west Texas town of Valentine.
• There's a Valentine Village in New Mexico.
• Upper Austria seems to dislike the fact that it has a small village called Valentine.
• France boasts Saint-Valentin -- "The Lovers Village" -- which also has a Garden of Lovers. Not surprisingly, thousands of couples marry in this village of 258 permanent residents each year.

It's amazing to me that so few of these Valentines have taken advantage of the rather obvious brand management they could so easily monopolize.

Filed under: Europe, North America, Austria, France, United States, Holiday Ideas