The Bunkum Stone

The Bunkum Stone is a sister to the Blarney Stone in Ireland. It is said that kissing the Bunkum Stone confers the gift of loquacity.

The Bunkum Stone is named in honor of Felix Walker, the US Congressman from Buncombe County (1820) for whom the term 'bunkum' was coined. His rambling speeches were considered so windy and irrelevant, that his colleagues would despair every time he spoke. Walker's signature introduction, "For the people of Buncombe" became fro them, "a load of bunkum." The term 'bunkum' passed into common usage along with 'debunk' and 'bunk'[.]

Submitted by: Patrick Burrows