Marisa in Bellingham, Washington, was puzzled by a traffic sign in Massachusetts that read “Thickly Settled.” As far back as the 1830s, the term thickly settled was used in the Massachusetts legal code to refer to an area with a lot of structures, such as a business district or residences within 200 feet of each other, so the sign warns drivers that the road may be congested with related traffic. This is part of a complete episode.
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