All means of conventional stereotyping simply flies out the window when even the name "Pallet Town" is mentioned. Everyone in the Kanto Region knows of Pallet Town due to the impressive stream of trainer's it has produced over the centuries. Viridian City might be nicknamed the "Foothold of Champions", but Pallet Town can often be regarded as the "Birthplace of Champions". Before it got that title, Pallet Town was a small farming community along the coast of Route 21 that mostly served as a one night pit stop for weary travelers. It got its name through the local superstition that white painted fences would scare off bird Pokémon due to bearing the same color as Dewgong, which are common in the waters south of the Town. The town started when people realized how fertile the coastal land was. It got put on the map when Professor Oak blitzed through the gym circuit all the way to the championship. As the story goes, the young Professor found a Squirtle egg left behind by a trainer. He hatched it and paved the road for many future champions. After stepping down from the position as Champion, Oak became a professor and found it fitting to put his research lab in his home town. The lab has provided Pokemon for dozens of young aspiring trainers. Ex-Champion Red and Ex-Champion Blue also hail from Pallet and received their first Pokémon through this method. Professor Oak's lab brings an influx of researchers who need some place to stay. They settled in Pallet Town and added both new blood to the small town community and an influx of technology. As a result, Pallet Town defies the normal stereotypes of a small farming community.