Telling my friend too go too hell?

I had a good friend I met at swimming camp who was visiting his aunt during the summer who lived in Livingston County, and I lived in Barry County, Michigan. My town of Hastings, was named after a famous battle, and his town if, well, Hell, was named after something else. Why did people not from the area think it wasn't O.K. at the end of summer, too wish him well, and go too Hell?