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HARVARD UNIVERSITY 




LIBRARY 

OF THE 

PEABODY MUSEUM OF AMERICAN 
ARCHAEOLOGY AND ETHNOLOGY 

GIFT OF 

Dx. Okarles Peabody 
Received September 29 , 1924 



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BnUetin No. 258 



Senes P, Geography, 46 



DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

CHARLES D. WALCOTT, DIRECTOR 



THE 



ORIGIN OF CERTAIN PLACE NAMES 



THE UJSriTED STATES 



(Second Edition) 



HENRY GANNETT 




WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICEJ 

19 5 



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\ 0> 



V 



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CONTENTS. 



Page. 

Jjetter of transmittal 5 

Introduction 7 

Acknowledgments 7 

Authorities 10 

The names and their origin 15 

3 



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LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. 



Department of the Interior, 
United States Geological Survey, 

Wdshmgton^ D, 6^., Januai^y %^ 1905, 
Sir: I transmit herewith a bulletin on the origin of place names in 
the United States. This is a second edition of Bulletin No. 197. 
The material has been compiled from various sources, printed and 
manuscript, as set forth in the introduction. I think this work will 
be of great interest as embodying much local and general history. 
Very respectfully, 

Henry Gannett, 

Geographer. 
Hon. Charles D. Walcott, 

Direct(yr United States Geological Survey. 

5 



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THE ORIGIN OF CERTAIN PLACE NAMES IN THE 
UNITED STATES. 



By Henry Gannett. 



INTRODUCTION. 

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. 

During the compilation of this work a large correspondence was 
carried on with State and local historical societies, State, county, and 
township officers, and individuals in all parts of the country for the 
purpose of obtaining information concerning the subject in hand. 
The greatest interest was shown and much work done by correspond- 
ents, who have thus contributed very largely to the work. Much val- 
uable material was collected in this way which otherwise would have 
been unavailable. 

Among my correspondents, special thanks are due to the following 
persons and organizations: 

Thomas M. Owen, Department of Archives and History, Montgom- 
ery, Alabama, for valuable references. 

Major G. E. Bailey, of San Francisco, California, for extensive 
information concerning the Spanish nomenclature of several hundred 
towns in California. 

C. M. Drake, of Eureka, California, for information concerning 
names in Monterey and Humboldt counties. 

The Bureau of American Ethnology, to which I am especially 
indebted, not only for much information concerning Indian names, but 
for guidance, advice, and suggestions in obtaining sources of informa- 
tion. Indeed, most of the information concerning the meaning of 
Indian names is derived, either directly or indirectly, from this source, 
and all names of Indian origin have been verified and corrected by 
officers of this Bureau. 

William N. Byers, of Denver, Colorado, for additions to and cor- 
rections of county names. 

Mrs. J. V. Calver, Washington, District of Columbia, who has 
furnished valuable and extensive information concerning hundreds of 
place names in all the States of the Union. 

Robert C. Rockwell, Pittsfield, Massachusetts, for additions to and 
corrections of Connecticut and Massachusetts place names. 

7 



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8 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Otis Ashmore, Georgia Historical Society, Savannah, Georgia, for 
revising list of counties. 

C. J. Bassett, Secretary of State, Boise, Idaho, for revising and 
adding to list of counties. 

Charles Evans, Chicago Historical Society, who sent a compre- 
hensive list embracing most of the important names in his State. 

William R. Sandham, Wyoming, Illinois, superintendent of schools, 
Stark County, 1882-1898, for much valuable information concerning 
the nomenclature of several hundred cities and towns, and corrections 
of county names in the State of Illinois. 

J. P. Dunn, Indiana Historical Society, Indianapolis, Indiana, for 
additions to and corrections of county names. 

M. W. Davis, State Historical Society, Iowa City, Iowa, for much 
valuable information about his State. All of the information con- 
cerning town names in this State was received from him. 

George W. Martin, Kansas State Historical Society, for much val- 
uable material concerning the place names of his State. In addition 
to the list of counties, he also sent a great deal of material concerning 
town names, in which was included information furnished by Mrs. 
N. R. Calver. 

Mrs. Jennie C. Morton, Kentucky Historical Society, Frankfort, 
Kentucky, for additions to and revisions of names of counties. 

William Beer, Howard Memorial Library, New Orleans, Louisiana, 
for helpful references and suggestions. 

Grace King, Louisiana Historical Society, New Orleans, Louisiana, 
for additions to and corrections of parish names. 

Francis E. Sparks, Maryland Historical Society, Baltimore, Mary- 
land, for valuable information regarding names of counties. 

George Francis Dow, Secretary, The Essex Institute, Salem, Massa- 
chusetts, for additions to and corrections of Massachusetts town names. 

Samuel A. Green, Massachusetts Historical Societ}^, Boston, Massa- 
chusetts, for references which proved of great assistance in compiling 
information concerning the State. 

Charles J. Taylor, Great Barrington, Massachusetts, for nomencla- 
ture of towns and physical features in Massachusetts. 

H. F. Keith, Mount Washington, Massachusetts, for information 
regarding the meanings of names in the Berkshire Hills. 

George K. Holmes, Department of Agriculture, Washington, Dis- 
trict of Columbia, for valuable information concerning physical fea- 
tures in the Berkshires, and additions to place names in Massachusetts, 
New York, and Connecticut. 

C. M. Burton, Michigan Historical Society, Detroit, Michigan, for 
assistance in collecting information. Mr. Burton went to much trouble 
to get infoiTnation concerning the names of towns in his State, which 
resulted in adding much material to that branch of the work. 



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GANNETT] INTRODUCTION. 9 

Warren Uphara, Secretary The Minnesota Historical Society, for a 
revision of tlie complete list of Minnesota county names. 

Franklin L. Riley, Mississippi Historical Society, University, Mis- 
sissippi, for information concerning town names in his State. 

G. C. Broadhead, Columbia, Missouri, for additions to the list of 
Missouri names. 

Miss Marjory Dawson, Missouri Historical Society, St. Louis, Mis- 
souri, for a large amount of information concerning Missouri names. 

Mary C. Gardner, Helena Public Library, Helena, Montana, for 
numerous additions to the list of town names in Montana. 

Mrs. Laura E. Howey, Montana Historical Library, Helena, Mon- 
tana, for data concerning county and town names in the State. 

Eugene Howell, by A. W. Morris, Deputy, Department of State, 
Carson, Nevada, for correcting list of names of counties. 

C. W. Ernst, Boston, Massachusetts, for information concerning 
names in New England. 

N. F. Carter, New Hampshire Historical Society, for valuable 
references. 

William Nelson, New Jersey Historical Society, Paterson, New Jer- 
sey, for references, revision of names of counties, and a valuable list 
of town names. 

J. W. Reynolds, Secretary of New Mexico, for corrections of and 
additions to list of counties. 

F. J. H. Merrill, Historical and Art Society, Albany, New York, 
for names of towns in the State. 

E. Tuttle, Long Island Historical Societ}^ Brooklyn, New York, for 
list of town names. 

William Strunk, jr., Ithaca, New York, for corrections of trans- 
lations. 

Edwin Baylies, LL.D., Johnstown, New York, for translations of 
German and Indian names in New York. 

Julius Schoonmaker, Kingston, New York, for great assistance con- 
cerning town names. 

Robert H. Kelly, New York Historical Society, for additions to and 
corrections of county names. 

Kemp P. Battle, Department of History, University of North Caro- 
lina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, for complete list of town names. 

E. F. Porter, Secretary of State, Bismarck, North Dakota, for many 
additions to list of counties. Nearly all the information concerning 
county names in this State was furnished b}^ him. 

H. C. Hawkins, Cleveland, Ohio, for valuable additions to the list 
of Ohio city and town names. 

Bishop J. M. Levering, President Moravian Historical Society, Beth- 
lehem, Pennsylvania, for much valuable information concerning the 
names of towns in Pennsylvania. 



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10 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

John W. Jordan, Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, 
Pennsylvania, for much valuable aid. Names of counties, towns, and 
natural features were sent by him. 

A large amount of material has been drawn from manuscript books 
compiled by Mr. Watkins, of Beaver, Pennsylvania. 

Clarence S. Brigham, Rhode Island Historical Society, for numerous 
references concerning names in his State. 

A. S. Salley, South Carolina Historical Society, Charleston, South 
Carolina, for much material of value in connection with the State 
names. Complete lists of county and town names were sent by him, 
also information concerning his State not otherwise available. 

Doane Robinson, Department of History, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, 
for names of counties and many town names. 

Charles P. Garrison, Texas Historical Society, Austin, Texas, for 
list of town names. 

Mrs. E. W. Parker, for county names in Texas. Through her cour- 
tesy and kindness were obtained the origins of nearly all the county 
names of that State. 

Joseph A. De Boer, Vermont Historical Society, Montpelier, Ver- 
mont, for list of county and town names. 

John M. Comstock, Chelsea, Vermont, for list of town names in 
Orange County. 

Virginia Historical Society, for corrected list of names of counties. 

Edward N. Fuller, Washington Historical Society, Tacoma, Wash- 
ington, for references and other assistance. 

J. P. Hale, Historical and Antiquarian Society, Charleston, West 
Virginia, for material in the shape of county and town lists. 

Joseph Barry, Harpers Ferry, W^est Virginia, for information relat- 
ing to towns in that State. 

Hu Maxwell, Treasurer, Trans-Allegheny Historical Society, Mor- 
gantown, W^est Virginia, for additions to lists of counties, towns, and 
natural features in West Virginia. 

R. G. Thwaites, State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Madison, 
Wisconsin, for much material, valuable suggestions, and references, 
especially in the way of putting me into communication with other 
sources of information. 

In addition to the above, many courteous and useful letters have 
been received from county clerks, treasurers, and other State and 
county ofii(;ials, all of whom have shown interest and have furnished 
all the material in their power. 

AUTHORITIES. 

Information was obtained from the following books, two and three 
authorities being quoted in cases where differing opinions exist con- 
cerning origins: 



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GANNETT.] INTRODUCTION. 11 

INDIAN NAMES. 

\^ 

The Aboriginal Races of North America, by Samuel G. Drake; fifteenth edition, 
revised by Prof. H. L. Williams. 

The American Indian, by Elijah M. Haines, 1888. 

League of the Iroquois, by L. H. Morgan, 1857. 

Indian Local Names, with their Interpretations, by S. G. Boyd, 1885. 

Algonquin Series, by W. W. Tooker. 

The Story of the Indian, by George Bird Grinnell. 

The Siouan Tribes of the East, by James Mooney: Bulletin 22 of the Bureau of 
American Ethnology. 

Indian Linguistic Families of America North of Mexico, by J. W. Powell: Seventh 
Annual Report of the Bureau of American Ethnology, pp. 1-142. 

The Ghost-dance Religion and the Sioux Outbreak of 1890, by James Mooney: 
Fourteenth Annual Report of the Bureau of American Ethnology, pp. 641-1110. 

Calendar History of the Kiowa Indians, by James Mooney: Seventeenth Annual 
Report of the Bureau of American Ethnology, pp. 129-445. 

Tribes of the Extreme Northwest, by-W. H. Dall: Contributions to North Ameri- 
can Ethnology, Vol. I. 

Vocabularies of Tribes of the Extreme Northwest, by W. H. Dall: Contributions 
to North American Ethnology, Vol. I, pp. 121-153. 

Cherokee Nation of Indians, by Charles C. Royce: Fifth Annual Report of the 
Bureau of American Ethnology, pp. 121-378. 

The Menomini Indians, by W. J. Hoffman: Fourteenth Annual Report of the 
Bureau of American Ethnology, pp. 3-328. 

Klamath Indians of Southwestern Oregon, by Albert Samuel Gatschet: Contribu- 
tions to North American Ethnology, Vol. II, 1890. 

The Seminole Indians of Florida, by Clay MacCauley: Fifth Annual Report of the 
Bureau of Ethnology, pp. 469-531. 

Tribes of California, by Stephen Powers: Contributions to American Ethnology, 
Vol. III. 

Dakota-English Dictioijary, by Stephen R. Riggs: Contributions to North American 
Ethnology, Vol. VII. 

Pamunkey Indians of Virginia, by John Garland Pollard: Bulletin 17 of the Bureau 
of American Ethnology, 

Tribes of Western Washington, by George Gibbs: Contributions to North Ameri- 
can Ethnology, Vol. I, pp. 157-241. 

INDIVIDUAL STATES. 
ALABAMA. 

History of Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi, by Albert James Pickett. 

ARKANSAS. 

A Journal of Travels into the Arkansas Territory, by Thomas Nuttalls, 1821. 
Some Old French Place Names in the State of Arkansas, by John C. Branner. 

CALIFORNIA. 

History of the State of California, by John Frost. 
History of the State of California, by Miguel Venegas. 

Report of Exploring Expedition to Oregon and California, 1843-44, by John Charles 
Fremont: Senate Doc., Twenty-eighth Congress, second session. 
History of Oregon and California, by Robert Greenhow, 1845. 



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12 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 



CONNECTICUT. 



Gazetteer of Connecticut and Rhode Island, by J. C. Pease and J. M. Niles, 1819. 
Indian Names of Places in Connecticut, by J. H. Trumbull. 
Connecticut Historical Collections, by J. W. Barber, 1849. 



Gazetteer of Florida, by Adiel Sherwood. 

Handbook of Florida, by Charles Ledyard Norton, 1890. 



Gazetteer of Georjj^ia, by Adiel Sherwood, 1829. 
History of Georgia, by William Bacon Stevens. 
History of Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi, by Albert James Pickett 



Indiana Gazetteer or Topographical Dictionary, published by E. Chamberlain, 1849. 
History of Indiana to 1856, by John B. Dillon, 1859. 
Indiana, by J. P. Dunn. 

KENTUCKY. 

Historical Sketches of Kentucky, by Lewis Collins, 1848. 

LOUISIANA. 

A Description of Louisiana, by Father Louis Hennepin, Translated from the Edition 
of 1(583, and Compiled with Nouvelle D^couverte, the La Salle Documents, and Other 
Contemporaneous Papers, by John Gilmary Shea, 1880. 



History of Maine to 1842, by George J. Vamey, 1873. 

Gazetteer of Maine, by N. E. Hayward. 

History of Maine, 1602-1820, by W. D. Williamson, 1832. 

Collections of the Maine Historical Society, 1847-1859. (In seven volumes.) 

MASSACHUSETTS. 

Gazetteer of the State of Massachusetts, by Rev. Elias Nason, 1874. 

Historical Collections Relating to Every Town in Massachusetts, by John Warner 
Barber, 1846. 

Gazetteer of Massachusetts, by J. Hayward, 1847. 

The Indian Names of Boston and Their Meaning, by Eben Norton Hosford: New 
England Historical and Genealogical Register, Vol. XL, 1886, pp. 94-103. 

Massachusetts Historical Society Proceedings, Vol. XII, 1873. 

MICHIGAN. 

Gazetteer of Michigan, by John T. Blois, 1840. 

Memorials of a Half Century in Michigan and the Lake Region, by Bela Hubbard. 

MISSISSIPPI. 

A History of Mississippi from the Discovery of the Great River by Hernando de 
Soto, Including the Earliest Settlements Made by the French under Iberville to the 
Death of Jefferson, by Robert Lowry and William H. McCardle. 

Mississippi River, by Henry R. Schoolcraft. 

History of Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi, by Albert James Pickett. 



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GANNiCTT,] INTRODUCTION. 13 

NEW HAMPSHIRE. 

Grazetteer of New Hampshire, by Alonzo J. Fogg. 

New Hampshire State Papers. 

New Hampshire Town Papers. 

Manual of the Court of New Hampshire. 

Gazetteer of New Hampshire, by J. Hayward, 1849. 

Gazetteer of New Hampshire, by J. Farmer and J. B. Moore, 1823. 

NEW JEBSET. 

Grazetteer of New Jersey, by Thomas F. Gordon, 1834. 
Historical Collections of New Jersey, by J. W. Barber and H. Howe. 
Indian Names in New Jersey, by T. Gordon: Historical Collections of the State of 
New Jersey, 1844, p. 512. 

NEW MEXICX). 

Historical Sketches of New Mexico, by Le Baron Bradford Prince, 1883. 
Doniphan's Expedition, by John T. Hughes, 1849. 

NEW YORK. 

History of the State of New York, 1609-1664, by John Romeyn Brodhead. 

Gazetteer of New York, by Thomas F. Gordon, 1836. 

Gazetteer of New York, by Horatio Gates Spafford, 1813. 

New York State Register, by Orville Luther HoUey, 1843. 

History of Lewis County, 1860. 

History of St. Lawrence and Franklin Counties, by Franklin B. Hough. 

New York State Register, by John Disturnell, 1858. 

Historical Collections of New York, 1524-1845, by J. W. Barber and H. Howe, 1845. 

History of the Late Province of New York to 1732, by W. Smith, 1767. 



Grazetteer of Ohio, by John Kilboum, 1821. 
Pioneer History of Ohio, by S. P. Hildreth. 

Biographical and Historical Memoirs of the Early Pioneer Settlers of Ohio, by 
S. P. Hildreth. 
Historical Collections of Ohio, by Henry Howe. (Three volumes in two ) : 1889, 189\. 
Ohio Gazetteer, by Warren Jenkins, 1837. 

OREGON. 

History of Oregon, by Hubert Howe Bancroft, 1886. 

Report of the Exploring Expedition to Oregon and North California, 1843-44, 1 y 
John Charles Fremont: Senate Doc, Twenty-eighth Congress, second session. 

History of Oregon and California, by Robert Greenhow, 1845. 

Oregon; the Struggle for Possession, by William Barrows, 1884. 

Mountains of Oregon, by W. G. Steel. 

Tribes of Western Washington and Northwestern Oregon, by George Gibbs: Con- 
tributions to North American Ethnology, Vol. I, 1877, pp. 157-241. 

PENNSYLVANIA. 

Historical Collections of Pennsylvania (1680-1778); by S. Day, 1843. 
History of Pennsylvania to 1776, by Thomas F. Gordon, 1829. 

RHODE ISLAND. 

Gazetteer of Rhode Island, by Pease and Niles. 

Rhode Island Historical Society Proceedings, 1886-87, pp. 42-51. 



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14 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Indian Names of Places in Rhode Island, by CT. Parsons, 1861. 

Gazetteer of Connecticut and Rhode Island, by J. C. Pease and J. M. Niles, 1819. 

SOUTH CAROUNA. 

Historical Collections of South Carolina, by B. R. Carroll, 1836. 

Documents Connected with the History of South Carolina, by P. C. J. Weston. 

Collections of the South Carolina Historical Society, Vols. I-V, 1857-1897. 

TENNESSEE. 

History of Tennessee; the Making of a State, by James Phelan. 



Exploration and Survey of the Valley of the Great Salt Lake of Utah, by Howard 
Stansbury: Senate Ex. Doc. No. 3, special session, March, 1851. 



Vermont Historical Gazetteer, by A. B. Hemenway, 1867-1871. 



Historical Collections of Virginia: Virginia Historical Society publications. 
History of Virginia to 1764, by W. H. Brockenbrough: History of Virginia, by 
Joseph Martin, 1835. 

WASHINCiTON. 

Tribes of Western Washington and Northwestern Oregon, by George Gibbs:. Con- 
tribution to North American Ethnology, Vol. I, 1877, pp. 157-241. 
History of Washington, by El wood Evans. 

MISCELLANEOUS. 

Canoe Voyage up the Minnay Sotor, by George William Featherstonehaugh. 

Astoria, by Washington Irving. 

Henry-Thompson Journals, by Elliot Coues. 

The Expeditions of Zebulon Montgomery Pike, by Elliot Coues. (Three volumes, 
1895.) 

History of the Expedition under Lewis and Clark, by Elliot Coues, Philadelphia 
American Philosophical Society, pp. 17-33, 1893. 

Account of an Expedition from Pittsburg to the Rocky Mountains under the Com- 
mand of Maj . Stephen H . Long. Compiled by Eki win James. ( Three vol umes, 1 823. ) 

Narrative of an Expedition to the Source of St. Peters River, Lake Winnepeek, 
Lake of the Woods, etc., under the Command of Stephen H. Long, by William H. 
Keating. (Two volumes, 1825. ) 

The Adventures of Captain Bonneville, or Scenes beyond the Rocky Mountains and 
the Far West, by Washington Irving, 1850. 

Yellowstone Park, by H. M. Chittenden. 

Geographical Names as Monuments of History: Transactions of the Oneida Histor- 
ical Society, No. 5, 1889-1892. 

Report of Reconnaissance of Northwestern Wyoming, Including the Yellowstone 
Park, in 1873, by William A. Jones, 1875. 

Exploration of the Colorado River of the West, by J. W. Powell, 1875. 

Report upon the Colorado River of the West, by Joseph C. Ives: Senate Doc., 
Thirty-sixth Congress. 

Excursion to the Grand Cafion of the Colorado, by W. M. Davis. 

Colorado Exploring Expedition, by Joseph C. Ives: War Department, Office 
Explorations and Surveys, pp. 31-42, 1859. 



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THE NAMES AND THEIR ORIGIN. 



Aaronsbur^; town in Center County, Pennsylvania, named for Aaron Levy, who 

laid it out in 1786. 
Abahtacook; creek in Maine, branch of the Matamiscontis River. An Indian word 

meaning "stream that runs parallel with a big river." 
Abajo; mountains in Utah. A Spanish word meaning **low." 
Abanako ; village in Van Wert County, Ohio, named from an Indian tribe. The 

word means "the east land.'* 
Abaquagre ; pond near the source of Little River, Connecticut. An Indian word 

meaning "flaggy meadow.'* 
Abbeville ; county, and town in same county, in South Carolina, settled and named 

by immigrants from France, for the French town of that name. 
Abbot ; town in Piscataquis County, Maine, named for Prof. John Abbot, treasurer 

of Bowdoin College. 
Abbotsford ; village in St. Clair County, Michigan, named from the home of Sir 

Walter Scott. 
Abbott ; village in Arapahoe County, Colorado, named for Albert F. Abbott, who 

platted it. 
Abbottstown ; town in Adams County, Pennsylvania, named for John Abbott, who 

laid it out in 1753. 
Aberdeen ; city in Monroe County, Mississippi, town in Moore County, North Caro- 
lina, and numerous other places, named from the city in Scotland. 
Abert ; lake in Oregon, named for Col. J. J. Abert, topographical engineer. United 

States Army. 
Abiathar ; peak in Yellowstone Park, Wyoming, named for Charles Abiathar Whit«, 

of the United States Geological Survey. 
Abilene ; city in Dickinson County, Kansas, and village in Charlotte County, Vir- 
ginia, named from the province of ancient Syria. The word means "grassy 

plain." 
Abilene ; city in Taylor County, Texas, named from the city in Kansas. 
Abingdon; city in Knox County, Illinois, named from Abingdon, Maryland, the 

birth place of one of its founders. 
Abing^don; village in Harford County, Maryland, town in Washington County, Vir- 
ginia, and several other places, named generally from the borough in Berkshire, 

England. 
Abingrton; town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, and several other places, 

named from the parish of Cambridgeshire, England. 
Ableman; village in Sauk County, Wisconsin, named for Col. S. V. R. Ableman, 

who settled there in 1851. 
Abocadneticook; creek in Maine, a branch of the Penobscot River. An Indian 

word meaning "stream narrowed by the mountains." 
Aboljackamiegras; creek in Maine, a branch of the Penobscot River, at the foot of 

Mount Katahdin. An Indian word meaning "bare" or "bold." 

15 



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16 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Abrig^a; hill in Waterburyi Connecticut, having on its side a deep cavern-like 
cliff called the ** Indian House/' hence the name, which is a Spanish word mean- 
ing ** shelter*' or ** hiding place." 

Absaroka; range of mountains in Wyoming, named from the native name of the 
Crow Indians. Grinnell says Xhe word refers to some kind of a bird, possibly 
crows. 

Acabonack; harbor in Long Island. An Indian word meaning "root place," 
applied to the harbor from the meadows near, where the Indians found roots 
which they prized. 

Acadia; parish in Louisiana, and villages in Aroostook County, Maine, and Lee 
County, Virginia, named from Acadia, the original name of Nova Scotia. The 
word is the French form of the Indian word akddi, "where there is,"^ "where 
there are," "where are found." 

Acama; town in San Diego County, California. From the Spanish, meaning 
"place of repose." 

Acampo; village, in San Joatjuin County, California. A Spanish word meanmg 
" portion of common given to herds for pasture." 

Accomac; county, and village in same county, in Virginia. An Indian word which 
seems to mean " on the other side." 

Acequia; village in Douglas County, Colorado. A Spanish word meaning "canal" 
or "channel." 

Acerico; town in Sonoma County, California. A Spanish word meaning " pin 
cushion" or "small pillow." 

Aceyedan; creek in Iowa. An Indian word, doubtfully said to mean "place of 
weeping." 

Ackerman; town in Choctaw County, Mississippi, named for a landowner. 

Ackley; town in Hardin County, Iowa, laid out in 1857 by J. W. Ackley. 

Acme; village in Grand Traverse County, Michigan. A Greek word meaning 
"summit." 

Acolito; town in San Diego County, California. The Spanish form of "acolyte." 

Acorn; town in Humboldt County, California, named from the oak trees in the 
vicinity, conspicuous in a pine district. 

Acquackanonk; township in Passaic County, New Jersey. An Indian word mean- 
ing " where gum blocks were made (or procured) for pounding corn." 

Acquehadong^onock; point in Maine. An Indian word said to mean " smoked 
fish point." 

Acton; station in Los Angeles County, California, and town in York County, Maine, 
named from Acton, Massachusetts. 

Acton; town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, named from the town in Middle- 
sex County, England. 

Acushnet; town and river in Bristol County, Massachusetts. The name of an Indian 
village which occupied a part of the site of the present city of New Bedford. 

Acworth; town in Sullivan County, New Hampshire, named in honor of Lord 
Acworth. 

Ada; county in Idaho, named for the eldest daughter of H. C. Riggs. 

Ada; town in Kent County, Michigan, named for the daughter of Sidney Smith. 

Ada; village in Norman County, Minnesota, named for the daughter of W. H. 
Fisher, a railroad oflScial. 

{Adair; counties in Iowa, Kentucky, and Missouri; 
Adairville; town in Logan County, Kentucky. Named for Gen. John Adair, gov- 
ernor of Kentucky. 
Adams; county in Colorado* named for Alva Adams, a former governor of the State. 
Adams; counties in Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin, named for President John 
Quincy Adams, 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 17 

Adams; counties in Iowa and Mississippi; peak of the White Mountains in New 
Hampshire; village in Herkimer County and town in Jefferson County, New 
York; county in Ohio; point at the mouth of the Columbia River in Oregon; 
county in Pennsylvania; and county and mountain in Washington; named for 
President John Adams. 

Adams; town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, named for Samuel Adams. 

Adams; village in Gage County, Nebraska, named for an early settler, J. O. Adams. 

Adams; town in Robertson County, Tennessee, named for the owner of the town 
site, Reuben Adams. 

Adams, J. Q. ; peak in New Hampshire, named for President John Quincy Adams. 

Adamsboro; village in Cass County, Indiana, named for George E. Adams, its 
founder. 

{Adamsburg:; borough in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania; 
Adamstown; borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Said to have been 
named for President John Adams. 
Addison; towns in Washington County, Maine, and Steuben County, New York, 

township in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, and county, and town in same 

county, in Vermont, named for the English writer, Joseph Addison. 
Addison; town in Webster County, West Virginia, named for Addison McLaughlin, 

a prominent lawyer. 
Adel; town in Dallas County, Iowa. So named from its situation on a dell of North 

Raccoon River; formerly written Adell. 
Adelante; post-oflSce in Napa County, California. A Spanish word meaning 

'* forward,*' "onward." 
Adena; town in Jefferson County, Ohio, named for the home or country seat of the 

late Governor Worthington, of Ohio, which was in Ross County. The word 

means "paradise.'* 
Adirondacks; village in Warren County, and mountains, in New York. Derived 

from the Canienga (Mohawk) Iroquois language, in which the original form is 

r&UrontdkSj meaning "bark eaters.** 
Admiralty; inlet in Washington named by Vancouver, the EngUsh explorer, for 

incumbent in the Admiralty. 
Adobe; station in Kern County, California. A Spanish word meaning a "sun- 
dried brick.** 
Adrian; city in Lenawee County, Michigan, named for the Roman Emperor 

Hadrian or Adrian. 
Advance; village in Boone County, Indiana, named in anticipation of the Midland 

Railroad passing through the region. 
.Stna Hot Springes; village and springs in Napa County, California, named from 

Mount jEtna in Sicily. 
Afton; town in Union County, Iowa, laid out in 1854 and named by Mrs. Baker, 

wife of one of the proprietors, from the little river in Scotland immortalized by 

Burns. Many other places bear the same name. 
A^amenticus; mountain in York County, Maine. An Indian word meaning "on 

the other side of the river.*' 
Ag^assiz; mountains in Arizona and New Hampshire, named for Louis J. R. Agassiz, 

the Swiss naturalist. 
Ag^te; bay in Lake* Superior, Michigan, and creek in Yellowstone Park, so named 

from the agates found in them. 
Agawam; river, and town in Hampden County, in Massachusetts. An Indian 

word meaning "lowland,** "marsh,** or "meadow.** 
Agency; town in Wapello County, Iowa, and village in Buchanan County, Mis- 
souri, which were formerly Indian agencies. 
TJuU. 258—05 2 



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18 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

A^a Caliente; village in Maricopa County, Arizona, and township in San Di^o 
County, and village in Sonoma County, California, so named from the hot 
springs. A Spanish phrase meaning "hot water.*' 

A^a de Vida; town and springs in Alameda County, California. A Spanish 
phrase meaning ** water of life." 

AguA Dulce; creek in Texas. A Spanish word meaning "sweet water." 

AguA Fria; valley in Yavapai County, and river in Arizona, village in Mariposa 
County; California, and peak and village in Santa F4 County, New Mexico. A 
Spanish phrase meaning "cold water." 

Agrua Hedionda; town in San Diego County, California, named from the sulphur 
springs. A Spanish phrase meaning "stinking water." 

Agrua Tibia; town in San Diego County, California. A Spanish phrase, translated 
as "flute water." 

Ahiki; eastern tributary of the Chattahoochee River, Georgia. An Indian word, 
ahi-ikiy meaning "sweet potato mother." 

Aiken; county, and town in same county, in South Carolina, named for William 
Aiken, governor of the State in 1844-1846. 

Aikin; landing and swamp in Chesterfield County, Virginia, named for the late 
owner, Albert Aikin. 

Ainsworth; town in Washington County, Iowa, named for D. H. Ainsworth, a 
civil engineer. 

Ainsworth; station on the Union Pacific Railroad in Franklin County, Washing- 
ton, named for J. C. Ainsworth, a prominent western railroad man. 

Aitkin; county, and township and village in same county, in Minnesota, named 
for Samuel Aiken or Aitken, an old trapper and fnr dealer. 

Ajax; villages in Nevada and Santa Barbara counties, California, named for the 
Greek hero of Homer's Iliad. 

Akron; town in Washington County, Colorado, and village in Erie County, New 
York, named from the city in Ohio. 

Akron; city in Summit County, Ohio, which occupies the highest ground in the 
northern part of the State, and several other places so named on account of their 
elevation. A Greek word meaning "summit" or "peak." 

Alabama; settlement in Fresno County, gulch in Inyo County, mine in Placer 
County, and township in Sacramento County, California, named from the State. 
Alabama; State of the Union and a river in that State; 

Alabama City; town in Etowah County, Alabama, named for an Indian tribe. 
Gatschet gives the meaning as "burnt clearing." Haines, in his "American 
Indian, * ' gives ' * thicket clearer. ' ' 

Alabaster; mount in Arkansas whose summit is composed of alabaster. 

Alabaster; town in Eldorado County, California, named from the gypsum deposits 
in the vicinity. 

Alabaster; post-ofl5ce in Iosco County, Michigan, so named from its quarry of gyp- 
sum and manufactory of calcined plaster. 

Alachua; county, and town in same county, in Florida. An Indian word, the mean- 
ing of which is variously interpreted as alachua savanna^ "grassy, marshy plain." 
The name is of the Creek or Maskoki language. 

Alamance; county and creek in North Carolina. The word is said to have been 
given by Germans, from Allamanca, who settled in the valley of the creek, which 
received the name first. Some authorities say it is of Indian origin. 

Alameda; village in Clarke County, Alabama, county, and city in same county, in 
California, and town in Bernalillo County, New Mexico. A Spanish word, 
meaning "poplar grove," or, in the ordinary use of the word, a "promenade." 

Alamitos; town in Santa Clara County, and beach in Los Angeles County, Cali- 
fornia. A Spanish word meaning "little poplars." 



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GANNKTT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 19 

Alamo; post-office in Contra CJoeta County, California, and many other places, named 

from the old fort in Texas, which was so called from a grove of cottonwood 

trees. A Spanish word meaning ** poplar" or *' cottonwood." 
Alamogordo; city in Otero County, New Mexico. A Spanish word meaning "large 

poplar" or ** large cottonwood." 
Alaxnoosook; pond in Hancock County, Maine, near Orland. An Indian word 

meaning "little dog place." 
Alamosa; town in Conejos County and stream in Colorado. The stream was named 

by the early Spanish explorers, the town taking its name from the stream. A 

Spanish word, meaning "shaded with elms," though cottonwood is the actual 

growth. 
Alaqua; river and town in Walton County, Florida. An Indian word meaning 

"sweet gum." 
Alaska; Territory of the United States. Possibly from the Esquimaux word 

dlakshakf peninsula. 
Albany; township and village in Whiteside County, Ilhnois, county in Wyoming, 

and many other places, named from the city in New York. 
Albany; county, and city in same county, in New York, named for the Duke of 

York, whose Scotch title was "Duke of Albany," afterwards James II of England. 
Albemarle; town in Stanly County and sound in North Carolina, and county in 

Virginia, named for Gen. George Monk, Earl of Albemarle, one of the original 

proprietors. 
Alberhill; railroad station and mine in Riverside County, California, named for the 

owners, Albers and Hill. 
Albert Lea; lake in Freeborn County, Minnesota, named for Lieut. Albert M. Lea, 

who explored the "Blackhawk Purchase" and published an account of his 

explorations in 1836. 
Albert Lea; city in Freeborn County, Minnesota, between two lakes, from one of 

which it derives its name. 
Albertville; town in Marshall County, Alabama, named for the first settler. 
Albina; village, now a part of Portland, Oregon, named for the wife of Judge Page, 

of Portland. 
Albion; town in Kennebec County, Maine, and many other places named from the 

ancient name of England. 
Albion Hills; village in Nevada County, California, the name being suggested by 

the white bluffs. 
Albuquerque; city in Bernalillo County, New Mexico, named for the Spanish Duke 

of Albuquerque, who visited this spot in 1703-l'7lO. From the Latin, quercus 

aUmSy meaning * * white oak. * ' 
Alburgr; town in Grand Isle County, Vermont, named for Gen. Ira Allen, one of 

the original grantees. 
Alcalde; town in Fresno County, California. A Spanish word, meaning "judge." 
Alcatraz; island and post-oflfice in San Francisco County, California. A Spanish 

word, meaning "pelican." 
Alcona; county, and post-office in same county, in Michigan. An Indian form, 

manufactured by Schoolcraft, meaning "unknown." 
Alcorn; county in Mississippi, named for James L. Alcorn, governor of the State in 

1870-71. 
Alden; town in Hardin County, Iowa, named for Henry Alden, who settled there 

ml854. 
Alden; town in Erie County, New York, named by one of its citizens for his wife's 

mother. 
Alderson; town in Monroe County, West Virginia, named for Rev. John Alderson, 

pioneer settler 



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20 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Aldie; town in Loudoun County, Virginia, named from the village in Italy. 

Aledo; city in Mercer County, Illinois, named by the first settler from Aledo in 
Spain. 

Aleutian; islands in the Pacific Ocean. A derivation of the Russian word aleaid, 
meaning **bald rock." 

Alexander; county in Illinois, named for Dr. William M. Alexander, a pioneer. 

Alexander; village in Morgan County, Illinois, named for John T. Alexander, a 
prominent landowner. 

Alexander; village in Genesee County, New York, named for Alexander Rea, first 
settler and State senator. 

Alexander; county in North Carolina, named for several prominent citizens: Wil- 
liam J. Alexander, State solicitor; Gov. Nathaniel Alexander, and J. McNitt 
Alexander, secretary of the Mecklenburg Congress. 

Alexander ; lake in Connecticut, named for Nell Alexander, who was owner of a 
large tract in the town of Killingly, Connecticut. 

Alexandria; town in Rapides Parish, Louisiana, named for Alexander Futton, one 
of the original proprietors, and a benefactor of the town. 

Alexandria; township and village in Douglas County, Minnesota, named for Alex- 
ander Kincaid, a pioneer settler. 

Alexandria; village in Thayer County, Nebraska, named for S. J. Alexander, sec- 
retary of state. 

Alexandria; town in Jefferson County, New York; named for Alexander Le Ray, 
son of J. D. Le Ray, who fell in a duel in 1836. 

Alexandria; county, and city in same county, in Virginia, named for a prominent 
family of early settlers. 

Alexandria Bay; bay and village in Jefferson County, New York; named for Alex- 
ander Le Ray. 

Alexis; village in Warren County, Illinois, named for the crown prince of Russia at 
the time it was founded. 

Alford; town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, named for Hon. John Alford, of 
Charlestown. 

Alfordsville; village in Daviess County, Indiana, named for James Alford, who built 
the first house. 

Alfred; towns in York County, Maine, and Allegheny County, New York, named for 
King Alfred the Great, of England. 

Algransee; township and post-oflBce in Branch County, Michigan. An Indian form 
manufactured by Schoolcraft, from Ojibwa roots, and intended to signify 
"Algonquin lake." 

Algrer; county in Michigan, and village in Hardin County, Ohio, named for Hon. 
Russell A. Alger, Secretary of War during President McKinley's administration. 

Algrodones; villages in San Diego County, California, and Sandoval County, New 
Mexico. A Spanish word, meaning ** cotton plants." 

Algroma; city in Kewaunee County, Wisconsin, and places in several other States. 
An Indian word formed by Schoolcraft from Algonquin and gomaj meaning 
** Algonquin waters." 

Algona; city in Kossuth County, Iowa, and post-oflSce in Jefferson County, New 
York. An Indian word, probably meaning the same as Algoma^ "Algonquin 
waters." 

Algonac; village in St. Clair County, Michigan. An Indian derivative, manufac- 
tured by Schoolcraft, compounded from Algonquin and auke^ meaning "land of 
the Algous." 

Algonquin; village in McHenry County, Illinois, named by Samuel Edwards, an 
early settler, from a vessel on which he had served. 



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GANNETT.J PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 21 

Algronquin; poet-oflSces in Franklin County, New York, and Carroll County, Ohio, 

named' from a prominent Indian tribe. The word seems to mean ** (people) on 

the other side,*' or "eel-spring place." 
AThambra; post-office in Los Angeles County, California, village in Madison County, 

Illinois, and six other places, named from the palace in Spain. 
Aliqidppa; borough in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, named for a Delaware Indian 

woman. Said to mean *^hat,'' and also spelled Allegrippus in early period. 
Aliso; villages in Orange and San Bernardino counties, California. A Spanish word 

meaning "alder tree.'* 
Alkali; creek in Montana, so named from the alkaline quality of the water. 
Allagash; principal branch of St. Johns River, and plantation and post-office in 

Aroostook County, Maine. An Indian word meaning "bark cabin lake.'* The 

Indians had a hunting camp near the headwaters of the river, hence the name. 
Allamakee; county in Iowa. The Iowa Historical Society says it waa named for 

Allen Makee, an Indian trader. 
'Allegan; county, and village in same county in Michigan; 
Allegany; county in Maryland, county, and town in Cattaraugus County, New 

York, and post-office in Coos County, Oregon; 
Alleghany; counties in North Carolina and Virginia; 

Allegheny; county, city in same county, and river in Pennsylvania, and moun- 
tains in the eastern United States. A corruption of the Delaware Indian name 

for the Allegheny and Ohio rivers, the meaning of the name being lost. 
Alleghany; village and mining camp in Sierra County, California, named by early 

settlers from Alleghany, Pennsylvania. 
Allemands; town in St. Charles Parish, Louisiana, situated on Bayou des Alle- 

mands, "bayou of the Germans.** 
Allen; county in Indiana, named for Col. William Allen, of Kentucky. 
Allen; county in Kansas, named for William Allen, United States Senator from 

Ohio, 1837-1849. 
Allen; counties in Kentucky and Ohio, named for Col. John Allen, who fell at the 

battle of Eaisin River, in the war of 1812. 
Allen; township in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, named for William Allen, 

of Pennsylvania, at one time chief justice of the province. 
Allendale; village in Wabash County, Illinois, named for a railroad contractor. 
Allendale; town in Barnwell County, South Carolina, named for the Allen family, 

prominent in that district. 
Allenhill; post-office in Ontario County, New York, named for Nathaniel Allen, 

one of the first settlers. 
Allenstown; town in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, named for Samuel Allen, 

to whose children the grant was made in 1722. 
Allentown; borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, and city in Lehigh 

County, Pennsylvania, named for William Allen, of Pennsylvania, at one time 

chief justice of the province. 
Allerton; village in Vermilion County, Illinois, named for Samuel Allerton, founder 

and extensive land owner. 
Alliance; city in Stark County, Ohio, so named because of its location midway the 

towns of Freedom and Mount Union, and also as the union of two railroads. 
Alligator; river and swamp in North Carolina, so named because of the numerous 

alligators. 
Allin; town in McLean County, Illinois, named for James Allin, a pioneer. 
Alloway ; township in Salem County, and creek in New Jersey, named for a resident 

Indian chief. 



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22 PLACE NAME8 IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Allred; county in North Dakota, named for L. J. Allred, member of the territorial 

comicil. 
Allum; pond in Connecticut, named for a Quinebaug captain. The word eignifies 

'Mog'' in the local Indian dialect. 
Alma; town in Santa Clara County, California. From the Spanish, meaning ''spirit 

of man." 
Alma; town in Park County, Colorado, named by Mr. James, a merchant, for his 

wife. 
Alma; township and village in Marion County, Illinois, city in Wabaunsee County, 

Kansas, and village in Gratiot County, Michigan, named from the battlefield in 

the Crimea, where the allied French, English, and Turkish troops triumphed 

over Russia, September 20, 1854. 
Alma; city in Harlan County, Nebraska, named for the daughter of one of the first 

settlers. 
Almaden; township in Santa Clara County, California, containing mines of mercury. 

These mines are named from the quicksilver mines in Spain. 
Almond; town in San Diego County, California, so named because of the almond 

orchards in the vicinity. 
Almont; village in Lapeer County, Michigan, named for the Mexican general, 

Almonte. 
Alpena; county, and city in same county, in Michigan, and village in Jerauld County, 

South Dakota. An Indian form manufactured by Schoolcraft from Algonquin, 

and jenaiseCy bird, in the Ojibwa language. 
Alpha; village in Nevada County, California, and township and village in Henry 

County, Illinois, named from the first letter of the Greek alphabet, signifying 

"the beginning." 
Alpine; county in California, so named because of its mountainous surface, being 

traversed by the Sierra Nevada. Many places in the United States bear this 

name in reference to their elevation. 
Alta; village in Placer County, California; town in Buena Vista County, Iowa, and 

post-oflfice and mining camp in Salt Lake County, Utah. A Latin word meaning 

"high." Many other places bear this name with reference to their elevation. 
Alta; village in Peoria County, Illinois, situated on the highest point between Peoria 

and Kock Island. 
Altadena; town in liOS Angeles County, California, named with reference to its 

elevation. 
Altamont; post village in Alameda County, California, town in Eflfingham County, 

Illinois, situated on the highest point between St. Louis and Terre Haute, and 

post-oflfice in Garrett County, Maryland. A Spanish phrase meaning "high 

mountain." 
Altaville; villages in Calaveras and Del Norte counties, California, named from their 

elevation. 
Alta Vista; village in Wabaunsee County, Kansas, so named by Rock Island Rail- 
road oflScials because that road crosses the watershed between the Kansas and 

Neosho rivers at this point. 
Alton; village in Humboldt County, California, named from the city in Illinois. 

Many other places are named from the same. 
Alton; city in Madison County, Illinois, named by Rufus Easton, the founder, for 

his son. 
Alton; town in Belknap County, New Hampshire, named from the town in England. 
Altoona; town in Polk County, Iowa, situated at the highest elevation between the 

Des Moines and Mississippi rivers; and city in Blair County, Pennsylvania, so 

named because of its high situation in the Allegheny Mountains. A derivative 

of the Latin word altiiSy meaning "high." 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 23 

Altoona; city in Wilson County, Kansas, named from the city in Pennsylvania. 

Alto Pass; village in Union County, Illinois, situated at a notch or pass in the main 
ridge of the Ozark uplift; hence the name, "high pass." 

Alturas; town in Modoc County, California, so named from its mountains. A 
Spanish word meaning ** summits of mountains. '* 

Alum; creek in Yellowstone Park. A characteristic name, as the water is a strong 
solution of alum. 

Alvarado; town in Alameda County, California, named for Juan V. Alvarado, 
Mexican governor of California. 

Alvarado; city in Johnson County, Texas, named from the town in Mexico. 

Alviso; township in Santa Clara County, California, named for an old Spanish 
family. 

Alvord; lake in Or^on, named for Gen. Benjamin Franklin Alvord, who was sta- 
tioned there at one time. 
{Amador; county and valley in California; 
Amador City; city in Apaador County, California. Named for Joseph M. Amador, 
formerly manager of the property of the mission of San Jose. 

Amakalli; tributary of Flint River, Mississippi. A Cherokee word meaning "tum- 
bUng water." 

Amalthea; village in Franklin County, Ohio, named for the nurse of Jupiter. 

Amargfosa; river in Inyo County, California, running through deposits of soda, 
borax, and salt. From the Spanish meaning ''bitter water." 

Ambajeejus; lake, and falls in the Penobscot River, in Maine. An Indian word, 
referring to the two large, round rocks in the lake, one on top of the other. 

Ambajemackomas; fall in the Penobscot River, Maine. An Indian word, mean- 
ing ''little cross pond." 

Ambler; borough in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, named for the Ambler 
family, of which Joseph Ambler, who settled there in 1723, was a member. 

Amboy; , towns in Lee County, Illinois, and Miami County, Indiana, and many 
other places. An Indian word, meaning "hollow inside," "like a bowl." 

Ambrose; creek in Ravalli County, Montana, named for an early settler. 

Amelia; county, and town in same county, in Virginia, named for the Princess 
Amelia, youngest daughter of George II of England. 

Amenia; town in Dutchess County, New York, named by an early scholar of the 
State, who also named the State of Vermont. A Latin word, meaning "pleas- 
ant," "delightful," "lovely." Prof. Jules Marco w attributes the name to the 
Amerriques tribe of Indians in eastern Nicaragua. 

America; the Western Hemisphere, named for Amerigo Vespucci, sometimes spelled 
Americus Vespucius, who touched the South American coast somewhere near 
Surinam in 1499. The name was first used in 1509, and first appeared on a map 
made in Frankfort, Germany, in 1520. 

American; river in California, so called by the Spanish, Rio de los Americanos, 
because most of the Americans entering California at the time the Spaniards 
ruled there, came down that river. 

Ames; city in Story County, Iowa, named for Oakes Ames. 

Ames; post-oflSce in Montgomery County, New York, named for Fisher Ames. 

Amesbury; town in Essex County, Massachusetts, named from the English town. 

Amethyst; mountain in Yellowstone Park, Wyoming, so named by the United States 
Geological Survey, from the crystalline amethysts formerly abundant on its 
broad summit. 

Amethyst; creek in Yellowstone Park, Wyoming, so named by the United States 
Geological Survey because it flows from Amethyst Mountain. 

Amherst; town in Hancock County, Maine, named from the town in New Hamp- 
shire. 



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24 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Amherst; towns in Hampshiiv County, Massachusetts, and Hillsboro County, New 

Hampshire, and county in Viiyinia, named for Lord Amherst. 
Amicalola; town in Dawson County, Georgia. A Cherokee Indian word, meaning 

'* tumbling water** or ** rolling water." 
Amite; town in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana, and county in Mississippi, named 

from the river. 
Amite; river in Mississippi and Louisiana. Corrupted from the French amitU, 

meaning ** friendship,** so called by the early settlers from the friendly reception 

given them by the Indians. 
Amity; town in Yamhill County, Oregon, so named as a result of the settlement of 

a neighborhood contention regarding the location of a schoolhouse in 1849. The 

schoolhouse was named first and later the town. 
Ammonoosuc; river in New Hampshire. An Indian word, interpreted by some to 

mean ** stony fish place;** by others, **fish story river.** 
Amo; towns in El Paso County, Colorado, Hendricks County, Indiana, and Cotton- 
wood County, Minnesota. An Indian word, meaning **bee.** 
Amphitlieater; creek in Yellowstone Park, named by the United States Geological 

Survey, from the form of a valley near its mouth. 
Amsterdam; city in Montgomery Coimty, New York, named by Emanuel E. 

De Graff, an early settler, from Amsterdam, Holland. Several places in the 

United States are named from the city in New York. 
Anaconda; township and city in Deerlodge County, Montana, named for the Ana- 
conda Company. 
Anacostia; village in the District of Columbia, named from an Indian tribe, from 

Anacostan, latinized form of Nacochtank, a former Indian settlement of the 

vicinity. 
Anada; town in Trinity County, California. From the Spanish, meaning **to 

nothing,'* signifying "down to l)ed-rt)ck.*' 
Anaheim; township and town in Orange County California. Named for Anna 

Fischer, the first child born in the settlement, and helm, the German word 

for **home.'* 
Anamosa; city in Jones County, Iowa. A corruption of the name of a Sauk Indian 

woman distinguished in the Black Hawk war, and refers to a litter of puppies 

or young foxes with eyes not yet open. 
Anastasia; island off the coast of Florida, named by the early Spanish explorers 

St. Anastasia, for a saint of the Catholic Church. 
Ancona; town in Livingston County, Illinois, named from the city in Italy. 
Andalusia; town in Covington County, Alabama, and villages in Randolph County, 

Georgia, Rock Island County, Illinois, and Bucks County, Pennsylvania, named 

from the ancient division of Spain. 
Anderson; village in Mendocino County, California, named by settlers from Ajider- 

son County in Kentucky. 
Anderson; city in Madison County, Indiana. The name is the English translation 

of a Delaware Indian chief. 
Anderson; county in Kansas, named for Joseph C. Anderson, member of the first 

Territorial legislature of Kansas. 
Anderson; county in Kentucky, named for Richard C. Anderson, a former member 

of Congress. 
Anderson; county, and city in same county, in South Carolina, named for Col. Rob- 
ert Anderson, Revolutionary soldier. 
Anderson; county in Tennessee, named for Joseph Anderson, Comptroller of the 

United States Treasury under President James Madison. 
Anderson; county in Texas, named for Kenneth L. Anderson, vice-president of the 

Republic of Texas. 



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GANNirrT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 25 

Anderson; island in Puget Sound, Washington, named for the surgeon of the ship 
Resolution^ who died just before its discovery. 

Andersonburg^; village in Perry County, Pennsylvania, named for the original 
owner. 

AndersonviUe; village in Sumter County, Georgia, named for the original pro- 
prietor. 

Andes; town in Delaware County, New York, named from the mountains of South 
America, because of its mountainous character. 

Andover; towns in Essex County, Massachusetts, and Windsor County, Vermont, 
named from the town in England. 

Andrew; county in Missouri, named for Andrew S. Hughes, of Clay County, who 
first publicly proposed the ** Platte purchase." 

Andrews; county in Texas, named for the only man killed in a two days' skirmish 
with the Mexicans near San Antonia, in 1835. 

Androscogrgin; county in Maine, and river in Maine and New Hampshire. An 
Indian word first given to the river, from the tribe Amasaguniicooky who formerly 
lived on its banks. The authorities give the meaning "fishing place for ale- 
wives," or "fish spearing." 

Angelica; town in Allegany County, New York, named for Mrs. Angelica Church, 
daughter of Gen. Philip Scuyler. 

Ang^elina; river and county in Texas. The name is a diminutive of "angel." One 
authority suggests that the county may have been named for Jos6 Angel Cabaso, 
the Spanish priest in charge of the district early in the nineteenth century. 

Angel Island; in San Francisco Bay, Marin County, and post-oflfice on the island. 
Named for a miner who settled there in 1849. 

Angels; town in Calaveras County, California, named for Henry Angel, who dis- 
covered gold in that vicinity in 1848. 

Anglesea; borough in Cape May County, New Jersey, named from the town in 
Wales. 

Anita; village in Butte Comity, California, and town in Cass County, Iowa. The 
Spanish form of "little Ann." 

Aniwa; village in Shawano County, Wisconsin. Corruption of an Indian word, 
aniwi^ meaning "those," a Chippewa prefix signifying superiority. 

Ann; cape, eastern extremity of Essex County, Massachusetts, named for Queen 
Anne, wife of James I of England. 

Anna; city in Union County, Illinois, named for Mrs. Anna Davis, wife of the 
owner of the land. 

Annapolis; city in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, named in honor of Queen 
Anne, of England, 1702-1714. 

Ann Arbor; city in Washtenaw County, Michigan. The first part of the name was 
given in honor of the wives of the two early settlers, Allen and Rumsey; the 
latter part refers to the grovelike appearance of the site. 

Annawan; township and village in Henry County, Illinois, named by its founder 
for a Massachusetts Indian chief. 

Anne Arundel; county in Maryland, named in honor of Lady Anne Arundel, wife 
of Cecilius Calvert, second Lord Baltimore. 

Annisquam; village in E^sex County, Massachusetts, and lake, bay, and river in 
New Hampshire. An Indian word meaning "rock summit" or "point of 
rocks." 

Anniston; city in Calhoun County, Alabama, named for Annie, wife of Col. Alfred 
L. Tyler. 

Annsville; town in Oneida County, New York, named for the wife of J. W. Bloom- 
field, first settler. 



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26 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Anoka; village in Cass County, Indiana, county, and city in same county, in Minne- 
sota, and village in Broome County, New York. An Indian word meaning "on 

both sides. *' 
Anson; county in North Carolina, named for Admiral Anson, British navy, who 

purchased land in the State. 
Anson; town in Jones County, Texas, named for Anson Jones, first president of the 

Texas Republic. 
Ansonia; city in New Haven County, Connecticut, named for Anson G. Phelps, 

senior partner of the firm of Phelps, Dodge & Co., which estabUshed the place. 
AnsonviUe; town in Anson County, North Carolina, named for Admiral Anson of 

the British navy, who built the town. 
Ansted; town in Fayette County, West Virginia, named for Professor Ansted, the 

English geologist, who reported on a tract of coal land there and had an interest 

in it. 
Antelope; township in Mono County and town in Sacramento County, California, 

and many other places; generally named from the antelope of the plains. 
Antelope; county in Nebraska, named at the suggestion of Mr. Leander Gerrard, in 

commemoration of the killing and eating of an antelope during the pursuit of 

some Indians. 
Antero; mount in the Sawatch Range, Colorado, named for a prominent Ute Indian. 
Anthony; city in Harper County, Kansas, named for Governor George T. Anthony. 
Anthony's Nose; promontory on the Hudson River, New York, said by Irving to 

have been named so in reference to Anthony Van Corlear's nose; Lossing says, 

** Anthony de Hooges, secretary of Rensselaerwick, had an enormous nose, and 

the promontory was named in honor of that feature.'* 
Antigo; city in Langlade County, Wisconsin. The name is taken from the Indian 

word neequee-nntigo-sehij antigo meaning ** evergreen." 
Antioch; town in Contra Costa County, California, village in Lake County, Illinois, 

and many other places, named from the city in Syria. 
Antrim; county in Michigan, and town in Guernsey County, Ohio, named by early 

Irish settlers from the town in Ireland. Many other places are named from the 

same. 
Antwerp; town in Jefferson County, New York, built by a company which was 

formed in Holland, who named the new place from the city in Belgium. 
Antwerp; village in Paulding County, Ohio, named from the town in New York. 
Apache; county and pass in Arizona, village in Huerfano County, Colorado, and 

town in Caddo County, Oklahoma, named from the Indian tribe. The word is 

of Pima or Pajago Indian origin and signifies "alien,*' i. e., "enemy." 
Apalachee; river and post-oflBce in Morgan County, Georgia. From the Hichiti 

Indian word, meaning "on the other side" (of a stream), or it may be derived 

from apcdatchioklif "people on the other side." 
Apalachicola; river and city in Franklin County, Florida. A Hichiti Indian word, 

signifying "people on the other side." 
Apex; village in San Diego County, California, named with reference to its situation 

in the mountains. 
Apex; village in Wake County, North Carolina, so named because it is the highest 

point between Raleigh and Deep rivers. 
Apollo; borough in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, named for the classical god. 
Apopka; town in Orange county, Florida. The name derived from the Indian word 

tscUopopkohatcheey meaning "catfish eating creek." 
Apostles; group of islands in Lake Superior, so called by the early Jesuits, under 

the impression that they numbered twelve. 
Appalachia; village in Wise County, Virginia. Name derived from Appalnchian. 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 27 

Appalachian; general appellation of the mountain system in the southeastern part 
of North America, extending under various names from Maine south westward 
to the northern part of Alabama. The name was given by the Spaniards under 
De Soto, who derived it from the name of a neighboring tribe, the Apalachi. 
Brinton holds its radical to be the muscogee apdUij ** great sea," or ** great ocean," 
and that apalache is a compound of this word with the Muscogee personal parti- 
ciple **c/iiV* and means *' those by the sea."' 

Appanoose; county in Iowa, and village in Douglas CJounty, Kansas. An Indian 
word said to mean **a chief when a child." The name of a chief of the Sacs 
and Foxes. The word is a diminutive form, but probably has no reference to 
"chief." 

Apple; small stream in northern Illinois, so named on account of the crab-apple 
orchards in the vicinity. 

Applebachville; village in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, named for Gen. Paul 
Applebach and his brother Henry. 

Apple^te; town in Jackson CJounty, Oregon, named for an early settler. 

Apple River; township and village in Jo Daviess County, Illinois, named from its 
location on Apple River. 

Appleton; town in Knox County, Maine, named for Nathaniel Appleton, one of 
the original proprietors. 

Appleton; village in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri, situated on Apple Creek; 
hence the name. 

Appleton; city in Outagamie County, Wisconsin, named for Samuel Appleton, one 
of the founders of Lawrence University, located at that place. 

Appleton City; township and city in Saint Clair County, Missouri, named for Wil- 
liam H. Appleton, of New York. 

Appling; county, and town in Columbia County, in Georgia, named for Col. Dan 
Appling. 

Appomattox; river, and county in Virginia. An Indian word meaning '* tobacco 
plant country." 

Apricot; village in Monterey County, California, named from the apricot orchards 
in the vicinity. 

Aptakisic; village in Lake County, Illinois. An Indian word meaning "half day," 
or "sun at meridian." 

Apukwa; lake in Wisconsin. An Indian word of uncertain meaning. 

Apulia; village in Onondaga County, New York, named from the ancient province 
of southern Italy. 

Aquaschicola; creek, and village in Carbon County, in Pennsylvania. An Indian 
word meaning "where we fish with the bush net." 

Aquebogrue; village in Suffolk County, New York. An Indian word meaning "at 
the end of a small pond." 

Aransas; county in Texas, named from the river which flows into Aransas Harbor, 
through the county. 

Arapahoe; county in Colorado; town in Furnas County, Nebraska; post-oflSce in 
Pamlico County, North Carolina, and town in Custer County, Oklahoma. The 
name is that of a noted Indian tribe, and signifies "traders." 

Arastraville; mining camp in Tuolumne County, California, named from the aras- 
tras, primitive mills used on free-milling gold ores, used by the early Mexicans. 

Arbuckle; town in Colusa County, California, named for the founder of the town. 

Arbuckle; mountains in Chickasaw Nation, Indian Territory, named from Fort 
Arbuckle, which was named for Brevet Brig. Gen. Matthew Arbuckle, who 
fought in the Mexican war. 

Areata; town in Humboldt County, California. An Indian word meaning "sunny 
spot." 



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28 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 256. 

Arch Beach; village in Orange County, California, named from the natural arches 

in the cliffs in the ocean. 
Archdale; town in Randolph County, North Carolina, named for John Archdale, a 

lord proprietor and governor of Carolina. 
Archer; county in Texas. 

Archer City; village in Archer County, named for Dr. Branch T. Archer, promi- 
nent in the early days of the State. 
4 krchtileta; county in Colorado, named for J. M. Archuleta, head of one of the old 

Spanish families of New Mexico. 
Areola; township and city in Douglas County, Illinois, named from the ancient 

town in Italy. 
Arctic; village in San Bernardino County, California, so called derisively from its 

location in the Mojave desert. 
Arden; town in Buncombe County, North Carolina, named from the Forest of 

Arden, in Shakespeare's play **As Ycu Like It." 
Arenac; county, and village in same county, in Michigan. An Indian word, auke, 

"earth" or "land," compounded with the Latin word arena. The name was 

coined by Schoolcraft and a party of early explorers. 
Arenzville; village in Cass County, Illinois, named for Francis A. Arenz, pioneer 

and founder. 
Arequa; gulch in Colorado, named for a man named Requa. 
Argenta; villages in Beaverhead County, Montana, and Salt Lake County, Utah, so 

named because of near-by silver mines. From the Latin argerUumj meaning 

"silver.'' 
Argentine; city in Wyandotte County, Kansas, so named from the Latin argentum, 

"silver," a smelter being the first industry there. 
Argonia; city in Sumner County, Kansas, named from the ship Argo^ in which 

Jason sailed to Colchis in quest of the "golden fleece." 
Argos; town in Marshall County, Indiana, named from the town in Greece. 
Arguello; village in Santa Barbara County, California. A Spanish term meaning 

"lack of health." 
Argusville; village in Schoharie County, New York, named for its principal paper, 

the Albany Argus. 
Argyle; towns in Walton County, Florida, and Winnebago County, Illinois, settled 

by Scotch, and named by them from the city in Scotland. 
Argyle; town in Washington County, New York, named for the Duke of Argyle in 

1786. 
Arietta; town in Hamilton County, New York, named for the wife of Rensselaer 

Van Rennselaer. 
Arikaree; river, and village in Arapahoe County, in Colorado, named from the 

Indian tribe. The word refers to "horn." 
Arizona; Territory of the United States. The word probably means arid zone or 

desert, but Mowry claims that the name is Aztec, from arizuma, signifying "sil- 
ver bearing." 
Arkadelphia; town in Clark County, Arkansas. The word is compounded of the 

abbreviation of Arkansas and the Greek word adelphus, "brother." 
Arkansas; State of the Union, county, and township in same county, and river in 

said State, and city in Cowley County, Kansas. Marquette and other French 

explorers wrote the word Alkansa^ and Akamseaf from the Indian tribe later 

known as Quapaw. The meaning of the name is unknown, but it is of Algon- 
quin origin and has no connection with the French arCj as has been asserted. 
Armada; town in Riverside County, California, and village in Macomb County, 

Michigan. A Spanish word, meaning "fleet," "squadron." 



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GANNKTT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 29 

Armagh; borough and town in Indiana County, Pennsylvania, named from the 

Irish town. 
Arxnonk; village in Westchester County, New York. An Indian word meaning 

"fishing place." 
Armoiirdale; formerly a village, now a station in Kansas City, Kansas, named for 

the Armour brothers, bankers and pork packers. 
Armsttong; county in Pennsylvania, named for Gen. John Armstrong, of Pennsyl- 
vania, who commanded the expedition against the Indians at Kittanning in 1756. 
Armstrong; county in South Dakota, named for Moses K. Armstrong, Congressman 

and l^slator, 1870. 
Armstrong; county in Texas, named for a pioneer of the State. 
Arnolds; creek in Ohio County, Indiana, named for Colonel Arnold, of the Revo- 
lutionary war. 
Aromos; town in San Benito County, California. A Spanish word meaning 

** perfumes." 
Aroostook; river and county in Maine. An Indian word meaning "good river," 

or "clear of obstruction." 
Arrow; lake in Minnesota, so called from the name given by the early French 

explorers, lac auxjleches, "lake of the arrows." 
Arrowhead; hot springs in southern California, named from a huge discoloration 

on the slopes of a mountain north of San Bernardino, which takes the form of 

an Indian arrowhead. 
Arrow Rock; village in Saline County, Missouri, built upon a spot where the 

Indians formerly resorted for arrowheads, because of the suitability of the rock 

for that purpose. 
Arrowsmith; town in McLean County, Illinois, named for Daniel Arrowsmith, its 

founder. 

{Arroyo; villages in Elk County, Pennsylvania, and Cameron County, Texas; 
Arroyo Grande; town in San Luis Obispo County, California. A Spanish word 
meaning "creek" or "rivulet," and "grande — large." 
Arroyo Hondo; village in Taos County, New Mexico, which takes its name from a 

near-by creek. A Spanish name meaning "deep creek." 
Arroyo Seco; village in Monterey County, California. From the Spanish mean- 
ing "dry creek." 
Artesia; village in Los Angeles County, California, and town in Lowndes County, 

Mississippi, named from artesian wells. 
Arthur; village in Moultrie County, Illinois, named for Arthur Hervey, brother of 

the founder. 
Asbury Park; borough and city in Monmouth County, New Jersey, named for 

Francis Asbury, the pioneer bishop of Methodism in America. Several towns 

in the southern States bear his name. 
Ascension; parish in Louisiana, named by the early French settlers from the fes-' 

tival of the Ascension. 
Ascutney; mountain in Vermont. An Indian word meaning "fire mountain," 

from its having been burned over. It is also said to signify "three brothers," 

and is supposed to refer to three singular valleys which run down the western 

slope of the mountain. 
Ascutneyville; village in Windsor County, Vermont, named from Ascutney 

Mountain. 
Ashbee; harbor in Virginia, named for Solomon Ash bee. 
Ashbumham; town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, named for John, second 

earl of Ashbumham. 
Ashbyburg; village in Hopkins County, Kentucky, named for Gen. Stephen 

Ashby. 



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80 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

(Ashe; county in North Carolina; 
Asheboro; town in Ashe County. Named for Samuel Ashe, j?ovemor of the State, 
1795-1798. 
Ashersville; yillafi^ in Clay County, Indiana, named for John Asher, its founder. 
Ashflst; village in Sharp County, Arkansas, named from a prairie upon which the 

town is situated, in early days surrounded by ash timber. 
Ashford; village in Henry County, Alabama, named for Thomas Ashford, or his 

son, Frederick A. Ashford. 
Ashkuxn; village in Iroquois County, Illinois. An Indian word meaning. ''more 

and more.'* 
Ashland; city in Clark County, Kansas; towns in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, 

Benton County, Mississippi, and Boone County, Missouri; village in Saunders 

County, Nebraska; town in Greene County, New York; county, and town in 

same county, in Ohio; borough in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania; county in 

Wisconsin; and many other cities, towns, and villages; named for the home of 

Henry Clay in Kentucky. 
Ashland; city in Boyd County, Kentucky, so named, according to Henry Clay, from 

the ash timber which abounded in the vicinity. His home was also called 

"Ashland." 
Ashley; county in Arkansas, named for Senator Chester Ashley. 
Ashley; city in Washington County, Illinois, named for Colonel Ashley, of the 

Hhnois Central Railroad. 
Ashley; village in Gratiot County, Michigan, named for H. W. Ashley, general 

manager of the Ann Arbor Railroad, which passes through the village. 
Ashley; town in Pike County, Missouri, named for Gen. W. H. Ashley, lieutenant 

governor 1821-1824. 
Ashley; river in South Carolina which unites with the Cooper, both named for the 

Earl of Shaftesbury, Lord Anthony Ashley Cooper, one of the original proprietors. 
Ashley; lake in Utah, named for its discoverer, W. H. Ashley, a St. Louis fur 

trader. 
Ashley Falls; village in the town of Sheffield, Berkshire County, Massachusetts; 
Ashley Moimtain; mountain in the town of Salisbury, Litchfield County, Con- 
necticut. Named for Brig, or Maj. Gen. John Ashley, of the Revolutionary war. 
Ashmore; township and village in Coles County, Illinois, named for the founder, 

Hezikiah J. Ashmore. 
Ashowugh; island off the coast of Connecticut, near New London. An Indian 

word meaning ** halfway place," or ** place between." 
Ashtabtda; village in Barnes County, North Dakota, named from the city in Ohio. 
Ashtabula; county, city in same county, and river, in Ohio. An Indian word 

meaning **fish river." 
Ashton; city in Spink County, South Dakota, so named because of the heavy growth 

of ash timber. 
Ashuelot; river, and village in Cheshire County, in New Hampshire. An Indian 

word meaning "collection of many waters." 
Asotin; county in Washington; a Nez Perc6 Indian word, meaning "eel creek." 
Aspen; town in Pitkin County, Colorado, which takes its name from a near-by 

mountain, Quaking Asp. 
Aspetuc; river and hill in New Milford, Connecticut. An Indian word, meaning 

"a height." 
Asproom; mountain in Connecticut. An Indian word, meaning "high," "lofty.'* 
Assaria; city in Saline County, Kansas, named from a church which was built by 

Swedish Lutherans previous to the incorporation of the place. The word means 

"In God is our help." 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 31 

Assawa; lake near the sources of the Mississippi. An Indian word, meaning ** perch 
lake/' 

Assawampset; pond in Middleboro, Massachusetts. An Indian word, meaning 
"white stone." 

Assawog; river in Connecticut. An Indian word, meaning ** place between,** or 
"halfway place.** 

Assinniboine; fort and military reservation in Choteau County, Montana, named 
from a tribe of Indians. The name signifies "stone boilers,'* and is said to have 
been given to them because of the singular manner they had of boiling their meat 
by dropping heated stones into the water in which the meat is placed until it is 
cooked. According to another authority, it signifies "stone Sioux,** from asstrij 
"stone,** and btumag, "boilers** or "roaster,** the Ojibwa name for the Sioux. 

Assisciink; creek in Burlington County, New Jersey. An Indian word, meaning 
"muddy,** or "dirty.** 

Assumption; township and village in Christian County, Illinois, named by its 
founder from Assumption in Canada. 

Assumption; parish in Louisiana, named in honor of the festival of the assumption 
of the Virgin Mary. 

Astoria; town in Fulton County, Illinois; villages in Wright County, Missouri, 
Queens County, New York, and Deuel County, South Dakota, named for the 
Astor family, of New York. 

Astoria; city in Clatsop County, Oregon, named for the founder, John Jacob Astor, 
who established a fur-trading station there in early days. 

Asuncion; village in San Luis Obispo County, California. A Spanish word, mean- 
ing "elevation to a higher dignity.'* 

Aswagruscawadic; branch of the Mattawamkeag River, Maine. An Indian word, 
meaning "place where one is compelled to drag his canoe through a stream.** 

Atalla; town in Etowah County, Alabama. A corruption of a Cherokee word, mean- 
ing "mountain** or "highland.** 

Atascadero; village in San Luis Obispo County, California. A Spanish word, mean- 
ing "quagmire** or "obstruction.** 

Atascosa; county, and village in Bexar County, Texas. A Spanish word, meaning 
"boggy** or "miry.'* 

Atchafalaya; bayou of Red River, Louisiana. A Choctaw Indian word, meaning 
"long river.** 

Atchison; county, and city in same county, in Kansas, and county in Missouri, 
named for David R. Atchison, United States Senator from Missouri. 

Aten; village in Cedar County, Nebraska, named for John A ten, a State senator. 

Athens; cities in Clarke County, Georgia, and Menard County, Illinois; villages in 
Claiborne Parish, Louisiana, and Greene County, New York; county in Ohio; 
borough and township in Bradford County, Pennsylvania; and many other 
cities, towns, and villages. Named from the capital city of Greece. 

Athol; town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, said to have been named for 
James Murray, second Duke of Athol. 

Atisowil; creek in Washington, emptying into Willapa Harbor. An Indian word, 
meaning * * bear river. ' * 

Atkins; bay at the mouth of Kennebec River, Maine, named for an early land- 
owner. 

Atkins; peak in Yellowstone Park, named by the United States Geological Survey, 
for John D. C. Atkins, Indian commissioner. 

Atkinson; township and village in Henry County, Illinois, named for its founder, 
Charles Atkinson. 

Atkinson; town in Piscataquis County, Maine, named for Judge Atkinson, a prom- 
inent resident. 



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32 PLACK NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 256. 

AtldBMOn; towmhip asd town in Holt Comity, Xehnska, natmed for CoL John 

AtkiiMon, f/f Detroit, Michigan. 
Atkinton; town in Rrjckinzham C>>anty, New Uampehire, named for Theodore 

Atkimion, a larj^ lan^lhoMer. 
AUdiwoiiirille; village in Owen Coanty, Indiana, named for Stephen Atkinson. 
Atlanta; township arid dty in Lo^ran Coonty, Illinois, named from the city inGreorgia. 
Atlanta; city in Fait/>n County, iieonna, so named to designate its relationship to 

the Atlantic CX-t^n, by m«*ans of a railway running to the coast 
Atlantic; ocean, name^l from the Greek word, meaning '*the sea beyond Moont 

Atla«." 

{Atlantic; connty in New Jersey; 
Atlantic City; city in Atlantic Connty, New Jersey; named from the ocean. 
Atlantic; creek in Yellownt/me Park, nameil liecause it flows from Two-Ocean Pass 

down the slope toward the Atlantic 0<-ean. 
Atlantic "Wiglilft^tiHa- lx>roiigh in Monmouth County, New Jersey, so named from 

itn Hitiiation, which overlfxiks the ^x-ean. 
Atoka; town in ChfK:taw Nation, Indian Territory. An Indian word, meaning "in 
another pla^^e," or **to another place." 

(Attala; county in MisHisnippi; 
Attalaville; village in Attala county. Named for AUUay the heroine of an Indian 
romance, by Chateaubriand. 

Attapulg^is; village in Decatur Coimty, Georgia. An Indian word, meaning ** bor- 
ing holes into wo^^kI to make a fire." 

Attica; city in Fountain County, Indiana; village in Wyoming County, New York, 
and many other places, named from the ancient division in Greece. 

Attitahf, peak of the White Mountains in New Hampshire. An Indian word, mean- 
ing **bluel)errie8.*' 

Attleboro; town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, named from the town in 
England. 

Atwater; village in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota, probably named for Isaac 
Atwater, e^rly settler of St. Paul. 

Atwater; town in Portage County, Ohio, named for Capt. Caleb Atwater, an early 
surveyor in the Western Reserve. 

Atwood; village in Piatt County, Illinois, named from its location at the edge of 
the woods 

Atwood; city in Rawlins County, Kansas, named for Attwood Matheny, a son of 
the founder, J. M. Matheny. 

Aubrey; valley in Arizona, named for an army officer. 

Auburn; city in Placer County, California, named by settlers from the city in New 

York. 
Auburn; city in Cayuga County, New York; and many other places; 
Auburndale; village in Newton, Middlesex County, Massachusetts. Named with 
reference to Auburn in (toldsniith's poem, **The Deserted Village." 

Audrain; county in Missouri, named for Col. James K. Audrain, who died while 
serving as member of tlie Missouri legislature, 1832. 

Audubon; mount in Coloratlo, county in Iowa, and village in Becker County, Min- 
nesota, named for the celebrated ornithologist, John James Audubon. Many 
other places bear his name. 

Auffhwiok; tributary of the Juniata River, Pennsylvania. An Indian word, mean- 
ing ** overgrown with brush." 

Aufflaise; river in Missouri, and river and county in Ohio. A French phrase, mean- 
ing **at the clay" or "at the loam," useil descriptively. 

Augusta; city in Richmond County, Georgia, settleil during the reign of King 
George II of England, and named for the royal princess Augusta. 



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GANNETT] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 33 

Augusta; township and village in Hancock County, Illinois, named from the city in 

Georgia, the home of the first settlers. 
Augrusta; city in Butler County, Kansas, named for the wife of C. N. James, a 

trader. 
Augrusta; city in Kennebec County, Maine, and county in Virginia, named for 

Augusta of Saxe-Gotha, wife of Frederick, Prince of Wales. 
Auraria; town in Lumpkin County, Georgia, surrounded by a hilly country con- 
taining valuable gold mines. A Latin word, meaning **gold town.*' 
Aurelius; town in Cayuga County, New York, named for the Roman emperor. 
Aurora; city in Dearborn County, Indiana, named for the association which laid it 

out. 
Aurora; township in Portage County, Ohio, named for the daughter of Amos S[)af- 

ford, a surveyor of the Connecticut Land Company. 
Aurora; county in South Dakota and in many other places, named from the Latin 

word, meaning "morning/' **dawn," "east." 
Ausable; river, and town in Clinton County, New York. A French word, meaning 

"sandy," or "at the sand." 
Austin; town in Lonoke County, Arkansas, and county and city in Travis County, 

Texas, named for Stephen Fuller Austin, the first man to establish a permanent 

American colony in Texas. 
Austin; suburb of Chicago, Illinois, named for Henry W. Austin, its founder. 
Austin; city in Mower County, Minnesota, named for Horace Austin, governor in 

1870-1874. 
Austin; town in Tunica County, Mississippi, named for Colonel Austin, on whose 

plantation the town was built. 
Austinburg; town in Ashtabula County, Ohio, named for Judge Austin, an early 

settler. 

{Autauga; county in Alabama; 
Autaugaville; town in Autauga County, Alabama. From an Indian word said to 
mean "land of plenty." 
Autryville; town in Sampson County, North Carolina, named for a member of the 

State legislature. 
Auxvcisse; village in Callaway County, Missouri, named from the French word 

vasse, meaning "muddy." 
Ava; town in Oneida County, New York, named from the city in Burma. 
Avalon; town in Livingston County, Missouri, name<l from the town in France. 

Several other places bear this name. 
Avena; village in Inyo County, California. A Spanish word, meaning "oats." 
Avenal; town in San Luis Obispo County, California. A Spanish term, meaning 

"field sown with oats." 
Avery; gores in Essex and Franklin counties, Vermont, named for the original 

grantee, Samuel Avery. 
Averyville; village in Peoria County, Illinois, named from the Avery Manufactur- 
ing Company, whose plant is located in the village. 
Avoca; town in Steuben County, New York, named by Sophia White, a resident, 

in allusion to Thomas Moore's poem, "Sweet Vale of Avoca." 
Avon; village in Fulton County, Illinois, named from the village in New York. 
Avon; village in Livingston County, New York, also many other places, named 

from the river in England, upon which Shakespeare's home was situated. 
Avoyelles; parish in Louisiana, named from an Indian tribe. 
Axtell; city in Marshall County, Kansas, named for Dr. Jesse Axtell, an officer of 

the St. Joseph and Grand Island Railway. 
Ayer; town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, named for Dr. James C. Ayer, who 

partially donated the town hall. 
Bull. 258—05 3 



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34 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Ayish; bayou in Texas, named from an Indian tribe. 

Ayr; village in Adams County, Nebraska, named for Doctor Ayr, of Iowa, a rail- 
road director. 
Ayrshire; town in Palo Alto County, Iowa, named from the town in Scotland. 
Azalia; village in Bartholomew County, Indiana, named for the flower. 
Aztec; village in San Juan County, New Mexico, named for one of the native tribes of 

Mexico. The word is said to mean * * place of the heron." Other interpretations 

give ** white,** or "shallow land where va|x>r8 arise.*' Humboldt gives **laiid 

of flamingoes.'* The word azcatl means "ant," but Buschmann says that tliis 

word has no connection with the name of the tril^e. 
Babruly; creek in Missouri. The wonl is a corruption of the French bois hruU^ 

"burnt wood." 
Babylon; village in Suffolk County, New York, named from the ancient city in Asia. 
Baca; county in Colorado, name<l for a prominent Mexican family of Trinidad, 

Colorado. 
Bache; mount in California, name<l for A. D. Bache, superintendent of the Coast 

and Geodetic Survey. 
Baconhill; village in Saratoga County, New York, named for Ebenezer Bacon, a 

tavern keei)er in early days. 
Bad; river in Michigan, nameii by the Dakota Indians, loakpashicha, "bad river." 
Badaxe; river in Wisconsin, and village in Huron County, Michigan. 
Baden; borough in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, and several other places in the 

United States, named from the German state. 
Badger; town in Tulare County, California, named by settlers from Wisconsin, the 

"Badger State." 
Badger; creeks in Iowa, Yellowstone Park, and many other places, so named from 

the presence of that animal. 
Badlands; term applied to a region in South Dakota. It is said that the old 

French voyageurs described the region as ^^mauvaises terres pour traverser ,*' 

meaning that it was a difficult country to travel through; from this the term has 

been carelessly shortened and translated into the present misnomer. 
Bagdad; town in San Bernardino County, California, named from the city in Asiatic 

Turkey. 
Baggers; point on Indian River, Florida, named for the owner, John Baggers. 
Bailey; town in Shasta County, California; 
Baileys Ferry; village in Stanislaus County, California. Named for Capt. G. 

Bailey, United States Army, 
Bailey; county in Texas, named for one of the men who fell at the Alamo, March 6, 

1836. His first name is worn off the stone monument, which is the only record 

left of his career. 
Baileyville; village in Stephenson County, Illinois, named for O. Bailey, an early 

settler. 
Bainbridge; towns in Decatur County, Georgia, and Chenango County, New York, 

and village in Ross County, Ohio. Named for Commander William Bainbridge, 

of the war of 1812 and the war with Tripoli. 
Baird; town in Sunflower County, Mississippi, named for the man who owned the 

land upon which the town is built. 
Baker; county in Florida, named for James M. Baker, judge of the fourth judicial 

district of the State. 
Baker; county in Georgia, named for Col. John Baker, an officer in the war of the 

Revolution. 
[Baker; county in Oregon; 

j Baker City; city in Baker County, Oregon. Named for Edward Dickinson Baker, 
'^ oflScer in the Union Army, and senator from Oregon. 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 35 

Baker; mount in Washington, named by the explorer, Vancouver, for a lieutenant 

in his party. 
Bakers; river in Grafton County, New Hampshire, named for Captain Baker, a 

soldier of the Indian wars. 
Bakersfield; city in Kern County, California, named for Col. Thomas Baker. 
Bakersfield; town in Franklin County, Vermont, named for Joseph Baker, who 

owned the land in 1789. 
Bakers Mills; village in Warren County, New York, named for the owner. 
Bakersville; town in Mitchell County, North Carolina, named for a prominent 

resident. 
Bakersville; town in Coshocton County, Ohio, named for John Baker, who laid it 

out in 1848. 
Baku; village in Sonoma County, California, situated in the petroleum district, and 

named from the oil fields of Baku, in Russia. 
Bald Eagle; village in Nevada County, California, named from the eagles in the 

sierras in the vicinity. 
Bald Eagle; valley, creek, and village in York County, Pennsylvania, named for 

the noted Seneca chief. Bald Eagle. 
Baldwin; county in Alabama, and county, and town in Habersham County, in 

Georgia, named for Abraham Baldwin, United States Senator from Georgia. 
Baldwin; town in Jackson County, Iowa, named for Judge Baldwin. 
Baldwin; city in Douglas County, Kansas, named for John Baldwin, of Berea, Ohio. 
Baldwin; town in Cumberland County, Maine, named for Loammi Baldwin, one 

of the proprietors. 
Baldwin; village in Lake County, Michigan, named for Governor Baldwin, of Mich- 
igan. 
Baldwin; town in Chemung County, New York, named from Baldwin Creek, which 

was named for Isaac, Walter, and Thomajs Baldwin, early settlers at the mouth 

of the creek. 
Baldwin; village in St. Croix County, Wisconsin, named for D. A. Baldwin, an early 

settler. 
BaldwinsviUe; village in Onondaga County, New York, named for Dr. Jonas C. 

Baldwin, its founder. 
Baldi^yn; town in Lee County, Mississippi, named for a land owner. 
Balize; pilot town at the northeast pass at the mouth of the Mississippi in Plaque- 
mines Parish, Louisiana, the name of which comes from the French word haliz€y 

** stake,*' ** beacon,'' the most of the houses being built on piles. 
Ballard; county in Kentucky, named for Capt. Bland Ballard, an oflScer in the war 

of 1812. 
Ballena; village in San Diego County, California. A Spanish word meaning 

" whale," and given the settlement because of a whale being stranded on the 

beach. 
Ballentine; post-office in Lexington County, South Carolina, named for a resident 

family. 
Ballston; town in Saratoga County, New York. 
Ballston Spa; village in Saratoga County, New York, named for Rev. Eliphalet 

Ball, an early settler. ** Spa" was added in reference to the medicinal springs, 

from the celebrated watering place in Belgium. 
Baltimore; county and city in Maryland, and town in Windsor County, Vermont; 

named for Cecilius Calvert, Lord Baltimore, who settled the Maryland province 

in 1635. A Celtic word, meaning ** large town." 
Bamberg; county, and town in same county, in South Carolina, named for a family 

prominent in the recent history of the State. 



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36 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Bandera; county, and town in same county, in Texas, named from a pass in the 
State. The word is Spanish, meaning ** flag." 

Bangror; village in Butte CJounty, California, named from the city in Maine. 

Bangor; city in Penobscot County, Maine, named by the Rev. Seth Noble, its rep- 
resentative in legislature, from an old psalm tune. 

Bangor; borough in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, and village in La Crosse 
County, Wisconsin, named from the town in Wales because of the Welsh set- 
tlers in these places. 

Bangs; mount in Arizona, named for James E. Bangs, clerk upon the King Survey. 

(Banks; county in Georgia; 
Banksville; village in Banks County, Georgia. Named for Dr. Richard Banks. 

Banner; village in Wells County, Indiana, named for a newspaper, the Bluffton 
Banner. 

Banner; county in Nebraska, so named because it was considered the banner county 
of the State when named. 

Bannock; county and peak in Idaho, town in Beaverhead County, Montana, and 
peak in Yellowstone Park, named fiom a tribe of Indians. This tribe inhabited 
the country southwest of Yelowstone Park, finally settling on a reservation in 
southern Idaho. Some authorities give the derivation from bannai* hti ** south- 
ern people." 

Bantam; river, and village in Litchfield County, Connecticut. The name is derived 
from the Indian word peantunif "he prays," or "he is praying." 

Baptist Hill; village in Ontario County, New York, named from a Baptist church 
erected there at an early date. 

Baraboo; city in Sauk County, Wisconsin, named for Jean Baribault, a French 
settler. An article written by Julia A. Lapham claims that the Bariboo River 
was named for Captain Barabeary, who was with Morgan's expedition against 
the Indians and wintered at the mouth of the stream. The statement is credited 
to John De la Rond, who settled near Fort Winnebago in 1828. Rond was living 
on the banks of the Baraboo River, with his Winnebago wife, in 1873. 

Baraga; county, and village in same county, in Michigan, named for Bishop Friedrich 
Baraga, a missionary among the Indians of the Lake Superior region. 

Baranof; one of the Alexander Islands, Alaska, named for the man who for a long 
time managed the affairs of the Russian-American Company. 

Barataria; bay, and post-office in Jefferson Parish, Lousiana. The name is derived 
from an old French word, meaning ** deceit." 

Barber; creek in Humboldt County, California, named for a settler. 

Barber; county in Kansas, named for Thomas W. Barber, Free State martyr. 

Barbour; county in Alabama, named for James Barbour, governor of Virginia, and 
Secretary of War under John Quincy Adams. 

F arbour; county in West Virginia; 
arboursville; town in Cabell County, West Virginia, and several other towns in 
the Southern States. Named for Philip P. Barbour, an early governor of Virginia. 
Barcelona; village in Tulare County, California, named from the seaport town in 

Spain. 
Bardolph; village in McDonough County, Illinois, named for William H. Bardolph, 

one of the founders. 
Bardstown; city in Nelson County, Kentucky, named for David Baird, one of the 

original proprietors. 
Bardwell; village in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, named for the Bardwell 

family, early and prominent residents. 
Bargersville; village in Johnson County, Indiana, named for Jefferson Barger. 
Bar Harbor; village in Hancock County, Mount Desert Island, Maine, so named 
from a sandy bar, visible only at low tide. 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 37 

Baring; town in Washington County, Maine, said to l)e named for the Baring 

family, celebrated bankers of London, England. 
Barker; town in Broome County, New York, named for John Barker, the first 

settler. 
Barlow; town in Clackamas County, Oregon, named for John L. Barlow, an early 

settler. 
Barlow; peak in Yellowstone Park, named by the United States Geological Survey 

for Capt. J. W. Barlow, Engineer Corps, United States Army. 
Barnard; village in Siskiyou County, California, named from Barnard, Vermont. 
Barnard; town in Windsor County, Vermont, named for Francis Barnard, a grantee. 
Bame^t; inlet, and village in Ocean County, in New Jersey. A Dutch name, 

given by Henry Hudson, meaning "breaker's inlet." 
Barnes; city in Washington County, Kansas, named for A. S. Barnes, a publisher 

of United States history. 
Barnes; county in North Dakota, named for Hon. A. H. Barnes, early Territorial 

judge. 
Bamesville; town in Pike County, Georgia, named for Gideon Barnes, the first 

settler. 
Bamesville; village in Belmont County Ohio, named for a family of early settlers. 
Bamet; town in Caledonia County, Vermont, said to be named from the town in 

England from which the ancestors of Enos Stevens, an early settler, emigrated. 
Barnstable; county, and town in same county, in Massachusetts, named from the 

seaport in England. 
Bamiun; town in Arapahoe County, Colorado, named for P. T. Barnum, who owned 

a large tract of land there. 
Bamiun; town in Carlton County, Minnesota, named for a paymaster of the St. Paul 

and Duluth Railroad. 
Barnwell; county, and town in same county, in South Carolina, named for a distin- 
guished family of the State. 
Baronette; peak in Yellowstone Park, named for "Yellowstone Jack," C. D. Bar- 

onette, a famous scout. 
Barraqne; township in Jefferson County, Arkansas, named for a Frenchman, 

Monsieur Barraque, who lived near the Arkansas River. 
Barre; town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, named for Col. Isaac Barre, the 

friend of America in the British Parliament. 
Barre; towns in Orleans County, New York, and Washington County, Vermont, 

named from the town in Massachusetts. 
Barren; island in the Hudson River. The name is derived from the Dutch word 

heeren, "bears,** which was applied to the island by the early Dutch settlers. 
Barren; county in Kentucky, in the Carboniferous limestone region. The name is 

supposed to have been given in reference to this formation, though the soil is in 

reality fertile. 
Barring^on; town in Bristol County, Rhode Island, probably named for Sir John 

Barrington, dissenter, who died in 1734, though by some it is thought to have 

received its name from some of the early settlers who came from the parish of 

Barrington in Somersetshire, England. 
Barron; county, and city in same county, in Wisconsin, named for Judge Henry D. 

Barron, of that State. 
Barry; township and city in Pike County, Illinois. First named Barre, from the 

town in Vermont, and changed to Barry by the Post-Office Department. 
Barry; county in Michigan, named for William T. Barry, postmaster-general under 

President Jackson. 
Barry; county in Missouri, named for Commodore John Barry. 



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38 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Bartholomew; county in Indiana, named for Gen. Joseph Bartholomew, United 

States Senator from that State. 
Bartlett; town in Carroll County, New Hampshire, named for Governor Josiah 

Bartlett, 1792-1794. 
Barton; county in Kansas, named for Clara Barton, founder of the Red Cross Soci- 
ety in America. 
Barton; county in Missouri, named for David Barton, member of Congress from 

Missouri. 
Barton; town in Orleans County, Vermont, named for William Barton, a Revolu- 
tionary general and principal proprietor. 
Bartow; county, and town in Jefferson County, in Georgia, named for Gren. F. S. 

Bartow, killed at the battle of Manassas. 
Basalt; peak which gives name to a town in £agle County, Colorado, named from 

the summit rock. 
Base Line; village in San Bernardino County, California, situated on the base line 

of the United States land surveys. 
Bashbish; stream and deep gorge in the Taghkanic Mountains, Berkshire County, 

Massachusetts, name<l for an Indian squaw, Bess, who lived near the source of 

the stream. 
Bashes Kil; creek in Orange County, New York, named for Bashe, an Indian 

woman. 
Basin; village in Kern County, California, so nameil because of the shape of the 

plain in which it is located. 
Baskahegan; river and lake in Maine. An Indian w^ord meaning ** branch stream 

which turns down." 
Baskingridge; village in Somerset County, New Jersey, where it is said animals 

resorted in chilly weather to bask in the milder air. 
Basswood; island in Lake Superior, one of the Apostles, a translation of wigohi- 

miniss, the Indian name for the island. 
Bastrop; town in Morehouse Parish, Louisiana, and county, and town in same 

county, in Texas, named for Baron de Bastrop, a Mexican, who was a commis- 
sioner of Texas to extend land titles, in 1823. 
Batata; village in Merced County, California. A Spanish word meaning "sweet 

potato." 
Batavia; village in Solano County, California, named from Batavia in Illinois. 
Batavia; township and city in Kane County, Illinois, named from the town in New 

York. 
Batavia; town in Genesee County, New York, named for the Batavian Republic, 

which name was applied to Holland by the French after its conquest in 1795. 

Seven other places in the United States bear this name. 
Batchelders; grant in Oxford County , Maine, named for the original grantee, Josiah 

Batchelder. 
Bates; county in Missouri, named for Gov. Frederick Bates, who died in 1825 while 

in office. 
Batesburg; town in I^exington County, South Carolina, named for a family of that 

State. 
Batesville; city in Independence County, Arkansas, named for James Woodson 

Bates. 
Batesville; village in Noble County, Ohio, named for Rev. Timothy Bates, a Meth- 
odist preacher. 
Bath; county in Kentucky, village in Rensselaer County, New York, and county in 

Virginia, so named because of the medical springs. 
Bath; city in Sagadahoc County, Maine, and borough in Northampton County, 

Pennsylvania, named from the city in England. 



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GANNETT] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 39 

Bath; town in Steuben County, New York, named for Lady Henrietta, Countess of 

Bath, daughter of Sir William Pultney. 
Bath Alum Spring:; village in Bath County, V'irginia, so called from the medicinal 

springs situated there. 
Bath Spring; town in Decatur County, Tennessee, so named because of the medic- 
inal springs within its limits. 
Baton Bougre; city in East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana. It is a French name, 

meanins: **red staff or "red stick,*' given because of a tall cypress tree which 

stood upon the spot where it was first settled. Some authorities say that the 

name is derived from the name of an Indian chief, whose name translated into 

French was Baton Rouge. Still another theory ascribes the name to the fact 

that a massacre by the Indians took place upon the spot upon the arrival of the 

first settlers. 
Battenkill; creek, tributary to the Hudson River, called originally Bartholomew's 

Kill, for an early settler, Bartholomew Van Hogeboom, who wa« usually called 

Bart or Bat. 
Battleboro; town in Nash County, North Carolina, named for James S. and Joseph 

Battle, railroad contractors. 
Battle Creek; city and creek in Calhoun County, Michigan, so called because a 

battle was fought upon the banks of the creek. 
Battle Ground; creek in Illinois, so called from a battle fought on its banks between 

the Cahokia and Kaakaskia Indians in 1782. 
Battle Ground; town in Tippecanoe County, Indiana, named in commemoration 

of the battle of Tippecanoe. 
Battlement; mesa in western Colorado, so named by Hay den because of its shape. 
Bavaria; village in Saline County, Kansas, named from one of the divisions of 

Germany. 
Baxter; county in Arkansas, named for Elisha Baxter, twice governor of the State. 
Baxter Spring; city in Cherokee County, Kansas, named for A. Baxter, the first 

settler. There are also springs in the vicinity. 
Bay; town in Sonoma County, California, situated on the edge of San Francisco Bay. 
Bay; county in Michigan, named from its situation on Saginaw Bay. 
Bayard; town in Grant County, West Virginia, named for Senator Bayard. 
Bayboro; town in Pamlico County, North Carolina, so named from its situation on 

Pamlico Sound. 
Bay City; city in Bay County, Michigan, so named from its situation on Saginaw 

Bay. 
Bayfield; county, and village in same county, in Wisconsin, named for Rear- Admiral 

H. D. Bayfield, who surveyed the Great Lakes. 
Bayhead; borough in Ocean County, New Jersey. The name is descriptive of its 

geographical position at the head of Bam^at Bay. 
Baylis; village in Pike County, Illinois, named for a railroad official. 
Baylor; county in Texas, named for Henry W. Baylor, who fell at Dawson's mas- 
sacre in 1842. 
Bay of Noquet; bay in Michigan, named from an Indian tribe. The word seems 

to refer to "otters." 
Bayou; village in Livingston County, Kentucky. The word is used frequently in 

the Southern States, being a Choctaw term to denote a small sluggish stream. 
Bayou Boeuf ; creek in Louisiana. A French name meaning "buffalo creek.'* 
Bayou Chetimaches; creek in Louisiana, named for an Indian of the vicinity. The 

name is Choctaw and means "those who possess cooking vessels." 
Bayou des Buttes; creek of Louisiana, named by the French "bayou of the 

mounds," from the mounds found along its course. 
Bayou Hufi^ower; creek in Louisiana, named for an did settler. 



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40 PLACE I^AMES W the UNITED STATES. tBm.L.25d. 

Bayou Sal^; creek emptying into Cote Blanche Bay, Louisiana. A French name 
meaning **sah bayou" or **8alt creek." 

Bay St. Louis; city in Hancock County, Mississippi, named for Louis XI of France, 
and situated on a bay, hence the prefix. 

Bay Spring; town in Tishomingo County, Mississippi, named for the home of Rob- 
ert Lowery in the same county. 

Beacon; town in Mahaska County, Iowa, named for Lord Beaconsfield. 

Beadle; county in South Dakota, named for W. H. H. Beadle, superintendent of 
public instruction in 1884. 

Bear; creek in Missouri, sometimes called Loose Creek, probably from a careless 
corruption of the French, Tourse, **the bear." 

Bear; creek in Yellowstone park named from a hairless cub found there by a party 
of explorers. This name is applied to numerous places in the United States, 
from the presence of the animal at the time of naming. 

Beardstown; city in Cass County, Illinois, named for Thomas Beard, the founder. 

Bear Lake; county in Idaho, named from Bear Lake. 

Bear Lake; village in Manistee County, Michigan, so named because of a fancied 
resemblance between the outline of the village limits and a sleeping bear. 

Beatrice; village in Humboldt County, California, named for the wife of an early 
settler. 

Beatrice; city in Gage County, Nebraska, named for the daughter of Judge Kinney, 
one of the earliest settlers in the State, and who assisted in locating the town site. 

Beattie; city in Marshall County, Kansas, named for A. Beattie, mayor of St. 
Joseph, Missouri, in 1870. 

Beattyville; town in Lee County, Kentucky, named for Samuel Beatty, one of the 
first settlers. 

Beaufort; county, and town in Carteret County, in North Carolina, named for the 
Duke of Beaufort, a lord proprietor. 

Beaufort; county, and town in same county, in South Carolina, said by some author- 
ities to be named for the Duke of Beaufort, but other authorities claim that the 
name was given by the French Protestants, who took refuge there from Lord 
Berkeley, giving the name of the town in Anjou, France. 

Beauregard; town in Copiah County, Mississippi, named for Gen. Pierre Gustavo 
Toutant Beauregard, Confederate Army. 

Beaver; county in Oklahoma, county, and borough in same county, in Pennsylvania, 
county in Utah, and twenty post-offices, and numerous creeks, lakes, and other 
natural features in the United States. It was adopted by the Indians as a per- 
sonal as well as tribal name, because of the widespread presence of the animal. 

Beaver; lake in Indiana, called by the Indians, 8agayiganuhnickyug, *'lake of 
beavers." 

Beaverdam; city in Dodge County, Wisconsin, creek in Yellowstone Park, Wyo- 
ming, and numerous post-offices, so called from an obstacle placed in streams by 
beavers. 

Beaverhead; county in Montana, named from a rock in the county shaped like a 
beaver's head. 

Bechler; creek in Yellowstone Park, named by the United States Geological Survey 
for Gustavus R. Bechler, topographer, with the Hayden Survey. 

Bechtelsville; borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania, named for the family of 
which Judge O. P. Bechtel is a prominent member. 

Becker; county, and town in Sherburne County, in Minnesota, named for Gen. 
George L. Becker, who was one of the leading men of the State at the time. 

Beckley; village in Raleigh County, West Virginia, named for Gen. Alfred Beckley, 
an early settler. 



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Gannett.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATE8. 41 

^eckwith; butte and town in Plumas County, California, and mountain in Colorado, 
named for Lieutenant Beckwith, of the Pacific Railroad Exploring Expedition. 

Bedford; town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, named for VVriothesley Russell, 
Duke of Bedford. 

Bedford; town in Westchester County , New York, named for Bedfordshire, England. 

Bedford; county, and borough in same county, in Pennsylvania, said by some to be* 
named from the county in England; by others it is thought that the name was 
given in honor of the Dukes of Bedford. 

Bedford; county, and village in same county, in Tennessee, named for Thomas Bed- 
ford. 

rBedford; county in Virginia; 

I Bedford City; town in Bedford County, Virginia. Named for John, Duke of Bed- 

l ford. 

Bedloe; island in New York Harbor, named for Isaac Bedlow, its first proprietor. 

Bee; county in Texas, named for Bernard E. Bee, minister to Mexico in 1830. 

Beebe; town in White County, Arkansas, said to have been named for Roswell Beebe, 
an early settler. 

Beech; there are six post-offices named Beech in the country and thirty-six with vari- 
ous suffixes, the name being applied because of the widespread occurrence of 
this tree. 

Beech Creek; creek and borough in Clinton County, Pennsylvania. A translation 
of the Indian name schauweminsch-hanna. 

Beecher City; village in Effingham County, Illinois, named for Charles A. Beecher, 
a railway solicitor. 

Aeechy; cape in Alaska, named for Capt. F. W. Beechy, the navigator. 

Beekman; village in Dutchess County, New York, named for Henry Beekman, who 
owned a grant there in 1703. 

Beekmanton; town in Clinton County, New York, named for William Beekman, 
one of the original grantees. 

Bekuennesee; rapids in the Menominee River, Wisconsin. An Indian word, mean- 
ing "smoky falls.'* 

Belair; post villages in Richmond County, Georgia, and Plaquemines Parish, Louisi- 
ana, town in Harford County, Maryland, and village in Lancaster County, South 
Carolina. A French phrase, meaning "good air." 

Belchertown; town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, named for Jonathan 
Belcher, one of the original grantees and one time governor of Massachusetts. 

Belen; town in Quitman County, Mississippi, named from the battle ground upon 
which Col. John A. Quitman fought during the Mexican war. 

Belew; town in Jefferson County, Missouri, named for Silas Belew, who owned 
property in the vicinity. 

Belfast; city in Waldo County, Maine, named by James Miller, an early settler, 
from his native city in Ireland. Numerous other places in the country bear this 
name. 

Belknap; township and village in Johnson County, Illinois, named for a prominent 
railroad man. 

Belknap; county in New Hampshire. The origin of this name is in doubt, but by 
some the county is thought to have been named for Jeremy Belknap, who wrote 
a history of the State. 

Belknap; mount in Utah, named for William Worth Belknap, secretary of war 
under President Grant. 

Bell; county in Kentucky, named for Josh Bell. 

Bell; county in Texas, named for P. H. Bell, governor of the State in 1849-1867. 

Bellaire; dty in Belmont County, Ohio, named for the town of Belair in Maryland. 



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42 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Bellavista; town in Shasta County, California. A Spanish phrase, meaning "beau- 
tiful view." 
Belle; a French word meaning "beautiful," of frequent occurrence in the country, 

there being seventy-eight post-offices which have this name in combination with 

descriptive suffixes. 
Belief ontaine; city in Logan County, Ohio, so named because of the beautiful 

springs in the neighborhoo<l. 
Belleville; township and city in St. Clair County, Illinois. The name was sug- 
gested by John Hay, a French Canadian, prominent in the early days of the 

State. 
Belleville; city in Republic County, Kansas, named for Arabelle, wife of A. B. 

Tutton, president of the town-site company. 
Belleville; village in Jefferson County, New York, named from the village in Wis- 
consin. 
Belleville; village in Dane County, Wisconsin, named by the first settler, John 

Frederick, from his native village in Canada. 
Bellevue; village in Sonoma ("ounty, California; a French term meaning "beautiful 

view." 
Bellevue; townsliip and city in Jackson County, Iowa, named for John D. Bell, the 

first settler. 
Bellflower; township and village in Mcl..ean County, Illinois, so named by the 

early settlers from the fields of l)ell-8haped flowers. 
Bellingrham; town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, named for Governor Richard 

Bellingham. 
Bellingrham; bay in Washington, named by Vancouver, the explorer, probably for 

Sir Henry Bellingham, who was knighted in 1796. 
Bellmont; villagejn Franklin County, New York, named for William Bell, an early 

proprietor. 
Bellows Falls; village in Windham County, Vermont, named for Col. Benjamin 

Bellows, an early settler and founder of Walpole. 
Bell Spring:; mountain in Humboldt County, California, so named by an early 

explorer, who found a cow bell in a spring on the mountain. 
Bellwood; village in Butler County, Nebraska, named for D. J. Bell, its proprietor 

and patron. 
Belmont; village in San Mateo County, California, and Allegany County, New York, 

named for its pleasing situation in the hills; translation from the French, "fine 

mountain." 
Belmont; towns in Mississippi County, Missouri, and Belknap County, New Hamp- 
shire, named for August Belmont, of New York. 
Belmont; county, and village in same county, in Ohio, named for an early settler. 

Howe says it is named in reference to its hilly surface; French, "fine mountain." 
Belmont; village in Lafayette County, Wisconsin, named for three mounds within 

its limits, which the early French travelers called "Belles Montes." 
Beloit; city in Rock County, Wisconsin. A coined name selected by a committee, 

to whom it was suggested by the name Detroit. 
Beloit; city in Mitchell County, Kansas, named for the city in Wisconsin. 
Belpr^; town in Washington County, Ohio, named from the French, meaning 

"beautiful prairie," from its situation on a prairie. 
Belton; town in Anderson County, South Carolina, named for a prominent family. 
Belton; city in Bell County, Texas, named for Governor P. H. Bell. 
Beltrami; county, and village in same county, in Minnesota, named for Count C. C. 

Beltrami, an Italian, with Major Long's exploring expedition into the Northwest 

country. 



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GANNETT] PLACE NAME8 IN THE UNITED STATES. 43 

Belvedere; town in Marin County, California. From the Italian, meaning **l)eau- 
tiful sight.'* 

Belvidere; township and city in Boone County, Illinois, named by one of the 
founders for his native place in Canada. 

Belzoni; town in Washington County, Mississippi, named for an Italian, Giambattuta 
Belzoni, a celebrated archaeologist. 

Bement; township and village in Piatt County, Illinois, named for a United States 
surveyor. 

Bemis Heigrhts; village in Saratoga County, New York, named for Jonathan Bemis, 
innkeeper there during the Revolution. 

Benedicta; town in Aroostook County, Maine, named for Bishop Benedicta Pen- 
wick, who waa an early proprietor. 

Benhur; village in Mariposa County, California, named for the character in Gen. 
Wallace's novel. 

Benicia; city in Solano County, California, named by General Vallejo for his wife. 

Benita; village in Kern County, California. A Spanish word meaning **nun.** 

Ben liOmond; post-offices in Sevier County, Arkansas, Santa Cruz County, Cali- 
fornia, Issaquena County, Mississippi, and Mason County, West Virginia; named 
from the lake in Scotland. 

Bennett; town in Cedar County, Iowa, named for Chet Bennett, a railroad man. 

Bennett; point in Maryland, named for Richard Bennett. 

Bennett; town in Lancaster County, Nebraska, named for a resident. 

Bennett Creek; village in Nansemond County, Virginia, named for Richard Bennett, 
governor in 1652-1656. 

Bennetts; wells on the westerly border of Death Valley, Inyo County, California, 
named for the Bennett party of immigrants, most of whom perished in the neigh- 
borhood in 1852. 

Bennettsville; town in Marlboro County, South Carolina, named for a family 
prominent in the State. 

Benning^n; town in Hillsboro County, New Hampshire, and county, and town- 
ship, and town in same county in Vermont, named for Governor Benning 
Wentworth, of New Hampshire. 

Benson; town in Johnston County, North Carolina, named for a prominent citizen. 

Benson; county in North Dakota, named for Hon. B. W. Benson, member of the 
State legislature and banker, of Valley City, North Dakota. 

Benson; town in Rutland County, Vermont, said by some to have been named for 
Judge Egbert Benson, one of the original proprietors. The Vermont Historical 
Society says that it was named by James Meacham, a proprietor, for a Revolu- 
tionary officer. 

Bent; county in Colorado, named for William Bent, first United States governor of 
New Mexico. 

Benton; counties in Arkansas, Indiana, and Iowa; village in Marshall County, 
Kentucky; town in Bossier Parish, Louisiana; county, and township and vil- 
lage in Carver County, in Minnesota; counties in Mississippi and Missouri; town 
in Grafton County, New Hampshire; and counties in Oregon and Tennessee; 
named for Senator Thomas H. Benton, of Missouri. Thirty other cities, towns, 
and villages bear this name, most of them in honor of the same man. 

Benton; town in Yates County, New York, named for Caleb Benton, the first settler. 

Bentonia; town in Yazoo County, Mississippi, named for the maiden name of Mrs. 
Hal Green, a resident. 

Benwood; city in Marshall County, West Virginia, named for Benjamin Latrobe, 
an engineer on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. 

Benzie; county in Michigan. Probably named from the town of Benzonia^ which 
was founded and named before the county. There are some, however, who think 



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44 PLACE NAMK8 IN THE UNITED 8TATES. [bull. 268. 

the name a corruption from Betsie River and Pointy which were originally called 
Aiw Bees Sciesy a French form meaning **at the snouts of the sawfish." 

Benzonia; village in Benzie County, Michigan, named from the Hebrew, meaning 
"sons of light," by the Rev. J. B. Walker, member of a company formed to 
found a college where poor students could be educated; the college was built 
upon the spot where the village now stands. 

Beowawe; post-office in Eureka County, Nevada, said to be from an Indian word 
meaning "gate," so named from the peculiar shape of the hills at this point, 
which gives the effect of an open gateway up the valley to the canyon be3roiid. 

Berea; towns in Adair County, Iowa, Madison County, Kentucky, and Cuyahoga 
County, Ohio, named from the ancient city in Macedonia. 

Berenda; town in Madera County, California. A Spanish word meaning "ante- 
lope," so applied because the country was overrun with antelope. 

Beresford; lake in Florida, named for an early English proprietor. 

Berg:; village in Sutter County, California, so named from its location in the moun- 
tains. From the German, meaning "mountain." 

Bergen; county in New Jersey, named from Bergen Point. 

Bergen Point; post village of Hudson County, New Jersey, named by colonisla 
from Bergen, Norway. 

Bergholtz; village in Niagara County, New York, named for the town in Prussia. 

Bering; sea and strait lying between Alaska and Asia, named for the Dutch navi- 
gator, Ivan Ivanovitch Bering. 

Berkeley; city in Alameda County, California, named for Dean Berkley, Bishop 
of Cloyne. 

Berkeley; county in South Carolina, named for John Lord Berkeley, one of the 
original proprietors. 

{Berkeley; county in West Virginia; 
Berkeley Springs; town in Morgan County, West Virginia. Named for William 
Berkeley, governor of Virginia in 1642. 
Berkley; town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, probably named for Dean Berk- 
ley, Bishop of Cloyne, though some authorities say for James and William 

Berkley, members of the Privy Council. 
Berkley; town in Norfolk County, Virginia, named for a prominent family of land 

holders. 
Berks; county in Pennsylvania, named from the county of Berks in England. 
Berkshire; county in Massachusetts, named from Berkshire, England. Several 

towns in the country are named from the same. 
Berlin; thirty-seven post-offices in the United States bear the name of the city in 

Germany. 
Bermuda; villages in Conecuh County, Alabama, Gwinnett County, Geoi^, 

Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, Marion County, South Carolina, and Knox 

County, Tennessee; named from the group of islands in the Atlantic Ocean 

which were named for the Spanish discoverer, Juan Bermudez. 
Bern; towns in Adams County, Indiana, and Albany County, New York; 
Bemville; borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania. Named from the town of 

Bern in Switzerland. 
Bernal; suburb of San Francisco, California. A Spanish word meaning "vernal," 

"green." 
Bernalillo; county in New Mexico, named from the town on the Rio Grande. A 

Spanish-Christian name, meaning "little Bernal." 
Bernalillo; town in Sandoval County, New Mexico, settled by descendents of 

Bernal Diaz del Castillo, who was associated with Cortez in the conquest of 

Mexico. 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 45 

Bernardo; township and village in San Diego County, California. From the Span- 
ish, relating to the Bemardine religious order. 

Bemardstown; town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, named for the British 
governor. Sir Francis Bernard. 

Berrien; county in Georgia, and county, and township in same county, in Michigan, 
named for John McPherson Berrien, attorney-general of the United States in 
1829. 

Berry; creek in Idaho, so named by Captain Clark, the explorer, because he sub- 
sisted entirely on berries at that place. 

Berry; village in Harrison County, Kentucky, named for a man who had a station 
there called Berry's station. 

Berryville; town in Carroll County, Arkansas, named for James H. Berry, governor 
of the State. 

Berthoud; village in Larimer County, Colorado, named for E. L. Berthoud, chief 
engineer of the Union Pacific Railroad. 

Bertie; county in North Carolina, named for James and Henry Bertie, in whom 
the proprietary rights of the Earl of Clarendon rested. 

Berwick; town in York County, Maine, named from the town in England, Berwick- 
upon-Tweed. 

Berwick; borough in Columbia County, Pennsylvania, named from the county in 
Scotland. 

Bessemer; town in Jefferson County, Alabama, city in Gogebic County, Michigan, 
town in Gaston County, North Carolina, and several other places; named for 
Sir Henry Bessemer, who invented the process of reducing iron ore. 

Bethaldo; village in Madison County, Illinois. Changed from Bethel to distinguish 
it from another post-ofl5ce of that name. 

Bethany; village in Lancaster County, Nebraska, borough in Wayne County, Penn- 
sylvania, and many other places bear the name of the village in Palestine. 

Bethel; town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, and many other places, named 
directly or indirectly from Bethel in Palestine. 

Bethesda; post-ofl5ce in Montgomery County, Maryland, and several other places, 
named from the pool in Jerusalem. 

Bethlehem; borough in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, originally a Moravian 
settlement, named on Christmas Day, 1741, from the birthplace of Christ in 
Judea. Twelve other places in the Union bear the same name. 

Betsie; river, point, and town, in Michigan, a corruption of the French name given 
to the river in early days, aiu; bees scies, meaning ''at the snouts of the sawfish." 

Benlah; post-office in Crawford County, Kansas, and many towns and villages bear 
this Scriptural name. 

Beverly; city in Essex County, Massachusetts, and many towns and villages bear 
this name, probably derived from Beverly, in Yorkshire, England. 

Beverly; township and city in Burlington County, New Jersey, so named by the 
first settlers, who found the country overrun with beavers. 

Beverly; town in Randolph County, West Virginia, doubtless named for William 
Beverly, the original grantee of Beverly manor. 

Bevier; village in Muhlenberg County, Kentucky, and city in Macon County, Mis- 
souri, named for Col. Robert Bevier, of Kentucky. 

Bexar; villages in Marion County, Alabama; Fulton County, Arkansas, and Lauder- 
dale County, Tennessee, and county, and village in same county, in Texas, named 
for the Duke of Bexar, a Spanish nobleman. 

Bibb; counties in Alabama and Georgia, named for Dr. William Wyatt Bibb, mem- 
ber of Congress from Georgia. 

Bicknell; village in Knox County, Indiana, named for John Bicknell. 



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46 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Biddeford; city in York County, Maine, named from the place in England whence 

some of the early settlers emigrated. 
Bienville; parish, and town in same parish, in Ix)uisiana, named for Governor Jean 

Baptiste Lemoine Bienville, son of the French explorer who accompanied La 

Salle on his expedition. 
Big: Bar; post-office and mining settlement in Trinity County, California, named for 

the rich and extensive bars of placer gravel. 
Bigr Blackfoot; river in the Rocky Mountains, Montana, the name of which is 

derived from the Black feet Indian tril)e. 
Bigr Blue; creek in Missouri, which was formerly called Bluewater Creek, the name 

being derived from its French name, riviPre de Veau hleue, 
Bigrbone; village in Boone County, Kentucky, so named from the numbers of bones 

of mastodons discovered in the vicinity. 
Big: Dry; creek in Montana, so named by Lewis and Clark, because it was dry 

when they reached it. 
Bigr Gravois; creek in Missouri. A French name meaning ** rubbish.*' 
Bigrgrsville; village in Henderson County, Illinois, named for Thomas Biggs, who 

built the first mill. 
Big-horn; river in Montana, tributary to the Yellowstone River, so named from the 

Rocky Mountain sheep, fretiuently called '*big horn.*' Its Indian (Dakota) 

name was papatunkaUy meaning ** big head." 
Bigrhom; county in Wyoming, named from the range of mountains, which took 

their name from the sheep which were found in them. The Indian (Absaroka) 

name of the mountains was ahsahta, meaning " big head." 
Bigrler; lake in California, named for John Bigler, governor of the State. 
Big: Muddy; creek in Missouri; the name is translated from that given it by the 

early French, grande riviere vaseuae, ** great muddy river." 
Big Palm Springs; village in San Diego County, California, named for the desert 

palms or giant yuccas in the vicinity. 
Big Rapids; city in Mecosta County, Michigan, so named from rapids in the Mus- 
kegon River. 
Big Sioux; river in Minnesota and South Dakota, named from the Indian tribe. 
Big Spring; town in Meade County, Kentucky, so named from a spring which rises 

near the middle of the town. There are fifteen other places in the country that 

bear this name l)ecause of the presence of springs. 
Bigstone; county in Minnesota, which takes its name from a river, which was 

doubtless named descriptively. 
Big Timber; town in Sweet Gra»*«s County, Montana, so named from a stream which 

rises in«the Crazy Mountains and flows into the Yellowstone River at a point 

opposite the town. This stream was called the Big Timber for years before the 

town was settled. 
Bigrtooth; creek in Center County, Pennsylvania, a translation of the Indian name 

of the creek, mangipimnky "place where big teeth are found." 
Big Tree; village in Erie County, New York, so called from the Indian village which 

formerly occupied the site, deonundagay **big tree." 
Big Trees; village in Calaveras County, California, so named from a grove of about 

ninety enormous trees of the genus Sequoia. 
Bigwood; river in Idaho, the name of which is derived from the name given by the 

early French traders, boise or boisee, "woody;" so called because of its wooded 

banks. 
Bijou; town in Eldorado County, California. A French word meaning a "jewel." 
Bijou; hills in South Dakota, named for an early French hunter. 
Bijou Hills; village in Brule County, South Dakota, named from the hills. 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 47 

Billerica; town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, named from the town in Essex, 
England. 

Billing^; city in Yellow^stone County, Montana, named for Parmley Billings, son of 
the first president of the Northern Pacific Railroad. 

Billing's; county in North Dakota, named for Frederick Billings, at one time presi- 
dent of the Northern Pacific Railroad. 

Billingsport; town in Gloucester County, New Jersey, named for an English mer- 
chant, Edward Bylling. 

Billington Sea; pond in Plymouth, Massachusetts, named for the discoverer. Billing- 
ton, one of the Mayflower passengers, who reported it as an inland sea. 

Bill Williams; mountain in Arizona, named for a guide and trapper. 

Biloxi; bay, and city in Harrison County, in Mississippi. An Indian tribe of this 
name inhabited this part of the country. The name is of Choctaw origin, vari- 
ously rendered as referring to *' worthless" or ** terrapin.** 

Biltmore; town in Buncombe County, North Carolina, named by George Vander- 
bilt from the last part of his name, with the Gaelic mdr^ '* great." 

Bingham; county in Idaho, named by Governor Bunn for his friend, Congressman 
Bingham, of Pennsylvania. 

Bingham; town in Somerset County, Maine, named for William Bingham, a large 
landowner in early days. 

Binghamton; city in Broome County, New York, named for William Bingham, of 
Philadelphia, a benefactor of the town. 

Birch; nineteen post-offices, besides many natural features, bear this name, either 
alone or with suffixes, generally indicating the presence of the tree. 

Bird; city in Cheyenne County, Kansas, named for its founder, Benjamin Bird. 

Birdsall; town in Allegany County, New York, named for Judge John Birdsall. 

Birdsboro; borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania, named for William Bird, who 
in 1740 bought the tract on which the town now stands. 

Birmingham; twelve places in the country, named from the manufacturing town in 
England. 

Bismarck; cities in St. Francois County, Missouri, and Burleigh County, North 
Dakota, and many other places, named for Prince Otto von Bismarck of Germany. 

Bison; peaks in Colorado and Yellowstone Park, named for their shape. 

Bitterwater; town in San Benito County, California, named from the bitter mineral 
springs in the vicinity. 

Bitterwater; branch of Grand River, Utah, so named from the character of the 
water. 

Bituma; village in Ventura County, California, named from the asphalt beds in the 
neighborhood. 

Blackbird; town in Holt County, Nebraska, named for the great warrior and chief 
of the Omaha Indians, Washingasahba, meaning ** blackbird." 

Black Butte; village in Siskiyou County, California, named from an extinct vol- 
canic cone. 

Black Creek; tow^n in Wilson County, North Carolina, named from a creek of dajk 
water. 

Black Diamond; town in Contra Costa County, California, so named from its coal 
mines. 

Blackfoot; peak, and village in Bingham County, in Idaho, named from the Black- 
feet Indian tribe. 

Blackford; county, and village in Jaspar County, Indiana, named for Isaac Black- 
ford, judge of the supreme court of Indiana. 

Blackhawk; town in Gilpin County, Colorado, named from one of the earliest min- 
ing companies. 



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48 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Blackhawk; county, and village in Davis CJounty, in Iowa, named for a noted chief 
of the Sac and Fox Indians. 

Blackhawk; town in Carroll County, Mississippi, named for a Choctaw Indian chief. 

Black Hills; mountain range in South Dakota, called by the early French traders 
c6te noire, ** black hills,*' from the character of the timber which grows on them, 
giving a dark appearance. 

Blackiston; village in Kent County, Delaware, named for one of the original pro- 
prietors of large tracts of land in the county. 

Blacklick; creek in Pennsylvania, called by the Indians naeskdhoniy ^'lick of 
blackish color.'* 

Blackmore; mount in Montana, named for the English ethnologist, William Black- 
more, of London. 

Black Mountain; town in San Diego County, California, named from the black 
volcanic rocks. 

Black Mountain; range in North Carolina, so named from the dark-green foliage of 
the balsam fir which covers the top and sides. 

Black Mountain; town in Buncombe County, North Carolina, named from the 
mountain towering above it. 

Black River; village in Jefferson County, New York, named from a river the waters 
of which are the color of sherry. 

Black River Falls; city in Jackson County, Wisconsin, named from the &lls of 
Black River, ne^r which it is situated. 

Blacksburg; town in Cherokee County, South Carolina, named for a prominent 
family in the neighborhood. 

Blackstone; village in Livingston County, Illinois, named for Timothy B. Black- 
stone, a prominent railroad official. 

Blackstone; river, and town in Worcester County, in Massachusetts, named for 
William Blackstone, the first settler in Boston. 

Black "Warrior; river in Alabama, a translation of the Choctaw Indian word 
tuscaloosa. 

Blackwells; island in East River, New York, named for the Black well family, who 
owned it for one hundred years. 

F laden; county in North Carolina; 
ladenboro; town in Bladen County. Named for Martin Bladen, one of the lord 
commissioners of trades and plantations. 
Bladensburg:; town in Prince George County, Maryland, named for Gov. Thomas 

Bladen. 
Blain; borough in Perry County, Pennsylvania, named for James Blain, the war- 
rantee of the land upon which it was built. 
Blaine; mountain in Colorado, county in Idaho, town in Aroostook County, Maine, 
counties in Nebraska and Oklahoma, and many other places, named for James 
G. Blaine. 
Blair; county in Pennsylvania, named for John Blair. 
Blair; city in Washington County, Nebraska; 
Blairstown; town in Benton County, Iowa; 
Blairstown; towns in Henry County, Missouri, and Warren County, New Jersey. 

Named for John I. Blair, of New Jersey. 
Blairsville; borough and town in 'Indiana County, Pennsylvania, named for John 

Blair, a prominent resident of Blairs Gap. 
Blakely; town in Early County, (leorgia, named for Captain Blakely, naval officer. 
Blakiston; island in the Potomac River, named for Nehemiah Blakiston, collector 

of customs. 
Blalock; village in Gilliam County, Oregon, named for Dr. Blalock, an early settler. 



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GANNETT] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 49 

Blanca; peak in the Sierra Blanca, Colorado, so named from the white rocks on its 
suHimit. 

Blanchard; town in Piscataquis County, Maine, named for one of the early pro- 
prietors, Charles Blanchard. 

Blanco; cape on the coast of Oregon, discovered by Martin de Aguilar, the Spanish 
explorer, who named it. A Spanish word meaning *' white.'* 

Blanco; county in Texas, named from the Rio Blanco, ** white river.'* 

Bland; county in Virginia, said to have been named for Richard Bland, of Revolu- 
tionary fame. 

Blandford; town in Hampden County, Massachusetts, named for the Duke of Marl- 
borough, whose second title was Marquis of Blandford. 

Blandinsville; township and village in McDonough County, Illinois, named for 
Joseph L. Blandin, first settler and owner of the land. 

Blandville; town in Ballard County, Kentucky, named for Capt. Bland Ballard. 

Bledsoe; county in Tennessee, named for Jesse Bledsoe, United States Senator. 

Bleecker; village in Fulton County, New York, named for Rutger Bleecker, an early 
patentee. 

Blennerhassett; island in the Ohio River, named for Herman Blennerhassett, who 
was accused of complicity with Aaron Burr. 

Blissfield; village in Lenawee County, Michigan, named for Henry Bliss, an early 
settler, upon whose homestead the village is built. 

Block; island off the coast of Rhode Island, named for Adrien Block, the Dutch 
discoverer. 

Blocksburg; town in Humboldt County, California, named for Ben Block burger, 
the founder. 

Bloods; village in Steuben County, New York, named for Calvin Blood. 

Bloomer; village in Chippewa County, Wisconsin, named probably for a Galena 
merchant. 

Bloomfield; city in Stoddard County, Missouri, named from the field of flowers 
which grew there when the place was founded. 

Bloomfield; town in Essex County, New Jersey, named for Governor Joseph 
Bloomfield of that State. 

Bloomingrton; township and city in McLean County, Illinois, named from Bloom- 
ing Grove, so called from its profusion of wild flowers. 

Bloomington; township and city in Monroe County, Indiana, named for an early 
settler, Philip Bloom. 

Bloomsburg; town in Columbia County, Pennsylvania, named for Samuel Bloom, 
county commissioner of Northumberland County. 

Blossburg'; borough in Tioga County, Pennsylvania, named for Aaron Bloss, who 
settled there in 1806. 

Blount; county in Alabama, named for Willie Blount, governor of Tennessee in 
1809-1815. 

Blount; county in Tennessee, named for William Blount, governor in 1790-1796. 

Blountsville; village in Henry County, Indiana, named for Andrew Blount, its 
founder. 

Blowing* Rock; town in Watauga County, North Carolina, named from a cliff 
where the wind blows upward. 

iBlue Earth; county and river in Minnesota; 
Blue Earth City; township and city in Faribault County, Minnesota, so named 
because of the bluish hue of the earth, due to the presence of copper. 
Bluefield; city in Mercer County, West Virginia, named from the bluegrass valley 
in which it is situated. 

Bull. 258—05 i 



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50 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Blue Grass; villages in Fulton County, Indiana, Scott County, Iowa, Knox County, 

Tennessee, and Russell County, Virginia, named from a variety of grass which 

grows in Kentucky. 
Blue Hill; village in Webster County, Nebraska, so named because of the bluish 

atmosphere surrounding the hill on which the village is located. 
Blue Hills; range of hills in Massachusetts, which are said to have given name to 

the State, the Indian name MassashusetUs meaning '* great hills." 
Blue Island; village in Cook County, Illinois, so named because when viewed from 

a distance by the early settlers it appeared like an island covered with blue 

flowers. 
Blue Mound; township in Macon County, Illinois, named from its proximity to a 

hill covered with blue flowers. 
Blue Mounds; village in Dane County, Wisconsin, named from mounds which 

appear bluish from a distance. 
Blue Mountain; town in Tippah County, Mississippi, named from a large bluish 

hill near the site. 
Blue Ridge; the most eastern of the principal ridges of the Appalachian chain of 

mountains, so called from the hue which frequently envelops its distant summits. 
Blue Springs; town in Union County, Mississippi, named from springs with water 

of bluish hue. 
Bluffs; village in Scott County, Illinois, so named from its location on the side of 

high bluffs. 
Bluffton; city in Wells County, Indiana, so named on account of the high bluffs 

which once surrounded the town. 
Blunt; village in Hughes County, South Dakota, named for the chief engineer of 

the Chicago and North Western Railroad, Arthur E. Blunt. 
Blunts; reef on the coast of California, named for Captain Blunt, of the Hudson Bay 

Company. 
Blyville; village in Knox County, Nebraska, named for George W. Bly, early settler. 
Boardman; mountain in Franklin County, Maine, named for Herbert Boardman, 

who settled at its base in 1795. 
Boardman; town in Columbus County, North Carolina, named for a pioneer Baptist 

preacher. 
Boardman; township and village in Mahoning County, Ohio, named for the original 

proprietor, Frederick Boardman. 
Boca; post-oflSce in Nevada County, California, at the mouth of the Truckee River. 

A Spanish word, meaning ** mouth." 
Bodega; township in Sonoma County, California. A Spanish word meaning ** wine- 
vault." 
Bodie; island in North Carolina, named for Hon. N. W. Boddie, of Nashville, North 

Carolina. 
Bodock; creek in Arkansas, corrupted from the French, bois (Varc, a species of wood. 
Boerne; village in Kendall County, Texas, named for the German writer, Louis 

Boerne. 
Bogota; borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, named for the South American 

city. 
Bogue Chitto; town and creek in Lincoln County, Mississippi. An Indian name 

meaning "big creek." 
Bohemia; villages in Escambia County, Florida, Suffolk County, New York, and 

Douglas County, Oregon, named from the province in Austria- Hungary. 
Bois Brule; township in Perry County and creek in Cole County, Missouri. A 

French name meaning ''burnt forest." 
Bois d'Arc; village in Greene County, Missouri, "bowwood," the French name of 

the Osage orange from which the Indians procured wood for their bows. 



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GANNETT] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 51 

Bois de Sioux; tributary of the Red River, North Dakota. A French name mean- 
ing * * Sioux forest. * ' 
Boise; county, and city in Ada County, in Idaho, situated on Boise River. A French 

word meaning " woody," given by the early French traders because of the trees 

upon the banks of the river. 
Bolinas; bay, and town in Marin County, in California. A Spanish word meaning 

''whale.'* 
Bolivar; county, and village in' same county, in Mississippi, city in Polk County, 

Missouri, town in Allegany County, New York, town in Hardeman County, 

Tennessee, town in Jefferson County, West Virginia, and four other places; 

named for Gen. Simon Bolivar. 
Bollinger; county in Missouri, named for Maj. George F. Bollinger, an early settler. 
Bolsa; village in Orange County, California. A Spanish word meaning *' purse.** 
Bolton; town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, named for Charles Powlet, third 

Duke of Bolton. 
Bolton; town in Hinds County, Mississippi, named for a man interested in building 

a railroad from Vicksburg to Jackson. 
Bombay; town in Franklin County, New York, named by Mr. Hogan, an early 

settler, from Bombay, India. 
Bonair; towns in Howard County, Iowa, and White County, Tennessee, and village 

in Chesterfield County, Virginia. A French name, meaning **good air.** 
Bonanza; village in Klamath County, Oregon, and seven other places in the country. 

A Spanish word meaning "prosperity.** 
Bonaparte; town in Van Buren County, Iowa, and village in Lewis County, New 

York, named for Napoleon Bonaparte. 
Bonaqua; town in Hickman County, Tennessee, so called because it is situated near 

mineral springs. A Latin name, meaning ''good water.** 
Bond; county in Illinois, named for Shadrack Bond, first governor of the State, 

1818-1822. 
Bondurant; town in Polk County, Iowa, named for A. C. Bondurant. 
Bonfield; village in Kankakee County, Illinois, named for Thomas Bonfield, a 

prominent railroad official. 
Bonham; town in Fannin County, Texas, named for Col. J. B. Bonham, who died 

in the Alamo in 1836. 
Bonhomme; island in the Missouri River, in South Dakota, named for Jacques Bon 

Homme, the Frenchmah*s " Uncle Sam.** 
Bonhomme; county in South Dakota, named from the island in the Missouri River. 
Bonita; point in California, and village in Ottertail County, Minnesota. A Spanish 

word, meaning "pretty,** "graceful.** 
Bonner; town in Missoula County, Montana, named for E. T. Bonner, of Missoula, 

Montana. 
Bonner Springes; city in Wyandotte County, Kansas, named for Robert Bonner, 

horseman, and editor of the New York Ledger. 
Bonneterre; town in St. Francois County, Missouri. A French name, meaning 

"good earth." The name was given by early French settlers to a mine which 

contained lead. 
Bonneville; mounts in Nevada and Wyoming, and a village in Multnomah County, 

Oregon, named for Capt. B. L. E. Bonneville, early explorer in the Northwest. 
Bonpas; creek and town in Richland County, Illinois, named from the prairie which 

is now called Pompare, but which was named by the early French, hon paSj 

meaning " good walk.'* 
Bonpland; lake in California and mount in Nevada, named for Aime Bonpland, the 

French botanist. 



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52 PLAGE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Bon Secours; triangular projection on the east side of Mobile Bay, and post-office 
in Baldwin County, Alabama. A French name, meaning "good succor." 

Book; plateau in Colorado; so named from its shape. 
Boon; town in Wexford County, Michigan; 

Boone; countias in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, and Nebraska, 
town in Watauga County, North Carolina, and county in West Virginia. Nanaed 
for Daniel Boone; his name appears with different suffixes in many parts of 
the country. 

Boone; county, city in same county, and creek in Iowa, named for Captain Boone, 
United States dragoons, who captured Des Moines Valley above Coon Forks. 

Boone; creek in Yellowstone Park, named for Robert Withrow, who called himself 
** Daniel Boone the second." 

fBoonesboro; town in Howard County, Missouri; 

iBoone Station; village in Fayette County, Kentucky. Named for Daniel Boone. 

Booneville; town in Prentiss County, Mississippi, named for Reuben H. Boone, 
who settled there in 1836. 

Boonton; town in Morris County, New Jersey, named for Thomas Boone, its colo- 
nial governor in 1760. 

Boonville; town in Warrick County, Indiana. Some authorities say that it received 
its name in honor of Daniel Boone, while Conklin says it was named for Ratliffe 
Boone, second governor of the State, who laid out the town. 

Boonville; towns in Cooper County, Missouri, and Yadkin County, North Carolina, 
named for Daniel Boone. 

Boonville; village in Oneida County, New York, named for Oerrit Boon, agent of 
the Holland Land Company, who made the first settlement. 

Boothbay; town in Lincoln County, Maine, named from the town in England. 

Borate; village in San Bernardino County, California, named from the extensive 
veins of colemanite (borate of lime). 

Borax; lake in California, the waters of which contain borax in solution. 

Bordeaux; town in Abbeville County, South Carolina, named from the city in 
France. 

Borden; towns in Madera County, California, and county and village in Colorado 
County, Texas, named for Gail Bprden, member of the consultation of 1833, col- 
lector of customs at Galveston in 1837, editor and financier. 

Bordentown; city in Burlington County, New Jersey, named for Joseph Borden, its 
founder. 

Borgne; lake in Louisiana. A French word, meaning '* one-eyed,'* hence some- 
thing *' defective," given to the lake by the French because they did not con- 
sider it a lake, but rather a bay, as it had the appearance of being separated from 
the sea by numerous islands. 

Borodino; village in Onondaga County, New York, named from the town in Russia. 

Boscawen; town in Merrimac County, New Hampshire, named for Admiral Edward 
Boscawen. 

Boscobel; city in Grant County, Wisconsin, named from a place in Shropshire, Eng- 
land. 

Bosque; county and river in Texas. A French and Portuguese word, meaning 
*' wood," "forest," applied to the country because of the forests of oak and cedar. 

Bosqueville; village in McLennan County, Texas; so- named because near Bosque 
River. 

Bossier; parish, and village in same parish, in I^uisiana, named for (ieneral Bossier, 
a celebrated duelist. 

Bostic; town in Rutherford County, North Carolina, named for (ieorge T. Bostic. 

Boston; city in Suffolk County, Massachusetts. By some authorities the name is 
said to have been given in honor of John Cotton, vicar of St. Bodolph's church 



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GANNETT] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 53 

in Boston, Lincolnshire, England, and one of the first clergymen in the Ameri- 
can Boston. Others say it was named before the arrival of John Cotton, for 
three prominent colonists from Boston, England. Sixteen places in the country 
have taken their names from the Massachusetts city. 

Botetourt; county in Virginia, named for Norborne Berkeley, Lord de Botetourt, 
royal governor of Virginia in 1768. 

Bottineau; county, and town in same county, in North Dakota, named for Pierre 
Bottineau, one of the early settlers of the Red River Valley. 

Bouckville; village in Madison County, New York, named for Governor William C. 
Bouck. 

Bouff; creek in Chicot County, Arkansas. A corruption of the French bayou aux 
boeufsy * ' cattle creek. ' * 

Boulder; county, and city in same county, in Colorado, named from the huge boul- 
ders found in the county. 

Boundbrook; borough in Somerset County, New Jersey, named from a creek empty- 
ing into the Raritan River, which was the northern boundary of the grant made 
to Governor Carteret. It is now part of the boundary between Middlesex and 
Somerset counties. 

Bouquet; river in Essex County, New York; said to be named from the flowers 
upon its banks. Some authorities think it is derived from the French, haquel, 
**trough." 

Bourbeuse; river in Missouri. A name applied to the river by the early French 
traders, meaning " miry." 

Bourbon; town in Marshall County, Indiana, and counties in Kansas and Kentucky, 
besides several small places, named for the royal family of France. 

Bovina; town in Delaware County, New York; from the Latin, because of its fitness 
for grazing. 

Bow; creek in Nebraska, named by the early French petU arc, *' little bow.'* 

Bow; town in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, so named from a bend in the 
river within the town limits. 

Bowdoinham; town in Sagadahoc County, Maine. Some authorities say it was 
named for James Bowdoin, governor of Massachusetts in 1785-86, while Vamey 
claims that it was named for William Bowdoin, of Boston. 

Bowen; town in Jones County, Iowa, named for Hugh Bo wen. 

Bowerbank; plantation in Piscataquis County, Maine, named for a London mer- 
chant, the first owner. 

Bowie; town in Prince George County, Maryland, named for Governor Oden Bowie. 

Bowie; county, and village in Montague County, in Texas, named for James Bowie, 
Indian and Mexican fighter, the inventor of the bowie knife, who was killed at 
the Alamo. 

Bowlings Green; the name of seven places in the country. The word is said to be 
derived from a term denoting ornamental gardening, or a plat of turf for bowling. 
The name is found in Yorkshire, England. 

Bowman; village in Fleming County, Kentucky, name<i for Col. Abram Bowman, 
first settler. 

Bowman; county in North Dakota, named for E. M. Bowman, a member of the 
Territorial legislature in 1883. 

Bowman; town in Orangeburg County, South Carolina, named for the Fleming 
family, of Orangeburg. 

Boxbutte; county, and town in same county, in Nebraska, nameil from a butte in 
the county. 

Boxelder; county in Utah and creek in Montana, also nix other places in the coun- 
try, named from the tree. 



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54 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 268. 

Boxford; town in Essex County, Massachusetts, probably named from the town in 

Suffolk, England. 
Boyd; county, and village in Harrison Ck)unty, in Kentucky, named for Linn Boyd, 

statesman, of Tennessee, one time lieutenant-governor of Kentucky. 
Boyd; county in Nebraska, named for James E. Boyd, governor of the State in 

1891-93. 
Boyd Tavern; village in Albemarle County, Virginia, named for a family who kept 

a tavern there many years ago. 
Boyerton; borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania, named for the Boyer family, 

early settlers. 
Boyle; county in Kentucky, named for John Boyle, chief justice of the State. 
Boylston; town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, named for a resident family 

of Boston. 
Boylston; town in Oswego County, New York, named for Thomas Boylston. 
Bozeman; city in Gallatin County, Montana, named for J. M. Bozeman, an early 

trapper. 
BoJETCkhville; town in New London County, Connecticut, named from the ancient 

town in Syria. 
Braceville; township and village in Grundy County, Illinois, first called Braysville, 

for an early settler. 
Braceville; township in Trumbull County, Ohio, named for Jonathan Brace, an 

early settler. 
Bracken; county in Kentucky, named for two creeks. Big and Little Bracken, which 

were named for William Bracken, a pioneer hunter. 
Brackettville; town in Kinney County, Texas, named for Oscar B. Brackett, a 
• prominent resident. 

Bracks; butte in California, named for an old settler. 
Braddock; borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, named from the battlefield 

where General Brad'dock was defeated by the French and Indians. 
Braddys; pond in Portage County, Ohio, named for Capt. Samuel Brady. 
Bradford; county in Florida, named for Captain Bradford, who was killed in battle 

on an island in western Florida. 
Bradford; village in Stark County, Illinois, named for Bradford S. Foster, one of its 

principal founders. 
Bradford; village, now a part of Haverhill, Essex County, Massachusetts, named 

from the town in Yorkshire, England. 
Bradford; town in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, and village in Orange 

County, Vermont, named from the village in Massachusetts. 
Bradford; town in Steuben County, New York, named for General Bradford. 
Bradford; county, and city in McKean County, in Pennsylvania, named for William 

Bradford, 1755-1795, Attorney-General of the United States. 
Bradfordsville; town in Marion County, Kentucky, named for Peter Bradford, the 

first settler. 
Bradley; county in Arkansas, named for Capt. Hugh Bradley. 
Bradley; village in Tazewell County, Illinois, named for the Bradley Manufacturing 

Company located there. 
Bradley; town in Greenwood County, South Carolina,, named for a family of the 

State. 
Bradley; county in Tennessee. The origin of the name is in doubt; Judge P. B. 

May field, of Cleveland, Tennessee, says it was probably named for a school- 
teacher. 
Bradley Beach; borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, named for the origi- 
nal owner, James A. Bradley. 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 55 

Bradys Bend; town in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, named for Capt. Kamuel 
Brady, the noted Indian fighter. 

Braidwood; city in Will County, Illinois, named for James Braidwood, who devel- 
oped coal mines in the vicinity. 

Brainerd; city in Butler County, Kansas, named for Vj. B. Brainerd, who owne4l a 
farm upon which part of the city is built. 

Brainerd; city in Crow Wing County, Minnesota, named for David Brainenl, a cele- 
brated missionary to the Indians. 

Braintree; town in Norfolk County, Massachusette, named from the town in Essex, 
England. 

Braintree; town in Orange County, Vermont, named from the town in Massachu- 
setts, where many of the early grantees resided. 

Bramwell; town in Mercer County, West Virginia, named for an English engineer 
and coal operator who lived in the town. 

Brancli; county, and township in Mason County, in Michigan, named for John 
Branch, secretary of the navy under President Jackson. » 

Branchport; town in Yates County, New York, which derives its name from its 
position on one of the branches of Crooked Lake. 

Branchville; borough in Sussex County, New Jersey, named for the branch or river 
known as Long Branch. 

Branchville; town in Orangeburg County, South Carolina, named from the forks of 
the two branches of the South Carolina Railroad. 

Brfuidenburgr; town in Meade County, Kentucky, named from a province in Prussia. 

Brandon; town in Rankin County, Mississippi, named for Gerard C. Brandon, 
governor in 1828-32. 

Brandon; town in Rutland County, Vermont. A corruption of ** burnt town," from 
the circumstance of the burning of the settlement by Indians in 1777. 

Brandt; lake and town in Erie County, New York, named for Col. Joseph Brandt, 
a Mohawk chief. 

Brandywine; creek in Pennsylvania. According to a tradition, the name is derived 
from the occasion of a vessel laden with brarUeivein (brandy), which waa lost in 
its waters. .Other authorities derive it from Andrew Braindwine, who owned 
lands near its mouth in early days. A third theory is that the slough near 
Downingtown discharged its muddy waters into the creek, tinging it the color of 
brandy. A celebrated battle was fought there, which accounts for the name 
being given to eight places in in the country. 

Branford; town in New Haven County, Connecticut, named from the town of 
Brentford, England. 

Braaher; town in St. Lawrence County, New York, named for Philip Brasher, part 
owner. 

Brassna; lake of Moose River, Maine, said to be named for an Indian chief. The 
word is said to signify *' frank." 

Brattleboro; town in Windham County, Vermont, named for Col. William Brattle, 
a citizen of Boston. 

Braxton; county in West Virginia, named for Carter Braxton, a signer of the Decla- 
ration of Independence. 

Braysville; village in Owen County, Indiana, named for its founder. 

Brazil; city in Clay County, Indiana, named from the country in South America. 

Brazoria; county, and town in same county, in Texas. The old municipality of 

Brazoria, founded under the Mexican rule, was named from the Brazos River. 
Brazos; river, and county in Texas. A Franciscan monk named the neighboring 
stream — now the Colorado— -Bmzo* de Dios, ''arm of God." The Mexicans 
confused the two rivers and called the Colorado the Brazos, and vice versa, and 
so the names stand to-day. 



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56 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Breakabeen; village in Schoharie County, New York, named from the German 

word for, the rushes which grew U|K)n the banks of the creek. 
Breathitt; county in Kentucky, named for John Breathitt, former governor of the 

State. 
Breckenridge; town in Summit County, Colorado, and city in Caldwell County, 

Missouri, named for John C. Breckinridge, vice-president of the United States. 
Breckinridge; county in Kentucky, named for John Breckinridge, a Kentucky 

statesman. 
Breedsville; village in Van Buren County, Michigan, named for Silas Breed, an early 

settler. 
Breese; village in Clinton County, Illinois, named for Lieutenant-Governor Sidney 

Breese. 
Bremer; county in Iowa, named for Fredrika Bremer, the Swedish authoress, who 

spent some time in that region in 1850. 
Brentwood; town in Contra Costa County, California, named from the town in 

New Hampshire. 
Brentwood; town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, incorporated as Brint- 

wood; probably named from a place in England. 
Brevard; county in Florida, named for Doctor Brevard, author of the Mecklen- 
burg Declaration of Independence. 
Brevard; town in Transylvania County, North Carolina, named for Ephraim J. 

Brevard, a Revolutionary patriot. 
Brewer; mount in California, named for Prof. W. H. Brewer. 
Brewer; city in Penobscot County, Maine, named for Col. John Brewer, a first settler. 
Brewer; strait of Staten Island, New York, discovered by Brewer in 1643. 
Brewster; town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, named for Elder William 

Brewster, one of the first settlers in Plymouth colony. 
Brewster; village in Putnam County, New York, probably named after James and 

Walter F. Brewster, who at one time owned the tract of land comprising the 

village. 
Brewster; county in Texas, named for H. P. Brewster, private secretary to Samuel 

Houston. 
Briceland; village in Humboldt County, California, named for a resident. 
Bridal Veil; falls in Yosemite Valley, California, and falls on a branch of the 

Columbia River, Oregon. A descriptive name. 
Bridal Veil; village in Multnomah County, Oregon, named for the falls. 
Bridge; creek in Yellowstone Park, named from a natural bridge of trachyte over it. 
Bridgeport; city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, also of numerous other places, 

usually so called from a bridge in or near the place. The suffixes "ton," 

**town," *' water,'* and "ville" are also used frequently. 
Bridgeport; township and town in Lawrence County, Illinois, first called The 

Bridge, from a bridge spanning a stream at that point. 
Bridger; peak, village in Carbon County, and river in Montana, lake in Yellow- 
stone Park, and pass in the Rocky Mountains, named for Maj. James Bridger, a 

noted guide. 
Bridgeton; city in Cumberland County, New Jersey. Corrupted from bridge town, 

so named because of its location by the bridge over the old fording place on the 

Cohansey River. 
Bridgewater; town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, named for the Duke of 

Bridgewater. Nason says the name was derived from a town in Somersetshire, 

England. 
Bridgton; town in Cumberland County, Maine, named for an early settler. Moody 

Bridges. 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 57 

Briensbiirg; village in Marshall County, Kentucky, nametl for James Brien, mem- 
ber of the legislature. 

Brigham; city in Boxelder County, Utah, named for Brigham Young. 

Bright Angel; creek in Arizona, so named because of the clearness of its waters. 

Brighton; township and village in Macoupin County, Illinois, named by settlers 
from Brighton (a part of Boston), Massachusetts. Many other places also bear 
this name, being named either directly or indirectly from Brighton in England. 

Briscoe; county in Texas, named for Andrew Briscoe, a San Jacinto veteran. 

Bristol; town in Lincoln County, Maine, county in Massachusetts, town in Ontario 
County, New York, village in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, county, and city in 
same county, in Rhode Island, town in Sullivan County, Tennessee, and city in 
Harrison County, West Virginia; named from the town in England. 

Bristol; town in Kenosha County, Wisconsin, named for Rev. Ira Bristol, aii early 
settler. 

Britton; village in Marshall County, South Dakota, named for Col. Isaac Britton. 

Broad; mountain ridge in Pennsylvania which has a broad tableland almost desti- 
tute of trees. 

Broadalbin; town in Fulton County, New York, named from a place in Scotland. 

Broadhead; town in Rockcastle County, Kentucky, named for a resident. 

Broadlands; village in Champaign County, Illinois, so called from a farm of the 
same name, containing a thousand acres. 

Broadtop; mountain in Bedford and Huntingdon counties, Pennsylvania; a descrip- 
tive name. 

Broadwater, county in Montana, named for Col. Charles Broadwater. 

Brock; village in Nemaha County, Nebraska, named for a resident. 

Brockport; village in Monroe County, New York, named for Hiel Brock way, an 
early settler. 

Brockton; city in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, named for an old resident 
family. 

Brocton; village in Edgar County, Illinois, named from Brockton, Massachusetts. 

Brodliead; city in Green County, Wisconsin, named for Edward Brodhead, a promi- 
nent resident. 

Brokenstraw; village in Chautauqua County, New York, and creek in Warren 
County, Pennsylvania. A translation of the Indian word degasysnohdyahgah. 

Bronco; village in Nevada County, California. A Spanish word meaning "rough" 
or "coarse." 

Bronson; village in Bourbon County, Kansas, named for Ira D. Bronson, of Fort 

Scott. 
Bronx; river in Westchester County, New York; 
Bronxdale; village in Westchester County, New York; 

Bronxville; village in Westchester County, New York. Named for Jonas or Jacob 
Bronck, an early settler. 

Brook; many places in the country bear this name, mostly descriptive of the situa- 
tion upon some stream. The word is used with various suffixes, such as " ville," 
"vale," "view," "wood," etc. 

Brooke; county in West Virginia, named for Robert Brooke, governor of the State 
of Virginia in 1794-1796. 

Brookfield; township and city in Linn County, Missouri, named for John W. 
Brooks, of Boston, a prominent railroad official. 

Brookfield; town in Orange County, Vennont, so called, according to tradition, 
because of the number of brooks in the region in early days. 

Brookings; county in South Dakota, named for Wilmot W. Brookings, a legislator. 

Brookland; town in Lexington County, South Carolina, crossed by several small 
streams. 



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58 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Brookline; town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts. The name is said to be a mod- 
ification of Brooklyn. Some authorities say, however, that the name was given 

because of a small creek running through the place. 
Brooklyn; township in Schuyler County, Illinois, town in Poweshiek County, 

Iowa, and villages in Jackson County, Michigan, and Perry County, Mississippi, 

named from Brooklyn, New York. 
Brooklyn; part of New York City; a corruption of the Dutch name Breuckelen, 

from a village in the province of Ftrecht, Holland, The name signifies ** broken 

up land*' or ** marshy land." 
Brooks; county in Georgia, named for Preston L. Brooks. 

Brooks; town in Waldo County, Maine, named for Governor Brooks, of Massa- 
chusetts. 
Brooks Grove; village in Livingston County, New York, named for Micah Brooks. 
Brooksville; town in Noxubee County, Mississippi, named for a resident family. 
Brookville; town in Franklin County, Indiana, named for Jesse Brook Thomas, the 

original proprietor. 
Brookville; town in Bracken County, Kentucky, named for David Brooks. 
Broome; county in New York; 
Broome Center; village in Schoharie County, New York. Named for Lieutenant- 

(fovernor John Broome. 
Brown; counties in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Wisconsin, named for Maj. Gen. 

Jacob Brown, commander in chief. United States Army, 1821-1828. 
Brown; county in Kansas, named for O. 11. Browne, member of the first Territorial 

legislature. 
Brown; county in Minnesota, named for Joseph R. Brown, a member of the council 

in 1855. 
Brown; county in Nebraska, named for two members of the committee who reported 

the bill for the organization of the county. 
Brown; county in South Dakota, named for Alfred Brown, a legislator in 1879. 
Brown; county in Texas, named for Henry S. Brown, an old settler. 
Brownfield; town in Oxford County, Maine, named for Capt. Henry Young Brown, 

to whom the site was granted. 
Brownington; town in Orleans County, Vermont, named for Timothy and Daniel 

Brown, to whom part of the land was originally granted. 
Browns; village in Edward County, Illinois, named for L. J. Brown, the principal 

landowner. 
fBrownstown; town in Jackson County, Indiana; 

iBrownsville; town in Edmonson County, Kentucky. Named for Gen. Jacob Brown. 
Brownsville; borough in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, named for the Brown 

brothers, Thomas and Basil, early settlers. 
Brownsville; city in Cameron County, Texas, named for Major Brown, who was 

killed there at the beginning of the war with Mexico. 
Browntown; village in Green County, Wisconsin, named for William G. Brown, an 

early settler. 
Brownville; town in Piscataqui.s County, Maine, named for Deacon Francis Brown, 

an early resident. 
Brownville; city in Nemaha County, Nebraska, named for the first settler, Richard 

Brown, who went there from Holt County, Missouri. 
Brownville; town in Jefferson County, New York, named for John Brown, an early 

settler, father of General Brown. 
Brownwood; city in Texas, named for Henry S. Brown, an old settler. 
Bruceton Mills; town in Preston County, West Virginia, named for an early prom- 
inent settler. 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 59 

Bruceville; vills^ in Knox County, Indiana, named for William Bnue, the former 
owner of the land. 

Brule; town in Keith County, Nebraska, county in South Dakota, an(i town in 
Douglas County, Wisconsin, and several other places, named for a tribe of 
Indians. The word means "burnt,** and the tribe, the Brule Sioux, were said 
to have acquired the name from having l)een caught in a prairie fire and being 
badly burned about the thighs. 

Bninson; town in Hampton County, South Carolina, named for a prominent family. 

Brunswick; town in Cumberland County, Maine, named for the house of Bruns- 
wick, to which the reigning King of Great Britain, William III, belonged. 

Brunswick; city in Chariton County, Missouri, named for Brunswick Terrace in 
England, the former home of the founder, James Keyte. 

Brunswick; counties in North Carolina and Virginia, named for the duchy in 
Germany. 

Brush.; creek in Pennsylvania. From the Indian word, achweek, meaning ** bushy" 
or "overgrown with brush." 

BrusMand; village in Delaware County, New York, named for Alexander Brush, 
first settler and proprietor. . 

Brusliton; village in Franklin County, New York, named for Henry N. Brush, 
an extensive property own^r. 

Brutus; town in Cayuga County, New York, named by the State land board of New 
York, which gave names of celebrated Romans to townships in the military tract 
in central New York. Village in Clay County, Kentucky, town in Emmet 
County, Michigan, and village in Pittsylvania County, Virginia, also -bear this 
name. 

Bryan; county in Georgia, named for Jonathan Bryan, one of the founders of the 
State. 

Bryan; village in Williams County, Ohio, named for John A. Bryan, a former audi- 
tor of the State. 

Bryan; city in Brazos County, Texas, named for Moses Austin Bryan. 

Bryn Mawr; village in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, named from the town in 
Wales. 

Bryson; town in Swain County, North Carolina, named for T. D. Bryson, member 
of the legislature, and owner of the town site. 

Buchanan; counties in Iowa, Missouri, and Virginia, and several other places in the 
country, named for President James Buchanan. 

Buchanan; town in Botetourt County, Virginia, named for Col. John Buchanan, 
pioneer and Indian fighter of Augusta County. 

Buck Creek; village in Greene County, Indiana, so named because a buck appeared 
each returning season on the banks of a near-by creek. 

Buckeye; township in Shasta County, California, named by settlers from Ohio, the 
Buckeye State. 

Buckeye; post-oflSces in Rapides Parish, Louisiana, Mississippi County, Missouri, 
and several towns and villages. The word is applied to a species of horse chest- 
nut which grows on river banks in western Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Michigan, 
the fruit resembling the eye of a buck. 

Buckfield; town in Oxford County, Maine, named for Abijah Bucks, one of the first 
settlers. 

Buckhannon; river and town in Upshur County, West Virginia. An Indian name 
said to mean "brick river." 

guckingham; county in Virginia; 
ucks; county in Pennsylvania. Named from Buckinghamshire, England. 
Bucks Bridge; village in St. Lawrence County, New York, named for Isaac Buck, 
an early settler. 



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60 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Buckskin; village in Park County, Colorado, named for Joseph Higginbottom, 
** Buckskin Joe.'' 

Bucksport; town in HuiuY)oldt County, California, named for David Buck, who laid 
it out in 1851. 

Bucksport; town in Hancock County, Maine, named for Col. Jonathan Bucks, of 
Haverhill, an early settler. 

Bucoda; village in Thurston County, Washington, named by taking the first part 
of the names of three men, Buckley, Collier, and Davis. 

Bucyrus; city in Crawford County, Ohio, named by Col. James Kilboume. The 
daughters of Samuel Norton, who live there, say that Colonel Kilboume* s favorite 
character was Cyrus, King of Persia, to which **bu" was prefixed, referring to 
the beautiful country. An old citizen, F. Adams, says that it was named by 
Colonel Kilboume from Busiris in ancient Egypt. 

Buda; village in Bureau County, Illinois, named from Buda in Austria. 

Buel; village in Montgomery County, New York, named for Jesse Buel, of Albany. 

Buell; lake, partly in the town of Great Barrington, Berkshire County, Massachu- 
setts, named for Samuel Buell, a neighboring resident, who saved three girls 
from drowning. 

Buena Vista; county in Iowa, city in Rockbridge County, Virginia, and twenty 
other places in the country. The name of the field upon which General Taylor 
won his victory, and doubtless given in some cases for patriotic reasons, but the 
majority of places are named descriptively. Spanish words, meaning ^'beautiful 
view.*^ 

Buffalo; county in Nebraska, city in Erie County, New York, counties in South 
Dakota and Wisconsin, and numerous creeks, rivers, towns, and villages, usually 
so named because of the former presence of the buffalo. 

Bullards Bar; town in Yuba County, California, named for an old settler. 
Bullitt; county in Kentucky; 

Bullittsville; town in Boone County, Kentucky. Named for Alexander Scott 
Bullitt. 

{Bulloch; county in Georgia; 
Bullochville; village in Meriwether County, Georgia. Named for Archibald Bul- 
loch, one of the most eminent men of his time. 

Bullock; county, and village in Crenshaw County, in Alabama, named for E. 0. Bul- 
lock, of that State. 

Bulltown; village in Braxton County, West Virginia. Named for an Indian called 
Bull, who was imprisoned for taking part in Pontiac^s conspiracy, and was mur- 
dered in 1773 by Jesse Hughes and John Hacker. 

Bunceton; city in Cooper County, Missouri, named for Harvey Bunce, of the county. 

Buncombe; county in North Carolina and several places in the Southern States, 
named for Col. Edward Buncombe, of the Continental Army. 

Bunker Hill; city in Macoupin County, Illinois, and eleven other places, named for 
the famous battle of the Revolution. 

Bunker Hill; eminence in Charlestown (Boston), Massachusetts, the scene of con- 
flict between the American and British forces, June 17, 1775. 

Bunsen; ])eak in Yellowstone Park, named by the United States Geological Survey 
for the eminent chemist and physicist, Robert Wilhelm Bunsen. 

Burden; city in Cowley County, Kansas, named for Robert F. Burden, a leading 
member of the town company. 

Bureau; county, and town in same county, in Illinois, named for a French trader, 
Pierre de Beuro, who established a trading post upon a creek which first bore 
his name. 

Burgaw; village in Pender County, North Carolina, named for a resident family. 



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GANNETT] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 61 

Burke; county in Georgia, and towns in Franklin County, New York, and Caledonia 
County, Vermont, named for Edmund Burke, the English statesman. 

Burke; county in North Carolina, named for Thomas Burke, governor of North 
Carolina in 1781^2. 

Burleigh; county and creek in North Dakota, named for Walter A. Burleigh, an 
early settler, and delegate to Congress. 

Burleson; county, and village in Johnson County, in Texas, named for F^dward Bur- 
leson, Indian fighter, and vice-president of the Republic of Texas under Presi- 
dent Houston, 1841. 

Burlingame; town in San Mateo County, California, name<l from Burlingame in 
England. 

Burlingame; city in Osage County, Kansas, named for Anson Burlingame, minister 
to China. 

Burlington; city in Des Moines County, Iowa, town in Coffey County, Kansas, and 
village in Calhoun County, Michigan, named from the city in Vermont. 

Burlington; county, and city in same county, in New Jersey, named from Briling- 
ton (commonly pronounced Burlington), England. 

Burlington; city in Chittenden County, Vermont, named for the Burling family, 
of New York. 

Burlington; city in Racine County, Wisconsin, named from Burlington Flats in 
New York. 

Burnet; county, and town in same county, in Texas, named for David (J. Burnet, 
twice governor of the State. 

Burnett; town in Antelope County, Nebraska, named for the first superintendent of 
the Sioux City and Pacific Railroad. 

Burnett; county in Wisconsin, named for Thomas P. Burnett, an early legislator of 
the State. 

Bumside; river and island in Georgia, named for an early settler. 

Bumsville; village in Bartholomew County, Indiana, named for Brice Bums, its 
founder. 

Bumsville; town in Yancey County, North Carolina, named for Otway Burns, cap- 
tain of the privateer Snapdragon, 

Burr; creek in Humboldt County, California, named for early settlers. 

Burrillville; town in Providence County, Rhode Island, named for Hon. James 
Burrill, jr., attorney-general of the State. 

Burr Oak; city in Jewell County, Kansas, and village in St. Joseph County, Michi- 
gan, named from the species of tree common to both sections. 

Burrs Mills; village in Jefferson County, New York, named for John Burr and 
Sons, mill owners. 

Burrton; city in Harvey County, Kansas, named for I. T. Burr, vice-president of 
the Atchison, Topeka and Santa F^ Railroad. 

Burt; town in Kossuth County, Iowa, named for the president of the Union Pacific 
Railroad. 

Burt; county in Nebraska, named for Francis Burt, governor of the Territory in 1854. 

BushkiU; two creeks, and village, in Pike County, Pennsylvania. A Dutch word 
meaning "bushy stream." 

Bushnell; township and city in McDonough County, Illinois, named for N. Bush- 
nell, president of the first railroad in that part of the State. 

Bushy; creek in western Pennsylvania. A translation of the Indian word acfiemek. 

Buskirk Bridge; village in Washington County, New York, named for Martin 
Van Buskirk. 

Busti; town in Chautauqua County, New York, named for Paul Busti, of the Hol- 
land Land Company. 



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ft2 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Butler; county in Alabama, name<i for Capt. William Butler, of that State. 
Butler; village in Mont|jomery County, Illinois, named for Butler Seward, a first 

settler. 
Butler; county in Iowa, and city in Bates County, Missouri, named for William O. 

Butler, of Kentucky, a general in the Mexican war. 
Butler; county in Kansas, named for Andrew P. Butler, United States Senator from 

South Carolina in 1846-1857. 
Butler; counties in Kentucky, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, named for Gen. Richard 

Butler, who fell at St. Clair's defeat. 
Butler; county in Missouri, named for a member of President Jackson's Cabinet. 
Butler; county in Nebraska, name<l for David Butler, first governor of the State. 
Butte; County in (California, named from Marysville Buttes. A French word mean- 
ing **Hmall knoll" or **small hill.*' 
Butte; city in Hilverlww County, Montana, named from a bare butte overlooking 

the place. 
Butte; county in South Dakota, so named from buttes, prominent features in the 

county. 
Butte dee Morts; town in Winnobago County, Wisconsin. French words mean- 
ing **hill of the dead," so called by the early explorers from the native graves 

found there. 
Butterfly; village in Madera County, California. A translation of the Mexican 

name Maripom. 
Butter Hill; an eminence on the Hudson River, so called from its resemblance to a 

huge lump of butter. 
Butts; county in (Jeorgia, named in honor of Capt. Samuel Butts, an officer in the 

war of 1812. 
Buttzville; town in liansom ('ouuty, North Dakota, named for a resident. 
Buxton; town in York County, Maine, named from the native place of Rev. Paul 

Coffin, the first minister. 
Buxton; village in Washington County, Oregon, named for Henry Buxton, an early 

settler. 
Buzzards Bay; village in Barnstable County, and bay in Massachusetts, named for 

a small hawk very abundant on the coast. 
Byers; town in Arapahoe County and mount in Colorado, named for W. N. Byers, 

of Denver. 
Byhalia; town in Marshall County, Mississippi. An Indian word meaning " stand- 
ing white oaks." 
Bynumville; town in Chariton County, Missouri, named for Dr. Joseph Bynum, an 

early settler. 
Byron; town in Houston County, Georgia, and Genesee. County, New York, named 

for Lord Byron. Eighteen other places bear this name, all of which were prob- 
ably named for the English poet. 
Cabarrus; county in North Carolina, named for Stephen Cabarrus, speaker of the 

house of commons in that State. 
Cabazon; station on the Southern Pacific Railroad in Riverside County, California. 

A Spanish word, translated as *' shirt collar" or **tax gatherer." 
Cabell; county in West Virginia, named for William Cabell, governor of Virginia in 

1805-1808. 
Cable; village in Mercer County, Illinois, named for Ransom R. Cable, railway 

manager. 
Cabot; town in Washington County, Vermont, named for Miss Cabot, a descendant 

of Sebastian Cabot. 
Cache; county, village in same county, and streams and valley in northeastern Utah. 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 63 

A French word meaning ** hiding place,** probably applied l)ecauHe of c^^rtain 
things having been hidden there by early explorers and travelern. 

Cache la Poudre; creek in Colorado, named from the French, meaning '* powder 
hiding place." 

Caclieville; village in Yolo County, California. So named by early settlers who 
were in the habit of hiding their supplies at this point. 

Cactus; village in San Diego County, California, so named from the abundance of 
cacti in the vicinity. 

Caddo; town in Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory, parish and lake in Louisiana, 
county in Oklahoma, village in Stephens County, Texas, and several small 
places; named from a former important tribe of eastern Texas and western 
Louisiana. 

Cadillac; city in Wexford County, Michigan, named for La Motte (or La Mothe) 
Cadillac, who established a fort on the Detroit River in 1701. 

Cadiz; township and village in Harrison County, Ohio, named from the city in 
Spain. Six other small places in the country are so called. 

Cadott; village in Chippewa County, Wisconsin, named for an half-bree<l Indian, 
Baptiste Cadotte, who lived near the falls which first bore his name. 

Caernarvon; townships in Pennsylvania, named from the town in Wales. 

Cahto; creek and village in Mendocino County, California, an Indian word, mean- 
ing "fish.** 

Cahnilla; valley and village in Riverside County, California, named from an Indian 
tribe. The word is said to mean ** master.** 

Caillou; lake and bayou in Louisiana. A French word meaning ** pebble" or "flint 
stone.** 

Ca Ira; town in Cumberland County, Virginia. A French expression used in a 
famous revolutionary song, meaning " it shall go on.** 

Cairo; fourteen places in the country bear the name of the capital of Egypt. 

Cajon; town in San Bernardino County, California, and pass in the Sierra Madre 

range. A Spanish word meaning "box.** 
Calabasas; township in Los Angeles County, California. A Spanish word mean- 
ing "pumpkins.** 

Calais; city in Washington County, Maine, and town in Washington County, Ver- 
mont, named from Calais in France. 

Calamine; town in Sharp County, Arkansas, named from the zinc mines, calamina, 

meaning the native siliceous oxide of zinc. 
Calapooya; mountains in Or^on, named from an Indian tribe. 
Calaveras; river and county in California, so called from the numbers of skulls 
found in the vicinity, supposed to be the remains of a bloody battle among the 
Indians. The word is Spanish, meaning "skull." 
Calcutta; villages in Columbiana County, Ohio, and Pleasants County, West Vir- 
ginia, named from the city in India. 
Caldwell; city in Sumner County, Kansas, named for Alexander Caldwell, of 

Leavenworth, United States Senator. 
Caldwell; counties in Kentucky and Missouri, named for Gen. John Caldwell, 

formerly lieutenant-governor of Kentucky. 
Caldwell; parish in Louisiana, named for Matthew Caldwell, of North Carolina, a 

noted frontiersman. 
Caldwell; borough in Essex County, New Jersey, named for Rev. James Caldwell, 

a patriotic clergyman of the Revolution. 
Caldwell; town in Warren County, New York, named for Gen. James Caldwell, 

patentee. 
Caldwell; county in North Carolina, named for Dr. Joseph Caldwell, first president 
of the State University. 



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64 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Oaldwell; village in Noble County, Ohio, named for Joseph and Samuel Caldwell, 
to whom the land belonge<l. 

Oaldwell; county, and town in Burleson County, Texas, named for Matthew Cald- 
well, an old settler and colonel of a Texas rt»giment in 1841. 

Oaledonia; village in Livingston County, New York, county in Vermont, and six- 
teen other places in the country, named from the ancient name of Scotland. 

Oalexico; town in San Diego County, California, so named from its location on the 
boundary between California and Mexico. 

Oalfee; creek in Yellowstone Park, named for H. B. Calfee, a photographer of 
note. 

Calhoun; counties in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Michi- 
gan, Mississippi, Texas, and VV^est Virginia, also many small places, named for 
John C. Calhoun, of South Carolina, vice-president in 1825-1833. 

OaUioun; town in McLean County, Kentucky, named for Judge John Calhoun. 

Oalhoun; village in Washington County, Nebraska, so named because situated on 
the site of Fort Calhoun. 

Oalhoun Falls; town in Abbeville County, South Carolina, named for a prominent 
family. 

Oalico; mountain range in California, so named from the variegated colors of the 
rocks. 

Oaliente; towns in Kern and Sonoma counties, California. The Spanish form for 
**hot," "vehement." 

Oalifa; village in Madeira County, California. The Spanish form of "caliph" or 
"successor." 

Oalifomia; State of the Union. This name was applied by Cortez to the bay and 
country, which he supposed to l)e an island. Tlie name is that of an island in 
an old Spanish romance, where a great abundance of precious stones were found. 
Eight post-ofRces bear this name. 

Oallahan; county in Texas; named for James M. Callahan, a survivor of the massa- 
cre of 1836. 

Oallaway; county, and village in same county, in Missouri, and several other places; 
named for Capt. James ( -allaway, grandson of Daniel Boone. 

Oallensburg; l)orough in Clarion County, Pennsylvania, named for Hugh Callen, 
its founder. 

Oallicoon; town in Sullivan County, New York. The word is said to signify "turkey" 
in both Dutch and Indian languages. The Dutch word for "turkey," however, 
is spelled kalkoen. 

Calloway; county in Kentucky; named for Col. Richard Calloway. 

Oaloosa; river, and village in Lee County, Florida; named for an Indian tribe. 

Calumet; river in Illinois and Indiana, county, and village in Fond du Lac County, 
in Wisconsin, and seven other places in the country. A Canadian corruption of 
the French, chalemely which literally means "little reed," but which, in its 
corrupted form, refers to the "pipe of peace," used by the Indians to ratify 
treaties. Haines derives the word from calamo, "honey wood." Other author- 
ities say that the name was originally '^kennamick^^ or ^^kennomic.*^ 

Calvary; town in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, and seven other places in the 
country, named from the hill near Jerusalem. 

Calvert; county, and post village in Cecil County, in Maryland, named for Cecil Cal- 
vert, Lord Baltimore. Eight other places are so named, doubtless, directly or 
indirectly for the same. 

Calvert; town in Robertson County, Texas, named for Robert Calvert, an early 
settler. 

Camano; island in Puget Sound, Washington, which takes its name from a canal 
named for Don Jacinto Camano. 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 65 

Caxnarillo; town in Ventura County, California. A Spanish word meaning ''small 

room." 
Canuks; villages in Fremont County, Idaho; Missoula County, Montana; and Clarke 

County, Washington; 
Cania49 Valley; village in Douglas County, Oregon. The Indian name of a small 
onion which grows in those States. 
Cambria; county in Pennsylvania named from the ancient name of Wales. The 

word means "land of mountains." 
Cambria; village in Columbia County, Wisconsin, probably so named because of 

the Welsh settlers. 
Cambridge; township and village in Henry County, Illinois, named from the city 

in Massachusetts, the home of sev^eral of the founders. 
Cambridge; city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, named from the English 

university town, after the general court decided to establish a college there. 

Twenty-two other places bear the name of the English town, two having the 

suffix "port" and one "springs." 
Cambridge; township and city in Guernsey County, Ohio, named from the town in 

Maryland, each being situated on a Wills Creek. 
Camden; city in Ouachita County, Arkansas, named from the city in South Carolina. 
Camden; county in Georgia, town in Knox County, Maine, county and city in same 

county in New Jersey, village in Oneida County, New York, county and village 

in same county in North Carolina, and town in Kershaw County, South Carolina; 

named for Chief Justice Pratt, Earl of Camden, a friend of the colonies during 

the Revolution. 
Camden; county in Missouri, named from Camden County, North Carolina. 
Camden; village in Preble County, Ohio, named from the city in New Jersey. 
Camels Hump; peak in the Green Mountains, Vermont, so named from its resem- 
blance to the hump of a camel. 
Cameron; parish, and town in same parish, in Louisiana, county, and village in same 

county, in Pennsylvania, and town in Marshall County, West Virginia, named 

for Simon Cameron. 
Cameron; city in Clinton County, Missouri, named for Judge Elisha Cameron, of 

Clay County, Missouri. 
Cameron; town in Steuben County, New York, named for Dugald Cameron, agent 

for the Pultney estate. 
Cameron; town in Monroe County, North Carolina, named for a prominent family 

hi the county. 
Cameron; town in Orangeburg County, South Carolina, named for J. Don Cameron, 

United States Senator from Pennsylvania. 
Cameron; county, and city in Milam County, in Texas, named for Ervin or Erving 

Cameron, who fell in the expedition against Meir. 
Camillus; village in Onondaga County, New York, built within the State Land 

Board limits, and named by members of the board for the Roman magistrate. 
Camp; county in Texas, named for J. L. Camp, prominent lawyer. 
Campbell; county in Georgia, named for Col. Duncan G. Campbell, of the State 

l^islature. 
Campbell; county in Kentucky, named for John Campbell, of the State senate. 
Campbell; county in Steuben County, New York, named for the Campbell family, 

early settlers. 
Campbell; county, and village in same county, in South Dakota, named for Gen. C. 

T. Campbell, pioneer. 
Campbell; county in Tennessee, named for Col. Arthur Campbell. 
Campbell; county in Virginia, named for Gen. William Campbell, an officer of the 

American Revolution. 
Bull. 258— 05 5 



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66 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Oampbellsrille; city in Taylor County, Kentucky, named for Adam Campbell, the 
first settler. 

Oampello; town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts. An Indian word meaning 
** cedar tree.** 

Gamp Grant; town and fort in Humboldt County, Califomia, named for Gen. U. S. 
Grant. 

Gamp Grove; village in Marshall County, Illinois, named from its location on a 
favorite camping ground of emigrants on their journey westward. 

Gamp Hill; borough in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, so named because the 
seat of a soldiers* orphan school. 

Gamp Knox; village in Green County, Kentucky, named from a camp of Col. James 
Knox and 22 men, in 1770. 

Gampo; town in San Diego County, California. A Spanish word meanii^ "field" 
or "plain." 

Gampo Seco; town in Calaveras County, Califomia, so named from the general 
character of its surroundings. A Spanish name meaning " dry plain." 

Camp Point; township and village in Adams County, Illinois, so named from its 
location on an Indian camping ground. 

Gampton; town in Grafton County, New Hampshire, so called because the first sur- 
veyors of the site built a camp on the present town site. 

Ganaan; town in Litchfield County, Conneticut, and fourteen other towns and 
villages, given the name of the " Promised Land" of the Israelites. 

Ganada; villages in Marion County, Kansas, Pike County, Kentucky, and Muskegon 
County, Michigan, named from the Dominion of Canada. Authorities differ as 
to the derivation of this name. Father Hennepin says the Spaniards were the 
original discoverers of the country, but upon landing they were disappointed in 
the general appearance and expressed their feelings by saying, II capa di 
nada, * * Cape nothing. * * Sir John Barlow says the Portuguese, who first ascended 
the St. Lawrence, believing it to be a passage to the Indian sea, expressed their 
disappointment when they discovered their mistake by saying Canada, 
"Nothing here." This the natives are said to have remembered and repeated 
to the Europeans who arrived later, who thought it must be the name of the 
country. Dr. Shea says the Spanish derivation is fictitious. Some think it was 
named for the first man to plant a colony of French in the country. Monsieur 
Cana. Charlevoix says the word originated with the Iroquois Indians, kanaia, or 
kanada^ "a collection of huts," "a village," "a town," which the early explorers 
mistook for the name of the country. Other etymologies propose the two 
Indian words, Kan^ "a mouth," and acZa, "a country," hence "the mouth of 
the country," originally applied to the mouth of the St. Lawrence. There is a 
respectable authority that the name was first applied to the river. Lescarbot 
' tells us that the Gasperians and Indians who dwelt on the borders of the bay of 
Chaleur called themselves Canadaqaea\ that the word meant "province" or "coun- 
try." Sweetser says that the word came from the Indian caughnawaugh, "the 
village of the rapids. ' * Brant, the Indian chieftain, who translated the gospel into 
his own language, used the word Canada for "village." Another authority gives 
it as derived from canada del osos, meaning "bear's pass," and this was used, per- 
haps a century ago, by Spanish priests as an equivalent of "pass" or "gap." 

Canadawa; creek in Chautauqua County, New York. An Indian word, meaning 
"running through the hemlocks." 

Ganadian; town in Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory, county in Oklahoma, river 
traversing both Territories, and village in Hemphill County, Texas. A Spanish 
word, diminutive of canyon, meaning "steep-sided gorge." 

Ganajoharie; town in Montgomery County, New York. This name was originally 
given to a deep hol^ pf foaming water at the foot of one of the falls in Canajo- 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 67 

harie Creek. An Indian word meaning '* kettle that washes itself," or "kettle- 
shaped hole in a rock." Morgan says the meaning is * 'washing the basin." 

Canal; town in Venango County, Pennsylvania, so named because traversed by the 
Franklin Canal. 

Canal de Haro; canal in Washington, named for the Spanish explorer, Lopez de 
Haro. 

Canal Dover; village in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, situated on the Ohio Canal and 
n8,med from the city in New Jersey. 

Canal Lewisville; town in Coshocton County, Ohio, named for T. B. Lewis, who 
founded it. 

Canandaigua; village in Lenawee County, Michigan, and lake and town in Ontario 
County, New York. An Indian word, the deriviation of which is in dispute. 
Morgan gives canandargiui, ** place selected for settlement," ** chosen spot;" 
Haines, **town set off," while another theory is that it is corrupted from the 
Seneca Indian, genundewdhguah, ** great hill people," so called from a large hill 
near the lake. 

Canaseraga; village in Allegany County, New York. From an Indian word, kana- 
sawaga, "several strings of beads with a string lying across." 

Canastota; villages in Madison County, New York, and McCook County, South 
Dakota. An Indian word, kniste^ or kanetota^ "pine tree standing alone." The 
New York village took its name from a cluster of pines that united their 
branches over the creek which passes through the town. 

Canavaral; cape, and village in Brevard County, in Florida. A Spanish word mean- 
ing * * cane plantation. ' * 

Canby; town in Modoc County, California, and city in Clackamas County, Oregon, 
named for Greneral Canby, United States Army, who was treacherously mur- 
dered by Modoc Indians. 

Candelaria; post-oflSces in Esmeralda County, Nevada, and Presidio County, Texas. 
The Mexican name for a species of branching cactus. 

Candia; town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, named from the island in 
the Mediterranean where Governor Wentworth was once a prisoner. 

Caneadea; town in Allegany County, New York. An Indian word meaning 
"where the heavens rest upon the earth." 

Caney; city in Montgomery County, Kansas, villages in Morgan County, Kentucky, 
Vernon Parish, Louisiana, and Matagorda County, Texas, besides several other 
small places. This word is frequently used alone and with the suffixes * * branch, * ' 
"spring," and "ville," in the Southern States, and refers to the cane which 
covers vast tracts of country in the alluvial bottoms. 

Canfield; village in Mahoning County, Ohio, named for one of the original proprie- 
tors, Jonathan Canfield. 

Canisteo; river and town in Steuben County, New York. An Indian word mean- 
ing "board on the water." 

Cankapoja; lake at the head of Vermilion River, South Dakota. An Indian word 
meaning "light wood." 

Cannelburg; town in Daviess County, Indiana, named for the Buckeye Cannel Coal 
Company. 

Cannelton; city in Perry County, Indiana, village in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, 
and town in Kanawha County, West Virginia, named from the beds of cannel 
coal in the vicinity. 

Cannon; river in Minnesota. The name is a corruption of the name given by the 
early French, rivih'e aux canots, "river of the canoes." 

Cannon; county in Tennessee, named for Newton Cannon, governor of the State in 
1835-39. 

Cannonball; river in North Dakota, a translation of the French name, le boulet. 



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68 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Gannon Falls; village in Goodhue County, Minnesota, named from the river. 

Cannonsburg; town in Kent County, Michigan, named for Le Grand Cannon, of 
Troy, New York. 

Cannonsville; village in Delaware C/Ounty, New York, named for Benjamin Can- 
non, early owner. 

Oanoeridge; village in Indiana County, Pennsylvania, so named because it is situ- 
ated on the highest point on the west branch of the Susquehanna River to which 
a canoe could be pushed. 

Oanoga; village in Seneca County, New York, named from a large spring which 
affords permanent motive power for two mills. An Indian word meaning **oil 
floating on the water.** 

Oanon; a name given by the Spaniards to narrow mountain gorges or deep ravines. 
Various places, sometimes spelled cafion, others canyon, named from their prox- 
imity to gorges; such as Canyonville, Oregon, and Canyon, Colorado. A Spanish 
word meaning **tube," or ** funnel." 

Canon de Ugalde; pass in Texas named for a Mexican general. 

Canonicut; island in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, named for Canonicus, an 
Indian chief of the Narragansett tribe, a friend of Roger Williams. 

Oanonsburg; town in Washington County, Pennsylvania, laid out by and named 
for Col. John Cannon. 

Oanoochee; river, and village in Emanuel County, in Georgia. An Indian word said 
to be derived from ikanodsM, "graves are there.*' 

Cantara; town in Siskiyou County, California. A Spanish word meaning a "large- 
mouthed pitcher.'* 

Canterbury; town in Windham County, Connecticut, and villages in Kent County, 
Delaware, Merrimack County, New Hampshire, and Mingo County, West Vir- 
ginia, named from the English city. 

Canton; numerous places in the country, which derive their name, either directly 
or indirectly, from the city in China. 

Cantrall; village in Sangamon County, Illinois, named for its founder. 

Capac; town in St. Clair County, Michigan, named for Manco Capac, the first 
emperor or chief of the Peruvian empire. The word, mancoy is said to mean 
"chief.** 

Cape Elizabeth; town in Cumberland County, Maine, named from the cape, which 
was named for Queen Elizabeth of England. 

Cape Girardeau; county, and city in same county, in Missouri, named for Sieur 
Girardot, of Kaskaskia. 

Cape Horn; station on the Central Pacific Railroad in Placer County, California. 
A diflScult curve and grade, and spoken of as "rounding Cape Horn,** after the 
South American cape. 

Capell; mountain and fort in California, named for an officer. 

Cape May; county, and city in same county, in New Jersey, named from the cape 
named for Cornells Jacobse May, a navigator in the employ of the Dutch West 
Indian Company. 

Cape Vincent; town in Jefferson County, New York, named for Vincent, son of 
Le Ray de Chaumont. 

Capitan; village in Santa Barbara County, California. The Spanish form for 
"captain** or "leader.** 

Capitol; peak in Colorado, so named from its form. 

CarancaJiua; village in Jackson County, Texas, named for the Karankawa tiibe of 
Indians. 

Carbon; a name of frequent occurrence in the country, given to indicate the pres- 
ence of coal deposits. Counties in Montana, Pennsylvania, Utah, and Wyoming 
are so called. Various suffixes, such as " dale,** "hiU," etc., are also used. 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IK THE 0K1TED 8TATE8. 69 

Oarbon Cliff; village in Rock Island County, Illinois, named from its location on a 
hillside and its proximity to coal mines. 

Cardiff; villages in Jefferson County, Alabama, Garfield County, Colorado, and 
Onondaga County, New York, named from the city in Wales. 

Cardingrton; township and village in Morrow County, Ohio, so named because the 
carding machine was the introduction of the first industry in the village. 

Oardwell; village in Dunklin County, Missouri, named for Frank Cardwell, of Para- 
gould, Arkansas. 

Oarencro; town in Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, so named because large flocks of 
buzzards roosted in the cypress trees common in that neighborhood. A Creole 
word, meaning ** buzzard. '* 

Carey; village in Wyandot County, Ohio, named for Judge John Carey, a prominent 
resident. 

Oarillo; village in Sonoma County, California. A Spanish word, meaning "be- 
loved." 

Oarlinville; city in Macoupin County, Illinois, named for Thomas Carlin, governor 
of the State in 1834-42. 

Carlisle; county in Kentucky, named for John G. Carlisle, secretary of the treasury 
under President Cleveland. 

Carlisle; town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, named, according to Whitmore, 
for Charles Howard, Earl of Carlisle. Other authoritfes say it was named from 
the town in Scotland. 

Carlisle; borough in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, named from the town in 
England. 

Carlisle; town in Union County, South Carolina, named for a prominent family. 

Carlsbad; town and health resort in San Diego County, California, named from the 
town and springs in Bohemia. 

Carlstadt; borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, named by early German settlers 
from the town in Croatia. 

Carlton; county, and town in same county, in Minnesota, named for Reuben B. 
Carlton, one of the first settlers and proprietors of Fond du Lac, at the head of 
navigation on the St. Louis River. 

Carlton; town in Ravalli County, Montana, named for Robert Carlton, the owner 
of the land on which the town is located. 

Carlyle; township and city in Clinton County, Illinois, named for Thomas Carlyle 
by English colonists. 

Carmel; town in Penobscot County, Maine, and several other small places, named 
from the mountain in Palestine. 

Carmi; township and city in White County, Illinois, named by the settlers for the 
fourth son of Reuben. 

Camadero; station on the Southern Pacific Railroad in Santa Clara County, Cali- 
fornia. A Spanish term, meaning "bait maker.*' 

Carnegie; borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, named for Andrew Carnegie. 

Camesville; town in Franklin County, Georgia, named for Col. T. P. Carnes, sr. 

Care; village in Tuscola County, Michigan, a fanciful name given by its founder, 
W. E. Sherman. 

Carolina; two States of the Union, North Carolina and South Carolina. Near the 
middle of the sixteenth century, Jean Ribault visited the region and named it 
Carolina, in honor of his king, Charles IX of France, but the name never came 
into general use and soon disappeared. About 1628 this name was applied defi- 
nitely to that part of the country lying between Virginia and Florida, having 
been given in honor of Charles I of England. In an old manuscript, now in 
London, the following may be found: ** 1629-30, Feb. 10. The Attorney-General 
is prayed to grant by Patent 2 Degrees in Carolina,'' etc. In 1663 the name was 



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70 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATE8. [bull. 258. 

definitely applied to the province grante<l to proprietors by Charles II of Eng- 
land. This province was named in honor of the reigning king, and thus the old 
name given in honor of Charles I was retained. 

Oaroline; county in Maryland, named in honor of Caroline Calvert, daughter of 
Charles, Fifth Lord Baltimore. 

Oaroline; county in Virginia, named for the wife of George II. 

Oarondelet; village in St. Louis County, Missouri, named for Baron Carondelet, 
Spanish commander-in-chief and governor of Louisiana in 1791. 

Oarp; river and railroad station in Marquette County, Michigan. A translation of 
the Indian name literally meaning **big carp river." 

Carpenteria; village in Santa Barbara County, California. The Spanish form for 
** carpenter shop.'* 

Oarring^n; island in Great Salt Lake, Utah, named for a member of an exploring 
party. 

Carringrton; island in Yellowstone Lake, Yellowstone Park, named for Campbell 
Carrington. 

Carrituck; plantation in Somerset County, Maine. An Indian word meaning 
** place where the water forms a semicircle around the land." 

Carrizo; village and creek in San Diego County, California. A Spanish word 
meaning ** common reed grass." 

Carroll; counties in Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Mary- 
land, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, Ohio, and Virginia, and several 
small places, named for Charles Carroll, of Carrol Iton, Maryland. 

Carroll; county in Tennessee, named for William Carroll, governor in 1821-27. 

CarroUton; township in Carroll County, Arkansas; town in Carroll County, Georgia; 
cities in Carroll County, Iowa, and Carroll County, Kentucky; village in Carroll 
County, Maryland; town in Carroll County, Mississippi; city in Carroll County, 
Missouri; and village in Carroll County, Ohio; named from the estate of Charles 
Carroll. 

CarroUton; town in Cattaraugus County, New York, named for G. Carroll, an 
original proprietor. 

Carrying Place; plantation in Somerset County, Maine, so named because the 
Indians had to carry their canoes from one waterway to another en route to 
Canada. 

{Carson; pass, lake, river, and valley in Nevada, and peak in Utah; 
Carson City; city in Ormsby County, Nevada. Named for Christopher, or Kit 
Carson, the Rocky Mountain guide. 
Carson; county in Texas, named for S. P. Carson, secretary of state under David G. 

Burnet. 
Carter; county, and village in same county, in Kentucky, named for William G. 

Carter, a member of the State senate. 
Carter; county in Missouri, named for Zimri Carter, an early settler. 
Carter; county, and village in same county, in Tennessee, named for Gen. Landon 

Carter. 
Carteret; county in North Carolina, named for Sir George Carteret, one of the pro- 
prietors. 
Cartersville; city in Bartow County, Georgia, named for Col. F. Carter, of Mil- 

ledgeville. 
Carterville; city in Williamson County, Illinois, named for Laban Carter, the first 

settler and discoverer of coal in the vicinity. 
Carthage; city in Jasper County, Missouri; village in Jefferson County, New York; 

and many other places; named from the ancient city in Africa. 
Caruthersville; city in Pemiscot County, Missouri, named for Hon. Samuc^l 

Caruthers, of Madison County. 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 71 

Carver; town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, named for John Carver, first 
governor of Plymouth colony. 

Carver; county, and town in same county, in Minnesota, named for Capt. Jonathan 
Carver, who, in 1766-67, traveled from Boston to the Minnesota River, and 
wintered among the Sioux near the site of New Ulm, Minnesota. 

Cary; village in Wake County, North Carolina, named for the temperance lecturer 
of Ohio. 

Cary Station; village in McHenry County, Illinois, named for one of its founders. 

CaryviUe; town in Genesee County, New York, named for Col. Alfred Cary, early 
settler. 

Casa Blanca; villages in Riverside County, California, and Goliad County, Texas. 
A Spanish phrase meaning "white house." 

Cascade; county in Montana, so named because it contains the great faXla of the Mis- 
souri River. 

Cascade; chain of mountains in Oregon and Washington, so called from the cascades 
in the Columbia River breaking through the range. 

Cascade Locks; town in Wasco County^ Oregon, situated at the locks built at the 
cascades in the Columbia River. 

Casco; bay and town in Cumberland County, Maine. From an Indian word mean- 
ing, according to some authorities, "resting place," or "crane bay." 

Casetas; village in Ventura County, California. A Spanish word meaning 
"cottages." 

I Casey; county in Kentucky; 
Caseyville; town in Union County, Kentucky. Named for Col. William Casey, a 
pioneer of the State. 

Caseyville; township and village in St. Clair County, Illinois, named for Lieutenant- 
Governor Badock Casey, member of Congress from Illinois in 1833. 

Cash. City; town in Clark County, Kansas, named for its founder, Cash Henderson. 

Casbie; river in North Carolina, named for an Indian chief. 

Casliion; town in Kingfisher County, Oklahoma, named for Roy Cashion, a Rough 
Rider in the Spanish-American war, and the only one of the Oklahoma contin- 
gent killed in the charge up San Juan hill. 

Cass; counties in Illinois, Indiana, and Iowa; county and river in Michigan; county 
and lake in Minnesota; county in Nebraska; and county and village in same 
county in Texas; named for Gen. Lewis Cass, governor of Michigan in 1820. 

Cass; county in North Dakota, named for Gen. George W. Cass, director of the 
Northern Pacific Railroad. 

Cassadaga; lake, creek, and village in Chautauqua County, New York. An Indian 
word, meaning "under the rocks." 

Casselton; town in Cass County, North Dakota, named for Gen. George W. Cass, 
director of the Northern Pacific Railroad. 

Cassia; county and creek in Idaho. A corrupted form of the name of an early French 

settler. 
Cass Lake; village in Cass County, Minnesota; 
Cassopolis; village in Cass County, Michigan; 

Cassville; village in Grant County, Wisconsin. Named for Gen. Lewis Cass, gov- 
ernor of Michigan in 1820. 

Castalia; town in Erie County, Ohio, named from the ancient fountain at the foot 
of Mount Parnassus in Phocis. 

Castile; town in Wyoming County, New York, named from the ancient kingdom 
of Spain. 

Castine; town in Hancock County, Maine, named for Baron de St. Castine, a French 
nobleman, by whom it was settled. 

Castle; peak in the Sierra Nevada, California, so named from its conical shape. 



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72 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Castle; peak in Elk Mountains, Colorado, named from its castellated summit 

Castle; island in the Hudson River, New York, so called from a stockade built by 
the Dutch as a protection from the Indians. 

Castle Rock; towns in Douglas County, Colorado, and Grant County, Wisconsin, 
named from the Castle Rocks. 

Castle Bock; town in Summit County, Utah, so called from a vast rock which bears 
a resemblance to a ruined castle. 

Castleton; village in Stark County, Illinois, named for Dr. Alfred Castle, who was 
instrumental in introducing a railroad into the settlement 

Castleton; village in Rensselaer County, New York, named from an ancient Indian 
castle on the adjacent hills. 

Castleton; town in Rutland County, Vermont, named for one of the original pro- 
prietors. 

Castor; bayou in Louisiana, and river in Missouri, so riamed because of the preva- 
lence of beavers. From the Greek, kastoVf meaning "beaver.*' 
(Castro; county in Texas; 
Castroville; town in Medina County, Texas. Named for Henri Castro, who settled 
600 immigrants in Texas under Government contract between 1842 and 1845. 

Caswell; county in North Carolina, named for Richard Caswell, governor of the 
State in 1777-1779. 

Catahoula; lake and parish in Louisiana, named for an extinct Indian tribe. 

Cataract; village in Owen County, Indiana, so named on account of the falls in the 
river near. 

Cataraque; river in New York. An Indian word meaning "fort in the water," 
the early name of Lake Ontario. 

Catasauqua; creek and borough in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. A Delaware 
Indian word, a corruption of gottoshacki^ **the earth thirsts for rain,'* or 
"parched land." 

Catawba; river in North Carolina and South Carolina; county, and town in same 
county, in North Carolina; village in Clark County, Ohio; town in Roanoke 
County, V^irginia; town in Marion County, West Virginia; island in Lake Erie; 
and several other places; named from the Indian tribe. The word maybe from 
the Choctaw, katapa^ meaning "cut off,** "sejxarated.** 

Catawissa; branch of the Susquehanna River, and borough and township in Colum- 
bia County, Pennsylvania. A corruption of the Indian word gaUawm^ "grow- 
ing fat,'* though some authorities say the name signifies "clear water.** 

Cathaneu; river of Maine. An Indian word meaning "bent,** or "crooked." 

Catharine; town in Schuyler Coimty, New York, named for Catharine Montour, 
the wife of an Indian sachem. 

Cathedral; peak in the Sierra Nevada, in Mariposa County, California, so named 
from its resemblance to a spire. 

Catheys; creek in Humboldt County, California, named for an old settler. 

Cathlamet; point and town in Wahkiakum County, Washington, named from the 
Indian tribe, Kathlamet 

Cathlapootle; river in Washington, named for the Cathlapotle Indian tribe. 

Catlettsburg; city in Boyd County, Kentucky, named for Horatio Catlett, one of 
the first settlers. 

Catlin; township and village in Vermilion Coimty, Illinois, named for J. M. Catlin, 
a railroad official. 

Cato; town in Cayuga County, New York, named by the State land board in honor 
of the distinguished Roman. 

Catoctin; stream in Virginia tributary to the Potomac River. An Indian word 
meaning "great village.** 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 73 

Catskill; creek, mountains, and town in Greene County, New York. The moun- 
tains were called katshergs by the Dutch, from the number of wild-cats found in 
them, and the creek, which flows from the mountains, was called KaterskiUf 
"tomcats* creek/* 

Cattaraugrus; county, village in same county, and creek in New York. An Indian 
word meaning ** bad smelling shore." 

Caucomgomoc; lake in Maine. A corruption of an Indian word, meaning **big 
gull lake.*' 

Caugrwagra; creek in Erie County, New York. A corruption of the Indian gag- 
vxiga^ "creek of the Cat nation.** 

Causton; bluff in Georgia, named for Thomas Causton. 

Cavalier; county, and town in Pembina County , in North Dakota, named for Charles 
Cavalier, one of the old settlers in the Lower Red River Valley. 

Cave in Bock; village in Hardin County, Illinois, named from a cave in a rocky 
bluff on the Ohio River. 

Cawanesque; branch of the Chemung River, in New York. An Indian word 
meaning "at the long island.** 

Cawanshanock; creek in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania. An Indian word 
derived from gawunschhanney "green briar stream.** 

Cawker; city in Mitchell County, Kansas, named for E. H. Cawker. 

Cayadutta; creek in Fulton County, New York; stated by Beauchamp to mean 
"stone standing out of the water.** The origin is thought by Baylies to be 
purely conjectural. The most noticeable feature to which the name could apply 
was a large rock in midstream below some beautiful falls. 

Cayncos; town in San Luis Obispo County, California. A Spanish word meaning 
" small fishing boats.*' 

Cayuga; county, village in same county, and lake in New York. An Indian word, 
the derivation of which is in dispute. The generally accepted theory is that it 
means " long lake," having been originally applied to the lake, which is 38 
miles long and from 1 to 3 J miles wide. Morgan derives it from gweugwehy 
" the mucky land,** while others say that it signifies "canoes pulled out of the 
water.** One of Iroquois tribes was so called. Six small places in the country 
bear this name. 

Cayuse; village in Umatilla County, Oregon, named from an Indian tribe. 

Cazadero; village in Sonoma County, California. A Spanish term meaning "place 
for pursuing game.** 

Cazenovia; township in Woodford County, Illinois, and villages in Pipestone County, 
Minnesota, and Richland County, Wisconsin, named for the town in New York. 

Cazenovia; lake and town in Madison County, New York, named by its founder. 
Col. John Linklaen, for Theophilus Cazenove, general agent of the Holland 
Land Company. 

{Cecil; county in Maryland; 
Cecilton; town in Cecil County, Maryland, named for Cecil Calvert, second Lord 
Baltimore. 
Cedar; this word, with various sufl&xes, forms the name of numerous features 
throughout the country. Counties in Iowa, Missouri, and Nebraska, 153 post- 
ofl&ces, with or without sufl&xes, and numerous rivers, creeks, etc., bear the name, 
referring to the presence of the tree in the vicinity. 
Cedar Keys; town in Levy County, Florida, named from a group of islands in the 

harbor. 
Celeron; island near Detroit, Michigan, named for Sieur Celeron, commandant at 

Detroit in early days. 
Celina; village in Mercer County, Ohio, named from Salina in New York; the 
orthography was changed to avoid confusion. 



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74 PLACE KAMES IN THE UNITED 8TATE8. [bull. 258. 

Center; town in Sharp County, Arkansas, and county in Pennsylvania, so named 

because of their geographical situation. One hundred and fifty places in the 

country bear this name, alone or with various prefixes. 
Center Harbor; town in Belknap County, New Hampshire, named for one of the 

first settlers. Col. Joseph Senter. 
Central; town in Pickens County, South Carolina, so named because of its geograph- 
ical situation. Twenty-eight other places, with and without suflSxes, are so called. 
Central City; town in Gilpin County, Colorado, so named because it was originally 

the center of several mining camps. 
Central City; town in Huntington County, West Virginia, so named because it is 

nearly halfway between Guyandotte and Catlettsburg. 
Centralia; township and city in Marion County, Illinois, so named by the Illinois 

Central Railroad from its location at the junction of the main line and the 

Chicago line. 
Central Lake; village in Antrim County, Michigan, situated on a lake which is in 

the center of a chain of lakes and rivers in the county. 
Ceredo; village in Wayne County, West Virginia, so named by its founder because 

of the bountiful harvest of com upon its site. The name is derived from Ceres, 

the goddess of com and harvests. 
Cerrillos; town in Santa F6 County, New Mexico. A Spanish word meaning ** little 

eminences,'^ or ** little hills." 
Cerritos; village in Los Angeles County, California. A Spanish word meaning 

"little hills." 
Cerro Colorado; a conical hill of reddish color in Colorado. The name was given 

by the Mexicans, and means "red hill." 
Cerro Gordo; village in Piatt County, Illinois, county in Iowa, and village in 

Columbus County, North Carolina, named from the Mexican battlefield. The 

words mean " large (around) hill." 
Ceylon; village in Erie County, Ohio, and five other places, named from the island 

off the coast of India. 
Chadboum; town in Columbus County, North Carolina, named for a prominent 

business man of Wilmington, North Carolina. 
Chadds Ford; village in Chester County, Pennsylvania, named for the proprietor, 

Francis Chadsey. 
Chadron; city in Dawes County, Nebraska, named for an old French squawman. 
Chadwick; village in Carroll County, Illinois, named for an engineer who was con- 
nected with the building of the first railroad through that section. 
Chaffee; county in Colorado, named for Jerome B. Chaffee, United States Senator. 
Chaffin; bluff in Virginia, named for the family who owned it. 
Chagrin; river in Ohio. Two different theories obtain in regard to this name, one 

being that a party of surveyors under Harvey Rice, so named it because of their 

disappointment at finding that they were not following the course of the Cuya- 
hoga River. Howe says that it is named from the Indian word shagririy which 

is said to mean ** clear." 
Chagrin Falls; village in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, named from the river. 
Chamberlain; lake in Maine, named for an old settler. 
Chamberlain; city in Brule County, South Dakota, named for Selah Chamberlain, 

a director of the Chicago, Milwaukee and Saint Paul Railroad. 
Chambers; county in Alabama, named for Senator Henry C. Chambers of that 

State. 
Chambers; county in Texas, named for Thomas J. Chambers, major-general in the. 

Texas revolution. 
Chambersburg; township in Pike County, Illinois, named for a family of first 

settlers. 



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GANNBTT.l PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 75 

Chambersburg:; town in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, named for a Scotchman 

who founded it, Benjamin Chambers. 
Champaign; county, and city in same county, in Illinois, named from the county in 

Ohio. 
Ghampaigrn; county in Ohio, so named from the general character of the country. 

From the French, champ , meaning "fields,*^ and plains, **flat." 
Champion; town in Jefferson County, New York, and township in Trumbull 

County, Ohio, named for Gen. Henry Champion, of Connecticut. 
Champlain; lake, and town in Clinton County, in New York, named for the discov- 
erer of the lake, Samuel de Champlain, a French naval officer, who explored 

that country in 1609. 
Chancellorsville; village in Spottsylvania County, Virginia, named for a family in 

the neighborhood. 
Chandeleur ; bay and islands on the coast of Louisiana, so named because they were 

discovered on Candlemas or Chandeleur day. 
Chandlersville; village in Muskingum County, Ohio, named for Samuel Chandler. 
Chandlerville; village in Cass County, Illinois, named for Dr. Charles Chandler, 

its founder. 
Chaney; creek in Mississippi, named for Robert Chaney, an early settler in Perry 

County. 
Chanhassan; river in Minnesota and North Dakota. An Indian word meaning 

"pale bark wood,*' or "sugar tree.** 
Chanhassan; village in Carver County, Minnesota. An Indian word meaning 

"firestone.** 
Chankie ; creek in South Dakota. Coues says it is clipped from tschehkanakasahtapahy 
"breech clout.** Haines gives ckanka^ "firestone,** so named from a very hard rock 

of vitrified sandstone found near its mouth. 
Chanlers; purchase in Coos County, New Hampshire, named for Jeremiah Chanler, 

an early owner. 
Chanopa; lake in Minnesota. A Sioux Indian word meaning "two wood.** 
Chanshayapi; river in Minnesota. A Sioux Indian word meaning "red wood,*' 

or "post painted red.** 
Chanute; city in Neosho County, Kansas, named for 0. Chanute, civil engineer 

with the Leavenworth, Lawrence and Galveston Railroad. 
Chapa; river in Minnesota. An Indian word meaning "beaver.** 
Chapel Hill; town in Orange County, North Carolina, named from a colonial chapel 

of the Church of England, built on a hill. 
Chapin; village in Morgan County, Illinois, named for its founders, Charles and 

Horace Chapin. 
Chapin; town in Lexington County, South Carolina, named for a family of that name. 
Chapman; borough in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, named for William 

Chapman, who owned slate quarries there. 
Chappaqua; town in Westchester County, New York. An Indian word meaning 

edible root of some kind. 
Chappaquiddick; island in Dukes County, Massachusetts. From an Indian word, 

chepjyiaquidnet "separated island.**' So called because separated from Marthas 

Vineyard by a narrow strait. 
Chapparal; village in Butte County, California. From the Spanish, meaning a 

"plantation of evergreen oaks.** 
Chardon; village in Geauga County, Ohio, named for a proprietor, Peter Chardon 

Brooks. 
Chariton; township and city in Lucas County, Iowa, and county, river, and town in 

Putnam County, Missouri. The origin of the name is in doubt. The most gen- 
erally accepted theory is that it was given by the early French, but that the 



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76 PLACE KAME8 IN THE UMTED STATES. [bull. 258 

original fonn of the word has been lost, hence the translation is impossible. 

Some persons say that there was a French trader who had his agency near the 

mouth of the river, whose name was similar. 
Oharlemont; town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, named for the Earl of 

Charlemont. 
Charles; county in Maryland, named in honor of Charles Calvert, son of Cecilius 

Calvert, second Lord Baltimore. 
rOharlas; river in Massachusetts, and point in Northampton County, Virginia; 
toiiarles City; county in Virginia. Named for Charles I of England. 
Charles City; township and city in Floyd County, Iowa, named by Kelley St Charles 

for his son. 
Charles Mix; county in South Dakota, named for a pioneer citizen. 
Charleston; township and city in Coles County, Illinois, named for Charles Morton, 

one of the founders. 
Charleston; town in Penobscot County, Maine, named for an early settler, Charles 

Vaughan. 
Charleston; town in Tallahatchie County, Mississippi, named from Charleston, 

South Carolina. 
Charleston; county, and city in same county, in South Carolina. The city was 

named first and was originally called Charles Town, in honor of Charles II of 

England. 
Charleston; city in Kanawha County, West Virginia, named for Charles Clendman, 

father of George Clendman, the founder. 
Charlestown; part of Boston, Maasachusettf", named for Charles 1 of England. 
Charlestown; town in Sullivan County, New Hampshire, named for Sir Charles 

Knowles. 
Charlestown; town in Washington County, Rhode Island, named either for King 

Charles II of England, or for Charles Edward, the pretender. 
Charles Town; town in Jefferson County, West Virginia, named for the brother of 

George Washington, Charles Washington, who owned the land upon which the 

town was built. 
Charlevoix; county, and village in same county, in Michigan, named for Pere Fran- 
cis X. Charlevoix, a missionary and historian. 
Charley Apopka; creek in Florida. A corruption of the Indian word, tsalopopko- 

hatcheCf ** catfish eating creek.*' 
Charloe; village in Paulding County, Ohio, named for an Ottawa Indian chief. 
Charlotte; county in Virginia, and village in Monroe County, New York, named for 

Charlotte Augusta, Princess of Wales. 
Charlotte; city in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, named for the wife of 

George III of England. 
Charlottesville; city in Albemarle County, Virginia, named for Charlotte Augusta, 

Princess of Wales. 
Charlton; county, and village in same county, in Georgia, named for Robert M. 

Charlton, poet, and United States Senator in 1852. 
Charlton; town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, named for Sir Francis Charl- 
ton, gentleman of the privy chamber in 1755. 
Chartiers; two creeks, and townships in Allegheny and Washington counties, Penn- 
sylvania, named for Peter Chartiers, a noted half-breed spy and Indian hunter. 
Chase; county in Kansas, named for Salmon P. Chase, secretary of the treasury 

under Presidept Lincoln. 
Chase; county in Nebraska named for a former mayor of Omaha. 
Chaska; city in Carver Coimty, Minnesota. A Sioux Indian name for a first-born 

son. 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UIOTED STATES. 77 

Chateaugay; river, lake, and village in Franklin County, New York, named from 
the town in France. The name was applied to a seigniory created in 1673, and 
was applied to the river which traversed it, and the appellation naturally fol- 
lowed the stream to its source. 

Chatham; county in Georgia, towns in Barnstable County Massachusetts, and 
Carroll County, New Hampshire; borough in Morris County, New Jersey; vil- 
lage in Columbia County, New York, coimty in North Carolina, and many other 
places, named for William Pitt, Earl of Chatham. 

Chatsworth; tovmship and town in Livingston County, Illinois, named from the 
country home of the Duke of Devonshire, England. 

Chattahoochee; river, county, and village in Fulton County, Georgia, and town in 
Gadsden County, Florida; a Creek Indian word meaning ** painted stone.'* 

Chauxnont; village in Jefferson County, New York, named for Le Ray de Cahomont, 
an early proprietor. 

Chautauqua; county in Kansas; county, lake, and town in same county, in New 
York. An Indian word which has been the subject of much controversy. 
Webster says it is a corruption of a word which means ** foggy place.*' Another 
derivation gives the meaning as "bag tied in the middle," referring to the shape 
of the lake. It is also said to mean ** place where a child was washed away." 
Dr. Peter Wilson, an educated Seneca, says it is literally ** where the fish was 
taken out." Other meanings given are ** place of easy death," and '* place 
where one was lost." 

Chaves; county in New Mexico, named for Mariano Chaves, governor in 1836. 

Cheanill; chain of hills in Oregon. An Indian word meaning "bald hills." 

Cheat; river in West Virginia, so called because of the variableness of the volume of 
water. 

Cheathcun; county in Tennessee, name for Benjamin Cheatham, a Confederate 
general. 

Chebanse; town in Iroquois County, Illinois, named for an Indian chief. The word 
means * ' little duck. ' ' 

Chebeague Island; village in Cumberland County, Maine. The name is probably 
derived from chebeegy ** great waters," or **wide expanse of water." 

Cheboygan; river, country, and city in same county, in Michigan. An Indian word 
variously interpreted. Haines says it is composed of two words, che, ** great," 
and poygan, **pipe." Another derivation gives the meaning, **the river that 
comes out of the ground." The Michigan Historical Society gives chabwegan, a 
place of ore." 

Checaque; river in Iowa. An Indian word meaning "skunk." 

Chectemunda; creek in Montgomery County, New York. An Indian word mean- 
ing **twin sister." 

Cheektowaga; town in Erie County, New York. Derived from the Indian words 
juk do vxwh geh, "place of the crab apple tree." 

Cheesechankamuck; eastern branch of Farmington River, Connecticut. An Indian 
word meaning ** great fishing place at the weir." 

Cheetiery Sopochnie; chain of volcanic mountains in the Aleutian Islands. Indian 
words meaning **four mountains." 

Chefoncte; river in Louisiana. An Indian word meaning ** chinkapin." 

Chehalis; river, county, and city in Lewis County, in Washington, named from an 
Indian tribe. The word means "sand" or "inlanders." 

Chehtanbeh; river in Minnesota. An Indian word meaning "sparrow hawk's 
nest" 

Chelan; county and lake in Washington. An Indian word mealing "deep water" 
or ** big water." 



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78 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNIl'ED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Chelmsford; town in Middlesex CJounty, Massachusetts, named from the English 
town. 

Chelsea; city in Suffolk County, Massachusetts, named from the English town. 

Chelsea; towns in Washtenaw County, Michigan, and Orange County, Vermont; 
indirectly named from the town in England. 

Chemawa; village in Marion County, Oregon. An Indian word said to mean 
'* our old home." 

♦Chemehuevis; valley in Arizona, named from a tribe of Indians. 

Chemtmg:; river, county, and town in same county, in New York. An Indian 
word, meaning "big horn" or ** big horn in the water." The river was so 
named from the tradition of a huge fossil tusk, supposed to be of some prehistoric 
monster, having been found in the bank of the river. 

Chenangro; river, county, and town in Broome County, in New York. An Indian 
word meaning "bull thistles." 

Chdne; bayou in Louisiana. A French word meaning ** oak." 

Cheney; creek in Humboldt County, California, named for an old settler. 

Cheney; city in Sedgwick County, Kansas, named for P. B. Cheney, stockholder of 
the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad. 

Cheney; town in Spokane County, Washington, named for Benjamin P. Cheney, 
of Boston, one of the originators of the Northern Pacific Railroad. 

Chenoa; township and city in McLean County, Illinois. From the Indian word 
"c/i€noim," meaning "white dove." 

Chepachet; river, and village in Providence County, in Rhode Island, and village in 
Herkimer County, New York. An Indian word meaning "where the stream 
divides," or "place of separation." 

Chepultepec; town in Blount County, Alabama. An Aztec Indian word meaning 
* * grasshopper mountain. ' ' 

Cheputnaticook; lake in Maine. An Indian word meaning "great hill lake." 

Cheraw; town in Chesterfield County, South Carolina, named from the Sara or 
Cheraw Indian tribe. 

Cherokee; county, and town in Colbert County, in Alabama; township in Benton 
County, Arkansas; village in Butte County, California; county, and village in 
same county, in Georgia; coimty, and city in same county, in Iowa; nation in 
Indian Territory; county, and city in Crawford County, in Kansas; villages in 
Lawrence County, Kentucky, and Lowndes County, Mississippi; county, and 
village in Swain County, in North Carolina; post-ofl5ce in Woods County, Okla- 
homa; county, and post-oflice in Spartanburg County, in South Carolina; village 
in Lauderdale County, Tennessee; county, and village in San Saba County, in 
Texas; and village in Marathon County, Wisconsin; named for an Indian tribe. 
The meaning is uncertain. 

Cherry; county in Nebraska, named for Lieutenant Cherry, United States Army. 

Cherry Creek; town and creek in Chautauqua County, New York, named by Joshua 
Bentley, jr., a surveyor who found the center of the town to be on a small island 
in a stream on which was a small cherry tree. 

Cherryvale; city in Montgomery County, Kansas, in the valley of Cherry Creek. 
The name "Cherry" occurs frequently with and without suflixes, generally 
referring to the presence of the tree. 

Chesaning; village in Saginaw County, Michigan. An Indian word meaning "big 
rock," the name having been given because of a large rock near the place. 

Chesapeake; bay in Maryland which gives name to several places in the country. 
An Indian name variously explained, but which seems to be a contraction of the 
Delaware name JcUshishwapeak^ "great salty bay." 

Cheshire; towns in New Haven County, Connecticut, and Berkshire County, Massa- 
chusetts; township in Allegan County, Michigan; county in New Hampshire; 



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6ANNE1T.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 79 

and villages in Ontario County, New York, and Gallia County, Ohio, named 
from the county in England. 

Chester; city in Randolph County, Illinois, and town in Hampden County, Massa- 
chusetts, named from the city in England. 

Chester; county in Pennsylvania, named by George Pearson, a friend of William 
Penn, in honor of the native place of Penn. 

Chester; county, and town in same county, in South Carolina, named from Chester 
County, Pennsylvania. 

Chester; county in Tennessee, named for Robert I. Chester, an old settler. 

Chesterfield; town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, and counties in South 
Carolina and Virginia, named for Philip Dormer Stanhope, fourth Earl of Ches- 
terfield. 

Chesterfield; county in North Carolina, named from the town in Derbyshire, Eng- 
land. 

Chesterville; village in Albany County, New York, named for Rev. John Chester, 
of Albany. 

Chestnut; twenty-seven post-offices and many natural features bear this name, indi- 
cating the presence of the tree. 

Chesuncook; lake and town in Piscataquis County, Maine. An Indian word which, 
according to Judge Potter, means "goose place." Thoreau gives, ** place where 
many streams empty.'* Haines says that it signifies ** great goose place." 

Chetimaclies; lake in Louisiana, which is also known as Grand Lake, the name of 
an Indian tribe; the word is from the Choctaw language and means, ** they pos- 
sess cooking vessels." 

Chetopa; city in Labette County, Kansas. An Indian word meaning **four houses," 
the town having been built on the site of four houses occupied by the wives of 
an Osage chief. 

Chewaukan; marsh in Oregon. An Indian word meaning ** water potato." 

Cheyenne; county and mountain in Colorado, county in Kansas, county and river 
in Nebraska, city in Laramie County, Wyoming, and a number of other places, 
named for the Indian tribe. The Cheyennes call themselves Dziizistas, The 
popular name is a corruption of the name given them by the Sioux, and said to 
signify ** aliens." 

Chicacomico; creek on the eastern shore of Maryland. An Indian word meaning 
"place where turkeys are plenty." 

Chicago; city and river in Illinois. The Ojibwa Indian form, she-kag-ong, signifies 
"wild onion place," from a root form implying a "bad smell." 

Chichester; town in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, and village in Ulster 
County, New York, named from the city in England. 

Chickahominy; river in Virginia, which according to De Vere is named from the 
Indian word, checahaminendy "land of much grain," so called because it flows 
through fertile lowlands. Heckewelder, with doubtful authority, says that it 
is corrupted from Tschikene-mahonij "lick frequented by turkeys." 

duckies; creek and village in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The name is 
derived from the Indian, chihswalungOy meaning "place of crabs." Hecke- 
welder says the meaning is " place of crawfish," and Sener states it is a corrup- 
tion of chickesalunga, 

Chickisalimira; creek in Pennsylvania. An Indian word derived from chickmua- 
lunga, "place of crawfish," or "place of crab fish." 

Chickomuxen; creek in Maryland. An Indian word meaning " fishing place at a 
weir." 

Chickwolnepy; creek in New Hampshire. An Indian word meaning "near great 
pond." 



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80 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Ohico; township and city in Butte County, California. A Spanish word meaning 

**little." 
Chicomico; creek in Connecticut. An Indian derivatiom from she or che, ** great," 

and komuky or comacOy ** house,'* or ** inclosed place." 
Ohicopee; river, falls, and city in Hampden County, in Massachusetts. An Indian 

word, meaning ** cedar tree," or **birch-bark place." 
Chicora; town in Berkeley County, South Carolina. From an Indian word, yuchi- 

kere, meaning **yuchi are there,* or "yuchi over there." 
Chicot; county in Arkansas and creek in New York. A French word meaning 

**wood;" a term also applied to a stub or broken piece of wood. 
Childress; county; and town in same county, in Texas, named for Greoige C. Chil- 
dress, author of the Texas declaration of independence. 
Chillicothe; city in Peoria County, Illinois, towns in Wapello County, Iowa, and 

Livingston County, Missouri, and city in Ross County, Ohio, named from a 

Shawnee- subtribe. The correct Shawnee form signifies " man made perfect" 

(Gatschet. ) 
Chillisquaque; creek and village in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. A 

Delaware Indian word meaning ** place of snowbirds." 
Chilmark; town in Dukes County, Massachusetts, named from the town in England. 
Chilson; lake and village in Essex County, New York, named for a family of early 

settlers. 
Chilton; county, and village in Clarke County, in Alabama, named for William P. 

Chilton, of that State. 
Chilton; city in Calumet County, Wisconsin, named Chillington, from the home of 

an early settler, Chillington Hall, England, but the county clerk in recording 

the name, omitted the second syllable, hence Chilton. 
Chimney Rock; town in Rutherford County, North Carolina, named from nearby 

cliffs, which bear a likeness to colossal chimneys. 
Chinook; village in Pacific County, Washington, named from a tribe of Indians. 
Cliinquapin; town in Duplin County, North Carolina. The name is the Indian 

name for "nut," or "small chestnut." 

i Chippewa; county and river in Michigan, and counties in Minnesota and Wisconsin; 
Chippewa Falls; city in Chippewa County, Wisconsin. Named from a noted Indian 
tribe. The proper Indian form is Ojibwa. 
Chisago; county and lake in Minnesota, named by W. H. C. Folsom, from two 

Ojibwa Indian words, kichi, "large," and saga, "fair" or "lovely." 
Chissesessick; rivers in Virginia and Georgia. An Indian word meaning "place of 

bluebirds." 
Chittenango; creek and village in Madison County, New York. Morgan says it is 

an Indian word, meaning " where the sun shines out; " other authorities trans- 
late it "waters divide and run into." 
Chittenden; county in Vermont, named for Thomas Chittenden, governor of the 

State in 1790-97. 
Chittenden; peak in Yellowstone Park, named for George B. Chittenden. 
Chivingrton; village in Kiowa County, Colorado, near the battle ground where 

Colonel Chivington massacred the Cheyenne Indians in 1864. 
Chocorua; peak in the White Mountains, New Hampshire, said to be named for a 

prophet-chief of the Socoki Indians, who, being pursued to this lofty peak by a 

white hunter, leaped over the precipice and met his death. 
Choctawhatchee; bay and river in Florida. An Indian word meaning "river of 

the Choctaws." 
Chohwajica; lake in Minnesota. An Indian word meaning "willow." 
Chokin; lake in Minnesota. An Indian word meaning " place of roasting," the lake 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 81 

probably having been so named because the Dakota Indians roasted the teep- 
winna root, which they used for food, on the shore of the lake. 

Cliokio; village in Stevens County, Minnesota. An Indian word meaning "middle.'* 

Cliokoloskee; town in Lee County, Florida. The name is derived from the Indian 
word, choMiskUf meaning **red houses." 

Clioteau; county, and township in Teton Coimty, in Montana, and county in South 
Dakota, named for the Chouteau family, two brothers of which, Auguste and 
Pierre, founded St. Louis. 

Cliouptyatanka; lake in Minnesota. An Indian word meaning **big dry wood." 

dLCwan; river and county in North Carolina, named from the Ctiowanoke Indian 
tribe. The word is a variant of the Algonquian aorwdn, ** south." One author- 
ity derives the word from soiuan-ohke, ** south country." 

Christian; county in Kentucky, named for Col. William Christian, an oflBcer of the 
Revolution. 

Christian; counties in Illinois and Missouri, named from the county in Kentucky. 

Christiana; creek, and village in Newcastle County, in Delaware, and borough in Lan- 
caster County, Pennsylvania, named for the King and Queen of Sweden, Christian 
and Christiana. 

Christiansbiirg:; town in Montgomery County, Virginia, named for a first settler. 

Christman; city in Edgar County, Illinois, named for Mathias Christman, its founder. 

Chromite; village in Shasta County, California, named from the chrome iron mines. 

Chuctanunda; stream in Montgomery County, New York. An Indian word mean- 
ing **twin sisters." 
Chula; village in Livingston County, Missouri; 
Chulafinnee; town in Cleburne County, Alabama; 

Chulahoma; town in Marshall County, Mississippi. From a Choctaw Indian word 
meaning **red fox." 

Chuluota; town in Orange County, Florida. An Indian word meaning ** beautiful 
view." 

Churchill; coimty in Nevada, which takes its name from Fort Churchill, named for 
an oflScer of the United States Army. 

Churchville; village in Monroe County, New York, named for Samuel Church, a 
pioneer settler. 

Cibolo; river and village in Guadalupe Coimty, Texas. A Spanish word meaning 
"buffalo." 

Cicero; town in Onondaga County, New York, named by the State land board for 
the celebrated Roman. 

Cienega; station in Los Angeles County, California, and mining locality in Yavapai 
County, Arizona. A Spanish word meaning ** marsh." i 

Cimarron; river in Oklahoma and Indian Territory, city in Gray County, Kansas, 
and village in Colfax County, New Mexico. A Spanish word meaning **wild," 
"unruly." 

Cincinnati; city in Hamilton County, Ohio, laid out and named by Col. Israel Lud- 
low, from an organization of ofl&cers formed after the Revolutionary war and 
named in honor of Cincinnatus, the Roman patriot. 

Cicinnatus; town in Cortland County, New York, named by the State land board, 
for the celebrated Roman patriot. 

Cinnabar; village in Trinity County, California, named from the quicksilver mines. 

Cinnabar; mountain just north of Yellowstone Park, named from its rocks, which 
are colored red by iron, which was mistaken for cinnabar. 

Cinnaminson; town in Burlington County, New Jersey. The name is derived from 
the Indian, cinnaj or amne^ "stone," and monaj orminna. "island," hence "stone 
island place." 
Bull. 258— 05 6 



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82 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Circleville; village in Pickaway County, Ohio, so named from the circular Indian 

mounds in the neijfhborhood. 
Cisco; town in Eastland County, Texas, named for John J. Cisco, a prominent 

resident. 
Cisco; many places in the United States bear this name. An Indian word meaning 

a kind of trout of an oily nature. 
Cissna Park; village in Iroquois County, Illinois, named for William Cissna, one of 

its founders. 
Citra; town in Marion County, Florida; 
Citrona; village in Yolo County, California; 
Citrus; town in Inyo County, California, and county in Florida. From citrus, a 

small genus of trees of the orange family; so named because of the abundance 

of orange groves in these r^ons. 
Clackamas; county, village in same county, and river in Oregon, named from an 

Indian tribe. 
Claiborne; parish in Louisiana and counties in Mississippi and Tennessee, named 

for William C. C. Claiborne, governor of Mississippi Territory and of Louisiana 

as a Territory and a State. 
Clallam; county in Washington, named from an Indian tribe. 
Clcmcey; creek, and town in Jefferson County, in Montana, named forjudge Clancey, 

a prospector and mining promoter of an early day. 
Clanton; town in Chilton County, Alabama, named for General Clanton, a Confed- 
erate general. 
Clapper; town in Monroe County, Missouri, named for Henry Clapper, who was 

instrumental in bringing a railroad into the place. 
Clare; county, and city in same county, in Michigan. The origin of the name is in 

doubt^ but the Michigan Historical Society says that it is probably named from 

County Clare in Ireland. 
Claremont; town in Los Angeles County, California, named from the town in New 

Hampshire. 
Claremont; town in Sullivan County, New Hampshire, named from the country 

seat of Lord Clive, an English general. 
Clarence; city in Shelby County, Missouri, named for a son of John Duff, an early 

settler. 
Clarendon; county, and town in same county, in South Carolina, named for Edward, 

Earl of Clarendon. 
Clarinda; city in Page County, Iowa, named for Clarinda Buck, a niece of the 

founder. 
Clarion; river in Pennsylvania. A French term, meaning ** clear.** The name may 

have been suggested by the noise made by the river, sounding like the. distant 

note of the clarion. Said by some to have been called gowunsch, ** briar stream." 
Clarion; county, and borough in same county in Pennsylvania, named from the 

river. 
Clark; county in Arkansas, named for Governor William Clark. 
Clark; peak in California, named for Fred Clark, a topogi-apher. 
Clark; counties in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio, named for Gen. George 

Rogers Clark, who captured Vincennes. 
Clark; county in Kansas, named for Capt. Charles F. Clarke, United States Volun- 
teers, who died at Memphis December 10, 1862. 
Clark; county in Missouri, named for Capt. William Clark, of the Lewis and Clark 

expedition. 
Clark; creek in Nebraska, named for Dr. M. H. Clark, first member of the Terri- 
torial council from Dodge County. 
Clark; coimty in South Dakota, named for Newton Clark, l^slator in 1873, 



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GANNKiT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 88 

Clark; county in Wisconsin, named for A. W. Clark, early settler. 
Clarke; county in Alabama, named for Governor John Clarke of Georgia. 
Clarke; county in Georgia, named for Gen. Elijah Clarke, officer of the Revolution. 
Clarke; county in Iowa, named for James Clarke, governor of the State in 1846. 
Clarke; coimty in Mississippi, named for Joshua G. Clarke, first chancellor of the 

State. 
Clarke; county in Virginia, named for Gen. George Rogers Clarke. 
Clarke; county in Washington, and river in Montana, named for Capt William 

Clark, of the Lewis and Clark expedition. 
Clarke City; village in Kankakee County, Illinois, named for the man who opened 

the first coal mine in the vicinity. 
Clarkfork; town in Kootenai County, Idaho, named for Capt. William Clark, of the 

Lewis and Clark expedition. 
Clarkia; village in Kootenai County, Idaho, named for Capt. William Clark, of the 

Lewis and Clark expedition. 
Clarks; village in Merrick County, Nebraska, named for S. H. H. Clark, superin- 
tendent of the Union Pacific Railroad. 
Clarksburg; town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, named for three brothers 

who were among the first settlers. 
Clarksburg; town in Harrison County, West Virginia. Some authorities claim 

that it was named for Capt. William Clark, of the Lewis and Clark expedition, 

while others maintain that it was named for a pioneer. 
Clarksdale; town in Coahoma County, Mississippi, named for Captain Clark, 

brother-in-law of Governor Alcorn. 
Clarkson; town in Monroe County, New York, named for General Clarkson, a large 

landowner. 
Clarkston; village in Asotin County, Washington; 
Clarksville; city in Pike County, Missouri. Named for Capt. William Clark, of 

the Lewis and Clark expedition. 
Clarksville; town in Habersham County, Georgia, named for Gren. John Clarke, 

governor of Georgia. 
Clarksville; town in Hamilton County, Indiana, and city in Montgomery County, 

Tennessee, named for Gen. George Rogers Clark, who captured Vincennes. 
Clarksville; town in Coos Coimty, New Hampshire, named for Benjamin Clark. 
Clarkton; town in Dunklin County, Missouri, named for Henry E. Clark, an early 

contractor. 
Clatskanie; town in Columbia County, Oregon, named frorn the Indian tribe, Tlat- 

skanai. 
Clatsop; county in Oregon, named for an Indian tribe. 
Claverack; town in Columbia County, New York, from the Dutch, klaver-dkkeTy 

"clover field,** said by some to have l)een so called from the immense fields of 

clover which abounded there at the time of its settlement. Another opinion is 

that it is of Dutch origin, the first part of the word meaning ** opening** or "side 

gorge,** the latter part being a division of the river which the Dutch skippers 

referred to; the Hudson was divided into 13 "racks^^ or ^* reaches.^* 
Clay; counties in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, and Kansas; town 

in Webster County, Kentucky; counties in Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, 

North Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and West Virginia; mount in 

New Hampshire; and many small places; named for Henry Clay. The county 

in Nebraska was doubtless named for him also. 
Clay; county in Arkansas, named for John M. Clajrton, State senator. 
Clay; county in Iowa, named for Henry Clay, jr., who fell at the battle of Buena 

Vista. 
Clay; county in Kentucky, named for Gen. Green Clay. 



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84 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Clay City; village in Clay County, Illinois, and town in Clay County, Indiana, 

named for Henry Clay. 
Claymont; village in Newcastle County, Delaware, named from the character of the 

soil. 
Clayton; town in Contra Costa County, California, named from Clayton, Missouri. 
Clayton; town in Kent County, Delaware, named for Thomas Clayton, or his son. 

Col. Joshua Clayton. 
Clayton; county, and town in Rabun County, in Georgia, named for Augustin Smith 

Clayton. 
Clayton; township and village in Adams County, Illinois, named for Henry Clay. 
Clayton; village in St. Louis County, Missouri, named for Ralph Clayton. 
Clayton; county in Iowa, town in Jefferson County, New York, and town in John- 
ston County, North Carolina, named for John M. Clayton, Senator from Dela- 
ware. 
Claytonville; town in Brown County, Kansas, named for Powell Clayton, United 

States Senator from Arkansas. 
Clear Creek; county in Colorado, so called because it is drained by Clear Creek, an 

affluent of the South Platte. 
Clearfield; creek in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, named from the clearings 

along its banks. 
Clearfield; county, and borough in same county, in Pennsylvania, named from the 

creek. 
Clear Lake; village in Polk County, Wisconsin, situated on a lake of that name. 

A descriptive name. 
Clearwater; descriptive name given to a river in Idaho and to many smaller streams 

in the country, which in turn have given names to twelve post-offices. 
Clearwater; county and river in Minnesota. The name is a direct translation of 

the Ojibwa word, descriptive of the river. 
Cleburne; counties in Alabama and Arkansas, and town in Johnson County, Texas, 

named for Gen. Patrick Cleburne. 
Clermont; county in Ohio, name probably derived from Clermont, France. 
Clermont; village in Columbia county, New York, named by Chancellor Living- 
ston, a friend of Fulton, for the first American steamboat. 
Cleveland; counties in Arkansas and Oklahoma, named for President Grover 

Cleveland. 
Cleveland; village in Oswego County, New York, named for James Cleveland, 

an early settler. 
Cleveland; county, and village in Rowan County, in North Carolina, named for Col. 

Benjamin Cleveland. 
Cleveland; city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, named for Gen. Moses Cleveland, of 

the Connecticut Land Company, who surveyed it. 
Cleveland; town in Bradley County, Tennessee, named for John Cleveland, who 

went there from North Carolina. 
Clifford; village in Lapeer County, Michigan, named for Clifford Lyman, the first 

child born in the settlement. 
Clifton; village in Iroquois County, Illinois, named from the Clifton Hotel in 

Chicago. 
Clifton; village in Greene County, Ohio, named from the cliffs which bound the 

river at that point. 
Clifton Springs; village in Ontario County, New York, so named because of the 

cliffs and springs in the neighborhood. 
Climax; village in Kalamazoo County, Michigan, so called because when Daniel B. 

Eldred first visited the township he said, "This caps the climax." 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED 8TATE8. 85 

Clinch; county in Georgia, and river in Virginia and Tennessee, named for Gen. 

Duncan L. Clinch. 
Clingmans Dome; peak in Great Smoky Mountains, North Carolina, named for 

United States Senator Thomas L. Clingman, who determined its altitude. 
Clinton; town in Jones County, Georgia; county, and city in Dewitt County, in 

Illinois; counties in Indiana, Iowa, and Kentucky; towns in Worcester County, 

Massachusetts, and Henrj' County, Missouri; county in Michigan; towns in 

Passaic County, New Jersey, and Rock County, Wisconsin; named for DeWitt 

Clinton, governor of New York and projector of the Erie Canal. 
Clinton; county in Missouri; county, town in Dutchess County, and village in Oneida 

County, New York; and coimty in Ohio; named for George Clinton, governor of 

New York. 
Clinton; town in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, named for the Clinton family of 

New York. 
Clinton; county in Pennsylvania, supposed to have been named for Gen. Henry 

Clinton. 
Clintonville; village in New Haven County, Connecticut, named for the family of 

Clinton. 
Clockville; village in Madison County, New York, named for John Klock, the 

original grantee. 
Cloquet; town in Carlton County, Minnesota, so named from the mills there. A 

French word, meaning "sound of the mill." 
Cloud; county in Kansas, named for William F. Cloud, colonel of the Second Regi- 
ment of Kansas. 
Cloverdale; township and town in Sonoma County, California, so named because 

of the rich growth of clover in the valley in which the town is located. 
Clymer; village in Cass County, Indiana, named for George Clymer, its founder. 
Clymer; town in Chautauqua County, New York, named for George Clymer, a 

signer of the Declaration of Independence. 
Coalionia; county, and town in same county, in Mississippi. A Choctaw Indian 

word meaning **red panther.'* 

{Coal City; city in Grundy County, Illinois; 
Coal Valley; township and village in Rock Island County, Illinois. Named from 
coal mines in the vicinity. 
Coarseirold; mining town in Madera County, California, so named because of the 

gold nuggets found in its placer mines. 
Coast; range of mountains in Oregon, so named because lying parallel with the 

Pacific coast. 
Coatsbiirg; village in Adams County, Illinois, named for Robert Coats, one of the 

founders. 
Coatesville; borough in Chester County, Pennsylvania, named for Moses Coates, 

one of the early settlers. 
Cobalt; village in Middlesex County, Connecticut, so named from mines of cobalt 

in the neighborhood. 
Cobb; county in Georgia, named for Thomas W. Cobb, United States Senator from 

that State. 
Cobbosseecontee; river and lake in Maine. An Indian word, meaning "place 

where sturgeon are taken. *' 
Cobden; village in Union County, Illinois, named for Richard Cobden. 
Cobleskill; creek and town in Schoharie County, New York, named for Cobel, an 

early mill owner. 
Cobscook; arm of Passamaquoddy Bay, Maine. Hubbard derives it from the name 

of the Indian tribe Passamaquoddy, which he says signifies ** falls" or ** rough 



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86 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES- [bull. 258. 

water.*' Other derivations are kahasmk-hige, "sturgeon-catching place," and 
"small, muddy stream." 

Cocalico; creek in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Corrupted from achgookwcUicOy 
"where snakes gather in holes.'' 

Cochecalechee; tributary of the Chattahoochee, in Georgia. An Indian word 
meaning "broken arrow." 

Cocheco ; river in New Hampshire. An Indian word meaning * ' rapid " or " violent. ' ' 

Cocliecton; town in Sullivan County, New York. An Indian word meaning, 
according to Haines, "low ground;" others say "finished small harbor." 

Cochise; county in Arizona, named for the chief of the Chiricahua Apache Indians, 
an eneimy of all civilization. 

Cochituate; village in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. An Indian word mean- 
ing "land on rapid streams." 

Cocliran; county in Texas, named for a man who fell at the Alamo. 

Cocke; county in Tennessee, named for Gen. William Cocke, United States Senator 
from that State in 1796^97 and 1799-1805. 

Cock Bobin; island in California, settled by a man named Robin, who, because of 
his bragging of his fighting qualities, was nicknamed "Cock Robin." 

Coconino; county in Arizona, named from a tribe of Indians. 

Cocoosingp; creeks in Connecticut and Pennsylvania. An Indian word meaning 
"owl place." 

Cod; cape in Massachusetts, which received its name from Bartholomew Gosnold, 
who caught many codfish there. 

Codington; county in South Dakota, named for Rev. R. B. Codington, legislator 
in 1875. 

Codornices; creek in California. Derived from the Spanish codomizj "quail." 

Codorus; creek in York County, Pennsylvania. An Indian word said to mean 
"rapid water." 

Coeur; village in Trinity County, California, named from its location in the heart 
of the mountains. A French word meaning "heart." 

Coeur d'Alene; lake and town in Kootenai County, Idaho; named from a tribe of 
Indians. A French phrase, meaning "needle hearts" or "awl hearts." Some 
authorities say that this name was given to these Indians because the expres- 
sion was used by a chief of the tribe to denote his opinion of the Canadian trap- 
pers' meanness. Rev. M. Eells says that the name was given to the tribe by 
members of the Hudson Bay Company, because of their sharpness in trade. 

Coeyman; town in Albany County, New York, named for the patentee, Barent 
Peterse Coeymans. 
Coffee; counties in Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee; 

Coffeeville; town in Yalobusha County, Mississippi. Named for Gen. John Coffee, 
noted Indian fighter. 

Coffee; creek in Humboldt County, California, named from the circumstance of a 
sack of coffee having been spilled into it. 

Coffeen; village in Montgomery County, Illinois, named for Gustavus Coffeen, one 
of the founders. 

f Coffey; county in Kansas; 

jCoffeyville; city in Montgomery County, Kansas. Namedfor A. M. Coffey, mem- 

l ber of the first Kansas Territorial legislature. 

Coha^sset; town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts. An Indian word, said by some 
to mean "fishing promontory," "place of pines," or "young pine trees." 

Cohocton; town in Steuben County, New York. From an Indian word cohoda, 
"steam rising in a black-alder swamp with overhanging trees," or "trees in 
water." 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 87 

Cohoes; city in Albany County, New York, named from Cohoes falls. An Indian 
word, meaning " shipwrecked canoe;** also said to signify "great bendings.*' 

Cokato; village in Wright County, Minnesota. An Indian word meaning "at the 
middle." 

Coke; county, and village in Wood County, in Texas, named for Richard Coke, gov- 
ernor of and United States Senator from Texas. 

Cokesbury; town in Greenwood County, South Carolina. A combination of the 
names of two bishops of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Thomas Coke, and 
Francis Asbury. 

Colbert; county in Alabama, named for George and Levi Colbert. 

Colby; city in Thomas County, Kansas, named for J. R. Colby, one of the old 
settlers. 

Colby; city in Clark and Marathon counties, Wisconsin, named for Charles Colby, 
president of the Wisconsin Central Railroad. 

Colchester; borough in New London County, Connecticut, and other places in the 
country, named from the town in England. 

Colchester; township and city in McDonough County, IlUnois, first called Chester, 
"CoP* being prefixed to distinguish it from Chester in Randolph County. 

Colchester; town in Delaware County, New York, named from Colchester, Con- 
necticut. 

Colden; town in Erie County, New York, named for Cadwalader D. Colden, of the 
State senate. 

Cold Spring:; town in Cape May County, New Jersey, and many small places in the 
country; named from springs near. 

Coldwater; city in Comanche County, Kansas, named from the city in Michigan. 

Coldwater; city in Branch County, Michigan, and town in Tate County, Missis- 
sippi, named from streams. The name is applied descriptively. 

Cole; county in Missouri, named for Capt. Stephen Cole, an Indian fighter. 

Colebrook; town in Coos County, New Hampshire, named for Sir George Cole- 
brook, original grantee. 

Coleman; county, and town in same county, in Texas, named for R. M. Coleman^ 
captain of the first company of Texas rangers. 

Colerain; town in Bertie County, North CaroUna, named from the town in Ireland. 

Coleraine; town in Franklin County, Massachusetts. The origin of the name is in 
doubt, but Gabriel Hanger was created Baron Coleraine in 1761, the date of the 
naming of the town. 

Coles; county in Illinois, named for Edward Cole, governor of the State in 1823-1826. 

Colesville; town in Broome County, New York, named for Nathaniel Cole, one of 

the first settlers. 
Colfax; towns in McLean County, Illinois, Clinton County, Indiana, Grant Parish, 
Louisiana, and Bay County, Michigan; counties in Nebraska and New Mexico; 
and town in Whitman County, Washington; named for Schuyler Colfax, Vice- 
President under President Grant. 
Collar Back; ridge of limestone in the Catskill Mountains, New York. A corrup- 
tion of the Dutch name Kalkherg^ meaning "lime hill." 
CoUegeville; borough in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, seat of Ursinus Col- 
lege. 
Colleton; county in South Carolina, named for Sir John Colleton, one of the eight 

original proprietors of Carolina. 
GoUettsville; town in Caldwell County, North Carolina, named for a family resi- 
dent there. 
Collin; county in Texas, named for Collin McKinney, an early settler. 
Collingsworth; county in Texas, named for Judge James Collingsworth, secretary 
of state of the republic in 1836. 



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88 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Collixisville; city in MadiBon County, Illinois, settled by four brothers named Col- 
lins, from Litchfield, Connecticut. 

Ck>llinsville; town in Dundy County, Nebraska, named for Moses Collins, an early 
settler. 

Ck>llinsville; village in Lewis County, New York, named for Homer Collins. 

OoUis; village in Fresno County, California, named for Collis P. Huntington, presi- 
dent of the Southern Pacific Railroad. 

Oolozna; town in Eldorado County, California, named from an Indian tribe. 

Oolony; city in Anderson County, Kansas, named for a colony from Ohio and 

Indiana, which settled in the neighborhood. 
Oolorado; State of the Union, river in Texas, and river in Utah and Arizona; 
Colorado City; town in El Paso County, Colorado; 

Oolorado Springs; city in El Paso County, Colorado. A Spanish word meaning 
"ruddy" or **bloo<l red;'* in a secondary sense, **colored.'' 

Colorado; county in Texas, named from the river. 

Colquitt; county, and town in Miller County, in Greorgia, named for Walter T. Col- 
quitt, United States Senator. 

Colter; peak in Yellowstone Park, named for John Colter, a guide with the Lewis 
and Clark expedition. 

Colton; town in St. Lawrence County, New York, named for Jesse Colton Higley, 
an early settler. 

Colton; township and city in San Bernardino County, California, named for Col. 
David Colton, an early and prominent citizen. 

Coltsneck; town in Monmouth County, New Jersey. The name i» probably derived 
from an innkeeper's sign upon which was printed the old seal of New Jersey — ^a 
horse's head with a wreath around the neck. 

Columbia; counties in Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, New York, Oregon, Pennsyl- 
vania, Washington, and Wisconsin, and river in Oregon and Washington. The 
river was named by Captain Gray for the vessel in which he entered its mouth. 

{Columbiana; county, and village in same county, in Ohio; 
Columbus; county in North Carolina, and 26 places in the country. Named for 
Christopher Columbus. 
Columbus Grove; village in Putnam County, Ohio, so named by the first settlers 

from the city of Columbm*. 
Colusa; county, and town in same county, in California, named from the Korusi 

tribe of Indians. 
ColviUe; town in Stevens County, Washington, named from the old Hudson Bay 

Company's fort near the Columbia River. 
Colwich; city in Sedgwick County, Kansas. The name is a compound of Colorado 

and Wichita, with reference to the Colorado and Wichita Railroad. 
Comal; county in Texas which takes its name from the river. A Spanish word 

meaning "flat earthen pan." 
Comanche; counties in Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas, named from the Indian tribe. 
Cometa; village in San Joaquin County, California. The Spanish form of "comet." 
Commack; village in Suffolk County, New York. From an Indian word, winne- 

comaCj "beautiful place." 
Commencement; bay in Washington, named by Vancouver, because he thought it 

the beginning of the arm of an inlet. 
Commerce; village in Scott County, Missouri, so named because it was a trading 

post as early as 1803. 
Communipaw; village in Bergen County, New Jersey, named for the original grantee, 

Michael Pauw, director of the Dutch West India Company. The word is of 

Indian origin. 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IK THE tTlTlTED STATES. 89 

Como; town in Park County, Colorado, so named by the early miners because of a 
lake in the neighborhood, referring to Lake Como, Italy. 

Como; town in Panola County, Mississippi, named from a highland pond upon the 
place of Dr. G .G. Tate, who settled it. 

Compton; village in Lee County, Illinois, named for Joel Compton, its founder. 

Comstock; famous silver and lead bearing lode in Nevada, named for Henry Page 
Comstock. 

Conant; creek in Yellowstone Park, named for Al Conant, who nearly lost his life 
in it. 

Concho; county and river in Texas. A Spanish word meaning a ** shell." 

Concord; towns in Contra Costa County, California, and Essex County, Vermont, 
named from the town in Massachusetts. 

Concord; town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, so called either from the Chris- 
tian concord among the first company, or "from the peaceful manner of its 
acquisition,'* it having been purchased from the Indians. 

Concord; city in Cabarrus County, North Carolina, named from the battle of Concord. 

Concordia; city in Cloud County, Kansas, named so because there was a contro- 
versy for years over a permanent seat of county government, which was finally 
settled with unanimity. 

Cone; peak in Siskiyou County, California, so named because of its regular conical 
shape. 

Conecuh.; county and river in Alabama, from the Creek Indian word conata, mean- 
ing "crooked," probably given with reference to the winding course of the 
river. 

ConedoiT^nit; stream in Pennsylvania. An Indian word meaning "for a long 
way nothing but bends." 

Conejo; town in Fresno County, California. 

Conejoe; county, and town in same county, in Colorado, named from the Rio de los 
Conejos. A Spanish term meaning "rabbit," and applied to these localities on 
account of the great numbers of these animals. 

Conemaugh; river and town in Cambria County, Pennsylvania. An Indian word 
meaning ' ' otter creek . ' ' 

Conequonessing; creek in Pennsylvania. A Delaware Indian word meaning "for 
a long time straight." 

Conestoga; creek and village in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, named from an 
Indian tribe. The word is interpreted to mean "great maize land," or "crooked 
stream." 

Conesus; lake and town in Uvingston County, New York. The name is derived 
from the Indian word ganeasos, "place of many berries," or, according to Mor- 
gan, " place of nanny-berries." 

Conewago; creek and village in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. An Indian word 
meaning "long reach," or " long strip." 

Conewaugo; river in New York. The name is derived from the Indian word gan- 
ovnmgOy "rapids," or, according to some other authorities, "they have been 
gone a long time." 

Coney; island at the extremity of Long Island, New York, which is said by some to 
have been so named because of the numbers of rabbits there. Another theory 
ascribes it to the winds having driven the sand into truncated cones. It appears, 
however, to have been originally called Conguj which suggests another derivation. 

Confluence; borough in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, so named because situated 
near the confluence of three streams. 

Congaree; river, and town in Richmond County, in South Carolina, named from a 
tribe of Indians. 



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90 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258 

Oonklin; town in Broome County, New York, named for Judge John Conklin. 
Conly; creek in Humboldt County, California, named for an old settler. 
Oonneaut; townships in Crawford and Erie counties, Pennsylvania, and village and 

creek in Ashtabula County, Ohio; 
Oonneaut Lake; borough in Crawford County, Pennsylvania; 
Conneautville; borough in Crawford County, Pennsylvania. Hecke welder says it 

is a corruption of the Indian, gunniate, meaning **it is a long time since they 

are gone.'* According to other authorities it is a Seneca Indian word, signify- 
ing **many fish.** A third authority gives "snow place.** 
Oonnecticut; State of the Union and river in New England. An Indian name, 

derived from quonoktacut, meaning, according to some authorities ** river whose 

water is driven in waves by tides or winds. * * Haines says, * * land on the long tidal 

river. ' ' Other interpretations are, * * on long river, * * * ' long river, * * and * * the long 

(without end) river.'* 
ConnellBville; borough in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, named for Zachariah 

Connell, who laid it out. 
Connersville; city in Fayette County, Indiana, named for John Conner, who laid 

out the place iu 1817. 
Connersville; village in Harrison County, Kentucky,, named for Lewis Conner. 
Conness; mount in California, named for John Conness, Senator from California in 

1863-1869. 
Cononodaw; creek in Pennsylvania. The name is corrupted from the Indian word 

gunniaday "he tarries long." 
Conoquenessing; borough in Butler County, Pennsylvania. The name is corrupted 

from the Delaware Indian word gunachquene^ sinky meaning "for a long way 

straight.*' 
Coney; creek and village in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. A corruption of a 

tribal name, said to mean " long." 
Conquest; town in Cayuga County, New York, so named to commemorate the con- 
quest achieved by those who favored a division of the old town of Cato. 
Conshohocken; borough in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. An Indian word 

meaning "pleasant valley.*' 
Constable; village in Franklin County, New York, named for William Constable, 

agent and part proprietor. 
Constable ville; village in Lewis County, New York, named for William Consta- 

able, son of the original proprietor. 
Constantino; township and village in Saint Joseph County, Michigan, named for 

the Roman emperor. 
Constitution; island in the Hudson River, New York, named from the fort. 
Contoocook; river in New Hampshire. An Indian word meaning "crow river." 
Contra Costa; county in California. A Spanish term meaning "coast opposite 

another." 
Converse; county in Wyoming, probably named for A. R. Converse, territorial 

treasurer. 
Conway; county, and town in Faulkner County, in Arkansas, named for Henry W. 

Conway, Territorial delegate in Congress. 
Conway; town in Franklin County, .Massachusetts, named for Henry Seymour 

Conway, secretary of state of England. Some authorities claim that the name 

was derived from the town in Wales. 
Conway; town in Horry Coiinty, South Carolina, named for Gen. Robert Conway, 

an early resident. 
Cook; inlet of the Pacific Ocean on the coast of Alaska, named for Captain Cook, the 

navigator. 
Cook; county in Illinois, named for Danied P. Cook, member of Congress. 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 91 

Cook; county in Minnesota, named for Maj. Michael Cook, who was killed in the 

civil war. 
Cooke; county in Texas, named for William G. Cooke, captain of New Orleans 

Grays at the storming of Bexar. 
Cooksburg; village in Albany County, New York, named for Thomas B. Cook, an 

early landholder. 
Coolidge; city in Hamilton County, Kansas, named for Thomas Jefferson Coolidge, 

former president of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad. 
Cooper; township in Washington County, Maine, named for Gen. John Cooper, an 

early and esteemed settler. 
Cooper; county in Missouri, named for Capt. Sanshell Cooper, an early settler. 
Cooper,^ river in South Carolina, named for the Earl of Shaftsbury, Lord Ashley 

Cooper, one of the proprietors. 
Cooper; point in Washington, named for a man who took up a claim there, which 

he afterwards deserted. 
Coopersburg; village in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, named for a family of early 

settlers. 
Cooperstown; village in Otsego County, New York, named for the father of James 

Fenimore Cooper. 
Cooperstown; borough in Venango County, Pennsylvania, named for its founder, 

William Cooper. 
Cooperstown; town in Robertson County, Tennessee, so named because a great 

many barrels were made there for the Red River mills. 
Coopersville; village in Clinton County, New York, named for Ebenezer Cooper, a 

mill owner. 
rCoos; county in New Hampshire; 

ICoos; bay, river, and county in Oregon. An Indian word meanmg ** place of pines.'* 
Coosa; river and county in Alabama, named from a tribe of Indians, the Kusa. 
Coosawhatchie; river, and town in Beaufort County, in South Carolina. An Indian 

word meaning ** river of the Coosas,'* a former Indian tribe. 
Cope; town in Arapahoe County, Colorado, named for Jonathan Cope, who laid 

it out. 
Cope; town in Orangeburg County, South Carolina, named for J. Martin Cope, its 

founder. 
Copemish; village in Manistee County, Michigan. An Indian word meaning * * beech 

tree.'* 
Copenhagen; village in Lewis County, New York, named from the city in Denmark. 

{Copiah; county in Mississippi; 
Copiah Creek; village in Copiah County, Mississippi. An Indian word meaning 
* * calling panther. ' ' 

Coplay; creek and borough in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. An Indian word 
meaning '*that which runs evenly" or ** tine-running stream." 

Copley; township in Summit County, Ohio, named for the wife of Gardner Green, 
a land proprietor. 

Copper; harbor in Michigan, so called from the copper mines near. 

Copperopolis; town in Calaveras County, California, named from the extensive cop- 
per mines in the vicinity. 

Coqnille; river and town in Coos County, in Oregon. A French word meaning 
*'shell." 

Coralville; town in Johnson County, Iowa, so named from the coral formation under- 
lying the town. 

Coram; village in Suffolk County, New York, named for an Indian chief. 

Coraopolis; borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, named for Cora W^atson, 
the wife of one of the proprietors. 



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92 1*LACE NAMES IN THE UNITED - STATES. [bull. 258. 

Corapechen; creek in Maryland. An Indian word said to mean ** fierce-running 

stream." 
Corbett; post-oflfice in Multnomah County, Oregon, named for H. W. Corbett, 

United States Senator from the State. 
Gorbin; town in Jefferson County, Montana, named for Daniel Corbin, at one time 

a resident of Helena, afterwards of New York. 
Corcoran; mount in California, named for W. W. Corcoran, of Washington, D. C. 
Cordero ; village in San Diego County, California. A Spanish word meaning ' * lamb. ' ' 
Oordova; thirteen places in the country, named from the city in Spain. 
Oorfu; village in Genesee County, New York, named for the ancient city of the 

Ionian Islands. 
Corinna; town in Penobscot County, Maine, named for the Greek poetess of Boeotia. 
Corinth; city in Alcorn County, Mississippi, named from the ancient city in Greece. 
Cork; villages in Butta County, Georgia, Fulton County, New York, Ashtabula 

County, Ohio, and Tyler County, West Virginia; named from the city in Ireland. 
Cornelius; town in Washington County, Oregon, named for Col. T. R. Cornelius, 

volunteer in Cayuse war. 
Cornell; village in Livingston County, Illinois, named for a family of first settlers. 
Cornell; mount in New York, named for Ezra Cornell, founder of Cornell University. 
Comettsville; village in Daviess County, Indiana, named for Myer and Samuel 

Cornett, who laid it out. 
Corning:; town in Adams County, Iowa, and cities in Steuben County, New York, 

and Nemaha County, Nebraska, named for Firastus Coming. 
Complanter; township in Venango County and Indian reservation in Warren 

County, Pennsylvania, named for a Seneca Indian chief. 
Comville; town in Somerset County, Maine, so named from an unusually good 

yield of corn. 
Coronaca; town in Greenwood County, South Carolina, which derived its name from 

the plantation of Joseph Salvador, a wealthy Jewish landowner of Charleston. 
Coronado; cities in San Diego County, California, and Wichita County, Kansas, 

named for the Spanish explorer, Francisco Vjisquez de Coronado. 
Corpus Christi; city in Nueces County, and bay in Texas, named with reference 

to a festival of the Roman Catholic Church. 
Corral; village in Santa Barbara County, California. A Spanish word meaning 

* Enclosure" or "cattle pen." 
Correctionville; town in Woodbury County, Iowa, situated on a correction line. 
Corry ; city in Erie County, Pennsylvania, named for a former owner, Hiram Corry. 
Corsica; borough in Jefferson County, Pennsylvania, named from the island in the 

Mediterranean Sea. 
Corsicana; city in Navarro County, Texas, named for the wife of Navarro, a Mexi- 
can, who owned a large tract of land in the county. 
Corson; inlet in New Jersey, named for a family who lived north of the inlet. 
Corte Madera; town in Marin County, California. A Spanish phrase, meaning 

"felled timber." 
Cortina; village in Colusa County, California. A Spanish word meaning "cur- 
tain" or "veil." 
Cortland; city in Republic County, Kansas, named from the city in New York. 

{Cortland; county, and city in same county, in New York; 
Cortlandt; town in Westchester County, New York. Named for Pierre Van Cort- 
landt. 
Corunna; city in Shiawassee County, Michigan, named from the city in Spain. 
Corvallis; town in Ravalli County, Montana, named from and settled by people 
from Corvallis, Or^on. 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 93 

Corvallis; city in Benton County, Oregon. The name is formed of two Spanish 

words, meaning "heart of valley,'* so named from its situation in Willamette 

Valley. 
Corvette; ledge in Maryland, so named because a French corvette went ashore on 

the ledge. 
Corwin; village in Warren County, Ohio> named for Thomas Corwin, governor of 

the State. 
Cory; village in Clay County, Indiana, named for a resident of Terre Haute. 
Coryell; county, and village in same county, in Texas, named for James Coryell, a 

large landowner. 
Coshocton; county, and village in same county, in Ohio, named from the Delaware 

Indian town of Goshoching. The word means, according to some authorities, 

' * habitation of owls. ' ' Heckewelder gives * * union of waters. ' ' Others say * * fin- 
ished small harbor.'* 
Cossatot; river in Arkansas, supposed to be a corruption of the French word casse- 

tMe, "tomahawk.'* 
Cossayuna; lake and village in Washington County, New York. An Indian word, 

said to signify "lake at our points." 
Costilla; county in Colorado, named from the Costilla estate, which extends into 

Taos County, New Mexico. 
Cosmnxie; town in Sacramento County, Cahfomia, named from a tribe of Indians. 

The word means "salmon." 
Cota; town in San Diego County, California. A Spanish word meaning "coat of 

mail." 
C6te Blanche; bay in Louisiana. French words meaning "white shore." 
Cottage City; town in Dukes County, Massachusetts. A summer resort, so named 

from the many cottages along the shore. 
Cottle; county in Texas, named for G. W. Cottle, who fell at the Alamo. 
Cottleville; town in St. Charles County, Missouri, named for Lorenzo Cottle, an 

early settler. 
Cotton Plant; town in Dunklin County, Missouri, distinguished by fields of grow- 
ing cotton. 
Cottonwood; county and river in Minnesota, a translation of the Dakota (Sioux) 

name, given on account of the abundance of the cottonwood tree. 
Cottonwood Falls; city in Chase County, Kansas, situated at a fall or rapid of Cot- 
tonwood Creek; hence the name. 
Cottrell; key in Florida, named for Jeremiah Cottrell, first keeper of the light-house 

on the island. 
Coulter; village in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, named for Eli Coulter, an early 

settler. 
Coulter; creek in Yellowstone Park, named for John M. Coulter, botanist with the 

Hay den expedition. 
ConlterviUe; town in Randolph County, Illinois, named for its founder, James B. 

Coulter. 
Council Bluffs; city in Pottawattamie County, Iowa, so called from a council held 

near there by Lewis and Clark with the Indians. 
Council Grove; city in Morris County, Kansas, so named from a treaty which was 

effected with the Osage Indians in a grove at that place. 
Coupeville; village in Island County, Washington, named for a navigator. Captain 

Coupe. 
Coventry; towns in Tolland County, Connecticut, Chenango County, New York, 

Kent County, Rhode Island, and Orleans County, Vermont, named from the 

town in England. 



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94 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Oovington; county in Alabama, cities in Newton County, Greorgia, and Kenton 

CJounty, Kentucky, county in Mississippi, and town in Wyoming County, New 

York, named for Gen. Leonard Covington, distinguished at Fort Recovery, 1794. 
Cow; island in the Missouri River in Kansas, from the old name given by the 

French, isle de vachCy **i8le of the cow," from the buffalo found there. 
Oowanesque; creek in Potter County, Pennsylvania. An Indian word meaning 

* * overgrown with briars. ' ' 
Cowanshannock; creek in Pennsylvania. A Delaware Indian word, gaimensch- 

hanncj "green briar stream." 
Oowautacuck; creek in Connecticut. An Indian word meaning "pine woodland." 
Cowen; mount in Montana, named for the assistant secretary of the interior. 
Cowen; town in Webster County, West Virginia, named for the president of the 

Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. 
Coweta; county in Georgia, named from a former important Creek town about the 

present site of Columbus, Ga. 
Cowhocton; river in New York. An Indian word meaning "log in the water." 
Cowles; town in Webster County, Nebraska, named for W. D. Cowles, a railroad man. 
Cowley; county in Kansas, named for Matthew Cowley, first lieutenant Company 

I, Ninth Kansas Volunteer Regiment. 
Cowlitz; county and river in Washington, named from the Indian tribe of the same 

name. 
Cowpens; village in Spartanburg County, South Carolina, made famous by a battle 

fought there during the Revolution. It received its name from an early cattle 

corral. 
Cox; bar in California, named for an old settler. 
Cox; creek in Florida, named for a man who lived on its banks. 
Coxsackie; town in Greene County, New York. The name is derived from the 

Indian kukj "to cut," and aukey "earth," descriptive of the ridge cut by the 

waters of the Hudson. Another theory derives the name from an Indian word 

meaning "hooting of owls." 
Coyote; village in Santa Clara County, California, and town in Rio Arriba County, 

New Mexico. From the Mexican coyotly "prairie wolf." 
Cozad; town in Dawson County, Nebraska, named for the original owner of the site, 

John J. Cozad. 
Crab Grass; creek in Florida, so (ailed from a species of grass plentiful along its 

banks. 
Crabtree; town in Linn County, Oregon, named for John J. Crabtree, an early 

settler. 
Craftonville; town in San Bernardino County, California, named for its founder, 

George Craft. 
Craftsbury; town in Orleans County, Vermont, named for Ebenezer Crafts, one of 

the original grantees. 
Craig; village in Routt County, Colorado, named for Rev. Bayard Craig, of Denver. 
Craig; county and creek in Virginia, named for a prominent family of Augusta 

County. 
Craig; pass in Yellowstone Park, Wyoming, named for Mrs. Ida Craig Wilcox, the 

first tourist to cross the pass. 
Craighead; county in Arkansas, named for Thomas B. Craighead, of the State senate. 
Cranberry; islands in Hancock County, Maine, named from a marsh of cranber- 
ries on the largest island. 
Cranberry Isles; town in Hancock County, Maine, named from the islands. 
Crane; county in Texas, named for William Carey Crane, a Baptist minister, 
Granesville; village in Erie County, Pennsylvania, named for its founder, Fowler 

Crane. 



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QANNirrT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 95 

Cranston; town in Providence County, Rhode Island, named for Samuel Cranston, 

governor of the State for nearly thirty years. 
Crater; town in Mono County, California, named from its location near extinct 

volcanoes. 
Crater; buttes in Idaho, so named from their volcanic origin. 
Crater; lake in Oregon, so named because it occupies the crater of a former volcano. 
Craven; county in North Carolina, named for William, Earl of Craven, a lord 

proprietor. 
Crawford; county in Arkansas, county, and city in Oglethorpe County, in Georgia, 

and counties in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, and Wisconsin, named for William H. 

Crawford, secretary of the treasury under President Monroe. 
Crawford; county in Kansas, named for Samuel J. Crawford, colonel Second Kansas 

R^ment, and governor in 1865-69. 
Crawford; counties in Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, named for Col. 

William Crawford, who was captured by Indians and burned at the stake at 

Sandusky, Ohio, in 1782. 
Crawford; town in Lowndes County, Mississippi, named for Rev. Crawford, a Bap- 
tist preacher. 
Crawford; purchase in Coos County, New Hampshire, named for the original 

owner, Ethan A. Crawford. 

{Crawford Hoiuse; village in Coos County, New Hampshire; 
Crawford Notch; gap in White Mountains, New Hampshire. Named from the 
purchase. 

Crawfordsville; city in Indiana, named for William H. Crawford, secretary of the 
treasury under President Monroe. 

Crawfordsville; town in Linn County, Oregon, named for George F. Crawford, an 
earley settler. 

Crawfordville; town in Taliaferro County, Georgia, named from William H. Craw- 
ford, secretary of the treasury under President Monroe. 

Creal Springs; city in Williamson County, Illinois, named for the founder. 

Creede; city in Mineral County, Colorado, named for a miner who made rich dis- 
coveries of gold in the region. 

Creek; nation in Indian Territory, occupied by the Creek tribe of Indians. It is 
said that the English gave the name to the tribe because the country formerly 
inhabited by them in Alabama and Colorado was full of creeks. 

Creighton; township and town in Knox County, Nebraska, named for Edward 
Creighton, of Omaha. 

Crenshaw; county in Alabama, named for Anderson Crenshaw, of that State. 

Cresco; city in Howard County, Iowa. From the Latin, signifying "I grow." 

Cresskill; borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, named from a creek abounding 
in water cress. The word hil is Dutch for ** stream." 

{Cresson; village in Cambria County, Pennsylvania; 
Cressona; borough in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. Named for Elliott Ores- 
son, a Philadelphia merchant. 
Crested Butte; town in Gunnison County, Colorado, named for a conical, gray peak 

which dominates the valley. The mountain derives its name from its shape. 
Crestline; village in Crawford County, Ohio, so called because it occupies the crest 

line of the middle elevation of the State. 
Creston; town in San Luis Obispo County, California, named from its location on 

the crest of a ridge. 
Creston; village in Ogle County, Illinois, named from its location on the highest 

point of land between Chicago and the Mississippi River. 
Creston; city in Union County, Iowa, so named because it was the highest point on 
the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad. 



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96 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Crestone; mountain in Colorado, named from ite shape. 

Creswell; town in Wai^hington County, North Carolina, named for Postmaster- 
General Creswell. 
Cr^ve Coeur; village in St. Louis County, Missouri, named for an early French fort 

The name means ** heart breaking." 
Crittenden; county in Arkansas, named for Robert Crittenden, territorial governor. 
Crittenden; county, and town in Grant County, in Kentucky, named for John J. 

Crittenden, governor of and United States Senator from that State. 
Crockett; county in Tennessee, and county, and town in Houston County, in Texas, 

named for Col. David Crockett, celebrated frontier Indian fighter, who fell at 

the Alamo. 
Crog^lian; town in Lewis County, New York, named for Col. George Croghan 
Cronly; town in Columbus County, North Carolina, named for the former owner of 

the site. 
Crook; town in Logan County, Colorado, and counties in Oregon and Wyoming, 

named for (Jen. George H. Crook, the Indian fighter. 
Crooked; creek in Pennsylvania, named from the old Indian name, vxHxk-hanne, 

* * crooked stream. ' ' 
Crookston; township and city in Polk County, Minnesota, named for Col. William 

Crooks, an old settler. 
Crosby; county in Texas, named for Stephen Crosby, prominent citizen. 
Crosman; valley in Nevada, named for Col. G. H. Crosman. 
Cross; county in Arkansas, named for Judge Edward Cross, a pioneer. 
Crossville; village in White County, Illinois, named for a family of first settlers. 
Crosswicks; town in Burlington County, New Jersey. A corruption of the Indian 

CTosmveeksunQy ** house of separation." 
Croswell; village in Sanilac County, Michigan, named for Governor Croswell. 
Crothersville; town in Jackson County, Indiana, named for Doctor Crothers. 
Croton; village in Newaygo County, Michigan, named from the town in New York. 
Croton; river in New York, named for an Indian chief whose name was Kenoten, 

Kiioten, or Notary meaning **the wind." 
Croton Falls; town in Westchester County, New York, named from Croton River. 
Crow; river in Minnesota. A literal translation of the Indian name, Andaig. 
Crowley; village in Polk County, Oregon, named for Solomon K. Crowley, an early 

settler. 
Crown Point; town in Essex County, New York. From the original French name, 

point an chevalure^ "point of the hair (or scalp)," because it is said the French 

and Indians sent out "scalping parties" from this place. 
Crow Wing; river in Minnesota, called by the Indians kayaugeweguan, meaning 

"crow's feather." 
Crow Wing; county, and village in same county, in Minnesota, named from the 

river. 
Croydon; town in Sullivan County, New Hampshire, named from the town in Sur- 
rey, England. 
Crugers; village in Westchester County, New York, named for Col. John P. Cruger. 
Crum Elbow; village in Dutchess County, New York, the name of which was given, 

it is said, from a sudden bend in the Hudson River at that place. 
Cuba; city in Fulton County, Illinois, named from the islalid of Cuba. 
Cucharas; river and village in Huerfano County, Colorado. A Spanish word mean- 
ing "spoon brook." 
Cudahy; village in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, named for the Cudahy brothers, 

who own a pork-packing establishment there. 
Cuddeback; town in Humboldt County, California, named for an old settler. 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE aNITED STATES. 97 

Cuemo Verde; mountain in Colorado, named for its shape and color. Spanish 

words meaning ** green horn.'* 
Cuero; town in Dewitt County, Texas. A Spanish word meaning **hide," **skin,'' 

or "leather." 
Cuesta; village in San Luis Obispo County, California. A Spanish word meaning 

** mount." 
Cuivre; river and village in Lincoln County, Missouri. A French word meaning 

"copper." 
Cullman; county, and city in same county, in Alabama, named for General John G. 

Cullman, of that State. 
CuUoden; village in Monroe County, Georgia, named for William CuUoden, one of 

the first settlers in the county. 
CuUoin; village in Livingston County, Illinois, named for Shelby M. CuUom, United 

States Senator from that State. 
Culpeper; county, and town in same county, in Virginia, named for Lord Thomas 

Culpeper, governor in 1679-80. 
Cumberland; islands off the coast of Georgia, county and river in Kentucky, city 

in Allegany County and mountains in Maryland, counties in New Jersey and 

North Carolina, and town in Providence County, Rhode Island, named for the 

Duke of Cumberland, the victor of CuUoden. 
Cumberland; county in Illinois, named from the Cumberland road, which was pro- 
jected to pass through it. 
Cumberland; counties in Maine, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, named from the 

county in England. 
Cumberland; city in Allegany County, Maryland, named from and built on the 

site of old Fort Cumberland, erected during the French and Indian wars. The 

fort was named for the Duke of Cumberland. 
Cumberland; county in Tennessee, named from the mountains. 
Cumberland; city in Barron County, Wisconsin, named from the city in Maryland. 
Cuming; county, and town in same county, in Nebraska, named for T. B. Cuming, 

governor of the Territory in 1854-55. 
Cumming; town in Forsyth County, Georgia, named for Col. William Cumming, 

of Augusta, Georgia. 
Cummington; town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, named for Col. John 

Cummings, the former owner. 
Cunmiinsville; village in Wheeler County, Nebraska, named for J. F. Cummings, 

county clerk. 
Cumminsville; village in Hamilton County, Ohio, named for David Cummins, an 

early settler. 
Cundy; harbor and ledge in Maine, named for a family who settled there at an early 

date. 
Cunningham; town in Chariton County, Missouri, named for Dr. John F. Cunning- 
ham, of Brunswick, Missouri. 
Cupsuptic; lake in Maine. An Indian word meaning ''drawing a seine while 

fishing." 
Currie; village in Murray County, Minnesota, named from the parish in Scotland. 
Curry; county in Oregon, named for George L. Curry, governor of the Territory in 

1855-1859. 
Currytown; village in Montgomery County, New York, named for William Curry, 

patentee. 
Curryville; town in Pike County, Missouri, named for Perry Curry, who laid out 

the town. 
Curtin; village in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, named for the Curtin family, of 

which Governor A. G. Curtin was a member. 
Bull. 258—05 7 



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98 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. (bull. 258. 

Curtisville; village in Stockbridge, Berkshire County, Massachusetts, named for 
Elnathan Curtis, a settler of 1712. 

Curwensville; borough in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, named for John Cur- 
wen, of Montgomery County. 

Gushing^; town in Knox County, Maine, named for Thomas Cushing, lieutenant- 
governor of Massachusetts. 

Cusseta; town in Chambers County, Alabama, and village in Chattahoochee County, 
Geoigia, named from a former Creek Indian town. Meaning unknown. 

Ouster; county in Colorado; county, and toMn in same county, in Idaho; county and 
creek in Montana; county, and township in same county, in Nebraska; county, 
and village in Beaver County, in Oklahoma; county, and township and city in 
same county, in South Dakota; and several other places; named for Gen. George 
A. Custer, who was killed by Indians in 1876 on the banks of Rosebud River. 

Cuthbert; town in Randolph County, Georgia, named for Col. J. A. Cuthbert, 
member of Congress. 

Cutler; town in Washington County, Maine, named for an early proprietor, Joseph 
Cutler, of Newbury port, Massachusetts. 

Cuttawa; town in Lyon County, Kentucky, named from the old Indian name of the 
Kentucky River, Kuttawa. 

Cuttingsville; village in Rutland County, Vermont, named for one of the first 
settlers. 

Cuttyhunk; island in Buzzards Bay. A contraction of the Indian word poocutoh- 

hunkunnok, ''thing that lies out in the water." 
Cuyahoga; river and county in Ohio; 

Cuyahoga Falls; village in Summit County, Ohio, situated at falls on the Cuyahoga 
River. The name is said by some to be derived from cayahaga, ** crooked,'* but 
Atwater derives it from cuyahogan-ukj "lake river." Another authority gives 
carrihogay meaning " news carrier." 

Cuylerville; town in Livingston County, New York, named for W. T. Cuyler, an 
early settler. 

Cynthiana; city in Harrison County, Kentucky, named for the two daughters of 
the original proprietors, Cynthia and Anna Harris. 

Cypress; island in Washington; so named by Vancouver's party, from the abun- 
dance of that species of tree on the island. 

Cyr; plantation in Aroostook County, Maine, named for a family numerous in that 

section. 
Dade; county, and city in Pasco County, in Florida, and counties in Georgia and 

Missouri; 
Dadeville; town in Tallapoosa County, Alabama. Named for Maj. Francis L. Dade, 
of the Seminole war. 

Daggett; pond in Maine, named for an early settler. 

Daggett; town in San Bernardino County, California, named from the town in 
Indiana. 

Daggett; village in Owen County, Indiana, named for Charles Daggett, a prominent 
resident. 

Dagsboro; town in Sussex County, Delaware, named for Sir John Dagworthy. 

Dahlonega; towns in Lumpkin County, Geoi^ia, and Wapello County, Iowa. 
From a Cherokee Indian word signifying '* yellow," referring to the gold for- 
merly mined in upper Geoi^a. 

Dakota; States of the Union — North Dakota and South Dakota, and counties in 
Minnesota and Nebraska, and several small places, named for the Indian tribe. 
The Indian form is Lakota^ Nakota or Dakota, according to the dialect, signify- 
ing "allies," the common name of the confederated Sioux tribes. 

Dale; county in Alabama, named for Gen. Samuel Dale of that State. 



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GANNETT] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 99 

Dallam; county in Texas, named for James W. Dallam, the lawyer who made the 

first digest of Texas laws. 
Dallas; county in Alabama, named for A. J. Dallas, Secretary of the Treasury under 

President Madison. 
Dallas; counties in Arkansas, Iowa, and Missouri; town in Gaston County, North 

Carolina, and county, and town in same county, in Texas; 
Dallas Center; town in Dallas County, Iowa. Named for George M. Dallas, Vice- 
President under President Polk. 
Dalles; city in Wasco County, Oregon, named from the dalles on the Columbia 

River. 
Dalles; the name given by the Hudson Bay Company to deep chasms in rocks 

forming a narrow passage for rivers. A French word meaning ** flagstone," 

"slab," also a "spout for water" or "trough." The most famous dalles are on 

the Columbia Kiver, Oregon. 
Dalmatia; town in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, named from the titular 

kingdom of Austria. 
Dalton; towns in Whitfield County, Georgia, and Berkshire County, Massachusetts, 

named for G^n. Tristram Dalton, speaker of the house of representatives of 

Massachusetts. 
Dalton; village in Chariton County, Missouri, named for William Dalton. 
Dalton; town in Coos County, New Hampshire, named for Hon. Tristram Dalton, 

a grantee. 
Daly; mountain in Colorado, named for Judge Charley P. Daly, formerly president 

of the American Geographical Society. 
Daly; county in Montana, named for Marcus Daly. 
Damariscotta; river, and town in Lincoln County, in Maine. An Indian name 

meaning "ale wife place" or "river of little fishes." 
Damascus; town in Placer County, California, and thirteen other towns and villages, 

named from the ancient city in Syria. 
Dana; village in Lasalle County, Illinois, named for a railroad oflficial. 
Dana; town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, named for the family of which 

Chief Justice Francis Dana was a member. 
Danbiiry; city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, and several other places, named 

from the town in Essex, England. 
Danby; town in Rutland County, Vermont, named from Danby, England. 
Dandridge; town in Jefferson County, Tennessee, named for the maiden name of 

the wife of George Washington, Mrs. Martha Custis, n^e Dandridge. 
Dane; county, and village in same county, in Wisconsin, named for Nathan Dane, 

an American jurist and a member of Congress. 
Danforth; township and village in Iroquois County, Illinois, named for George M. 

Danforth, its founder. 
Danielson; borough in Windham County, Connecticut, named for Gen. James Dan- 

ielson, the builder of the first house in the settlement. 
Danielsville; town in Madison County, Georgia, named for Gen. Allen Daniel. 
Dannebrog; village in Howard County, Nebraska, settled by Danes from Milwaukee, 

Wisconsin. 
Dannemora; town in Clinton County, New York, named from the celebrated iron 

region in Sweden. 
Dansville; town in Steuben County, and village in Livingston County, New York, 

named for Daniel P. Faulkner, who laid out the village. 
Danube; town in Herkimer County, New York, named from the river in Austria. 
Danvers; township and village in McLean County, Illinois, named from the town 

in Massachusetts. 



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100 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 268. 

Danvers; town in Essex County, Massachusetts, said to have received its name 

from the Earl D'Anvers, but Nason says it received its name in honor of Sir 

Danvers Osbom, governor of New York in 1753. 
Danville; village in Ingham County, Michigan, named for Daniel L. Crossman, a 

resident. 
Danville; township and city in Vermilion County, Illinois, named for Dan Beck- 

with, an Indian trader, who donated a part of the town site. 
Danville; town in Hendricks County, Indiana, named for Daniel Bales, proprietor. 
Danville; city in Boyle County, Kentucky, named for its founder Walker Daniel. 
Dcmville; village in Montgomery County, Missouri, built on land which formerly 

belonged to Daniel M. Boone, son of Daniel Boone. 
Danville; borough in Montour County, Pennsylvania, named for Gen. Daniel 

Montgomery, an early settler. 
Danville; town in Caledonia County, Vermont, named for the distinguished French 

admiral, D'Anville. 
Danville; city in Pittsylvania County, Virginia, so named because situated on the 

the river Dan. 
Darby; borough in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, named from Derby, England, 

whence many of the early settlers came. 
Darbyville; village in ^Pickaway County, Ohio, named for a Wyandotte Indian 

chief. 
Dare; county in Virginia named for Virginia Dare, the first white child bom in the 

New World, 1587. 
Darke; county in Ohio; 
Darkesville; town in Berkeley County, West Virginia. Named for Gen. William 

Darke, an officer of the Revolution. 
Darlington; borough in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, named for S. P. Darlington, 

a merchant of Pittsburg. 
Darlington; county, and village in same county, in South Carolina. The origin of 

the name is not known, but may have been given in honor of Colonel Darlington, 

a Revolutionary leader. 
Darlington; city in Lafayette County, Wisconsin, named for Joshua Darlington, a 

prominent resident. 
Dartford; village in Green Lake County, Wisconsin, named for the first settler. 
Dartmouth; town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, named, according to Whitmore, 

from the seaport in Devonshire, England; other authorities give William, Earl 

of Dartmouth. 
Dartmouth; college in Hanover, Grafton County, New Hampshire, founded by and 

named for William, Earl of Dartmouth. 
Darwin; town in Inyo County, California, and village in Clark County, Illinois, 

named for Charles Darwin, the English naturalist. 
Darysaw; village and township in Grant County, Arkansas. A corruption of the 

French, des rumeauXj "of the streamlets.** 
Dauphin; county in Pennsylvania, named for the Dauphin of France, son of 

Louis XVI. 
Davenport; city in Scott County, Iowa, named for Colonel Davenport, an early 

settler. 
Davenport; village in Thayer County, Nebraska, named from Davenport, Iowa. 
Davenport; town in Delaware County, New York, named for John Davenport, an 

early settler. 
David City; city in Butler County, Nebraska, named for David Butler, first governor 

of the State. 



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GANNETT] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 101 

I>aTidson; town in Boulder County, Colorado, named for Col. William A. Davidson, 
president of the Davidson Coal and Iron Mining Company, which platted the 
town. 

I>avidson; village in Josephine County, Oregon, named for Elijah B. Davidson, an 
early settler. 

{Davidson; counties in North Carolina and Tennessee; 
Davidson College; town in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. Named for 
Gen. William Davidson, an oflScer of the Revolution. 
Davie; county in North Carolina, named for Gen. William R. Davie, governor in 

1798-99. 
Daviess; counties in Indiana, Kentucky, and Missouri, named for Col. Joseph 

Daviess, who fell at the battle of Tippecanoe. 
Davis; creek in Humboldt County, California, named for an old settler. 
Davis; village in Stephenson County, Illinois, named for one of its founders, S. J. Davis. 
Davis; county, and town in Decatur County, Iowa, named for Garrett Davis, mem- 
ber of Congress. 
Davis; county in Utah, named for Capt. Daniel Davis, a first settler, and captain of 

the first body of mounted rangers organized in the county. 
Davis; town in Tucker County, West Virginia, named for Senator H. G. Davis. 
Davison; county in South Dakota, named for Henry C. Davison, the first settler in 

the county. 
Davitte; village in Polk County, Georgia, named for the original proprietor, J. S. 

Davitte. 
Dawes; county in Nebraska, named for James W. Dawes, former governor of the 

State. 
Dawson; county in Georgia, named for William C. Dawson, United States Senator 

from that State. 
Dawson; township in McLean County, Illinois, named for John Wells Dawson, a 

pioneer. 
Dawson; village in Sangamon County, Illinois, named for Bert Dawson, one of ite 

founders. 
Dawson; county in Montana, named for Andrew Dawson, of the American Fur 

Company. 
Dawson; village in Richardson County, Nebraska, named for Joshua Dawson, an 

early settler. 
Dawson; county in Texas, named for Nicholas Dawson, who led the forces at the 

battle of Salado, in 1836. 
Dawsonville; town in Dawson County, Georgia, named for William C. Dawson, 

United States Senator from that State. 
Day; county in Oklahoma. The counties in Oklahoma were originally named from 

the letters of the alphabet; later, names were given which began with the letter 

corresponding to the one by which the county had been known. 
Day; county in South Dakota, named for Merritt H. Day, legislator. 
Dayansville; village in Lewis County, New York, named for Charles Dayan, who 

founded it in 1826. 
Dayton; town in York County, Maine, named for a prominent politician. 
Dayton; city in Montgomery County, Ohio, named for Jonathan Dayton, one of 

the original proprietors. 
Dayton; city in Rhea County, Tennessee, named from the city in Ohio. 
Dayton; city in Columbia County, Washington, named for Jesse N. Day, an early 

proprietor. 
Daytona; town in Volusia County, Florida, named for W. T. Day, of Ohio. 
Dead; mountain in Nevada, so called because it was supposed by the Mohave Indians 

to be the abode of departed spirits. 



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102 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Deadznans; island in San Pedro Bay, Los Angeles County, California, supposed to 

be an Indian burial ground, because of the skeletons found in excavating. 
Deadwood; town in Trinity County, California, and city in Lawrence County , South 

Dakota, named from adjacent forests of dead timber. 
Deaf Smith; county in Texas, named for Erastus Smith, Indian and Mexican 

fighter and scout, so called because his hearing was imperfect. 
Deal; island in Maryland. The name is corrupted from the old name. Devils Island. 
Deal; borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey; 
Deal Beach; post-office in Monmouth County, New Jersey. Named from Deal, 

England. 

Deal Island; village in Somerset County, Maryland, named from the island. 
Deansville; village in Oneida County, New York, named for Thomas Dean, agent 

of the Brothertown Indians. 
Dearborn; county in Indiana, town in Wayne County, Michigan, river in Montana, 

and mount in South Carolina, named for Gen. Henry Dearborn, Secretary of 

War under President Thomas Jefferson. 
Death; valley in Inyo County, California, so called because of the death of a party 

of immigrants from thirst and starvation. A gloomy tract of desert, 159 feet 

below sea level. 
Deblois; town in Washington County, Maine, named for Thomas Amory Deblois, 

a bank president. 
Decatur; counties in Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, and Kansas; towns in Newton County, 

Mississippi, and Otsego County, New York, and many other places; named for 

Commodore Stephen Decatur. 
Deckertown; borough in Sussex County, New Jersey, named for a family numerous 

in the neighborhood. 
Decorah; city in Winneshiek County, Iowa, named for Dehere, meaning "spoon,** 

a Winnebago chief. Another authority gives the orthography as Decorie. 
Dedham; town in Hancock County, Maine, named from the Massachusetts town. 
Dedham; town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, named from the parish in Eng- 
land. 
Deep; river in North Carolina. A translation of the Indian name sapponah^ ''deep 

river." 
Deep River; town in Poweshiek County, Iowa, named from a creek near. 
Deerfield; descriptive name given to many places. The town in Rockingham 

County, New Hampshire, was so named because when the petition for a town 

was pending Mr. Batchelder killed a deer, and upon presenting it to Governor 

Wentworth obtained the act and name. 
Deerfield; township in Portage County, Ohio, named from Deerfield Valley, in 

Massachusetts. 
Deering; town in Hillsboro County, New Hampshire, named by Governor Benning 

Wentworth for the maiden name of his wife. 
Deer Isle; town in Hancock County, Maine, named from three islands upon which 

deer were very abundant. 
Deerlodge; county, and town in Powell County, in Montana, named from a salt lick 

where deer came in droves. 
Defiance; county, and city in same county, in Ohio, named from a fort erected 

by Gen. Anthony Wayne in defiance of the British and Indians. 
De Funiak Springs; celebrated resort in Walton County, Florida, named for a 

resident of Nashville. 
Dehesa; town in San Diego County, California. A Spanish word meaning "pasture 

land.^' 
Dekalb; township and city in Dekalb County, Illinois, named from the county. 



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GANNETT] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 103 

Dekalb; counties in Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, and Tennessee, 
and numerous places in the country, named for Baron De Kalb, who fell at the 
battle of Camden. 

I>e Lacy; creek in Yellowstone Park, named for William W. De Lacy, the first 
white man known to have passed along the valley. 

I>e loL Mar; town in Shasta County, California. From the Spanish, meaning **by 
the sea.^' 

I>elancey; village in Delaware County, New York, named for James De Lancey, an 
early patentee. 

I>e Land; town in Volusia County, Florida, named for II. A. De Land, a manu- 
facturer of Fairport, New York, who founded it. 

Delano; town in Kern County, California, and mountains in Montana and Utah, 
named for Columbus Delano, Secretary of the Interior under President Grant. 

Delavan; township and city in Tazewell County, Illinois, and city in Walworth 
County, Wisconsin, named for E. C. Delavan, a temperance advocate of Albany, 
New York. 

Delaware; State of the Union, river, and counties in Indiana, Iowa, New York, 
Ohio, and Pennsylvania, named for Lord de la Warr, governor and first captain- 
general of Virginia. Many small places also bear this name. A tribe of Indians 
was known by this name, and in the case of the county in Indiana, the name 
was given because this tribe had villages within the boundaries of the county. 

Seleon; town in Comanche County, Texas; 
eleon Springes; town in Volusia County, Florida. Named for Ponce de Leon. 
Delgrada; point in California, named for an old Spanish explorer. 
Delhi; village in Delaware County, New York, named from the city in India. 

Several other places bear this name. 
Dellenbaugh; mount in Arizona, named for F. S. Dellenbaugh, the artist, by the 

Powell survey. 
Delmar; town on the border between Delaware and Maryland, named from the first 

syllables of the name of each State. 
Del Monte; city in Monterey County, California. A Spanish phrase meaning "of 

the mountain.'^ 
Del Norte; county in California, situated in the northwest comer of the State. 

Spanish words, meaning **of the north." 
Del Norte; town in Rio Grande County, Colorado, named from the river Rio Grande 

del Norte, ** grand river of the north.'* 
Delplii; town in Carroll County, Indiana, and village in Onondaga County, New 

York, named for the ancient town in Phocip. 
Delphos; city in Allen County, Ohio, and several other places named from the 

classical Delphos of Greece. 
DelRey; town in Fresno County, California. A Spanish phrase meaning **of the 

king." 
Del Bio; town in Valverde County, Texas, named from its situation on Rio Grande. 

Spanish words, meaning *'of the river." 
Delrosa; town in San Bernardino County, California. A Spanish phrase meaning 

**of the rose." 
Delsur; town in Los Angeles County, California. A Spanish phrase meaning "of 

the south." 
Delta; tow^n in Shasta County, California, and counties in Michigan and Texas, so 

named because triangular in shape. 
Delta; county in Colorado, named from a delta of arable land at the mouth of the 

Uncompahgre River, where it flows into Gunnison River. 
De Luz; township in San Diego County, California. From the Spanish, meaning 

' * the light, ' ' " inspiration. ' * 



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104 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Demopolis; city in Marengo County, Alabama. A Greek word meaning **city of 

the people.'* 
Denbigh; town in Warwick County, Virginia, named from the county in Wales. 
Denison; city in Crawford County, Iowa, named for J. W. Denison; who laid it 

out. 
Denison; city in Grayson County, Texas, settled by persons from the north, and 

probably named for Rev. C. W. Denison of early antislavery fame. 
Denmark; town in Lewis County, New York, named from the kingdom in Europe. 
Denmark; town in Bamberg County, South Carolina, named for B. A. Denmark, a 

railroad director. 
Denning; town in Ulster County, New York, named for William H. Denning, a for- 
mer proprietor. 
Dennis; village in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, named for its first minister. 

Rev. Josiah Dennis. 
Dennison; village in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, named, probably, for Gov. William 

Dennison. 
Dennys; river in Maine, named for an Indian hunter. 

Dennysville; town in Washington County, Maine, named from Dennys River. 
Dent; county in Missouri, named for Lewis Dent, early resident. 
Denton; town in Caroline County, Maryland, named for Sir Robert Eden, gov- 
ernor of the province in 1769-1776. It waa first called Eden Town, from which 

it was shortened to the present form. 
Denton; river, county, and city in same coimty in Texas, named for Capt. John B. 

Denton, who was killed in battle with the Indians. 
Denver; county, and city in Arapahoe County, in Colorado, named for James W. 

Denver, a former governor of Kansas. Many towns and villages take their name 

from the city. 
Depauville; village in Jefferson County, New York, named for Francis Depau, a 

large proprietor. 
Depere; city in Brown County, Wisconsin, so named because situated on Rapides 

des Peres. 
Depew; village in Erie County, New York, named for Chauncey M. Depew, United 

States Senator. 
Depeyster; town in St. Lawrence County, New York, named for Frederick Depey- 

ster, member of a celebrated New York family. 
Deposit; village in Delaware and Broome counties, New York, so named because it 

was formerly a place of deposit for lumber, 
Deptford; township in Gloucester County, New Jersey, named from a port in 

England. 
Depue; village and creek in Bureau County, Illinois, named for De Pue, an early 

French trader. 
Derby; city in New Haven County, Connecticut, and town in Orleans County, Ver- 
mont, named from the town and county in England. Many other places also 

bear this name, given either directly or indirectly from the same. 
Derrick City; village in McKean County, Pennsylvania, so named from the great 

numbers of derricks which mark the oil wells in the vicinity. 
Derry; town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, and borough in Montour 

County, Pennsylvania; also one or two small places. Named from the town in 

Ireland, now called Londonderry'. 
Deruyter; village in Madison County, New York, named for Admiral De Ruyter, of 

the Dutch navy. 
Descanso; town in San Diego County, California. From the Spanish, meaning "rest 

from labor." 



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GANNETT] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 105 

Deschutes; river, and village in Sherman County, in Oregon. From the early 
French name riviere dee chiUes, meaning '* river of the falls." 

Desha; county in Arkansas, named for Captain Ben Desha, a prominent citizen of 
the State. 

De Smet; town in Kootenai County, Idaho, and village in Kingsbury County, South 
Dakota, named for Peter John De Smet, a Jesuit missionary. 

Des Moines; river, county, and city in Polk County, in Iowa. This name is thought 
to have been derived from the Indian word mikonang^ meaning "road." This 
name was applied by the Indians in the form of momgoTuiy which the French 
shortened into moirtf calling the river ^^rmere des moins,*^ Finally, the name 
became associated with the Trappist monks, and the river by a spurious 
etymology was called "/a riviere des mo/ne«," **the river of the monks." 

De Soto; village in Sumter County, Georgia; county in Florida; township and vil- 
lage in Jackson County, Illinois; parish in Louisiana; county in Mississippi; and 
twelve other places, named for Hernando de Soto, the discoverer of the Missis- 
sippi River, 

DesPlaines; river and village in Cook County, Illinois. Derived from the presence 
of a species of maple called by the French **/>/mn^." 

Destruction; island on the northwest coast of North America, so named because of 
the massacre of a boat crew upon this coast. 

Detour; village in Chippewa County, Michigan, so named from ite position, it being 
necessary to make a detour in order to reach it. 

Detroit; township and town in Pike County, Illinois, named from Detroit, Michigan. 

Detroit; river, and city in Wayne County, in Michigan. A French word, meaning 
** strait," or ''narrow passage," given to the river by the early French explorers 
because it is a short, narrow river connecting Lake St. Clair with Lake Erie. 

Deuel; county in Nebraska, named for Harry P. Deuel, superintendent of the T^nion 
Pacific Railroad. 

Deuel; county in South Dakota, named for Jacob Deuel, a legislator in 1862. 

Devils; lake in Sauk County, Wisconsin, so named because it is situated in a deep 
chasm with no visible inlet or outlet. 

Devils Lake; village in Sauk County, Wisconsin, named from the lake. 

Devine; town in Medina County, Texas, named for Hon. Thomas J. Devine, an old 
resident of .San Antonio. 

Devoe; creek in Arkansas, ho called from the name given by the early French, 
de veaUf "of calf." 

Dewey; county in Oklahoma, named for Admiral (ieorge Dewey. A numl)er of 
towns also bear his name. 

Dewey; county in South Dakota, named for William P. Dewey, surveyor-general 
in 1873. 

Dewitt; county, and village in same county, in Illinois, township and city in Clinton 
County, Iowa, and town in Carroll County, Missouri, named for De Witt Clinton, 
former governor of New York. 

Dewitt; town in Onondaga County, New York, named for Moses De Witt, an early 
settler. 

Dewitt; county in Texas, namcMi for Green De Witt, a colonizer who settled fam- 
ilies at Gonzales in 1827. 

Dexter; city in Cowley County, Kansas, named for a trotting horse of Robert Bon- 
ner, of New York. 

Dexter; town in Penobscot County, Maine, named for Judge Samuel Dexter, candi- 
date for governor of Massachusetts in 1816. 

Dexter; village in Washtenaw County, Michigan, nameil for Samuel W. Dexter, who 
settled there in 1829. 



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106 .^ PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Dexter; village in Jefferson County, New York, named for S. Newton Dexter, a 

prominent business man of Whitesboro. 
D'Hanis; town in Medina County, Texas, named for Count von D* Hauls, who 

founded the town about 1845. 
Diamond; village in Grundy County, Illinois, named from its location in the center 

of the ** Black Diamond ** coal district. 
Diana; town in Lewis County, New York, nametl for the Roman goddess 
Dickens; county in Texas, named for J. Dickens, who fell at the Alamo. 
Dickenson; county in Virginia, named for William J. Dickenson of the State. 
Dickey; county, and village in Lamoure County, in North Dakota, named for Hon. 

Greorge Dickey, member of the legislature. 
Dickey; river in "Washington. The name is derived from the Indian name, dickoh- 

dockteader. 
Dickinson; counties in Iowa and Kansas, name<i for Daniel S. Dickinson, United 

States Senator from New York in 1844. 
Dickinson; county in Michigan, named for Don M. Dickinson, postmaster-general 

under President Cleveland. 
Dickinson; town in Stark County, North Dakota, named for W. S. Dickinson, of 

Malone, New York, who founded it. 
Dickinson; county in Virginia, named for a prominent member of the legislature. 
Dicksburg'; village in Knox County, Indiana, named for Thomas Dick, former 

owner of the ground. 
Dickson; county, and town in same county, in Tennessee, named for William Dickson. 
Die All; island in California, so named because all the Indians on the island died. 
Dighton; city in Lane County, Kansas, named for Dick Deighton, a surveyor. 
Dig^hton; village in Bristol County, Massachusetts, named for Frances Dighton, 

wife of Richard Williams, one of the first settlers. 
Diller; village in Jefferson County, Nebraska, named for H. H. Diller, an early 

settler. 
Dillon; city in Beaverhead County, Montana, named for Sydney Dillon, railroad 

president. 
Dillon; town in Marion County, South Carolina, named for a prominent family. 
Dillsboro; town in Dearborn County, Indiana, named for Gen. James Dill, an early 

settler. 
Dillsboro; town in Jackson County, North Carolina, named for George W. Dill, an 

early settler. 
Dimmick; township and village in Lasalle County, Illinois, named foran early settler. 
Dimmit; county in Texas, named for Philip Dimmit, one of the earliest settlers in 

the State. 
Dinwiddle; county, and town in same county, in Virginia, named for Robert Din- 

widdie, lieutenant-governor of the State in 1752-1758. 
Dirty Devil; creek in Arizona, so named by Major Powell during hisfirst trip down 

the canyon of the Colorado, because of the muddiness of its waters. 
Disappointment; cape at the mouth of the Columbia River, Washington, so named 

by John Meares, the English navigator, who thought no river existed in the 

region. 
Dismal; swamp in Virginia and North Carolina, so named because of its dismal 

appearance, due to the dense forest of juniper, cypress, etc., which cover it. 
District of Columbia. See Columbia. 
Dix; mount and town in Schuyler County, New York, named for Gren. John A. 

Dix, United States Senator. 
Dizmont; town in Penobscot County, Maine, named for Dr. Elijah Dix, of Boston. 
Dizmont; village in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, named for Miss Dorothea 

Dix, American philanthropist 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 107 

Dixon; town in Solano County, California, named for Thomas Dixon, a pioneer 
settler. 

Dixon; city in Lee County, Illinois, named for John Dixon, the founder. 

Dixon; town in Webster County, Kentucky, named for Hon. Archibald Dixon. 

Dixville; town in Coos County, New Hampshire, named for Col. Timothy Dix, first 
settler. 

Dotuie; mount in Yellowstone Park, named for Lieut. Gustavus C. Doane, United 
States Army, who commanded the military escort of an expedition in 1870. 

Dobbins; town in Yuba County, California, named for a settler. 

Dobbs Ferry; village in Westchester County, New York, named for a Swe<le who 
owned a ferry. 

Dobson; town in Surry County, North Carolina, named for W. P. Dobson, State 
senator. 

Doctortown; town in Wayne County, Georgia, built upon the site of an old Indian 
settlement, which was the abode of a great ** medicine man." 

Doddridge; county in West Virginia, named for Philip Doddridge, a distinguished 
statesman of western Virginia. 

Dodg'e; county in Georgia, named for W. E. Dodge, of New York, who, with W. P. 
Eastman, presented a court-house to the county. See Eastman. 

Dodgre; city in Ford County, Kansas, on the site of old Fort Dodge, and counties in 
Minnesota and Wisconsin, named for Gen. Henry Dodge, governor of Wisconsin 
Territory, and later United States Senator from Wisconsin. 

"Dodge; county in Nebraska, named for Augustus Csesar Dodge, United States Sen- 
ator from Iowa. 
I Dodge Center; village in Dodge County, Minnesota; 
Dodgeville; city in Iowa County, Wisconsin. Named for Gen. Henry Dodge, gov- 
ernor of Wisconsin Territory. 

Dolores; county in Colorado, named from the Rio Dolores. A Spanish word, mean- 
ing ** grief," which has a special significance among the Spaniards, ])eing one of 
the titles of the Virgin Mary. 

Dolph; village in Tillamook County, Oregon, named for J. N. Dolph, United States 
Senator. 

Dominguez; creek in Colorado, named for a Spanish priest, who was one of the 
early explorers in this region. 

Domke; mountain, lake, and creek in Chelan County, in Washington, named for the 
first settler in the vicinity. 

Dona Ana; county, and town in same county, in New Mexico. A Spanish name 
meaning ** Madam Anna," and probably given in honor of some Spanish matron. 

Donaldsonville; town in Ascension Parish, Louisiana, named for William Donald- 
son. 

Donderberg-; moimtain in New York, on the Hudson. A Dutch word, meaning 
"thunder mountain," so called by the early Dutch settlers l)ecause of the fre- 
quent thunder storms in its vicinity. 

Donegal; borough and township in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, named 
from the town in Ireland. 

Dongola; village in Union County, Illinois, named by the founder from Dongola in 
Africa. 

Doniphan; county, and city in same county, in Kansas, city in Ripley County, Mis- 
souri, and village in Hall County, Nebraska, named for Col. Alexander William 
Doniphan, a distinguished western soldier. 

Donley; county in Texas named for Stockton P. Donley, justice of the supreme 
court of the State. 

Donnaha; post-office in Forsyth County, North Carolina, named for the last chief 
of the Sauras. 



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108 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Donner; lake in Nevada County, California, named for a leader of a party of immi- 
grants, nearly all of whom perished from starvation. 

Dooly; comity in Georgia named for Col. John Dooly, an officer in the Revolution. 

Doon; towns in Sierra County, California, and Lyon County, Iowa, named from the 
river in Scotland. 

Door; county in Wisconsin, ho named because of its proximity to " Death's Door," 
entrance to Green Bay. 

Doran; village in Coles County, Illinois, named forS. A. Doran, a neighboring land- 
owner. 

Dorchester; county in Maryland, named for the Earl of Dorchester, whom Scharf 
says was a family friend of the Calverts. 

Dorchester; part of Boston, Massachusetts, named from the town in England. 

Dorchester; county in South Carolina, named from the town in Massachusetts. 

Dormansville; village in Albany County, New York, named for Daniel Dorman, 
former inn and store keeper. 

Dorrance; borough in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, named for a family of early 
settlers. 

Dosoris; village in Queens County, New York. The name is a contraction of **do« 
uxori^y*^ "dowry of a wife,'* the property having come to the first settler through 
his wife. 

Dos PalmOS ; town in Riverside County, California, named from the giant yucca 
palms which grow near the spring. A Spanish phrase, meaning "two palms." 

Dos Palos; town in Merced County, California. A Spanish phrase meaning "two 
timbers." 

Dos Pueblos; town in Santa Barbara County, California. A Spanish phrase mean- 
ing "two towns." 

Dossett; village in Anderson County, Tennessee, named for the owner of the prop- 
erty, Jacob Dossett. 

Dougherty; County in Georgia, named for Charles Dougherty. 

Dougherty; township in Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, named for Daniel Dougherty, 
one of the prominent residents. 

Douglcus; counties in Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, 
Nevada, South Dakota, and Wisconsin, and probably the counties in Nebraska, 
Oregon, and Washington; named for Stephen A. Douglas, of Illinois. 

Douglas; creek in Colorado, named for Chief Douglas, of the White River Utes. 

Douglas; town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, named for Dr. William 
Douglas, of Boston, author of a history of New England. 

Douglas; mount in Montana, named for E. M. Douglas, of the United States 
Geological Survey. 

Douglas City; township in Trinity County, California, named for Stephen A. 
Douglas, of Illinois. 

Douglass; city in Butler County, Kansas, named for Joseph Douglass, by whom it 
was laid out. 

Dover; cities in Kent County, Delaware, and Strafford County, New Hampshire, 
and town in Morris County, New Jersey, named from the town in England. 

Dowagiac; river, and city in Cass County, in Michigan. An Indian word meaning 
"fishing river." 

Downers Grove; township and village in Dupage County, Illinois, named for 
Pierce Downer, who located there in 1830. 

Downieville; town in Sierra County, California, named for a pioneer. 

Downingtown; borough in Chester Co inty, Pennsylvania, named for Thomas 
Downing. 

Downs; town in McLean County, Illinois, named for Lawson Downs, a pioneer 
settler. 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 109 

Downs; city in Osborne County, Kansas, named for William F. Downs, of Atchison. 
Downsville; village in Delaware County, New York, situated on Downs Creek. 

Both are named for Abel Downs, who had a tannery there. 
Dows; town in Wright County, Iowa, named for a railroad contractor. 
I>oylestown; borough in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, named for William Doyle, 

an early settler. 
Dracut; town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, named from the home of the 

Vamum family, in Wales. 
Drakes; bay in California, named for Sir Francis Drake, the navigator. 
Drakesville; town in Davis County, Iowa, named for John A. Drake, who laid it 

out. 
Drayton; town in Dooly County, Georgia, named for Colonel Drayton, of South 

Carolina. ^ 

Dresden; fifteen places in the country bear the name of the city in (rermany. 
Drew; county in Arkansas, named for Thomas S. Drew, governor in 1844-1848. 
Drew; village in Sunflower County, Mississippi, named for a railroad man. 

{Drewry; bluff on James River, Virginia; 
Drewry Bluff; post-oflSce in Chesterfield County, Virginia. Named for Maj. 
Augustus Drewry. 
Drununond; lake in the center of Dismal Swamp in Virginia, named for William 

Drummond, former governor of North Carolina. Another authority says that 

it was named for a hunter who discovered it. 
Dryden; town in Tompkins County, New York, named for the poet, John Dryden. 
Dry Tortugas; ten small islands off the coast of Florida. The name was given 

from the lack of springs and abundance of sea turtles. Tortugas is a Spanish 

word meaning ** tortoises.*' 
Duane; town in Franklin County, New York, named for James Duane, proprietor 

and first settler. 
Duanesburg'; town in Schenectady County, New York. French says that it was 

named for James Duane, the principal proprietor. Gordon says it was named 

for Judge Duane. 
Dublin; city in Laurens County, Greorgia, named from the city in Ireland. Several 

other places are named from the same. 
Dubois; township and village in Washington County, Illinois, nametl for Jesse K. 

Du Bois, State auditor of public accounts, 1856-1864. 
Dubois; county in Indiana, named for Toussaint Dubois, who had charge of the 

guides and spies in the Tippecanoe campaign. 
Dubois; borough in Pennsylvania, named for its founder, John Dubois. 
Dubuque; county, and city in same county, in Iowa, named for a French trader, 

Julien Dubuque. ' 
Duck Hill; town in Montgomery County, Mississippi, name<i from a hill near the 

town where ducks were plentiful in early days. 
Dudley; town in Kings County, California, named from the town in Massachusetts. 
Dudley; town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, named for two brothers, Paul 

and William Dudley, who were among the first proprietors. 
Dufur; village in Wasco County, Oregon, named for an old settler. 
Dukes; county in Massachusetts, so named because it was under the government of 

the Duke of York, afterwards James II. 
Duluth; city in St. Louis County, Minnesota, named for Sieur Daniel Graysolon 

Duluth, a French traveler. 
Dnlzura; town in San Diego County, California. A Spanish word meaning *' gen- 
tleness,'* ** forbearance." 
Dumfries; town in Prince William County, Virginia, named from the town in 

Scotland. 



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110 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Dtixnxner; town in Coos County, New Hampshire; 

Diumnerston; town in Windham County, Vermont. Named for William Dum- 
mer, lieutenant-governor of Vermont and acting governor of Massachusetts, 
1723-1730. 

Dumont; village in Clear Creek County, Colorado, named for John M. Dumont, a 
mine operator. 

Dunbar; village in Otoe County, Nebraska, named for John Dunbar, a large land- 
owner. 

Dunbar; borough in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, named for Col. John Dunbar, 
who commanded an English force at this point and was defeated by the French 
and Indians. 

Dunbar; village in Marlboro County, South Carolina, named for a family in the 
neighborhood. 

Dunbarton; town in Merrimac County, New Hampshire, named by Archibald 
Stark, one of the first proprietors, who emigrated from Dunbarton, Scotland. 

Duncan; village in Stark County, Illinois, named for James Henry Duncan, United 
States Congressman from Massachusetts, 1849-1853. 

Duncan; town in Bolivar County, Mississippi, named for a leading citizen. 

Duncan Falls; town in Muskingum County, Ohio, named for a trader, Major 
Duncan. 

Duncannon; borough in Perry County, Pennsylvania, named from the town in 
Wexford, Ireland. 

Duncombe; town in Webster County, Iowa, named for Hon. J. F. Duncombe. 

Dundaff; borough in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, named from the town in 
Wales. 

Dundee; township in Kane County, Illinois, named from the village in New York. 

Dundee; village in Yates County, New York, named from the town in Scotland. 
A number of other places also bear this name. 

Dundy; county in Nebraska, named for Judge Elmer S. Dundy. 

Dungeness; town in Clallam County, Washington. This name was given to a low 
point of land in the county by Vancouver, because of its resemblance to Dun- 
geness in the British channel, and subsequently applied to the town. 

Dunkirk; city in Chautauqua County, New York, named indirectly from the town 
in France. 

Dunklin; county in Missouri, named for Daniel Dunklin, governor of Missouri in 
1832-1836. 

Dunlap; village in Peoria County, Illinois, named for Alva Dunlap, proimnent land- 
owner. 

Dunlap; town in Harrison County, Iowa, named for the superintendent of the Chi- 
cago and Northwestern Railway. 

Dunlap; city in Morris County, Kansas, named for Joseph Dunlap, a trader among 
the Indians and founder of the town. 

Dunlapsville; town in Union County, Indiana, laid out by John Dunlap, one of the 
first settlers. 

Dunmore; lake in Vermont, named by the Earl of Dunmore, who waded into it and 
formally christened it for himself. 

Dunmore; town in Pocahontas County, West Virginia, named for John (Lord) Dun- 
more, governor of Virginia, 1772-1776. 

Dunn; town in Harnet County, North Carolina, named for a resident. 

Dunn; county in North Dakota, named for John P. Dunn, a pioneer of the State in 
1871. 

Dunn; county in Wisconsin, named for Charles Dunn, first chief justice of the 
Territory. 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. Ill 

Duiinsville; town in Albany County, New York, named for Christopher Dunn, 

the original owner. 
Diinraven; peak in Yellowstone Park, Wyoming, named for the Earl of Dunraven. 
Dunstable; town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. The history of the town 

states that it was named for the mother of one of the petitioners, Mary Tyng, 

but there is no record of her maiden name or birthplace. There is, however, 

record of a large family by the name of Long, who came from Dunstable, Eng- 
land, in 1635. This fact gives direct connection, and it is probable that the 

town took its name from the English town. 
Dupagre; county in Illinois, named from the river. 
Dupag^e; river in Illinois, named for a French Indian, Du Page or De Page, who had 

his headquarters on the river before 1800. 
Duplin; county in North Carolina, named for Lord Duplin, or Dupplin, of the board 

of trade. 
Duquesne; borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, named from old Fort 

Duquesne, which was named for a distinguished French oflScer. 
Duquoin; city in Perry County, Illinois, said to have been named for an Indian 

chief of the Kaskaskia tribe. 
Durand; village in Winnebago County, Illinois, named for H. S. Durand, a promi- 
nent railroad official. 
Durand; village in Shiawassee County, Michigan, named for George H. Durand, of 

Flint, Michigan, member of Congress. 
Durand; city in Pepin County, Wisconsin, named for Miles Durand Prindle, an 

early settler. 
Durango; city in La Plata County, Colorado, named for a resident Spanish family. 
Durant; town in Cedar County, Iowa, named for Thomas Durant. 
Durante; neck of land in Perquimans County, North Carolina, granted to George 

Durant in 1662. 
Durham; town in Butte County, California, named from the town in Maine. 
Durham; town in Middlesex County, Connecticut, named from the town in England. 
Durham; town in Androscoggin County, Maine, named from the former residence 

of the royal family, by early settlers. 
Durham; county, and town in same coimty, in North Carolina, named for Dr. 

Bartholomew Durham, owner of the town site. 
Dushore; borough in Sullivan County, Pennsylvania, named for its founder, the 

name being a corruption of Dupetit-Thouars. 
Duston; island in New Hampshire, named for an early settler. 
Dutchess; county in New York, named for Mary of Modena, Duchess of York. 

Previous to the appearance of Johnson's Dictionary the title was spelled with 

a **t;'* hence the name of the county is so spelled. 
Dutton; mount in Utah, named by Major Powell for Maj. C. E. Dutton. 
Duval; county in Florida, named for William P. Duval, Territorial governor in 

1822-1834. 
Duval; county in Texas, named for the Duval family, prominent in the State. One 

member. Burr H. Duval, fell in Fannin's massacre. 
Duwamish; river in Washington, named from the Duwamish tribe of Indians. 
Duxbury; town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, settled by Miles Standish. It 

is said to have received its name from the seat of the Standish family in England, 

Duxbury Hall. 
Dwight; township and village in Livingston County, Illinois, named for Henry A. 

Dwight, junior, a benefactor of the town. 
Dwight; village in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, named for the Dwight family, 

prominent early settlers. 



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112 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Dycusbtirg; village in Crittenden County, Kentucky, named for William E. Dycos, 

its founder. 
Dyer; county in Tennessee; 
Dyersburg; city in Dyer County, Tennessee. Named for Col. Henry Dyer, who 

fell at the battle of New Orleans. 
Dyersville; town in Dubuque County, Iowa, named for a former owner, James Dyer. 
Dyerville; town in Humboldt County, California, named for a settler. 
Dysart; town in Tama County, Iowa, named fix)m the town in Scotland. 
Eagle; this word, either alone or with suffixes, forms the name of 81 post-offices in 

the United States — in many cases so called because of the former presence of the 

bird. 
Eagle; county in Colorado. Hall's History gives the origin as from the river of that 

name flowing through this county. 
Eagle Pass; town in Maverick County, Texas, so named because the contour of the 

hills through which the Rio (^rande flows bore a fancied resemblance to the 

outstretched wings of an eagle. 
Eagle River; village in Keweenaw County, Michigan, named from -the Indian 

migisiwimbif meaning "eagle." 
Earl Park; town in Benton County, Indiana, laid out by Adams Earl and A. D. Raub. 
Earlville; town in Delaware County, Iowa, named for its first settler, G. M. Earl. 
Earlville; village in Madison County, New York, named for Jonas Earl, canal 

commissioner. 
Early; county in (^eorgia, named in honor of Peter Early, governor of the State in 

1813. 
Easley; town in Pickens County, South Carolina, named for General Easley, a prom- 
inent South Carolinian. 
East Baton Rouge; parish in Louisiana. See Baton Rouge. 
East Bend; town in Yadkin County, North Carolina, named from the bend in the 

Yadkin River at that point. 
East Brady; borough in Clarion County, Pennsylvania, on the Allegheny River, 

east of Bradys bend. 
East Bridgewater; town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, named from the 

original name of Brockton, Massachusetts, which first received the name of 

Bridgewater in honor of a celebrated English duke. 
East Carroll; parish in Louisiana, named in honor of Charles Carroll of Carrollton. 
East Fallowfield; townships in Crawford and Washington counties, Pennsylvania, 

said to be named for Lancelot Fallowfield, one of the first purchasers of land 

from William Penn. 
East Feliciana; parish in Louisiana. A Spanish word meaning *'dome." 
East Oreenbush; town in Rensselaer County, New York, named by the Dutch, het 

groen hosch, meaning ** green bush," because of the pine woods near, which 

were continually green. 
East Greenwich; town in Kent County, Rhode Island, nanie<i from the manor of 

East Greenwich in Kent County, England. 
Eastham; town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, name<l from its extreme 

eastern situation in the county. 
Eastland; county, and town in same county, in Texas, nameil for M. W. Eastland. 
Eastman; town in Dodge County, Georgia, named for W. P. Eastman, who, with 

W. E. Dodge, presented the county with a court house. 
Ecuston; town in Talbot County, Maryland, so named because of its location east- 
erly of St. Michaels. 
Easton; city in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, named from the estate of an 

English nobleman. Lord Pomphret. 



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GANNBTT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 113 

XSaston Center; village in Bristol County, Massachusetts, perhaps named in honor 

of Hon. John Easton, governor of Rhode Island. 
Bast Pepperell; town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, named for Sir William 

Pepperell, who commanded an army in the expedition against Louisburg, Cape 

Breton. 
XSastport; city in Washington County, Maine, originally called Moose Island, but 

later incorporated under its present name in honor of being the most eastern 

city in the United States. 
Bast River; a body of water at New York, properly a strait connecting Long Island 

Sound with New York Bay; called a river no doubt from the river-like action of 

its tides; the name is used to distinguish it from North River, that is, the Hudson. 
XSastwood; village in Onondaga County, New York, a suburb of Syracuse, and named 

from its easterly direction from that place. 
Eaton; town in Weld County, Colorado, named for Benjamin H. Eaton and Aaron 

J. Eaton, of the Eaton Milling and Elevator Company. 
Eaton; county in Michigan, named for John H. Eaton, Secretary of War under 

President Jackson. 
Eaton; town in Madison County, New York, and village in Preble County, Ohio, 

named for Gen. William Eaton, of Massachusetts, a Revolutionary officer and 

commander of the United States military forces in Tripoli. 
Eaton Itapids; town in Eaton County, Michigan, so named on account of the rapids 

in Grand River. 
Eatonton; city in Putnam County, Georgia, named for Gen. William Eaton. 
Eatontown; township in Monmouth County, New Jersey, named for an old settler. 
Eau Claire; river in Michigan. The name is French and signifies "clear water.** 
Eau Claire; county, and city in same county, in Wisconsin, named from the river in 

Michigan. 
Eau Galle; river and town in Dunn County, Wisconsin. From the French, mean- 
ing ** bitter water." 
Eau Pleine; river and town in Portage County, Wisconsin. French words meaning 

**full water,*' or "stock river.** 
Ebeeme; mountain and gorge in Piscataquis County, Maine. An Indian word, 

meaning " where they get high-bush cranberries.*' 
Ebenecook; village in Lincoln County, Maine. A corruption of the Indian, 

abanauky meaning "bread place,** or according to another authority, "high- 
bush cranberry place.** 
Ebenezer; town in Holmes County, Mississippi, named by the early settlers from 

the old Jewish city. 
Ebensburg; borough in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, laid out by the Rev. Rees 

Lloyd, and named by him for his eldest son, Eben. 
Echaconnee; creek in Georgia. An Indian word meaning "beaver stream.'* 
Echaconnee; town in Bibb County, Georgia, named from the creek on which it is 

located. 
Echo; canyon in the Wasatch Mountains of Utah; a descriptive name. 
Echo; peak in Yellowstone Park, Wyoming, so named because of its remarkable 

echo. 
Echo Canyon; town in Summit County, Utah, named from the canyon. 
Echo Hountain; summer resort in Los Angeles County, California, named from 

the reverberating echo. 
Echols; county in Georgia, named for Robert M. Echols. 
Eckley; town in Yuma County, Colorado, said to be so named for Amos Eckles, 

cattle foreman for J. W. Bowles. 

Bull. 258—05 8 



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114 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bill. 258. 

Ecola; creek and summer resort in Clatsop County, Oregon, so named by Captain 
Clark, from eroin^ a Chinook Indian word meaning *' whale," because a whale 
was washed up on the shore. 

Economy; township in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, established in 1825 by a Har- 
monist society, and named to indicate the principles of their government and 
their habite of living. 

Ecore Fabre; stream in Arkansas. The name is derived from the French word 
ecore^ meaning ** shore," "bank," or ** bluff," and Fabre, a proper name. 

Ecorse; river in Michigan, from the French word Scorc€y meaning "bark," so 
named on account of the birch and other kinds of bark found on its banks. 

Ecorse; town in Wayne County, Michigan, named from the river of the same name. 

Ector; county in Texas, named for Matthew Ector, Confederate commander and 
judge. 

Eddington; town in Penobscot County, Maine, named for Colonel Eddy, a promi- 
nent settler. 

Eddy; county in New Mexico, named in honor of C. B. Eddy, a prominent citizen. 

Eddy; county in North Dakota, named for one of the early bankers of Fargo. 

Eddyville; town in Wapello County, Iowa, named for J. P. Eddy, who established 
a post there at an early day. 

Eddyville; city in Lyon County, Kentucky, so named for the large eddies in the 
Cumberland River at this point. 

Edelstein; village in Peoria County, Illinois, named for a railroad oflScial. 

Eden; town in Hancock County, Maine, named probably for Richard Eden, an early 
English author. 

Eden; town in Concho County, Texas, named for Fred Ede, who owned the land. 

Edenton; town in Chowan County, North Carolina, named for Charles Eden, gov- 
ernor of the State in 1714-1722. 

Edenvale; town in Santa Clara County, California, named with reference to the 
Garden of Eden, because of the beauty and fertility of the place. 

Edgar; county in Illinois, named for Gen. John Edgar, an early and distinguished 
pioneer of the State. 

Edgecomb; town in Lincoln Covnty, Maine, name<l for Lord Edgecombe, a friend 
of the American colonies. 

Edgecombe; county in North Carolina, named for Richard, Baron of Mount Edge- 
combe, of the board of trade. 

Edgefield; county, and town in same county, in South Carolina, named, as Simnis 
supposes, because of the geographical situation at the edge of the State. There 
is also a supposition that the county derives its name from the fact that it bor- 
ders on an older county. 

Edgerton; city in Johnson County, Kansas, named for the chief engineer of the 
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad. 

Edgerton; village in Williams County, Ohio, named for Alfred P. Edgerton. 

Edgerton; city in Rock County, Wisconsin, probably named for E. W. Edgerton, 
an early settler. 

Edgewood; town in Effingham County, Illinois, named from its location near the 
edge of the forest. 

Edina; city in Knox County, Missouri. A poetical name given to Edinburgh. 

Edinburg; post-oflSce in Leake County, Mississippi, and several other places bear 
the name of the city in Scotland. 

Edinburg; township in Portage County, Ohio, named for Lewis Eddy, a resident. 

It was formerly called Eddysburg. 
Edison; village in Morrow County, Ohio; 

Edison Park; village in Cook County, Illinois. Named for Thomas A. Edison, 
the inventor. 



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GANNETT] PLACE NANE8 IN THE UNITED STATES. 115 

Sdisto; river and island in South Carolina, named from an Indian tribe. 
Sdmeston; town in Otsego County, New York, named for Robert Edmeston, an 

early pioneer. 
Edmonson; county of Kentucky, named for Capt. Jack Edmonson, who fell at the 

battle of Raisin River. 
Edmunds; county in South Dakota, named in honor of Newton Edmunds, governor 

in 1863. 
Edna; city in Labette County, Kansas, named in 1876 for a child, Edna Gragery. 
Edwards; county in Illinois, named for Ninian Edwards, governor of Illinois Terri- 
tory in 1809. 
Edwards; county in Kansas, named for W. C. Edwards, of Hutchinson, first settler, 

who took active part in its organization. 
Edwards; town in Hinds County, Mississippi, named for Dick Edwards, owner and 

proprietor of the Edwards House, Jackson, Mississippi. 
Edwards; town in St. Lawrence County, New York, named for Edward McCormack, 

brother of the founder. 
Edw^ards; town in Beaufort County, North Carolina, named for a prominent family 

of the neighborhood. 
Edwards; county in Texas, named for Harden Edwards, who established, under 

grant from the Mexican Government, a colony at Nacogdoches in 1825. 
Edwardsport; village in Knox County, Indiana, named for Edwards Wilkins. 
Edwardsville; city in Madison County, Illinois, named for Ninian Edwards, Terri- 
torial governor in 1809. 
Edwardsville; village in St. Lawrence County, New York, named for Jonathan S. 

Edwards, the first postmaster. 
Eel; river in California, named frDm the Indian word wiskosky **eel river," so called 

because of its winding course. 
Eel; river in Indiana, called by the Indians shoamaque, **slippery fish." The Indiana 

State Historical Geology, 1882, gives the Indian name as ke-wa-be-gwinn-maigy 

and the meaning "snake-fish-river." 
Effingham; county in Georgia, named for Lord EflSngham. 
Effing^ham; county in Illinois. The origin of the name is in doubt. It has been 

stated that the county wa*s named for Gen. Edward Effingham, a surveyor, or it 

may have been named for Lord Effingham, an officer in the British army, who 

resigned his commission rather than fight against the American colonies in their 

struggle for liberty. 
Effingrham; city in Atchison County, Kansas, named for Effingham Nichols, of 

Boston, a promoter of the Central Branch, Union Pacific Railroad. 
Egrbertsville; village in Richmond County, New York, named for James Egberts- 

ville, a former resident. 
Egrgr Harbor; township, and city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, bordering on the 

ocean and Great Egg Harbor Bay. It was so called because of the number of 

guirs eggs found near the bay. 
Egxemont; town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, supposed to have received its 

name from Charles Wyndham, Earl of Egremont, who was secretary of stat« in 

1671. 
Eg:ypt; fourteen places of the United States are named from the ancient country in 

Africa, the Hebrew expression for "the land of oppression." 
Elirenberg:; town in Yvlma County, Arizona, founded in 1856 by Herman Ehren- 

berg. 
Ehrhardt; town in Bamberg County, South Carolina, named for a prominent 

family. 
Elba; there are sixteen places of this name in the United States*, most of which 

were named from the island in the Mediterranean. 



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116 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Elbert; county and peak in Colorado, named for Samuel W. Elbert, governor of the 
Territory in 1873-74. 

{Elbert; county in Georgia; 
Elberton; city in Elbert County, Georgia. Named for Samuel Elbert, formerly a 
governor of the State. 
Elbow; lake in Maine, so called because of its shape. 
Elbridg^; town in Onondaga County, New York, probably named after Elbridge 

Gerry, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. 
Bl Cajon; township in San Diego County, California. A Spanish phrase meaning 

"the box," often applied to high- walled canyons. 
El Campo; town in Marin County^ California. A Spanish phrase meaning **the 

fiat country." 
El Capitan; cliff in the Yoseraite Valley, California. The name is Spanish, meaning 

"the captain." 
El Casco; village in Riverside County, California. A Spanish word meaning "the 

cranium." 
El Cborro; village in San Luis Obispo County, California. A descriptive Spanish 

name, meaning "the gushing water." 
Eldena; village in Lee County, Illinois, named for the wife of the founder. 
Eldora; city in Hardin County, Iowa; 

Eldorado; county in California, the first in which gold was discovered, city in But- 
ler County, Kansas, and many other places. From the Spanish, meaning "the 

gilded." 
Eldorado; city in Saline County, Illinois, originally named for two settlers. Elder 

and Reed, but the spelling was afterwards changed to its present form. 
Eldred; township and borough in McKean County, Pennsylvania, named for Judge 

Nathaniel B. Eldred. 
Electric; peak in Yellowstone Park, named by Henry Gannett, United States geog- 
rapher, on account of a severe electrical storm encountered there. 
Eleroy; village in Stephenson County, Illinois, named for E. Leroy, son of Hiram 

Jones, a first settler. 
Eleven Mile; creek in Genesee County, New York, so called because it crosses the 

Buffalo road eleven miles from Buffalo. 
Elgin; city in Kane County, Illinois, named for the Earl of Elgin. Another author- 
ity states that the name is transferred from the city in Scotland. 
Eliseo; town in Ventura County, California. The Spanish form of Elijah. 
Elizabeth; cape in Maine, and group of islands in Massachusetts, named in honor of 

Queen Elizabeth of England. This word, either alone or with suflSxes, forms 

the names of 25 places in the United States, most of which were so named. 
Elizabeth; city in Union County, New Jersey, named for the wife of Lord Carteret. 
Elizabeth; borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, named by the founder, 

Stephen Bayard, for his wife. 
Elizabeth; town in Wirt County, West Virginia, named for Elizabeth, the wife of 

David Beauchamp. 
Elizabeth City; county in Virginia, and town in Pasquotank County, North Carolina, 

named for Queen Elizabeth of England. 
Elizabethtown; town in Bartholomew County, Indiana, named for Elizabeth 

Branham, the wife of the founder. 
Elizabethtown; city in Hardin County, Kentucky, named for the wife of Col. John 

Hardin, for whom the county was named. 
Elizabethtown; town in Bladen County, North CaroUna, named for the wife of 

Lord Carteret, Elizabeth. 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 117 

Blk; counties in Kansas and Pennsylvania. This word, either alone or as a prefix, 

forms the name of 63 places in the United States, most of them doubtless given 

on account of the presence of elk. 
Elk Falls; town in Elk County, Kansas, receives its name from a waterfall in Elk 

River, near the site of the town. 
Elk Qarden; town in Mineral County, West Virginia, so named by Senator Davis, 

because of the former abundance of elk. 
Elkhart; county, and city in same county, in Indiana, which take their name from 

the river. 
Elkhart; village in Sheboygan County, Wisconsin, named from the lake, which at 

this point resembles an elk's heart. 
Elkhom; village in Douglas County, Nebraska, named from the river. 
Elkhom; city in Walworth County, Wisconsin. This city is named from the prairie, 

Elkhom, which was named thus by Samuel F. Phoenix in July, 1836, when he 

found an elk's horn upon a tree. 
Elkins; town in Randolph County, West Virginia, named for Senator S. B. Elkins. 
Elko; county in Nevada. The origin of this name is not certain, for according to 

some it is an Indian word, and according to others was so named on account of 

the abundance of elk. 
Ellen; mountain in Utah, named by J. W. Powell, United States Greological Survey, 

for the wife of A. H. Thompson, also of the Greological Survey. 
EUenburg; town in Clinton County, New York, named for the daughter of John R. 

Murray, of New York, the principal owner of township 5 of the military tract. 
EUendale; village in Sussex County, Delaware, named for the wife of Dr. J. S. 

Prettyman, who laid it out. 
Ellendale; township and city in Dickey County, North Dakota, named for the wife 

of S. S. Merrill. 
EUensburg; city in Kittitas County, Washington, named for the wife of the original 

founder. 
EUery; town in Chautauqua County, New York, named for William Ellery, a signer 

of the Declaration of Independence. 
Ellicott; city in Howard and Baltimore counties, Maryland, first settled and named 

by the brothers Andrew and John Ellicott. 

{Ellicott; town in* Chautauqua County, New York; 
Ellicottville; village in Cattaraugus County, New York. Named for Joseph Elli- 
'cott, of the Holland Land Company. 
Ellijay ; town in Gilmer County, Geoi^gia. From a Cherokee Indian name, meaning 

"new ground.'* 
EUinwood; city in Barton County, Kansas, named for Col. John R. Ellinwood, 

engineer, Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad. 
Elliott; county in Kentucky, named for Judge John M. Elliott. 
Elliottsville; village in Richmond County, New York, named for Dr. Samuel M. 

Elliott. 
Ellis; county, and city in same county, in Kansas, named in honor of George Ellis, 

first lieutenant. Twelfth Kansas Infantry. 
Ellis; county in Texas, named for Richard P^llis, president pro tempore of the first 

Senate of the Republic. 
Ellisburg; town in Jefferson County New York, which derives its name from 

Lyman Ellis, of Troy, New York, who settled there as a proprietor in 1797. 
Ellisville; township and village in Fulton County, Illinois, named for Levi D. Ellis, 

its founder. 
Ellisville; town in Jones County, Mississippi, named for Powhatan Ellis, member 

of the supreme court and United States Senator. 



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118 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull 258. 

Ellsworth; town in Hamilton County, Iowa, named for a banker at Iowa Falls. 
Ellsworth; county, and city in same county, in Kansas, named from the fort, Ells- 
worth, which in turn was named for Lieut. Allen Ellsworth. 
Ellsworth; city in Hancock County, Maine, named for Oliver Ellsworth, one of the 

delegates to the National Constitutional Convention. 
Elm; this word, with the suffixes ** hurst," *^wood," "dale," "hall," "grove," 

"creek," "city," "bury," "branch," forms the name of 29 places in the 

United States, in most cases given on account of the presence of this species of 

tree in the vicinity. 
Elma; village in Erie County, New York, named for a lare:e elm tree which stands 

near the village. 
Elmira; township in Solano County, California, and township and village in Stark 

County, Illinois, named from Elmira, New York. 
Elmira; city in Chemung County, New York, paid to have l)een named for Elmira 

Teall, daughter of Nathan Teall, a tavern keeper. 
El Monte; township in Los Angeles County, California. A Spanish phrase mean- 
ing "the mountain." 
Elmore; county in Alabama, named for John A. Elmore, of the State. 
Elmore; county in Idaho, named for a celebrated mine in the county. 
Elmore; village and town in Lamoille County, Vermont, named for the original 

grantee. Col. Samuel Elmore. 
Elmsford; village in Westchester County, New York, so mamed because of the elm 

trees in the vicinity. 
Elon College; town in Alamance County, North Carolina, nameil, jirobable, for 

Judge Elon. 
El Paso; county in Colorado. The name is given with reference to the Ute Pass, 

which is within the limits of the county; 
El Paso; county, and city in same county, in Texas, which take their name from 

the presence of a pass — that of the Rio Grande. The name is Spanish, and 

means "the pass," "the gap," or "the passage." 
El Paso; township and city in Woodford County, Illinois, so named from the pass- 
ing or crossing of two railroads. 
El Pinal; village in San Joaquin County, (/alifornia. A Spanish phra.se meaning 

"the grove of pines." 
Elreno; city in Canadian County, Oklahoma. A Spanish name meaning "the 

reindeer." 
Elrio; post-office in Ventura County, California. A Spanish name meaning "the 

river." 
El Bobles; town in Mendocino County, California. A Spanish phrase meaning 

"the oaks." 
Elsie; village in Clinton County, Michigan, named for Miss Elsie Tillotson, the 

daughter of an early pioneer. 
Elsie; town in Perkins County, Nebraska, named for the daughter of C. E. Perkins. 
Elsinore; township and city in Riverside County, California. Corruption of the 

Spanish el senor, meaning "the gentleman," a large part of the land upon whifh 

the city is built having been owned by a don. 
El Toro; village in Orange County, California. A Spanish phrase meaning * * the bull. ' ' 
El Verano; village in Sonoma County, California. A Spanish phrase meaning 

"the summer." 
Elwin; village in Macon County, Illinois, a combination of the names of the founders, 

Elm wood and Martin. 
Elyria; city in Lorain County, Ohio, named for Heman Ely, who owned 12,500 

acres of land around the falls of Black River. "Ria" was suggested by the 

Greek name Iliyria. 



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GANNETT] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 119 

£xnanuel; county in Georgia, named for David £manuel, at one time president of 

the Georgia senate. 
Exnaus; borough in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, named by the Moravians in 

memory of the little village in Palestine. 
Exnbarcadero; village in Sonoma County, California. A Spanish word meaning 

"harbor" or *' port." 
Embarrass; river and village in Waupaca County, Wisconsin. A French word 

meaning 'obstruction." 
Emeriek; village in Madison County, Nebraska, named for John Emerick, an early 

settler. 
Emery; village in Macon County, I.linois, named for Charles F. Emery, a neigh- 
boring landowner. 
Emery; county in Utah, named for Geoi^ W. Emery, governor in 1875-1880. 
Emigrant Gap; town in Placer County, California, named from the pass in the 

Sierra Nevada through which the pioneers of 1849 entered the State. 
Eminence; city in Henry Counly, Kentucky, so named because of its situation on 

the highest point of land between Louisville and Lexington. 
Emlenton; borough in Venango County, Pennsylvania, named for P^mlen, the wife 

of Joseph M. Fox, one of the original proprietors. 
Emma; mountain in Arizona, named by Maj. J. W. Powell, of the United States 

Geological Survey, for his wife, Emma. 

{Emmet; county in Iowa, and county, and village in Saint Clair County, in Michigan; 
Emmetsburg; city in Palo Alto County, Iowa. Named for the Irish patriot, 
Robert W. Emmet. 

Emmitsburg; town in Frederick County, Maryland, named for William Emmitt, 
its founder. 

Emmons; mountains in Colorado and Utah, named for S. F. Emmons, the geologist. 

Emmons; mountain in New York, named for Ebenezer Emmons, geologist. 

Emmons; county in North Dakota, named for James A. Emmons, a pioneer steam- 
boat man and merchant of Bismarck. 

Emory; town in Washington County, Virginia, named from Emory and Henry 
College, which is situated there and which reireived part of its name from Bishop 
Emory. 

Empire; city in Cherokee County, Kansas, so name<l by the founder, S. L. Cheney, 
on account of the town topping a ridge. 

r Emporia; city in Lyon County, Kansas; 

•{Emporium; borough in Cameron County, Pennsylvania. A I^tin word meaning 

I ^'center of trade." 

Emuckfaw; village in Tallapoosa County, Alabama. A Creek Indian word mean- 
ing ** shell medal." 

Encinal; village in Santa Clara County, California. A Spanish word meaning ''for- 
est of evergreen oak." 

Encinitas; township in San Diego County, California. A Spanish word meaning 
"little oaks." 

Enfield; town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, named, according to Dr. J. G. 
Holland, for Robert Field. 

Enfield; towns in Grafton County, New Hampshire, and in Halifax County, North 
Carolina, named from the birthplace of John Wesley in England. 

Engelmann; canyon and peak in Colorado, named for the botanist. 

Eng^lewood; city in Bergen County, New Jersey, named from the English **wood 
ingle," a woody nook or comer. 

Englund; village in Marshall County, Minnesota, named for its first postmaster. 

Ennis; city in Ellis County, Texas, named for Cornelius Ennis, of Houston, a prom- 
inent railroad official. 



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120 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Enno; town in Wake County, North Carolina, named for an Indian tribe. 

Enon; village in Clark County, Ohio, named from the river in Palestine where John 

baptized the people. 
Enoree; river in South Carolina, named for an Indian tribe. 
Enosburgr; town in Franklin County, Vermont, named for Roger Enos, to whom 

the land was originally granted. 
Enterprise; towns in Clarke County, Mississippi, and Wallowa County, Or^on, 

and many other towns and villages, so named to denote the policy of their 

inhabitants. 

{Ephrata; town in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania; 
Ephratah; town in Fulton County, New York. Named from the ancient city of 
Palestine. 

Eppes; creek, and island in the James River, in Charles City County, Virginia, named 
for an early owner of the property. 

Eppingr; town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, named from the town in 
Essex, England. 

Epsom; village in Daviess County, Indiana, so named because of a well near by 
which contains water much resembling epsom salts in taste. 

Epsom; town in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, named from the town in Sur- 
rey, England. 

Epworth; town in Dubuque County, Iowa, named from the town in Lincolnshire, 
England. 

Equinunk; villages in Delaware County, New York, and Wayne County, Pennsyl- 
vania. An Indian word, meaning ** place where clothing is distributed." 

Erath; county in Texas, named for an earler settler and Indian fighter, George B. 
Erath. 

Erie; one of the Great Lakes, drained by the St. Lawrence. From me, erikej or 
erigaf meaning "wildcat," the name of an ancient tribe on its borders conquered 
by the Iroquois. 

Erie; township and village in Whiteside County, Illinois, named from the county 
in New York. 

Erie; city in Neosho County, Kansas, named from a small lake near by of that 
name. 

iErie; counties in New York and Ohio, and county, and city in same county, in 
Pennsylvania; 
Erieville; village in Madison County, New York. Named from the lake. 
Erin; the name of numerous towns and villages in the United States, named from 

the ancient name of Ireland. 
Errol; town in Coos County, New Hampshire, named from the parish in Scotland. 
Erskine; village in Passaic County, New Jersey, named from the parish in Scotland. 
Erving:; town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, named for the man who owned 

"Ervings Grant," in early days. 
Erwin; town in Steuben County, New York, named for Col. Arthur Erwin, of Penn- 
sylvania. 
Escambia; river in Alabama and Florida. Probably derived from the Spanish, 

camhiary meaning "barter" or "exchange." 
Escambia; counties in Alabama and Florida, named from the river traversing both 

States. 
Escanaba; river, and city in Delta County, in Michigan. According to Haines it is 

an Indan word meaning "flat rock," but according to other authorities it means 

a "young male quadruped." 
Eschscholtz; inlet of Kotzebue Sound, Alaska, named for J. F. Eschscholtz, the 

naturalist 



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GANNETT] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 121 

Escoheag; town in Kent County, Rhode Island. An Indian word, supposed to 

mean ** origin of three rivers." 
Escondido; city in San Diego County, California. A Spanish word meaning 

* * hidden treasure. ' * 
Escidapia; watering place in Lewis County, Kentucky, named for the god of the 

medical art — Esculapius. 
Bskridge; city in Wabaunsee County, Kansas, named for C. V. Eskridge, the first 

purchaser of a town lot. 
Eskutassis; stream in Piscataquis County, Maine. An Indian word meaning ** small 

trout.'* 
Eskweskwewadjo; mountain in Maine. An Indian word meaning "she-bear 

mountain." 
Esmeralda; post village in Calaveras County, California, mining camp in Idaho, 

and county in Nevada. The Spanish term for "emerald," the places being so 

named on account of the presence of this gem. 
Esopus; stream in New York. A difference of opinion exists as to whether the 

Indian tribe of this name took the name from the river or whether the river was 

named for the tribe. Schoolcraft gives ^^seepus^* or ^^seepu,** "river," as the 

word nearest like it in the Indian language. 
Esparto; village in Yolo County, California. A Spanish word meaning "feather 



Esperance; town in Schoharie County, New York. A Frem^h word meaning 

"hope." 
EspinOBO; towns in Monterey and Solano counties, California. A Spanish word 

meaning * * thorny . " 
Essex; township in Stark County, Illinois, named for Isaac B. Essex, the first white 

settler in the county. 
Essex; counties in Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Vermont, and Virginia, 

named from the English county of Essex. 
Essexville; village in Bay County, Michigan, named for an early settler, Ransom 

Essex. 
Estaboga; town in Talladega County, Alabama. An Indian word meaning " where 

people reside." 
Estherville; city in Emmet County, Iowa, named for Esther A. Ridley, wife of one 

of the original proprietors. 
Estill; county, and town in Madison County, in Kentucky, named for Capt. James 

Estill, an Indian fighter. 
Estill; town in Howard County, Missouri, named for Col. John R. Estill. 
Estrado; town in Monterey County, California. A Spanish word meaning "guest 

chamber." 
Estrella; town in San Luis Obispo County, California. A Spanish word meaning 

"star." 
Ethel; town in Attala County, Mississippi, named for the daughter of Capt. S. B. 

McConnico. 
Etna; many places in the United States are named from the celebrated volcano in 

Sicily. 
Etowah; county in Alabama, and river in Georgia. A Cherokee Indian corruption, 

meaning unknown. 
Etruria; township in Halifax County, North Carolina, named from the division of 

ancient Italy. 
Eucalyptus; town in San Joaquin County, California, so named from the prevailing 

species of trees. 
Euclid; village in Onondaga County, New York, and town in Cuyahoga County, 

Ohio, and named for the celebrated geometer of Alexandria. 



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122 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Eudora; city in Douglas County, Kansas, named for the daughter of Pascal Fish. 
Eufaula; town in Barbour County, Alabama; named from a former noted Creek 

Indian town ( Yufala) of that vicinity; meaning unknown. 
Eugene; city in Lane County, Oregon, named for Eugene F. Skinner, its first settler. 
Eulalia; township in Potter County, Pennsylvania, named for the first child born 

within its limits. 
Eureka; cities in Humboldt County, California, Woodford County, Illinois, and 

Greenwood County, Kansas, and county in Nevada. A Greek expression mean- 
ing **I have found it." 
Eustis; town in Lake County, Florida, named for Gen. Henry L. Eustis. 
Eustis; town in Franklin County, Maine, named for Charles L. Eustis, an early 

proprietor. 
Eutaw; town in Greene County, Alabama. 
Eutaw Spring; small affluent of the Santee River in South Carolina. According to 

Gratschet it is named from the Indian tribe, also known as etiwaw, or from itawa, 

**pine tree." 
Eutawville; town in Berkeley County, South Carolina, named from the famous 

Eutaw Spring. 
Evangeline; township in Charlevoix County, Michigan, named for the heroine of 

Longfellow's poem. 
Evans; town in Weld County, Colorado, nanietl for John Evans, a former governor 

of Colorado. 
Evans; town in Erie County, New York, named for David E. Evans, agent of the 

Holland Land Company. 
Evansburg; village in Coshocton County, Ohio, named for Isaac Evans, who laid 

it out. 
Evans Mills; village in Jefferson County, New York, named for Ethni Evans, a 

resident mill owner. 
Evanston; town in Cook County, Illinois, and city in Uinta County, Wyoming, 

named for John Evans, a former governor of Colorado. 
Evansville; city in Vanderburg County, Indiana, named for Gen. Robert Evans, 

who laid it out. 
Evansville; city in Rock County, Wisconsin, named for Calvin P^vans, a first settler. 
Evart; township and village in Osceola County, Michigan, named for Frank Evart, 

a pioneer. 
Evarts; mountain in Yellowstone Park, named for Truman C. Evarts. 
Evening Shade; town in Sharp County, Arkansas, so named from the density of 

shade cast by the tall pine timber on an adjacent hill. 
Everett; city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, and town in Bedford County, 

Pennsylvania, named for Edward Everett, of Massachusetts. 
Everetts; town in Martin County, North Carolina, named for a resident family. 
Ewing; village in Cole County, Missouri, named from citizen living near by. 
Ewings; creek in Missouri. Ewing is probably a contraction of "E. Wing," which 

designated this creek upon an early map. 
Excelsior; towns in Sonoma and Sierra counties, California. -A Latin word mean- 
ing *' ever upward." 
Excelsior Springs; city in Clay County, Missouri, named from the medicinal 

springs. 
Exeter; town in Scott County, Illinois, named from Exeter, New Hampshire, the 

former home of its founders. 
Exeter; towns in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, and Washington County, 

Rhode Island, and twelve other places, named from Exeter in England. 
Eyota; village in Olmstead County, Minnesota. From a Sioux Indian word, iyotaky 

meaning * * greatest, " * * most. ' ' 



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GANNETT] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 123 

Fabius; river in Missouri and town in Onondaga County, New York, named for the 

celebrated Roman consul. The town was named by the State land board of 

New York. 
Factory; hill in Yellowstone Park, Wyoming, covered with geysers and hot springs, 

so named because of the noise and steam proceeding from them, resembling in 

this respect an active factory town. 
Fair; a name used with various suffixes, such as **brook," **land," **port," etc., to 

indicate an attractive appearance. 
Fairbank; township in Sullivan County, Indiana, named for General Fairbanks. 
Fairbury; city in Jefferson County, Nebraska, named by an early settler, Mr. 

McDonell, for his home, Fairbury, Illinois. 
Fairchild; creek in Park County, Colorado, named for A. Fairchild, a prospector. 
Fairfax; county, and town in same county, in Virginia, named for Lord Fairfax, 

grandson of Lord Culpeper. 
Fairfield; county, and town in same county, in Connecticut, town in Somerset 

County, Maine, and counties in Ohio and South Carolina, so named from the 

beauty of their fields. 
Fairmont; city in Marion County, West Virginia, so named for its situation on a 

hill. 
Fairplay; town in Park County, Colorado, established by gold miners who named 

it as a living reproof to their ** grab-all" neighbors. 
Fairport; village in Monroe County, New York, so named for its pleasing location 

on the Erie Canal. 
Faison; town in Duplin County, North Carolina, named for a prominent family. 
Falkner; island in Long Island Sound, New Haven County, Connecticut. Named 

by the discoverer, Capt. Adrien Block, Valcken Eylandt (Falcon Island), of 

which the present appellation is a corruption. 
Fall; river in Massachusetts, so named because it is only about 2 miles in length and 

falls about 140 feet in a half mile. 
Fall Biver; city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, situated on the Fall River. 
Fall River; county in South Dakota, named from the river. A literal translation 

of the Indian name. 
Fallowfield; township in Washington County, Pennsylvania, named for Lancelot 

Fallowfield, one of the first purchasers of the land from William Penn. 
Falls; county in Texas, named from the falls in Brazos Rivor. 
Falls Church; town in Fairfax County, Virginia, so named because of the Episcopal 

church established there. 
Fallston; borough in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, named from the falls in Beaver 

River. 
Falls Village; village in Litchfield County, Connecticut, named from the falls in 

the Housatonic River. 
Falmouth; towns in Cumberland County, Maine, and Barnstable County, Massa- 
chusetts, named from the seaport town in Cornwall. 
Famoso; town in Kern County, California. A Spanish word meaning ** famous," 

or *' celebrated.^' 
Fannin; county in Georgia, and county, and village in Goliad County, in Texas, named 

for Col. James W. Fannin, of North Carolina, who fought in the Texan war. 
Farallone; group of small islands on the coast of California, named by the early 

Spanish explorers. The word farcUlon means ''needle," or "small, pointed 

island." 
Far(?o; city in Cass County, North Dakota, named for one of the members of the 

Wells, Fargo Express Company. Several other places bear his name. 
Faribault; county, and city in Rice County, in Minnesota, named for John Baptiste 

Faribault, a settler and French fur trader among the Sioux Indians. 



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124 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Farina; town in Fayette County, Illinois, named from its location in the wheat- 
growing district. 
Farley; town in Dubuque County, Iowa, named for the superintendent of the Sioux 

City Railroad. 
Farmer; name applied to many small places, either with or without suffixes, indic- 
ative of rural conditions and appearance. 
Farmersville; village in Collin County, Texas. 4n early settler set apart a square 

piece of land as a gathering place for farmers from the surrounding country, 

which square forms the nucleus of the existing village. 
Farmingrton; town in San Joaquin County, California; an agricultural district, so 

designated to distinguish it from the mining regions. 
Fanxmigton; town and river in Hartford County, Connecticut, named from a place 

in England. 
Farmingrton; township and city in Fulton County, Illinois, and town in Ontario 

County, New York, named from Farmington, Connecticut. 
Farmington; village in Oakland County, Michigan, named from Farmington, New 

York. 
Farmingrton; town in Strafford County, New Hampshire, so named because of its 

unusual adaptability to farming purposes. 
Famham; village in Erie County, New York, named for Le Roy Farnham, the first 

merchant. 
Famham; town in Richmond County, Virginia, named from the town in Surrey, 

England. 
Farragut; town in Fremont County, Iowa, named for Admiral Farragut. 
Farrandsville; village in Clinton County, Pennsylvania, laid out by and named for 

William P. Farrand, of Philadelphia. 
Farrar; town in Edgecombe County, North Carolina, named for a wealthy citizen. 
Farwell; village in Clare County, Michigan, named for Samuel B. Farwell, an officer 

of the old Flint and Pere Marquette Railroad. 

{Faulk; county in South Dakota; 
Faulkton; township and city in Faulk County. Named for Andrew J. Faulktho, 
the second governor of Dakota Territory. 
Faulkner; county, and village in same county, in Arkansas, named for Sandy Faulk- 
ner, the real ** Arkansas Traveller." 
{Fauquier; county in Virginia; 
Fauquier Springs; village in Fauquier County. Named for Francis Fauquier, 
governor of the State. 
Fausse Riviere; village in Louisiana, so called because it is situated on what was 
formerly the bed of the Mississippi River. Many years ago the river wore 
through an isthmus and left its former bed dry for a distance of about 30 miles. 
A French name, meaning "false river.'* 
Faustburg; village in South Carolina, named for the first settler. 
Fayette; counties in Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Ohio, 
Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, and West Virginia, and many places through- 
out the country, named for the Marquis de la Fayette. The name is also used 
with suffixes, such as " ville" and "corner." 
Fear; cape and river in North Carolina. Sir Richard Grenville narrowly escaped 

being wrecked near the cape, in consequence of which he so named it. 
Feather; river in California. A translation of the early Spanish name, plumas. 
February; village in Washington County, Tennessee, named for a resident of the 

place. 
Federal; name given to several places in the country, in reference to the national 
form of government. 



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GANNETT] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 125 

Federalsburgr; village in Caroline County, Maryland, so named because settled by 

persons from the Northern States. 
Felix; townships in Grundy counties, Illinois and Iowa, named for Felix Grundy, 

Senator from Tennessee. 
Fells; point in Maryland named for the purchaser, a ship carpenter, William Fell. 
Felts Mills; village in Jefferson County, New York, named for John Felt, an early 

proprietor. 
Fence; rivers in Wisconsin and Michigan. A translation of the Indian word ''milch' 

igan,^* referring to a wooden fence constructed near its banks by the Indians for 

catching deer. 
Fenner; towns in San Bernardino County, California, and Madison County, New 

York, named for Governor Fenner, of Rhode Islond. 
Feimimore; village in Grant County, Wisconsin, named for a settler who disap- 
peared during the Black Hawk war. 
Fennville; village in Allegan County, Michigan, named for a lumberman, Elam 

Fenner, who founded the village. 
Fenton; village in Genesee County, Michigan, named for Colonel Fenton, who 

owned a large tract of land on the present site. 
Fentonville; village in Chautauqua County, New York, named for Reuben Eaton 

Fenton, governor of the State in 1865-1869. 
Fentress; county in Tennessee, named for James Fentress, member of a commission 

appointed to fix upon a place for the seat of justice for Shelby County. 
Fergrus; county in Montana; 
Fergus Falls; city in Ottertail County, Illinois. Named for John Fergus, a pioneer 

of the West. 
iS'ergrusonville; \dlla^e in Delaware County, New York, named for the Ferguson 

brothers, who were largely engaged in business there. 
Fermanagh; township in Juniata County, Pennsylvania, named from the county in 

Ireland. 
Fern; town in Shasta County, California, named from its location in the fern district 

of the Siskiyou Range. 
Fern; name used with various suffixes, generally given because of the presence of 

the plant. Eighteen places bear this name, some with suffixes, such as ** dale," 
. **bank," and **ridge." 
Femandina; city in Nassau County, Florida, named for a Spaniard, Fernandez. 
Ferrisburg; town in Addison County, Vermont, named for Benjamin Ferris, who 

applied for a charter in 1762. 
Ferry; county in Washington, named for Elisha P. Ferry, governor of the Territory. 
Fetterman; town in Taylor County, West Virginia, named for a resident of Pitts- 
burg, Pennsylvania, who owned the land. 
Fever; river in Illinois, named by the early French, larivth-e de fh)e, **the river 

of the bean," because of the immense quantity of wild lieans upon its banks. 

The name was corrupted to fitwre^ ** fever," which gave rise to the impression 

that the place was unhealthy. 
Fidalg-o; island and village in Skagit County, Washington, and harbor in Alaska, 

named for the Spanish explorer. 
Fields Ijanding; village in Humboldt County, California, named for a settler. 
Fifty Eight; village in Orangeburg County, South Carolina, named so because it is 

58 miles from Charleston. 
Fillmore; mount in California, named for a naval officer. 
Fillmore; counties in Minnesota and Nebraska, and many places in the country 

named for Millard Fillmore, President of the United States. 
Fillmore; station in Wyoming, named for a superintendent of the Southern Pacific 

Railroad. 



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126 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Fincastle; town in Botetourt County, Virginia, and several other places directly 

or indirectly named for Governor Lord Dunmore and his son George, Lord 

Fincastle. 
Findlay; city in Hancock County, Ohio, named from Fort Findlay, built by Col. 

James Findlay, of Cincinnati. 
Findley ; township in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, named for William Findley, 

governor of the State in 1817-1820. 
Fine; town in St. Lawrence County, New York, named for John Fine, the principal 

proprietor. 
Finney; county in Kansas, named for David W. Finney, lieutenant-governor in 

1881-1885. 
Fire; hill in Humboldt County, California, so named because in early days it was 

used as a station from which to signal with fire. 
Fire; creek in Missouri, originally called Fire-prairie Creek, because of the fires that 

swept over the prairies. 
Firehole; river in Yellowstone Park, Wyoming. The word "hole" was used by 

the early explorers to designate depressions among the mountains, while the first 

part of the name refers to the remarkable geyser region from which the river 

flows. 
Fisher; county, and village in same county, in Texas, named for S. Rhodes Fisher, 

secretary of the navy in Houston's cabinet. 
Fishkill; town, creek, plains, and mountains in Dutchess County, New York, 

named by the early Dutch settlers, vischkiU, **fish creek." 
Fitch; stream in Stark County, Illinois, named for George Fitch, an early settler on 

its banks. 
Fitchbnrg; city in Worcester County, Massachusetts, named for John Fitch, one of 

the committee that procured the act of incorporation. 
Fitchville; township in Huron County, Ohio, named for Colonel Fitch. 
Fithian; village in Vermilion County, Illinois, named for Dr. William Fithian. 
Fitzwilliam; town in Cheshire County, New Hampshire, named for the Earl of 

• Fitzwilliam. 
Five Comers; village in Miami County, Indiana, so named because it is at the junc- 
tion of several roads. 
Flackville; village in St. Lawrence County, New York, named for John P. Flack, 

first postmaster. 
Flagrstaff; town in Coconino County, Arizona, named from a pole set by a party of 

immigrants who camped near and celebrated the Fourth of July. 
Flagstaff; plantation in Somerset County, Maine, so named because Benedict Arnold 

encamped here on his Quebec expedition and erected a fiagstaff. 
Flambeau; river and lakes in Wisconsin, so called because of the practice of using 

torches to catch fish at night. 
Flambeau; town in Gates County, Wisconsin, named from the river of the same 

name. 
Flatbush; part of Brooklyn, New York, so named from woods that grew on flat 

country. 
Flathead; lake, county, and river in Montana, named from an Indian tribe. The 

name originated with the early settlers who called several different tribes of 

Indians by this name on account of their custom of flattening the heads of 

infants by fastening a piece of board or a pad of grass upon the forehead. After 

this had been worn several months it cpused a flat appearance of the head. 
Flatonia; city in Fayette County, Texas, named for F. W. Flato, a. first settler. 
Flattery; promontory in Washington, so nan)*xi by Captain Cook, **in token of an 

improvement in our prospects." 



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GANNETT] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 127 

Flavel; suQimer resort in Clatsop County, Oregon, named for a prominent resident 

of Astoria. 
Fleming; town in Cayuga County, New York, named for Gen. George Fleming, an 

old resident. 

(Fleming:; county in Kentucky; 
Flemingsburg; town in Fleming County. Named for Col. John Fleming, an early 
settler in the State. 

Flint; river in Georgia; a translation of the Indian word tJironatuska, also lonoto, 
*' flint." 

Flint; city in Genesee County and river in Michigan; called by the Indians, ^twm- 
nuk-ening^ '* river of the flint." 

Flirt; lake in Florida, named for a Government schooner. 

Flora; city in Clay County, Illinois, named for Flora Whittleby, daughter of the 
founder. 

Flora; town in Madison County, Mississippi, named by W. B. Jones for his wife. 

Floral Park; village in Nassau County, New York, so named because of the abun- 
dance of flowers. 

Florence; city in Lauderdale County, Alabama, village in Hampshire County, 
Massachusetts, and town in Oneida County, New York, named from the city 
in Italy. 

Florence; city in Marion County, Kansas, named for Miss Florence Crawford, of 
Topeka. 

Florence; town in Ravalli County, Montana, named for Florence Abbott Ham- 
mond, wife of A. B. Hammond, of Missoula. 

Florence; village in Douglas County, Nebraska, named for Miss Florence Kilbourn. 

Florence; county, and township and town in same county, in South Carohna, named 
for the daughter of Gen. W. W. Hardlee. 

Florence; county in Wisconsin, named for the Florence Mining Company. 

Flores; creek in Idaho, named from the flowers on its banks. 

Florida; State of the Union, named by Ponce de Leon, the florid or flowery land. 
He chose this name for two reasons: First, because the country presented a 
pleasant aspect; and, second, -because he landed on the festival which the Span- 
iards call Pascua de Flores, or Pascua Florida, "Feast of flowers," which corre- 
sponds to Palm Sunday. The second reason is generally considered to have more 
weight. 

Florisscmt; town in El Paso County, Colorado, named by Judge James Castello from 
his old home in Missouri. 

Florissant; city in St. Louis County, Missouri, named from the flowery valley in 
which it is situated. 

Flowing Well; town in San Diego County, California, named from the artesian 
wells used for irrigating purposes. 

Floyd; county in Georgia, named for Gen. John Floyd, at one time member of Con- 
gress from that State. 

Floyd; county in Indiana, said by some authorities to have been named for Col. 
John Floyd, while others claim that it was named for Davis Floyd. 

Floyd; county, town in same county, and river in Iowa, named for Sergt. Charles 
Floyd, of the Lewis and Clarke exploring party. 

Floyd; county in Kentucky, named for Ool. John Floyd, an officer of the Revolution. 

Floyd; town in Oneida County, New York, named for William Floyd, a signer of 
the Declaration of Independence. 

Floyd; county in Texas, named for Dolfin Floyd, who fell at the Alamo. 

Floyd; county, and town in same county in Virginia, named for Gov. John Floyd. 

Floyds; creek in Adair County, Missouri, named for an early settler who came from 
Kentacky. 



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128 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. Ibull. 258. 

Flushing; town in Queens County, New York, now a part of New York City, called 
by the early Dutch settlers, '* VHssengeriy** of which the present name is a cor- 
ruption. Some authorities claim that the early settlers came from Flushing, 
Holland. 

Fluvanna; county in Virginia, named from a river which was named for Queen 
Anne, of England. 

Fly; stream, and swamp of 12,000 acres, in Fulton County, New York. From vlaie, 
meaning a ** channel of water," a name given by the Dutch settlers, from the 
fact that the region is land at certain seasons and water at other times. The 
name was corrupted by the Scotch, Dutch, and Irish settlers to the present form. 

Foard; county in Texas, named for Robert L. Foard. 

Folsom; post-office in Sacramento County, California, laid out on a ranch formerly 
owned by the Folsom family. 

Folsom; peak in Yellowstone Park, named for David E. Folsom, leader of an expedi- 
tion in 1869. 

Fonda; village in Montgomery County, New York, named for Douw Fonda. 

Fond du I^ac; town in St. Louis County, Minnesota, and county, and city in same 
county, in Wisconsin, so named because of their situation. A French phrase, 
meaning "end of the lake." 

Fontaine-qui-Bouille; creek in Colorado, so named because ita head is a spring of 
water highly aerated. A French phrase, ** fountain which boils." 

Fontana; city in Miami County, Kansas, named from a spring a mile west of the 
town site. 

Fontanelle; town in Adair County, Iowa, and creek in Wyoming, named for a 
trapper in the employ of the American Fur Company. 

Ford; county in Illinois, named for Thomas Ford, governor of the State in 1842-1846. 

Ford; county, and city in same county, in Kansas, named for James H. Ford, 
colonel of Second Colorado Cavalry. 

Ford; village in Holt County, Nebraska, named for an early settler. 

Forellen; peak in Yellowstone Park, Wyoming. A German word meaning 
"trout." 

Forest; counties in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, so named from the forests within 
their limits. The name occurs, either alone or with suffixes, as the name of 
ninety places in the country. 

Forrest; town in St. Francis County, Arkansas, named for Gen. N. B. Forrest, who 
built the first house there. 

Forsyth; county, and city in Monroe County, in Georgia, named for Governor John 
Forsyth. 

Forsyth; village in Macon County, Illinois, named for Robert Forsyth, a railroad 
official. 

Forsyth; county in North Carolina, named for Major Forsyth, a distinguished officer 
of the State, killed in the war of 1812. 

Fort Ann; village in Washington County, New York, named from an old fortifica- 
tion built in 1756, during the wars with the French. 

Fort Atkinson; city in Jefferson County, Wisconsin, named for Gen. Henry Atkin- 
son, who commanded a stockade there during the Black Hawk war. 

Fort Bend; county in Texas, named from a fort on Brazos River. 

Fort Benton; town in Choteau County, Montana, on the site of an old fort which 
was named for Thomas H. Benton, of Missouri. 

Fort Collins; city in Larimer County, Colorado, named for Col. W. T. Collins of 
the Eleventh Ohio Volunteer Infantry. 

Fort Covingrton; village in Franklin County, New York, named for Gen. Leonard 
Covington. 



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GASNETT] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 129 

Fort Crook; village in Sarpy County, Nebraska, named from a fort which was 

named for Gen. George Crook. 
Fort Dade; village in Hernando County, Florida, so named because situated near 

the spot where Major Dade and companions perished while defending them- 
selves against a party of Seminoles. 
Fort Dodgre; city in Webster County, Iowa, named for Senator Dodge, of Wisconsin. 
Fort Edward; town in Washington County, New York, named from an old fort 

built in 1709, named in honor of Edward, Duke of York. 
Fort Fairfield; town in Aroostook County, Maine, named for an old fort which 

took its name from John Fairfield, who was governor of Maine for many years. 
Fort Fetterman; village in Albany County, Wyoming, named for Lieut. Col. W. J. 

Fetterman, killed by the Indians in 1866. 
Fort Gaines; town in Clay County, Georgia, named for Gen. E. P. Gaines. 
Fort Gratiot; township in St. Clair County, Michigan, named for General Gratiot, 

U. S. Army, who, as an engineer, laid out the fort. 
Fort Hckll; part of an Indian reservation in Bingham County, Idaho, named from a 

fort which was built by Capt. N. J. Wyeth and named for one of his partners. 
Fort Hamilton; village in Kings County, now a part of New York City, named for 

Alexander Hamilton. 
Fort Kent; town in Aroostook County, Maine, named from a fort which was named 

for Governor Edward Kent, of Maine. 
Fort Keogh; village in Custer County, Montana, named from a fort which took its 

name from Captain Keogh, who fell with General Custer. 
Fort Klamath; town in Klamath County, Oregon, named from an Indian tribe. 
Fort Ijeavenworth; town in Leavenworth County, Kansas, named for Gen. Henry 

Leavenworth, who erected the fort. 
Fort Lemhi; precinct and fort in Lemhi County, Idaho. The fort was built for 

protection against the Indians by the early Mormon settlers. The name, mean- 
ing "land," is taken from the Book of Mormon. 
Fort liOgan; town in Meagher County, Montana, named for Captain Logan, killed 

in battle of the Big Hole. 
Fort Ijupton; town in Weld County, Colorado, named for an early settler on Adobe 

Creek in 1840. 
Fort Madison; city in Lee County, Iowa, named for James Madison, President of 

the United States. 
Fort Monroe; United States school of artillery and arsenal on Hampton Roads, 

Elizabeth City County, Virginia, named for James Monroe, fifth President of 

the United States. 
Fort Morgan; town in Morgan County, Colorado, named for Col. C. A. Morgan. 
Fort Motte; town in Orangeburg County, South Carolina, so named because situ- 
ated upon the site of Motte's house, which was fortified by the British during 

the Revolution. 
Fort Myers; town in Lee County, Florida, first a military post, named for Capt. 

Abraham C. Myers. 
Fort Pierre; village in Stanley County, South Dakota, named for Pierre Choteau. 
Fort Plain; village in Montgomery County, New York, named from an old fortress 

erected on a plain at the junction of the Mohawk and Osquaga rivers. 
Fort Recovery; village in Mercer County, Ohio, named from an old fort built by 

General Wayne. 
Fort Scott; city in Bourbon County, Kansas, named for Gen. Winfield Scott. 
Fort Sheridan; village in Lake County, Illinois, named from the military post near, 

which was named for Gen. P. H. Sheridan. 

Bull. 258—05 ^9 

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130 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITiED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Fort Smith; town in Sebastian County, Arkansas, named for a fort built under the 

direction of Gen. Persifer F. Smith, for whom it was named. 
Fortuna; town in Humboldt County, California. The Spanish form of ** fortune." 
Fort Wayne; city in Allen County, Indiana, named from a fort built by Lieutenant- 
Colonel Hamtramck in 1794, named for Gen. Anthony Wayne. 
Fort Worth; city in Tarrant County, Texas, named for General Worth, prominent 

in the Mexican war. 
Fortyfort; borough in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, named from the old fort of 

Revolutionary days. 
Foster; county in North Dakota, named for Hon. Greorge I. Foster, a pioneer, 

prominent in the Territorial legislature. 
Foster; town in Providence County, Rhode Island, named for Theodore Foster, 

United States Senator from that State. 
Fosterbiirg; township and village in Madison County, Illinois, named for Oliver 

Foster, who made the first land entry in the vicinity. 
Fostoria; city in Senica County, Ohio, named for Governor Charles Foster. 
Fountain; name given to many places, mostly because of Springs. 
Fountain; coimty in Indiana, named for Major Fountain, of Kentucky, killed at the 

battle of Maumee in 1790. 
Four Oaks; town in Johnston County, North Carolina, named from four great oaks 

near. 
Fowler; village in Clinton County, Michigan, named for John N. Fowler. 
Fowler; town in St. Lawrence County, New York, named for Theodocius Fowler, 

former proprietor. 
Fowler; township in Trumbull County, Ohio, named for Samuel Fowler, a land 

proprietor. 
Fowlerville; village in Livingston County, Michigan, named for Ralph Fowler, the 

first settler. 
Fowlerville; village in Livingston County, New York, named for Wells Fowler, 

the first settler. 
Foxburg; village in Clarion County, Pennsylvania, named for the original pro- 
prietor, H. M. Fox. 
Fox Chase; substation in Philadelphia, named from an old race course and fox 

chase frequented many years ago by citizens of Philadelphia. 
Foxcroft; town in Piscataquis County, Maine, named for Col. Joseph E. Foxcroft, of 

New Gloucester, an early proprietor. 
Fox Ijake; village in Dodge County, Wisconsin, named from the Indian name of 

the Lake, /jo«/i a rac ah tahy **fox." 
Frackville; borough in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, named for Daniel Frack, 

one of the original settlers. 
Framboise; island in the Missouri River. A French word meaning ** raspberry." 
Framingham; town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. The name is evidently 

a corruption of Framlingham, Suffolk County, England. 
Francestown; town in Hillsboro County, New Hampshire, named for the wife of 

Governor Benning Wentworth, whose maiden name was Frances Deering. 
Franceville; town in El Paso County, Colorado, named for Hon. Matt France, of 

Colorado Springs. 
Franceway; creek in Grant County, Arkansas. The name is a corruption of the 

name Frangois, given by the early French. 
Francis; creek in Humboldt County, California, named for aaettler. 
Franconia; town in Grafton County, New Hampshire, named from the Duchy in 

Germany. 
Frank; island in Yellowstone Park, Wyoming, named for the brother of Henry W. 

Elliott, of the Hayden expedition. 



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GANNETT] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 131 

Frankford; station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, named by a land company which 
organized at Frankfort-on-the-Main in Germany, and which purchased the land 
upon which Germantown and other suburbs now stand. 

Frankfort; city in Clinton County, Indiana, named for the city in Kentucky. 

Frankfort; city in Marshall County, Kansas. The origin of the name is in dispute; 
one authority says it was named for Frank Schmidt, of Marysville, owner of the 
site, and another states the name was transferred from Frankfort-on-the-Main. 

Frankfort; city in Franklin County, Kentucky, named for one of aband of pioneers, 
who alone succeeded in fording the Kentucky River, and was killed by Indians 
on reaching the opposite bank. 

Frankfort; village in Herkimer County, New York, named for Lawrence Frank, an 
early settler. 

Franklin; counties in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida; county, and town in Heard 
County, in Georgia; counties in Illinois and Indiana; county, and town in Lee 
County, in Iowa; county in Kansas; county, and city in Simpson County, in Ken- 
tucky; parish in Louisiana; county, and town in Hancock County, in Maine; 
county, and town in Norfolk County, in Massachusetts; counties in Mississippi 
and Missouri; county, and town ii^ same county, in Nebraska; county, and 
village in Delaware County, in New York; county, and town in Macon County, 
in North Carolina; county in Ohio; county, and boroughs in Cambria and 
Venango counties, Pennsylvania; counties in Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, and 
Washington; and mountain in New Hampshire; named for Benjamin Franklin. 
Many other places throughout the country bear his name. 

Franklin; town in Delaware County, New York, named for Temple Franklin. 

Franklin; county in Texas, named forB. C. Franklin, first judge of the district court 
of the republic. ' 

Frankstown; village in Blair County, Pennsylvania, named for Stephen Franks, a 
German trader. 

Franktown; town in Douglas County, Colorado, named for Hon. J. Frank Gard- 
ner, an early resident. 

Fraser; village in Macomb County, Michigan, named for a lawyer from Detroit, 
Michigan. 

Frazer; creek in Humboldt County, California, named for an early settler. 

Frazer; village in Delaware County, New York, named for Hugh Frazer, an early 
patentee. 

Frederic; town in Crawford County, Michigan, named for Frederick Barker, a 
pioneer. 

Frederica; town in Glynn County, Georgia, named for Frederick, Prince of Wales. 

Frederick; coimty in Maryland, named for Frederick, son of Charles, Fifth Lord 
Baltimore. It may have been given also in reference to Frederick, Prince of 
Wales. 

{Frederick; county in Virginia; 
Frederickaburg; city in Spottsylvania County, Virginia. Named for Frederick, 
Prince of Wales. 
Fredericktown; city in Madison County, Missouri, named for George Frederick 

Bollinger, a former member of the State l^slature. 
Fredonia; city in Wilson County, Kansas, named for Fredonia, New York. 
Fredonia; village in Chautauqua County, New York. The name was devised to 

signify ''land of freedom,'* and proposed as a name for the United States. 
Freeborn; county, and township in same county, in Minnesota, named for William 

Freeborn, a member of the council in 1855. 
Freeliold; town in Monmouth County, New Jersey, originally a freehold. 
Freelandsville' village in Knox County, Indiana, named for Dr. John F. Freeland. 



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132 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Freeman; town in Franklin County, Maine, named for Samuel Freeman, of Port- 
land, Maine. 
Freemansburg; borough in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, named for Jacob 

Freeman. 
Freeo; creek in Arkansas. A corruption of the Spanish word /no, **cold." 
Freeport; town in Cumberland County, Maine, so named because it was intended 

that it should be a free port. The named is found frequently in the country, 

generally having been given in the spirit of liberty. 
Freeport; township and city in Stephenson County, Illinois. The name was first 

applied to the home of an early settler because of his hospitality, and clung to 

the settlement. 
Freestone; county in Texas, so named from the character of the soil. 
Freetown; town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, called by the original settlers 

Freeman* s Land. 
Fremont; county and pass in Colorado; counties in Idaho and Iowa; town in Rock- 
ingham County, New Hampshire; town in Steuben County, New York; city in 
Sandusky County, Ohio; island in Utah; county and peak of the Wind River 
Mountains, Wyoming; and many other places; 
Fremontville; town in Ventura County, California. Named for Gen. John C. Fre- 
mont. 
French; river in Massachusetts, ho named from a settlement of French Protestants 

in the town of Oxford. 
French Broad; river in North Carolina, so named because the country west of the 

Blue Ridge was held by the French, according to some authorities. Others hold 

that the river was named by a party of hunters for their captain, whose name 

was French. The latter part of the name is used descriptively. 
Frenchburg; town in Menifee County, Kentucky, named for Judge Richard French, 

prominent politician. 
French Camp; town in Choctaw County, Mississippi, so named from an old settle- 
ment made by French. 
Frenchmaji; bay on the coast of Maine, so named because a settlement was made 

here by Frenchmen. 
Frenchs Mills; village in Albany County, New York, named for Abel French, who 

owneii a factory there. 
Fresno; county, city in same county, and river in California, so named from the 

heavy growth of ash trees; the Spanish form for **ash tree.*' 
Friar Point; town in Coahoma County, Mississippi, named for an old woodchopper, 

an early settler. 
Friedensville; village in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, named for an old Dutch 

church, Friederukirche^ meaning ** peace church." 
Friend; village in Saline County, Nebraska, named for C. E. Friend, the original 

owner of the town site. 
fFrio; county in Texas; 

iFriotown; village in Frio County, Texas. A Spanish word, meaning **cold." 
Frontier; county in Nebraska, so named because it was on the frontier at the time 

of its naming. 
Front Boyal; town in Warren County, Virginia, first known as Royal Oak, named 

for an immense tree growing in the common. Front Royal originated from the 

circumstance of a colonel, who, becoming confused in his commands, ordered 

his regiment to ** front the royal.'* 
Frostburg-; town in Allegany County, Maryland, named for a family who owned 

the land. 

fFruita; town in Mesa County, Colorado; 
Fruito; town in Glenn County, California. Named from their location in large fruit- 
growing districts. 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 133 

Pnistiun; mount in Colorado, named from its shape. 

Frybiirg'; town in North Dakota, named for General Fry, United States Army. 

Fryeburg; town in Oxford County, Maine, named for its founder, Gen. Joseph 

Frye, a veteran ofl&cer of the French wars, who received a grant of land in Maine 

sa a reward for his services. 
Fulford; village in Eagle County, Colorado, named for A. H. Fulford, a pioneer. 
Fullerton; city in Nance County, Nebraska, named for Randall Fuller, early 

stockman. 
Fulton; county in Arkansas, named for William Savin Fulton, governor of the 

Territory. 
Fulton; counties in Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky; county, and villages in 

Montgomery and Oswego Counties, in New York, and county in Pennsylvania, 

named for Robert Fulton. His name has been given to numerous places 

throughout the country. 
Fulton; city in Bourbon County, Kansas, named from Fulton, Illinois. 
Funk; town in Phelps County, Nebraska, named for P. C. Funk. 
Funkstown; town in Washington County, Maryland, named for Jacob Funk, original 

proprietor. 
Furnas; county in Nebraska, named for Robert W. Furnas, governor in 1873-1875. 
Oabilan; mountain ridge, spur of the coast range in California. A Spanish word 

meaning ** sparrow hawk." 
Gadsden; town in Etowah County, Alabama, and county in Florida, named for 

James Gadsden, the American statesman. 
Oaffiiey; city in Cherokee County, South Carolina, named for a family in the State. 
Gage; county in Nebraska, named for a Methodist minister. 
Oagretown; village in Tuscola County, Michigan, named for James Gage, the first 

settler. 
Gaines; town in Orleans County, New York, named for Gen. E. P. Gaines. 
Gaines; county in Texas, named for James Gaines, who fought in the war for Texan 

independence. 
Gainesville; city in Alachua County, Florida, towns in Hall County, Georgia, and 

Wyoming County, New York, and city in Cooke County, Texas, named for Gen. 

E. P. Gaines. 
Galatia; township and village in Saline County, Illinois, named for Albert Gallatin. 
Galen; town in Wayne County, New York, named by the State land board for 

Claudius Galenus, an illustrious physician of antiquity. 
Galena; cities in Jo Daviess County, Illinois, and Cherokee County, Kansas, and 

mount in Colorado, named from the lead ore found in the several vicinities. 
Galesburg*; city in Knox County, Illinois, named for Rev. George W. Gale, the 

founder. 
Galesburg:; village in Kalamazoo County, Michigan, named for Gen. L. Gale, early 

settler. 
Galesville; village in Trempealeau County, Wisconsin, named for Hon. George 

Gale, who laid it out. 
Gallatin; counties in Illinois and Kentucky; county and river in Montana; towns 

in Columbia County, New York, Copiah County, Mississippi, and Sumner 

County, Tennessee; named for Albert Gallatin, Secretary of the Treasury under 

President Thomas Jefferson. 
Gallaway; town in Fayette County, Tennessee, named for Governor Gallaway. 
Gallia; county in Ohio, settled in 1790 by a colony of Frenchmen, an<l named by 

them from the Latin appellation of France. 
Gallinas; river in New Mexico. A Spanish word, gallinaj "hen," used figuratively 

to denote a coward. 
Gallipolis; city in Gallia County, Ohio, so named because settled by French. 



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134 PLACE NAME8 IN THE UNITED 8TATE8. [bull. 258. 

Gallitzin; borough in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, named for its founder, Prince 

Demetrius Augustine Gallitzin. 
Gallman; town in Copiah County, Mississippi, named for a leading citizen. 
Qalloo; islands in Lake Ontario, Jefferson County, New York, named for an old 

resident. 
Qalton; village in Douglas County, Illinois, named for a railroad stockholder. 
Qalva; township and town in Henry County, Illinois, named by Olaf Johnson, 

from Gefle, his home in Sweden, and Anglicized to the present form. 
Qalva; city in McPherson County, Kansas, named by Mrs. J. E. Doyle for her old 

home in Illinois. 
Galveston; county, and city in same county, in Texas, named for Don Jos6 Galvez, 

Spanish viceroy of Texas; in 1797 proclaimed king by the people of Mexico. 
Qalway; village in Saratoga County, New York, named from the county in Ireland. 
Gcunbier; village in Knox County, Ohio, named for Lord James Gambler, a British 

admiral, a benefactor of Kenyon Collie, located there. 
Qajinett; station on the Union Pacific Railroad in Nebraska, named for J. W. Gan- 
nett, auditor of the road. 
Oans; town in Humboldt County, California, named for a settler. 
Qansevoort; village in Saratoga County, New York, named for Col. Peter Ganse- 

voort, who located there soon after the war. 
Oarberville; town in Humboldt County, California, named for J. C. Garber. 
Garden; thirty places in the country bear this name, used descriptively, either with 

or without suffixes. 
Garden of the Gods; locality near Pikes Peak, Colorado. Lewis N. Tappan and 

three others went from Denver to select a site for a town. They stood upon a 

rocky prominence and exclaimed, "A fit garden for the gods," hence the name. 
Gardiner; city in Kennebec County, Maine, named for Sylvester Gardiner, one of 

the proprietors of the old Plymouth patent. 
Gardiner; town in Ulster County, New York, named for Addison Gardiner, formerly 

lieutenant-governor. 
Gardiner; river in Yellowstone Park, probably named for an old trapper who was 

a companion of Joseph Meek. 
Gardiners; island lying east of Long Island, named for the first settler, Lyon Gar- 
diner, a Scotchman. 
Gardner; village in Grundy County, Illinois, named for Henry C. Gardner, its 

founder. 
Gardner; city in Johnson County, Kansas, named for Henry J. Gardner, governor 

of Massachusetts in 1855. 
Gardner; town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, named for Col. Thos. Gardner, 

who fell at the battle of Bunker Hill. 
Garfield; town in Humboldt County, California, named for the son of Gilbert 

Garfield, a settler. 
Garfield; county and mountain in Colorado; mountain in Idaho; town in Lasalle 

County, Illinois; town in Pawnee County, Kansas; plantation in Aroostook 

County, Maine; county in Nebraska; borough in Bergen County, New Jersey; 

town in Mahoning County, Ohio; county in Oklahoma; town in Clackamas 

County, Oregon; and counties in Utah and Washington; named for President 

James A. Garfield. His name is also borne by many other places in the country. 
Garfield; lake in the town of Monterey, Berkshire County, Massachusetts, named 

for a resident family. 
Garland; county in Arkansas, named for A. H. Garland, governor of the State in 1874. 
Garlajid; town in Penobscot County, Maine, named for Joseph Grarland, the first 

settler. 



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GANNETT] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 185 

Gamett; city in Anderson County, Kansas, named for W. A. Gamett, of Louisville, 

Kentucky. 
Garrard; county in Kentucky, named for Col. James Garrard, governor of the State 

in 1796. 
Garrett; city in Dekalb County, Indiana, county in Maryland, and borough in 

Somerset County, Pennsylvania, named for John W. Garrett, president of the 

Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. 
Garrettsville; township and village in Portage County, Ohio, named for Col. John 

Garrett, its founder. 
Garrison; village in Nacogdoches County, Texas, named for Z. B. Garrison, an 

early settler, although the name was probably also given in reference to others 

of that name in the first settlement. 
Garysburg; town in Northampton County, North Carolina, named for Roderick B. 

Gary. 
Garza; county in Texas, named for the family of that name of which Governor 

Garza, who founded San Antonio, was a member. 
Gasconade; river and county in Missouri. The name is from Gascon, an inhabitant 

of Gascony, and was applied by the early French. 
Gasport; village in Niagara County, New York, so named from springs which emit 

an inflammable gas. 
Gaston; camp in Nevada County, California, named for a military commander. 
Gaston; county in North Carolina, named for William Gaston, a judge of the 

supreme court of the State. 
Gaston; town in Lexington County, South Carolina, named for the Gaston family. 
Gastonia; town in Gaston County, North Carolina, named for William Gaston, a 

judge of the supreme court of the State. 

{Gates; town in Monroe County, New York, and county in North Carolina; 
Gatesville; town in Gates County, North Carolina. Named for Gen. Horatio Gates, 
Revolutionary commander. 
Gates; county in Wisconsin, named for J. L. Gates of the Gates Land Company. 
Gaviota; town in Santa Barbara County, California, a Spanish word meaning **sea 

gull.'» 
Gay Head; headland and town in Dukes County, Massachusetts, so named from 

the brilliant colors of the cliffs. 
Gaylesville; town in Cherokee County, Alabama, named for George W. Gayle, a 

prominent politician of the State. 
Gaylord; city in Smith County, Kansas, named for C. E. Gay lord, of Marshall 

County. 
Gaylord; village in Otsego County, Michigan, named for an attorney of the Michi- 
gan Central Railroad. 
Gayoso; village in Pemiscot County, Missouri, named for Governor Don Manuel 

Gayoso de Lemos. 
Geary; county, and town in Doniphan County, in Kansas, named for John W. 

Geary, governor of the Territory in 1856-57. 
Geauga; county in Ohio. The name is thought by some to have been derived from 

the same source as Cuyahoga; others say it is derived from the Indian word 

sheaaga-dpe meaning ** raccoon river," a name originally applied to Grand 

River. Haines says that it was the name of a chief of one of the Six Nations. 

Still another theory derives it from cageauga, **dogs around the fire." 
Geddes; town in Onondaga County, New York, named for James Geddes, the first 

settler. 
Genesee; county, river, and town in Wyoming County, in New York, and county in 

Michigan, besides several other small places, named from the Indian, nreaning 

'^shining valley" or *' beautiful valley." 



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1&6 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED 8TATES. [bull. 258. 

Geneseo; cities in Henry County, Illinois, and Rice County, Kansas, and town in 

Livingston County, New York, on the Genesee River. The name is a modifica- 
tion of Genesee. 
Geneva; county, and town in same county, in Alabama, and city and town in Ontario 

county, New York, and twenty other places, the name having been transferred 

from the city in Switzerland. 
Geneva; township and city in Kane County, Illinois, and township and village in 

Ashtabula County, Ohio, named from the city in New York. 
Genoa; township and village in Dekalb County, Illinois, named from the town in 

New York. 
Genoa; town in Cayuga County, New Yojk, and fourteen other places bear the 

name of the city in Italy. 
Gentry; county, and town in same county, in Missouri, named for Col. Richard 

Gentry, killed at the battle of Okeechobee, Florida. 
Georg^e; lake in eastern New York, named for George II of England. 
Georgetown; town in Clear Creek County, Colorado, named for George Grifl&th, 

clerk of the court. 
Georgetown; town in Sussex County, Delaware, named for Commissioner George 

Mitchell, a prominent resident. 
Georgetown; formerly a city, now a part of the District of Columbia, named for 

George Boone, an Englishman who purchased several tracts of land in the 

neighborhood. 
Georgetown; village in Vermilion County, Illinois, named for George Haworth, son 

of the founder. 
Georgetown; village in Brown County, Indiana, named for George Grove, its 

founder. 
Georgetown; towns in Eldorado County, California, and Scott County, Kentucky, 

named for President George Washington. 
Georgetown; town in Sagadahoc County, Maine, and county, and city in same 

county, in South Carolina, named for George I, King of England. 
Georgetown; town in Essex County, Massachusetts, thought to be named from 

George Peabody, a London banker, who built a memorial church and endowed 

a public library. 
Georgetown; county, and city in same county, in South Carolina, named for King 

George III, of England. 
Georgetown; town in Williamson County, Texas, said to have been named for 

George Glasscock, an early settler. 
Georgia; State of the Union, named by and for King George II, of England. 
Georgia; strait between Washington and Vancouver Island, named for George III, 

King of England. 
Germaji; town in Chenango County, New York, named for Gen. Obadiah German, 

the original proprietor. 
German Flats; town in Herkimer County, New York, named so from the German 

settlers on the Mohawk Flats. 
Germajiton; village in Stokes County, North Carolina, settled by Germans. 
Gerry; town in Chautauqua County, New York, named for Elbridge Gerry, a signer 

of the Declaration of Independence. 
Gervais; town in Marion County, Oregon, named for Joseph Grervais, a pioneer. 
Gethsemajie; town in Nelson County, Kentucky, named for the garden at the foot 

of the Mount of Olives. 
Gettysburg; borough in Adams County, Pennsylvania, named for James Getty s, 

who laid it out. 
Geuda; city in Sumner County, Kansas, named from the mineral springs near. 



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OANNETT] PLACE NAME8 IN THE UNITED STATES. 137 

rOibbon; river and hill in Yellowstone Park and village in Umatilla County, Oregon; 
jOibbonsville; town in Lemhi County, Idaho. Named for Gen. John Gibbon, 
I United States Army. 
Gibraltar; villages in Wayne County, Michigan, Union County, North Carolina, 

and Berks County, Pennsylvania, named from the city in Spain. 
Gibson; county in Indiana, named for John Gibson, secretary and acting governor 

of Indiana Territory in 1811-1813. 
Gibson; county, and town in same county, in Tennessee, named for Col. Thomas 

Gibson. 
Gibson City; city in Ford County, Illinois, named by the founder for his wife's 

family. 
Gibsonville; town in Guilford County, North Carolina, named for a prominent 

resident. 
Gifford; village in Champaign County, Illinois, named for its founder, B. F. Gif- 

ford. 
Gila; county in Arizona and river of Arizona and New Mexico. The name is said 

to be of Spanish origin, but the meaning is lost. 
Gilberton; borough in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, named for John Gilbert, 

who owned coal mines there. 
Gilboa; towns in Schoharie County, New York, and Putnam County, Ohio, named 

from the mountain in Palestine. The name means ** bubbling fountain.** 
Gildehouse; village in Franklin County, Missouri, named for a family who first 

settled there. 
Gilead; town in Oxford County, Maine, named from the large balm of gilead tree 

standing in the middle of the town. The name means "strong," "rocky.** 
Giles; village in Brown County, Nebraska, named for the first postmaster, Giles 

Mead. 
Giles; county in Virginia, named for William Branch Giles, governor of the State 

in 1827-1830. The county in Tennessee was probably named for the same. 
Gilford; town in Belknap County, New Hampshire, name<i for S. S. Oilman, who 

made the first settlements there. 
Gill; town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, named for Moses Gill, one time lieu- 
tenant-governor of the State. 
Gillespie; township and village in Macoupin County, Illinois, named for Judge 

Joseph Gillespie. 
Gillespie; county in Texas, named for Robert A. Gillespie, who fell at the battle of 

Monterey. 
Gilliam; village in Saline County, Missouri, named for a farmer residing in the 

neighborhood. 
Gilliam; county in Oregon, named for Col. Cornelius Gilliam, member of the vol- 
unteers of Willamette Valley. 
Gilmaji; town in Eagle County, Colorado, named for H. M. Oilman, a prominent 

resident. 
Gilman; city in Iroquois County, Illinois, named for Samuel Oilman, a prominent 

railroad man. 
Gilman; town in Marshall County, Iowa, named for a railroad contractor. 
Gilman; town in Hamilton County, New York, named for John M. Gilman, an 

early settler, from New Hampshire. 
Gilmanton; town in Belknap County, New Hampshire, named for the former owners 

of the site. 
Gilmer; county in Georgia, named for George P. Gilmer, governor of the State in 

1830. 
Gilmer; county in West Virginia, named for Thomas W. Gilmer, a member of Con- 
gress from Virginia. 



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138 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 25d. 

Qilpin; county and mountain in Colorado, named for William Gilpin, the first Ter- 
ritorial governor. 
Oilroy; township and city in Santa Clara County, California, named for an old 

trapper and guide. 
QilsiLxn; town in Cheshire County, New Hampshire, named for the first proprietors, 

Gilbert and Sumner. 
Girard; township and city in Macoupin County, Illinois; village in Trumbull 

County, Ohio, and borough in Erie County, Pennsylvania; 
Girardville; borough in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, and several other towns 

and villages. Named for Stephen Girard, at one time the wealthiest man in the 

United States. 
Qirard; city in Crawford County, Kansas, named from the borough in Pennsylvania. 
Gladstone; village in Henderson County, Illinois; city in Delta County, Michigan, 

and town in Stark County, North Dakota, named for the English statesman, 

William E. Gladstone. 
Gladwin; county, and city in same county, in Michigan, named for Maj. Henry Glad- 
win, in command at Detroit at the time of Pontiac's conspiracy. 
Glajsco; city in Cloud County, Kansas, named from the city in Scotland, and spelled 

by the first postmaster "Glasco." 
Glascoclc; county in Georgia, named for Thomas Glascock, an officer of the war of 

1812. 
Glasford; village in Peoria County, Illinois, named for Thomas Glassford, its founder. 
Glasgow; city in Barren County, Kentucky, and several other places, named from 

the city in Scotland. 
Glassboro; town in Gloucester County, New Jersey, named from its glass factories. 
Glasscock; county in Texas, named for George W. Glasscock, who took part in the 

storming of San Antonio. 
Glastonbury; town in Hartford County, Connecticut, named from the town in 

England. 
Glazypool; mountain and creek in Arkansas. A corruption of the French name 

glaise d, Paul^ "Paul's clay pit." 
Glen; two hundred and fifty-six places in the country bear this name alone or with 

suffixes. In the majority of cases the word is used descriptively, but in a few 

cases it is a proper name. 
Glen; town in Montgomery County, New York, named for Jacob Glen, a prominent 

citizen. 
Glencoe; township and village in McLeod County, Minnesota; the name is taken 

from Scott's writings. 
Glenn; county in California, named for Hugh J. Glenn, a prominent resident of 

the county. 
Glenn Springs; town in Spartanburg County, South Carolina, named from a famous 

spring owned by the Glenn family. 
Glens Falls; village in Warren County, New York, named by and for John Glenn. 
Glenville; town in Schenectady County, New York, named from the manor of 

Sandir Leenderste Glen, which formerly occupied the site. 
Glenwood; township and city in Mills County, Iowa, named for a Presbyterian 

minister, Glenn Wood. 
Glenwood Springs; town in Garfield County, Colorado, named from the city in 

Iowa and the famous hot springs in the neighborhood. 
Glidden; town in Carroll County, Iowa, named for a manufacturer of barbed wire. 

i Gloucester; city in Essex County, Massachusetts, and counties in New Jersey and 
Virginia; 
Gloucester City; city in Camden County, New Jersey. Named from Gloucester- 
shire, England. 



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GANNETT] PLACE NAME8 IN THE UNITED STATES. 139 

Olover; town in Orleans County, Vermont, named for Gen. John Glover, of Marble- 
head, a principal proprietor. 

Oloversville; city in Fulton County, New York, named from its glove factories. 

Olynn; county in Greorgia, named for John Glynn, an English lawyer and warm 
friend of the American colonies. 

Gnadenhutten; village in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, settled by Moravian mission- 
aries. A German word meaning ** sacred hut*' or **log tabernacle." 

Goddard; city in Sedgwick County, Kansas, named for J. F. Goddard, general 
manager of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad. 

Godfrey; township and village in Madison County, Illinois, named for Capt. Ben- 
jamin Godfrey, who founded a seminary in 1837. 

Goff; city in Nemaha County, Kansas, named for Edward H. (ioff of the Union 
Pacific Railroad. 

Goffstown; town in Hillsboro County, New Hampshire, named for Col. John Goffe. 

Gog'ebic; county and lake in Michigan. An Indian word, according to some author- 
ities, a contraction of agojeUc^ meaning ** rocky," or "rocky shore;" others say 
it is from gogehing, "dividing lake." 

Golconda; city in Pope County, Illinois, and town in Humboldt County, Nevada, 
named from the city in India. 

Gold; a name of frequent occurrence throughout the country. It appears with 
numerous suflSxes and in most cases was given to denote the presence of the 
metal. 

{Golden; city in Jefferson County, Colorado, named from the Golden Gate; 
Golden Gate; narrow pass in the mountains in Jefferson County, Colorado, which 
at the time of naming led to the principal gold mines of the State. 
Golden Gate; bay in California, named by Colonel Fremont, before the discovery 

of gold in the country, because of the brilliant effect of the setting sun on the 

cliffs and hills. 
Gold Point; town in Martin County, North Carolina, named from the gold leaf 

tobacco. 
Goldsboro; township and city in Wayne County, North Carolina, named for M. T. 

Goldsboro, of Maryland. 
Goldthwaite; town in Mills County, Texas, named for a man prominent in the 

organization of a railroad running into the town. 
Goleta; town in Santa Barbara County, California. A Spanish word meaning 

"schooner." 
Goliad; county in Texas, named by making an anagram of the name, "Hidalgo," 

the Mexican revolutionary hero. 
Gonzales; county in Texas, named for Raphael Gonzales, at one time provisional 

governor of the State. 
Goochland; county in Virginija, named for William Gooch, lieutenant-governor of 

Virginia in 1727-1749. 
Goodliue; county, and village in same county, in Minnesota, named for James M. 

Goodhue, the first journalist of the Territory, who founded the Pioneer, of 

St. Paul, in 1849. 
Goodland; town in Newton County, Indiana, so named because of the rich character 

of the soil. 
Goodman; town in Holmes County, Mississippi, named for the first president of the 

Mississippi Central Railroad. 
Goose; river in Maine, named from a pond at the source, so called by an early settler 

from a wild-goose nest which he found on a rock on the bank of the pond. 
Gooski; lake in Florida, named for an old settler, a Pole. 
Gorda; town in Monterey County, California. A Spanish word meaning "fat," 

'*full-fed." 



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140 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258 

Gordon; county in Georgia, named for William W. Gordon, first president of the 

Central Railroad of Georgia. 
Qordonsville; town in Orange County, Vii^ginia, named for its founder, Nathaniel 

Gordon. 
Gore; pass in Colonulo, named for a gunsmith of Denver. 
Gorham; town in Cumberland County, Maine. Some authorities say it was named 

for Col. Shubael Gorham, one of the original proprietors, but Whitmore says 

that it was named for Capt. John Gorham, an early proprietor. 
Gorham; town in Coos County, New Hampshire, named for Captain Grorham, who 

was in the Narragansett fight. 
Gorham; town in Ontario County, New York, named for Nathaniel Gorham. 
Gorman; township in Ottertail County, Minnesota, named for Willis A. Gorman^ 

former governor of the State. 
Goshen; township in Stark County, Illinois, named from Goshen, Ohio. 
Goshen; city in Elkhart County, Indiana, village in Orange County, New York, 

and township and village in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, named from the " Land 

of Goshen.*' The name is found in many parts of the country, applied as a 

synonym of fruitfulness and fertility. 
Gosiute; peak and lake in Nevada, named for an Indian tribe. 
Gosnold; town in Dukes County, Massachusetts, settled by Bartholomew Gosnold. 
Gosper; county in Nebraska, named for John J. Gosper, secretary of state. 
Gothic; mountains in the Adirondacks, New York, and Elk Mountains, Colorado, 

so named because of pinnacles resembling gothic architecture. 
Gouldsboro; town in Hancock County, Maine, named for Robert Gould, one of the 

original proprietors. 
Gouvemeur; town in St. Lawrence County, New York, named for Gouverneur 

Morris, an American statesman. 
Govan; town in Bamberg County, South Carolina, named for a family prominent 

in South Carolina history. 
Gove; county, and city in same county, in Kansas, named for Grenville L. Gove, 

captain in the Eleventh Kansas Regiment. 
Governors; island in Boston Harbor, Massachusetts, named for Governor Winthrop, 

to whose descendants it still belongs. 
Governors; island in New York Harbor, named for Governor Van T wilier, who 

owned it at an early date. 
Gowajida; village in Cattaraugus County, New York. An Indian word meaning 

"town among the hills by the water side." 
Grafton; village in Pope County, Illinois, named from the town in Massachusetts, 

the native place of the first settler. 
Grafton; town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, named for Charles Fitz-Roy, 

Duke of Grafton. 
Grafton; county, and town in same county, in New Hampshire, named for Augustus 

Henry Fitz-Roy, Duke of Grafton. 
Grafton; city in Taylor County, West Virginia, so named by the Baltimore and Ohio 

Railroad, because they grafted a branch from this point to Wheeling. 
Graham; county in Kansas, named for John L. Graham, captain of the Eighth 

Kansas Regiment. 
Graham; county, and town in Alamance County, North Carolina, named for Senator 

William A. Graham, secretary of the navy under President Fillmore. 
Graham; city in Young County, Texas, named for one of two brothers, who owned 

salt works near where the town w as built. 
Grahamsville; village in Sullivan County, New York, named for Lieutenant Gra- 
ham, who was killed by Indians near the site oi the village. 
Grahamton; town in Meade County, Kentucky, named for an early pioneer. 



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GANNETT] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 141 

Oraliamville; town in Beaufort County, South Carolina^ named for the founder. 

Oraingrer; county in Tennessee, named for Mary Grainger. 

Orsjiby; town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, said to have been named for 

John, Marquis of Granby. 
Oranby; town in Essex County, Vermont, named for Earl Granby, in 1761. 
Grand; county in Colorado, named from Grand Lake, the source of Grand River. 
Grand Coteau; town in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, so named because of its posi- 
tion. A French name meaning "great hill." 
Grand Forks; county, and city in same county, in North Dakota, which take their 

name from the junction of the Red River of the North with Red Lake River. 
Grand Haven; city in Ottawa County, Michigan, so named because it is situated on 

the best harbor on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan. 
Grand Island; city in Hall County, Nebraska, on Platte River, which is divided 

into two channels at that point by an island nearly 50 miles long. 
Grand Isle; town in Aroostook County, Maine, named from an island in the river 

at that point. 
Grand Isle; county, and village in same county, in Vermont, named from an island 

in Lake Champlain, now called South Hero. The early French called it Grand 

Isle. 
Grand Junction; city in Mesa County, Colorado, so named because of its location 

at the junction of the Gunnison and Grand rivers. 
Grand Junction; town in Greene County, Iowa, so named from its position at the 

junction of the Keokuk and Des Moines and the Chicago and Northwestern 

railroads. 
Grand Lake Stream; plantation in Washington County, Maine, named from a lake 

in the northern part of the State. 
Grand Ledge; city in Eaton County, Michigan, so named because of the rock ledges 

along the Grand River in the vicinity. 
Grand Bapids; cities in Kent County, Michigan, and Wood County, Wisconsin, 

named from rapids and falls in the Grand and Wisconsin rivers. 
Grand Bonde; river and valley in Oregon. A French name meaning "great 

round." It was applied by the early French trappers to the valley because of 

its circular shape. 
Grand Tower; city in Jackson County, Illinois, named from a high rocky island in 

the Mississippi River, which resembles a tower. 
Grand Traverse; county in Michigan, named from Grand Traverse Bay. 
Granite; county in Montana, named from a mountain which contains the celebrated 

Granite Mountain silver mine. 
Granite Falls; city in Yellow Medicine County, Minnesota, located at falls in 

Minnesota River, so named because of the presence of immense masses of granite 

rock. 
GraniteviUe; village in Iron County, Missouri, named for a quarry near, considered 

one of the most remarkable in the world. 
Grant; military post in Arizona, county in Arkansas; town in Humboldt County, 

California; town in Montgomery County, Iowa; county in Kansas; parish in 

Louisiana; county in Minnesota; county, and village in Perkins County, Nebraska; 

counties in New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, and West Virginia; 

and many small places throughout the country; named for Gen. U. S. Grant. 
Ghrant; county in Indiana, named for Samuel and Moses Grant, of Kentucky, killed 

in battle with the Indians. 
Grant; county in Kentucky. According to John McGee it was named for Col. John 

Grant, an early settler, but according to J. Worthing McCann, the county was 

named for Samuel Grant. 



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142 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Grant; river and county in Wisconsin, named for a trapper who had a cabin on the 

river bank. 
Orantsdale; town in Ravalli County, Montana, named for H. H. Grant, land owner, 

who built the first flour mill and kept the first store. 
Qrantsville; town in Calhoun County, West Virginia, named for Gren. U. S. Grant. 
Granville; township and village in Putnam County, Illinois, and township and vil- 
lage in Licking County, Ohio, named from the town in Massachusetts. 
Granville; towns in Hampden County, Massachusetts, and Washington County, 

New York, and county in North Carolina, named for John Carteret, Earl of 

Granville. 
Grass; river in St. Lawrence County, New York, from the name given it by the 

early French, la grasse riviere y meaning "the fertile river." 
Grass Valley; township and city in Nevada County, California, named from a val- 
ley covered with grass. 
Gratiot; county in Michigan, named for Capt. Charles Gratiot, United States Army, 

who constructed Fort Gratiot in 1814. 
Gratiot; village in Lafayette County, Wisconsin, named for Col. Henry Gratiot, an 

Indian agent. 
Grattan; township in Kent County, Michigan, named for the Irish orator. 
Gratz; borough in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, named from the Prussian town. 
Graves; county in Kentucky, named for Capt. Benjamin Graves, who fell at the 

battle of Raisin River. 
Gravesend; village in Kings County, New York, now a part of New York City. 

named by persons from Gravesend, England. 
Gravette; town in Benton County, Arkansas, named for E. T. Gravette. 
Gray; county in Kansas, named for Alfred Gray, secretary of the Kansas State 

board of agriculture in 1873-1880. 
Gray; town in Cumberland County, Maine, said to have been named for Thomas 

Gray, one of the proprietors. 
Gray; county in Texas, named for Peter W. Gray, a prominent lawyer of Houston. 
Grayling; town in Crawford County, Michigan, named from the fish for which the 

Au Sable River was famous. 
Graymount; town in Colorado near the foot of Gray's Peak; hence the name. 
Grays; peak in Colorado, named by Doctor Parry for Dr. Asa Gray, botanist. 
Grays; harbor in Washington, named for the discoverer, Capt. Robert Gray, of 

Boston. 
Grayson; counties in Kentucky and Virginia, named for Col. Wiliam Grayson, 

United States Senator from Virginia. 
Grayson; town in Carter County, Kentucky, named for Col. Robert Grayson. 
Grayson; county in Texas, named for Peter W. Grayson, attorney-general of the 

Texas Republic in 1836. 
Graysville; village in Sullivan County, Indiana, named for Joe Gray, its founder. 
Graysville; village in Herkimer County, New York, named for Latham Gray, a 

resident. 
Grayville; township and city in White County, Illinois, named for James Gray, 

who laid out the town in 1828. 
Great Barringrton; town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, named for Lord 

Barrington. "Great" was prefixed to distinguish it from Barrington, Rhode 

Island, which town was formerly considered as possibly being within the limits 

of Massachusetts. 
Great Basin; an area of territory in Utah whose waters do not reach the sea; hence 

the name. 
Great Bend; city in Barton County, Kansas, which takes its name from a bend in 

the Arkansas River south of the site. 



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BANNETT] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 143 

Great Bend; borough in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, named from a bend 
in the Susquehanna River at that i)oint. 

Great Black; river in Maine, which takes its name from the Indian designation 
chimkazaootook, meaning *'big black stream.** 

Great Butte des Morts; lake m Wisconsin, so called from neighboring mounds, 
said to contain the bodies of Indians slain in battle. A French phrase, meaning 
''hillofthedead.'* 

Great ]B*alls; city in Cascade County, Montana, named from the falls in the Mis- 
souri River, near the city. 

Great Quabbin; mountain in Massachusetts, named for a celebrated Indian sachem. 
The word is supposed to mean "many waters.** 

Great Salt; lake .in Utah, named from the salinity of its waters. 

Great Sinabar; creek in Missouri. A corruption of the old French name chenal au 
barre, meaning ** channel to the bar.** 

Greeley; city in Weld County, Colorado; county, and city, in Anderson County, 
Kansas, and county in Nebraska, named for Horace Greeley. 

Greeley; village in Holt County, Nebraska, named for Peter Greeley. 

Green; descriptive word found frequently with and without various suffixes. The 
river in Wyoming and Utah was so called from the green shale through which 
it flows. 

Green; river rising in the Wind River range of the Rocky Mountains, formerly 
known as popo agie, words of the Crow dialect, meaning ** head of river.** 

Green; mountains in Vermont, so named from their forests of evergreen trees. 

Green; counties in Kentucky and Wisconsin, named for Gen. Nathaniel Greene. 

Green Bay; city in Brown County, Wisconsin, named from the bay which was 
called by the early French la grande haiCy "the large bay,** which was cor- 
rupted into the present name. Other authorities claim that the name was occa- 
sioned from the deep greenish hue of the water of the bay. 

Greenbrier; county in West Virginia, named from the river, which was so called 
by Col. John Lewis. 

Greenbush; town in Rensselaer County, New York; a translation of the original 
Dutch name groen hoschy from the pine woods which originally covered the flats. 

Greencastle; city in Putnam County, Indiana, named from the town in Ireland. 

Green Cove Springrs; town in Clay County, Florida, named from a large sulphur 
spring, supposed by some to be the " fountain of youth** of Spanish and Indian 
legends. 

Greene; counties in Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa; town in Androscoggin County, 
Maine; counties in Mississippi, Missouri, and New York, and village in Che- 
nango County, New York; counties in North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Ten- 
nessee, and Virginia; named for Gen. Nathaniel Greene, Revolutionary soldier. 

Greene; town in Butler County, Iowa, named for Judge George Green of Linn 
County. 

iGreenesville; county in Vii^ginia; 
Greeneville ; town in Greene County, Tennessee. Named for Gen. Nathaniel Greene. 

Greenfield; town in Adair County, Iowa, named from the town in Massachusetts. 

Greenfield; town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, which derives its name from 
the river which intersects it. Before its incorporation as a town the settlement 
was known as ** Green River District.*' 

Greenfield; village in Highland County, Ohio, so named from its general appear- 
ance. 

Green Islajid; town in Albany County, New York, so named because situated on 
an island of that name in Hudson River. 

Green Lake; county in Wisconsin, named from a lake which was called so from the 
color of its waters. 



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144 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Ghreenleaf; city in Washington County, Kansas, named for the treasurer of the 

Union Pacific Railroad, A. W. Greenleaf. 
Oreenport; village in Suffolk County, New York, so named for the green hill slop- 
ing to the bay. 
Greensboro; town in Hale County, Alabama, named for Gen. Nathaniel Greene, a 

Revolutionary celebrity. 
Qreensburg'; city in Kiowa County, Kansas, named for Col. D. R. Green. 
Greensburg; town in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, named for Gen. 

Nathaniel Greene. 
Greenup; village in Cumberland County, Illinois, named for William Greenup, first 

clerk of the Illinois Territorial legislature. 
Greenup; county, and town in same county, in Kentucky, named for Christopher 

Greenup, governor of the State in 1804-1808. 
Greenville; city in Butler County, Alabama, so named by early settlers from the 

town in South Carolina. 
Greenville; city in Bond County, Illinois, named from the town in North Carolina. 
Greenville; city in Muhlenberg County, Kentucky, town in Pitt County, North 

Carolina, and city in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, named for Gen. Nathaniel 

Greene. 
Greenville; city in Montcalm County, Michigan, named for John Green, one of 

the first settlers. 
Greenville; town in Washington County, Mississippi, named for the first settler. 
Greenville; county, and city in same county, in South Carolina, named from the 

physical appearance. The name was first given to the city and from that applied 

to the county. 
Greenwich; towns in Fairfield County, Connecticut, and Hampshire County, Massa- 
chusetts, and village in Washington County, New York, named from Greenwich 

in England. 
Greenwood; town in Sebastian County, Arkansas, named for Moses Greenwood, a 

prominent merchant of early days. 
Greenwood; county in Kansas, named for Alfred B. Greenwood, Commissioner of 

Indian Affairs in 1859-60. 
Greenwood; city in Leflore County, Mississippi, named for Greenwood Leflore, a 

noted Choctaw Indian chief. 
Greenwood; village in Cass County, Nebraska, named for an early settler, J. S. 

Green. 
Greenwood; county in South Carolina, descriptively named. 
Greer; county in Oklahoma, named for John A. Greer, governor of Texas in 184^ 

1853. 
Greer; town in Greenville County, South Carolina, named for a resident family. 
Qregg; county in Texas, named for a prominent citizen,. John Gregg, killed in the 

civil war. 
Gregory; county in South Dakota, named for J. Shaw Gregory, legislator. 
Greig; town in Lewis County, New York, named for the late John Greig, of 

Canandaigua. 
Grelder Hollow; a deep cleft in the east side of the Taghkanic Mountains, in the 

town of Egremont, Berkshire County, Massachusetts, named for John van Grelder, 

a Dutchman, who lived in the hollow. 
Grenada; county, and town in same county, in Mississippi, named from the Spanish 

province. 
Grenola; city in Elk County, Kansas, named by compounding the first part of the 

name of two rival towns in the neighborhood — Greenfield and Kanola. 
Greylock; mountain in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, named from its hoary 

aspect in winter. Greylock is the highest elevation in the State. 



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GANNKiT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 145 

Gridley ; township and town in McLean County, Illinois, named for Asabel Gridley, 

State senator, 1850-1854. 
Griffin; city in Spalding County, Georgia, named for Gen. L. L. Grifl&n. 

{Ghrifton; town in Pitt County, North Carolina; 
Qrifton Comers; village in Delaware County, New York. Named for the Grifton 
family. 
Griggs; county in North Dakota, named for Hon. Alexander Griggs, a pioneer of 

Grand Forks, member of the constitutional convention of North Dakota. 
Griggsville; township and city in Pike County, Illinois, named for ita founder, 

Bichard Griggs. 
Grimes; town in Colusa County, California, named for the man who founded it. 
Grimes; town in Polk County, Iowa, named for Senator Grimes. 
Grimes; county in Texas, named for Jesse Grimes, member of the council of pro- 
visional government. 
Grimesland; town in Pitt County, North Carolina, named for Gen. Bryan Grimes. 
Grinnell; city in Poweshiek County, Iowa, named for Hon. W. H. Grinnell, a 

citizen. 
Griswold; town in New London County, Connecticut, named for Roger Griswold, 

governor of the State in 1811. 
Griswold; town in Cass County, Iowa, named for J. N. A. Griswold, a prominent 

railroad official. 
Grizzly; peak in Colorado, named by a party of scientists from an adventure with 

a grizzly bear. 
Gross; point in Maine on the Penobscot River, named for the first settler, Zachariah 

Gross. 
Grossdale; village in Cook County, Illinois, named for E. A. Gross, one of its 

founders. 
Grosse Isle; village in Wayne County, Michigan, which takes its name from an 

island in Detroit River, which was called by the early French grosse islej 

"great isle.*' 
Grossepoint; town in Wayne County, Michigan, so named from a large point which 

projects into Lake St. Clair, named by the French grosse pointer ** great point." 
Grosvenor; mount in Arizona, named for H. C. Grosvenor, who was killed there 

inl86L 
Groton; town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, named from the place in Eng- 
land owned by the family of Deane Winthrop, whose name headed the petition 

for the grant. 
Groton; village in Tompkins County, New York, named from the town in Massa- 
chusetts. 
Groveland; town in Essex County, Massachusetts. The origin of the name is 

obscure, but the name is believed to have been suggested by attractive groves 

in the neighborhood. 
Grover; village in Cleveland County, North Carolina, and town in Dorchester 

County, South Carolina^ named for President Grover Cleveland. 
Grubbs; village in Newcastle County, Delaware, named for the early owner, John 

Grubbs. 

I Grundy; counties in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, and Tennessee; 
Grundy Center; town in Grundy County, Iowa. Named for Felix Grundy, 
United States Senator from Tennessee. 
Guadalupe; county in New Mexico, and river, county, and town in Victoria 
County, Texas, named for Don Felix Victoria, first President of Mexico, known 
as ** Guadalupe Victoria." The name is of Arabic origin. 
Guernsey; county in Ohio, named by emigrants from the island of Guernsey in the 
English channel. 
Bull. 258—05 10 



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146 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. Ibull. 268. 

Guero; mount in Colorado, named for a Ute Indian. 

Quilford; borough in New Haven County, Connecticut, named from the town in 

England. 
Oidlford; county in North Carolina, named for the Earl of Guilford, father of Lord 

North. 
Oiiinda; town in Yolo County, California. A Spanish word meaning ** cherry." 
Giilf^ort; town in Harrison County, Mississippi, so named by W. H. Hardy because 

of its situation. 
Gulplia; creek in Hot Springs, Arkansas. The name is a corruption of Calfat, a 

proper name, probably belonging to an early settler. 
Gxuinison; county, town in same county, mountain, and river in Colorado, and 

island in Great Salt Lake, Utah, named for Capt. J. W. Gunnison, an early 

explorer. 
Gurnet; point at the entrance to Plymouth Harbor, Massachusetts, named from the 

gurnet, a sea fish. 
Guthrie; creek in Humboldt County, California, named for an early settler. 
Guthrie; county in Iowa, named for Capt. Edwin B. Guthrie. 
Guthrie; town in Callaway County, Missouri, named for Guthrie brothers, early 

settlers. 
Guthrie Center; town in Guthrie County, Iowa, named for Capt. Edwin B. Guthrie. 
Guttenburg; city in Clayton County, Iowa, and town in Hudson County, New 

Jersey, named for the inventor of printing. 
Guyandot; town in Cabell County and river in West Virginia; the French form of 

Wyandotte, the name of the tribe of Indians. 
Guyot; mounts in Colorado, New Hampshire, and Tennessee, named for Arnold 

Guyot, the geographer. 
Gwinnett; county in Georgia, named for Button Gwinnett, a signer of the Declara- 
tion of Independence. 
Gypsum; town in San Bernardino County, California, named from the gypsum 

deposits. 
Habersham; county in Georgia, named for Col. Joseph Habersham, speaker of the 

general assembly of Georgia in 1785. 
Hacienda; town in Santa Clara County, California. A Spanish word meaning 

** estate." 
Haclcensack; town in Bergen County, New Jersey. An Indian word; authorities 

differ as to its meaning, the many versions being **hook mouth," "stream that 

unites with another on low ground," *'on low ground," **land of the big snake." 
Hackers; creek in Lewis and Harrison counties. West Virginia. Named for John 

Hacker, an Indian scout. 
Hackettstown; town in Warren County, New Jersey, named for Samuel Hackett, 

a large landowner. 
Hackneyville; town in Tallapoosa County, Alabama, named from the suburb in 

London. 
Haddonfield; borough in Camden County , New Jersey, named for Elizabeth Haddon. 
Hadley; mountain and town in Humboldt County, California, named for an early 

settler. 
Hadley; town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, named from the parish in 

Essex, England. 
Hadlyme; town in New London County, Connecticut. The name is formed of a 

combination of the names of the two townships in which it is located — Haddam 

and Lyme. 
Hagerstown; city in Washington County, Maryland, named for a German, Jonathan 

Hager, one of the original proprietors. 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 147 

Hagrue; precinct in Alachua County, Florida, and town in Warren County, New 

York, named from the city in Holland. 
Hagrue; peak in Colorado, named for Arnold Hague of the United States Geological 

Survey. 

{Hahn; peak in Colorado; 
Hahn Peak; village in Routt County, Colorado. Named for Joe Hahn, an early 
settler. 
Hailey; precinct in Blaine County, Idaho, named for its founder, Hon. John Hailey, 

of Boise City. 
Hainesville; village in Holt County, Nebraska, named for S. S. Haines, an early 

settler. 
Halcott; town in Greene County, New York, name<l for George W. Halcott, sheriff. 
Haldane; village in Ogle County, Illinois, named for Alexander Haldane, the first 

railroad agent. 
Hale; county in Alabama, named for Stephen F. Hale, prominent in the State. 
Hale; village in Carroll County, Missouri, named for John P. Hale, of Carrollton. 
Hale; county in Texas, named for Lieut. J. C. Hale, of the Confederate army. 
Hale Eddy; village in Delaware County, New York, named for a family of early 

settlers. 
Half Dome; mountain of granite in California, on the walls of the Yosemite Valley, 

so named because it has the appearance of a half dome. 
Halfmoon; bay in California, so named from its crescent shape. 
Halfmoon; town in Saratoga County, New York, so named from a crescent-shaped 

piece of land between the Hudson and the Mohawk. 
Halibut; island off the coast of Alaska, so named on account of the large number of 

halibut found there. 
Halifax; town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, county in North Carolina, town 

in Windham County, Vermont, and county in Virginia, named for George Mon- 
tague, Earl of Halifax. 
Hall; county in Georgia, named for Dr. Lyman Hall, a signer of the Declaration of 

Independence. 
Hall; county in Nebraska, named for Augustus Hall, 'former Congressman from Iowa. 
Hall; county in Texas, named for an early settler and captain in the war of inde- 
pendence, Warren O. C. Hall. 
Halletts Cove; part of New York City, formerly a village in Queens County, New 

York, which received its name from the original patentee. 
Hallowell; city in Kennebec County, Maine, named for Benjamin Hallo well, a 

large proprietor in the Kennebec patent. 
Hallstead; borough in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, named for William F. 

Hallstead, general manager of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad. 
Hallsville; village in Montgomery County, New York, named for Capt. Robert 

Hall. 
Halseyville; village in Tompkins County, New York, named for the first settler, 

Nicholl Halsey. 
Halstead; city in Harvey County, Kansas, named for the journalist, Murat Halstead. 
Hamblen; county in Tennessee, named for Hezekiah Hamblen. 
Hamburg; towns in Erie County, New York, and Aiken County, South Carolina, 

and twenty other places, named from the city in Germany. 
Hamersville; village in Brown County, Ohio, named for Gen. Thomas Lyon Hamer. 
Hamilton; counties in Florida, Illinois, Indiana, and Kansas; town in Essex County, 

Massachusetts; counties in New York, Ohio, and Tennessee; probably the county 

in Nebraska; and many cities, towns, and villages; named for the statesman, 

Alexander Hamilton. 



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148 J»LACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Hamilton; town in Harris Connty, Geoi^jia, named for General Hamilton, governor 
of South Carolina. 

Hamilton; city in Hancock County, Illinois, named for Artois Hamilton, a first 
settler. 

Hamilton; county in Iowa, named for William W. Hamilton, president of the sen- 
ate in 1857. 

Hamilton; county in Texas, named for James Hamilton, of South Carolina, a sym- 
pathizer and helper of Texas in its war. 

Hamlet; village in Richmond County, North Carolina, named for its founder. 

Hamlin; city in Brown County, Kansas, plantation in Aroostook County, Maine, 
county in South Dakota, and several other places, named for Hannibal Hamlin. 

Hammond; village in Piatt County, Illinois, named for Charles Goodrich Ham- 
mond, railway manager. 

Hammond; city in Lake County, Indiana, named for Abram Hammond, twelth 
governor, 1860-61. 

Hammond; town in Presque County, Michigan, named for Stephen Hammond. 

Hammond; town in St. Lawrence County, New York, named for Abijah Hammond, 
an early proprietor. 

Hammonton; town in Atlantic County, New Jersey, named for a family of former 
residents. 

Hammonville; town in Hart County, Kentucky, named for a resident. 

Hampden; county, and town in same county, in Massachusetts, and town in Penob- 
scot County, Maine, named for the English patriot, John Hampden. 

Hampshire; counties in Massachusetts and West Virginia, named from the county 
in England. 

Hampstead; village in Carroll County, Maryland; town in Rockingham County, 
New Hampshire; and villages in Pender County, North Carolina, and King 
George County, Virginia, named from the parish in England. 

Hampton; town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, and twenty-five other 
places, directly or indirectly named from the parish in Middlesex, England. 

Hampton; county, and town in same county, in South Carolina, named for Gen. 
Wade Hampton. 

Hamptonburg; town in Orange County, New York, named from the birthplace — 
Wolverhampton— of William Bull, the first settler. 

Hampton Roads; Virginia; a channel between Chesapeake Bay and the estuary of 
James River. Scene of the naval battle between the Monitor and Merrimac, 
March 9, 1862. 

Hancock; counties in Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, and Kentucky; county, and 
town in same county, in Maine; town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts; county 
in Mississippi; mountain in New Hampshire; town in Delaware County, New 
York; and counties in Ohio, Tennessee, and West Virginia; named for John Han- 
cook, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Many other places in the 
Tnited States are named for the same man. 

Hcmcock; mount in Yellowstone Park, named for Gen. Winfield Scott Hancock. 

Hand; county in South Dakota, named for George A. Hand, Territorial secretary in 
1880. 

Handsboro; town in Harrison County, Mississippi, named for a northern man who 
established a foundry there before the civil war. 

Hanford; city in Kings County, California, named for one of the earliest settlers. 

Hanging Rock; village in Lawrence County, Ohio, named from the presence of a 
cliff at the back of the town. 

Hangmans; creek in Washington, tributary of the Spokane River, so named because 
a number of Indians were hanged on its bank. 



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OAimBW.] PLACB NAMES IN THE tJKlTED STATES. 149 

Hanna; township in Henry County, Illinois, named for Rev. Philip Hanna, a first 

settler. 
TTanna; reef and island in Texas, probably named for Captain Hanna, captain of 

the Leonidas, in 1837. 
Hannacrois; creek in New York, said to have been named by the Dutch hanne- 

kraai, meaning ** cock-crowing creek," from the legend that a rooster floated 

down this creek on a cake of ice. 
Hannibal; town in Oswego County, New York, named by the State land board, 

being situated in the military tract given to the surviving soldiers of the 

Revolution; 
Hannibal; city in Marion County, Missouri. Named for the Carthaginian general. 



Hanover; city in Washington County, Kansas, town in Plymouth County, Massa- 
chusetts, county in Virginia, and several other places, named for the Duke of 
Hanover, afterwards George I of England, or from the Prussian province and 
city belonging to him. 

Hansford; county in Texas, named for John M. Hansford, who was a judge and 
lawyer there during the days of the Republic. 

Hanson; county in South Dakota, named for Joseph R. Hanson, clerk of the first 
legislature. 

Happy Camp; town in Siskiyou County, so called by miners in the early days of 
prosperity. 

Haralson; county, and village in Coweta County, in Georgia, named for Gren. Hugh 
A. Haralson, former congressman from that State. 

Harbeson; village in Sussex County, Delaware, named for Harbeson Hickman, a 
large landowner. 

Harbine; village in Thayer County, Nebraska, named for Col. John Harbine. 

Hardeman; county in Texas, named for two brothers, Bailey and T. J. Hardeman, 
prominent citizens in the days of the Republic; and a county in Tennessee, 
named for one of the brothers. Col. T. J. Hardeman. 

Hardenbnrg:; town in Ulster County, New York, named for Johannes Hardenbuig, 
an early patentee in Delaware and Sullivan counties. 

Hardin; county, and village in Calhoun County, in Illinois; counties in Iowa, Ken- 
tucky, Ohio, and Tennessee, and several towns and villages, named for Col. John 
J. Hardin, who was killed in the Mexican war. 

Hardin; city in Ray County, Missouri, named for Grov. Charles H. Hardin, 1875- 
1877. 

Hardin; county in Texas, named for the family of William Haidin, of Liberty. 

Hardin Factory; town in Gaston County, North Carolina, named for the builder 
of the factory. 

Hardinsbiirg:; town in Breckinridge County, Kentucky, named for Capt William 
Hardin, a pioneer. 

Hardwick; town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, named for Philip Yorke, 
Lord Hardwicke, a member of the privy council.. 

Hardy; town in Sharp County, Arkansas, named for a railroad official. 

Hardy; county in West Virginia, named for Samuel Hardy, a member of Congress 
from Virginia in 1784. 

Hardy Station; town in Grenada County, Mississippi, named by the railroad com- 
pany for Richard Hardy, the owner of the land upon which the depot was built. 

Harford; county, and village in same county, in Maryland, named for Henry Har- 
ford, the natural son of Lord Baltimore, the sixth, and proprietor at the time of 
the Revolution. 

Harlan; city in Shelby County, Iowa, named for Senator Harlan. 

Harlan; village in Smith County, Kansas, named for John C. Harlan, one of the 
finst settlers. 



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150 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 268. 

Harlan; county, and town in same county, in Kentucky, named for Maj. Silas Harlan. 

Harlan; county in Nebraska, named for James Harlan, secretary of the interior, 
1865-66. 

Harlem; part of New York City and the channel which extends northward from 
Hell Gate, connecting with the Hudson, named from the town in Holland. 

Harleyville; town in Dorchester County, South Carolina, named for a resident 
family. * 

Harman; village in Arapahoe County, Colorado, named for L. B. Harman, its 
founder. 

Harmer; township and village in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, named for the 
Hon. Harmer Denny. 

Harmony; borough in Butler County, Pennsylvania, named by a colony of Ger- 
mans to indicate the principle of its organization. 

Harnett; county in North Carolina, named for Cornelius Harnett, an American 
statesman. 

Harney; county, city in same county, and lake in Oregon, named for General 
Harney. 

Harper; county in Kansas, named far Marion Harper, first sergeant Company E, 
Second Kansas Regiment. 

Harpers Ferry; town in Jefferson County, West Virginia, named for Robert Har- 
per, who tattled there in 1734 and established a ferry. 

Harpersfield; town in Delaware County, New York, named for Joseph Harper, an 
original patentee. 

Harpersfield; township in Ashtabula County, Ohio, named from the town in New 
York. 

Harperville; village in Scott County, Mississippi, named for G. W. Harper, an old 
resident. 

Harpswell; town in Cumberland County, Maine, probably named from the town in 
England. 

Harrellsville; town in Hertford County, North Carolina, named for a former resi- 
dent. 

Harriet; lake in Minnesota, named for the wife of Colonel Leavenworth. 

Harrietstown; town in Franklin County, New York, named for the wife of James 
Duane. 

Harrietta; village in Wexford County, Michigan, a combination of the names of the 
manager of the Ann Arbor Railroad, Harry, and that of his wife, Henrietta. 

Harring^n; town in Kent County, Delaware, named for the Hon. Samuel M. Har- 
rington, at one time chancellor of the State. 

Harris; town in Humboldt County, California, named for an early settler. 

Harris; county in (jeorgia, named for Charles Harris, a prominent lawyer and judge. 

Harris; county in Texas, named for John R. Harris, who erected the first steam 
sawmill in Texas (1829). 

Harrisburg; township and city in Saline County, Illinois, named for a family of first 
settlers. 

Harrisburg; town in I^wis County, New York, named for Richard Harrison, of 
New York. 

Harrisburg; city in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, named for John Harris, the 
original proprietor. 

Harrison; counties in Indiana, Iowa, and Mississippi; town in Gloucester County, 
New Jersey, and twenty other places, named for President William Henry Har- 
rison. 

Harrison; counties in Kentucky and West Virginia, named for Col. Benjamin Har- 
son, father of William Henry Harrison. 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 151 

Harrison; town in Cumberland County, Maine, named for Harrison Gray Otis, of 

Boston. 
Harrison; town in Tallahatchie County, Mississippi, named for James T. Harrison, 

a prominent lawyer. 
Harrison; county, and city in Cass County in Missouri, named for Albert G. Har- 
rison, of Callaway County, member of Congress in 1838. 
Harrison; town in Westchester County, New York, named for John Harrison. 
Harrison; county in Texas, named for an early pioneer. 
Harrisonburg; village in Catahoula Parish, Louisiana, and town in Rockingham 

County, Virginia, named for the Harrisons of Virginia. 
Harrisville; town in Cheshire County, New Hampshire, named for Milan Harris, 

who established a mill there. 
Harrisville; town in Lewis County, New York, named for Fosket Harris, the first 

settler. 
Harrisville; village in Medina County, Ohio, named for Joseph Harris, a pioneer. 
Harrisville; town in Ritchie County, West Virginia, named for Gen. Thomas 

Harris. 
Harrodsburg; city in Mercer County, Kentucky, named for Col. James Harrod, 

who built the first cabin. 
Hart; county in Georgia, named for Nancy Hart, the celebrated Georgia heroine of 

the Revolution. 
Hart; county in Kentucky, named for Nathaniel Hart, an oflBcer of the War of 1812. 
Hart; township and village in Oceana County, Michigan. The name was originally 

" Heart," to signify the center of the county. 
Hart; river and lake in Yellowstone Park, named for Hart Hunney, an old hunter. 

Others say it was named "Heart " from its shape. 
Hartford; county, and city in same county, in Connecticut, and twenty other cities, 

towns, and villages, the name being transferred from England. 
Hartford; city in Lyon County, Kansas, township in Trumbull County, Ohio, town 

in Windsor County, Vermont, and village in Mason County, West Virginia; 
Hartford City; city in Blackford County, Indiana. Named from the city in Con- 
necticut. 
Hartley; county in Texas, named for O. C. and R. K. Hartley, distinguished mem- 
bers of the bar in the days of the Texas revolution. 
Hartsgrove; township in Ashtabula County, Ohio, named for Richard Hart, of 

Connecticut. 
Hartsville; town in Bartholomew County, Indiana, named for Gideon B. Hart, a 

pioneer. 
Hartsville; town in Darlington County, South Carolina, named for a resident family. 
Hartwick; town in Otsego County, New York, named for Christopher Hartwick, 

patentee. 
Harvard; mountain in Colorado, and city in McHenry County, Illinois, named 

from the university. . 
Harvard; , university in Cambridge, Middlesex County, and town in Worcester 

County, Massachusetts. Named for the Rev. John Harvard, who founded the 

university. 
Harvey; county in Kansas, named for James M. Harvey, captain Company G, Tenth 

Kansas Regiment, governor, and United States Senator. 
Harwich; town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, named from the seaport in 

Essex County, England. 
Harwinton; town in Litchfield County, Connecticut. The name is formed from 

. Hartford and Windsor, of which it originally comprised two half townships. 
Hasbrouck Heights; borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, named for Mr. Has- 

brouck, the principal owner of the land upon which the borough is located. 



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152 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 268. 

Hasenclever^ village in Herkimer County, New York, named for a German who 
received a grant of land there. 

Haskell; county in Kansas, named for Dudley C. Haskell, a former member of 
Congress. 

Haskell; county in Texas, named for Charles Haskell, of Tennessee. 

Hastings; city in Barry County, Michigan, named for Eurotas P. Hastings, for- 
merly auditor-general of the State. 

Hastings; city in Dakota County, Minnesota, named for Henry Hastings Sibley, 
one of the proprietors. 

Hastings; city in Adams County, Nebraska, named for Col. T. D. Hastings, who 
was instrumental in introducing a railroad through the town. 

Hatboro^ borough in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, so named because of its 
extensive hat factories. 

Hatchechubee; town in Russell County, Alabama. A combination of the Creek 
Indian words hatchief ** creek,*' and chuhbaj ** halfway,** "the middle." 

Hatchie; river in Tennessee. An Indian word meaning "small river.** 

Hatfield; town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, named from the town in 
England. 

Hatteras; township and cape in Dare County, North Carolina, named for a tribe of 
Indians. 

Hattiesbiirg:; town in Perry County, Mississippi, named for the wife of Capt. W. 
H. Hardy, its founder. 

Havana; township and city in Mason County, Illinois, named from the city in Cuba. 

Havensville; city in Pottawatomie County, Kansas, named for Paul E. Havens, of 
Leavenworth. 

Haverford; township in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, named from the town in 
Wales. 

Haverhill; city in Essex County, Massachusetts, named from the town in England. 

Haverhill; town in Grafton County, New Hampshire, named from the town in 
Massachusetts. 

Haverstraw; town in Rockland County, New York, named by the early Dutch 
haver str 00 y meaning "oats straw.'* 

Havilah; town in Kern County, California, named from the Bible, the word mean- 
ing "land of gold.** 

Havilandsville; village in Harrison County, Kentucky, named for Robert ^Javi- 
land. 

Havre de Grace; town in Harford County, Maryland. A French phrase meaning 
"harbor of grace." Probably named from the French seaport, Havre, formerly 
known as Havre de Grace. 

Haw; river, and town in Alabama County, in North Carolina, named from the Indian 
tribe Sissipahaw. 

Hawesville; city in Hancock County, Kentucky, named for Richard Hawes. 

Hawkey e; town in Fayette County, Iowa, named for a noted Indian chief. 

Hawkins; county in Tennessee, named for Benjamin Hawkins, United States Sen- 
ator from North Carolina. 

Hawkinsville; town in Pulaski County, Georgia, named for Col. Benjamin Haw- 
kins, Indian agent. 

Hawks Nest; town in Fayette County, West Virginia, named from a cliff on New 
River. 

Hawley; town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, named for Joseph Hawley, of 
Northampton. 

Hawthorne; borough in Passaic County, New Jersey, named for Nathaniel Haw- 
thorne. 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 153 

Hayden; town in Grand County, Colorado; mountain in the Grand Teton Range in 

Wyoming, and valley in Yellowstone Park, Wyoming; 
Hayden Hill; village in Lassen County, California. Named for Dr. Ferdinand V. 

Hayden, the geologist. 
Haydensville; village in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, named for Joel Hayden, 

its founder. 
Hayes; village in Douglas County, Illinois, named for Samuel Jarvis Hayes, a rail- 
road oflScial. 
Hayes; county in Nebraska and mount in New Hampshire, named for President 

Rutherford B. Hayes. 
Hayesville; town in Clay County, North Carolina, named for George W. Hayes, 

State senator. 
Hays; city in Ellis County, Kansas, named for Gen. William Hays, United States 

Army. 
Hays; county in Texas, named for John C. Hays, colonel in the Texan service in 

the war between Mexico and the United States. 
Hay Springs; village in Sheridan County, Nebraska, so named because of the vast 

quantities of hay cut in the valley just east of the springs. 
Hayward; town in Sawyer County, Wisconsin, named for Anthony J. Hayward, 

its founder. 
Haywards; town in Alameda County, California, named for an early settler. 
Haywood: county in North Carolina, named for John Haywood, State treasurer. 
Haywood; county in Tennessee, named for Judge John Haywood, author of a his- 
tory of Tennessee. 
Hazardville; village in Hartford County, Connecticut, named for Colonel Hazard, 

owner of powder works. 
Hazelton; city in Barber County, Kansas, named for its founder. Rev. J. H. 

Hazelton. 
Hazlehurst; town in Copiah County, Mississippi, named for Col. George H. Hazle- 

hurst. 
Hazlerigg; village in Boone County, Indiana, named for H. G. Hazlerigg, its founder. 
Hazleton; city in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, so named from the great abund- 
ance of hazel bushes. 
Healdsbnrg:; city in Sonoma County, California, named for Col. Harmon Heald, an 

early settler. 
Healing Springs; village in Bath County, Virginia, named for the thermal mineral 

springs, situated there. 
Heard; county in Georgia, named for Stephen Heard, an oflBcer of the American 

Revolution. 
Heath; town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, named for Gen. William M. Heath. 
Heath Springs; town in Lancaster County, South Carolina, named for a firm of 

capitalists, Heath & Springs. 
Heber; city in Wasatch County, Utah, named for Heber C. Kimball, a leader of the 

Mormons. 
Hebron; twenty-five cities, towns, and villages in the United States bear the name 

of the ancient city in Palestine. 
Heceta; village in Lane County, Oregon, probably named for the early explorer, 

Capt Bruno de Heceta. 
Hector; town in Schuyler County, New York, named for the character in the Iliad. 
Hedges; peak in Yellowstone Park, named for Cornelius Hedges. 
Hedrick; town in Keokuk County, Iowa, named for General Hedrick. 
Heidelberg; name of several places in the United States settled by colonists from 

Heidelbeig in Germany. 



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154 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Helderberg; plateau in New York, so named because of the fine proopect from it. 
A Dutch word meaning "clear mountain.'* 

Helena; city in Lewis and Clark County, Montana. Opinions differ as to the origin 
of the name, for by some it is supposed to be named for Helen of Troy, but, 
according to the Helena Historical Directory of 1879, it was named by John 
Somerville, of Minnesota, St. Helena, from the resemblance in its location to that 
of the original St. Helena. It was then voted to drop the prefix Saint. 

Helena; village in St. Lawrence County, New York, named for the daughter of 
Joseph Pitcaim, of New York. 

Helicon; village in Winston County, Alabama, named from the ancient mountain 
in Boeotia. 

Hellertown; borough in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, named for a family 
of early settlers. 

Hellgate; river in Montana, name<i by Father de Smet porte de Venfer^ meaning 
**gate of hell," because by way of the river the Blackfeet Indians reached the 
settlers. 

Hell Gate; narrow pass in East River, New York. A Dutch word hellegai, the 
translation of which is **bright strait," or "clear opening." The Anglicized 
form was applied to the pass as being appropriate on account of whirlpools which 
made navigation at that point dangerous. 

Hell Roaring:; creek in Yellowstone Park, so named by a prospecting party, one of 
whom described the creek as a "hell roarer." 

Helvetia; village in Randolph County, West Virginia, settled by Swiss, and by 
them given the ancient name of Switzerland. Post-villages in Pima County, 
Arizona, and Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, also bear this name. 

Hemlock; lake in New York. A translation of the Indian word onehda. 

Hemphill; county in Texas, named for John Hemphill, former Congressman from 
Texas. 

Hempstead; county in Arkansas, named* for Edward Hempstead, first delegate to 
Congress from Missouri Territory. 

Hempstead; towns in Nassau County, New York, and Waller County, Texas, 
named by early setters from Hemel- Hempstead in England. 

Henderson; county and river in Illinois; county, and city in same county, in Ken- 
tucky, and county, and village in Chester County, Tennessee, named for Col. 
Richard Henderson, of Kentucky. 

Henderson; town in Wexford County, Michigan, named for its first settler. 

Henderson; village in York County, Nebraska, named for David Henderson, one of 
its first settlers. 

Henderson; town in Jefferson County, New York, named for William Henderson, 
a proprietor. 

Henderson; county in North Carolina, named for Chief Justice Leonard Henderson. 

Henderson; county in Texas, named for James Pinckney Henderson, foreign min- 
ister in the days of the republic; its first governor. 

Henderson; village in Mason County, West Virginia, named for a family of early 
settlers. 

Hendersonville; town in Henderson County, North Carolina, named for Chief 
Justice Leonard Henderson. 

Hendricks; county in Indiana, named for William Hendricks, one of the early gov- 
ernors of the State. 

Hendrix; village in McLean County, Illinois, named for John Hendrix, the first 
settler in the county. 

Henlopen; cape on the coast of Delaware. Derived from the Dutch words hin 
loop or irUopen, meaning to "run in." 



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GANNETT.] 1»LACE NAMES IK THE UNlTfiD STATES. 155 

Hennepin; county in Minnesota, and village in Putnam County, Illinois, named for 

Louis Hennepin, a Franciscan missionary, explorer, and author. 
Hennessey; city in Kingfisher County, Oklahoma, named for Pat Hennessey, an 

Indian fighter, who was killed upon the ground which later became the town 

site. 
Henniker; town in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, named for John Henni- 

ker, esq., a merchant of Ix)ndon. 
Henrico; county in Virginia, named for the Prince of Wales, son of James I. 
Henrietta; town in Monroe County, New York, name<l for Henrietta Laura, Count- 
ess of Bath. 
Henrietta; town in Rutherford County, North Carolina, named for the wife of S. B. 

- Tanner. 
Henry; counties in Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, and 

Ohio; county and mountain in Tennessee, and county in Virginia, named for 

Patrick Henry, of Virginia. 
Henry; lake in Idaho, and fork of Snake River, named for one of the partners of the 

Northwest Fur Company. 
Henry; township and city in Marshall County, Illinois, named for Gen. James D. 

Henry, a prominent leader in the Black Hawk war. 
Henry; county in Iowa, named for Gen. Henry Dodge, governor of the Territory of 

Wisconsin. 
Henry; cape on coast of Virginia, named for the Prince of Wales, son of James I. 
Henson; town in Hinsdale County, Colorado, named from the creek, which was 

named for any early settler. 
Hepburn; town in Page County, Iowa, named for Congressman Hepburn. 
Hepler; city in Crawford County, Kansas, named for B. F. Hepler, of Fort Scott. 
Herculaneum; village in Jefferson County, Missouri, named from the ancient 

Roman city. 
Heringfton; city in Dickinson County, Kansas, named for M. D. Herington, its 

founder. 
Herkimer; county in New York, named for Gen. Nichola.s Herkimer, a German, 

one of the patentees. 
Herman; village in Washington County, Nebraska, named for Samuel Herman, con- 
ductor on the Omaha and Northwestern Railroad. 
Hermann; town in Gasconade County, Missouri, settled by Germans, and named by 

them for their countryman, who fought so bravely at the time of the Roman 

invasion. 
Hermitagre; town in Hickory County, Missouri, named from the residence of Andrew 

Jackson. 
Hermon, village in St. Lawrence County, New York, named from the mountain in 

Syria. 
Hermosa; town in San Bernardino County, and beach in Los Angeles County, 

California, descriptively named. A Spanish word, meaning *' beautiful." 
Hernando; county in Florida and city in De Soto County, Mississippi, named for 

Hernando De Soto, discoverer of the Mississippi River. 
Hersey; village in Nobles County, Minnesota, named for General Hersey, of Maine, 

largely interested in the then Territory. 
Hertford; county, and town in Perquimans County, in North Carolina, named for 

Conway, Marquis of Hertford. 
Hettinger; county in North Dakota, named for an early settler. 
Heuvelton; village in St. Lawrence County, New York, named for Jacob Van 

Heuvel. 
Hewes; point in Penobscot Bay, Maine, named for its first settler, Paola Hewes. 



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156 PLACni Names in mk trNiTKD stated. [BtTLL.258. 

Heywor|;h; village in McLean County, Illinois, named for Lawrence Hey worth, a 

railroad stockholder. 
Hiawatha; city in Brown County, Kansas, named for the hero of Longfellow's 

poem. 
Hibemia; villages in Clay County, Florida, Morris County, New Jersey, and Dutch- 
ess County, New York, bearing the ancient Latin name of Ireland. 
Hickman; county, and city in Fulton County, Kentucky, named for Capt. Paschal 

Hickman. 
Hickman; county in Tennessee, named for Edmund Hickman. 
Hickory; town in Newton County, Mississippi, county in Missouri, and town in 

Catawba County, North Carolina, named for President Andrew Jackson — Old 

Hickory. This name alone or with suffixes is borne by 46 places in the United 

States. 
Hickory Flats; town in Benton County, Mississippi, named for a near-by hickory 

grove. 
Hicks; island at entrance to Napeague Bay, Ix)ng Island, New York, named for the 

owner. 
Hicksville; village in Queens County, New York, named for Charles Hicks, the 

Quaker reformer. 
Hicksville; village in Defiance County, Ohio, named for Henry W. Hicks, who was 

one of the founders. 
Hidalgo; county in Texas, said to be named for Hidalgo y Costilla, a priest, and 

leader in Mexican war of independence. 
Higganum; village in Middlesex County, Connecticut. A corruption of the Indian 

word tomhegan-ompakutf meaning **at the tomahawk rock.'* 
Higginsport; village in Brown County, Ohio, named for Col. Robert Higgins, who 

laid it out. 
Higginsville; city in Lafayette County, Missouri, named for Harvey J. Higgins, 

who originally owned the land upon which the city is built. 
Highbridge; borough in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, named for its remarkable 

railroad bridge. 
Highgate; town in Franklin County, Vermont, named from the chapelry in Mid- 
dlesex, England. 
Highland; city in Doniphin County, Kansas, and counties in Ohio and Virginia, so 

named on account of the high location. 
Highlands; borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, adjacent to the Atlantic 

Highlands, and taking its name therefrom. 
Highlcmds; broken hills on the Hudson River, New York. The name is derived 

from hogelandf or hoogland, meaning " highland, *' originally given by the Dutch. 
Highlands; town in Mason County, North Carolina, so named because it is the 

highest village east of the Mississippi. 
High Point; village in Guilford County, North Carolina, so named because it is the 

highest point on the North Carolina Railroad. 
Hightower; village in Forsyth County, Georgia, on the Etowah River. The name 

is a corruption of the name of the river. 
Hightstown; borough in Mercer County, New Jersey, named for the Hight family. 
Hildebran; village in Burke County, North Carolina, named for Pope Gregory VII. 
Hilgard; mountain in Utah, named for J. E. Hilgard, formerly superintendent 

United States Coast and Geodetic Survey. 
Hill; city in Graham County, Kansas, named for W. R. Hill, who located the town. 
Hill; town in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, named for Isaac Hill, governor, 

1836-1839. 
Hill; county in Texas, so named because of the range of hills extending through the 

easterly part. Another authority contends it was named for George W. Hill. 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 157 

Hillbum; town in Rockland County, New York, originally named Woodburn, 

changed in 1882 to Hillbum in order not to conflict with a post-oflSce of the same 

name in that State. Both names are descriptive. 
Hillers; mountain in Utah, named for John H. Hillers, photographer. . 
Hillsboro; counties in Florida and New Hampshire, and town in Orange County, 

North Carolina, named for the Earl of Hillsborough. 
Hillsboro; township and city in Montgomery County, Illinois, named from its loca- 
tion on hills. 
Hillsboro; city in Marion County, Kansas, named for a former mayor, John G. 

Hill. 
EEillsboro; township and city in Traill County, North Dakota, named for James 

Hill, a prominent railroad oflScial. 
EEillsboro; city in Hill County, Texas, named from the county. 
Hillsboro; town in Loudoun County, Virginia, named for its location in a gap of a 

short hill range. 
Hillsboro; village in Vernon County, Wisconsin, named for the Hillsboro brothers, 

who made the first claim within the town. 
Hillsdale; county in Michigan, so named because of its rolling surface — hills and 

valleys. 
HUtonhesd; village in Beaufort County, North Carolina, said to have been named 

for the captain of the ship in which Colonel Sayle came over to make discoveries. 
Hinckley; lake, and village in Oneida County, New York, named for a resident 

family. 
Hinds; county in Mississippi, named for Gen. Thomas Hinds, former Congressman 

from that State. 
Hinesburgr; town in Chittenden County, Vermont, named for an original pro- 
prietor, Abel Hines. 
Hinesville; town in Liberty County, Georgia, named for Charlton Hines, esquire. 
Hingliam; town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, named from the town in 

England. 
Hinsdale; county in Colorado, named for Lieutenant-Governor George A. Hinsdale. 
Hinsdale; village in Dupage County, Illinois, named for H. W. Hinsdale, a promi- 
nent railroad man, and from the town of Hinsdale, New York. 
Hinsdale; town- in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, named for Rev. Theodore 

Hinsdale. 
Hinsdale; town in Cheshire County, New Hampshire, named for Col. Ebenezer 

Hinsdale, one of its principal inhabitants. 
Hinton; city in Summers County, West Virginia, named for the former owner of 

the town site. 
Hippocrass; island in Maine, probably so named by seamen, the word meaning 

"spiced wine.'* 
Hiram; town in Oxford County, Maine, and township in Portage County, Ohio, 

named for Hiram, King of Tyre, 1014 B. C. The name means ** nobly bom.'* 
Hitchcock; county in Nebraska, named for Phineas W. Hitchcock, senator from 

Nebraska. 
Hoback; peak and river in Wyoming, named for an ^arly trapper with the Missouri 

Fur Company. 
Hobart; town in Wexford County, Michigan, named for the first settler. 
Hobart; town in Delaware County, New York, named for Bishop Hobart, of New 

Jersey. 
Hobgood; town in Halifax County, North Carolina, named for the principal of the 

Oxford Female Seminary. 



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158 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 



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Hoboken; city in Hudson County, New Jersey. Derived from the Indian word 

hopocan^ meaning "tobacco pipe,** or *'pipe country." 
Hockanum; river and village in Hartford County, Connecticut. An Indian word, 

meaning ** hook-shaped,** or "hook;** so named because of the change in the 

course of the river at this point. 
Hockendaqua; stream in Northampton County, Pennsylvania. A Delaware Indian 

word, meaning "searching for land.** 
Hockessin; village in Newcastle County, Delaware. An Indian word meaning 

"good bark;*' applied to this locality on account of the good quality of white 1^^ 

oak found there. I ^ 

Hocking:; river and county in Ohio. Derived from the Delaware Indian word ^°^ 

hockhock, "gourd** or "bottle,** and mg^ meaning "place;** so called because at ' 

this point the river suddenly assumes the shape of a bottle. ^^^ 

Hockley; county in Texas, named for G. W. Hockley, prominent in the Texan 

revolution. poU 

Hodgdon; town in Aroostook County, Maine, named for the proprietor, John 

Hodgdon. 
Hodgemcm; county in Kansas, named for Amos Hodgeman, captain Company H, 

Seventh Kansas. 
Hodgensville; town in Larue County, Kentucky, named for Robert Hodgen. 
Hodges; ledge of rock in Massachusetts?, named for Isaac Hodges. 
Hodges; town in Greenwood County, South Carolina, named for a resident family. 
Hoffinan; mount in California, named for Charles F. Hoffman, State geological 

survey. 
Hoffinan; village in Richmond County, North Carolina, named for a resident family. 
Hoffinans Ferry; village in Schenectady County, New York, named for John 

Hoffman, owner of a ferry. 
Hog: Creek; village in Allen County, Ohio, named from a stream with the Indian] 

name, koskosepe^ meaning " hog river.'* 
Hohenlinden; village in Chickasaw County, Missouri, named from the village in" pol 

Bavaria. 
Hohokus; town in Bergen County, New Jersey, said to be derived from the Indian 

word ho-hokes, meaning "a shout," or "some kind of a tree bark.** 
Hoisington; city in Barton County, Kansas, named for A. J. Hoisington, of Great 

Bend. 
Hokali; village in Houston County, Minnesota, named from the river. An Indian I 

word meaning " horn . " V 

Hokamcm; lakes in Minnesota. An Indian word meaning "where herons set.** i: 
Holbrook; town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, named for Elisha Holbrook, a i: 

prominent citizen. \ 

Holden; town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, named for the Hon. Samuel 'f. 

Holden, one of the directors of the Bank of England. ■ 

Holden; city in Johnson County, Missouri, named for Major Nathaniel Holden, 

prominent in the history of the county. 
Holdemess; town in Grafton County, New Hampshire, named from the district in 

Yorkshire, England. 
Holdridge; town in Phelps County, Nebraska, named for G. W. Holdridge, super- 
intendent Burlington and Missouri River Railway. 
Holgate; stream in northern Illinois, named for James Holgate, the first judge of 

Stark County. 
Holland; village in Dubois County, Indiana, and city in Ottawa County, Michigan, 

named by early settlers from the country of Europe. 
Hollcmdale; town in Washington County, Mississippi, named for Dr. Holland, whose 

plantation the town site now occupies. 



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> GANNETT] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 159 

ndiacF Holland Patent; village in Oneida County, New York, named for Henry, Lord 

Holland, patentee. 
diaDp Holley; village in Orleans County, New York, named for Byron Hoi ley, one of the 
first canal commissioners. 
Holliday; town in Johnson County, Kansas, named for Cyrus K. Holliday, of 
mhl Topeka. 

HoUiday; village in Monroe County, Missouri, named for Samuel Holliday, of St. 
meaJ Louis. 
of t[J HoUiday sbiirg; borough in Blair County, Pennsylvania, named for William and 

Adam Holliday, the first settlers. 
aniri|HoIlis; town in Hillsboro County, New Hampshire, named for Thomas Hollis, a 
benefactor of Harvard College; or, according to Togg, for the Duke of Newcastle. 
HolHster; town in San Benito County, California, named for Col. W. W. Hollister, 
? Tei| an early settler. 

Hollister; town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, named for Thomas Hollis, of 
J ij London, a patron of Harvard College. 

Holly; township and village in Oakland County, Michigan, named from Holly 

Beach in New Jersey. 
Holly Beach; borough in Cape May County, New Jersey, named for a beach within 

its precincts where holly is supposed to have been found abundantly. 
Holly Springs; city in Marshall County, Mississippi, and village in Wake County, 
M\. North Carolina, so named on account of the prevalence of these two features. 

HTi,ai Holmes; county in Mississippi, named for David Holmes, governor of the Territory 

and State, 1809-1817. 
nilv I Holmes; county in Ohio, named for Major Holmes, an officer of the War of 1812. 
foils Holmes; mounts in Utah and Yellowstone Park, Wyoming, named for the geologist, 
W. H. Holmes. 
Holmesville; village in Gage County, Nebraska, named for L. M. Holmes, its 
I founder. 
> in I Holmesville; village in Holmes County, Ohio, named for Major Holmes. 

r Holston; branch of the Tennessee River, named, according to Haywood, for its 
M discoverer. 

I Holt; county in Missouri, named for David Rice Holt, member of the State l^is- 
lature. 
Holt; town in Clay County, Missouri, named for Jerry Holt, upon whose land the 

town was established. 
Holton; city in Jackson County, Kansas, named for Hon. Edward Holton. 
Holts Summit; village in Callaway County, Missouri, named for Timothy Holt. 
Holy Cross; mountain peak in Colorado, so named for a cross of snow upon its east- 
em face. 

I Holyoke; town in Phillips County, Colorado, named from the city in Massachusetts. 
j Holyoke; city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, named for Rev. Edward Hol- 
yoke, an early president of Harvard College. 
Holyoke; mountain in Hampden County, Massachusetts, named about 1650 for 
I Elizur Holyoke, father of Rev. Edward Holyoke. 

Homer; village in Cortland County, New York, and sixteen other places bear the 

name of the Greek poet. 
Homestead; borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Named for the company 
by which the town was laid out. 
I Homosassa; town in Citrus County, Florida. A Seminole Indian word, the meaning 
differing according to different authorities, two versions being ** river of fishes " 
and "pepper ridge.*' 
Honda; town in Santa Barbara County, California. A Spanish word meaning 
** sling." 



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160 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Honesdale; borough in Wayne County, Pennsylvania, named for Philip Dale, a 
patron of the Delaware and Hudson Canal Company. 

(Honeoye; lake in Ontario County, New York; 
Honeoye Falls; village in Monroe County, New York. From the Iroquois, haye- 
ayehf meaning **a finger lying." 
Honey Grove; city in Fannin County, Texas, so named by explorers, who, encamp- 
ing in the wood, found large quantities of honey in the trees. 
Honolulu; name transferred from the city in Hawaii to a village in Craven County, 

North Carolina, meaning "fair haven," from hono, ** harbor," and liUu, 

** smooth," "quiet." 
Hood; river and mountain in Oregon and a canal in Washington, named for Alex- 
ander Arthur Hood, afterwards Lord Brinport. 
Hood; county in Texas, named for Gen. John B. Hood, a frontiersman. 
Hookerton; town in Greene County, North Carolina, named for a prominent citizen. 
Hookstown; borough in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, named for Matthias Hook, 

an early resident. 
Hookton; village in Humboldt County, California, named for Major Hook. 
Hoopa; town and valley in Humboldt County, California, named for the Hoopa 

Indians, a tribe on the lower Trinity River. 
Hoopeston; city in Vermilion County, Illinois, named for its founder, Thomas 

Hoopes. 
Hoosac; river in Massachusetts, New York, and Vermont. Derived from the 

Mohican Indian, vmdjoo^ meaning "mountain," and ahic, "rock." 
Hoosick; town in Renssalaer County, New York, named from the river. 
Hoover; village in Cass County, Indiana, named for Riley Hoover, its founder. 
Hopatcong:; lake in New Jersey. An Indian name meaning "stone over water," 

because of an artificial causeway of stone which connected an island of the lake 

with the shore. 
Hope; town in Hempstead County, Arkansas, named for the daughter of J. M. 

Loughborough. 
Hope; town in Bartholomew County, Indiana, so named by its Moravian settlers as 

a monument to the sentiment which caused them to emigrate there. 
Hopedale; township and village in Tazewell County, Illinois. The name is 

descriptive of the location and the sentiment that inspired the founders. 
Hopedale; town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, named by a community 

known as "The Dale" (now defunct) to which "hope" was prefixed as an 

expression of their sentiment as to the welfare of the settlement. 
Hopewell; borough in Mercer County, New Jersey, named according to the Puritan 

system of nomenclature, the place having been settled early in the eighteenth 

century by families from Long Island, formerly from Connecticut. 
Hopkins; county in Kentucky, named for Samuel Hopkins, a Revolutionary officer. 
Hopkins; county in Texas, named for a pioneer family. 
Hopkinsville; city in Christian County, Kentucky, named for Gen. Samuel Hopkins, 

a Revolutionary officer. 
Hopkinton; town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, named for Edward Hopkins, 

early governor and patron of Harvard Collie. 
Hopkinton; town in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, named from the town in 

Massachusetts. 
Hopkinton; town in St. Lawrence County, New York, named for Roswell Hopkins, 

the first settler. 
Hopkinton; town in Washington County, Rhode Island, said to have been named 

for Stephen Hopkins, governor. 
Hoppeny; creek in Pennsylvania. An Indian word meaning *^wb^r^ the wUd 

potato grows." 



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GANNBTT.] PLACE NAMES IK THE UNITED STATES. 161 

Hoppog^ue; village in Suffolk County, Long Island, New York. A corraption of 

the original Indian name winganhappaguey meaning "sweet water. '* 
Hoquiam; river and city in Chehalis County, Washington. From the Indian 

?io-qui-umpt8€y meaning "hungry for wood;" the river being so called on account 

of the great amount of driftwood at its mouth. 
Horace; city in Greeley County, Kansas, named for Horace Greeley. 
Horicon; town in Warren County, New York, and lake and city in Dodge County, 

Wisconsin; an Indian derivation of unknown meaning. 
Hornby; town in Steuben County, New York, named for John Hornby, an early 

English landholder. 
Homellsville; city in Steuben County, New York, named for its first settler, Geoi^ge 

Homell. 
Homersville; village in Dunklin County, Missouri, named for William H. Homer, 

its founder. 
Horry; county in South Carolina, named for Gen. Peter Horry. 
Horse; creek, a branch of Green River in Wyoming, which, at the time of receiving 

its name was the grazing ground of a herd of wild horses. 
Horseheads; town in Chemung County, New York, so named because at this point, 

during an expedition against the Indians, General Sullivan caused his pack 

horses to be killed and the heads piled up. 
Horton; city in Brown County, Kansas, named for Chief Justice A. H. Horton. 
Hortonville; village in Outagamie County, Wisconsin, named for its founder. 
Hosensack; creek in Pennsylvania. A German word meaning "breeches pocket," 

and so called by a hunter who became bewildered in its valley. 
Hosensack; village in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, named from the creek. 
Hospital Creek; stream in Vermont, so named because of the hospital built upon 

its banks by General Gates. 
Hot Springs; county in Arkansas, so named for the famous springs formerly within 

its limits. 
Houghs; neck of land in Quincy, Norfolk County, Massachusetts, named for Allerton 

Hough, one of the original settlers of Boston and a large landowner. 
Houghton; county in Michigan, named for Douglas Houghton, formerly State 

geologist. 
Honlton; town in Aroostook County, Maine, named for an early settler, Joseph 

Houlton. 
Honnsfield; town in Jefferson County, New York, named for Ezra Hounsfield, early 

proprietor. 
Housatonic; river in Massachusetts and Connecticut. From the Indian words 

vmssiy "beyond,'' and adenef "mountain," meaning "beyond the mountain.*' 

According to other authorities, from the Indian words wassa, "proud," atorij 

"stream," and ick, from azhubicj meaning "rocks," the whole meaning "proud 

river flowing through the rocks." 
Housatonic; village in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, named from the river. 
Honseville; village in Lewis County, New York, named for its founder, Eleazer 

House. 
Houston; county in Alabama, named for Gov. R. L. Houston of the State. 
Houston; village in Kent County, Delaware, named for John W. Houston. 
Hotu9ton; county in Georgia, named for John Houston, an early governor. 
Houston; county in Minnesota; cities in Chickasaw County, Mississippi, and Texas 

County, Missouri; county in Tennessee; and county, and city in Harris County, 

in Texas; and several other places; named generally for Gen. Samuel Houston, 

president of the Texas republic, and later United States Senator from the State 

of Texas. 
Houstonia; village in Pettis County, Missouri, named for Gen. Samuel Houston. 

Bull. 258—05 11 

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162 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Houtzdale; borough in Clearfield CJounty, Pennsylvania, named for Dr. Daniel 

Houtz, who owned the land upon which the town is built. 
Hovenweep; creek in Mineral County, Colorado. An Indian word meaning 

" deserted valley." 
Howard; county in Arkansas, named for James Howard, State senator. 
Howard; counties in Indiana and Iowa, named for Gen. T. A. Howard, of Indiana. 
Howard; city in Elk County, Kansas, named for Gen. O. O. Howard. 
Howard; county in Maryland, named for Gen. John Eager Howard, of Revolution- 
ary fame. 
Howard; county in Missouri, named for Gen. Benjamin Howard, an early governor. 
Howard; county in Nebraska. Opinions differ as to whether this county was named 

for Gen. O. O. Howard or Howard Paul, son of an early settler. 
Howard; county in Texas, named for Volney Ho'ward, United States Congressman. 
Howe; creek in Humboldt County, California, named for an early settler. 
Howell; town in Vanderburg County, Indiana, named for Capt. Lee Howell, a local 

railroad man. 
Howell; township and village in Livingston County, Michigan, named for Thomas 

N. Howell, of Canandaigua, New York. 
Howell; county in Missouri, named for an early settler. 
Howell; town in Monmouth County, New Jersey, probably named for Richard 

Howell, an early governor. 
Howell; town in Marion County, Oregon, named for an early settler. 
Howe's Cave; cave in Schoharie County, New York, six miles east of Cobleskill, 

from which a strong current of cold air issues. Named for Lester Howe, who 

first explored its recesses. 
Hoxie; city in Sheridan County, Kansas, named for H. M. Hoxie, general manager 

of the Missouri Pacific Railroad. 
Hoyt; mount in Wyoming, named for Hon. John W. Hoyt, formerly governor of 

Wyoming. 
Hubbard; county in Minnesota, named for Gen. Lucius F. Hubbard, governor of 

the State, 1882-87. 
Hubbard; village in Dakota County, Nebraska, named for Judge A. W. Hubbard. 
rHubbardston; town in Worcester County, Massachusetts; 

<Hubbardton; town in Rutland County, Vermont. Named for Thomas Hubbard, 
I of Boston, one of its charter citizens. 
Hudson; township and town in McLean County, Illinois, named from Hudson, New 

York, the home of its founders. 
Hudson; town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, named for the Hon. Charles 

Hudson, born in the town. 
Hudson; township and village in Lenawee County, Michigan, named for Dr. Daniel 

Hudson, one of the first landowners in the township. 
Hudson; county in New Jersey, and river in and city in Columbia County, in New 

York, named for Henry Hudson, the discoverer. 
Hudson; village in Summit County, Ohio, named for David Hudson, an early settler. 
Huerfano; county, town in same county, river, and canyon in Colorado, named 

from an isolated mountain in the river valley. A Spanish word meaning 

"orphan." 
Hughes; county in South Dakota, named in honor of Alexander Hughes, legislator, 

1873. 
Hughes; river in West Virginia, a tributary of the Little Kanawha, named for Jesse 

Hughes, an Indian fighter. 
Hughesville; town in Gilpin County, Colorado, named for Patrick Hughes, upon 

whose ranch the town is located. 



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GANNETT] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED BTATE8. 163 

Hui^oton; city in Stevens County, Kansas, named for Victor Hugo, "ton" being 

added to prevent conflict with Hugo, Colorado. • 
Hulberton; village in Orleans County, New York, named for Hulbert, a former 

resident. 
Hiill; town in Sioux County, Iowa, named for John Hull. 

Hull; town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, named from the town in England. 
Hiunboldt; counties in California and Iowa, city in Allen County, Kansas, county 

and river in Nevada, and nine other places, named for the geographer. Baron 

Alexander von Humboldt. 
Hume; village«in Edgar County, Illinois, named for E. W. Hume, its founder. 
Hummelstown; borough in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, named for Frederick 

Hummel, by whom it was laid out. 
Humphrey; peak of the San Francisco Mountains in Arizona, and mount in Yel- 
lowstone Park, named for Gen. A. A. Humphreys, Chief of Engineers, United 

States Army. 
Humphrey; town in Cattaraugus County, New York, named for Charles Humphrey, 

speaker of the assembly when the town was founded. 
Humphreys; county in Tennessee, named for Parry W. Humphreys. 
Humphrey sville; village in New Haven County, Connecticut, named for the Hon. 

David Humphreys. 
Humptulips; river in Chehalis County, Washington. An Indian word meaning 

"chilly region.'* 
Hunnewell; city in Sumner County, Kansas, and city in Shelby County, Missouri, 

named for H. H. Hunnewell, of Boston. 
Hunniwell; point at the mouth of the Kennebec River, Maine, named for a former 

resident of the vicinity. 
Hunt; county in Texas, named for Memucan Hunt, at one time minister from the 

Republic of Texas. 
Hunter; town in Greene County, New York, named for John Hunter, a proprietor. 
Hunterdon; county in New Jersey, named for Governor Robert Hunter, of New 

York. 
Huntersville; town in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, named for a promi- 
nent citizen. 
Huntersville; village in Pocahontas County, West Virginia, so called because the 

site was originally occupied by hunters* cabins. 
Huntingburi:; city in Dubois County, Indiana, so named because the neighborhood 

was originally known as an excellent hunting field. 
Huntingdon; county, and town in same county, in Pennsylvania. The town was 

named for Selena, Countess of Huntingdon, and the county was named from the 

town. 
Huntingdon; town in Carroll County, Tennessee, named for Memucan Hunt, whose 

heirs donated the land for its site. 
Huntington; county in Indiana, named for Samuel Huntington, of Connecticut, a 

signer of the Declaration of Independence. 
Huntington; town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, named for Charles P. 

Huntington, of Northampton. 
Huntington; town in Baker County, Oregon, named for J. B. Huntington, upon 

whose ranch the town was built. 
Huntington; city in Cabell County, West Virginia, named for C. P. Huntington, 

of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway. 
Huntley; village in McHenry County, Illinois, named for one of its founders. 
Huntsburg; township in Geauga County, Ohio, named for Dr. Eben Hunt, a land 

proprietor. 



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164 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Huntsville; town in Madison County, Alabama, named for John Hunt, its first 
settler. 

Hiintsville; city in Randolph County, Missouri, named for David Hunt, of Ken- 
tucky, the first settler. 

Huntsville; town in Walker County, Texas, named from the town in Alabama. 

Hurley; town in Ulster County, New York, named for the Lovelace fan.' who 
were Barons Hurley, of Ireland. 

Hurley; town in Iron County, Wisconsin, named for M. A. Hurley, of v/ausau, 
Wisconsin. 

Huron; one of the Great Lakes of North America. Opinions differ as to the classi- 
fication of the name, whether French or Indian, and to its meaning. According 
to most authorities, it is a corruption of the French word hure, given a tribe of 
Indians by the French, the word meaning "wild boar,*' on account of their 
unkempt appearance. 

Huron; city in Atchison County, Kansas, county in Michigan, and city in Beadle 
County, South Dakota, named for the Huron Indians. 

Huron; county, and village in Erie County, Ohio, named from the lake. 

Hustisford; village in Dodge County, Wisconsin, named for John Hustis, an early 
settler. 

Hutchinson; city in Reno County, Kansas, named for C. C. Hutchinson, its founder. 

Hutchinson; village in McLeod County, Minnesota, named for the Hutchinson 
brothers, its founders. 

Hutchinson; county in South Dakota, named for John Hutchinson, first Territorial 
secretary. 

Hutchinson; county in Texas, named for Anderson Hutchinson, a prominent citi- 
zen in the days of the Republic. 

Huttonsville; village in Randolph County, West Virginia, named for Jonathan 
Hutton, the first settler. 

Hyannis; town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, named for the Indian sachem, 
Hianna. 

Hyde; county in North Carolina, named for Edward Hyde, governor during colonial 
days. 

Hyde; county in South Dakota, named for James Hyde, a member of the l^islature 
m 1873. 

Hyde Park; town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, and Dutchess County, New 
York, named from Hyde Park, London. 

Hyde Park; town in Lamoille County, Vermont, named for Jedediah Hyde, an 
early settler. 

Hydesville; town in Humboldt County, California, named for an early settler. 

Hyndman; peak in Idaho, named for an old resident of the vicinity. 

Iberia; parish in Louisiana, named from the ancient name of Spain. 

Iberville; parish in Louisiana, named for Pierre le Moyne Iberville, a Canadian 
naval commander, who built the first fort on the Mississippi River. 

Ibex; town in San Bernardino County, California, named from the circumstance of 
the finding of a pair of horns of the Rocky Mountain goat by early settlers. 

Ichoconnaugh; creek in Georgia. A Creek Indian word meaning "deer trap.** 

Icy; cape in Alaska, so named because of the ice along the coast at this point. 

Ida; county in Iowa, named by the pioneers from the mountain in Greece, thereby 
linking the new State with the ancient civilization. 

Idaho; State of the Union and county in same State. An Indian word of unknown 
meaning. 

Hiflf; town in Logan County, Colorado, named for John W. lliff, a Colorado cattle 
king, near whose ranch the town is located. 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE DNITED STATES. 165 

nion; village in Herkimer County, New York, named from the place mentioned in 

Homer's poem. 
Illinois; State of the Union and river in same State. Named from the Illini Indians, 

who inhabited the region, the name meaning *' men.** 
niiopolis; township and village in Sangamon County, Illinois. A name coined 

from Illinois and poZi«, meaning "city.** 
Dlyria; village in Fayette County, Iowa, named from the ancient kingdom of 

Austria. 
Imlay City; village in Lapeer County, Michigan, named for Judge Imlay, of New 

York, who owned a mill in the township. 
Independence; county in Arkansas, city in Montgomery County, Kansas; and 

twenty-six cities, towns, and villages bear this name in commemoration of the 

Declaration of Independence. 
Indiana; State of the Union; probably so named because of the purchase from the 

Indians of that tract of land lying along the Ohio River; by another authority 

said to have been named from the Indian tribes who settled in western 

Pennsylvania. 
Indiana; county in Pennsylvania, named from the general appellation of the Indian 

tribes. 
Indian Cattle; village in Herkimer County, New York, named from the Indian 

fort, part of a chain of defenses which guarded the approach to Canada. 
Indio; town in Riverside County, California. The Spanish form of "Indian.** 
Industry; town in Franklin County, Maine, so named on account of the industrious 

character of the people. 
Ing^lLs; town in Payne County, Oklahoma, named for the senator from Kansas. 
Ing^liam; county in Michigan, named for Samuel D. Ingham, Secretary of the Treas- 
ury under President Jackson. 
Ingold; village in Sampson County, North Carolina, named for a resident family. 
Inkpa; tributary of the Minnesota River. An Indian word, eenk-pa, or piah^ mean- 
ing "end** or "point.** 
Inman; city in McPherson County, Kansas, named for Maj. Henry Inman. 
Inman; station in Holt County, Nebraska, named for W. H. Inman, an early settler. 
Inman; town in Spartanburg County, South Carolina, named for a resident family. 
Interlaken; city in Putnam County, Florida, named from a town in Switzerland. 
Inverness; township in Cheboygan County, Michigan, named from the city in 

Scotland, meaning "mouth of Ness.** 
Inverury; village in Sevier County, Utah, named from the town in Scotland. 
lola; city in Allen County, Kansas, named for the wife of J. F. Colbom. 
Ionia; county in Michigan, and twelve other places, the name being transferred 

from Greece. 
Iosco; county in Michigan. An Indian derivative, manufactured by Schoolcraft, 

meaning "water of light,** or "shining water.** 
Iowa; State of the Union, county and river in same State, and county in Wisconsin. 

The name is derived from the name of an Indian tribe, meaning "sleepy ones,** 

or "drowsy ones.** 
Iowa Falls; city in Hardin County, Iowa, named from the falls in the river. 
Ipswich; town in Essex County, Massachusetts, and township and village in 

Edmunds County, South Dakota, named from the capital city of Suffolk, England. 

{Ira; town in Rutland County, Vermont; 
Irasburg; town in Orleans County, Vermont. Probably named for Ira Allen, a 
grantee. 
Iredell; county in North Carolina, named for James Iredell, judge of the Supreme 
Court. 



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166 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES [bull. 268. 

Irion; county in Texas, named for an early settler. 

Iron; counties in Michigan, Missouri, Utah, and Wisconsin, so named on account of 
the great amount of iron ore found within their limits. 

Irondequoit; town in Monroe County, New York. An Indian word which, accord- 
ing to some authorities, means ** place where the waves gasp and die,** and 
according to others, *'bay.** 

Iron Mountain; city in Dickinson County, Michigan. Large iron-ore mines being 
discovered in the Menominee range; a settlement grew up around them, hence 
the name. 

Ironton; city in Lawrence County, Ohio. The name is contracted from "iron 
town.** 

Iroquois; county in Illinois, named from the river which flows through it. 

Iroquois; river in Indiana and Illinois, and town in Kingsbury County, South 
Dakota. The river is so named from a battle on its banks between the Iroquois 
and Illinois Indians, in which the former were defeated. From the famous 
Iroquois Indian Confederacy. The word is said to be from hirOy ** I have said,** 
and koucy a vocable, which expressed joy or sorrow, according to the rapidity 
with which it is pronounced. 

Irvine; town in Estill County, Kentucky, named for Col. William Irvine. 
Irving; city in Marshall County, Kansas; 

Irving^ton; township rtnd village in Washington County, Illinois, town in Essex 
Coimty, New Jersey, and village in Westchester County, New York. Named 
for Washington Irving. 

Irwin; village in Gunnison County, Colorado, named for Richard Irwin, a noted 
mining man. 

{Irwin; county in Georgia; 
Irwinton; town in Wilkinson County, Georgia. Named for Gen. Jared Irwin, for- 
mer governor of the State. 
Irwin; borough in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. Named for John Irwin, 

who owned the land upon which the town is built. 
Isa; lake in Yellowstone Park, named for Miss Isabel Jelke, of Cincinnati. 
Isaac; branch of St. Jones Creek, Delaware, named for Isaac Webb, an early settler. 
Isabella; county in Michigan, named for the daughter of John Hurst, who was the 

first white child born within its limits. 
Isanti; county in Minnesota, named from the Sioux Indian word imfl, ** knife,** 

applied to the eastern division of the Sioux tribe formerly occupying that r^ion. 
Ishawooa; town in Bighorn County, Wyoming. An Indian word meaning "much 

cascara.** 
Ishpeming; township and city in Marquette County, Michigan. An Ojibwa Indian 

word meaning "heaven** or "high up.** 
Island; county in Washington, so named because it is composed entirely of islands. 
Island Falls; town in Aroostook County, Maine, so named on account of an island 

which is midway of the stream at the verge of the falls. 
Island Mine; village on Isle Royale, Michigan, so named because of a copper mine 

there. 
Island Pond; village in Essex County, Vermont, so named because of an island in 

the center of a little lake between the spurs of the mountains. 
Isle an Chene; island in Lake Superior, Wisconsin; one of the Apostle Islands. A 

Franch phrase meaning "island of the oak.** 
Isle au Haut; island at the entrance to Penobscot Bay, Maine, composed of high, 

steep cliffs. A French phrase meaning "island of the height.'* 
Isle au Haut; town in Hancock County, Maine, named from the island. 
Isle Lamotte; town in Grand Isle County, Vermont, named for a French officer. 

La Motte. 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 167 

Isle of Wight; county in Virginia, named from the island in the English Channel. 
Islesboro; township in Waldo County, Maine, so named because it consists of a long 

narrow island in Peijobscot Bay. 
Isling^n; village in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, named from the parish in 

England. 
Islip; town in Suffolk County, New York, named from the parish in England. 
Israels; stream in Coos County, New Hampshire, named for a noted trapper, Israel 

G lines. 
Issaquena; county in Mississippi. An Indian word meaning "deer river.*' 
Istachatta; town in Hernando County, Florida. A Seminole Indian word meaning 

"man snake." 
Italian; mountain peak in Colorado, so named because at a distance it displays the 

national colors of Italy — red, white, and green. 
Itasca; village in Dupage County, Illinois, named from the lake in Minnesota. 
Itasca; county and lake in Minnesota. An alleged Indian form, coined by School- 
craft, based upon the Ojibwa totosh, a " woman's breast.'* 
Itawamba; county in Mississippi, said to have been named for the daughter of a 

Chickasaw Indian chief. 
Ithaca; village in Gratiot County, Michigan, and city in Tompkins County, New 

York, and named for one of the Ionian Islands, supposed to be the one celebrated 

in the Homeric poems as the Kingdom of Ulysses. 
Ivanhoe; town in Lake County, Illinois, and several other places, named from Scott's 

novel. 
Izard; county in Arkansas, named for George Izard, former governor. 
Izuza; tributary of the Minnesota River. A Sioux Indian word, meaning "white 

stone." 
Jacinto; towns in Glenn County, California, and Alcorn County, Mississippi. A 

Spanish word meaning "hyacinth." 
r Jack; county in Texas; 

j Jacksboro; town in Jack County, Texas. Named for William Houston and Patrick 
I Jack, brothers, early settlers and prominent citizens in the days of the republic. 
Jackson; counties in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, 

and Kentucky; parish in Louisiana; counties in Michigan, Mississippi, and Mis- 
souri; town in Carroll County, New Hampshire; county in North Carolina; 

county, and city in same county, in Ohio; counties in Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, 

West Virginia, and Wisconsin; and many other places, named for Gen. Andrew 

Jackson. 
Jackson; mountain in the Sa watch Range in Colorado, named for the photographer, 

W. H. Jackson. 
Jackson; county in Georgia, named for Gren. James Jackson, United States Senator 

from that State. 
Jackson; town in Waldo County, Maine, named for Henry Jackson, a contemporary 

of Colonel Knox in the Revolution. 
Jackson; county, and city in same county, in Minnesota, named for Henry Jackson, 

the first merchant of Saint Paul. 
Jackson; river in western Virginia, named for the first settler on its banks. 
Jackson; lake in Wyoming, named for David Jackson, a noted mountaineer. 
Jacksonville; city in Morgan County, Illinois, named for a prominent colored 

preacher. 
Jacksonville; town in Randolph County, Missouri, and village in Onslow County, 

North Carolina, named for Gen. Andrew Jackson. 
Jacoby; creek in Humboldt County, California, named for an early settler. 
Jaffiray; town in Cheshire County, and southern point of entrance to Portsmouth 

Harbor, New Hampshire, named for George Jaffray, one of the original proprie- 
tors, and later a chief justice of the State. 



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168 1*LACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Jalama; town in Santa Barbara CJounty, California. From the Spanish ja/ma, mean- 
ing "pack saddle." 

Jamaica; town in Queens County, New York. An Indian word meaning, accord- 
ing to some authorities, "country abounding in springs;" according to others, 
"land of water and wood." 

James; peak in Colorado, named for the botanist. 

James; county in Tennessee, named for Jesse J. James. 

James; river in Virginia, named for James I of England. 

Jamesburg; borough in Middlesex County, New Jersey, named for a resident family. 

James City; county in Virginia, named for the first English settlement, Jamestown. 

Jamestown; town in Boone County, Indiana, named for James Mattock, its founder. 

Jamestown; city in Cloud County, Kansas, named for James P. Pomeroy, of the 
Central Branch Union Pacific Railroad. 

Jamestown; city in Chautauqua County, New York, named for James Pendergast, 
. an early settler. 

Jamestown; village in Greene County, Ohio, named for James Browder, a first 
settler. 

Jamestown; town in Newport County, Rhode Island, named for the Duke of York 
and Albany, later James II of England. 

Jamestown; town in James City County, Virginia, named for King James I, and 
the first English settlement in America. 

Jamesville; village in Onondaga County, New York, named for James De Witt. 

Jamesville; town in Martin County, North Carolina, named for a prominent citizen. 

Janesville; town in Lassen County, California, and city in Rock County, Wiscon- 
sin, named for Henry F. Janes, of Wisconsin. 

Janesville; town in Bremer County, Iowa, named for the wife of John T. Barrick, 
its founder. 

Jara; cueek in Colorado. A Spanish word, literally " rock rose," but in connection 
with the creek meaning "willow brush." 

Jarrolds; village in West Virginia, named for a resident family. 

Jasonville; village in Greene County, Indiana, named for Jason Rogers, one of its 
founders. 

Jasper; county, and town in Pickens County, in Georgia; counties in Illinois, Indiana, 
Iowa, Mississippi, and Missouri; town in Steuben County, New York; county in 
Texas; and many other places; named for Sergt. William Jasper, of Fort Moultrie 
(S. C.) fame, who was killed in the siege of Savannah. 

Java; town in Wyoming County, New York, named from the island in the Malay 
Archipelago. A Malay word meaning " the land of nutmegs." 

Jay; county in Indiana, towns in Franklin County, Maine, Essex County, New 
York, and Orleans County, Vermont, named for Hon. John Jay, an eminent 
statesman, proprietor, and early governor of New York. 

Jeddo; village in Orleans County, New York, and borough in Luzerne County, 
Pennsylvania, named from the capital of Japan, the old name of Tokyo. 

Jeff Davis; county in Texas, named for Jefferson Davis. 

Jefferson; counties in Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, 
and Kentucky; parish in Louisiana; counties in Mississippi, Missouri, and Mon- 
tana; town in Coos County, and peak of the White Mountains, in New Hamp- 
shire; county in New York; mount in Oregon; counties in Pennsylvania, Ten- 
nessee, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin; probably the counties in 
Alabama, Florida, Nebraska, and Ohio; and many towns and vllages; named 
for President Thomas Jefferson. 

Jefferson; town in Ashe County, North Carolina, named for a prominent citizen. 

Jefferson; county in Texas, named for Jefferson Beaumont, an early settler and 
prominent citizen. 



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OAKNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 169 

Jekyl; island in Georgia, named for Sir Joseph Jekyl. 

Jenkintown; borough in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, named for William 

Jenkins, early settler. 
Jennings; county in Indiana, named for Jonathan Jennings, first governor of the 

State. 
Jenny; lake in Yellowstone Park, Wyoming, named for the Shoshone wife of Rich- 
ard Leigh. 
Jenny Lind; town in Calaveras County, California, named for the Swedish song- 
stress. 
Jerauld; county in South Dakota, named for H. J. Jerauld, legislator. 
Jericho; town in Chittenden County, Vermont, named from the ancient city in 

Palestine. 
Jerome; town in Bladen County, North Carolina, named for a prominent citizen. 
Jeromeville, village in Ashland County, Ohio, named for John Baptiste Jerome, a 

French trader. 
Jersey; county in Illinois, named from the State of New Jersey. 
Jersey City; city in Hudson County, New Jersey, originally called the **city of 

Jersey,'* named from one of the channel islands of England. 
Jersey Shore; town in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, named by the first settlers 

for their native State — New Jersey. 
Jerseyville; city in Jersey County, Illinois, named from the State of New Jersey. 
Jerusalem; towns in Lake County, California, and Yates County, New York, 

named from the ancient city of Jerusalem. A Hebrew name meaning *' founda- 
tion of peace.*' 
Jessamine; county and creek in Kentucky, named for Jessamine Douglass, the 

daughter of an early settler. 
Jessup; village in Antelope County, Nebraska, named for ex-Governor Jessup, of 

Iowa. 
Jesup; town in Buchanan County, Iowa, named for Morris K. Jesup, of New York. 
Jetmore; city in Hodgeman County, Kansas, named for Col. A. B. Jetmore, of 

Topeka. 
Je'well; county, and city in same county, in Kansas, named for Lieut. Col. Lewis 

R. Jewell, Sixth Kansas Cavalry. 
Jewett; town in Greene County, New York, named for Freeborn G. Jewett, justice 

of the supreme court. 
Jewett; village in Harrison County, Ohio, named for T. M. Jewett, former president 

of the Pittsburg, Cincinnati and St. Louis Railroad. 
Jo Daviess; county in Illinois, named for Col. Joseph Hamilton Daviess, of 

Kentucky, killed in the battle of Tippecanoe. 
Joe Gee; hill in Orange County, New York, named for the last Indian who had his 

cabin on the hill 
Joes; brook near Walden, Vermont, named for Captain Joe, a friendly Indian of 

the St. Francis tribe. 
Johannesburg; mining town in Kern County, California, named from the city in 

South Africa. 
John Day; river, and town in Grant County, in Oregon, named for a member of 

Hunt's Astoria overland expedition. 
Johns; creek in Humboldt County, California, named for an early settler. 
Johnsburg; town in Warren County, New York, named for John Thurman, an 

early settler. 
Johnson; county in Arkansas, named for Judge Benjamin Johnson. 
Johnson; county in Georgia, named for Governor H. V. Johnson. 
Johnson; county in Indiana, named for John Johnson, judge of the supreme court 

of the State. 



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170 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Johnson; counties in Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, and Nebraska, named for Richard 

Johnson, vice-president of the United States. 
Johnson; county in Iowa, named for Andrew Johnson. 
Johnson; county in Kansas, named for Rev. Thomas Johnson, missionary to the 

Shawnees. 
Johnson; city in Stanton County, Kansas, named for Col. Alexander S. Johnson, of 

Topeka. 
Johnson; village in Nemaha County, Nebraska, named for Julius A. Johnson, large 

landowner. 
Johnson; county in Tennessee, named for Samuel Johnson. 
Johnson; county in Texas, named for M. G. Johnson, a member of the Texas 

congress. 
Johnson; town in Lamoille County, Vermont, named for the proprietor, William S. 

Johnson. 
Johnson; county in Wyoming, named for E. P. Johnson, a member of the legisla- 
ture at the time of the organization of the county. 
Johnson City; town in Washington County, Tennessee, named for an early settler. 
Johnsons; creek in New York, named for Sir William Johnson, who encamped on 

its banks when on his way to Fort Niagara. 
Johnsonville; town in Humphreys County, Tennessee, named for Andrew Johnson. 
Johnston; town in Rho^le Island, named for Augustus J. Johnston, attorney-general 

of the colony. 
Johnston; pass in Utah, named for Gen. A. S. Johnston. 
Johnstons; county in North Carolina, named for Gabriel Johnston, governor. 
Johnstown; city in Fulton County, New York, named for its founder. Sir William 

Johnson. 
Johnstown; city, and borough in Cambria County, in Pennsylvania, named for an 

early settler, Joseph Jahns or Yahns. 
Joliet; township and city in Will County, Illinois, first called Juliet, for Juliet 

Campbell, daughter of the founder. By an act of the Illinois General Assem- 
bly the name was changed to Joliet, the name of the explorer. 
Jones; county in Georgia, named for James Jones, member of Congress from that 

State. 
Jones; county in Iowa, named for George W. Jones, United States Senator from 

that State. 
Jones; county in Mississippi, named for Commodore John Paul Jones. 
Jones; county in North Carolina, named for William Jones, a North Carolina 

statesman. 
Jones; county in Texas, named for Anson Jones, one of the first Senators in the 

United States Congress from Texas. 
Jones; creek in Yellowstone Park, Wyoming, named for Col. W. A. Jones, United 

States Army, its first explorer. 
Jonesboro; township and city in Craighead County, Arkansas, named for Senator 

William A. Jones. 
Jonesboro; city in Union County, Illinois, named for Doctor Jones, a prominent 

settler. 
Jonesboro; town in Washington County, Maine, named for John C. Jones, one of 

the original proprietors. 
Jonesboro; town in Washington County, Tennessee, named for William Jones, a 

North Carolinian statesman. 
Jonesburg; town in Montgomery County, Missouri, named for the first settler. 
Jonesport; town in Washington County, Maine, named for John C. Jones, one of 

the original proprietors. 



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OANNBTT.l PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 171 

Jonesville; town in Bartholomew County, Indiana, named for Benjamin Jones, its 

founder. 
Jonesville; village in Hillsdale County, Michigan, named for an early settler. 
Jonesville; town in Union County, South Carolina, named for a resident family. 
Joplin; city in Jasper County, Missouri, named from Joplin Creek, which Was 

named for Rev. H. G. Joplin, who lived on its banks. 
Joppa; poet-ofl&ces in Cullman County, Alabama, and Harford County, Maryland, 

and several towns and villages, the name being transferred from the ancient city 

in Palestine. A Hebrew word meaning ** beauty." 
Jordan; villages in New London County, Connecticut, and Onondaga County, New 

York, stream in Utah, and 25 other places, the name being transferred from the 

river in Palestine. A Hebrew word meaning ** descender." 
Joseph; peak in Yellowstone Park, named for the famous Nez Perc^, Chief Joseph. 
Josepliine; county in Oregon, named for Josephine Rollins, the daughter of the 

discoverer of the first gold in that county. 
Juab; county in Utah, named for a friendly Indian of the region. 
Juan de Fuca; strait separating Washington from Vancouver Island, named for a 

Greek navigator in the Spanish service, who explored it. 
Judith; river in Montana, named for Miss Hancock, of Fincastle, Virginia. 
Judsonia; town in White County, Arkansas, named for Rev. Adoniram Judson, a 

Baptist missionary. 
Juhelville; village in Jefferson County, New York, named for Madame Juhel, a 

relative of the Le Ray family. 
Julesburg; town in Sedgwick County, Colorado, said to be named for Jules Benard, 

a frontiersman. 
Julien; township in Dubuque County, Iowa, named for Julien Dubuque, the French 

trader for whom the county was named. 
Junction; city in Geary County, Kansas, so named because it is near the junction 

of the Republican and Smoky Hill rivers. 
Junction; borough in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, so named because it is situ- 
ated at the junction of two railroads. 
Junction; butte in Yellowstone Park, Wyoming, so named l)ecause it is at the 

junction of the Yellowstone and Lamar rivers. 
June; mountain in the town of Great Barrington, Berkshire County, Massachusetts, 

named for Benjamin June, who lived on the mountain. 
Juneau; city in Alaska, named for Joseph Juneau, a gold prospector of 1851. 
Juneau; county, and city in Dodge County, in Wisconsin, named for the founder of 

Milwaukee. 
Juniata; county, river, and township in Perry County, in Pennsylvania; 
Juniataville; village in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. From an Indian word 

which means *'they stay long," or, according to another derivation, ** beyond 

the great bend.*' 
Junius; town in Seneca County, New York, named by the State land board for 

Junius, of the classics. 
Kahoka; city in Clark County, Missouri. See Cahokia. 

Kaibab; plateau in Arizona. An Indian word meaning "mountain lying down." 
Kalama; town in Cowlitz County, Washington, probably named from the Indian, 

okala kcdama, meaning ** goose." 
Kalamazoo; county, city in same county, and river in Michigan. According to one 

authority the name is derive<l from the Indian word, negikanamazoy meaning 

* * otter tail. ' ' * ' Beautiful water, " * * boiling water, * * and * * stones 1 i ke otters * * are 

other translations. 
Xalispel; city in Flathead County, Montana, named for an Indian tribe. 



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172 PLACE NAMES IN THE XTNITEt) STATES. [bull. 258. 

Kamas; town in Summit County, Utah. The Indian name for Camasda escylenta, 

the root of which is used as food by the Indians of the Pacific coast. 
Kamrar; town in Hamilton County, Iowa, named for Senator Kamrar. 
Kanab; town, creek, and plateau in Kane County, Utah. A Ute Indian word, 

meaning ** willow.** 
Kanabec; county in Minnesota. An Indian word, meaning "snake.** The usual 

Ojibway word given by these Indians to the Snake River flowing through the 

county. 
Kandiyohi; county, and town in same county in Minnesota. From the Sioux 

Indian kandiy meaning "buffalo fish,** and ohi, "arrive in.** 
Kane; county in Illinois, named for Elias Kent Kane, United States Senator from 

Illinois, 1824-1835. 
Kane; town in McKean County, Pennsylvania, named for a resident family. 
(Kane; county in Utah; 

JKaneville; town in Kane County, Illinois. Named for Gen. Thomas L. Kane, of 
[ Philadelphia. 
Kanopolis; city in Ellsworth County, Kansas. The name is a combination of Kansas 

and Centropolis, Ellsworth being the central county of the State. 

Fansas; State of the Union, river in same State, and nation in Oklahoma; 
ansas City; cities in Wyandotte County, Kansas, and Jackson County, Missouri. 
Named for an Indian tribe. 
Kaolin; village in Chester County, Pennsylvania, so named because of the large 

deposits of kaolin. 
Kappa; village in Woodford County, Illinois, named from the Kappa Indians. 
Karnes; county in Texas, named for Henry Kanies, an early settler and Indian 

fighter. 
Karsaootuk; stream in northern Maine. An Indian word meaning " black river,** 

or "pine stream.** 
Kajskaskia; town in Randolph County, Illinois, and river in the same State. An 

Indian word of unknown meaning, the name of a tribe of Illinois Indians. 
Kajsota; village in Lesueur County, Minnesota. An Indian word meaning "cleared,** 

"cleared off,*' or "sky clear from clouds.** 
Kasson; village in Dodge County, Minnesota. An Indian word meaning "to use 

up.*' 
Katahdin; mountain in Maine. An Indian word meaning, according to different 

authorites, " highest land," " big mountain,** "chief mountain." 
Katchenaha; lake in Florida. An Indian word meaning "turkey lake.** 
Katellen; village in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, named for Kate Ellen 

Brodhead. 
Katonah; village in Westchester County, New York, named for an Indian chief. 

The word means "sickly.** 
Kaufman; county, and city in same county, in Texas, named for David S. Kaufman, 

a former congressman. 
Kaukanna; city in Outagamie County, Wisconsin. An Indian word, which, accord- 
ing to different authorities, means "portage," "long portage,*' "place where 

pickerel are caught," "place of pike.** 
Kay; county in Oklahoma, formerly written "K,** alphabetically lettered. 
Kearney; county, and city in Buffalo County, in Nebraska, and town in Hudson 

County, New Jersey, named for Gen. Philip Kearny. 
Kearney; city in Clay County, Missouri, named for Gen. Stephen W. Kearny. 
Kearny; county in Kansas, named for Gen. Philip Kearny. 
Kearsarge; mountain in New Hampshire. An Indian word meaning "peaked 

mountain,** or koowaSy "pointed mountain,** "highest place;*' another au- 
thority gives "proud" or "selfish.** 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 173 

Keene; dty in Cheshire County, New Hampshire, named for Sir Benjamin Keene. 

Keeseville; village in Essex County, New York, named for its founder, Richard 
Keese. 

Keith; county in Nebraska, named for John Keith, of North Platte, Nebraska. 

Keithsburg; township, and city in Mercer County, Illinois, named for an early 
settler. 

Kelleys Island; township, and village in Erie County, Ohio, named from an island 
in Lake Erie, which was owned by Datus and Irad Kelly. 

Kellogg; town in Jasper County, Iowa, named for an early settler. 

Kemper; county in Mississippi, named for Col. Reuben Kemper, an American sol- 
dier in the Florida and Mexican wars. 

Kemper City; town in Victoria County, Texas, named for Captain Kemper. 

Kenansville; town in Duplin County, North Carolina, named for Hon. James 
Kenan, member of Congress. 

Kendall; county in Illinois, and town in Orleans County, New York, named for 
Hon. Amos Kendall, Postmaster-General of the United States, 1835-1840. 

Kendall; county in Texas, named for George W. Kendall, a prominent citizen. 

Kendallville; city in Noble County, Indiana, named for Amos Kendall, Postmaster- 
General under President Jackson. 

Kenduskeag; town and river in Penobscot County, Maine. An Indian word mean- 
ing ** little eel river,** or ** place for taking salmon.** 

Kenly; town in Johnston County, North Carolina, named for a prominent railroad 
official. 

Kennard; town in Washington County, Nebraska, named for Hon. Thomas P. 
Kennard, Secretary of State, 1867. 

Kennebec; county and river in Maine; the word is said to mean 'Mong lake.** 
Kennebimk; town in York County, Maine; 

Kennebimkport; town in York County, Maine. An Indian name, said to mean 
* * long water place. * * 

Kenner; city in Jefferson County, Louisiana, named for Duncan F. Kenner, an 
eminent lawyer of that State. 

Kennett fik^uare; borough in Chester County, Pennsylvania, named from the vil- 
lage of Kennett, Wiltshire, England. 

Kenney; village in Dewitt County, Illinois, named for Moses Kenney, its founder. 

Kenosha; county, and city in same county, in Wisconsin. An Indian word meaning 
**fish,** **pickerel,'* **pike.** 

Kenoza; lake in Essex County, Massachusetts. An Indian word meaning *^ pick- 
erel.'* 

Kensington; town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, named from the 
parish in England. 

Kent; counties in Delaware, Maryland, and Rhode Island, named from the county 
of Kent in England. 

Kent; county in Michigan, named for Chancellor Kent of New York. 

Kent; town in Putnam County, New York, named for a family of early settlers. 

Kent; village in Portage County, Ohio, named for a family of extensive real-estate 
holders. 

Kent; county in Texas, named for R. Kent, an early settler. 

Kentland; town in Newton County, Indiana, named for A. J. Kent, who laid out 
the town. 

Kenton; county in Kentucky and city in Hardin County, Ohio, named for Gen. 
Simon Kenton, pioneer of Kentucky. 

Kentucky; State of the Union. An Indian word of uncertain meaning. 

Kentwood; town in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana, named for a local merchant, 
Amacker Kent. 



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174 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Keokuk; county, and city in Lee County, in Iowa, named for an Indian chief, the 

word meaning "running fox" or ** watchful fox." 
Keosauqua; town in Van Buren county, Iowa. An Indian word meaning ''great 

bend," so named for a bend in the Dee Moines River. 
Keota; town in Keokuk, County, Iowa. An Indian word meaning either "gone to 

visit" or "the fire is gone out." 
Kern; county, city in same county, and river in California, named for three brothers. 
Kemersville; town in Forsyth County, North Carolina, named for a prominent 

citizen. 

I Kerr; county in Texas; 
Kerrville; town in Kerr County, Texas. Named for James Kerr, a prominent early 
settler. 

Kershaw; county, and town in Lancaster County, in South Carolina, named for the 
Kershaw family, early settlers. 

Keshena; town in Shawano County, Wisconsin, named for an Indian chief, the 
word meaning "swift flying." 

Keswick; town in Shasta County, California, named by English mine owners from 
the city in England. 

Ketcliuin; precinct in Blaine County, Idaho, named for David Ketch um, a pioneer 
settler. 

Ketten Chow; valley in California. An Indian name meaning "cammas valley." 

Kewanee; township and city in Henry County, Illinois. An Indian word, same as 
kewaunee. 

Kewaskum; village in Washington County, Wisconsin, named for an old Indian 
chief, the word meaning "returning track." 

Kewaunee; county, city in same county, and river in Wisconsin. An Indian word 
meaning "prairie hen" or "wild duck;" or, according to another authority, 
"to go around." 

Keweenaw; county in Michigan; the vicinity was so named by the Indians because 
of the point of land which projects into Lake Superior; the word means "canoe 
carried back," "carrying place," hence, a portage. 

Keyapaha; county and river in Nebraska. A Sioux Indian word meaning " turtle 
hills. 

Keyser; town in Moore County, North Carolina, named for a prominent citizen. 

Keyser; town in Mineral County, West Virginia, named for an oflScer of the Balti- 
more and Ohio Railroad. 

Keystone; towns in Wells County, Indiana, and Dickey County, North Dakota, 
named by its Pennsylvania settlers for the Keystone State. 

Keytesville; city in Chariton County, Missouri, named for Rev. Keyte, an early 
settler. 

Key West; city on Thompsons Island, or Bone Key, Monroe County, Florida, 
named for its location on one of the most westerly keys. Bone Key is a trans- 
lation of the Spanish, cayo hueso^ meaning "bone reef," so named because of 
the bones found upon the island. 

Kezar; village in Gunnison County, Colorado, named for Gardner H. Kezar. 

Kezar; ponds in Oxford County, Maine, named for an old hunter. 

Khartoum; town in San Bernardino County, named from the city in Egypt 

Kickapoo; town in Peoria County, Illinois, township in Leavenworth County, 
Kansas, town in Anderson County, Texas, and river in Wisconsin, named from 
an Indian tribe. 

Kidder; village in Caldwell County, Missouri, named from the Kidder Land Com- 
pany, of Boston, who laid out the town. 

Kidder; county in North Dakota, named for Hon. Jefferson P. Kidder, prominent 
in the State's political affairs* 



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GANNETT] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 175 

Eidron; town in Coweta County, Georgia, named from the brook near Jerusalem. 

Eilboum City; village in Columbia County, Wisconsin, named for Byron Kilbourn, 
a pioneer. 

fKilbuck; town in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania; 

iKillbuck ; town in Wayne County, Ohio. Named for a chief of the Delaware Indians. 

Kildare; township in Juneau County, Wisconsin, named from the town in Ireland. 

Kilkenny; village in Lesueur County, Minnesota, named from the town in Ireland. 

Killingworth; town in Middlesex County, Connecticut, intended by its Scotch 
settlers to be named Kenil worth, but, by the mistake of the clerk of the court, 
named as above. 

Kilmarnock; town in Lancaster County, Virginia, named from the town in Scotland. 

Kimball; county in Nebraska, named for John P. Kimball. 

Kimball; township and city in Brule County, South Dakota, named for F. W. Kim- 
ball, chief engineer of the Chicago, Milwaukee and Saint Paul Railroad. 

Kimble; county in Texas, named for George C. Kimble, an early settler. 

Kimbolton; village in Guernsey County, Ohio, named from the town in England. 

Kincaid; city in Anderson County, Kansas, named for Robert Kincaid, of Mound 

aty. 

Kinderbook; town in Columbia County, New York. The Anglicized form of 

kinder hoeck, the name given the place by Henry Hudson, meaning ** children's 

point,'* on account of the many Indian children. 
Kineo; mountain in Maine. An Indian word, meaning "high bluff." 
King:; peak in Humboldt County, California, named for Captain King, of the United 

States Army. 
King:; county in Texas, named for William King, a prominent citizen. 
Kin^; county in Washington, named for William Rufus King, former Vice-President 

of the United States. 
King and dueen; county in Virginia, founded in 1691, and named for William and 

Mary, of England. 
King^fisber; county in Oklahoma; so named on account of the great number of 

birds of this species which live on the banks of Kingfisher Creek within the 

county. 
King^ Oeorge; county in Virginia, named for King George I of England. 
King^nian; county, and city in same county, in Kansas, named for Chief Justice S. 

A. Kingman. 
King^nan; town in Penobscot County, Maine, named for R. S. Kingman. 
Kingrman; pass in Yellowstone Park, named for Lieut. D. C. Kingman, United 

States Army. 
King^s; peak in Humboldt County, California, named for Captain King. 
Kingps; county in New York, named for the Stuart dynasty. 
Kingrsbury; plantation in Piscataquis County, Maine, named for Hon. Sanford 

Kingsbury, of Gardiner. 
Kingpsbury ; county in South Dakota, named for C. W. Kingsbury, an early legislator. 
Kingpsley; town in Plymouth County, Iowa, named for Hon. J. T. Kingsley, a 

prominent railroad ofiicial. 
Kingsley; village in Grand Traverse County, Michigan, named for Judson Kings- 
ley, who gave the site for the railway depot. 
Kingston; town in Barton County, G^orgia, named for J. P. King, of Augusta. 
Kingpston; town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, named for Evelyn Pierre- 

pont, first Duke of Kingston. 
Kingston; village in Tuscola County, Michigan, named for two families, King and 

Kingsbury. 
Kingston; city in Caldwell County, Missouri, named for an early governor, Austin 

A.King. 



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176 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 268. 

Kingston; city in Ulster County, New York, named from the city in England. 
Kingstree; town in Williamsburg Ck)unty, South Carolina; so named because of the 

presence of a large pine tree on the bank of Black River. 
Kingsville; village in Johnson County, Missouri, named for Gen. William M. King, 

who located it. 
Elng William; county in Virginia, founded in 1701, and named for William III of 

England. 
Kinmans; pond in Humboldt County, California, named for Seth Kinman, an early 

settler. 
Kinmundy; township and city in Marion County, Illinois, named from Kinmundy 

in Scotland. 
Kinney; county in Texas, named for an early settler, H. L. Kinney. 
KinnikinTiiek; village in Rose County, Ohio. An Indian word meaning a mixture 

of tobacco and red willow bark. 
Kinsale; village in Westmoreland County, Virginia, named from the town in 

Ireland. 
Kinsey; creek in Humboldt County, California, named for an early settler. 
Kinsley; city in Edwards County, Kansas, named for W. E. W. Kinsley, of Boston, 

Massachusetts. 
Kinsman; township in Trumbull County, Ohio, named for a pioneer family. 
Kinston; town in Lenoir County, North Carolina, named for King George III of 

England. 
Kinzua; creek in Central Pennsylvania, meaning, according to S. M. Sener, "they 

gobble,*' referring to the wild turkeys that congregated on its banks. 
Kiowa; county and river in Colorado, county, and city in Barber County, in Kansas, 

and county in Oklahoma. Named from the Kiowa Indian tribe. The meaning 

of the word is unknown. 
Kirkland; town in Oneida County, New York, named for Rev. Samuel Kirkland. 
Kirklin; town in Clinton County, Indiana, named for Nathan Kirk, its founder. 
Kirklin; town in Clinton County, New York, named for Martin Kirk, proprietor. 
Kirksville; city in Adair County, Missouri, named for Jesse Kirk. 
Kirkwood; village in Newcastle County, Delaware, and township in Belmont 

County, Ohio, named for Maj. Robert Kirkwood, a Revolutionary oflScer. 
Kirkwood; town in St. Louis County, Missouri, named for the first chief engineer 

of the Missouri Pacific Railway. 
Kirtland; township in Mahoning County, Ohio, named for Judge Turnhand 

Kirtland. 
Kirwin; city in Phillips County, Kansas, named for Col. John Kirwin, of the Reg- 
ular Army. 
Kisliacolquillajs; creek, and village in Mifllin County, Pennsylvania, named for a 

Delaware Indian chief; the meaning is said to be "the snakes are already in 

their dens.'' 
Kishwaukee; river and town in Winnebago County, Illinois. An Indian word 

which means "sycamore tree." 
Kiskiminitajs; township in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania. A Delaware Indian 

word meaning " make daylight." 
Kisnop; creek in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, and the outlet of Twin Lakes in 

Salisbury, Connecticut, named for John Sconnoup, an early Dutch settler, of 

whose name Kisnop is a corruption. 
Kit Carson; county, and town in Cheyenne County, in Colorado, named for the 

Rocky Mountain guide. 
Kitsap; county in Washington, named for Kitsap, a former noted Indian chief of 

that region. 



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GANNETT] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 177 

Kittajming; borough in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, located on the site of an 

Indian village. The name is corrupted from the Delaware Indian kithannet 

meaning "greatest river." 
Kittatixiny; range of hills in eastern Pennsylvania and Virginia. A Delaware 

Indian word meaning "endless hills." 
Kittitas; county in Washington, named from an Indian settlement on the banks of 

the Yakima River. The word means " shoal" in the Yakima language. 
Kittrell; town in Vance County, North Carolina, named for a prominent resident 
Kittson; county in Minnesota, named for Norman W. Kitson, a leading pioneer of 

the State, 
f Klamath; river in California, lake and county in Oregon; 

iKlamath Falls; town in Klamath County, Oregon; named for the Indian tribe. 
Klej Grange; town in Worcester County, Maryland; the name is a combination of 

the first letters of the names of the daughters of J. W. Drexel, of New York — 

Kate, Louise, Emma, and Josephine. 
Klickitat; county in Washington, named from a tribe of Indians, the name signify- 
ing "beyond." 
Kline; town in Barnwell County, South Carolina, named for a resident. 
Kneeland; prairie in Humboldt County, California, named for an early settler. 
Knife; river in North Dakota, the original French name being couteau^ meaning 

"knife." 
Knightstown; town in Henry County, Indiana, named for Jonathan Knight, United 

States engineer. 
KnightsviUe; town in Clay County, Indiana, named for A. W. Knight, its founder. 
Knott; county in Kentucky, named for Proctor Knott. 

KnowersviUe; town in Albany County, New York, named for the Knower family. 
Knox; counties in Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky, county, and town in Waldo 

County, in Maine, and counties in Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Tennessee, and Texas. 
Knoxville; village in Crawford County, Georgia; town in Albany County, New 

York, and city in Knox County, Tennessee; named for Gen. Henry Knox. 
Knoxville; town in Franklin County, Mississippi, named by the first settlers from 

the city in Tennessee. 
Knoxville; village in Madison County, New York, named for Herman Knox, an 

early resident. 
Knoxville; village in Steuben County, New York, and borough in Allegheny 

.County, Pennsylvania, named for Chief Justice John Knox, of the supreme court. 
Konkapot; creek, rising in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, named for Capt. John 

Konkapot, chief of the Stockbridge Indians, about 1720. 
Kooskia; town in Idaho County, Idaho, named from the Clearwater River, whose 

Nez Perc6 Indian name, kooskooskeCy means ** small water" or ** small stream." 
Korbel; town in Humboldt County, California, named for an early settler. 
Kortright; town in Delaware County, New York, named for Lawrence Kortright, 

a patentee. 
Kosciusko; county in Indiana and town in Attala County, Mississippi, named for 

Tadeusz Kosciusko, a Polish patriot. 
Koshkonong; village in Oregon County, Missouri, and lake, creek, and town in 

Rock County, Wisconsin. An Indian word of doubtful meaning, possibly refer- 
ring to koshkoshf a hog. 
Kossuth; county in Iowa, plantation in Washington County, Maine, town in Alcorn 

County, Mississippi, and village in Auglaize County, Ohio, named for Louis 

Kossuth, the Hungarian patriot. 
Kotzebue; sound of Alaska, named for its discoverer, the Russian navigator. Otto 

von Kotzebue. 
Bull. 258—05 i2 



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178 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258- 

Sreischerville; village in Richmond County, New York, named for B. Kreischer. 
Srenitzin^ five islands in the Aleutian Archipelago, named for the navigator who 

first discovered them. 
Eubbakwana; lake at the sources of the Mississippi. An Indian word meaning 

* * rest in the path. ' * 
Eutztown; borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania, named for George Kutz, who 

laid out the town. 
Ewicliluak; an arm of the Yukon River in Alaska. An Indian word meaning 

** crooked river." 
Labaddie; village in Franklin County, Missouri, named for a citizen of Saint Louis. 
La Bajada; town in New Mexico, on the road from Santa Fe, which at this point 

makes a rapid descent. It was so named by the Spanish on this account, the 

name meaning * * descent, " or " landing. * ' 
Labette; county, and township in same county, in Kansas. French words meaning 

^* the beet.'' 
Labonte; creek and town in Converse County, Wyoming, named for La Bonte, an 

early French trapper. 
Laceyville; village in Harrison County, Ohio, named for Maj. John S. Lacey. 
Lackawanna; county and river in Pennsylvania. A Delaware Indian word mean- 
ing "stream that forks." 
Lackawannock; mountain, and township in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, named 

from the Lackawanna River, with the suffix signifying **at the river fork." 
Lackawaxen; township in Pike County, Pennsylvania, at the confluence of the 

Lackawanna and Delaware rivers, and on this account given the Indian name, 

which means ** where the roads fork." 

{La Clede; township in Fayette County, Illinois. 
Laclede; county, and town in Linn County, in Missouri. Named for Pierre Laclede 
Ligueste, founder of St. Louis. 

Lacon; township and city in Marshall County, Illinois, named from Laconia in 
Greece. 

Laconia; city in Belknap County, New Hampshire, named from a portion of (ireece. 

La Conner; town in Skagitt County, Washington, named for J. J. Connor, an early 
settler. 

La Costa; town in San Diego County, California. A Spanish phrase, meaning "the 
coast." 

Lac qui Parle; county, lake, and river in Minnesota. A French name meaning 
"lake that speaks." Translated from the Dakota (Sioux). Probably suggested 
by the echoes from the bluffs bordering the lake. 

La Crosse; county, and city in same county, in Wisconsin. A French name given 
the town because before its settlement the ground was a favorite place for ball 
playing with the Indians, the game being called by the French la crosse. 

Lac Traverse; lake in Minnesota. A French phrase, meaning "across the lake." 

Lacygne; city in Linn County, Kansas, named from the river Marais des Cygnes. 
A French name meaning "the swan." 

Laddonia; city in Audrain County, Missouri, named for Amos Ladd, an early 
settler. 

Ladrillo; town in San Diego County, California. A Spanish word meaning "brick." 

Ladys Creek; stream in Missouri, named for William Lady. 

La Fave; stream in Perry Coimty, Arkansas, named for a French family. La Feve, 
who lived at its mouth. 

Lafayette; counties in Arkansas and Florida; parish in Louisiana; counties in Mis- 
sissippi and Missouri; mountain in New Hampshire; town in Yamhill County, 
Oregon; county in Wisconsin; and many towns and villages; named for Marquis 
de Lafayette, who served in the American Army during the Revolutionary war. 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 179 

Laflin; borough in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, probably named for Laflin, of the 
firm of Laflin & Rand, powder manufacturers. 

Lafourche; parish in Louisiana, named for the Bayou La Fourche, which intersects 
it. The name is French, meaning " the fork." 

L' Aggies; stream in Bradley County, Arkansas, corrupted from the French Vaigle, 
meaning * * the eagle. ' ' 

La Graciosa; town in Santa Barbara County, California. A Spanish phrase, mean- 
ing "the graceful." 

Lagrangre; county in Indiana, and towns in Dutchess County, New York, and 
Lenoir County, North Carolina, named for the home of Lafayette, near Paris. 

Lagrue; stream in Arkansas; a French name meaning " the crane." 

Laguna; station in Sonoma County, California. A Spanish word meaning "lake." 

Lagrunita; town in Inyo County, California. A Spanish word meaning "little 
lake." 

La Harpe; township and city in Hancock County, IllinoiB, named for Bernard de 
la Harpe, who led an exploring party in the southern Mississippi Valley about 
1720. 

La Honda; town in San Mateo County, California. A Spanish term meaning " the 
sling." 

Laing^sburg:; village in Shiawassee County, Michigan, named for Doctor Laing, an 
early settler and founder of the village. 

Lairdsville; village in Oneida County, New York, named for Samuel Laird, an early 
settler. 

La Jiinta; town in Otero County, Colorado, at the junction of two railroads; a 
Spanish name meaning "the junction" or " the meeting." 

Lake; counties in California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Min- 
nesota, Ohio, Oregon, South Dakota, and Tennessee. The name alone and with 
various suffixes is borne by more than two hundred cities, towns, and villages, 
being generally used descriptively. 

Lake; city in Columbia County, Florida, so named on account of its location near 
ten lakes. 

Lake Ann; village and lake in Benzie County, Michigan, named for the wife of the 
first settler, A. P. Wheelock. 

Lake Charles; town and lake in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana, named for Charles 
Salleir, the first settler on the shores of the lake. 

Lake City; city in Calhoun County, Iowa, named from a lake near by. 

Lake Forest; city in Lake County, Illinois, named from its location. 

Lake Geneva; city in Walworth County, Wisconsin, so named because of the resem- 
blance in its geographical situation to Geneva, New York. 

Lake Helen; village in Volusia County, Florida, named for the daughter of its 
founder, H. A. DeLand. 

Lake Linden; village in Houghton County, Michigan, named for an early settler. 

Lake Mills; town and village in Jefferson County, Wisconsin, so named because 
situated on Rock Lake, which is the source of power for saw and grist mills. 

Lake Odessa; township and village in Ionia County, Michigan, named from the 
city in Russia. 

Lake of the Woods; lake in Minnesota. Originally called lac des bois by the 
French, " lake of the woods," because of the heavily wooded islands in the lake. 

Lakeville; village in the town of Salisbury, Connecticut, near and overlooking Lake 
Wononscopomus, whence the name. 

Lakeville; town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, so named because a great por- 
tion of the township is occupied by a chain of lakes. 

Lakin; city in Kearny County, Kansas, named for David L. Lakin, of Topeka. 



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180 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Lamanda; town in Los Angeles County, California. A Spanish name meaning **the 

proposal.*' 
Lamar; county in Alabama, towns in Prowers County, Colorado, and Benton County 

Mississippi, city in Barton County, Missouri, and river in Yellowstone Park, 

Wyoming, named for L. Q. C. Lamar, Secretary of the Interior. 
Lamar; town in Darlington County, South Carolina, named for a resident family. 
Lamar; county in Texas, named for Mirabeau B. Lamar, a prominent Texas states- 
man. 
Lamartine ; town in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, named for the French historian. 
Lamb; county in Texas, named for Lieutenant Lamb. 
Lambertville; city in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, named for John Lambert, 

an early settler. 
La Mesa; town in San Diego County, California. A Spanish phrase meaning ** the 

plain:*' 
La Mirada; town in Los Angeles County, California. A Spanish name meaning 

" the transient view." 
La Moille; township and village in Bureau County, Illinois, named from Lamoille 

Valley in Vermont. 
Lamoille; county and river in Vermont; the name is probably a mistaken rendition 

of La Mouette, the name originally given the river by Champlain. 
Lamoine; town in Hancock County, Maine, named for an early French resident. 
La Motte; island in Lake Champlain, New York, named for Capt. Pierre Sieur de 

la Motte, who built a fort on the island. 
Lamoure; county in North Dakota, named for Hon. Judson Lamoure, an early settler 

and a prominent man in Territorial politics. 
Lampasas; county, town in same county, and creek in Texas. A Spanish word 

meaning ** water lily." 
Lampeter; village in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, named from the town in 

Wales. 
Lamy; village in Sante Fe County, New Mexico, named for Archbishop Lamy. 
Lana; stream in Vermont, named for General Wool, United States Army, lana 

being Latin for **wool." 
Lanark; city in Carroll County, Illinois, named from the town in Scotland. 
Lancaster; town in Los Angeles County, California, named from the city in 

Pennsylvania. 
Lancaster; city in Garrard County, Kentucky, named from and laid out after the 

plan of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. 
Lancaster; counties in Nebraska, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Virginia, and 

22 cities, towns, and villages; the name is transferred from the county in 

England. 
Landaff; town in Grafton County, New Hampshire, named from the town in Wales. 
Landenberg; town in Chester County, Pennsylvania, named for Martin Landen- 

berger, a mill operator and large real estate owner. 
Lander; county in Nevada, named for Gen. F. W. Lander. 
Landisburg:; borough in Perry County, Pennsylvania, named for James Landis, its 

founder. 
Landrum; town in Spartanburg County, South Carolina, named for a resident family. 
Lane; county in Kansas, named for James H. Lane, Senator from that State. 
Lane; county in Oregon, named for Joseph Lane, twice governor of the Territory. 
Lanesboro; town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, named for James Lane, Vis- 
count Lanesborough. 
Lanesboro; borough in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, named for Martin Lane, 

an early settler. 



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GAKNttT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE TTNITED STATES. 181 

Lang^don; town in Sullivan County, New Hampshire, named for Governor John 

Langdon. 
liCtng^ord; mountain in Yellowstone Park, named for the first superintendent of the 

park, Nathaniel Pitt Langford. 

{Ijaxigrliome; borough in Bucks C!ounty, Pennsylvania; 
Ijangliome Manor; borough in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Named for Jere- 
miah Langhorne, an early settler and prominent in State politics. 
Ijanglade; county in Wisconsin, named for the first white settler in the State. 
L'Anguille; stream and township in Arkansas. French words meaning **the eel.** 
Lanier; town in Bryan County, Georgia, named for Clement Lanier, 
liansingburg; town in Rensselaer County, New York, named for Abraham Lan- 
sing, its founder. 
La Pcuiza; town in San Luis Obispo County, California. A Spanish name meaning 

**the belly." 
La Patera; town in Santa Barbara County, California. A Spanish phrase meaning 

"the goblet.'* 
Lapeer; county, and city in same county, in Michigan. A corruption of the French 

lapierrSy meaning **the flint.*' 
Lapile; stream, and town in Union County, Arkansas. French words meaning 

"the pier.** 
La Pita; town in San Diego County, California. A Spanish name meaning "the 

agave** or "the aloe," a common desert plant. 
La Plata; county in Colorado, which contains tfie Sierra La Plata, and river in the 

same State. A Spanish name meaning " mountain of silver.*' 
La Playa; village in Santa Barbara County, California. A Spanish word meaning 

"shore** or "strand,** and given to this village on account of its location on the 

Pacific coast. 
Lapompique; branch of the Aroostook River, Maine. An Indian word meaning 

"rope stream.*' 
Laporte; county in Indiana. A French name meaning "the door** or "the open- 
ing'* between two stretches of forest connecting two prairies. 
Laporte; borough in Sullivan County, Pennsylvania, named for a French family 

who were large land owners. 
La Presa; town in San Diego County, California. A Spanish phrase meaning "the 

prize." ^ 

La Punta; town in San Diego County, California. A Spanish phrase meaning " the 

point." 
Lapwai; town in Nez Perces County, Idaho. An Indian word meaning "place of 

division," or "boundary." 
Laramie; village in Shelby County, and river in Ohio, named for Peter Laramie, a . 

French Canadian trader. 
Laramie; county, and city and peak in Albany County, in Wyoming, and river in 

Colorado and Wyoming, named for Jacques Laramie, a French fur trader. 
Laredo; city in Webb County, Texas, named from the seaport town in Spain. 
Laribee; town in Humboldt County, California, named for an early settler. 
Larimer; county in Colorado, named for Gen. William Larimer, an early pioneer 

in Colorado and Nebraska. 
Larimore; township and city in Grand Forks County, North Dakota, named for 

N. G. Larimore, a proprietor. 
Lamed; city in Pawnee County, Kansas, named for Gen. B. F. Larned. 
La Hocha; town in San Diego County, California. From the Spanish la roca^ mean- 
ing "the bluff." 
Larrabee; town in Cherokee County, Iowa, named for Governor William Larrabee. 
Larue; county in Kentucky, named for John La Rue, an early settler. 



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1S2 l>tAC^ NAMt:S IN THfi TTinTKD STATES. [bull. 268. 

I«a8 Agnilas; town in San Benito County, California. A Spanish name meaning 

** the eagles." 
Las Agruites; town in San Benito County, California. A Spanish phrase meaning 

"the mists.'' 
Lasalle; county, and city in same county, in Illinois; village in Niagara County, New 

York, and county in Texas, named for Rene Robert Cavalier, Sieur de La Salle. 
Las Animas; county, and town in Bent County, in Colorado. A contraction of the 

name originally given the river by the Spaniards, d rio de las animas perditaSy 

"the river of the lost souls,'* because, traditionally, a Spanish regiment on its 

way to Florida was lost in the river. 
Las Cruces; town in Santa Barbara County, California. A Spanish phrase meaning 

"the crosses," a term frequently applied to cemeteries. 
Las Gallinas; town in Marin County, California. A Spanish name meaning "the 

hens." 
Lassecks; peak in Humboldt County, California, named for an Indian chief, 
Lassen; county and peak in California, named for Peter Lassen, an early explorer. 
Last Chance; mining town in Placer Coimty, California, so named by miners who 

had been unfortunate in finding "pay gravel." 
Las Vegas; city in San Miguel County, New Mexico. A Spanish name meaning 

"the plains," or "the meadows," and given this city on account of its situation 

in the midst of a fertile meadow. 
Latah; county in Idaho, said by one authority to be an Indian word meaning 

"succession." * 

Latrobe; l)orough in Westmoreland Coimty, Pennsylvania, named for Benjamin H. 

Latrobe, jr., a distinguished engineer and architect. 
Latta; town in Marion County, South Carolina, named for a prominent family. 
Lattimore; town in Cleveland County, North Carolina, named for a prominent 

resident. 
Latty; village in Paulding County, Ohio, named for the first settler. Judge A. S. 

Latty. 
Lauderdale; county in Alabama, court ty, and town in same county, in Mississippi, 

and county in Tennessee, named for Col. James Lauderdale. 
Laughery; river and town in Ohio County, Indiana, so named from the massacre 

of Captain Laughery's company by the Indians. 
Laughing Fish Pond; point in Schoolcraft County, Michigan, so named from the 

Indian name, stikameg bapid, meaning "laughing white fish." 
Laura; village in Knott County, Nebraska, named for the wife of the first settler, 

whose name was Estep or Estop. 
Laurel; county in Kentucky, and town in Jones County, Mississippi, so named on 

account of the dense laurel thickets growing within their limits. 
Laurens; county in Georgia, named for Col. John Laurens, of South Carolina, the 

Bayard of the Americiin Revolution. 
Laurens; county, and town in same county, in South Carolina, named for Col. Henry 

Laurens and his son, John. 
Lausanne; township in Carbon County, Pennsylvania, named from the town in 

Switzerland. 
Lava; station in San Bernardino County, California, named from the volcanic 

deposits that cover the Mohave desert in the vicinity. 
Lavaca; river, county, and bay in Texas. A corruption of the name les vaches, 

given the river by the Spanish explorer, La Salle, on account of the number of 

buffalo found there, les vaches meaning "the cows." 
Lavallette; city in Ocean County, New Jersey, named for a resident family. 
Lawrence; counties in Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, 

Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee, and many other places, named for 



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GANNRTT] PLACE NAMES IK THE UNITED STATES. 183 

Capt. James Lawrence, of the battle with the British on Lake Erie in the war 

of 1812. 
Ijawronce; creek in Humboldt County, California, named for an early settler. 
Ijawrence; city in Douglas County, Kansas, named for Amos Lawrence, of Boston. 
Ijawrence; city in Essex County, Massachusetts, named for Hon. Abbott Lawrence, 

of Boston, 
liawrence: county in South Dakota, named for John Lawrence, a former member of 

State legislature. 
Lawrenceburg:; city in Dearborn County, Indiana, named for the wife of Captain 

Vance, whose maiden name was Lawrence. 

ILawrenceburg:; town in Lawrence County, Tennessee; 
Ijawrenceville; town in Gwinnett County, Georgia, ^d city in Lawrence County, 
Illinois. Named for Capt. James Lawrence. 
Lawson; village in Clear Creek County, Colorado, named for Alexander Lawson, 

keeper of a wayside inn. 
Lawton; village in Van Buren County, Michigan, named for Nathaniel Lawton, who 

donated the right of way to the Michigan Central Railroad. 
Xead; city in Lawrence County, South Dakota; 
Ijead Hill; town in Davidson County, North Carolina; 

Ijeadville; city in Lake County, Colorado. So named on account of the species of 
ore found within their limits. 
'. Ijeadbetter; point in Shoalwater Bay, Washington, named for Lieutenant Lead- 
better, United States Army. 
Iljeake; county in Mississippi; 
Ijeakesvilie; town in Greene County, Mississippi. Named for the Hon. Walter 
Leake, an early governor of the State. 
I^eaksville; village in Rockingham County, North Carolina, named for a prominent 

resident. 
Leakton; village in Newton County, Georgia, named for the man who kept the 

village store in early times. 
Ijeavenworth; town in Crawford County, Indiana, named for the proprietors, 

S. M. and Z. Leavenworth. 
Ijeavenworth; county, and city in same county, in Kansas, named for Gen. Henry 

Leavenworth, for whom Fort Leavenworth is named. 
Ijebanon; city in Marion County, Kentucky, village in Warren County, Ohio, and 
town in Wilson County, Tennessee, so named because of the abundance of cedar 
trees. A Semitic word, meaning ** whitish.** 
Ijebanon; county, and city in same county, in Pennsylvania. This name, either 
"alone or with suffixes, is borne by many places in the United States, being trans- 
ferred from the mountain in Palestine. 
Ijebo; city in Coffey County, Kansas, named for an early settler. 
Ijeboeuf ; township in Erie County, Pennsylvania, named from the creek which was 
so named by the French on account of the number of buffalo found upon its 
banks. 
liO Claire; town in Scott County, Iowa, named for Antoine Le Clair, the French 

founder of Davenport. 
liecompton; city in Douglas County, Kansas, named for Judge D. S. Lecompte, 

chief justice of the Territory. 
I^econte; mountain in Tennessee, named for Joseph I^econte, a geologist. 
I«edyard; town in New London County, Connecticut, name<l for Col. William Led- 

yard, of the State militia. 
Ledyard; town in Cayuga County, New York, named for Benjamin Ledyard, agent 
for the disposal of the lands of the military tract. 



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184 PLACE NAMES IK THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

"Lee; connties in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi, South Caro 

lina, and Texas, named for Robert E. Lee, commander of the armies of the 

Confederacy. 
Ijee; counties in Greorgia and Illinois, named for Gren. Richard Henry Lee, of the 

Revolution. 
Lee; towns in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, and Oneida County, New York, 

named for Gen. Charles Lee, of Massachusetts. 
Lee; county in Iowa, named for a member of the New York land company, Albany, 

New York. 
Lee; county in Virginia, named for Henry Lee, a former governor of the State. 
Leechburg; borough in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, named for David Leech. 
Leech Lake; lake in Minnesota. A translation of the Indian name, which means 

"place of leeches.*' 
Leeds; town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, and 15 other places, bear the 

name of the manufacturing town in Yorkshire, England. 
Leelanau; county in Michigan. An Indian word, meaning ** delight of life.'* 

{Leesburg; town in Loudoun County, Virginia; 
Leesville; town in Lexington County, South Carolina. Named for the Lee family, 
of Virginia. 
Leflore; county in Mississippi, named for Greenwood Leflore. 
Left Hand; creek in Boulder County, Colorado, named for a chief of the Arapaho 

Indians, still living in 1904. 
Lehi; city in Utah County, Utah, named for a character in the book of Mormon. 
Lehigh; town in Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory. A coal mining district, named 

from the county in Pennsylvania. 
Lehigh; river and county in Pennsylvania; 
Lehighton; borough in Carbon County, Pennsylvania. Named by the Delaware 

Indians, lechauwekinkf ** where there are forks,*' of which the present name is a 

corruption. 
Leicester; town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, named for Robert Dudley, 

Earl of Leicester. 
Leicester; town in Livingston County, New York, named for Leicester Phelps, son 

of Judge Oliver Phelps. 
Leidy; mountains in Utah and Wyoming, named for the paleontologist, Joseph 

Leidy. 
Leigh; township in Prince Edward and Amelia counties, Virginia, named for the 

Leigh family of Virginia. 
Leigh; lake in Yellowstone Park, named for Richard Leigh, ** Beaver Dick," hunter 

and guide in the Teton Mountains. 
Leipsic; villages in Kent County, Delaware, and Putnam County, Ohio, named from 

the city in Saxony. 
Leitchfield; town in Grayson County, Kentucky, named for Maj. David Leitch. 
Leland; village in La Salle County, Illinois, named for Edwin S. Leland. 
Le Mars; city in Plymouth County, Iowa. The name is composed of the initials of 

the ladies who accompanied its founder on his first visit to the spot. 
Lemhi; county in Idaho, named from Fort l^mhi, which was erected by the Mor- 
mons for protection against the Indians. The name is taken from the Book of 

Mormon, meaning **land." 
Lemon; town in Los Angeles County, California, named from the lemon orchards 

in the district. 
Lemont; township and village in Cook County, Illinois, named from its elevated 

location. 
Lena; town in Stephenson County, Illinois, named from the Plain of Lena in the 

poem of Fingal by Ossian. 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES TN THE UNITED STATES. 185 

lienape; villages in Leavenworth County, Kansas, and Chester County Pennsylva- 
nia. The name is the proper name of the Delaware Indians, and means "origi- 
nal people," or "first people." 

Lenawee; county in Michigan. The Shawnee Indian word for "Indian." 

I^enoir; county, and town in Caldwell County, in North Carolina, named for Gen. 
William Lenoir, a Revolutionary officer. 

lienor a; city in Norton County, Kansas, named for Mrs. Leonora Hauser. 

Ijenoz; town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, the family name of the Duke of 
Richmond, who was secretary of state at the time. 

Ijeominster; town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, named from the town in 
Hertfordshire, England. 

Ijeon; county in Florida, and city in Butler County, Kansas, named for Ponce de 
Leon. 

Ijeon; county in Texas, named for Alonzo de Leon, a Spanish captain and builder 
of missions in Texas. 

I<eonard; village in Oakland County, Michigan, named for Leonard Rowland. 

Ijeonardville; city in Riley County, Kansas, named for Leonard T. Smith, an officer 
of the Kansas Central Railroad. 

liBonard Wood; county in New Mexico, named for Maj. Gen. Leonard Wood, 
United States Army. , 

I<eopold; town in Perry County, Indiana, named for Leopold, King of the Belgians. 

liooti, city in Wichita County, Kansas, named for a white girl captured by the 
Indians, the name meaning "prairie flower." 

Ije Kay; town in Jefferson County, New York, named for Mr. Le Ray Chaumont. 

XieKaysville; borough in Bradford County, Pennsylvania, named for Vincent Le 
Ray, the son of a large landowner. 

Ijerdo; town in Kern County, California. A Spanish word meaning "slow" or 
"dull." 

lie Boy; town in Osceola County, Michigan, named for an Indian chief who lived 
near the town. 

lieroy; town in Genesee County, New York, named for Herman Le Roy, a large 
proprietor. 

lies Cli^neaux; strait in Mackinaw County, Michigan. A French phrase meaning 
"the little oaks." 

Ijeslie; county in Kentucky, named for Governor Preston H. Leslie. 

liosuexir; county, and borough in same county, in Minnesota, named for Pierre 
Charles Le Sueur, an explorer, who was on the upper Mississippi River, 1683- 
1701. 

lietcher; county in Kentucky, named for Robert P. Letcher, former governor of the 
State. 

Iietitz; borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, named by the Moravian foun- 
ders from the barony in Bohemia. 

Leverett; town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, named for Sir John Leverett, 
colonial governor. 

Levy; county in Florida, named for a prominent politician. 

Ijewiedale; town in Lexington County, South Carolina, named for a member of a 
prominent resident family. 

Lewis; creek in Colorado, named for a pioneer ranch owner. 

Lewis; counties in Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee, and Washington, named for Meri- 
wether Lewis. 

Lewis; county in New York, named for Morgan I^wis, former governor of the State. 

Lewis; county in West Virginia, named for Col. Charles Lewis. 

Lewis and Clark; county in Montana, and river in Clatsop County, Oregon, 
named for Capt. Meriwether Lewis and Capt. William Clark, of the Lewis and 
Clark expedition. 



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186 1>LACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Lewiflberry; borough in York County, Pennsylvania, named for the Lewis fcimily, 

of which Dr. Ellis Lewis was a member. 
Lewiflboro; town in Westchester County, New York, named for John Lewis, a 

prominent resident. 
Lewisbur^; town in Greenbrier County, West Virginia, named for Samuel Lewis, 
liowis Fork; southern branch of Columbia River, in Idaho, named for Meriwether 

Lewis. 
LewiBton; township in Trinity County, California, named from the city in Maine. 
Lewiston; city in Nez Perce County, Idaho, named for Meriwether Lewis, of the 

Lewis and Clark expedition. 
Xiewiston; city in Androscoggin County, Maine, named for the founders, the Lewis 

families. 
Lewiston; village in Niagara County, New York, named for Morgan Lewis, former 

governor of the State. 
liewiston; town in Bertie County, North Carolina, named for a prominent resident, 
liewistown; township and city in Fulton County, Illinois, named for Lewis Ross, 

son of the founder. 
liewistown; town in Ix)gan County, Ohio, named for Capt. John Lewis, a noted 

Shawnee chief. 
Xiexing^on; town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, named from the parish of 

Lexington, England. 
Lexingrton; county in South Carolina, and twenty-seven other places, most of them 

having been named in commemoration of the Revolutionary battle. 
Leyden; towns in Franklin County, Massachusetts, and Lewis County, New Yoik, 

named from the town in the Netherlands, the refuge of the Pilgrim Fathers 

prior to their emigration to America. 
Liberal; cities in Seward County, Kansas, and Barton County, Missouri, so named 

to characterize the ideas of the people. 
Liberty; counties in Florida and Georgia, city in Montgomery County, Kansas, and 

county in Texas, named from the sentiment of the American people. 
Liberty Center; village in Wells County, Indiana, so named because it is located 

in the center of Liberty Township. 
Licking; county in Ohio, so named because the deer and elk found the saline 

deposits of the Licking River a favorite feeding ground. 
Ligonier; city in Noble County, Indiana, named from the borough in Pennsylvania. 
Ligonier; borough in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, named for Sir John 

Ligonier, Lord Viscount of Enniskillen.. 
Lilesville; town in Anson County, North Carolina, named for a merchant of the 

place. 
Lilling^on; town in Harnett County, and village in Pender County, North Carolina, 

named for Col. John A. Lillington, of the Revolution. 
Lily; bay and township in Piscataquis County, Maine, so named on account of the 

luxuriant growth of lilies. 
Lime; lake in Cattaraugus County, New York, a translation of the Indian name, 

tecamoivundoj meading *Mime lake." 
Limerick; village in Bureau County, Illinois, named for George Limerick, an early 

settler. 
Limerick; town in York County, Maine, and township in Montgomery County, 

Pennsylvania, named from Limerick in Ireland. 
Limesprings; town in Howard County, Iowa, so named from the springs in the 

rocks. 
Limestone; county in Alab£«ma, village in Cattaraugus County, New York, and 

county in Texas, so named because of the nature of the rock found within their 

limits. 



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QAKNKtT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 187 

liincklaen; town in Chenango County, New York, named for John Lincklaen, an 
early proprietor of the township. 

Lincoln; county in Arkansas; county and mountain in Colorado; count' is in Idaho 
and Kansas; parish in Louisiana; counties in Minnesota and Mississippi; county, 
and city in Lancaster County, Nebraska; county in Nevada; mountain in New 
Hampshire; counties in New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Oregon; town in Provi- 
dence County, Rhode Island; and counties in South Dakota, Washington, West 
Virginia, and Wisconsin; named for President Abraham Lincoln. 

liincoln; counties in Georgia, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, and Tennessee, 
named for Gen. Benjamin Lincoln, an officer of the Revolution. 

lancoln; town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, named for the ninth Earl of 
Lincoln. 

lancoln; county in Maine, named from Lincolnshire, England. 

lancoln; town in Penobscot County, Maine, named for Governor Enoch Lincoln. 
liincolnton; towns in Lincoln County, Georgia, and Lincoln County, North 

Carolina; 
liincolnville; town in Waldo County, Maine. Named for Gen. Benjamin Lincoln, 
an officer of the Revolution. 

lancolnville; town in Berkeley County, South Carolina, named for President Abra- 
ham Lincoln. 

Linda ^osa; towns in San Diego and Riverside counties, California, in the flower 
districts. A Spanish phrase, meaning ** pretty rose." 

Linda Vista; township in San Diego County, California. A Spanish phrase, mean- 
ing "beautiful view." 

Lindley; town in Steuben County, New York, named for Col. Eleazar Lindley. 

Lindsay; creek iu Humboldt County, California, named for an early settler. 

Lindsborg; city in McPherson County, Kansas, so named because the first syllable 
of the names of many of the early settlers was ** linds," the **borg" being added, 
which in Swedish means ** castle." 

Line Port; town in Stewart County, Tennessee, so named because it is situated 
on the Cumberland River and on the line between the States of Kentucky and 
Tennessee. 
Linn; mountain in California; counties in Iowa and Kansas; county, and village in 

Osage County, Missouri, and county in Oregon ; 
Linneus; city in Linn County, Missouri. Named for Hon. Lewis F. Linn, United 
States Senator from Missouri. 

Linton; city in Greene County, Indiana, named for a resident of Terre Haute. 

Linwood; city in Leavenworth County, Kansas, and village in Butler County, 
Nebraska, so named on account of the abundance of linden trees. 

Lipscomb; county in Texas, named for Abner Lipscomb, a prominent early resi- 
dent, and associate justice of the supreme court. 

Lisbon; town in St. Lawrence County, New York, and 21 other towns and villages 
bear the name of the city in Portugal. 

Lisbon; city in Ransom County, North Dakota, named from the town in New York. 

Lisle; towns in Dupage County, Illinois, and Broome County, New York, named 
from the city in France. 

Litchfield; county in Connecticut and town in Herkimer County, New York, named 
from the city in England. 

Litchfield; city in Montgomery County, Illinois, named for E. B. Litchfield, one of 
its founders. 

Lititz; borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, named from the barony of 
Lititz in Bohemia. 

Little; village in Holt County, Nebraska, named for L. B. Little. 



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188 PLACE NAMES IN THE tJNITEI) STATES. (bull. 258. 

Little Beaver; stream on the boundary between Pennsylvania and Ohio; transla- 
tion of the Delaware Indian name, tangamochke. 

Little Ferry; borough in ^Pergen County, New Jersey, so named on account of the 
ferry at Overpeck Creek. 

Little Moiintain; town in Newberry County, South Carolina, so named because it 
is situated near Little Mountain. 

Little River; county in Arkansas, named from the river which forms its northern 
boundary. 

Little Rock; city in Pulaski County, Arkansas, so named because it is built upon a 
bed of rock. 

Little Sioux; river in Iowa. A translation of the name originally given it by the 
French, petite rivih'e des Sioux. 

Little Tabeau; river in Missouri; the name is a corruption of the original French 
name, terre heaUy ** beautiful land.*' 

Littleton; town in Arapahoe County, Colorado, named for Richard S. Little. 

Littleton; town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, named for George Littleton, 
a member of the British Parliament. 

Littleton; town in Grafton County, New Hampshire, named for Col. Moses Little. 

Live Oak; county in Texas, named from the abundance of this species of oak. 

Livermore; town in Alame<la County, California, named for a pioneer settler who 
owned the greater part of the valley. 

Livermore; town in Androscoggin County, Maine, named for Deacon Elijah liver- 
more, an early settler. 

Livermore; town in Grafton County, New Hampshire, named for a prominent res- 
ident family. 

Liverpool; village in Onondaga County, New York, and township in Medina 
County, Ohio, and seven other towns and villages, named from the city in 
England. 

LivingBton; counties in Illinois, Michigan, and Missouri, named for Edward Living- 
ston, secretary of state under President Jackson. 

Livingston; county in Kentucky, parish in Louisiana, and county in New York, 
named for Robert R. Livingston, a prominent politician. 

Livingston; city in Park County, Montana, named for Crawford Livingston, one 
of the proprietors of the town site. 

Livingston; town in Orangeburg County, South Carolina, named for a proiiiinent 
resident family. 

Livonia; townships in Wayne County, Michigan, and Livingston County, New York, 
named from a province of Russia. 

Lizard; river in Iowa; the name is a translation of the Indian name, wassaka- 
pompahj ** river with lizards.*' 

Llagras; post-oflSce in Santa Clara County, California. A Spanish name meaning 
** wounds,*' a term frequently applied to the crucifixion. 

Llano; towns in Los Angeles and Sonoma counties, California, named from their 
location on level ground. A Spanish word meaning ** plain." 

Llano; county and river in Texas, so called because of the level character of the 
land. 

Llano Estacado; an elevated plateau in northwest Texas and New Mexico; Span- 
ish words meaning "staked plain," applied to this plateau on account of the 
stake-like boles of the yucca plant which grows there. 

Loachapoka; town in Macon County, Alabama. An Indian word meaning "here 
terrapins are killed." 

Locke; town in Cayuga County, New York, named for the philosopher, John Locke. 

Lock Haven; city in Clinton County, Pennsylvania, so named because of the two 
locks and a safe harbor near it. 



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GANNETT] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 189 

liOckport; township and village in Will County, Illinois, named for its location at 

the principal locks of the Illinois and Michigan canal. 
liOckport; village in Lafourche Parish, Louisiana, so named because it was onee a 

favorite tying-up place for the river boats. 
liOckport; city in Niagara County, New York, so named for the double tier of locks 

at this point. 
I«oda; township and village in Iroquois County, Illinois, named from Ossian's poem, 

Cath-Loda. 
Lodi; borough and township inr Bergen County, New Jersey, town in Columbia 

County, Wisconsin, and several other places, named from the city in Italy. 
liOgran; mountain in Arizona and counties in Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, North 

Dakota, and Oklahoma, named for Gen. John A. Logan. 
liOgan; county in Arkansas, named for James Logan, a pioneer settler. 
liOgran; county in Illinois, named forjudge Samuel T. Logan, for several years a law 

partner of Abraham Lincoln. 
IiO^an; counties in Kentucky and Ohio, named for Gren. Benjamin Logan, a pioneer. 
liOgran; creek in Nebraska, village in Hocking County, Ohio, and city in Cache 

County, Utah, named for Logan Fontanelle, a friendly Indian chief. 
liOgran; county in West Virginia, named for Logan, an Indian chief of the Mingo 

tribe. 
liOgansport; city in Cass County, Indiana, named for Captain Logan, a Shawnee 

Indian chief, nephew of Tecumseh. 
liOleta; town in Humboldt County, California. The Mexican colloquial term for 

" Mary of the Sorrows.*' Another authority states it is of Indian origin, mean- 
ing * * pleasant place. * ' 
liOlo; town in Missoula County, Montana, meaning, in the Nez Perc^ language, 

"muddy water. *' 
Icoma landa; town in San Bernardino County, California. A Spanish phrase mean- 
ing ** boundary hill,'* marking a comer in the old Spanish land grant. 
liOnaconing; village in Allegany County, Maryland. A Delaware Indian word 

meaning "where many waters meet.*' 
Loma Prieta; village in Santa Cruz County, California. A Spanish phrase mean- 
ing * * dark-colored hillock. * ' 
liOma Vista; town in Los Angeles County, California. A Spanish phrase meaning 

"view from a hill in the midst of a plain." 
Iiombardville; village in Stark County, Illinois, named for the Lombard family, 

its founders, and part owners of the site. 
Iiomitas; town in Napa County, California. A descriptive Spanish name meaning 

"little hills.*' 
Iiondon; village in Madison County, Ohio, and ten other places, being directly or 

indirectly named from the city in England. 
liOndonderry; towns in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, and Windham 

County, Vermont, so named in compliment to Rev. Matthew Clark, who dis- 
tinguished himself in the defense of Londonderry, Ireland. 
Iione Rock; village in Richland County, Wisconsin, so named on account of the 

remarkable mound of sandstone situated near the town. 
Iione Tree; town in Johnson County, Iowa, named for a single tree which stands in 

the prairie. 
IiOn^ Branch; celebrated watering place in New Jersey, taking its name from a 

branch of South Shrewsbury River. 
jAiJXg Island; island on the Atlantic coast, part of the State of New York. An 

Anglidzation of the Dutch name, Lange Eylandt. 
liOngmeadow; town in Hampden County, Massachusetts, so named on account of 

the presence of a long meadow within the township. 



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190 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 268. 

Iiong^ont; town in Boulder County, Colorado. A combination of the name of the 

discoverer of Longs Peak and the French montf ** mountain.** 
Iiong^on; city in Elk County, Kansas, named from the town in England. 
IiongB; peak in Colorado, named for Capt. Stephen D. Long. 
Lon^ Tom; stream in the Willamette Valley; the name is a corruption of the Indian 

word, lung-tum-ler. 
Long^ew; town in Gregg County, Texas, so named because of the extensive view 

afforded by a hill. 
Ijonoke; county in Arkansas. Said by one authority to be an Indian word mean- 
ing **the people," but according to another authority it was so named on account 

of the presence of a lone oak tree which stood near its present site. 
Lonsdale; village in Providence County, Rhode Island, named from the division in 

England. 
Iiookout; town in Modoc County, California, so named from the extensive view. 
Lookout; capes in North Carolina and Oregon, so named because of the dangers of 

navigation at these points. 
Lookout; mountain in Tennessee, so named on account of the extensive prospect 

from its summit. 
Loose; creek in Osage County, Missouri. Corrupted from VOura. 
Lorain; county in Ohio, named from Loraine in France. 
Lordstown; township in Trumbull County, Ohio, named for a Lord family of the 

State. 
Loretto; borough in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, named from the city in Italy. 
Los Alamos; town in Kern County, California. A Spanish name meaning "the 

poplars." 
Los Alisos; town in Los Angeles County, California. A Spanish phrase meaning 

**the alder trees," a descriptive name. 
Los Angeles; county, and city in the same county, in California. A Spanish name 

meaning **the angels." 
Los Banos; health resort in Merced County, Calif orina. A Spanish name meaning 

"the baths." 
Los Berros; town in San Luis Obispo County, California. From the Spanish mean- 
ing **the water cresses." 
Los Gatos; city in Santa Clara County, California. A Spanish name meaning "the 

cats," and doubtless applied to the city because of the presence of wild-cats in 

the country. 
Los Laureles; town in Monterey County, California. A Spanish name, descriptively 

applied, meaning "the laurels." 
Los Medanos; town in Contra Costa County, California. A Spanish name meaning 

"the sand dunes on the seashore." 
Los Nietos; township in Los Angeles County, California. A Spanish term meaning 

"the grandchildren." 
Los Olivos; village in Santa Barbara County, California. A Spanish term meaning 

"the olives." 
Los Finos; river in Colorado. A Spanish name meaning "the pines." 
Lost; river in Washington County, Indiana, which for several miles is lost in a 

subterranean channel. 
Lostant; village in Lasalle County, Illinois, named for the Countess of Lostant, 

wife of the French minister to the United States about 1860. 
Lost River; stream in Hardin County, West Virginia, which flows through a cave 

in a mountain and on the other side is known as the Capon River. 
IiOtt; town in Falls County, Texas, named for a prominent citizen. 
Loudon; town in Merrimac County, New Hampshire, named for the Earl of 

Loudon. 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 191 

Loudon; county in Tennessee, named from Fort Loudon. 

liOudonville; village in Ashland County, Ohio, named for James Loudon Priest, 

one of the original surveyors. 
Loudoiin; county in Virginia, named for the Earl of Loudon. 
Louisa; county in Iowa, named for Louisa Massey. 
Louisa; county, and town in the same county, in Virginia, named for the daughter 

of George II. 
Louisburg; town in Franklin County, North Carolina, named for the fortress. 
Louisiana; State of the Union, named for Louis XIV of France. 
Louisiana; city in Pike County, Missouri, named from Louisiana Territory, of which 

it was a part when founded. 
Louisville; township and village in Clay County, Illinois, named for a family of 

settlers named Lewis, the change in orthography having been made by mistake. 
Louisville; city in Pottawatomie County, Kansas, named for Louis Wilson, the son 

of the original preemptor of the town site. 
Louisville; city in Jefferson County, Kentucky, named for Louis XVI of France. 
Louisville; town in Winston County, Mississippi, named for Col. Louis Winston, a 

prominent early settler. 
Loup; county in Nebraska, named for the tribe of Pawnee Loups. 
Love; town in De Soto County, Mississippi, named for Colonel Love. 
Loveland; village in Larimer County, Colorado, named for Hon. W. A. H. Love- 
land. 
Lovewell; mountain and pond in New Hampshire, named for Capt. John Love well, 

the hero of a fight with the Indians. 
Loving; county in Texas, named for Oliver Loving, an early pioneer. 
Lovington; township and village in Moultrie County, Illinois, named for Andrew 

Love, the first postmaster. 
Lowell; military post in Arizona, named for Gen. C. R. Lowell. 
Lowell; town in Penobscot County, Maine, named for Lowell Hayden, the first 

person bom within its limits. 
Lowell; plantation in Franklin County, Maine, city in Middlesex County, Massa- 
chusetts, village in Kent County, Michigan, and town in Gaston County, North 

Carolina, named for Francis Cabot Lowell, of Boston. 
Low Freight; stream in Clark County, Arkansas. The name is a corruption of the 

original French n&meyV eau f void, meaning **the cold water." 
Lowndes; counties in Alabama, Greorgia, and Mississippi, named for William Jones 

Lowndes, member of Congress from South Carolina. 
Lowndesville; town in Abbeville County, South Carolina, named for the Lowndes 

family, prominent in that State. 
Lowville; town in Lewis County, New York, named for Nicholas Low. 
Loyalhanna; stream and township in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. The 

name is a corruption of the Delaware Indian word laweel-hannay meaning 

*' middle stream." 
Loyalsock; branch of the Susquehanna River, and township in Lycoming County, 

Pennsylvania. A corruption of the Delaware Indian, lawi-saquik, meaning 

*' middle creek.'* 
Loydsville; town in Belmot County, Ohio, named for a Welsh family. 
Lubbock; county in Texas, named for Tom Lubbock, a colonel in the civil war. 
Lucas; county, and town in same county, in Iowa, and county in Ohio, named for 

Robert Lucas, governor of Ohio and first governor of Iowa Territory. 
Luce; county in Michigan, named for Governor Cyrus G. Luce. 
Lucerne; town in Kern County, California, so named from the luxurious growths 

of alfalfa (lucerne) in the district. 



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192 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

fLuceme; town in Columbiana County, Ohio; 

ILucemeville ; village in Knox County, Ohio. Named from the lake in Switzerland. 

Ludingrton; city in Mason County, Michigan, named for James Ludington, of 
Milwaukee. 

Ludlow; township and village in Champaign County, Illinois, named for Thomas 
W. Ludlow, a railroad incorporator. 

Ludlow; town in Kenton County, Kentucky, named for Israel Ludlow, a prominent 
pioneer. 

Ludlow; town in Hampden County, Massachusetts, named from the town in Shrop- 
shire, England. 

Lu^enberl; county in South Dakota, named for Major Lugenberl, of the regular 
army, who was stationed at Fort Randall in territorial days. 

Lulin^; town in Caldwell County, Texas, named for Charles Luling, of Boston, 
Massachusetts. 

Lumberton; town in Pearl River County, Mississippi, so named on account of its 
principal industry. 

Lumpkin; county, and town in Stewart County, in Georgia, named for Wilson 
Lumpkin, an early governor. 

Luna; county in New Mexico, named for a prominent resident family. 

Lunenburg; towns in Worcester County, Massachusetts, and Essex County, Ver- 
mont, named for the Duke of Luneburg, George II of England. 

Lunenburg; county in Virginia, named for the royal family. The Anglicized form 
of Luneburg, one of the titles of George I, as Duke of Bunswick-Luneburg. 

Luray; town in Page County, Virginia, a corruption of la reine. 

Lutesville; village in Bollinger County, Missouri, named for its founder, Eli Lutes. 

Luther; village in Lake County, Michigan, named for William A. Luther, an early 
settler. 

Luthersburg; village in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, named for W. H. Luther, 
an old resident. 

Luveme; township and village in Rock County, Minnesota, named for the daughter 
of one of the proprietors of the town site. 

Luzerne; county, and borough in same county, in Pennsylvania, named for Cheva- 
lier delia Luzerne, former minister from France to the United States. 

Lycoming; branch of Susquehanna River, and county, and town in same county in 
Pennsylvania. A Delaware Indian word meaning ** sandy stream.*' 

Lyell; mountain in California, named for the English geologist. Sir Charles Lyell. 

Lykens; borough in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania; a corruption of the name of 
the man for whom it was named — Andrew Lycan. 

Lyman; town in York County, Maine, named for Theodore Lyman, of Boston. 

Lyman; town in Grafton County, New Hampshire, named for Daniel Lyman, one 
of the early proprietors. 

Lyman; county in South Dakota, named for W. P. Lyman, legislator and soldier. 

Lyme; towns in New London County, Connecticut, Grafton County, New Hamp- 
shire, and Jefferson County, New York, named either directly or indirectly from 
the borough of Lyme- Regis, England. 

Lynchburg; city in Campbell County, Virginia, named for a rich settler and officer 
of the Revolution. 

Lynchtown; township in Oxford County, Maine, named for the owner of Lynch*3 
mills. 

Lyndeboro; town in Hillsboro County, New Hampshire, named for Benjamin 
Lynde, a large landowner. 

Lyndon; city in Osage County, Kansas, named from the town in Caledonia County, 
Vermont. 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAME8 IN THE UNITED STATES. 193 

liyndon; town in Caledonia County; 

liyndon Center; village in Caledonia County; 

liyndonville; village in Caledonia County, Vermont. Named for Josiah Lyndon, 

son of an early proprietor. 
Lynn; city in Essex County, Massachusetts, named for Lynn-R^is, England. 
Lynn; county in Texas, named for G. W. Lynn, an early settler. 
Lynnfield; town in Essex County, Massachusetts. It was originally the West 

Parish of Lynn and bore the name of Lynn End, and was incorporated in 1814 

as Lynnfield. 
Lynnville; town in Jasper County, Iowa, so named on account of the proximity of 

a basswood grove. 
Lynxville; village in Crawford County, Wisconsin, named for the steamer LynXy 

which brought the Government surveyors to the place. 
Lyon; counties in Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, and Nevada, named for Gen. Nathaniel 

Lyon, United States Army. 
Lyon; county in Kentucky, named for Col. Crittenden Lyon. 
Lyons; city in Rice County, Kansas, named for Truman J. Lyon, the owner of the 

town site. 
Lyons; village in Burt County, Nebraska, named for Waldo Lyon, an early resident. 
Lyons; town in Wayne County, New York, named from the city in France. 
Lyonsdale; village in Lewis County, New York, named for its first settler, Calen 

Lyon. 
Lysander; town in Onondaga County, New York, named for the Spartan general. 
McAdenville; town in Gaaton County, North Carolina, named for Hon. R. Y. 

McAden, speaker of the House of Representatives. 
McArthnr; village in Vinton County, Ohio, named for Gen. Duncan Mc Arthur, an 

officer in the Indian wars. 
McBride; village in Montcalm County, Michigan, named for an early settler. 
McClellandville; village in Newcastle County, Delaware, named for William 

McClelland, an early settler. 
McColl; town in Marlboro County, South Carolina, named for D. D. McColl, a caj)- 

italist. 
McComb; town in Pike County, Mississippi, named for a former owner of the Mis- 
sissippi Central Railroad. 
McConnellsburg; borough in Fulton County, Pennsylvania, named for its founder. 
McConnellstown; village in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania, named for its 

founder. 
McConnelsville; village in Morgan County, Ohio, named for Robert McConnel. 
McCook; city in Red willow County, Nebraska, named for Gen. Alexander McCook, 

of Leavenworth, Kansas. 
McCook; county in South Dakota, named for Edwin S. McCook, of Ohio, distin- 
guished in the Civil war. 
McCool; town in Attala County, Mississippi, named for Hon. James F. McCool. 
McCracken; city in Rush County, Kansas, named for William McCracken, of New 

York City, an official of the Missouri Pacific Railway. 
McCracken; county in Kentucky, named for Capt. Virgil McCracken. 
McCulloch; county in Texas, named for Benjamin McCulloch, a brigadier-general 

in the Confederate army. 
McCune; city in Crawford County, Kansas, named for Isaac McCune, its founder. 
McDonald; county in Missouri, named for Sergeant McDonald, of South Carolina. 
McDonOugh; village in Newcastle County, Delaware, town in Henry County, 

Georgia, county in Illinois, and town in Chenango County, New York, named 

Bull. 258- 



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194 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

for the American naval officer of the War of 1812, Commodore Thomas 

McDonoujj;h. 
McDowell; county in North Carolina, named for the two generals, Joseph and 

Charles McDowell, of Revolutionary fame. 
McDowell; town in Highland County, Virginia, and county in West Virginia, said 

to have been named for James McDowell, former governor of Virginia. 
McDuffie; county in Georgia, named for George McDuffie, an early governor of 

South Carolina. 
McFarlan; town in Anson County, North Carolina, named for a prominent citizen. 
McGrawville; village in Allegany County, New York, named in honor of a Mr. 

McGraw, who owned considerable property. 
McGregor; city in Clayton County, Iowa, named for an early proprietor, Alexander 

McGregor. 
McHenry; county in Illinois, named for Gen. William McHenry, a prominent offi- 
cer in the Black Hawk war. 
McHenry; township and village in McHenry County, Illinois, named from the 

county. 
McHenry; fort near Baltimore, Maryland, named for James McHenry, secretary of 

war under Presidents Washington and Adams. 
McHenry; county in North Dakota, named for Hon. James McHenry, an early 

pioneer. 
Mcllhaney; village in Monroe County, Pennsylvania, named for Thomas M. 

Mcllhaney. 
Mcintosh: county in Georgia, named for the Mcintosh family, members of which 

accompanied Oglethorpe in his first expedition into the State. 
Mcintosh; county in North Dakota, named for Hon. E. H. Mcintosh, a member of 

the Territorial legislature. 
McKean; county in Pennsylvania, named for Thomas McKean, an early governor, 

and a signer of the Declaration of Independence. 
McKee; town in Jackson County, Kentucky, named for Judge George R. McKee. 
McKeesport; city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, named for David McKee, 

who kept a ferry. 
McKenzie; county in North Dakota, named for Alexander McKenzie, a State 

politician. 
McKinley; county in New Mexico, named for President William McKinley. 
McKinney; city in Collin County, Texas, named for Collin McKinney, a pioneer 

settler. 
McLaurin; village in Perry County, Mississippi, named for General McLaurin, first 

president of the Gulf and Ship Island Railroad. 
McLean; county in Illinois, named for John McLean, United States Senator, 1824- 

1830. 
McLean; village in McLean County, Illinois, named from the county. 
McLean; county in Kentucky, named for Judge Alney McLean. 
McLean; county in North Dakota, named for Hon. John R. McLean, a prominent 

State politician. 
McLeansboro; township and city in Hamilton County, Illinois, named for Dr. Wil- 
liam McLean, the first settler. 
McLennan; county in Texas, named for Neil McLennan. 
McLeod; county in Minnesota, named for Hon. Martin McLeod, president of the 

State council. 
McLouth; city in Jefferson County, Kansas, named for the owner of the town site. 
McMechen; town in Marshall County, West Virginia, named for a former resident. 
McMinnville; city in Yamhill County, Oregon, named from the town in Tennessee, 

the native place of an early settler. 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 195 

IMcMinn; county in Tennessee; ^ 

McMinnville; town in Warren County, Tennessee. Named for Gen. Joseph 
McMinn, an early governor. 
McMullen; county in Texas, named for John McMullen, a colonizer of western 

Texas. 
McNairy; county in Tennessee, named for Judge John McNairy. 
McNeils; island in Washington, named for the captain of a steamer of the Hudson 

Bay Company. 
Mcpherson; county, and town in same county, in KaUsas, and counties in Nebraska 

and South Dakota, named for Maj. Gen. James B. McPherson. 
Mabbettsville; village in Dutchess County, New York, named for James Mabbett, 

the former proprietor. 
Macedon; town in Wayne County, New York; 

l^acedonia; village in Hamilton County, Illinois, township and town in Pottawat- 
tamie County, Iowa, and nine other places. The name is transferred from the 
ancient Macedonia of the Greeks. ^ 

Machado; town in Los Angeles County, California. A Spanish word meaning 

"hatchet.*^ 
Machhanna; the largest of the three streams which, united, form the Lehigh River. 
A Delaware Indian word meaning **the largest stream." 

{Machias; river and town in Washington County, Maine; 
Machiasport; town in Washington County, Maine. From the Indian word 
machissest "bad small falls." 
Maxihigaxaic; river in northern Wisconsin, so called because it flows from the lake 

bearing the Indian name, mitchipamicy meaning "large lake." 
Maxsintire; mountain in the Adirondacks, named for an iron speculator of the region. 
Mackinac; county, and town in same county, in Michigan. Derived from the Ojibwa 

Indian word michilimackinac, meaning "island of the great turtle," or in other 

dialects, "island of the giant fairies." 
Mackinaw; township and town in Tazewell County, Illinois. An Indian w^ord 

meaning "turtle." See Mackinac. 
Macksville; city in Stafford County, Kansas, named for George Mack, the first 

postmaster in the county. 
Maclenny ; town in Baker County, Florida, named for H. C. MacClenny, its founder. 
Macomb; township and city in McDonough County, Illinois, county in Michigan, 

and town in St. Lawrence County, New York, named for Gen. Alexander 

Macomb of the War of 1812. 
Macon; county in Alabama; county, and city in Bibb County, in Georgia; county, 

and village in same county, in Illinois; city in Noxubee County, Mississippi; 

county, and city in same county, in Missouri; county, and city in Warren 

County, in North Carolina; and county in Tennessee; named for Gen. Nathaniel 

Macon, United States Senator from North Carolina, 1816-1826. 
Macoupin; county and creek in Illinois, so named by the Indians because the white 

potato, signified by the name, was found abundantly along the banks of the 

creek. 
Macungie; borough in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. An Indian name meaning 

"the feeding place of bears." 
Madawaska; branches of the St. John and Aroostook rivers in Maine, and town in 

Aroostook County. An Indian word meaning "porcupine place," or, "where 

one river enters another." 
Madden; creek in Humboldt County, California, named for Captain Madden. 
Madera; county, and town in same county, in California. A Spanish word meaning 

"lumber;'' the county having been formed from a part of Fresno County after 



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196 PLACE NAME8 IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

the buildinj? of the town of Madera, it was named from the town, which was a 
lumber center. 

Madison; counties in Alabama, Arkansas, and Florida; county, and city in Morgan 
County, in (Jeorgia; counties in Illinois, Indiana, and Iowa; township, and city in 
Greenwood County, Kansas; c*ounty in Kentucky; parish in Louisiana; town in 
Somerset County, Maine; counties in Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, and 
Nebraska; town in Carroll County, New Hampshire; counties in New York, 
North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia; city in Dane County, 
Wisconsin; and peak in the White Mountains; named for President Jam^ 
Madison. 

Madison; city in Lake County, South Dakota, named from the city in Wisconsin, 
lH»cAuse of its proximinity to several lakes. 

Madrone; town in Santa Clara County, California. From madrofia, an evergreen 
tree of northern California. 

Magalloway; river in New Hampshire. An Indian word meaning ** large tail." 

Magataukamde; lake in Minnesota. An Indian word meaning **swan lake." 

Magnolia; town in Kent County, Delaware, and twenty-five other towns and vil- 
lages, being generally name<i, directly or indirectly, for Dr. Pierre Magnol, for 
whom the species of magnolia tree was named. 

Magoffin; county in Kentucky, named for Beriah Magoffin, a former governor. 

Ma^othy; river in Maryland. An Indian word meaning "small plain devoid of 
timber." 
Mahanoy; mountain and river tributary to the Susquehanna, Schuylkill County, 

Pennyslvania; 
Mahanoy City; borough in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. From the Delaware 
Indian mahoni, "a lick," a survival of the expression to describe saline 
deposits w^here deer congregate. 

Mahantango; branch of the Susquehanna River, Pennsylvania. A Delaware Indian 
word meaning "where we had plenty of meat to eat." 

Mahaska; county in Iowa, named for a chief of the lowas. 

Mahomet; village in Champaign County, Illinois, named for the founder of the 
Mohammedan religion. 

Mahon; village in Marshall County, Mississippi, named for John Mahon. 

Mahoning; county and river in eastern Ohio. From the Delaware Indian word 
mahonhikf meaning "there a lick," applied to many places of saline deposits. 

Mahtowa; town in Carlton County, Minnesota, named from the Indian word mean- 
ing "grass lands." 

Maiden Bock; village in Pierce County, Wisconsin, named for the rock, famous in 
Indian legends, from which it is said an Indian maiden leaped to escape mar- 
riage with a warrior of another tribe. 

Maidstone; town in Essex County, Vermont, named from the town in Kent, 
England. 

Maine; State of the Union, said to be named for the private estate of Henrietta 
Maria, in Maine, a province of France; or, according to another authority, so 
called because the fishermen of the islands along the coast referred to the main- 
land as the maiiij and in some early documents it was spelled Mayn. 

Makage; western tributary of the Minnesota River. From an Indian word, makagiy 
meaning "brown earth." 

Makanda; township and village in Jackson County, Illinois, named for an Indian 
chief. 

Makiapier; pond in New Jersey. An Indian word meaning "water of a reddish 
color." 

Malade; river and village in Oneida County, Idaho. A French word meaning 
"sick" or "infirm." 



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GANNETT] PLACE NAMES in the UNITED STATES. 197 

Malaga; towns in Gloucester County, New Jersey, and Monroe County, Ohio, named 

from Malaga in Spain. 
Malcom; town in Poweshiek County, Iowa, named for an early Scotch settler. 
Maiden; city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, named from the borough of 

Maldon in England. 
Mallieur; river and county in Oregon. A French word meaning ** misfortune." 
Malmaison; village in Pittsylvania County, Virginia, named for a chateau in France. 
Malta; towns in Saratoga County, New York, and Morgan County, Ohio, name<l 

from the island in the Mediterranean Sea. 
Malvern; town in Hot Spring County, Arkansas, named from Malvern Hill in 

Virginia. 
Malvern; towns in Emanuel County, Georgia, and Carroll County, Ohio, and 

borough in Chester County, Pennsylvania; 
Malvern Hill; watering place in Henrico County, Virginia. Named, directly or 

indirectly, from the watering place in England. 
Mamajuda; island in the Detroit River, Michigan, named for an Indian squaw. 
Mamakating; town in Sullivan County, New York, named for an Indian chief. 
Mamaroneck; town in Westchester County, New York, named for an Indian chief. 
Mammoth; cave in Kentucky, so named on account of its great size. 
Manada; stream in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. An Indian word meaning 

* 'island." 
Manahan ; stream in York County, Pennsylvania. An Indian word meaning 

"where liquor has been drunk." 
Manahawkin; town in Ocean County and creek in New Jersey. An Indian name 

meaning "good com land," and applied to this section on account of the pro- 
ductiveness of the land. 
Maualapan; river in New Jersey. An Indian word meaning "good bread" or 

"good country." 
Manan; islands on the coast of Maine. The Indian word for island. 
Mauasquan; village in Monmouth County, New Jersey. An Indian word, origin- 
ally wanasquarij meaning a " point" or " top." 
Manatawny; branch of the Schuylkill River in Pennsylvania. Derived from the 

Delaware Indian word menhaltanmky "here we drank" (liquor). 
Manatee; county, town in same county, and river in Florida, so named because the 

sea cow or manatee is found on the coast. 
Manaticut; river in Massachusetts, named from the Indian, and probably meaning 

* * place of observation . " 
Manato-Kikewe; stream in Wisconsin. An Indian word meaning "stooping spirit 

river." 
Manayunk; substation of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. A Delaware Indian word 

meaning " place where we drank." 
Mancebona; village in Antrim County, Michigan, named for the youngest daughter 

of Perrig Andress, the first settler. 
Manchester; city in Delaware County, Iowa. From "Chesterman," the name of 

the original proprietor. 
Man.cliester; town in Essex County, Massachusetts; city in nillslx)ro County, New 

Hampshire; village in Ontario County, New York, and town in Chesterfield 

County, Virginia; named from the city in England. 
Mandan; city in Morton County, North Dakota, named for the Indian tribe. 
Mandarin; town in Duval County, Florida, so named because its (;liief orange crop 

is of this species. 
Mandeville; town in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, named for Mandeville de 

Marigny, a descendant of the French ofticer of the first colonization. 



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198 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Manliasset; formerly a village in Queens County, New York, and now a part of 

New York City. An Indian name meaning " at the little island." 
Manhattan; an island in New York. An Indian word variously said to refer to 

"island " or ** place of drunkenness." 
Manheim; towns in Herkimer County, New York, and Lancaster Comity, Pennsyl- 
vania, named from the toWn in Germany. 
Manidowish; river in Wisconsin. An Indian word meaning '*evil spirit." 
Manistee; county, city in same county, and river in Michigan. An Indian word 

meaning ** vermilion river," or, according to other authorities, "lost river," or 

" island in the river." 
Manistique; township and village in Schoolcraft County, Michigan. An Indian 

word with the same meaning as Manistee. 
Manito; township and village in Mason County, Illinois; 
Manitou; town in El Paso County, Colorado, county in Michigan, and river in 

Wisconsin. An Algonquian Indian term applied to any object of reverence, 

meaning literally "spirit." 
Manitowoc; county, and city in same county, in Wisconsin. An Indian word 

meaning "spirit land." 
Mankato; cities in Jewell County, Kansas, and Blue Earth County, Minnesota. 

An Indian word meaning "bule," or, more properly, "green earth." 
Mankisitah-Wakpa; river in South Dakota, strongly impregnated with white slime; 

hence given this name by the Indians, it meaning "cloudy river." 
Manlius; town in Onondaga County, New York, named for a Roman general. 
Manly; village in Moore County, North Carolina, named for Governor Charles 

Manly. 
Manning; town in Carroll County, Iowa, named for a merchant of the place. 
Manning; town in Clarendon County, South Carolina, named for the Manning 

family, prominent in South Carolina history. 
Mannsville; village in Jefferson County, New York, named for Col. H. B. Mann. 
Mannussing; island in Long Island Sound. From an Indian wood, munnohan, 

meaning "island." 
Mansfield; town in Holland County, Connecticut, named for Moses Mansfield, mayor 

of New Haven. 
Mansfield; village in Piatt County, Illinois, named for Gen. John Mansfield, an 

officer in the civil war. 
Mansfield; town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, named for William Murray, Earl 

of Mansfield. 
Mansfield; city in Richland County, Ohio, named for Col. Jared Mansfield, at one 

time surveyor-general, United States. 
Mansfield; town in Tioga County, Pennsylvania, named for Asa Mann, original 

owner of the land. 
Manson; town in Calhoun County, Iowa, named for a resident. 
Manteno; village in Kankakee County, Illinois. Possibly a corruption of the Indian 

word manitou^ meaning "spirit." 
Manteo; town in Dare County, North Carolina, named for an Indian chief of Roa- 
noke Island in 1585. 
Manton; village in Michigan, named for the first white settler, George Manton. 
Mantua; towns in Gloucester County, New Jersey, and Portage County, Ohio, 

named from the town in Italy. 
Manuelito; station in McKiniey County, New Mexico, named for a former chief of 

the Navajos. A Spanish word meaning '* little Manuel." 
Manzana; town in Los Angeles (^ounty, California. A Spanish word meaning 

"apple." 



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eANNETT] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATE8. 199 

Manzanita; towns in Marin, San Diego, and Tehama comities, California, named 
from the extensive growths of manzanita brush. 

Maple Forest; town in Crawford County, Michigan, so named because of its beau- 
tiful forests of maple trees. 

Maquon; town in Knox County, Illinois. This name was given William Penn by 
the Indians because in his treaty with them on the banks of the Delaware he 
used a quill pen, this word with them signifying * Squill" or ** feather." 

Marais; town in Orange County, Missouri. French word meaning ** swamp" or 
**mar8h." 

Maxais des Cygnes; river in Wabaunsee County, Kansas. A French phrase 
meaning "swans' marsh." 

Marathon; town in Cortland County, New York, and county in Wisconsin, named 
from the battlefield in Greece. 

Marblehead; town in Essex County, Massachusetts, so named because of the por- 
phyry-colored rocks along the shore. 

Marcellus; towns in Cass Coimty, Michigan, and Onondaga County, New York, 
named for the illustrious Roman, M. Claudius Marcellus. 

Marcus Hook; borough in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, named for, but a cor- 
ruption of the name of, an Indian chief, Maarte, who lived in that section. 

Maxcy; town in Oneida County, and mountain, in New York, named for a former 
governor, William L. Marcy. 

Mare; island in San Pablo Bay, California, said to be so named on account of a wild 
mare which formerly inhabited the island. 

Marengo; county in Alabama, and cities in McHenry County, Illinois, and Iowa 
County, Iowa, named from the battlefield of Italy. 

Margraretsville; town in Northampton County, North Carolina, named for Mrs. 
Margaret Ridley. 

Margraretville; village in Delaware County, New York, named for the owner of the 
land, Margaret Lewis, the daughter of Governor Morgan Lewis. 

Marias; river in Montana, named for Miss Maria Wood. 

Mariaville; town in Hancock County, Maine, named for the daughter of Mr. Bing- 
ham, a large land owner. 

Mariaville; town in Schenectady County, New York, named for the daughter of 
James Duane. 

Maricopa; county in Arizona, and town in Kern County, California, named from 
an Indian tribe. 

Maxie Saline, township in Ashley County, Arkansas. From the French, marais 
saline^ meaning "salt marsh." 

Maries; county, and city in same county, in Missouri, named for the Big and Little 
Maries rivers, which name is of French origin. 

Marietta; city in Washington County, Ohio, named for Queen Marie Antoinette of 
France. 

Marietta; town in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, named for the wives of the two 
proprietors. 

Marilla; town in Erie County, New York, named for Mrs. Marilla Rogers, of Alden. 

Marin; county in California, named for the celebrated chief of the Lecatuit, or 
Likatuit, tribe. 

Marine; village in Madison County, Illinois, so named because settled by several 
sea captains from the east. 

Marine; village in Washington County, Minnesota, named for the Marine Lumber 
Company of Delaware and Vermont, which settled the, village. 

Marine City; city in St. Clair County, Michigan, so named because of its location 
on the St. Clair River. 



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200 ?LACE NAMES m l^HE UNITED STATES. [bull. 25ii. 

Marinette; county in Wisconsin, named for the daughter of an Indian chief, Mari- 
nette Jacobs, the name being a composite of the names Marie and Antoinette. 
Marion; counties in Alabama and Arkansas; fort in Hamilton County, Florida; 

counties in Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Mis- 
souri, Ohio, and Oregon; county, and town in Marion County, in South Carolina; 

and counties in Tennessee, Texas, and West Virginia; 
Marionville; city in Lawrence County, Missouri. Named for Gen. Francis Marion. 
Mariposa; river, county, and town in same county in California, named for a flower 

which grows abundantly there. A Spanish word, meaning "butterfly.*' 
Markleville; town in Madison County, Indiana, named for John Markle, who laid 

it out. 
Marlboro; city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, county in South Carolina, and 

ten other places; some are named from the town in Wilts County, England, and 

others for the Duke of Marlboro. 
Marlin; town in Falls County, Texas, named for one of the first settlers. 
Marlinton; village in Pocahontas County, West Virginia, named for an early settler. 
Marlow; town in Cheshire County, New Hampshire, named from the borough in 

England. 
Marmiton; stream in Missouri. From the French word, marmiton, ** scullion,'* 

from marmite, **pot" or "kettle." 
Maroa; township and city in Macon County, lUinois, named from an Indian tribe. 
Maroon; peak in the Elk Mountains, Colorado, so named on account of the peculiar 

color of the sandstone. 
Marquam; village in Clackamas County, Oregon, named for P. A. Marquam, an old 

resident of Portland. 
Marquette; city in McPherson County, Kansas, county, city in same county, and 

river in Michigan, county, and town in Green Lake County, Wisconsin, named 

for the Jesuit Missionary Jacques Marquette. 
Marseilles; city in Lasalle County, Illinois, and village in Wyandot County, Ohio, 

named from the city in France. 
Marshall; county in Alabama, county, and city in Clark County, in Illinois, counties 

in Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee, and West Virginia, named 

for John Marshall, Chief Justice of the United States. 
Marshall; town in Boulder County, Colorado, named for Joseph M. Marshall, who 

discovered coal in that section. 
Marshall; county in Kansas, named for Francis J. Marshall, member of the first 

Territorial legislature. 
Marshall; county, and village in the same county, in Minnesota, named for Gen. 

William R. Marshall, governor of the State, 1866-1870. 
Marshall; county in South Dakota, named for Thomas F. Marshall, Congressman 

from North Dakota. 
Marshallton; village in Newcastle County, Delaware, named for John Marshall, 

who started the first rolling mill. 
Marshalltown; city in Marshall County, Iowa, named for Chief Justice John 

Marshall. 
Marshfield; town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, so named on account of its 

situation. 
Marshfield; city in Webster County, Missouri, named for the home of Daniel 

Webster. 
Marshfield; town in Washington County, Vermont, named for Capt. Isaac Marsh, 

who purchased the town site from the Indians. 
Marshfield; city in Wood County, Wisconsin, named for J. J. Marsh, of New York, 

who owned the greater part of the town. Another authority attributes the name 

to large areas of marshy land in the vicinity. 



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GANNETT] l^LACE NAMES IN THE UNlTIED STATES. '201 

Marthas Vineyard; island comprising Dukes County, Massachusetts. Martha is 
said to be a corruption of Martin, the name of a friend of the discoverer, Vine- 
yard being added on account of the abundance of wild grapes on the island. 

Martin; counties in Indiana and Kentucky, named for Col. John P. Martin. 

Martin; county in Minnesota, named for Henry Martin, an early settler. 

Martin; town in Claiborne County, Mississippi, named for Gen. W. T. Martin, of 
Natchez, Mississippi. 

Martin; county in North Carolina, named for colonial governor, Josiah Martin. 

Martin; county in Texas, named for Wyly Martin, an early settler. 

Martinez; town in Contra Costa County , California, named for a prominent Spanish 
settler. 

Martins; creek in Humboldt County, California, named for an early settler. 

Martins; location in Coos County, New Hampshire, granted to Thomas Martin, 1773. 

M£krtinsbur^; village in Dixon County, Nebraska, named for Jonathan Martin, its 
first settler. 

Martinsbnrg; borough in Blair County Pennsylvania, named for its founder. 

M£krtinsburg; town in Berkeley County, West Virginia, named for Col. Tom Martin, 
a nephew of Lord Fairfax, a wealthy landowner. 

Martins Ferry; city in Belmont County, Ohio, named for the family who estab- 
lished the ferry. 

Martinsville; city in Morgan County, Indiana, named for the oldest of the locating 
commissioners, John Martin. 

Martinsville; village in Harrison County, Missouri, named for Zadoc Martin, a 
miller. 

Martinsville; town in Spartanburg County, South Carolina, named for the founder. 

Martinsville; town in Henry County, Virginia, named for Col. Joe Martin, original 
owner of the town site. 

Marvine; mountains in Colorado and Utah, named for the geologist, A. R. Marvine. 

Mary; bay in Yellowstone Lake, Yellowstone Park, named for Miss Mary Force. 

TULary; lake in Yellowstone Park, named for Miss Mary Clark. 

Maryland; one of the thirteen original States, named for Henrietta Maria, wife of 
Charles I, of England. 

Marysville; township and city in Yuba County, California, named for Mrs. Mary 
Covilland, one of the founders. 

Marysville; city in Marshall County, Kansas, named for the wife of Francis J Mar- 
shall, for whom the county was named. 

MtUTysville; town in Lewis and Clark County, Montana, named by Thomas Cruse 
for his mother. 

Marysville; village in Union County, Ohio, named for the daughter of the original 
proprietor. 

Mascoutah; city in St. Clair County, Illinois. An Indian word meaning "prairie," 
or ** grassy plain." 

Masg>eek-Hanna; stream in Pennsylvania; a Delaware Indian word meaning 
" stream flowing through swampy ground." 

Mashamoquet; stream in Connecticut. An Indian word meaning "near the great 
mountain," or, according to another authority, "at the great fishing place." 

{Mashapaug; village in Tolland County, Connecticut; 
Mashpee; town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts. From an Indian word, 
mashapaug, meaning either "standing water," or "great pond." 
Maskegon; river in Michigan. An Indian word meaning " swamp," or "bog." 
Mason; village in Effingham County, Illinois, named for Roswell B. Mason, chief 

engineer Illinois Central Railroad. 
Mason; county in Illinois, named from Mason County, Kentucky, the birthplace of 
many of the early settlers. 



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202 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Mason; river in northern Illinois, tributary to the Illinois River, named for 

William Mason, an eariy settler. 
Mason; bayou in Chicot County, Kansas, named for the eariy proprietor, the Mar- 
quis of Maison Rouge. 
Mason; county in Kentucky, named for George Mason, an intimate friend of George 

Washington. 
Mason; county in Michigan, named for Stevens T. Mason, the last Territorial gov- 
ernor and first State governor. 
Mason; town in Hillsboro County, New Hampshire, named for John Mason, the 

founder of the colony. . 
Mason; county in Texas, named for Captain Mason, United States Army. 
Mason; county in Washington, named for Charles H. Mason, the first State secretary. 
Mason; county in West Virginia, named for George Mason, governor of the State. 
Mason; creek in Yellowstone Park, named for Maj. Julius W. Mason, United 

States Army. 
Mason City; township and city in Mason County, Illinois, named from the county. 
Masonville; town in Delaware County, New York, named for Rev. John M. Mason, 

of New York. 
Massabesic; village in Hillsboro County, New Hampshire. An Indian word mean- 
ing ** place at a great river.*' 
Massac; county in Illinois and fort on the Ohio River, named for Monsieur Mas- 

siac, the French minister of marine during the French and Indian war. 
Mayfield; city in Graves County, Kentucky, named for John Mayfield, who lost his 

life by drowning in the creek near the city. 
Maynard; town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, named for the founder of the 

woolen mills in the town. 
Massachaug; pond in Rhode Island. An Indian word meaning ** place where 

rushes grow." 
Massachusetts; one of the thirteen original States. An Indian word meaning 

** near the great hills." 
Massapeag; village in New London County, Connecticut. An Indian word meaning 

"great water land." 
Massena; village in St. Lawrence County, New York, named for Andre Massena, a 

marshal of France. 
Massillon; city in Stark County, Ohio, named for Jean Baptiste Massillon, a cele- 
brated French divine. 
Masten; village in Kent County, Delaware, named for William Masten, an early 

settler. 
Masthope; town in Pike County, Pennsylvania. A corruption of the Delaware 

Indian mashapi meaning '* beads o^ glass." 
Matagoodus; tributary of the Penobscot River in Maine. An Indian word meaning 

" meadow ground." 
Matagorda; county, and village in same county, in Texas. A Spanish word meaning 

"thick brush." 
Matamoras; village in Pike County, Pennsylvapia. A Spanish word meaning 

"Moor slayer." 
Matanaucook; branch of the Penobscot River, in Maine. An Indian word meaning 

" place of bad lands." 
Matawan; town in Monmouth County, New Jersey. An Indian word to which 

various meanings are ascribed, among them "magician," "charmed skin," "it 

arrives in a lake." 
Mathews; county in Virginia, ngjwed for Gen. Thomas Mathews, an officer of the 

Revolution. 



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GANNETT] PLACE KAME8 IN THE UNITED ATATES. 203 

Matoaca; village in Chesterfield County, Virginia. The original name of the 

Indian princess, Pocahontas, for whom it is named. 
MattahiiTTikeag; lake in Maine. An Indian word meaning "sand creek pond." 
Mattapan; station in Boston, Massachusetts. An Indian word meaning "sitting- 
down place." 
Mattapoisett; town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts. An Indian word given 

various meanings, "at the great rivulet," "place of rest," "unfavorable for 

the passage or shelter of canoes." 
Mattaponi; river in Virginia. A corruption of the Indian form mattapamentf of 

unknown meaning. 
Mattawamkeag; river, and town in Penobscot County, Maine. An Indian word 

meaning "down a stream which empties into the main river." 
Matteawan; stream and village in Dutchess County, New York, which in early 

days was noted for its peltrie, hence the Indian name meaning "good fur," or 

"enchanted skin." 
Matthews; town in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, named for a prominent 

resident. 
Mattison; village in Cook County, IlUnois, named for George Joel Aldrich Mattison, 

governor of the State, 1853-1857. 
Mattituck; village in Suffolk County, New York. An Indian word meaning "place 

without wood," or " land not wooded." 
Mattoon; city in Coles County, Illinois, named for William Mattoon, a landowner. 
Mauclx Chunk; borough and river in Carbon County,* Pennsylvania. From the 

Indian, machky meaning "bear," and Uchunk^ "mountain." 
Maumee; village in Lucas County, Ohio. Another form of the tribal name Miami. 
Maurepas; lake in Louisiana, named for Frederic Phillipeaux, Count of Maurepas. 
Maurice; stream in New Jersey, named for the stadtholder of the United Dutch 

provinces, Maurice, Count of Nassau and Prince of Orange. 
Maury; county in Tennessee, named for Abram Maury. 
Maury; island in Washington, named for a naval officer. 
Mauston; city in Juneau County, Wisconsin, named for Gen. M. M. Maughs, former 

proprietor of the original village. 
Mauvaises Terras; tract on the White River, in North Dakota. A French name 

meaning "bad lands." 
Maverick; county in Texas named for Samuel A. Maverick, a prominent early 

settler. 
Maxatawny ; stream in Berks County, Pennsylvania. From a Delaware Indian word, 

machsU-hanna, meaning "bear*s path stream." 
Maxwell; town in Colusa County, California, named for its founder. 
May; cape on the southern extremity of New Jersey, named for Cornelius Jacobson 

May, a Dutch navigator of the West Indian Company. 
Mayaimi; lake in Florida. An Indian word meaning "very large water." 
Mayersville; town in Issaquena County, Mississippi, named for David Meyers, a 

large landowner. 
Mayesville; town in Sumter County, South Carolina, named for the Mayes family, 

prominent in the county. 
Mayodan; village in Rockingham County, North Carolina. A combination of the 

name of a prominent resident of Richmond, Virginia, and of the river Dan. 
Mays; creek in Michigan, named for Judge May. 

Mays Landing; town in Atlantic County, New Jersey, named for Cornelius Jacob- 
son May, a Dutch navigator of the West Indian Company. 
Maysville; city in Mason County, Kentucky, named for the original proprietor, 

John May. 
Maysville; village in Jones County, North Carolina, named for a prominent citizen. 



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204 1>LAC^ NAMt:S IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Mayville; villages in Tuscola County, Michigan, and Chautauqua County, New 

York, named for the month of May. 
Mayville; city in Dodge County, Wisconsin, named for "Uncle" May, an early 

settler. 
Mazon ; town in Grundy County, Illinois. An Indian name meaning * * weed , ' ' refer- 
ring to a species which grew along a stream near the town. 
Meade; peak in Idaho, county, and city in same county in Kansas, and county in 

South. Dakota, named fur Gen. George C. Meade. 
Meade; county in Kentucky, named for Capt. James Meade. 
Meadville; town in Franklin County, Mississippi, named for Cowles Meade, second 

secretary of the Territory. 
Meadville; city in Crawford County, Pennsylvania, named for Gen. David Mead, 

its founder. 
Meagher; county in Montana, named for Gen. Thomas Francis Meagher, a State 

official. 
Meander Creek; stream in the Mahoning Valley, Ohio, so named by the surveyor 

because of its wandering course. 
Meares; cape in Washington, named for the explorer, John Meares. 
Mebane; town in Alamance County, North Carolina, named for Gen. Alexander 

Mebane. 
Mecca; town in Trumbull County, Ohio, named for the capital of Arabia. 
Mechanicsburg; village in Champaign County, Ohio, so named because of the large 

percentage of mechanics in the population. 
Mecklenburg; counties in North Carolina and Virginia, named for the Queen of 

George III, Charlotte of Mecklenburg. 
Medary; town in Brookings County, South Dakota, named for Samuel Medary, 

governor of Kansas Territory. 
Medfield; town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts. A contraction of its original 

name of Meadowfield, given it on account of the beautiful meadows. 
Media; borough in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, so named because of its loca- 
tion in the center of the county. 
Mediapolis; town in Des Moines County, Iowa, so named because it is half w^ay 

between Burlington and Washington. 
Medina; county, and township and village in same county, in Ohio, named from the 

city in Arabia. 
Medina; county and river in Texas, named for a Mexican-Spaniard, P. Medina, an 

early settler. 
Medo; village in Blue Earth County, Minnesota. The Indian name for a root which 

in appearance and taste resembles the sweet potato. 
Medora; town in Billings County, North Dakota, named for the wife of the Marquis 

de Mores. 
Meeker; town in Clear Creek County, Colorado, named for N. C. Meeker, of the 

New York Tribune. 
Meeker; county in Minnesota, named for Bradley B. Meeker, associate justice of the 

supreme court, 1849-1853. 
Meherrin; river in Virginia. An Indian word meaning ** island," the name of a 

tribe of that region. 
Meigs; peak in Colorado, named for Gen. M. C. Meigs. 
Meigs; counties in Ohio and Tennessee, named for Col. Return J. Meigs. 
Melones; town in Calaveras County, California. A Spanish name meaning "elm- 

ons,'* descriptively applied. 
Melrose; city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, named by William Bogle, a 

resident, from the borough in Scotland. 
Melvern; (;ity in Osage County, Kansas, named from the Malvern Hills in England. 



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GANNETT] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 205 

ISCexualoose; island in the Columbia River, near The Dalles, Oregon, from a Chinook 

Indian word meaning "dead,** so named because it was an Indian burial place. 
Memphis; city in Scotland County, Missouri, named from the city in Egypt. 
Mempliis; city in Shelby County, Tennessee, so named because situated upon the 

river in a manner very similar to the city in Egypt. 
Mexuphremagrog; lake in Vermont. An Indian word said to mean "beautiful 

water," *Make of abundance." 
Menard; county in Illinois, named for Pierre Menard, first lieutenant-governor of 

the State. 
Menard; county in Texas, named for M. B. Menard, a prominent early settler. 
Menasha; city in Winnebago County, Wisconsin. An Indian word meaning 

** thorn," or "island." 
Mendliam; town in Mason County, New Jersey, named from the town in England. 
Mendocino; county, and cape in Humboldt County, in California, named for Don 

Antonia de Mendoza, the viceroy of Mexico. 
Mendon; township and village in Adams County, Illinois, named from Mendon, 

Massachusetts. 
Mendon; town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, named from the town of Mend- 
ham, England. 
Mendota; township and city in Lasalle County, Illinois. From an Indian word 

meaning the junction of two trails, and applied to the settlement on account of 

the crossing of two railroads. 
Mendota; village in Dakota County, Minnesota. An Indian word meaning "the 

mouth of a river." 
Mendoza; village in Caldwell County, Texas, named for Don Antonio de Mendoza, 

the viceroy of Mexico. 
Menifee; county in Kentucky, named for Richard H. Menifee. 
Mencken; town in Shawnee County, Kansas. An Indian word meaning "it grows 

well," "good growing place," "fortunate." 
Menominee; town in Jo Daviess County, Illinois, river, county, and city in same 

county in Michigan, and city in Dunn County, Wisconsin. The name of an 

Indian tribe, the word referring to the wild rice^which grew abundantly in those 

regions. 
Mentor; township and village in Lake County, Ohio, named for Mentor, the coun- 
selor of Telemachus. 
Mentz; town in Cayuga County, New York, named from the city in Germany. 
Mequon; river and township in Ozaukee County, Wisconsin. An Indian name 

meaning "ladle," and given to the river because of a bend in the river resembling 

a paddle. 
Meramec; river in Missouri. A corruption of the Indian name which signifies 

"catfish river." 
Merced; county, and city in same county in California. A Spanish word meaning 

"mercy." 
Mercer; counties in Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, 

and West Virginia, named for Gen. Hugh Mercer, of the Revolution. 
Mercer; county in North Dakota, named for William Henry Harrison Mercer, an 

early pioneer and ranchman. 
Mercersbiirg; borough in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, named for Gen. Hugh 

Mercer. 
Merchantville; borough in Camden County, New Jersey, named for the Merchant 

family. 
Meredith; town in Belknap County, New Hampshire, named for a British nobleman. 
Meredith; town in Delaware County, New York, named for Samuel Meredith, of 

Pennsylvania. 



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206 PLACE NAMES IN TH;E UNITED STATES. [bull. 258, 

Meredosia; town in Morgan County, Illinois. A French name, corrupted from 
marais d^osievy meaning ** willow marsh." Another authority gives mere, 
**lake," and cTOsea, the name of a French priest living in the vicinity. 

Meriwether; county in Georgia, named for David Meriwether, former member of 
Congress from Georgia 

Meroxu; town in Sullivan County, Indiana, named for the waters of Merom in 
Palestine. 

Merrill; city in Lincoln County, Wisconsin, named for S. S. Merrill of the Wisconsin 
Central Railroad Company. 

iMerrixnac; town in Essex County, Massachusetts, river in New Hampshire and 
Massachusetts, and village in Sauk County, Wisconsin; 
Merrimack; county, and town in Hillsboro County, in New Hampshire. From the 
Indian, meaning "sturgeon," or "swift water." 
Mesa; county in Colorado, from the Spanish "mesa," table, hence a table-land or 

plateau. 
Mesa Grande; township in San Diego County, California. A Spanish phrase mean- 
ing "great table-land." 
Mesa Inclinado; plateau in western Colorado. The name is Spanish and signifi- 
cant of the slope of the mesa. 
Meshoppen; stream in Pennsylvania. A Delaware Indian name meaning "glass 

beads," and given this stream because of the barter of trinkets made upon its 

banks. 
Mesick; town in Wexford County, Michigan, named for its first settler. 
Mesilla; towns in Butte County, California, and Dona Ana County, New Mexico. 

A Spanish word meaning " little table- land." 
Meskaskeeseehunk; branch of the Mattwamkeag River, Maine. An Indian word 

meaning "little spruce brook." 
Mesongo; stream in Maryland. An Indian word meaning "where we killed deer." 
Mesopotamia; township in Trumbull County, Ohio, situated between two rivers, 

and named from Mesopotamia in Asia, which lies between the Tigris and 

Euphrates; from the Greek, signifying literally "between the rivers." 
Mesquite; village in Dallas County, Texas. The Spanish name for a tree of the 

locust family. 
Metamora; village in Woodford County, Illinois, named for the Indian chief who 

was the hero of Edwin Forrest* s play. 
Metcalfe; county in Kentucky, named for Thomas Metcalfe, an early governor of 

the State. 
Metea; village in Cass County, Indiana, named for Pottawattomie, an Indian chief, 

or possibly from meda or meta, which means "prophet" or "priest." 
Methuen; town in Essex County, Massachusetts, probably named for Lord Paul 

Methuen by Governor Dummer. 
Metuchen; borough in Middlesex County, New Jersey, named for the chief of the 

Raritans. 
Metropolis; city in Massac County, Illinois. The name is expressive of the hope 

of the founders. 
Metz; township in Presque Isle County, Michigan, and nine other places bear the 

name of the town in Germany. 
Mexia; town in Limestone County, Texas, named from Mexico. 
Mexico; city in Audrain County, Missouri. Named from the country which is said 

to be derived from the Aztec word, MexUili^ the name of a tutelary divinity, but 

according to another authority meaning the "habitation of the god of war." 
Meyer; county in South Dakota, named for Fred Meyer, civil engineer and land 

surveyor. 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAME8 IN THE UNITED STATES. 207 

Meyersdale; borough in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, named for an early 
settler. 

Miami; river and city in Dade County, Florida; county in Indiana; town in Ottawa 
Reservation, Indian Territory; county in Kansas; city in Saline County, Mis- 
souri; and river and county in Ohio. The name of a noted Indian tribe; the 
meaning of the word is uncertain. 

Mianus; village and river in Fairfield County, Connecticut. A corruption of the 
name of the Indian chief MayannOy meaning **he who gathers together.'* 

Micanopy; town in Alachua County, Florida, named for a chief of the Seminole 
Indians, whose name signifies ** chief of chiefs.*' 

Michigumme; village in Marquette County, Michigan. An Indian word meaning 
"large lake." 

Michigan; State of the Union and one of the Great Lakes. An Indian word, said 
by some to mean ** big lake;" by others, ** place for catching fish." 

Middleboro; town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, so named because it was 
situated between the Pilgrim settlement at Plymouth and the village of the 
Indian sachem, Massasoit, near Bristol, Rhode Island. 

Middleburg; town in Vance County, North Carolina, so named because it is the 
middle point between two rivers. 

Middleburg; town in Loudoun County, Virginia, so named because of its location 
midway between Upperville, in Fauquier County , and Aldie, in Loudoun County. 

Middlebury; town in Addison County, Vermont, so named because it was the cen- 
tral of three towns surveyed simultaneously.' 

Middlefield; township in Geauga County, Ohio, named from its central location 
between Warren and Painesville. 

Middlegrrove; town in Monroe County, Missouri, so named because it is midway 
between the Big Muddy and Mississippi rivers. 

Middleport; village in Niagara County, New York, so named on account of its sit- 
uation on the canal halfway between Albion and Lockport. 

Middleport; village in Meigs County, Ohio, so named because of its location on the 
Ohio River, midway between Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, and Cincinnati. 

Middlesex; counties in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Jersey; town in 
Yates County, New York; township in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania; 
town in Washington County, Vermont; and county in Virginia; generally named 
from the county in England. 

Middleton; town in Essex County, Massachusetts. Incorporated in 1728, from 
parts of Salem, Topsfield, Boxford, and Andover, and said to have been so 
named because of its central location between those towns. 

Middletown; town in Newcastle County, Delaware, so named because of its loca- 
tion midway between Bunker Hill, Maryland, and Odessa. 

Middletown; city in Butler County, Ohio, situated midway between Cincinnati 
and Dayton; hence the name. 

Midland; county in Michigan, so named because of its situation in the east-central 
portion of the southern peninsula. 

Midland; county in Texas, named for its location midway between Fort Worth and 
El Paso. 

Midlothian; town in Chesterfield County, Virginia, named from the county in 
Scotland. 

{Mifflin; county in Pennsylvania; 
Mifflinburg; town in Union County, Pennsylvania. Named for General Mifflin, 
once governor of the State. 
^lam; county in Texas, named for Benjamin B. Milam, an early settler and distin- 
guished Indian fighter. 



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208 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bill. 258. 

Milan; town in Dutchess County, New York, and sixteen other towns and villages. 

The name is transferred from Milan in Italy. 
Milbum; town in Ballard County, Kentucky, named for William Milbum. 
Miles; city in Jackson County, Iowa, named for the man who laid it out. 
Milesburg; borough in Center County, Pennsylvania, named for its founder, Col. 

Samuel Miles. 
Miles City; city in Custer County, Montana, named for Gen. Nelson A. Miles. 
Milestown; station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, named for Col. Samuel Miles, 

a Revolutionary celebrity. 
Milford; towns in New Haven County, Connecticut, and Hillsboro County, New 

Hampshire, named from the town in England. 
Milford; town in Kent County, Delaware, so named because of the numerous mills 

in and near the town. 
Milford; town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, so named on account of the 

many mills erected upon Mill River. 
Milk; river in Montana, so named because of its whitish appearance. 
Mill; creek in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, so named because the first gristniih in 

northern Ohio was built upon its bank. 
Millard; county in Utah, named for Millard Fillmore. 

Millard; village in Douglas County, Nebraska, named for Ezra Millard, its founder. 
Millbank; city in Grant county, South Dakota, named for Jeremiah Millbank, a 

director of the Chicago, Milwaukee and Saint Paul Railroad. 
Millbury; town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, so named because the Black- 
stone River at this point is the site of many mills. 
Milledgeville; city in Georgia, named for John Milledge, an early governor of the 

State. 
Millelacs; lake and county in Minnesota. From the French, **mille lacs^^^ meaning 

** thousand lakes.'* 
Miller; county in Arkansas, named for James Miller, former governor of the State. 
Miller; county in Georgia, named for a distinguished citizen of the State, Andrew 

J. Miller. 
Miller; county in Missouri, named for John Miller, a former governor. 
Miller; village in Knox County, Nebraska, named for the first settler, Capt. J. M. 

Miller. 
Miller; township and city in Hand County, South Dakota, named for the founder, 

Henry Miller. 
Miller; creek in Yellowstone Park, named for an early pioneer. 
Millerplace; village in Suffolk County, New York, named for Andrew Miller, the 

son of an early pioneer of Easthampton. 
Millersburg'; town in Callaway County, Missouri, named for Thomas Miller, an 

early settler. 
Millersburg; village in Holmes County, Ohio, named for Charles Miller, its founder. 
Millersburg; borough in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, named for Daniel Miller, 

its founder. 
Millerstown; borough in Perry County, Pennsylvania, named for its founder, 

David Miller. 
Millorton; town in Dutchess County, New York, named from Samuel G. Miller, one 

of the contractors and builders of the extension of the New York and Harlem 

Railroad from Dover Plains to Chatham. 
Millinocket; lake on the Penobscot River, Maine. An Indian word meaning 

** place full of islands." 
Mill River; village in the town of New Marlboro, Berkshire County, Massachusetts, 

so named from a mill on the Konkapot River— Mill-on-the-River. 
Mills; county in Iowa, named for Major Mills, of the State. 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 209 

Mills; county in Texas, named for John S. Mills, prominent in law and politics of 
the State. 

Millsfield; town in Coos County, New Hampshire, named for Sir Thomas Mills. 

Millstone; borough in Somerset County, New Jersey, probably so named for the 
stone found there which is suitable for milling purposes. 

Milltown; borough in Middlesex County, New Jersey, so named because of the 
number of mills located there. 

Mile; township in Bureau County, Illinois, named from Milo, New York. 

Mile; towns in Piscataquis County, Maine, and Yates County, New York, named from 
the island of Milo, in the Grecian Archipelago. 

Milpitas; town in Santa Clara County, California. A Spanish word meaning 
** meadow." 

Milton; county in Georgia, named for Homer V. Milton. 

Milton; town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, so named because of the number of 
mills operating on the Neponset River at that point. 

Milton; town in Ulster County, New York; village in Caswell County, North Caro- 
lina; towns in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Chittenden County, Ver- 
mont, and Cabell County, West Virginia; named for John Milton, the poet. 

Miltonvale; city in Cloud County, Kansas, named for Milton Tootle, of St. Joseph, 
the former owner of the town site. 

Milwaukee; county, and city in same county, in Wisconsin; the name is said to 
have been derived from the Indian word miliokey which means **good earth" 
or "good country." 

Mimbres; river and mountains in New Mexico. A Spanish word meaning 
"willows." 

Minden; city in Kearney County, Nebraska, named from the city in Germany. 

Mine; river in Missouri. A contraction of the original French name, rivQre a la 
mine. 

Miner; county in South Dakota, named for Capt. Nelson Miner and Mr. Ephriam 
Miner, who were members of the legislature which created the county. 

{Mineral; counties in Colorado and West Virginia; 
Mineral Point; village in Washington County, Missouri, and city in Iowa County, 
Wisconsin. So named because of the abundance of ore in those regions. 
Mineral; township and village in Bureau County, Illinois, named from its location 

in the coal-producing region. 
Minersville; borough in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, so named because it is 

the center of the coal fields. 
Minerva; towns in Essex County, New York, and Stark County, Ohio, named for 

the goddess of wisdom. 
Mingro; village in Jefferson County, Ohio, and county in West Virginia, named for 

an Indian tribe; the name is said to signify " spring people." 
Mingro Run; creek in Randolph County, West Virginia, named for an encampment 

of Mingo Indians on its banks. 
Minier; village in Tazewell County, Illinois, named for G. W. Minier, its founder. 
Minisink; town in Orange County, New York. An Indian name meaning **at the 

Uttle island." 
Minneapolis; cities in Ottawa County, Kansas, and Hennepin County, Minnesota. 

A combination of the Indian word minniy ** water," and the Greek, polisy mean- 
ing **city." 
Minnehaha; falls in Hennepin County, Minnesota, and county in South Dakota. 

A Sioux Indian word meaning ** laughing water." 
Minneiska; stream and village in Wabasha County, Minnesota, Au Indian word 

meaning " clear water." 
Bull. 258-05 14 



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210 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Minnequa; village in Bradford County, Pennsylvania. An Indian word meaning 

"to drink." 
Minnesota; State of the Union, and a river tributary to the Mississippi. A Sioux 

Indian word meaning "cloudy water'' or "sky-tinted water." 
Minnetonka; lake in Minnesota. A Sioux Indian name signifying "big water." 
Minnewaukan; post village in Benson County, North Dakota. Sioux Indian word 

meaning "spirit water." 
Minnicotta; lake in Minnesota. An Indian word meaning "warm water." 
Minniwakan; lake in North Dakota. An Indian word meaning "spirit water." 
Minooka; village in Grundy County, Illinois. An Indian word meaning "maple 

forest" or "good earth." 
Minor; creek in Humboldt County, California, named for Isaac Minor. 
Minot; town in Androscoggin County, Maine, named for Judge Minot, a member of 

the general court. 
Minto; village in Marion County, Oregon, named for John Minto, an early pioneer. 
Minium; village in Madera County, California, named for Jonas Minturn, an old 

settler. 
Mirabile; town in Caldwell County, Missouri. A Latin word meaning " won- 
derful." 
Miraflores; town in Orange County, California. A Spanish name, translated as 

"behold the flowers." 
Miramar; town in San Diego County, California. A Spanish phrase meaning 

"behold the sea." 
Mishawaka; town in St. Joseph County, Indiana, probably named ^or the Indian 

chief, Mishiniwaka. The name means "swift water," or "red earth." 
Mispan; branch of the Delaware River. An Indian word meaning "raccoon." 
Missaukee; county in Michigan, probably named from the Indian tribe, Missis- 

saugay which means "people of the wide-mouth river." 
Missionary; ridge extending along the northeast border of Georgia, so called because 

a Presbyterian Church mission was established there at an early date. 
Missisquoi; river in Vermont. An Indian word meaning "big woman." 
Mississinewa; river in Indiana. An Indian word meaning "river of great stones.*' 
Mississippi; State of the Union, counties in Arkansas and Missouri, and the largest 

river in the United States. An Indian word meaning "great river," or "gath- 
ering in of all the waters," and "an almost endless river spread out." 
Missoula; county, city in same county, and river in Montana. The name is said to 

have the same meaning as Missouri, "muddy water." 
Missouri; State of the Union, and one of the largest rivers. An Indian tribal name 

said to mean "muddy water." 
Mitchell; town in Los Angeles County, California, named from the county in Texas. 
Mitchell; town in Eagle County, Colorado, named for George R. Mitchell, a noted 

resident of Gilpin County. 
Mitchell; county in Georgia, named for David Bradie Mitchell, governor of the 

State in early days. 
Mitchell; town in Lawrence County, Indiana, named for Gen. O. W. Mitchell, who 

located the Ohio and Mississippi Railroad. 
Mitchell; county, and town in same county, in Iowa, named for John Mitchell, the 

Irish patriot. 
Mitchell; county in Kansas, named for Gen. William D. Mitchell. 
Mitchell; county in North Carolina, named for Elisha Mitchell. 
Mitchell; town in Wheeler County, Oregon, named for Senator John H. Mitchell. 
Mitchell; county in Texas, named for the brothers A. and E. Mitchell, prominent 

Texans of early days. 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 211 

Mitchells; peak in North Carolina, named for Elisha Mitchell, who lost his life 
while making a survey of it. 

Mitchellville; town in Polk County, Iowa, named for Thomas Mitchell. 

Mitcliig>aini; lake in northern Wisconsin. An Indian word meaning "large lake." 

Mobeetie; town in Wheeler County, Texas. From a Comanche Indian word mean- 
ing "walnut.'* 

Moberly; city in Randolph County, Missouri, named for Col. William E. Moberly, 
of Brunswick. 

Mobile; county, city in same county, river, and bay in Alabama, named from 
Maubila, an ancient Indian town upon the river. 

Mobjack; bay in Maryland. The name is supposed to l)e a corruption of an Indian 
word. 

Moccasin; vill£^ in Efl&ngham County, Illinois. The Indian name for a shoe or 
covering for the foot. 

Mocksville; town in Davie County, North Carolina, named for the former owner of 
the land. 

Modena; villages in Stark County, Illinois, and Ulster County, New York, named 
from the city in Italy. 

Modesto; city in Stanislaus County, California. A Spanish word meaning ** mod- 
est." 

Modoc; county in California, and towns in Randolph County, Indiana, and Edge- 
field County, South Carolina, and nine other places, so called from the Modoc 
Indians of California. Their name in its original form signifies "southerners." 

Moffat; town in Saguache County, Colorado, named for D. H. Moffat, late president 
of the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad. 

Mogrollon; plateau in Arizona and range of mountains in New Mexico. A Spanish 
word meaning * * hanger-9n , " " parasite. ' ' 

Mohave; county in Arizona, desert below sea level in southeastern California, and 
town in Kem County, California, named from a tribe of Indians named 
Harnunkh'habif meaniilg "three hills." 

Mohawk; river, township, and village in Herkimer County, New York, named 
from the Mohawk tribe, the name signifying "eater of live meat," referring to a 
bear. 

Mohican; town and river in Ashland County, Ohio, named for the Indian tribe, 
the word meaning "wolf.'* 

Moira; town in Franklin County, New York, named for the Earl of Moira. 

Mokane; village in Callaway County, Missouri, on the Missouri, Kansas, and P^astern 
Railroad, the name being a combination of portions of these names. 

Mokeliunne; river in California. A corruption of the Indian Wakalumni, the name 
of a river. 

Mokena; village in Will County, Illinois. An Indian word meaning "turtle." 

Moline; township, and city in Rock Island County, Illinois, and many other places. 
A Spanish word, sometimes written molino, meaning "mill." 

Molunkus, river and plantation in Aroostock County, Maine. An Indian word 
meaning "short stretch of high land on a small stream." 

Monadnock; mountain in New Hampshire. From the Indian m^an, meaning "sur- 
passing," adn^ "mountain," and ock, "place" — place of the surpassing (unex- 
celled) mountain. 

Monagrhan; township in York County, Pennsylvania, named from the county in 
Ireland. 

Mondamin; town in Harrison County, Iowa. An Indian word meaning "corn." 

Monee; village in Will County, Illinois, named for the wife of an Indian trader, 
Joseph Bailes, the name being the Indian corruption of the English baptismal 
nam^ of Mary. 



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212 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [boll. 258. 

Monett; township and city in Barry County, Missouri, named for the general pas- 
senger agent of the New York Central Railroad. 

Monhegan; island in Lincoln County, Maine. An Indian word meaning ** grand 
island." 

Moniteau; county and creek in Missouri, so named by the Indians because of the 
painted figure of a man upon a rock in the vicinity, the word in their language 
meaning ** spirit" 

Monks Comer; town in Berkeley County, South Carolina, named for Thomas Monk, 
a prominent colonial settler. 

Monmouth; township and city in Warren County, Illinois, and town in Kennebec 
County, Maine, named from the Revolutionary battle of Monmouth, June 28, 
1778. 

Monmouth; county in New Jersey, nameil from Monmouthshire, England. 

Mono; county and lake in California. A Spanish word meaning ** monkey." 

Monocacy; river in Maryland, and creek in Pennsylvania. An Indian word 
meaning *' stream containing many large bends." 

Monona; county in Iowa. The name is of Indian origin, meaning unknown. 

Monongah; town in Marion County, West Virginia. An abbreviated combination 
of the names of Monongahela (^iver) and Monongalia (County). 

Monongahela; town in Washington County, Pennsylvania, and river in West Vir- 
ginia and Pennsylvania. A corruption of the Delaware Indian word vienaunge- 
hilla^ meaning ** river with the sliding banks." 

Monong'alia; county in West Virginia. A latinized form of the Indian word 
monongahelay meaning the ** falling in river bank." 

Monroe; counties in Alabama, Arkansas, and Florida; county, and city in Walton 
County, in Georgia; counties in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, and Kentucky; town in 
Waldo County, Maine; counties in Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, 
Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee; fort at Old Point Comfort, Virginia; counties 
in West Virginia and Wisconsin; peak of the White Mountains, New Hamp- 
shire; also many other cities, towns, and villages; named for President James 
Monroe. 

Monroe City; town in Knox County, Indiana, named for Monroe Alton, its founder. 

Monroeville; village in Salem County, New Jersey, named for S. T. Monroe, a 
minister of an early church. 

Monrovia; city in Los Angeles (^ounty, California, named for Maj. W. N. Monroe, 
one of the founders. 

Monrovia; village in Morgan County, Indiana, the name being a variation of the 
name of the township in which it is located. 

Monsey ; village in Rockland County, New York. A corruption of the Indian tribal 
name mirm, meaning **wolf." 

Monson; town in Hampden County, Massachusetts, named for John, the second 
Lord Monson. 

Montag^ue; town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, named for Capt. William 
Montague. 

Montag^ue; town in Lewis County, New York, named for the daughter of H. B. 
Pierrepont. 

Montag^ue; county in Texas, named for Daniel Montague. 

Montana; State of the Union. A Latin word meaning ** mountainous region," and 
applicable to this State on account of the nature of its topography. 

Montauk; headland at the extreme eastern point of Long Island, New York. A 
corruption of the Indian minnaivtawkily meaning ** island place," or **in the 
island country." By another authority said to mean **spirit" or "spirit tree." 

Montcalm; county in Michigan, nam^ for General Montcalm. 



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GANNETT.] PLACE kames in the united statea. 213 

Montclair; town in Essex County, New Jersey. A French name meaning ** clear 

mountain." 
Montebello; town in Los Angeles County, California. A Spanish phrase meaning 

* * beautiful mountain. * ' 
Monte Diablo; mountain in California. A Spanish name meaning ** mountain of 

the devil." 
Monterey; county, and city in the same County, in California, named for Count de 

Monterey, viceroy of Mexico. A Spanish name meaning "mountain of the 

king." 
Monterey; town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, named for the battle of the 

Mexican war. 
Montevideo; village in Chippewa County, Minnesota, meaning **I see the moun- 
tain," referring to the coteau. 
Monte Vista; town in Rio Grande County, Colorado. From the Spanish, meaning 

"mountain view." 
Montezuma; county, and town in Summit County, in Colorado, named for the 

Emperor of Mexico. . 
Montgomery; counties in Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Ken- 
tucky, Maryland, Mississippi, and Missouri; county, and village in Orange County, 

in New York; counties in North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia; 

and many cities and towns; named for Gen. Richard Montgomery, who was killed 

in the assault on Quebec. 
Montgomery; county in Alabama, named for Lieut. Lemuel P. Montgomery, of 

Montgomery, Alabama. 
Montgomery; town in Daviess County, Indiana, named for Valentine B. Montgom- 
ery, its founder. 
Montgomery; county in Tennessee, named for Col. John Montgomery. 
Montgomery; county in Texas, named for Gen. James Montgomery. 
Monticello; town in Jasper County, Georgia, township and city in Piatt County, 

Illinois, town in Lawrence County, Mississippi, village in Sullivan County, New 

York, and many other places; named from the home of President Jefferson in 

Albemarle County, Virginia. 
Montmorency; county in Michigan, named for Lord Montmorency. 
Montour; county, ridge, and borough in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, named 

for Madame Montour, an early French settler from Quebec. 
Montpelier; city in Washington County, Vermont, named from the city in France. 
Montrio; town in Sonoma County, California. From the Spanish, meaning ** river 

mountain." 
Montrose; county, and town in same county, in Colorado, named from Sir Walter 

Scott's legend of ** Montrose." 
Montrose; village in Genesee County, New York, named from the town in Scotland. 
Montrose; borough in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, named for Dr. Robert 

H. Rose. Another authority claims it was named from Montrose in Scotland. 
Monument; mountain in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, named from a conical 

pile of quartz stones on the southern slope. It is of Indian origin, but traditions 

regarding it vary, one being to the effect that the monument marks the grave of 

the first sachem who died in the region. 
Moodus; village in Middlesex County, Connecticut. A contnw^tion of the Indian 

machemoodust meaning "place of noises." 
Moody; county in South Dakota, named for Gideon G. Moody, United States Senator. 
Mooers; town and village in Clinton County, New York, named for Cien. Benjamin 

Mooers. 
Moore; county in North Carolina, named for Alfred Moore, an associate justice of 

the United States. 



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214 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNltEt) STATES. [bull. 258. 

Moore; county in Tennessee, named for Gen. William Moore, a prominent member 

of the general asnembly of the State. 
Moore; county in Texas, name<l for E. W. Moore, commodore of the Texas navy. 
Moorefield; town in Hardy County, West Virginia, named for Conrad Moore. 
Mooresville; town in Morgan County, Indiana, named for Samuel Moore, its 

founder. 
Mooresville; town in Livingston County, Missouri, named for its founder, W. B. 

Moore. 
Moorhead; city in Clay County, Minnesota, named for Gen. J. K. Moorhead, of 

Pittslmrg, Pennsylvania. 
Moorhead; town in Custi»r County, Montana, named for W. G. Moorehead of the 

Northern Pacific Railroad. 
Moosabec; light-house on the coast of Maine. An Indian word meaning "bald 

pond j)lace." 
Moose; river and plantation in Somerset County, Maine. A corruption of the Indian 

word moosiHt, **wo(m1 eaters." 
Moose; stream in Pennsylvania. Derived from the Indian word chinklacamoose, 

meaning "it almost joins," and applicable to this river because there is a horse- 
shoe bend in it where the extremities almost meet. 
Moosetookmeguntic; lake in Maine. An Indian word meaning "where the hunt- 
ers watch the m(H>se at night." 
Moosup; river and village in Windham County, Connecticut, named for the Indian 

sachem }f<tHsi<up. 
Mora; county in New Mexico. The Spanish name for raspberries. 
Moraga; town in (^ontra Costa County, California. A Spanish word meaning 

"bundle made by gleaners." 
Moran; city in Allen County, Kansas, named for Daniel Comyan Moran, a capitalist. 
Moran; mountain in the Teton Range, Wyoming, named for Thomas Moran, the 

artist. 
Moravia; town in Cayuga County, New York, named from the province in Austria. 
Moreau; river in Misvsouri. A French word signifying "extremely well." 
Moreau; town in Saratoga County, New York, named for Marshall Moreau, of 

France. 
Morehead; town in Rowan County, Kentucky, named for Gov. James T. Morehead. 
Morehead; town in (^arteret County, North Carolina, named for John M. Morehead, 

former governor of the State. 
Morehouse; parish in Louisiana, named for the man who obtained the grant from 

Baron Bastrop, 1764. 
Morehouse; town in Hamilton County, New York, named for the first settler. 
Morena; town in San Diego County, California. A Spanish word meaning "brown 

bread." 
Morenci; village in Lenawee County, Michigan. The name is contracted from Mont- 

morenci. 
Moreno; township in Riverside County, California. A Spanish word meaning 

"brownish" or "swarthy." 
Moresville; village in Delaware County, New York, named for the first settler. 
Morgan; counties in Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio, 

Tennessee, and West Virginia, named for Gen. Daniel Morgan, an oflScer in the 

Revolution. 
Morgan; county in Colorado, named for Col. Christopher A. Morgan, of the Colo- 
rado Volunteers. 
Morgan; county in Utah, named for J. Morgan Grant, one of the earliest settlers in 

the county. 



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GANNETT] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 215 

Morgan; town in Orleans County, Vermont, named for John Morgan, an original 
proprietor. 

iMorganfif'ld; city in Union County, Kentucky; 
Morganton; town in Burke County, North Carolina. Named for Gen. Daniel 
Morgan, an officer of the Revolution. 
Morgan Park; village in Cook County, Illinois, named for William M. Morgan, the 

first settler. 
Morgantown; town in Monongalia County, West Virginia, named for Gen. Zacquell 

Morgan, the original owner of the land. 
Morganville; city in Clay County, Kansas, named for its founder, Ebenezer Morgan. 
Moriah; peak of the White Mountains, New Hampshire, and township in Essex 

County, New York, named from the district in Palestine. 
Morocojo; town in Monterey County, California. From the Spanish, Moro, mean- 
ing ** Moor," and cojOj ** crippled." 
Morrill; city in Brown County, Kansas, named for Gov. E. N. Morrill. 
Morrill; town in Waldo County, Maine, named for Anson P. Morrill, former gover- 
nor of the State. 
Morrillton; city in Conway County, Arkansas, named for the early pioneers, E. J. 

and George H. Morrill. 
Morris; town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, named for James Morris, academy 

principal. 
Morris; township and city in Grundy County, UUnois, named for Isaac P. Morris, 

of Quincy, canal commissioner. 
Morris; county in Kansas, named for Thomas Morris, United States Senator from 

Ohio. 
Morris; township and village in Stevens County, Minnesota, named for Charles A. 

F. Morris, civil engineer. 
Morris; county in New Jersey, named for Lewis Morris. 
Morris; county in Texas, named for W. W. Morris. 
Morrison; town in Jefferson County, Colorado, named from the Morrison Stone and 

Lime Company. 
Morrison; city in Whiteside County, Illinois, named for Charles Morrison, of New 

York City! 
Morrison; bounty in Minnesota, named for William Morrison, an early Scotch fur 

trader, and the first white man to visit the sources of the Mississippi River. 
Morristown; a town in Morris County, New Jersey, named for Lewis Morris, an 

American statesman. 
Morristown; village in St. Lawrence County, New York, named for the principal 

proprietor. 
Morristown; town in Hamblen County, Tennessee, named for several brothers 

prominent in the affairs of the town. 
Morrisville; village in Madison County, New York, named for a family of early 

settlers. 
Morrisville; village in Wake County, North Coroiina, named for the owner of the 

land. 
Morrisville; borough in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, named for Robert Morris, 

the financier, who formerly resided there. 
Morro; town in San Luis()bi.«po County, California, named from a castellated island 

rock at the mouth of the bay. A Spanish word meaning ** castle." 
Morrow; county in Oregon, and town in Nez Perces County, Idaho, named for 

Gen. Henry A. Morrow. 
Morrow; county, and village in Warren County, in Ohio, named for Governor Jere- 
miah Motrow. 



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216 PLACE NAME8 IN THE UNITED 8TATE8. [bull. 258. 

Morton; township and village in Tazewell County, Illinois, named for Marcus Mor- 
ton, governor of Massachusetts, 1840-1843. 
Morton; counties in Kansas and North Dakota, named for Oliver P. Morton, United 

States Senator from Indiana. 
Morton; village in Scott County, Mississippi, given the maiden name of the wife of 

Col. E. W. Taylor. 
Morven; town in Anson County, North Carolina, named from the mountain in 

Scotland. 
Moscow; town in Somerset County, Maine, and twenty-five other places, named 

from the city in Russia. 
Moshannon; creek in Pennsylvania. A corruption of a Delaware Indian word 

meaning **elk creek.'* 
Mosinee; village in Marathon County, Wisconsin. Derived from the Indian word 

meaning "moose." 
Motley; county in Texas, named for Dr. William Motley, a signer of the Declaration 

of Independence. 
Moulton; town in Appanoose County, Iowa, named for an engineer on the Chicago, 

Burlington and Quincy Railroad. 
Moultonboro; town in Carroll County, New Hampshire, named for Col. Jonathan 

Moulton, one of the first settlers. 
Moultrie; county in Illinois, and fortification on Sullivan Island, in Charleston 

Harbor, South Carolina; 
Moultrieville; town in Charleston County, South Carolina. Named for Gen. 

William Moultrie, of Revolutionary fame. 
Mound; city in Linn County, ridge in McPherson County, and valley in Labette 

County, Kansas, so named on account of the topography of the country. 
Mound Bayou; town in Bolivar County, Mississippi, named for the Indian mounds 

on the bayou. 
Mound City; city in Pulaski County, Illinois, named from Indian mounds in the 

vicinity. 
Moundsville; city in Marshall County, West Virginia, so named because the largest 

mound of the mound builders is situated here. 
Mount Calvin; mountain in the Adirondacks in Essex County, New York, named 

for Verplanck Calvin, for several years superintendent of the Adirondack survey. 
Mount Carmel; city in Wabash County, Illinois, and seventeen other places, bear 

the name of the mountain in Palestine. 
Mount Carroll; township and city in Carroll County, Illinois, named for Charles 

Carroll, of Carrollton, Maryland. 
Mount Clemens; city in Macomb County, Michigan, named for Judge Christian 

Clemens, its founder. 
Mount Gilead; town in Montgomery County, North Carolina, named from a coun- 
try church. 
Mount Gilead; village in Morrow County, Ohio, named for the town in North 

Carolina. 
Mount Holly; town in Burlington County, New Jersey, named for an eminence 

covered with holly trees. 
Mount Hopkins; in the town of Williamstown, Berkshire County, Massachusetts, 

named for the Rev. Dr. Mark Hopkins, for many years president of Williams 

College. 
Mount Horeb; in the town of Tyringham, Berkshire County, Massachusetts, so 

called by the Shakers, who, in the eighteenth century, used the summit for 

religious observances, after the manner of Horeb in Arabia. 
Mount Morris; township and village in Ogle County, Illinois, named forT. A. Mor- 
ris, a bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, 1836-1874. 



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GANNETT] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 217 

Moimt Morris; town in Livingston County, New York, named for Mr. Thomas 

Morris, of Philadelphia. 
Mount Peter; knob of blue dolomite in the village of Great Barrington, Berkshire 

County, Massachusetts, named for Peter Ingersol, an early inhabitant, who 

owned it. 
Mount Pleasant; township and borough in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, 

so named because of its pleasing location. 
Mount Pulaski; township and city in Logan County, Illinois, named for the Revo- 
lutionary general. Count Pulaski, who was killed in the siege of Savannah in 

1779. 
Mount Race; one of the higher summits of the Taghkanic Mountains, in the town 

of Mount Washington, Berkshire County, Massachusetts. Named for William 

Race, a resident of the western slope of the mountain. 
Mount nigra; extreme southern point of the Taghkanic Mountains in Litchfield 

County, Connecticut, and town in Dutchess County, New York, named from 

Mount Rhigi in Switzerland. 
Mount Sterling; township and town in Brown County, Illinois, so named by the 

early settlers because they considered it a valuable location for a town. 
Mount Sterling; city in Montgomery County, Kentucky, named from the city in 

Scotland, and "mount" because of the numerous mounds in the vicinity. 
Mount Tom; town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, named for Rowland 

Thomas. 
Mount Vernon; residence of Gen. George Washington, on the Potomac River, Vir- 
ginia. Named in honor of Admiral Edward Vernon, of the British navy, by 

Lewis Washington, who willed the estate to his brother, George Washington. 
Mount Vernon; township and city in Jefferson County, Illinois, city in Lawrence 

County, Missouri, and many other places, named generally from the home of 

George Washington: 
Mount Weston; situated in the town of Dalton, Berkshire County, Massachusetts, 

and named for thie Hon. Byron Weston, a resident, and lieutenant-governor of 

the State. 
Movestar; stream in Illinois. A comiption of the French mauvaise terre, "bad 

land.'* 
Moweaqua; village in Shelby County, Illinois, named from the Indian, which is 

given the various meanings of ** weeping woman," "wolf woman," "woman of 

the wolf totem." 
Mower; county in Minnesota, named for J. E. Mower, a member of the Council. 
MuMenberg; county in Kentucky, named for Gen. J. P. G. Muhlenberg, an officer 

of the Revolutionary war. 
Muir; village in Ionia County, Michigan, named for W. K. Muir, superintendent of 

the Detroit and Mackinac Railway. 
MuUan; town in Shoshone County, Idaho, named for Lieut. John Mullan. 
Mullins; town in Marion County, South Carolina, named for the Mull in family, 

prominent in that country. 
Multnomah; county in Oregon. An Indian word, meaning "down river." 
Mulvane; city in Sumner County, Kansas, named for John R. Mulvane, of Topeka, 

Kansas. 
Muncie; village in Vermilion County, Illinois, and city in Delaware County, 

Indiana. The name of a subtribe of the Delaware Indians formerly residing in 

Central Indiana. It is said to refer to an "island." 
Muncy; town in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, a corruption of the Indian tribal 

name Minsi, meaning "wolf." 
Mundy ; township in Genesee County, Michigan, named for Edward Mundy, former 

lieutenant-governor of the State. 



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218 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATE8. [bull. 25S. 

Munfordville; town in Hart County, Kentucky, named for Richard I. Munford, a 

former proprietor. 
Munising; village in Alger C'ounty, Michigan. From an Indian word signifying 

**at the little island.** 
Munnsville; village in Madison County, New York, named for Asa Munn, the first 

storekeeper in the place. 
Munson; township in Geauga County, Ohio, named from the proprietor's residence 

in Monson, Massachusetts. 
Murder; creek in Genesee County, New York, so named because the body of a man 

who was supposed to have been murdered was found in the stream. 
Murfreesboro; city in Rutherford County, Tennessee, and town in Hertford County, 

North Carolina, named for Col. Hardy Murfree, an ofl&cer of the Revolution. 
Murphy; township in Calaveras County, California, named for the miner who dis- 
covered gold in the vicinity. 
Murphy; town in Cherokee County, North Dakota, named for A. D. Murphy, a 

judge of the superior court. 
Murphysboro; township, and city in Jackson County, in Illinois, named for William 

C. Murphy, one of the commissioners who located the county seat. 
Murray; county in Georgia, named for Thomas W. Murray, former member of the 

legislature. 
Murray; precinct in Shoshone County, Idaho, named for a miner who owned the 

land upon which the town is built, giving away many lots to encourage people 

to settle there. 
Murray; city in Callaway County, Kentucky, named for lion. John L. Murray, 

member of Congress. 
Murray; county in Minnesota, named for Hon. W. P. Murray, a member of the Ter- 
ritorial legislature, and pioneer of St. Paul. 
Murrayville; village in Morgan County, Illinois, named for its founder, Samuel 

Murray. 
Murrieta; town in Riverside County, California, named for a former proprietor of 

a large tract of land, J. Murrieta. 
Muscackituck; river in Indiana. An Indian word meaning "pond river,'* and so 

named because of the many stagnant ponds along its course. 
Muscatine; county, and city in same county, in Iowa, probably derived from the 

Indian and meaning "dweller in the prairie." 
Muscle Shoals; series of rapids in the Tennessee River in northern Alabama, so 

named because of the great number of mussels found there. 
Muscoda; village in (xrand County, Kansas. An Indian word meaning "prairie," 

or "grassy plain." 
Muscog'ee; county in Georgia and town in Creek Nation, Indian Territory, named 

for the tribes of Indians of the Creek confederacy. The name possibly means 

"swamp," or "open marshy land." 
Musconetcong; river in New Jersey. Indian word meaning "rapid stream." 
Muscotah; city in Atchison County, Kansas. An Indian word meaning "beauti- 
ful prairie," or "prairie of fire." 
Music; cliff in the Rocky Mountains, Arizona, so named by the expedition party of 

the Colorado because of the soughing of the wind about the cliffs. 
Muskeego; lake, river, and township in Waukesha County, Wisconsin. From an 

Ojibwa Indian word meaning "swamp." 
Muskegon; county, and city in same county, in Michigan. An Ojibwa Indian word 

meaning "swamp." 
Musketo; creek in Mahoning Valley, Ohio, so named by the surveyors on account 

of the overwhelming number of mus(iuitoes encountered there. 



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GANNETT] PLACE KAMES IK THE UNITED STATES. 219 

Muskingruin; river and county in Ohio. A Delaware Indian word meaning 
** moose-eye river," so called because of the number of moose and elk which 
inhabited the country. 

Musquacook; chain of lakes in Maine. An Indian word meaning "birch-bark 
place." 

Mustang; stream in Texas. A Spanish name for the wild horse, herds of wild 
horses having been abundant in Texas at an early date. 

Muttonville; village in Ontario County, New York, so named because of the estab- 
lishment of a tallow chandlery. 

Myerstown; village in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, named for its founder, Isaac 
Myers. 

Myrtle; village in Union County, Mississippi, so called because of the abundance of 
myrtle trees in the vicinity. 

Mystic; river and village in New London County, Connecticut, and river in Massa- 
chusetts. From the Indian mwsi, ** great," and tukj "tidal river;" hence, "the 
great river." 

Nacimiento; town in San Luis Obispo County, California. A Spanish word mean- 
ing "nativity." * 

Nacio; town in Contra Costa County, California. From the Spanish meaning 
"I am born." 

Nacogrdoches; county in Texas, named from the former inhabitante, a subtribe of 
the Caddo Indians. 

Nahant; town and watering place in Essex County, Massachusetts. An Indian 
word meaning "at the point," or "two things united," the latter translation 
applying to the two islands connected by a narrow beach. Johnson states that 
the name originated in Nahanton, the name of the Indian chief. Nason gives 
the origin from nahantOy meaning "twin islands." 

Nahma; town in Delta County, Michigan, on the Sturgeon River. The Indian 
name for sturgeon. 

Naiwa; tributary of the Mississippi. An Indian word meaning "copper snake 
river." 

Namekagron; lake in Wisconsin. Derived from the Indian nanma^ "sturgeon," 
signifying "place where sturgeons are plentiful." 

Nameless; town in Laurens County, Cieorgia. So named from the fact that in a 
list of several hundred names submitted to the post-office authorities not one 
was found satisfactory. 

Nameoki; town in Madison County, Illinois. An Indian word meaning "fishing 
place," or "place of fish." 

Nance; county in Nebraska, named for Albinus Nance. 

Nansemond; river and county in Virginia. Said to be derived from the Indian 
neunschimejidf "whence we fled,' or "whence we were driven off." 

Nantahala; rivers in Georgia, and Macon County, North Carolina. A corrupted 
Cherokee name, signifying "middle sun," "noon sun." 

Nanticoke; river in Delaware, town in Broome County, New York, and borough 
in Luzerne County and mountain in Pennsylvania, named from the Indian tribe. 
The word means "tide- water people." 

Nantucket; island and county in Massachusetts. This name appeared upon the 
maps in 1630 as Natocko, and some authorities state that it is derived from an 
Indian word meaning "far away;" others say that its present form is a direct 
derivation of the Indian nantucky which means that the sandy, sterile soil 
tempted no one. 

Napa; county, and city in same county, in California. Said to be an Indian word 
meaning "city," or "house." 



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220 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED 8TATE8. [bull. 258. 

Naperville; township and city in Dupage County, Illinois, named for Joseph Naper, 

its founder. 
Naples; towns in Scott County, Illinois, and Ontario County, New York, named 

from Naples in Italy. 
Napoleon; township and village in Henry County, in Ohio, named for Napoleon 

Bonaparte, the Corsican general. 
Naranjo; town in Tulare County, California. A Spanish word meaning "orange 

tree." 
Narka; city in Republican County, Kansas, named for the daughter of a railroad 

official. The name is of Indian derivation. 
Narragansett; summer resort in Washington County, Rhode Island. An Anglici- 

zation of the Indian name of a tribe, which in their language means ** people of 

the point.'* 
Nash; county in North Carolina, named for Gen. Francis Nash. 
Nashota; town in Waukesha County, Wisconsin. An Indian word which, in the 

Algonquin and Dakota languages, means, respectively, **the twins," or "kicks 

up smoke." 
Nashua; town in Chickasaw County, Iowa, named from the city in New Hampshire. 
Nashua; city in Hillsboro County, New Hampshire. An Indian word meaning 

"land between." 
Nashville; township and city in Washington County, Illinois, named from the city 

in Tennessee 
Nashville; village in Barry County, Michigan, named for E. W. Nash, who laid out 

the Michigan Central Railroad through the town. 
Nashville; town in Nash County, North Carolina, and several other towns, named 

for Gen. Francis Nash. 
Nashville; town in Holmes County, Ohio, probably named for Judge Simon Nash. 
Nashville; city in Davidson County, Tennessee, named for Abner Nash, atone time 

governor of North Carolina. According to another authority it was named for 

Gen. Francis Nash. 
Nassau; counties in Florida and New York, and several towns in different States, 

named from the Duchy of Nassau in Germany. 
Natchaug*; river in Connecticut. Derived from an Indian word meaning "land 

between," or "in the middle." 
Natick; town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. An Indian woixi meaning 

"place of hills." 
Natividad; town in Monterey County, California. The Spanish form of * * nativity. ' ' 
Natrona; county in Wyoming. Derived from the Spanish, natron , meaning "native 

carbonate of soda," and given this county because of the springs of this character 

within its limits. 
Naubuc; town in Hartford County, Connecticut. It is said to be a corruption of the 

Indian, upauk^ "flooded," or "overflowed." 
Naugatuck; river, and borough in New Haven County, in Connecticut. Authorities 

differ as to the meaning of its Indian origin, giving both "one tree" and "fork 

of the river." 
Nauvoo; city in Hancock County, Illinois, named in obedience to a "revelation" 

made to Joseph Smith, one of its Mormon founders. 
Navajo; county, and town in Apache County, in Arizona, named for the Indian tribe, 

who are said to have been so named by the Spaniards, the word meaning a kind 

of clasp knife, and as applied to the tribe signifying " knife- whetting people." 
Navarre; village in Stark County, Ohio, named from the province in Spain. 
Navarro; county in Texas, named for Jose Antonio Navarro, a Mexican by birth, 

but a prominent Texas citizen. 



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GANNETT.l PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 221 

Navesink; village in Monmouth County, New Jersey. An Indian word meaning 

**high land between waters." 
Navidad; village in Jackson County, Texas. A Spanish word meaning ** Christmas 

Day." 
Nayattpoint; village in Bristol County, Rhode Island. Probably a corruption of 

the Indian, nayaug, meaning "point" or ** comer." 
Nazareth; borough in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, settled by Moravians, 

and by them named from the town in Galilee of Palestine. 
Nebo; mountain in the Wasatch Range, Utah, and fourteen towns and villages, the 

name being transferred from the mount in Palestine. 
Nebraska; State of the Union, and river in Iowa and Missouri. A Sioux Indian 

word meaning "shallow water" or "broad water." 
Necedah; village in Juneau County, Wisconsin. A corruption of the Ojibwa Indian 

nimda, "let there be three of us." 
Needham; town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, named from the town in 

England. 
Needles; peaks of the Mojave Mountains in California, so named on account of 

their peculiarly sharp and slender outlines. Township in San Bernardino 

County, California. 
Neenah; town in Westmoreland County, Virginia, and city in Winnebago County, 

Wisconsin. The name is derived from an Indian word meaning " water." 
Neg^annee; city in Marquette County, Michigan. An Indian word meaning 

"first," "ahead," "he goes before;" an effort to translate the English word 

"pioneer." 
Neillsville; city in Clark County, Wisconsin, named for a family of early settlers. 
Neligh; city in Antelope County, Nebraska, named for Hon. John D. Neligh. 
Nelson; counties in Kentucky and Virginia, named for Thomas Nelson, governor 

of Virginia in 1781. 
Nelson; village in Nuckolls County, Nebraska, named for C. Nelson Wheeler, who 

owned the town site. 
Nelson; county in North Dakota, named for Hon. N. E. Nelson, a prominent pio- 
neer settler. 
Nelsonville; town in Putnam fJounty, New York, named for Elisha Nelson, who 

built the first house in the settlement. 
Nema; town in Santa Clara County, California. A Spanish word meaning "letter 

seal." 
Nemaha; counties in Kansas and Nebraska. An Indian word meaning "muddy 

water." 
Nennescali; river in Kansas. An Indian word meaning "good river." 
Neodesha; city in Wilson County, Kansas, at the junction of the Fall and Verdigris 

rivers, and for this reason given the Indian name which means "meeting of the 

waters." 
Neogra; village in Cumberland County, Illinois. An Indian word meaning "place 

of the Deity." 

Neosho; river and county in Kansas and city in Newton County, Missouri; 
Neosho Falls; city in Woodson County, Kansas. An Indian word meaning "clear 

cold water." 
Nepaug; small stream in Connecticut. An Indian word meaning "waters" or 

"fresh pond." 
Nephi; city in Juab County, Utah, named for the youngest son of Lehi, a character 

of the Book of Mormon. 
Neponset; township and villa^ in Bureau County, Illinois, named from Neponset, 

Massachusetts, 



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222 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Neponset; substation of Boston and river in eastern Massachusetts. An Indian 

word meaning **he walks in his sleep." 
Neptune City; borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, so named because of its 

location on the seaside. 
Nesbitt; town in De Soto County, Mississippi, named for early settlers. 
Nescopeck; creek and borough in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. A Delaware 

Indian word meaning "dark, deep, and still water.*' 
Neshaminy; stream in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. A Delaware Indian word 

meaning "stream formed by the confluence of two branches." 

iNeshannock; stream, and village in Mercer County, Pennsylvania; 
Neshannock Falls; village in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania. A Delaware 
Indian word meaning "two adjoining streams" or "streams making one by 
flowing together." 

Neshoba; county in Mississippi. An Indian word meaning **gray wolf." 

Nesowadnehunk; stream and mountains in Maine. An Indian name meaning 
"stream among the mountains." 

Nesquehoning:; stream and village in Carbon County, Pennsylvania. A Delaware 
Indian word meaning "black lick." 

Ness; county, and city in same county, in Kansas, named for Corpl. Noah V. Ness, 
of the Seventh Kansas Cavalry. 

Nesselroad; village in Jackson County, West Virginia, named for the first postmaster. 

Nettle Carrier; creek and village in Overton County, Tennessee, named for a Chero- 
kee Indian of local note. 

Nettleton; towns in I^e County, Mississippi, and Caldwell County, Missouri, 
named for a former vice-president of the Kansas City, Memphis and Birmingham 
Railroad. 

Nevada; State of the Union, counties in Arkansas and California, and mountains of 
the western coast. A Spanish word meaning "snow-clad," "snowy land," 
originally applied to the snow-capped mountains. 

Nevada; township and city in Story County, Iowa, so named by settlers from the 
State of Nevada. 

Neversink; river in New Jersey. A corruption of the Indian name, Navesink. 

New; village in Oconto County, Wisconsin, named for Hon. John C. New, of Indian- 
apolis, Indiana. 

New Albany; township and city in Floyd County, Indiana, named from Albany in 
New York. 

New Ahnaden; town in Santa Clara County, California, containing the most pro- 
ductive quicksilver mine in the United States. Named from the quicksilver 
mines of Almaden in Spain. A Spanish word meaning "mine" or "mineral." 

Newark; town in Newcastle County, Delaware, and cities in Essex County, New 
Jersey, and Licking County, Ohio, named from the town in England. 

Newark; village in Wayne County, New York, named by early settlers from the 
city in New Jersey. 

Newaygo; county, and village in same county, in Michigan, named for an Indian 
chief. The name is said to mean "nmch water." 

New Bedford; city in Bristol County, Massachusetts. The name of the owner of 
the town site was Russell, the family name of the Duke of Bedford. 

Newbem; city in Craven County, North Carolina, named from the town of Bern in 
Switzerland. 

Newberry; mountain in California, named for Captain Newberry. 

Newberry; village in Luce County, Michigan, named for John A. Newberry, stock- 
holder in the Detroit, Mackinac and Marquette Railroad. 

Newberry; township in Miami County, Ohio, probably named by a setUer from 
Newburyport, Massachusetts, 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 223 

Newberry; county, and town in same county, in South Carolina, said to have been 

named for a prominent resident family, or, according to another authority, for 

a captain in Sumter's State troops. 
New Boston; township and city in Mercer County, Illinois, named from the city 

in Massachusetts. 
New Braunfels; city in Comal County, Texas, named from the town in Prussia. 
New Bremen; village in Auglaize County, Ohio, named from the city in Germany. 
New Brigliton; borough in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, named from the city in 

England. 
New Brunswick; city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, incorporated in the time 

of and named for King George II, of the House of Brunswick. 
Newburg; city in Orange County, New York, named from the town in Scotland. 

i Newbury; town in Essex County, Massachusetts; 
Newburyport; city in Essex County, Massachusetts, originally a part of Newbury. 
Named from the town in England. 
Newcastle; county in Delaware, and twenty cities and towns in the United States, 

generally so called from the town in England or for the Duke of Newcastle. 
Newcastle; city in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, named from the city in 

England. 
New Comerstown; village in Tuscarawas County, Ohio. A translation of the name 

of the Delaware Indian chief NetawaweSy meaning **King Newcomer." 
New Egypt; village in Ocean County, New Jersey, named from Egypt in Africa 

because of the extensive com fields in the vicinity. 
Newfane; town in Windham County, Vermont, said to have been named for 

Thomas Fane, one of the ** men of Kent.*' 
New Florence; city in Montgomery County, Missouri, named for the daughter of 

E. A. Lewis, an early settler, and given the prefix to distinguish it from another 

town of the same name in the State. 
New Geneva; village in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, named from the principal 

city of Switzerland. 
New Guinea; neighborhood in the town of SheflSeld, Berkshire County, Massachu- 
setts, so named because of a settlement of several hundred negroes who escaped 

from bondage in New York State. 
New Hamburg; village in Scott County, Missouri, named from the city in Germany. 
New Hampshire; State of the Union, named from the county in England. 
New Hanover; county in North Carolina, named from the Duchy of Germany. 
New Harmony; town in Posey County, Indiana, settled by the *' Harmonists," and 

named for that sect. 
New Haven; county ^^and city in same county, in Connecticut, settled by parties 

from Boston, who called it a **new haven." 
New Haven; town in Addison County, Vermont, named from the city in Connecticut. 
New Iberia; town in Iberia Parish, Louisiana, given the ancient name of Spain. 
Newicarg^ut; river in Alaska. An Indian word meaning "frog river." 
New Jersey; State of the Union; originally a grant to Sir George Carteret, who 

named it for his home on the Isle of Jersey, off the coast of England. 
New Kent; county in Virginia, and island in Chesapeake Bay, named from the 

county in England. 
New Hartford; town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, settled by people from 

Hartford. 
New Lexingrton; village in Perry County, Ohio, named from the town in Massa- 
chusetts. 
New London; county, and city in same county, in Connecticut, and town in Stanly 

County, North Carolina, named from London in England. 



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224 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

New London; city in Waupaca County, Wisconsin, named from New London, 

Connecticut, by an early settler. 
New Madrid; county, and city in same county, in Missouri. The land was originally 

a grant to Gen. George Morgan from Spain, and was named by him from its 

principal city. 
Newmarket; town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, named from the city 

in England. 
New Marlboro; town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, named from the city in 

Middlesex County. 
New Mexico; Territory of the Union, named from the country of Mexico. 
Newman; city in Coweta County, Georgia; 

Newmanville; village in Alachua County, Florida. Named for Gen. Daniel New- 
man, an oflScer in the Seminole war. 
New Orleans; city in Orleans parish, Louisiana, named from the city in France. 
New Philadelphia; city in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, named by its founder, John 

Knisely, from the city in Pennsylvania. 
Newport; towns in Herkimer County, New York, and Carteret County, North 

Carolina, and county in Rhode Island, named from the city in Rhode Island. 
Newport; borough in Perry County, Pennsylvania, so named at the time of the 

opening of the Pennsylvania canal, as being a new port for shipping. 
Newport, city in Newport County, Rhode Island, so named by a party of settlers 

from Portsmouth, who called it a "new port." 
Newport News; city in Warwick County, Virginia, named for Capt. Christopher 

Newport and Captain (or Sir William) Newce. 
New Richmond; village in Clermont County, Ohio, named from the city in Virginia. 
New Richmond; city in St. Croix County, Wisconsin, named for Richmond Day, 

a founder. 
New Rochelle; city in Westchester County, New York, named from the city in 

France. 
Newry; towns in Troup County, Georgia, and Oxford County, Maine, township in 

Freeborn County, Minnesota, borough in Blair County, Pennsylvania, and town 

in Vernon County, Wisconsin, named either directly or indirectly from the town 

in Ireland. 
New Smyrna; town in Orange County, Florida, named from the native place of the 

wife of Dr. Andrew Tumbull, a colonist. 
Newton; county in Arkansas, named for Isaac Newton, who spoke in opposition to 

secession at the meeting in Little Rock, in 1861. 
Newton; county, and town in Baker County, in Georgia, city in Jasper County, 

Illinois, and counties in Indiana, Missouri, and Texas, named for Sergt. John 

Newton, of the Revolutionary war. 
Newton; city in Harvey County, Kansas, named from the city in Massachusetts. 
Newton; city in Middlesex Countv, Massachusetts, originally a part of Cambridge, 

and when separated called **new town," afterwards contracted to Newton. 
Newton; county in Mississippi, named for Sir Isaac Newton. 
NewUlm; city in Brown County, Minnesota, named by immigrants from their 

native city of Ulm, Germany. 
New York; State of the Union, and county in same State, named for the Duke of 

York, the original grantee. 
Nez Perce; county, and town, in same county, in Idaho, and river in YellowErtx>ne 

Park, named for a tribe of Indians, who were so called by the French settlers, 

the phrase meaning ** pierced nose." 
Niagrara; county in New York and river between Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. An 

Iroquois Indian word meaning ** across the neck," or **at the neck." 



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GANNBTT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 225 

Niag^ara Falls; city in Niagara County, New York, named from the celebrated ^lls 
on the Niagara River. 

Niantic; river, village, and bay in New London County in Connecticut. An Indian 
word meaning ** at the point of land on a tidal river." 

Nicholas; county in Kentucky, named for Col. George Nicholas, a Revolutionary 
officer. 

Nicholas; county in West Virginia, named for an early governor, W. C. Nicholas. 

Nicholas; village in Wasco County, Oregon, named for an early settler. 

Nicholasville; city in Jessamine County, Kentucky, named for Col. George Nich- 
olas, a Revolutionary officer. 

Nicholville; village in St. Lawrence County, New York, named for E. S. Nichols, 
an agent of the proprietor. 

Nickerson; city in Nickerson County, Kansas, named for Thomas Nickerson, an 
officer of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad. 

Nicollet; county, and village in same county, in Minnesota, named for Joseph Nicho- 
las Nicollet, a French explorer, and cartographer. 

Nicomanchee ; very dark stream in Washington. An Indian word meaning 

* * shadowy water. * * 

Niggrer Baby Hill; mining camp in Dolores County, Colorado, so named because 
of the large amount of black oxide of manganese found in the outcrop. 

Nilaks; mountain in Oregon. Derived from the Indian word, nUakshi meaning 
** daybreak." 

Ninety-six; town in Greenwood County, South Carolina, so named because it was 
96 miles from the Cherokee Indian trading town of Keowee. 

Ninevah; township in Johnson County, Indiana, and six other places, bear the 
name of the ancient capital of Assyria. 

Niobrara; river, and village in Knox County, in Nebraska. An Indian word mean- 
ing ** broad water," or ** running water." 

Nippenose; creek and valley in Pennsylvania. An Indian word meaning **like 
sunmier," or ••where cold does not penetrate." 

Nishnabotna; river in Iowa, and village in Atchison County, Missouri. An Indian 
word meaning "canoe-making river." 

Niskayuna; town in Schenectady County, New York. An Indian word meaning 

* * extensive com flats. * ' 

Nitro; town in Contra Costa County, California, named from the nitroglycerin 

works within its limits. 
Niwot; village in Boulder County, Colorado. The Indian name for Left Hand 

Creek. 
Noank; village in New London County, Connecticut. Derived from the Indian 

word, nayang, "point of land." 
Noble; county in Indiana, named for Noah Noble, an early governor. 
Noble; county in Ohio, named for James Noble, an early settler. 
Noble; county in Oklahoma, named for John Noble, at one time Secretary of the 

Interior. 
Nobles; county in Minnesota, named for Col. William H. Nobles, a member of the 

Minnesota Territorial legislature. 
Noblesboro; town in Lincoln County, Maine, named for James Noble, an early 

settler. 
Noblesville; city in Noble County, Indiana, named for Noah Noble, an early 

governor. 
Nockaxnixon; township and village in Bucks County, Pennsylvania; a Delaware 

Indian word meaning ** where tnere are three houses." 
Nodoway; county and river in Missouri. An Algonquian Indian word signifying 

"snai:es," and, figuratively, ** aliens" or "enemies." 
Bull. 258-05 15 

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226 PLACE NAME3 IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Nogales; town in Santa Cruz County, New Mexico. Derived from the Spanish 
word, nogcd, meaning ** common walnut tree." 

Nokomis; dty in Montgomery County, Illinois, named for the mother of Wenonah 
in Longfellow's ** Hiawatha,** the Ojibwa Indian word meaning "grandmother. ' 

Nolan; county in Texas, named for Philip Nolan, a trader and Indian fighter in the 
early days of Texas. 

NordhofT; town in Ventura County, California, named for Charles Nordhoff. 

Norfolk; county in Massachusetts, city in Madison County, Nebraska, and county, 
and town in same county, in Virginia, named from the county in England. 

Normal; town in McLean County, Illinois, so named because it is the seat of the 
State Normal School. 

Norman; county in Minnesota, named for Norman W. Kittson, a prominent 
pioneer. 

Normans Kill; stream in New York, named for Albert Andriessen Bradt de Nor- 
man, an early settler. 

Norridgewock; town in Somerset County, Maine. An Indian word meaning 
** place of deer,** or, according to another authority, *' smooth water between 
falls.** 

Norris; town within the corporate limits of Detroit, settled by and named for Col. 
P. W. Norria. 

Norris; mountain in Yellowstone Park, named for Philetus W. Norris, the second 
superintendent of the reserve. 

Norristown; borough in Montgomery Coimty, Pennsylvania, named for Isaac Nor- 
ris, who purchased the land from William Penn. 

North; town in Orangeburg County, South Carolina, named for John F. North, its 
founder. 

North Adams; city in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, named from its relation to 
Adams, of which it was originally a part. 

Northampton; town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, and counties in Penn- 
sylvania and Virginia, named from the county in England. 

Northampton; county in North Carolina, named for the Earl of Northampton. 

Northampton; township in Summit County, Ohio, named by Simon Prior, an early 
settler from Northampton, Massachusetts. 

North Anna; river in Virginia, named for Anne, Queen of England. 

North Bend; city in Dodge County, Nebraska, so called because it is situated in the 
north bend of the Platte River. 

North Bend; village in Hamilton County, Ohio, named from the bend in the Ohio 
River at that point. 

North Canaan; town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, named from its relation to 
Canaan, of which it originally formed a part. 

North Carolina; State of the Union, named for King Charles II of England. 

North Dansville; town in Livingston County, New York, named for Daniel P. 
Faulkner, an early settler. 

Northeast; town in Dutchess County, New York, so named because of its geographi- 
cal position in the county. 

Northfield; town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, so called because of its north- 
erly situation in the county. 

Northfield; city in Rice County, Minnesota, named for John W. North, who laid 
out the town. 

Northfield; township in Summit County, Ohio, named for its location in the 
county. 

Northford; village in New Haven County, Connecticut. The name is formed from 
North Branford and Walhng/ord, of which towns the village was originally a part 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 227 

North Hero; town in Grand Isle County, Vermont, named for one of the two 
islands which were called **Two Heroes** and granted to Ethan Allen, the 
intention being that they should be owned only by brave men warmly disposed 
toward the Revolution. 

North Manchester; town in Wabash County, Indiana, named from the city in 
England, with the prefix "north," to distinguish it from another Manchester 
in the State. 

Northport; characteristic name given to several places in the United States. 

Northumberland; towns in Coos County, New Hampshire, and Saratoga County, 
New York, county, and borough in same county in Pennsylvania, and county 
in Virginia, named from the county in England. 

North Vernon; township and town in Jennings County, Indiana, named from the 
town of Vernon in France. 

Northville; township and village in Wayne County, Michigan, named for its loca- 
tion in the northerly part of the oldest county in the State. 

North Webster; village in Kosciusko County, Indiana, named for Daniel Webster. 

Norton; county, and city in same county, in Kansas, named for Capt. Orloff Norton, 
of the Fifteenth Kansas Cavalry. 

Norton; town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, named from the town in England. 

Norton; township in Summit County, Ohio, named for Birdsey Norton, a principal 
land proprietor. 

Norton Sound; an inlet of Bering Sea on the coast of Alaska, named for Sir Fletcher 
Norton. 

Nortonville; city in Jefferson County, Kansas, named for L. Norton, jr., of the 
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad Company. 

Norwalk; city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, said to have been so named because, 
when purchased from the Indians, the northern boundary was to extend north- 
ward from the sea one day's walk, according to the Indian marking of the dis- 
tance. According to another authority it is derived from nayangf ** point of 
land." 

Norwalk; town in Warren County, Iowa, and city in Huron County, Ohio, named 
from Norwalk, Connecticut. 

Norway; township and city in Dickinson County, Michigan, so named by the early 
Norw^an settlers. 

Norway; towns in Herkimer County, New York, and Orangeburg County, South 
Carolina, named from the country in Europe. 

Norwich; city in New London County, Connecticut, and village in Chenango County, 
New York, named from the city in England. 

Norwich; village in Kingman County, Kansas, and town in Hampshire County, 
Massachusetts, named from Norwich, Connecticut. 

Norwood; town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, and twenty-two other places, 
being generally named from the town in England. 

Nottoway; river and county in Virginia, named for the Indian tribe, the word 
meaning ** snake" — ^that is, an enemy. 

Novato; village and township in Marin Coimty, California. A Spanish word 
meaning "new, ' ** commencing in anything." 

Novo- Arkhangelsk; seaport of Alaska, named from the city in Russia. 

Noxubee; county^ in Mississippi. An Indian word meaning ** stinking water." 

Nuckolls; county in Nebraska, named for an early settler.. 

Nueces; river and county in Texa«. Derived from the Spanish word nuez^ meaning 
"nut," pecan. 

Nuevo; town in San Diego County, California. A Spanish word meaning "new" 
or "modern." 



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228 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Niinda; village in McHenry County, Illinois, and town in Livingston County, New 
York, derived from the Indian word nundaOy meaning ** hilly," or, according 
to another authority, ** potato ground." 

Nyack; village in Rockland County, New York, originally writt^i Niack. An 
Indian word meaning ** comer" or '* point." 

Nye; county in Nevada, named for James W.Nye, the first governor of the Territory. 

Oahe; village in Hughes County, South Dakota. An Indian word meaning ** foun- 
dation." 

Oak; a prefix much used in combination with lodge, mont, park, point, ridge, sum- 
mit, ton, town, vale, and valley, and generally so given on account of the pre- 
ponderance of this species of tree. 

Oakham; town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, named from the town in 
England. 

Oakland; county in Michigan, so named from the prevalence of oak openings. 

Oakland; city in Burt County, Nebraska, named for the man who purchased the 
town site from the original settler. 

Oakley; city in Logan County, Kansas, named for Mrs. Eliza Oakley Gardner. 

Oakley; village in Saginaw County, Michigan, named for an early pioneer. 

Oatmans Flat; place in Arizona, so named because it was the scene of the massacre 
of Royce Oatman and his family by the Apaches. 

Oberlin; city in Decatur County, Kansas, named from the city in Ohio. 

Oberlin; village in Lorain County, Ohio, named for Jean Frederick Oberlin, a phi- 
lanthropist. 

Obion; county and river in Tennessee, named for Captain Obion, who was stationed 
at a French garrison in the vicinity. 

O'Brien; county in Iowa, named for the Irish patriot, William Smith O'Brien. 

Ocala; city in Marion County, Florida, named from the Indian village, the word 

meaning ** green," or *' fertile land." 
Ocean; county in New Jersey; 
Oceana; county in Michigan; 

Ocean City; village in Cape May County, New Jersey; 

Oceano; town in San Luis Obispo County, California. So named because of their 
location by or near the ocean or some large body of water. 

Oceanside; city in San Di^go County, California. The name is descriptive, sug- 
gested by the location. 

Ocean Springs; town in Jackson County, Mississippi. So named because of the 
numerous mineral springs in the vicinity. 

Ocheyedan; town in Osceola County, Iowa. An Indian word meaning ** place of 
mourning." 

Ochiltree; county in Texas, named for W. B. Ochiltree, a prominent politician of 
the State. 

Ochlockonee; river in Georgia and Florida. A Creek Indian word meaning "yel- 
low water." 

Ocklawaha; branch of the St. Johns River, Florida. A Seminole Indian word 
meaning ** muddy water." 

Oconee; river, county, and town in Washington County, in Georgia, village in Shelby 
County, Illinois, and county in South Carolina. An Indian word, the name of 
an ancient Creek town. 

O'Connor; town in Greeley County, Nebraska, named for Bishop O'Connor. 

Oconomowoc; city in Waukesha County, Wisconsin. An Indian word meaning 
**home of the beaver." 

Oconto; city in Custer County, Nebraska, and county, and city in same county, in 
Wisconsin. An Indian word meaning "red ground," or, in the Menominee 
dialect, " place of the pickerel." 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 229 

Ocopson; creek in Pennsylvania. An Indian name meaning ** brawling stream." 

Ocou; river in Tennessee. An Indian word meaning "cow." 

October; mountain in the town of Washington, Berkshire County, Massachusetts, 

whose forests are especially brilliantly colored in the autumn. 
Odanali; town in Ashland County, Wisconsin. An Indian word meaning "town" 

or "village." 
Odebolt; town in Sac County, Iowa. Corrupted from Odebeau, the name of a 

French trapper, who lived alone on the banks of the creek flowing through the 

town. 
Odell; township and village in Livingston County, Illinois, named for W. C. Odell, 

a prominent land owner. 
Odessa; town in Newcastle County, Delaware, named from Odessa in Russia. 
Odin; village in Marion County, Illinois, and township in Watonwan County, 

Minnesota. The name is one given to the Supreme Being by the ancient 

northern nations. 
O'Fallon; village in St. Clair County, Ilhnois, and town in St. Charles County, 

Missouri, named for Col. John O'Fallon, of St. Louis. 
Ofhitt; village in Anderson County, Tennessee, named for the owner of the land 

upon which the post-oflSce was built. 
Ogalalla; village in Keith County, Nebraska, named for a subtribe of the Sioux 

Indians. The word has some reference to "scattering." 
Ogden; township and village in Champaign County, Illinois, named for an influen- 
tial resident family. 
Ogden; city in Riley County, Kansas, named for Maj. E. A. Ogden, United States 

Army. 
Ogden; town in Monroe County, New York, named for William Ogden, the son-in- 
law of the proprietor. 
Ogden; city in Weber County, river, canyon, and yalley in Utah, named for an old 

mountaineer of the Hudson Bay Company, Peter Skeen Ogden. 
Ogdensburg; city in St. Lawrence County, New York, named for its original pro- 
prietor. 
{Ogema; town in Price County, Wisconsin; 
Ogemaw; county in Michigan. Derived from an Ojibwa Indian word meaning 
"great chief." 
Ogle; county, in Illinois, named for Capt. Joseph Ogle, an Indian fighter of the 

Ohio valley. 
Oglesby; town in Lasalle County, Illinois, named for Richard J. Oglesby, former 

governor of the State. 
Oglethorpe; county, and town in Macon County, in Georgia, named for Gen. James 

E. Oglethorpe, the founder of the colony of Georgia. 
Ogletcwn; village in Newcastle County, Delaware, named for Thomas Ogle, the 

the former owner of the land. 
Ogontz; river in Michigan. Possibly a derivation of the Indian word ogsiasibij 

meaning "little pickerel river." 
Ogontz; towns in Delta County, Michigan, Erie County, Ohio, and Montjjomery 

County, Pennsylvania, named for the Indian chief, Ogontz, who was a missionary 

among his own people. 
Ogreeta; village in Cherokee County, North Carolina. A manufactured word of no 

meaning. 
Ohio; State of the Union, river, and counties in Indiana, Kentucky, and West Vir- 
ginia. An Iroquois Indian word meaning "beautiful river." 
Ohio; township and village in Bureau CounLy, Illinois; so named by settlers from 

the State of Ohio. 



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230 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 268. 

Ohiopyle; falls on the Youghiogheny River, and town in Fayette County, Pennsyl- 
vania. An Indian word meaning "white froth upon the water.** 
Oil Center; town in Kern County, California. Named from its location in the 

petroleum-producing district. 
Ojai; town in Ventura County, and valley inclosed by mountains, in California. An 

Indian word meaning **ne8t.** 
Ojo Caliente; village in Taos County, New Mexico. Spanish words meaning 

* * spring ' ' and ^ * hot, * ' and given this place on account of its numerous hot springs. 
Okabena; lake in Minnesota. An Indian word meaning ** heron rookery.** 
Okahumka; town in Lake County, Florida. Derived from the Seminole Indian 

word, okihumkee, meaning '*bad water.** 
Okanogan; county, river, and lake in Washington. An Indian word and tribal 

name, signifying ** rendezvous,'* and so applied first to the river on account of 

the assembUng of Indians to lay in supplies of fish and game. 
Okauchee; town in Waukesha County, Wisconsin. An Indian word meaning 

"very long.** 
Okawvillee; township and village in Washington County, Illinois. From an Indian 

word, kaugy meaning ** porcupine.** 
Okechobee; lake in southern Florida. A Seminole Indian word meaning "large 

water." 
Okee; town in Columbia County, Wisconsin. An Indian word meaning "evil 

spirit,'* or if from aukcy "earth,** or "place.** 
Oketo; city in Marshall County, Kansas, named for an Indian chief, Arkatetah, the 

same being shortened by the settlers. 
Oklahoma; Territory of the Union, and county, and city in same county, in said 

Territory. A Choctaw Indian word meaning " red people.** 
Oklokonee; river in Georgia. A Creek Indian word meaning "yellow water.** 
Okmulgee; river in Georgia. A Creek Indian word meaning "boiling water.** 
Okolona; town in Chickasaw County, Mississippi. An Indian word meaning "much 

bent." 
Okomi; river in Georgia. An Indian word meaning "great water.** 
Oktibbeha; county in Mississippi. An Indian word meaning "ice there in creek,** 

or, according to another authority, "bloody water,** because of the battles 

fought there between Chickasaws and Choctaws. 
Olathe; city in Johnson County, Kansas. An Indian word of the Shawnee dialect 

meaning "beautiful." 
Oldham; county in Kentucky, named for Col. William Oldham, a Revolutionary 

officer who settled in Kentucky in 1779. 
Oldham; county in Texas, named for Williamson S. Oldham, a prominent lawyer 

and politician after the annexation. 
Old Orchard Beach; town and beach in York County, Maine, so named because of 

the extensive orchard set out by its first settler. 
Old Point Comfort; town in Elizabeth City County, Virginia, so named by Capt. 

Christopher Newport, because he found it a safe haven after a severe storm; the 

"Old*' added to distinguish it from New Point Comfort, a few miles away. 
Oldtown; city in Penobscot County, Maine, so named because it has been a town 

site from aboriginal times. 
Olean; city, town, and creek in Cattaraugus County, New York; the name is given 

with reference to the oil springs in the region. 
Oleona; village in Potter County, Pennsylvania, colonized by the violinist Ole Bull 

and taking its name from the first part of his. 
Olimpo; town in Glenn County, California. A Spanish term meaning "heaven** 

or "high up.** 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES tK THE UNITEf> STATES. 2^1 

Oliver; county in North Dakota, named for Hon. H. S. Oliver. 

Oliveras, town in San Luis Obispo County, California. A Spanish name meaning 

** olive trees,** and applied descriptively. 
Olmstead; township in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, named for Charles H. Olmstead. 
Olmsted; county in Minnesota, named for Hon. David Olmstead, mayor of St. Paul 

in 1854. 
Olney; township and city in Richland County, Illinois, named for Nathan Olney of 

Lawrenceville. 
Olney; substation in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, named from the town in England. 
OlneyviUe; substation in Providence, Providence County, Rhode Island, nailed 

for Christopher Olney, a prominent citizen. 
Olokikana; lake in Florida. An Indian word meaning '^ spotted lake,** so named 

because dotted with green islands. 
Olyphant; borough in Lackawanna County, Penny Ivania, named for George Tal- 
bot Olyphant. 
Olympia; city in Thurston County, Washington, named from the ancient mountain 

of Greece. 
OmaJia; township and village in Grallatin County, Illinois, named from Omaha, 

Nebraska. 
Omalia; city in Douglas County, Nebraska. An Indian word meaning ** upstream,** 

also the name of a tribe designated as "upstream people.'* 
Omar; village in Jefferson County, New York, named for a character in one of 

Johnson's allegories. 
Onancock; town and bay in Accomac County, Virginia. An Indian name said to 

mean * * foggy place. * * 
Onargra; township and village in Iroquois County, Illinois. Probably an Indian 

word meaning "place of rocky hills.** 
Onawa; township and town in Monona County, Iowa. An Indian word meaning 

"wideawake.** 
O'Neals; village in Madera County, California, named for Charles 0*Neal, an early 

settler. 
Oneco; village in Windham County, Connecticut, named for the son of Uncas, the 

Mohegan sachem. 
Oneida; county in Idaho, city in Knox County, Illinois, county and lake in New 

York, and county in Wisconsin; 
Oneida Oastle; village in Oneida County, New York. Named for one of the tribes 

of the Six Nations, the word meaning "granite people** or "people of the 

stone.*' 
O'Neil; city in Holt County, Nebraska, named for Gen. John 0*Neil, an early 

settler. 
Onekama; village in Manistee County, Michigan. An Indian word meaning 

"portage.** 
Oneonta; town in Otsego County, New York. An Indian word meaning "place of 

rest.** 
Ong; village in Burlington County, New Jersey, named for an early settler. 
Onida; town in Sully County, South Dakota. An Indian word meaning "hunted," 

or "looked for.** 
Onion; creek in North Dakota, so named on account of the quantities of wild onions 

growing on its banks. 
Onondagra; county, and town in same county, and lake in New York, named from 

the Indian tribe, the word meaning " people of the hills." 
Onslow; county in North Carolina, named for Arthur Onslow, speaker in the British 

House of Commons. 



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232 PLkct Names In th^ United Mates. tBULL.25d. 

Ontario; one of the Great Lakes, county, and town in Wayne County, New York, 
village in Vernon County, Wisconsin, and ten other towns and villages. An 
Indian word, said to mean "beautiful lake,** or "beautiful prospect of rocks, 
hills, and water." Another authority gives " village on the mountain." 

Onteora; village in the Catskills in Ulster County, New York. An Indian word 
meaning "hills of the sky." 

Ontonagon; county, and river in Michigan. An Ojibwa Indian word meaning 
" fishing place," or, according to another authority, so named because an Indian 
maiden lost a dish in the stream and exclaimed ** nindonogany** which in her 
dialect meant "away goes my dish." 

Oostananla; river in Georgia, from a Cherokee Indian name signifying a rock ledge 
across a stream. 

Opelika; city in Lee County, Alabama. An Indian word meaning "great swamp." 

Opelousas; town in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, named from a tribe of Indians, 
the name signifying "black head," or "black moccasins." 

Opequan; stream in Virginia. Derived from an Indian word meaning "froth- 
white stream," or perhaps from another, meaning " rain- worn stream." 

Oquawka; village in Henderson County, Illinois, so named from the yellowish 
appearance of the river banks. From an Indian word meaning " yellow." 

Orange; counties in California and Florida, so named on account of the large orange 
groves. 

Orange; town in New Haven County, Connecticut, city in Essex County, New Jersey, 
counties in New York and North Carolina, and counties, and towns in same 
counties in Vermont and Virginia, named for William IV, Prince of Orange. 

Orange; county in Indiana, named from the county in North Carolina, the home of 
its settlers. 

Orange; county, and city in same county, in Texas, so named because of the luxuri- 
ant wild orange trees growing in the swamp of the Sabine River. 
{Orangeburg; county, and town in same county in South Carolina; 
Orange City; town in Sioux County, Iowa, the center of a large settlement of Hol- 
landers. Named for William IV, Prince of Orange. 

Orbisonia; borough in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania, named for William 
Orbison, an early settler. 

Orchard; village in Morgan County, Colorado; so named from Fremont's encamp- 
ment in an orchard of cotton woods while reconnoitering. 

Orchard; village in Antelope County, Nebraska, so named because of the presence 
of a large orchard of apple trees. 

Ord; city in Valley County, Nebraska, named for Gen. E. O. C. Ord. 

Ordway; town in Otero County, Colorado, named for George N. Ord way, of the 
Denver board of supervisors. 

Oreana; village in HumboldtCounty, Nevada. A latin word meaning "town of gold." 

Oregon; State of the Union, and county in Missouri. The name said to have been 
derived from origanum^ a species of wild page found along the coast in the State; 
but another authority states that it is derived from the Spanish Oregcnes, which 
name was given the Indian tribes inhabiting that region by a Jesuit priest, the 
word meaning "big-eared men." 

Oregon; township and city in Ogle County, Illinois, named from the State. 

Orejas Del Oso; mountain in Utah. A Spanish phrase meaning "bear*s ears." 

Organ; mountains in New Mexico, so called because of their resemblance to the 
pipes of an organ. 

Orion; village in Oakland County, Michigan, named from the constellation. 

{Oriskany; creek,'Und village in Oneida County, in New York; 
Oriskany Falls^ village in Oneida County, New York. An Indian word meaning 
"place of nettles." 



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OANNETT.l PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 233 

Orland; town in Glenn County, California, named from the town in Maine. 
Orland; town in Hancock County, Maine, said to have been so named by the first 

settler because of the finding of an oar upon the shore. 
Orlando; city in Orange County, Florida. A Spanish word meaning **seat of 

justice." 
Orleans; parish in Louisiana, township, and city in Harlan County, Nebraska, and 

counties in New York and Virginia, named from the city in France. 
Orleans; town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, named in 1797 for the Duke of 

Orleans, alias Citizen Equality, popular for his democratic principles. 
Ormsby; county in Nevada, named for Major Ormsby. 
Omeville; town in Piscataquis County, New York, named for the Hon. Henry 

Ome, of Boston. 
Ore Chine; town in Mariposa County, California, so named because of the Chinese 

employed in the gold placer mines. From the Spanish oro^ meaning **gold,** 

and c/iiwo, ** Chinese." 
Orofino; town in Siskiyou County, California, and town in Shoshone County, and 

creek in Idaho, so named by the Spanish because of their gold mines. 
Oroville; town in Butte County, California, so named by the early miners because 

of the gold mines. 
Orphans Island; island in Penobscot County, Maine, so named because it was an 

orphan's share of an estate of the Waldo Patent. 
Orrick; town in Ray County, Missouri, named for John C. Orrick, of St. Louis. 
Orringrton; town in Penobscot County, Maine, the name being a misspelling of the 

original name of "Orangetown.'* 
Ortegra; town in Santa Barbara County, California. A Spanish word meaning 

"grouse." 
Orville; town in Hamilton County, Nebraska, named for Orville Westcott, a resident. 
Orwigsburg; borough in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, named for Peter Orwig, 

its founder. 
Osagre; township and city in Mitchell County, Iowa, named for Orrin Osage, bene- 
factor of the town. 
Osage; counties in Kansas and Missouri, Indian reservation in Oklahoma, and 

many towns, cities, and rivers in the United States. Named from the Wamshi 

(French, Onamge) or Osage Indians. The meaning of the word is unknown. 
Osakis; village in Douglas County, Minnesota. An Indian word meaning "yellow 

earth." 
Osawatomie; city in Miami County, Kansas, a combination of the names of the two 

rivers at whose junction the town is situated — Osage and Pottawattomie. 
Osborne; county, and city in same county, in Kansas, named for Vincent B. Osborne, 

of the Second Kansas Cavalry. 
Osceola; town in Mississippi County, Arkansas; counties in Florida, Iowa, and 

Michigan; city in St. Clair County, Missouri; village in Polk County, Nebraska; 

mountain in New Hampshire; towns in Lewis County, New York, and Tioga 

County, Pennsylvania, and village in Polk County , Wisconsin ; also many other 

cities and towns, named either directly or indirectly for the Seminole Indian 

chief. The name refers to a medicine drink used by the tribe in certain cere- 
monies. 
Oscoda; county, and village in Iosco County, in Michigan. An Indian word, said 

by some to mean "fire," by others, "strong prairie." 
Oshawa; village in Nicollet County, Minnesota. An Indian word meaning "ferry 

him over," or "across the river." 
Oskaloosa; cities in Mahaska County, Iowa, and Jefferson County, Kansas, named 

for the wife of the Indian chief Mahaska. 



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234 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 25S. 

Oshkosh; city in Winnebago County, Wisconsin, named for an Indian chief; the 
name is said to mean *'nail," "claw," or "homy part of the foot of beasts." 

Oso; mountain in Colorado. A Spanish word meaning "bear." 

Ossineke; village in Alpena County, Michigan. An Indian word meaning "stony 
land, " or " place of a stone. * ' 

Ossining; town in Westchester County, New York; the name is said to have been 
derived from that of the Indian tribe Sintmnk or Singsingj "stone upon stone," 
or from osirmngy "place of stones." 

OsBipee; river in Maine. An Indian word meaning "pine river," or "stony river." 

Oswegratchie; river in New York. An Indian word meaning "coming around a 
hill." 

Oswego; village in Kendall County, Illinois, city in Labette County, Kansas, and 
county, city, and town in same county, and river in New York. Derived from 
the Indian ori ti ahan toqy£, meaning "where the valley widens" or "flowing 
out." 

Osweya; creek in McKean County, Pennsylvania. An Indian word meaning 
"place of flies." 

Otay; town in San Diego County, California. Named from an Indian rancheria. 

Otero; county in Colorado, named for Miguel Otero, of a prominent Mexican family. 

Otero; county in New Mexico, named for governor M. A. Otero. 

Otis; town in Hancock County, Maine, named for James Otis, an early proprietor. 

Otis; town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, named for Harrison Gray Otis. 

Otisfield; town in Cumberland County, Maine, named for James Otis, an early pro- 
prietor. 

Otisville; village in Genesee County, Michigan, named for Byron Otis, an early 
settler. 

Otisville; village in Orange County, New York, named for Isaac Otis, its first settler. 

Otoe; county in Nebraska, named for the Indian tribe. 

Otsego; county, village, and township in Allegan County, Michigan; county, town, 
and lake in same county in New York; village in Muskingum County, Ohio, and 
town in Columbia County, Wisconsin. An Indian word meaning "welcome 
water," or "place where meetings are held." 

Otselic; town in Chenango County, and creek in Madison County, New York. An 
Indian word meaning "plum creek." 

Otsquagro; creek in Montgomery County, New York. An Indian word signifying 
"under the bridge." 

Ottawa; city in Lasalle Coimty, Illinois; reservation in Indian Territory; county, 
and city in Franklin County, Kansas; county in Michigan; village in Lesueur 
County, Minnesota; county in Ohio, and several other places, named for the 
Indian tribe. 

Otter; creek in Missouri. The present name is a translation of the original French 
name of ^Hovirey 

Otter Lake; village in Lapeer County, Michigan, so named because of the abun- 
dance of otter in the adjacent lakes. 
Otter Tail; lake in Ottertail County, Minnesota; 

Ottertail; county, and town in same county in Minnesota. A translation of the 
Ojibwa name of the lake, referring to the form of a long and narrow sand bar 
which separates the lake from the last mile of the inflowing Otter Tail River. 

Otto; town in Cattaraugus County, New York, named for Jacob S. Otto, of the Hol- 
land Land Company. 

Ottumwa; city in Wapello County, Iowa. An Indian word said to mean "place 
of the lone chief," but more probably meaning "rapids," or "tumbling 
water." 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 235 

Ouachita; county and river in Arkansas and parish in Louisiana, named for a now 

extinct Indian tribe. 
Ouray; county, city in same county, and mountain in Colorado, named for a friendly 

chief of the Ute Indians. The Ute Indian corruption of ** Willie." 
Outagamie; county in Wisconsin, named for the Outagamies, or **Fox" Indians. 

By another authority said to mean ** those who live on the opposite side.** 
Overton; county in Tennessee, named for Judge John Overton. 
Ovid; township and village in Clinton County, Michigan, named from the town in 

New York. 
Ovid; town in Seneca County, New York, named for the Roman poet. 
Owasco; lake, town, and creek in Cayuga County, New York. An Indian word 

meaning ** bridge, "xir '4ake of the floating bridge." 
Owassa; town in Haroin County, Iowa, derived from otoasse, the Indian word for 

"bear." 
Owatonna; river, and city in Steele County, in Minnesota, An Indian word mean- 
ing * * straight river. * * 
{Owen; counties in Indian and Kentucky; 
Owensboro; city in Daviess County, Kentucky. Named for Col. Abraham Owen, 
of Kentucky, killed at Tippecanoe. 
Owensburg; village in Greene County, Indiana, named for its founder. 
Owenyo; station in Inyo County, California. A compound of Owen and Inyo, from 

its situation near Owens Lake. 
Owingsville; city in Bath County, Kentucky, named for Col. T. D. Owings. 
Owobopta; tributary of the Minnesota river. An Indian word meaning "where 

they dig roots." 
Owosso; city in Shiawassee County, Michigan, named for the principal chief of the 

Chippewas in that country, the word meaning " he is afar off," 
Owsley; county in Kentucky, named for Judge William Owsley, a former governor. 
Oxbow; village in Jefferson County, New York, on the Oswegatchie River, so named 

because of a bend in the river at this point in the form of an ox bow. 
Oxford; town in Calhoun County, Alabama, named from the city in England. 
Oxford; county, and town in same county, in Maine; town in Worcester County, 

Massachusetts; town in Chenango County, New York; township and village in 

Butler County, Ohio; and borough in Chester County, Pennsylvania; named 

from the university in England. 
Oxford; city in Lafayette County, Mississippi, so named from the university city in 

England because it is the location of the State University. 
Oxford Church; substation in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, named from the cathe- 
dral of Oxford, England. 
Oyster Bay; town in Nassau County, New York, so named because of the abundance 

of oysters found in the bay. 
Ozan; town and stream in Hempstead County, Arkansas. A corruption of the 

French, prairie (Tdne, ** prairie of the donkey." 
Ozark; group of hills principally in Arkansas and Mississippi; village in Dale County, 

Alabama, county and city in Christian County, Missouri, and several other places. 

The aux arcs were said to refer to the bends in the White River, and applied to 

the Ozark Mountains, through which the river pursues a wandering course; in 

other words, the mountains at the bends of the river. 
Ozaukee; county in Wisconsin. An Indian word meaning "yellow clay." The 

proper name of the Sauk Indians. 
Pacheco; town in Contra Costa County, California, named for an early Spanish 

settler. 
Pachuta; town in Clarke County, Mississippi. A Choctaw Indian word meaning 

"possum creek." 



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236 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Pacific; ocean, the largest division of water on the globe, so named by Magellan, its 

discoverer, because of the fair weather encountered there after experiencing heavy 

gales in the straits. 
Pacific; city in Franklin County, Missouri, county in Washington, and creek in 

Yellowstone Park, Wyoming, named from the ocean. 
Pactolus; town in Pitt County, North Carolina, named from the ancient river in Asia 

Minor. 
Paddock; village in Holt County, Nebraska, named for A. S. Paddock, United States 

Senator from that State. 
Paducah; city in McCracken County, Kentucky, named for a celebrated Indian chief 

who formerly lived in the vicinity and was buried on the banks of Tennessee 

River, now within the city limits. 
Page; county in Iowa, named for Colonel Page, of Palo Alto fame. 
Page; county in Virginia, named for John Page, an early governor of the State. 
Pahaquarry; township in Warren County, New Jersey. An Indian word meaning 

* * termination of two mountains. ' * 
Pahcupogr; pond near Westerly, Connecticut. The name is derived from the Indian 

"word pahke-pang J meaning "pure water pond.** 
Painesville; village in Lake County, Ohio, named for Gen. E. Paine, an early 

settler. 
Paint; creek in Ohio. From the Indian words olomon sepung, "paint stream." 
Painted Post; village in Steuben County, New York, so named because of the erec- 
tion of a painted monument by the Indians over the grave of their chief. Captain 

Montour. 
Paint Bock; town in Concho County, Texas, so named because situated near a 

ledge of rock, profusely decorated with Indian hieroglyphics. 
Pajaro; town in Monterey County and river in California. Named from the wild 

ducks that abound in the vicinity. A Spanish word applied to birds in general. 
Pala; township in San Diego County, California. A Spanish word signifying a 

wooden shovel used for grain. 
Palarm; town and stream in Faulkner County, Arkansas. A corruption of the 

French, place des alarmes. 
Palatine; township and village in Cook County, Illinois; village in Salem County, 

New Jersey; town in Montgomery County, New York, and village in Marion 

County, West Virginia. 
Palatine Bridge; village in Montgomery County, New York. The name is trans- 
ferred from the division of Germany. 
Palatka; city in Putnam County, Florida. A Seminole Indian word said by some 

to mean " spilled," and by others, *' cow ford.'* 
Palestine; town in St. Francis County, Arkansas, village in Crawford County, 

Illinois, and eleven othei towns and villages, the name being transferred from 

Palestine, in Syria. 
Palisades; cliff of trap rock from 200 to 500 feet high, forming the westerly bank of 

the Hudson River, New York, extending from Fort Lee about fifteen miles to 

the north. 
Palisades Park; borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, so named because of its 

location on the Palisades. 
Palmdale; town in Los Angeles County, California, so named from the luxuriant 

growth of palms. 
Palmer; town in Hampden County, Massachusetts, named for Chief Justice Thomas 

Palmer. 
Palmer; village in Marquette County, Michigan, named for Waterman Palmer, of 

Pittsburg, its founder. 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 237 

Palmer Iiake; town and creek in El Paso County, Colorado, named for General 

Palmer, an official of the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad. 
Palmers; creek in Chariton County, Missouri, named for Martin Palmer. 
Palms; town in Los Angeles County, California, so named from the large palm trees 

in the neighborhood. 
Palmyra; towns in Marion County, Missouri, Wayne County, New York, and 

Portage County, Ohio, named from the ancient city in Syria. 
Palo; town in Linn County, Iowa, and village in Ionia County, Michigan. A Span- 
ish word meaning "stick.** 
Palo Alto; town in Santa Clara County, California. A Spanish phrase meaning 

** high timber.** 
Palo Alto; county in Iowa, and borough in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, 

named from the famous battlefield in Texas. 
Palo Blanco; town in Fresno County, California. A Spanish name descriptively 

applied, meaning ** white timber.** 
Palo Cedro; town in Shasta County, California, so named from the abundant 

growths of cedars. A Spanish phrase meaning "cedar timber.** 
Paloma; villages in Calaveras County, California, and Adams County, Illinois. A 

Spanish word meaning " dove.** 
Palo Pinto; county and river in Texas. A Spanish phrase meaning "stained 

timber.** 
Palo Verde; town in Los Angeles County, California. A Spanish name meaning 

"green timber,** descriptive of the district 
Pamelia; town in Jefferson County, New York, named for the wife of Gen. Jacob 

Brown. 
Pamlico; county, sound, and river in North Carolina, named from a former Indian 

tribe. 
Pampa; town in Kern County, California, so named from its location. A Spanish 

word meaning an " extensive plain.** 
Pamunkey; river, and town in Orange County, in Virginia. Said to have been 

derived from the Indian pihmungaf meaning " where he sweat.** 
Pana; township and city in Christian County, Illinois. The corrupted form of 

Pani, the name of a small tribe of Indians. 
Panasoflkee; town in Sumter County , Florida. From the Indian word, panasofkeey 

"deep valley.** 
Panola; counties in Mississippi and Texas. An Indian word meaning "cotton.** 
Panton; town in Addison County, Vermont, named for Lord Panton, a British 

nobleman. 
Paola; city in Miami County, Kansas, named for Baptiste Peoria, the town name 

being the Indian pronunciation. 
Papillion; village and creek in Sarpy County, Nebraska, given the French name 

because many butterflies were seen upon the banks of the stream. 
Papinsville; village in Bates County, Missouri, named for Pierre Mellecourt Papin. 
Paragonld; city in Greene County, Arkansas. A compound of the names of two 

railroad men, W. J. Paramore and Jay Gould. 
Paraiso Springs; post-office in Monterey County, California, descriptive of the 

beauty of the springs. The Spanish form of "paradise.'* 
Pardeeville; village in Columbia County, Wisconsin, named for John S. Pardee, 

the founder. 
Paris; township and city in Edgar County, Illinois, named from Paris, Kentucky. 
Paris; city in Bourbon County, Kentucky, town in Oxford County, Maine, city in 

Lamar County, Texas, and many other places, named from the city in France. 
Paris; a town in Oneida County, New York, named for Isaac Paris, a merchant of 

Fort Plain. 



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238 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Parish; town in Oswego County and village in Erie County, New York; 
Pariahville; town in St. Lawrence County, New York. Named for David Parish, 

an extensive landowner. 
Parita; village in Bexar County, Texas. A Spanish word meaning ** grapevine.*' 
Park; county in Colorado, so named because it includes a large area of South Park. 
Park; county in Montana, so named from its proximity to Yellowstone Park. 
Park City; town in Yellowstone County, Montana; when platted a portion of the 

land was set apart as a park, from which the town took its name. 
Parke; county in Indiana, named for Benjamin Parke, a prominent State politician. 
Parker; city in Linn County, Kansas, named for J. W. Parker, the former owner 

of the town site. 
Parker; township and city in Turner County, South Dakota, named for the wife 

(n^ Parker) of the chief engineer of the Chicago, Milwaukee and Saint Paul 

Railroad. 
Parker; county in Texas, named for the family of Parker's Fort, who in 1836 were 

captured and killed by the Indians. 
Parkersbur^; town in Sampson County, North Carolina, named for a prominent 

citizen. 
Parkersburg; city in Chester County , Pennsylvania, named for Dr. Thomas Parker, 

an eminent physician of Chester County. 
Parkersburg; city in Wood County, West Virginia, named for Alexander Parker, 

of Pennsylvania. 
Parkers Landing; city in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, named for the former 

proprietors. 
Parkersville; village in Lyon County, Kentucky, named for Thomas Parker, a 

wealthy citizen. 
Parkerville; city in Morris County, Kansas, named for C. G. Parker, the former 

owner of the town site. 
Parkman; town in Piscataquis County, Maine, named for its early proprietor, Sam- 
uel Parkman, of Boston. 
Parkman; village and township of Geauga County, Ohio, named for Robert P. 

Parkman. 
Parkman; town in Sheridan County, Wyoming, named for Francis Parkman. 
Park River; city in Walsh County, North Dakota, named for the stream which 

flows through the natural park. 
Parksville; town in Edgefield County, South Carolina, named for a prominent 

family of the county. 
Parkville; village in Platte County, Missouri, named for George S. Park, its founder. 
Parmele; town in Martin County, North Carolina, named for a prominent resident 
Parmer; creek in Chariton County, Missouri, and county in Texas. Named for 

Martin Parmer, who was a member of the first legislature of Missouri, and later 

went to Texas, where he engaged in an attempted revolution about 1827. 
Parramore; beach and island in Accomac County, Virginia, named for the family 

who were its former owners. 
Parrott; town in La Plata County, Colorado, named for a California capitalist 
Parry; peak in the Front Range, Colorado, named for the botanist. 
Parsons; city in Labette County, Kansas, named for Judge Levi Parsons, a promi- 
nent railroad official. 
Parsons; town in Tucker County, West Virginia, named for a former resident. 
Parsonsfield; town in York County, Maine, named for Thomas Parsons, an early 

proprietor. 
Pasadena; city in Los Angeles County, California. An Indian word meaning 

** crown of the valley." 
Pasca^oula; river, and town in Jackson County, in Mississippi, named for an Indian 

tribe, the name meaning ** bread people.** 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 239 

Pasco; county in Florida, named for Senator Pasco. 

Pascoag; village in Providence County, Rhode Island. An Indian word meiming 
** dividing place," and so named because it is situated at the forks of the Black- 
stone River. 

Paso Robles; city in San Luis Obispo County, California. A Spanish phrase mean- 
ing **'pass of the oak trees.*' 

Pasquotank; county in North Carolina. An Indian word meaning "divided tidal 
river," and given this county because a river forms one of its boundaries. 

Passaconaway; mountain in New Hampshire, named for a sachem of the Merri- 
mack tribe of Indians. 

Passadumkeag; town in Penobscot County, Maine, situated at the mouth of a river 
of the same name, by reason of which it was given this Indian name, which 
means ** falls running over a gravel bed." 

Passaic; county, city in same county, and river in New Jersey; derived either from 
the Indian word, passaic or passajeek, ** valley," or from the Indian equivalent 
of "peace." 

Passamaquoddy; bay on the coast of Maine. An Indian word meaning "pollock 
ground," or "pollock-plenty place." 

Pass Christian; town in Harrison County, Mississippi. Received its name from 
Nicholas Christian, a Norwegian navigator, who discovered a channel or pass 
between Cat Island and the mainland. 

Passumpsic; river and village in Caledonia County, Vermont. An Indian word 
meaning "much clear water." 

Pastoro; mountain in Arizona, so named because of its high mountain pastures. 

Pata^umkis; tributary of the Penobscot River in Maine. An Indian word meaning 
"sandy-ground cove." 

Patapsco; river in Maryland. An Indian word meaning "black water." 

Patata; town in Los Angeles County, California. A Spanish word meaning 
"potato." 

Patclio^ue; village in Suffolk County, New York. An Indian word meaning 
"turning place." 

Paterson; city in Passaic County, New Jersey, named for William Paterson, an 
early governor. 

Patkaskaden; tributary of James River. An Indian word meaning "tortoise" 
or "turtle." 

Patoka; township and village in Marion County, Illinois, named for a local Indian 
chief. 

Patrick; county in Virginia, named for the orator, Patrick Henry. 

Pattaquonk; hill in Middlesex County, Connecticut. An Indian name meaning 
"round place" or "round hill." 

Patterson; town in Putnam County, New York, named for a family of early settlers. 

Paulding; county in Georgia, town in Jasper County, Mississippi, and county, and 
town in same county, in Ohio, named for John Paulding, who assisted in the 
capture of Major Andr6. 

Pauquepaugr; brook in Litchfield County, Connecticut. The name is derived from 
the Indian yvord papke-paug, meaning "pure- water pond." 

Pautuck; river, and village in Suffolk County, New York. An Indian word mean- 
ing "fall." 

Pawling; town in Dutchess County, New York. The name is derived from 
Paulding. 

Pawnee; creek in Colorado, so named by the Indians because a party of 200 Paw- 
nee Indians were here surrounded by a greatly outnumbering force of Sioux, 
who, when they found they could not capture the Pawnees, proceeded to 
starve them out; but the Pawnees refused to surrender to escape even this 
death, and every man perished by starvation. 



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240 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Pawnee; counties in Kansas, Nebraska, and Oklahoma, named for the tribe of 

Pawnee Indians. 
Pawpaw; villages in Lee County, Illinois, and Van Buren County, Michigan; and 

creek, and town in Morgan County, West Virginia; so named because of the 

presence of pawpaw trees. 
Pawtucket; river in New England and city in Providence County, Rhode Island. 

An Indian word meaning **at the little falls." 
Pazton; city in Ford County, Illinois, named for Sir Joseph Paxton, of England, 

who was prominent in promoting emigration to Illinois. 
Pazton; town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, named for Charles Paxton, of 

Boston.. 
Pazton; town in Keith County, Nebraska, named for W. A. Paxton, of Omaha, 

Nebraska. 
Payette; river and a village in Canyon County, Idaho, named for a member of the 

Hudson Bay Company. 
Payne; village in Paulding County, Ohio, probably named for Henry B. Payne, 

United States Senator from that State. 
Payne; county in Oklahoma, named for Captain Payne, "Oklahoma Boone.'* 
Paynesville; town in Pike County, Missouri, named for a resident of St. Louis. 
Payson; township and village in Adams County, Illinois, named for Rev. Edward 

Payson, of Portland, Maine. 
Peabody; city in Marion County, Kansas, named for F. H. Peabody, of Boston. 
Peabody; town in Essex County, Massachusetts, named for George Peabody, the 

philanthropist. 
Peace; creek in Florida, so named because it was the scene of a treaty of peace. 
Peale; highest peak of the Sierra la Sal in Utah, named for Dr. A. C. Peale, the 

geologist. 

! Pearl; river in Mississippi; 
Pearlington; town in Hancock County, Mississippi; 
Pearl River; county in Mississippi. So named on account of the pearl fisheries 
which where early established by the French upon the Pearl River. 

Pecan; village in Clay County, Georgia. An Indian word meaning **nut.** 

Pecatonica; township and village in Winnebago County, and river in Illinois. A 
corrupted form of the Indian word pickaiolica, the name of a species of fish. 

Peckamin; river in New Jersey. Derived from the Indian word paWim, "cran- 
berries." 

Pecos; county and river in Texas. Named from the Pecos (Shepherd) Indians of 
New Mexico, who had been taught sheep husbandry by the Spanish. The name 
is derived from the Latin pecm, meaning a "flock." 

Pecunktuk; stream in Vermont. An Indian word meaning "crooked river." 

Pedernales ; rivers in North Carolina and Texas. A Spanish word meaning * * flints, ' * 
"rocks," or "stones." 

Peekskill; village in Westchester County, New York, named for Jan Peek, a Dutch 
mariner of the seventeeth century. 

Pegrumock; creek in New Jersey. An Indian word meaning "dark stream." 

Pelham; towns in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, and Hillsboro County, New 
Hampshire, named for Thomas Pelham Holies, Duke of Newcastle. 

Pelham; village in Westchester County, New York, named for the original pat- 
entee, John Pell. 

Pella; city in Marion County, Iowa, colonized by Dutch settlers, to whom the word 
meant " city of refuge." 

Pemadumcook; lake in Piscataquis County, Maine. An Indian word meaning 
* * lake of the sloping mountain. * * 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 241 

Pemaquid; point of land and village in Lincoln County, Maine. An Indian word 

meaning "long point/* or, according to another authority, **that runs into the 

water." 
Pembina; county, and city in same county, in North Dakota, from the Ojibwa name 

for ** cranberry." 
Pembroke; town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, named from the town in 

£ngland. 
Pembroke; town in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, probably named for the 

Earl of Pembroke. 
Pemigrewasset; river in New Hampshire. The word is of Indian derivation, said 

to mean ** crooked place of pines." 
Pemiscot; county in Missouri, named from its principal bayou. An Indian word 

meaning ** liquid mud." 
Penacook; substation in Concord, Merrimack County, New Hampshire. An Indian 

tribal name meaning * * crooked . * * 
Pender; county in North Carolina, named for Gen. William D. Pender,^ an ofl&cer 

of the Confederate Army. 
Pendleton; town in Madison County, Indiana, named for the former proprietor, 

Thomas M. Pendleton. 
Pendleton; counties in Kentucky and West Virginia, named for Edmund Pendle- 
ton, a prominent politician of Virginia. 
Pendleton; town in Niagara County, New York, named for Sylvester Pendleton 

Clarke, ex-governor of Grand Island. 
Pendleton; town in Northampton County, North Carolina, named for a prominent 

resident. 
Pendleton; town in Umatilla County, Oregon, named for George H. Pendleton. 
Pendleton; town in Anderson County, South Carolina, named for Judge Henry 

Pendleton, a Revolutionary jurist. 
Pend Oreille; lake in Idaho, named from a tribe of Indians who were given this 

name by the French because of their habit of wearing pendants in their ears, 

the phrase meaning " hanging ear." 
Penfield; town in Green County, Georgia, named for Josiah Penfield. 
Penfield; village in Champaign County, Illinois, named for a railroad builder. 
Penfield; town in Monroe County, New York, named for Daniel Penfield, an early 

settler. 
Penikese; one of the Elizabeth islands in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts. An Indian 

word meaning "sloping land." 
Penn; township in Stark County, Illinois, named from Pennsylvania, whence many 

of the early settlers came. 
Penn; the name of many townships, and the prefix to the name of many towns and 

villages in the United States, generally given in honor of William Penn. 
Pennington; borough in Mercer County, New Jersey, named for the Pennington 

family, two members of which were governors of the State. 
Penningrton; county in South Dakota, named for John L. Pennington, a former 

governor. 
Pennsylvania; State of the Union, named for William Penn, to whom the land 

comprised within the limits of the State was granted, and sylvania, from the 

loL^nsUva, "forest." 
Penn Tan; village in Yates County, New York. The name is a compound of the 

names of the two classes of settlers — Pennsylvanians and Yankees. 
Pennypack; creek in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. An Indian word mean- 
ing **body of water with no current." 

BuU. 258—05 16 



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242 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Penobscot; county, town in Hancock County, bay, and river in Maine. Derived 

from the Indian word penobskeag, meaning ** rocky place,'* or ** river of rocks.'* 
Penryn; mining town in Placer County, California, named by miners from the 

borough in Cornwall. 
Pensacola; bay and city in Escambia County, Florida. Said to be derived from 

the Indian word pan-sha-oklaf meaning ** hair people.** 
Pentwater; river and lake in Michigan, so named because of the supposition that 

the river had no outlet. 
Pentwater; township and village in Oceana County, Michigan, named from the river. 
Peosta; village in Dubuque County, Iowa. An Indian word meaning ** gorge in 

the rocks.** 
Peotone; town in Will County, Illinois. Derived from the Indian word petone, 

meaning ** bring,*' ** bring here,** or " bring to this place.*' 
Pepin; lake between Wisconsin and Minnesota, and county in Wisconsin, named 

for Pepin le Bref . 
Pepperell; town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, named for. Sir William Pep- 

perell, a member of the Massachusetts council. 
Pepperville; township in Butler County, Nebraska, named for Hubbel Pepper, an 

early settler. 
Pequabuck; river in Connecticut. An Indian word meaning ** clear pond,*' or 

"open pond." 
Pequanac; \allage in Morris County, New Jersey. An Indian word meaning 

"cleared land." 
Pequannock; village in Hartford County, Connecticut An Indian word meaning 

** land naturally clear and open." 
Peoria; county, and city in same county, in Illinois, and nation in Indian Territory. 

A corrupted form of an Indian tribal name, signifying " carriers," or ** packers " 

(Gatschet). 
Pequea; township in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, from Piqtia, the name of a 

band of the Shawnee Indians who once inhabited the valley of the Pequea. The 

name signifies "ashes " and has a mythic reference. 
Pequots; town in Crow Wing County, Minnesota, named for a tribe of Indians, the 

word being commonly rendered "destroyers," or "enemies." 
Perdido; rivers in Alabama and Florida, and bay into which these empty, so named 

by the Spanish, the word meaning "lost," because a Spanish ship was destroyed 

in the bay. 
Pere Marquette; town in Mason County, Michigan, named for Father Marquette. 
Perham; town in Aroostook County, Maine, named for Hon. Sidney Perham, a 

governor of the State. 
Perhcun; town in Ottertail County, Minnesota, named for Josiah Perham, an official 

of the Northern Pacific Railroad. 
Perkins; plantation in Franklin County, Maine, named for Doctor Perkins, of Farm- 

ington. 
Perkins; county in Nebraska, named for C. E. Perkins, an official of the Burlington 

and Missouri River Railroad. 
Perkiomen; branch of the Schuylkill River in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. 

A Delaware Indian word meaning "where there are cranberries." 
Perinton; town in Monroe County, New York, named for Glover Perrin, the first 

permanent settler. 
Perry; counties in Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, 

and Missouri; town in Wyoming County, New York; and counties in Ohio, 

Pennsylvania, and Tennessee; named for Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry. 
Perry; city in Jefferson County, Kansas, named for John D. Perry, a railroad official. 



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GANNETT] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 243 

Penysburg; town in Cattaraugus County, New York, and village in Wood County, 

Ohio, named for Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry. 
Penys Mills; village in Clinton County, New York, named for George Perry, a 

former proprietor. 
Perryville; city in Perry County, Missouri, named for Commodore Oliver Hazard 

Perry. 
Person; county in North Carolina, named for Gen. Thomas Person, an officer of 

the Revolution. 
Perth; town in Fulton County, New York, named from the town in Scotland. 
Perth Amboy; city in Middlesex County, New Jersey; the name is a combination 

of the name of the Earl of Perth and a corruption of the original Indian name 

of the town, Ompage. 
Peru; township and city in Lasale County, Illinois, named from the town in New 

York. 
Peru; township and city in Miami County, Indiana, named for the South American 

State. 
Peru; towns in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, and Clinton County, New York, 

named from the country in South America. 
Pescadero; village in San Mateo County, California. A Spanish word meaning 

"fishmonger.** 
Pescongamoc; lake in Maine near the Penobscot River. An Indian word meaning 

"divided lake.** 
Peshtigro; river in Oconto County and town in Marinette County, Wisconsin. An 

Indian word meaning "wild goose river.** 
Pesotum; village in Champaign County, Illinois, said to be named for an Indian 

who was active in the Chicago massacre in the war of 1812. 
Petaluma; township and city in Sonoma County, California. An Indian word 

meaning "duck pond.** 
Peterboro; town in Hillsboro County, New Hampshire, named from the city in 

England. 
Peterboro; village in Madison County, New York, named for Peter Smith. 
Petersburg:; town in Arapahoe County, Colorado, named for Peter Magnes, its 

founder. 
Petersburg; village in Kent County, Delaware, named for the descendants of Peter 

Fowler, who adopted his baptismal name as a surname. 
Petersburg; city in Menard County, Illinois, named for Peter Lukins, a founder. 
Petersburg; town in Pike County, Indiana, named for Peter Brenton, an early 

settler. 
Petersburg; town in Rensselaer County, New York, named for Peter Simmons, an 

early settler. 
Petersburg; borough in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania, named for Peter Fleck, 

an early settler. 
Petersburg; city in Dinwiddle County, Virginia, founded by Col. William Byrd 

and Peter Jones, and named for the latter. 
Petersham; town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, named for William Stan- 
hope, Earl of Petersham. 
Petersville; village in Bartholomew County, Indiana, named for Peter T. Blessing, 

its founder. 
Petoskey ; city in Emmett County, Michigan. Named from an Ojibwa Indian chief, 

the name being said to refer to some one of the heavenly bodies. 
Pettis; county in Missouri, named for Spencer Pettis, secretary of state of Missouri. 
Pettit; island off the Maine coast, named for the Pettit family. 
Pewabic; town in Ontonagon County, Michigan, named from the river which bears 

the Indian nsanepewabik dpif " iron river.** 



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244 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Pewakpa; tributary of the Dakota River; a Sioux Indian name meaning "elm 

river." 
Pewamo; village in Ionia County, Michigan, named for the son of Shacoe, a chief 

of the Ojibwa Indians. 
Pewaukee; village in Waukesha County, Wisconsin, named from the lake which 

bore the Indian name ol peevxiukee-wee-ning, **lake of shells.*' 
Peytona; village in Boone County, West Virginia, named for William M. Peyton. 
Pheasant Branch; village in Dane County, Wisconsin, named from the stream 

which bears the name of Peona, possibly a corruption of the French paon, 

*' peacock," or "pheasant." 
Pheba; village in Clay County, Mississippi, named for Mrs. Pheba Robinson. 
Phelps; county, and village in Atchison County, in Missouri, named for Gov. John S. 

Phelps. 
Phelps; county in Nebraska, named for William Phelps, an early resident of the 

county. 
Phelps; village in Ontario County, New York, named for Oliver Phelps, one of the 

original proprietors. 
Philadelphia; county, and city in same county, in Pennsylvania, so named by 

William Penn in order that the principle of the Quakers — brotherly love — might 

be identified with their city, the name being that of the city in Asia Minor. 

From the Greek, phUadelphoSj meaning "loving one's brother." 
Philadelphia; city in Jefferson County, New York, named from the city in Penn- 
sylvania. 
Philippi; town in Barbour County, West Virginia, both town and county being 

named for Philip P. Barbour, an early governor of Virginia. 
Philipsbur^; city in Granite County, Montana, named for the manager of the 

Granite mine. 
Philipsburg; borough in Center County, Pennsylvania, named for its founders, two 

Englishmen, Henry and James Philips. 
Philipstown; town in Putnam County, New York, named for Adolph PhiUpse, the 

orignal patentee. 
Phillips; county in Arkansas, named for Sylvanus Phillips, a prominent resident. 
Phillips; county in Colorado, named for R. O. Phillips, a prominent statesman. 
Phillips; county, and city in same county, in Kansas, named for Col. William A. 

Phillips. 
Phillips; lake in Maine, named for the tnan who has owned it for fifty years. 
Phillips; town in Franklin County, Maine, named for a prominent resident family, 

by whom the town site was formerly owned. 
Phillips; city in Price County, Wisconsin, named for Elijah B. Phillips, a railroad 

constructor. 
Phillipsbur^; town in Warren County, New Jersey, named for a resident fomily. 
Phillipston; town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, named for Lieut. Gov. 

William Phillips, 1814. 
Phillipsville; village in Humboldt County, California, named for a settler. 
Phihnont; village in Columbia County, New York. Compound of J*hilip, the name 

of a prominent family, and monty from its elevated location. 
Philo; township and village in Champaign C-ounty, Illinois, named for Philo Hale, 

who made the first land entry in the vicinity. 
Phippsbur^; town in Sagadahoc County, Maine, named for Sir William Phipps, 

governor of Massachusetts. 
Phoenix; city in Maricopa County, Arizona, named in prophecy of a " new 

growth," being situated in the midst of prehistoric ruins. 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 245 

Phoenix; village in Oswego, County, New York, named for Alexander Phoenix. 

Phoenizville; borough in Chester County, Pennsylvania, named for the Phoenix 
Iron Works. 

Piasa; town in Macoupin County, Illinois. The Indian name of a huge animal 
fi^re which they had chiseled in an adjacent ledge of rock on the banks of the 
Mississippi River. The word seems to refer to a panther. 

Piatt; county in Illinois, named for James Andrew Piatt, the first white settler 
within the limits of the county. 

Piccoivazen; creek in Maryland. An Indian word meaning *'tom shoes.'' 

Picka-viray; county in Ohio. Another form of Piqua or Pequea, the name of a sub- 
tribe of the Shawnee Indians. 

Pickens; counties in Alabama and Georgia, and county, and town in same county, 
in South Carolina, named for Gen. Andrew Pickens, of the Revolutionary war. 

Pickens; town in Holmes County, Mississippi, named for James Pickens a land- 
owner. 

Pickensville; town in Pickens County, Alabama, named for Gen. Andrew Pickens, 
an officer of the Revolution. 

Pickett; county in Tennessee, named for Col. George Edward C. A. Pickett, who 
led the famous charge at the battle of Gettysburg. 

Piedmont; town in Alameda County, California, at the foot of the Berkeley Hills; 
city in Wayne County, Missouri; and town in Mineral County, West Virginia, 
at the base of the Alleghenies. From the French piedj meaning '*foot," and 
mont, *' mountain." 

Piedra; town in San Luis Obispo County, California. A Spanish name meaning 
"stone.'* 

Piegran; village in Chouteau County, Montana, named for a subtribe of the Blackfeet 
Indians, the original iorm being apikurii, meaning ** badly tanned robes." 

Pierce; mountain in Humboldt County , California, and counties in Georgia, Nebraska, 
Washington, and Wisconsin, named for President Franklin Pierce. 

Pierce; county in North Dakota, named for Hon. Gilbert A. Pierce, first United 
States Senator from North Dakota. 

Pierce; village in Wharton County, Texas, named for Thomas W. Pierce, an early 
railroad man. 

Pierce City; city in Lawrence County, Missouri, named for Andrew Pierce, of Bos- 
ton, Massachusetts. 

Pierceton; town in Kosciusko County, Indiana, named for President Franklin Pierce. 

Pieimont; village in Rockland County, New York, so named because it is backed 
by high hills and facing the river, into which extends a long pier. 

Pierre; city in Hughes County, South Dakota. Derives its name from Pierre 
Choteau, who- established a post for fur trading with the Indians. 

Pierrepont; town in St. liawrence County, New York, named for Hezekiah B. 
Pierrepont, one of the original proprietors. 

Pierrepont Manor; village in Jefferson County, New York, named for the Hon. 
William C. Pierrepont' s residence. 

Pierres Hole; valley in Idaho, named for an Iroquois chieftain in the employ of 
the Hudson Bay Company. 

Pierson; village in Montcalm County, Michigan, named for O. A. Pierson, the first 
white settler. 

Piffiard; village in Livingston County, New York, named for David Piffard, a prom- 
inent settler. 
Pigeon; one of the Apostle Islands, in Lake Superior, Wisconsin. A translation of 
the Indian name. 



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246 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bdll. 258. 

Pike; counties in Alabama and Arkansas, peak in Colorado, counties in Geoi^gia, 
Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Missouri, town in Wyoming Ck)unty, 
New York, and counties in Ohio and Pennsylvania, named for Gen. Zebulon M. 
Pike, the explorer. 

Piketon; village in Pike County, Ohio, named from the county. 

Pikeville; town in Wayne County, North Carolina, named for a prominent resident. 

Pillsbury; village in Todd County, Minnesota, named for an early governor. 

Pilot Grove; city in Cooper County, Missouri, so named because of the presence of 
a grove in a nearby prairie, which served as a landmark. 

Pilot Snob; town in Iron County, Missouri, named from the hill which is a promi- 
nent feature of the landscape. 

Pima; county and town in Graham County, Arizona, named for an Indian tribe. 

Pinal; county in Arizona, named for a chief of the Apaches. 

Pinckney; town in Lewis County, New York, named for Charles C. Pinckney, a 
prominent statesman of South Carolina. 

{Pinckney; town in Union County, South Carolina; 
Pinckneyville; towns in Clay County, Alabama, and Wilkinson County, Missis- 
sippi. Named for the Pinckney family of South Carolina. 
Pinckneyville; city in Perry County, Illinois, named for Charles C. Pinckney, of 

South Carolina. 
Pinconningr; village in Bay County, Michigan. An Indian word meaning ** potato 

place.'* 
Pine; county in Minnesota, so named because of the extensive forests of red and 

white pines in the district. 
Pine Log; town in Tuolumne County, California, so named because the crossing of 

the Stanislaus River at this point was originally by a large log. 
Pinkham; grant in Coos County, New Hampshire, named for Daniel Pinkham, the 

grantee. 
Pino Blanco; town in Mariposa County, California. A descriptive Spanish name, 

meaning ** white pine." 
Pino Grande; town in Eldorado County, California, in a forest of large pine trees. 

A Spanish phrase, meaning "big pine." 
Pinole; town in Contra Costa County, California. A Spanish word meaning 

"parched corn." 
Pinon Blanco; peak and ridge in California. A Spanish phrase meaning "moun- 
tain of white rock." 
Pines Altos; town in Grant County, New Mexico. A Spanish phrase meaning 

"high pines." 
Pintada; peak of the San Juan Mountains, California. A Spanish word meaning 

"mottled" or "spotted." 
Piper City; village in Ford County, Illinois, named for its founder, Dr. William 

Piper. 
Pipestone; county, and village in same county, in Minnesota, so named because of 

its celebrated quarry of red pipestone. 
Piqua; city in Miami County, Ohio. From an Indian word signifying "ashes," the 

name of one of the four divisions of the Shawnee Indians, formerly occupying 

that region. 
Pissacassick; river in New Hampshire; 
Piscasset; stream in Maine. Derived from an Indian word meaning "white 

stone." 
Piscataqua; river in New Hampshire, said to have been derived from the Indian 

word pishgachtigok, meaning "the confluence of two streams," or "great deer 

river." 
Piscataquis; county, and branch of the Penobscot River in Maine. An Indian 

word meaning "divided tidal river." 

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GANNETT] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 247 

Pischelville; town in Knox County, Nebraska, named for the first postmaster, 
Anton Pischel. 

Pis^ah; mountain in Colorado, and town in Cooper County, Missouri, named indi- 
rectly from the mountain in Palestine. A Hebrew word meaning **peak." 

Pishtaka; lake in northern Illinois. An Indian word meaning **fox.** 

Pit; river in California, so named because the Indians dug pits upon its banks to 
catch men and animals. 

Pitcaim; island in the Pacific, named for its discoverer. Major Pitcairn. 

Pitcairn; town in St. Lawrence County, New York, named for Joseph Pitcairn, the 
original proprietor. 

Pitcher; creek in Humboldt County, California, named for an early setler. 

Pitcher; town in Chenango County, New York, named for Nathaniel Pitcher, lieu- 
tenant-governor of the State. 

Pithole City; village in Venango County, Pennsylvania, named from a creek which 
had a deep hole in the rocks upon its banks. 

Pitkin; county, and village in Gunnison County, in Colorado, named for F. W. Pitkin, 
an early governor of the State. 

Pitt; county in North Carolina, and mountain in Oregon, named for Sir William 
Pilt, Earl of Chatham. 

Pittsboro; town in Calhoun County, Mississippi, named for an early settler. 

iPittsboro; town in Chatham County, North Carolina; 
Pittsburg; city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Named for Sir William Pitt, 
Earl of Chatham. 
Pittsburg; city in Crawford County, Kansas, named from the city in Pennsylvania. 
Pittsfield; township and city in Pike County, Illinois, named from the city in 

Massachusetts, the home of many of the settlers. 
Pittsfield; town in Somerset County, Maine, named for William Pitts, of Boston. 
Pittsfield; city in Berkshire County, Massachusetts; 
Pittston; town in Kennebec County, Maine; 
Pittsylvania; county in Virginia. Named for Sir William Pitt, Earl of Chatham, 

the celebrated English statesman. 
Piute; mountain in San Bernardino County, and town in Kern County, California, 

and county in Utah. Named for an Indian tribe. 
Placer; county in California; 

Placerville; city in Eldorado County, California. From the Spanish plazas mean- 
ing "place;** in mining districts, a place where surface' deposition is washed for 
valuable minerals. 
Plainfield; city in Union County, New Jersey, so named because it is situated on a 

beautiful plain. 
Plankinton; township and city in Aurora County, South Dakota, named for John 

Plankinton, of Milwaukee. 
Piano; town in Tulare County, California. A Spanish word meaning **plan" or 

"draft.** 
Plant City; town in Hillsboro County, Florida, named for H. C. Plant, who organ- 
ized a railroad system in that State. 
Plaquemines; parish, and town in Iberville Parish, in Louisiana, so named by Bien- 
ville on account of the quantities of persimmons which grow in the vicinity. 
Plata; river in Colorado. A Spanish word meaning "silver.** 
Platte; river in Nebraska, Colorado, and Wyoming. From the French plat€y 

meaning "dull,** "shallow,** a term singularly applicable to this stream. 
Platte; county, and city in same county, in Missouri, and county in Nebraska, named 

from the Platte River. 
Plattekill; town in Ulster County, New York. A Dutch word meaning "flat 
brook.** 



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248 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Plattsburg; village in Clinton County, New York, named for Judge Zephaniah 
Piatt, its founder. 

Plattsmouth; city in Cass County, Nebraska, so named because of its location at 
the confluence of the Platte and Missouri rivers. 

Plattville; village in Porter County, Indiana, named for Thomas Piatt, who laid 
it out. 

Pleasanton; city in Linn County, Kansas, named for Gen. Alfred Pleasanton. 

Pleasant Plains; village in Sangamon County, Illinois, a descriptive name sug- 
gestive of the location. 

Pleasants; county in West Virginia, named for James Pleasants, an early governor. 

Plessis; village in Jefferson County, New York, named from the town in France. 

Plum; stream in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, the name being a translation of 
the Indian word sipuas-hanne, 

Plumas; county in California traversed by the Feather River. A Spanish word 
meaning *' feather." 

Plymouth; town in Marshall County, Indiana; counties in Iowa and Massachusetts, 
towns in Washington County, North Carolina, and Windsor County, Vermont; 
and city in Sheboygan County, Wisconsin; named from the town in Massachu- 
setts. 

Plymouth; town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, the landing place of the 
Pilgrims, named from Plymouth in England, where they were hospitably enter- 
tained prior to their emigration to America. 

Plymouth; township and village in Richland County, Ohio, so named by pioneers 
from Plymouth, Pennsylvania. 

Plympton; town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, doubtless named for one of 
the Plymptons of England. 

Pocahontas; village in Bond County, Illinois; comity in Iowa; village in Cape 
Girardeau County, Missouri; and county in West Virginia; named for the Indian 
princess. The name is said to signify "stream between two hills.*- 

Pocantecs; stream running through ''Sleepy Hollow,*' near Tarry town. New York. 
An Indian word meaning "a run between two hills.'* 

Pocasset; village in Barnstable County, Massachusetts. Aa Indian word meaning 
**at which a strait widens." 

Pochaug; stream in Connecticut. An Indian word meaning ** where they divide 
in two." 

Pockwocamus; lake on Penobscot River, Maine. An Indian word meaning **mud 

pond." 
Pocomoke; river in Maryland; 

Pocomoke City; town in Worcester County, Maryland. An Indian word mean- 
ing "broken by knolls." 

Pocono; stream in Monroe Count v, Pennsylvania. An Indian word meaning 
"stream between mountains." 

Poconteco; river in Westchester County, New York, said to have been densely 
shaded by trees. An Indian word meaning "dark river." 

Pocosen; river in Virginia. Derived from the an Indian word signifying "grassy 
bottom." 

Poe; township in Hancock County, West Virginia, named for a family of pioneers 
and Indian fighters. 

Poestenkill; town in Rensselaer County, New York, named from its principal 
stream. A Dutch word meaning "foaming cre6k." 

Poge; cape at the north end of Chappaquidick Island, Massachusetts. Derived from 
an Imlian word which means "harbor" or "place of shelter." 

Pogues; creek in Indiana, named for an early settler. 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAME8 IN THE UNITED STATES. 249 

Pohopoco; stream in Pennsylvania. Derived from the Indian word pochkapockla, 
signifying *'two mountains bearing down upon each other with a stream inter- 
vening." 

Poinsett; county in Arkansas, named for Joel R. Poinsett, secretary of war during 
the administration of President Van Buren. 

Point a la Hache; town in Plaquemines Pirish, Louisiana. A French name mean- 
ing ** hatchet point.'* 

Point Allerton; point near Boston, Massachusetts, named for a passenger on the 
Mayflower. 

Point Arena; town in Mendocino County, California, on the coast. From the 
Latin, hdrena, meaning '*sand," and point. 

Point Bonita; southern extremity of Marin County, California. A Spanish phrase 
meaning "beautiful point." 

Point Caswell; village in Pender County, North Carolina, named for Richard Cas- 
well, a Revolutionary governor and general. 

Pointe Coupee; parish, and town in same parish, in Louisiana, so named because of 
an extensive cut-off formed by the change in the course of the river. A French 
name meaning * * cut-off point. ' ' 

Point Pleasant; town in Mason County, West Virginia, so named because it was 
once a place of great natural beauty. 

Point Kemove; stream in Conway County, Arkansas. A corruption of the French 
word remous, meaning "eddy." 

Point Keyes; town in Marin County, California, named from the point on which a 
light-house is situated, called by the Spanish purUa des rqies, "point of the 
kings." 

Point Roberts; cape on the coast of Washington, named for its discoverer. 

Point Saint Ignace; village in Mackinac County, Michigan, named for Saint 
Ignacius. 

Point Shirley; point and strait in Suffolk County, Massachusetts, named for 
William Shirley, an early governor. 

Point Sur; town in Monterey County, California. From the Spanish meaning 
"south point." 

Pokagron; village in Cass County, Michigan, named for a Pottawatomie chief, the 
name meaning * * woman butcher. ' ' 

Pokomoka; river in Maryland. An Indian name meaning "place of shellfish." 

Poland; town in Androscoggin County, Maine, said to have been named for a noted 
Indian chief. 

Poland; village in Mahoning County, Ohio, named for George Poland, its original 
proprietor. 

Polk; counties in Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Missouri, Tennessee, Texas, and 
Wisconsin, and probably the counties of the same name in Minnesota, Nebraska, 
and Oregon, named for President James K. Polk. 

Polk; county in North Carolina, named for Col. William Polk, of the North Caro- 
lina Continental Line. 

Polkton; town in Anson County, North Carolina, named for Leonidas Polk. 

Pollepel; island on the Hudson River, New York. A Dutch word meaning " ladle." 

Polloksville; town in Jones County, North Carolina, named for a prominent citizen. 

Polo; city in Ogle County, Illinois, named for the distinguished traveler, Marco Polo. 

Pomeroy; city in Meigs County, Ohio, named for its original proprietor, Samuel 
Wyllis Pomeroy. 

Pomfret; towns in Windham County, Connecticut, Charles County, Maryland, and 
Windham County, Vermont, named from the towft in Yorkshire, England. 

Ponune de Terre; river of Missouri entering the Osage River. A French phrase, 
meaning "potato." 



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250 PLACE NAME8 IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Porno; town in Mendocino County, California, named from its location in the fruit- 
growing region. A Spanish word denoting fruit in general, but applied particu- 
larly to the apple. 

Pomona; cities in Los Angeles County, California, and Franklin County, Kansas, 
named for the Roman goddess of fruit. From the Latin pomum, "fruit." 

Pomperaug; river in Connecticut. An Indian word probably meaning "place of 
offering." 

Pompey; town in Onondaga County, New York, named for Pompey the Great. 

Ponca; township, and city in Dixon County, in Nebraska, and town in Kay County, 
Oklahoma, named for the Ponca tribe of Indians. The word is supposed to 
mean "medicine." 

Ponchartrain; lake in Louisiana, named for a French count who was an early 
explorer of the Mississippi Valley. 

Ponkapo^; town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts. An Indian word meaning 
"sweet water." 

Pontiac; city in Oakland County, Michigan, named for a chief of the Ottawa 
Indians. 

Pontiac; township and city in Livingston County, Illinois, named from Pontiac, 
Michigan, whence many of the early settlers came. 

Pontoosuc; hill in Glastonbury, Connecticut, village in Hancock County, Illinois, 
and village, and lake in Berkshire County, Massachusetts. An Indian word 
meaning "falls on the brook." 

Pontotoc; town in Chickasaw Nation, Indian Territoryj and county, and town in 
same county, in Mississippi, named for a Chickasaw Indian chief. The word 
means "weed prairie." 

Pope; county in Arkansas, named for John Pope, a former governor. 

Pope; county in Illinois, nameil for Nathaniel Pope, a former Congressional del^ate. 

Pope; county in Minnesota, named for Gen. John Pope, who conducted the Minne- 
sota exploring expedition to the Red River. 

Popham; fort at the mouth of the Kennebec River, Maine, named for Capt. George 
Popham, its builder, when governor of the first English colony in New England. 

Poplar Bluff; township and city in Butler County, Missouri, so named because of 
the belt of poplar trees in that section, and the location of the city on a bluff at 
the foot of the Ozark range of mountains. 

Poplarville; town in Pearl River County, Mississippi, named for "Popular" Jim 
Smith, owner of the store in which the first railroad depot at this point was located. 

Poponoming'; lake in Monroe County, Pennsylvania. A Delaware Indian name 
meaning "where we are gazing." 

Poquessin^; stream in Pennsylvania. A Delaware Indian word meaning "where 
there are mice." 

Poquetanuck; stream and town in New London County, Connecticut. An Indian 
word meaning "land open" or "broken up." 

Poquonoc; river and hill in Connecticut. An Indian word meaning "cleared land." 

Porcupine; islands of Mount Desert, Maine, so called because at a distance they 
resemble a porcupine. 

Portage; town in Livingston County, New York, and counties in Ohio and Wiscon- 
sin, so named because of their location between water courses. 

Portage; city in Columbia County, Wisconsin. A French word meaning "carry- 
ing-place," boats having been carried from the Fox to the Wisconsin river. 

Portage des Sioux; town in St. Charles County, Missouri, so named because at this 
point on the Mississippi River the Indians carried their canoes across the penin- 
sula to the Missouri. 

Port Angeles; town in Clallam County, Washington, named by Don Francisco 
Elisa, a Mexican. 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 251 

Port Austin; village in Huron County, Michigan, named for the first man to estab- 
lish a business there. 
Port Chester; village in Westchester County, New York, named from the city in 

England, "port'* being prefixed to distinguish it from other towns of the same 

name. 
Port Clinton; village on the border of Lake Erie, Ottawa County, Ohio, named for 

ex-Governor Clinton of Northwest Territory. 
Port Crane; village in Broome County, New York, named for one of the engineers 

of the Chenango Canal. 
Port Deposit; town in Cecil County, Maryland, so named because it is one of the 

principal depots for the pine lumber rafted down the river. 
Port Dickinson; town in Broome County, New York, named in honor of Daniel S. 

Dickinson, United States Senator, lieutenant governor, and attorney-general of 

New York. 
Port Discovery; village in Jefferson County, Washington, named for a ship in the 

fleet of Vancouver, the explorer. 
Porter; county in Indiana, named for Commodore David Porter. 
Porter; town in Oxford County, Maine, named for Dr. Aaron Porter, an early 

proprietor. 
Porter; town in Niagara County, New York, named for Judge Augustus Porter. 
Port Gamble; village in Kitsap County, Washington, named for a United States 

naval oflScer. 
Port Gibson; town in Claiborne County, Mississippi, named for David Gibson, the 

former owner of the town site. 
Port Henry; village in Essex County, New York, named for the son of Maj. 

James Dalliba, United States Army, and from being a port on Lake Champlain. 
Port Jervis; village in Orange County, New York, named for John B. Jervis, 

engineer of the Hudson and Delaware Canal. 
Portland; city in Jay County, Indiana, named by early settlers from Portland, Me. 
Portland; city in Cumberland County, Maine, and borough in Northampton 

County, Pennsylvania, named, indirectly, from the town in England. 
Portland; city in Multnomah County, Oregon. The name was decided by the toss 

of a copper by two settlers, one from Portland, Maine, and the other from Bos- 
ton, Massachusetts. 
Port Leyden; town in Lewis County, New York, named from Leyden, Netherlands. 
Port Morris; village in Westchester County,, New York, named for Gouverneur 

Morris, an American statesman. 
Port Orchard; town and harbor in Kiteap County, Washington, named for its 

discoverer. 
Port Orford; cape and town in Curry County, Oregon, named for George, Earl of 

Orford. 
Port Penn; town in New Castle County, Delaware, named for William Penn. 
Port Royal; river, and town in Beaufort County, in South Carolina, so named 

** because of the fairness and bigness thereof.*' 
Portsmouth; city in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, first named Strawberry 

Banke, but later changed to its present name because situated at the river mouth 

and a good harbor. 
Portsmouth; city in Scioto County, Ohio, named from the city in Virginia. 
Portsmouth; city in Norfolk County, Virginia, named from Portsmouth in England. 
Port Tobacco; town in Charles County, Maryland, and an inlet on the Potomac 

River in the same State; the name has no connection with the plant, but is a 

corruption of the Indian word pautapang, meaning a ** bulging out,'* *'bay,'* 

or **cove.** 
Port Townsend; harbor and village in Jefferson County, Washington, named for 

Marquis of Townsend. 



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252 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Portville; town in Cattaraugus County, New York, so named because it was, at an 

early date, a prominent point for the shipment of lumber, shingles, etc. 
Posey; county in Indiana; 
Poseyville; town in Posey County, Indiana. Named for Gen. Thomas Posey, an 

early governor of the State. 
Peso; town in Kern County, California. A Spanish word meaning "repose." 
Possession; sound in Washington, so named by Vancouver, because he landed and 

took possession on the King's birthday. 
Postboy; village in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, so named because a postboy was mur- 
dered in the neighborhood. 
Potaligo; village in Madison County, Georgia. An Indian word meaning "plenty 

of fat ducks." 
Poteau; river in Arkansas. A French word meaning "post," "stake," or "pillar." 
Potencia; town in Los Angeles County, California. The Spanish word for " power. " 
Potosi; town in Washington County, Missouri, a mining town, named from the 

Peruvian mining town. 
Potrero; town in San Diego County, California. A Spanish word meaning "pas- 
ture ground." 
Potsdam; village in St. Lawrence County, New York, named from a town in 

Prussia. 
Pottawattomie; counties in Kansas and Oklahoma; 

Pottawattamie; county in Iowa. Named for the Indian tribe. The word means 
"makers of fire," and was used to signify that this tribe assumed separate sov- 
ereignty by building a council fire for themselves. 
Potter; town in Yates County, New York, named for Arnold Potter, the original 

proprietor. 
Potter; county, and township in Center County, in Pennsylvania, named for Gen. 

James Potter, a Revolutionary officer. 
Potter; county in South Dokota, named for a prominent physician of the State.. 
Potter; county in Texas, named for Robert Potter, temporary secretary of the navy 

of Texas in 1836. 
Potter Hollow; village in Albany County, New York, named for Samuel Potter. 
Potterville; village in Eaton County, Michigan, named for George N. Potter. 
Potts Camp; town in Marshall County, Mississippi, named for Col. E. F. Potts. 
Pottstown; borough in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania; 
Pottsville; borough in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. Named for John Potts, a 

large landowner, who founded the town. 
Poughkeepsie; city in Dutchess County, New York. Derived from the Delaware 

Indian word apokeepsingk^ meaning "safe, pleasant harbor," or "shallow inlet," 

"safe harbor for small boats." 
Powder; stream in Wyoming, so named because of the dark powder-colored sand 

on its banks. 
Powell; county in Kentucky, named for Lazerus W. Powell, a former governor. 
Powell; mountain in Colorado and county in Montana, named for Maj. J. W. Powell, 

geologist and explorer. 
Powellsville; town in Bertie County, North Carolina, named for a prominent 

resident. 
Powellton; town in Fayette County, West Virginia, named for E. Powell, interested 

in a large coal and coke company. 
Powell Valley; village in Multnomah County, Oregon, named for an old settler. 
Powelton; village in Hancock County, Georgia, named for a former resident. 
Poweshiek; county in Iowa, named for an Indian chief. 
Powhatan; county in Virginia, and city in Brown County, Kansas, named for the 

celebrated Indian chief. The name means "at the falls." 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 253 

Pownal; towns in Cumberland County, Maine, and Bennington County, Vermont, 
named for Governor Thomas Pownal, of Massachusetts. 

Poy^an; village in Winnebago County, Wisconsin. An Indian word meaning 
"pipe.*' 

Poynette; village in Columbia County, Wisconsin, named for Peter Paquette; the 
present orthography is a clerical error. 

Poysippi; village in Waushara County, Wisconsin. Derived from the Indian word 
poygangippiy meaning "running into the lake.'* 

Pozo; town in S«i Luis Obispo County, California, named from the wells in the 
neighborhood. A Spanish word meaning "well." 

Prairie; county in Arkansas, so named on account of its treeless plains. 

Prairie; stream in Wisconsin. Derived from the Indian word musk-ko-^y yaw 
se-he, "prairie river." 

Prairie City; township and village in McDonough County, Illinois, named from its 
location on a prairie. 

Prairie du Ohien; city in Crawford County, Wisconsin. A French phrase mean- 
ing " prairie of the dog." 

Prairie du Bocher; village in Randolph County, Illinois, behind which is a rocky 
bluff. A French phrase meaning "meadow of the rock." 

Prairie du Sac; village in Sauk County, Wisconsin, originally in the territory of the 
Sauk Indians. A French phrase meaning " meadow of the Sauks." 

Prairie Home; village in Cooper County, Missouri, so named on account of the 
character of the land. 

Pratt; county, and city in same county, in Kansas, named for Caleb Pratt, second 
lieutenant Company D, Second Kansas, 

Prattsburg; town in Steuben County, New York, named for Capt. Joel Pratt, one 
of the first settlers. 

Pratts Hollow; village in Madison County, New York, named for John and Mat- 
thew Pratt, early settlers. 

Prattsville; town in Greene County, New York, named for Zadock Pratt. 

Preble; county in Ohio, and town in Cortland County, New York, named for Com- 
modore Edward Preble. 

Prendra; town in Riverside County, California. A Spanish name meaning * * pledge. * ' 

Prentice; village in Price County, Wisconsin, named for Alexander Prentice, the 
first postmaster. 

Prentiss; county in Mississippi, named for Sergt. Smith Prentiss, a gifted forensic 
orator. 

Prescott; town in Yavapai County, Arizona, named for W. H. Prescott, the historian. 

Prescott; city in Linn County, Kansas, named for C. H. Prescott, a railroad ofiicial. 

Prescott; town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, named for Col. William Pres- 
cott, commanding the Americans at the battle of Bunker Hill. 

Prescott; city in Pierce County, Wisconsin, named for P. Prescott. 

{Presidio; station in San Francisco, California, the headquarters of the United States 
garrison and military reservation; 
Presidio; county in Texas. A Spanish word meaning "garrison for soldiers." 
Presque Isle; town in Aroostook County, Maine, and county in Michigan. A 

French phrase meaning "nearly an island." 
Preston; township in Wayne County, Pennsylvania, named for Judge Samuel Pres- 
ton, an early settler. 
{Preston; county in West Virginia; 
Prestonburg; town in Floyd County, Kentucky. Named for James P. Preston, an 
early governor of Virginia. 
Preston Hollow; village in Albany County, New York, named for the first family 
of settlers. 



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254 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Prestonville; town in Carroll County, Kentucky, named for James P. Preston, an 

early governor of Virginia. 
Presumpscot; village in Cumberland County, Maine. An Indian word meaning 

"rough place in the river.** 
Preuss; mountain in Idaho, named for a topographer of the Fremont exploring 

party. 
Pribilof ; islands of Alaska, named for the Russian navigator who discovered them. 
Price; creek in Humboldt County, California, named for an early settler. 
Price; county in Wisconsin, named for Congressman William T. Price. 
Primghar; town in O'Brien County, Iowa, named by combining the initials of the 

persons present at the laying of the comer stone. 
Prince Edward; county in Virginia, named in 1702 for Edward, a son of Frederick, 

Prince of Wales. 
Prince George; counties in Maryland and Virginia, named for Prince Greorge of 

Denmark, afterwards King of England. 
Princes; stream in northern Illinois, named for Daniel Prince, one of the first set- 
tlers of Peoria County. 
Princess Anne; county in Virginia, named for Princess, afterwards Queen, Anne of 

England; founded in 1691. 
Princeton; mountain in Colorado, named from Princeton University. 
Princeton; city in Gibson County, Indiana, named for Hon. William Prince. 
Princeton; town in Caldwell County, Kentucky, named for William Prince, the 

first settler. 
Princeton; town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, named for the Rev. Thomas 

Prince, pastor of the Old South Church, Boston. 
Princeton; town in Mercer County, West Virginia, named for the battlefield upon 

which Gen. Hugh Mercer fell. 
Princetown; town in Schenectady County, New York, named for John Prince, a 

member of Albany County's assembly. 
Princeville; township and village in Peoria County, Illinois, named for Daniel 

Prince, an early settler in the county. 
Prince William; county in Virginia, named for William, Duke of Cumberland, 1730. 
Proctor; town in Lee County, Kentucky, named for the Rev. Joseph Proctor. 
Proctor; town in Rutland County, Vermont, named for Redfield Proctor, Senator 

from that State. 
Proctor Knott; village in St. Louis County, Minnesota, named for Proctor Knott, 

of Kentucky. 
Proctorsville; village in Windsor County, Vermont, named for the father of Sen- 
ator Redfield Proctor. 
Promised Land; village in Suffolk County, New York, so named because the land 

for factories was promised but never given. 
Promontory; village in Boxelder County, Utah, so named because it is the highest 

point of the Promontory Range. 
Prophetstown; village in Whiteside County, Illinois, named for the ** Shawnee 

Prophet," the brother of the Indian chief, Tecumseh. 
Prospect; towns in New Haven County, Connecticut, and Waldo County, Maine, 

and peak in Yellowstone Park, so named because of the elevation. 
Prosperity; town in Newberry County, South Carolina, so named by the optimistic 

settlers. 
Providence; village in Bureau County, Illinois, and county and river in Rhode 

Island, named from Providence, Rhode Island. 
Providence; city in Providence County, Rhode Island, so called by Roger Williams 

**for God* 8 merciful providence to me in my distress." 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 255 

Provincetown; town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, incorporated as the 

Province Town, because the inhabitants were exempt from taxation. 
Prove; river, and town in Utah County, Utah; a contraction of the name — Provost — 

of the man for whom they were named. 
Prowers; county in Colorado, named for John W. Prowers, a prominent stockman 

and trader in early days. 
Psiinxndse; several lakes in Minnesota, with wild rice j?rowing on their banks. An 

Indian word, meaning ** wild rice." 
Ptansinta; peninsula on Lac Traverse and the Minnesota River. An Indian word 

meaning ** otter tail." 
Puckaway; lake in Green Lake County, Wisconsin. An Indian word meaning 

"cat-tail flag." 
Puckety; stream in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. An Indian word meaning 

"throw it away." 
Pueblo; county, and city in same county, in Colorado. A Spanish word meaning 

"town" or "village." 
Puente; town, and range of hills in Los Angeles County, California. A Spanish 

word meaning "bridge." 
Puerco; river in New Mexico. A Spanish word meaning " hog." 
Puerto de Luna; village in San Miguel County, New Mexico. A Spanish phrase 

meaning "port of the moon." 
Puget; sound in Washington, named for Peter Puget, its discoverer. 
Pulaski; counties in Arkansas and Georgia; county, and town in same county, in 

Illinois; counties in Indiana, Kentucky, and Missouri; village in Oswego County, 

New York; town in Giles County, Tennessee; and county, and town in same 

county, in Virginia. Named for the Polish patriot. Count Caaimir Pulaski, friend 

of the Americans in the Revolutionary war. 
Pulteney ; town in Steuben County, New York, named for Sir William Pulteney. 
Pungoteagrue; stream, and town in Accomac County, Virginia, supposed to be so 

named on account of the extremely sandy character of the county; the name, 

an Indian one, means "place of dust." 
Punta Gorda; town in De Soto County, Florida, so named on account of the point 

near by. A Spanish phrase meaning "large point." 
Punzsutawney; borough in Jefferson County, Pennsylvania. An Indian word 

meaning "sand-fly place." 
Purgatory; river in Colorado, tributary of the Arkansas. A translation of the 

French name ^^rivih'e PurgcUoire.^^ 
Purvis; town in Marion County, Mississippi, named for the former owner of the 

railroad station site. 
Put in Bay; bay in Ottawa County, Ohio, Lake Erie, and village in same county; 

so named because Commodore Perry put in there with his fleet. 
Putnam; city in Windham County, Connecticut; counties in Florida, Georgia, 

Illinois, Indiana, and Missouri; county, pond, and creek in New York; and 

counties in Ohio, Tennessee, and West Virginia; named for Gen. Israel Putnam, 

distinguished in the Revolutionary War. 
P3nnatuning; tributary of the Chenango in Mercer County, Pennsylvania. A Dela- 
ware Indian word meaning "crooked mouthed man's dwelling place." 
Pyramid; canyon of the Colorado River, so named because of the monument-like 

pinnacle of porphyritic rock which crowns the left bank near the entrance. 
Pyramid; harbor in Alaska, so named because of the conical shape of one of its 

islands. 
Pyramid; lake in Nevada, so named on account of the shape of an island in the lake. 
Pyroxene; peak in the same range as the Old Bald in Montana; another name for 

the mineral augiUy found in the vicinity. 



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256 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Pysht; river in Washington. The Clallam Indian word for fish. 

Quakake; stream in Carbon County, Pennsylvania. An Indian word meaning 
**pine lands.*' 

Quantico; town in Wicomico County, Maryland. An Indian word possibly mean- 
ing "dancing," ** place of dancing." 

Quapaw; nation in Indian Territory, named from the Indian tribe; the word means 
"down-stream people." 

Quasqueton; town in Buchanan County, Iowa, derived from an Indian word mean- 
ing "rapid water." 

Quebec; village in Union County, Greorgia. Said by some authorities to be derived 
from the Indian, meaning "being shut," "narrow," or "fearful rocky cliff;" 
others say it is derived from the French phrase qaelhec, "what a beak!" 

Queen Anne; county in Maryland, named for Queen Anne of England, reigning at 
the time of its organization. 

Queen Mahon; stream in Indiana County, Pennsylvania. A corruption of the 
Delaware Indian word cuwei-mahoni^ meaning "pine-tree lick." 

Queens; county in New York, named for Catherine of Braganza, wife of Charles 11, 
of England. 

Quemalioning; stream in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. The derivation is the 
same as Queen Mahon. 

Quenemo; village in Osage County, Kansas, named for an Ottawa Indian, who lived 
among the Sacs and Foxes, near Melvem. 

Queponco; creek in Maryland. An Indian word meaning "ashes of pine woods." 

Quiccoane; branch of the Missouri River. An Indian word meaning "running 
river." 

Quicksilver; town in Lake County, California, named from the quicksilver mines. 

Quidnic; river and pond in Rhode Island and Connecticut. An Indian word 
meaning "place at the end of the hill." 

Quien Sabe; town in San Diego County, California. A colloquial Mexican expres- 
sion meaning * * who knows ? * ' 

QuiUayute; river in Washington, named for the Indian tribe Kwillehiut; the river's 
name is also a corruption. 

Quincy; city in Adams County, Illinois, and village in Branch County, Michigan, 
named for President John Quincy Adams. 

Quincy; city in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, named for Col. John Quincy. 

Quindaro; town in Wyandotte County, Kansas, named for the Indian woman, 
former owner of the land. An Indian word meaning "bundle of sticks." 

Quinebaug; village in Windham County, Connecticut, and river in Massachusetts 
and Connecticut. An Indian word meaning "long pond." 

Quinlan; village in Hunt County, Texas, named for G. A. Quinlan, former vice- 
president of the Houston and Texas Central Railroad. 

Quinnesec; village in Dickinson County, Michigan. An Indian word meaning 
"where the river forms smoke," and given this village on account of the ^Is in 
the Menominee River at this point. 

Quinnipiac; river in Connecticut. An Indian word meaning "long water pond," 
or, according to another authority, "the surrounding country." 

Quinsigamond; lake in Worcester County, Massachusetts. An Indian word mean- 
ing "pickerel fishing place." 

Quintana; town in Brazoria County, Texas, named for Andre Quintana, prominent 
in the early days of Texas. 

Quitman; county, and town in Jackson County, in Georgia; county, and town in 
Clarke County, in Mississippi; and village in Nodaway County, Missouri; named 
for Gen. John A. Quitman, a former governor of Mississippi and an officer in the 
Mexican war. 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 257 

Quitopahilla; branch of the Great Swatara River in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. 

An Indian word meaning ** spring that flows from the ground among the pines." 
Quoque; village in Suffolk County, New York. A corruption of the Indian word 

quaquanarUuckf meaning '* creek flowing through a shaking marsh, '' describing 

the locality to which the name was originally applied. 
Babbit Ears; mountain of the Park Range, Colorado, so named on account of its 

resemblance to a rabbit ear. 
Babiin; county in Georgia, named for William Rabun, an early governor of the State. 
Baccoon; creek in Beaver County, Pennsylvania. A corruption of the Indian arraih- 

kune or arathcone^ the procyon lotor of the naturalist. 
Bacine; county, and city in same county, in Wisconsin, situated at the mouth of 

Root River. A French word meaning **root." 
Badersburg; town in Broadwater County, Montana, named for William Rader, one 

of the early settlers. 
Badford; village in Christian County, Illinois, named for George Radford, a land- 
holder. 
Badford; city in Montgomery County, Vii^nia, named for William Radford, a 

prominent citizen. 
Badnor; village in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, named from the town in Wales. 
Badom; village in Washington County, Illinois, named from the province of Russia 

in Poland. 
Bagrged; mountain in Knox County, Maine, so named on account of its ragged 

appearance. 
Bahway; river in New Jersey. Said to be derived from the Indian word natuabiva, 

meaning "in the middle of the forest.'* 
Bahway; city in Union County, New Jersey, named for the Indian sachem, Rahwack. 
Bainier; town in Columbia County, Oregon, and mountain in Washington, named 

for Rear-Admiral Rainier, of the British navy. 
Bains; county in Texas, named for Emory Rains, who was prominent in the poli- 
tics of the Republic and later in those of the State. 
Bainsville; town in Warren County, Indiana, named for the proprietor Isaac Rains. 
Bainy; lake in Minnesota. A translation of the original French name, lac de la 

pluiCf **lake of the rain." 
Baisin; river in Michigan, so named on account of the abundance of grapes which 

formerly grew upon its banks. 
Baleigh; town in Smith County, Mississippi, city in Wake County, North Carolina, 

town in Shelby County, Tennessee, and county in West Virginia, named for Sir 

Walter Raleigh. 
Balls; county in Missouri, named for John Ralls, member of the State legislature, 

1820-1821. 
Balston; village in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, named for Matthew C. Ralston. 
Bamseur; town in Randolph County, North Carolina, named for Gen. Stephen 

Ramseur. 
Bamsey; township and village in Fayette County, Illinois, and counties in Minne- 
sota and North Dakota, named for the war governor of Minnesota, Hon. Alex- 
ander Ramsey, afterwards United States Senator. 
Banchita; towns in Los Angeles and Riverside counties, California. A Spanish 

term, meaning ** little ranch." 
Bandall; county in Texas, named for Horace Randall, a brigadier-general of the 

Confederacy. 
Bandalls; island in New York, named for Jonathan Randall, who owns it. 
Bandleman; town in Randolph County, North Carolina, named for a prominent 

citizen. 

Bull. 258—05 17 

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258 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [boll. 268. 

Bandolph; counties in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, and Missouri; towns in Coos 

County, New Hampshire, Cattaraugus County, New York, and Orange County, 

Verjnont; named for John Randolph, of Roanoke, Viiginia. 
Bandolph; county in lUinois, named for Beverly Randolph, governor of Virginia, 

1788-1791. 
Bandolph; township in McLean County, Illinois, named for Grardner Randolph, an 

early settler. 
Bandolph; county in Indiana, named for Thomas Randolph, killed at Tippecanoe. 
Bandolph; town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, and county in North Carolina, 

named for Peyton Randolph, of Virginia. 
Bandolph; village in Dakota County, Nebraska, named for the first mail carrier 

between Sioux City and Elkhom Valley — Jasper Randolph. 
Bandolph; township in Portage County, Ohio, named for Henry Randolph Storrs, 

its original proprietor. 
Bandolph; county in West Viiginia, named for Edmund Randolph, an early 

governor. 
Bandabiirg; mining town in Kern County, California, named from the town in 

South Africa. 
Bangeley ; town and plantation in Franklin County, and chain of lakes in Franklin 

and Oxford counties, Maine, named for an Englishman, an early settler and 

large landowner. 
Kan kin ; county in Mississippi, named for Christopher Rankin, congressman from 

that State. 
Bansom; village in Lasalle County, Illinois, named for Gen. Thomas £. G. Ransom, 

an Illinois oflBcer of the civil war. 
Bansom; village in Hillsdale County, Michigan, named for Epaphroditus Ransom, 

former governor of the State. 
Bansom; county in North Dakota, named for Fort Ransom. 
Bansomville; village in Niagara County, New York, named for Clark Ransom, one 

of the first settlers. 
Bantoul; township and village in Champaign County, Illinois, named for Robert 

Rantoul, a railroad incorporator. 
Bapho; township in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. A corruption of an Indian 

word, meaning **a fort of tents." 
Bapidan; river in Virginia, named for Anne, Queen of England, "rapid Anne.** 
Bapides; parish in Louisiana. A French word meaning "rapids," and given this 

parish on account of the rapids or falls in the Red River. 
Bappahannock; river and county in Virginia. An Indian word meaning "stream 

with an ebb and flow," or "river of quick-rising water." 
Baquette; river in Hamilton County, New York, from the French word meaning 

"snowshoe." 
Baritan; stream and a town in Somerset County, New Jersey. An Indian word 

meaning "fwked river." 
Baspberry; island, one of the Apostles, in Lake Superior. A translation of an 

Indian word, meaning "raspberries are plentiful here." 
Bathbone; town in Steuben County, New York, named for Gren. Ransom Rath- 
bone, an early settler. 
Baton; village in Las Animas County, Colorado. A Spanish word meaning 

"mouse." 
Baumaug; lake in Litchfield County, Connecticut. A corruption of the Indian 

word wonkemaugy meaning "crooked fishing place." 
Bavalli; county in Montana, named for the noted Jesuit missionary. 
Bavenna; village in Portage County, Ohio, named for the city in Italy. 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 259 

Bavenswood; substation in Long Island City, New York, because of the thousands 
of crows who made their home in the surrounding woods. 

Bavenswood; town in Jackson County, West Virginia, named for the Ravens- 
worths, a family of England, but misspelled by the engravers in making the 
first maps and never corrected. 

Rawhide; creek in Nebraska, said to be so named because a white man was flayed 
upon its banks by a party of Pawnee Indians. 

Rawlins; county in Kansas and city in Carbon County, Wyoming, named for John 
A. Rawlins, secretary of war under President Grant. 

Ray; creek in California, named for an early settler. 

Ray; county in Missouri, named for John Ray, a member of the convention which 
formed the State constitution. 

Raymond; village in Madera County, California, named for Raymond Whitcomb, 
who organized a party of tourists to make the trip to the Yosemite by stages 
from this point. 

Raymond; town in Cumberland County, Maine, named for Capt. William Raymond. 

Raymond; town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, named for John Ray- 
mond, a grantee. 

Raymondville; village in St. Lawrence County, New York, named for Benjamin 
Raymond, first agent. 

Raymore; town in Cass County, Missouri, named for two railroad men of St. Louis, 
Messrs. Ray and Moore. 

Raynham; town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, named from the parish of Rain- 
ham, Essex County, England. 

Raysville ; village in Henry County, Indiana, named for Governor Ray. 

Reading; town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, named for Col. John Read, an 
early settler. 

Reading; town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, and city in Berks County, 
Pennsylvania, named from the town in Berkshire, England. 

Readsboro; town in Bennington County, Vermont, named for John Read, one of 
the original patentees. 

Readstown; village in Vernon County, Wisconsin, named for its founder. 

Reagan; county in Texas, named for John H. Reagan, a member of the Confederate 
cabinet. 

Rector; town in Clay County, Arkansas, named for Wharton or Elias Rector, dis- 
tinguished in the early Indian affairs of the State. 

Red; range of mountains in Alabama, so called on account of its hematite ores. 

Red; river in Arkansas, so named on account of the color of the sediment with 
which it is freighted. 

Red; lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota. The name is a translation of the Ojibway 
name, referring to the unruffled surface of the lake reflecting the red sunset. 

Red; group of mountains in Wyoming, so named because formed of porphyry, 
which becomes dark red when exposed to the sun. 

Red Bank; towns in Marshall County, Mississippi, and Monmouth County, New 
Jersey, so named on account of the reddish appearance of the river banks. 

Red Bluff; township and city in Tehama County, California, so named from the 
reddish color of a high bank of the Sacramento River, near which the city is 
located. 

Redbud; villages in Walker County, Alabama, and Gordon County, Georgia, city 
in Randolph County, Illinois, and village in Cowley County, Kansas, so named 
because of the presence of the redbud, a small ornamental tree. 

Red Cap; creek in California, named for a near-by mine. 

Red Cedar; river in Iowa, so named from the abundance of cedar trees which 
formerly grew along its banks. 



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260 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Bed Cloud; city in Webster County, Nebraska, named for the celebrated Sioux 
Indian chief. 

Redden; village in Sussex County, Delaware, named for Col. William O. Redden. 

Bedding; city in Shasta County, California, named for Major Redding, one of the 
earliest American pioneers. 

Bedfield; town in Dallas County, low^a, named for Colonel Redfield. 

Bedfield; township and city in Spink County, South Dakota, named for J. B. Red- 
field, a director of the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad. 

Bedford; village in Wayne County, Michigan, so named because it was a fording 
place on the river Rouge. 

Bed Hook; town in Dutchess County, New York. A translation of the original 
Dutch name, Roode Hoecky which was given it on account of a near-by marsh 
covered with cranberries. 

Bed Jacket; village in Erie County, New York, named for a chief of the Seneca 
Indians, who derived his name from the brilliant red jacket which he wore, 
given him by a British officer. 

Bed Lake; county in Minnesota, named from the lake in Beltrami County. 

Bed Oak; city in Montgomery County, Iowa, so named on account of a near-by 
grove of trees of this species. 

Bedondo Beach; city in Los Angeles County, California, named from a Spanish 
word meaning * * round . ' ' 

Bed Biver; parish in Louisiana, and county in Texas, named from the Red River, 
which borders Texas on the north. 

Bed Biver of the North; rises in Elbow Lake, Minnesota, and enters Lake Winni- 
peg. Named from Red Lake in Minnesota. 

Bed Bock; town in Douglas County, Minnesota, so named on account of a near-by 
granite bowlder painted red by the Indians. 

Bed Bock; village in Columbia County, New York, named for a red rock, sur- 
mounted by a wooden column 10 feet high bearing the date 1825. 

Bedstone; branch of the Monongahela River in Pennsylvania, derived from the 
Indian word machkachsen, meaning "red stone creek." 

Bedwillow; county in Nebraska, so named on account of the abundance of trees of 
this species. 

Bedwing; city in Goodhue County, Minnesota, named for an Indian chief. 

Bedwood; city in San Mateo County, California, so named because of the abundance 
of redwood timber in the vicinity. 

Bedwood; river in Indiana. Derived from the Indian words musqtia me tig, mean- 
ing "redwood tree river." 

Bedwood; river in Minnesota, draining into the Minnesota River. The name is a 
translation of the Dakota (Sioux) , name referring to the abundant growth along 
the river of cornel, a bush with a red bark. 

Bedwood; county in Minnesota, named from the river. 

Beed; township in Butler County, Nebraska, named for David Reed, a pioneer. 

Beed City; Village in Osceola County, Michigan, named for its founder, James M. 
Reed. 

Beedsburg; city in Sauk County, Wisconsin, named for D. C. Reed, an early settler. 

Beedy ; town in Roane County, West Virginia, named for a creek where reeds grow 
abundantly. 

Beese; valley and river in Nevada, named for a guide. 

Beese; stream in Lander County, Nevada, named for an early settler. 

Beeseville; village in Dodge County, AVisconsin, named for Samuel Reese, the first 
settler. 

Beeves; county in Texas, named for George II. Reeves. 



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GANNETT. 1 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED 8TATE8. 261 

Beevesville; town in Dorchester County, South Carolina, named for a prominent 
family of the vicinity. 

Befugio ; town in Santa Barbara County, California. The Spanish form of * * refuge. ' * 

Befixgio; county, and town in same county, in Texas, named for a Mexican mission- 
ary establishment on the Mission River. 

Rehoboth; town in Sussex County, Delaware, given this scriptural name because it 
was first established as a place for yearly camp meetings. A Hebrew word 
meaning **room," or ** enlargements.** 

Behoboth; town in Bristol County, Massachusetts; a Hebrew word meaning "ample 
room. * * Said to have been founded by William Blackstone and so named by him 
as significant of his aim: *' Room outside of the narrow confines of Puritan intol- 
erance." Another authority ascribes the name to Rev. Samuel Newman, who 
established a church there and gave the town this name because *' the Lord hath 
made room for us." 

BeidsviUe; village in Knox County, Nebraska, named for Charles J. Reid, the first 
settler. 

BeidsviUe; town in Rockingham County, North Carolina, named for David S. Reid, 
a former governor. 

Bemsen; town in Oneida County , New York, named for Henry Remsen, a patentee. 

Bennert; town in Robeson County, North Carolina, named for a prominent resident. 

Beno; county in Kansas, town in Washoe County, Nevada, and village in Venango 
County, Pennsylvania, named for Gen. Jesse L. Reno. 

Benovo; borough in Clinton County, Pennsylvania. Derived from the Latin, r€, 
"again," and norti«, ** new." 

BenBselaer; city in Jasper County, Indiana, named for John Van Rensselaer, of New 

York State. 
Bensselaer; county in New York; 

BenBselaerville; town in Albany County, New York. Named for Kilian van 
Rensselaer, who planted a colony on his lands to be known as Rensselaerwyck, 
now as above. 

Benville; county in Minnesota, named for Joseph Renville, an Indian trader and 
' prominent citizen. 

Bepresa; town in Sacramento County, California. A Spanish word meaning ** mill- 
dam.*' 

BepubHc; county in Kansas, named from th« Pawnee Republic, a principal division 
of the Pawnee Indians formerly located in this county. 

Bepublic; township, and town in Marquette County, in Michigan, named from the 
iron ore mines in the Marquette Range. 

Bepublican; village in Harlan County, Nebraska, named from the Republican 
River. 

Bevere; town in Suffolk County, Massachusetts, named for Paul Revere. 

Bevillagigedo; group of islands off the coast of Alaska, named for Conde Revila 
Gigedo, viceroy of New Spain. 

Beynolds; county in Missouri, named for Thomas Reynolds, a former governor. 

BeynoldBburg; village in Franklin County, Ohio, probably named for Jeremiah 
N. Reynolds. 

Beynoldsville; borough in Jefferson County, Pennsylvania, named for Thomas 
Reynolds, an old citizen. 

Bhea; county in Tennessee, named for John Rhea, congressman-elect at the time 
the county was organized. 

Bhinebeck; town in Dutchess County, New York. A combination of the names of 
the man who founded the town — William Beekman — and his native town — 
Rhineland. 



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262 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Bhinecliff; town in Dutchess County, New York, so named by the early settlers 
who came from the Rhine River in Germany. 

Bhinelander; city in Oneida County, Wisconsin, named for F. W. Rhinelander, 
president of the Milwaukee, Lake Shore and Western Railway. 

Rhode Island; one of the original thirteen States, said to have received its name 
from a small island in Narragansett Bay named Roode Eylandty **red island;" 
according to another authority, named for the island of Rhodes. 

Bib; river in Wisconsin. A translation of an Indian word. 

Bice; county in Kansas, named for Brig. Gen. Samuel A. Rice. 

Bice; county in Minnesota, named for Senator Henry M. Rice, a pioneer. 

Bice Lake; city in Barron County, Wisconsin, so called because situated on a lake 
where wild rice is abundant. 

BiceviUe; town in Mitchell County, Iowa, named for three brothers. 

Bich; county in Utah, named for Apostle Charles C. Rich, a member of the Church 
of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints. 

Bichardson; town in Monterey County, California, named by settlers from Richard- 
son County, Nebraska. 

BicliardBOn; county in Nebraska, named for William A. Richardson, former gov- 
ernor of the Territory. 

Bichburg; town in Allegany County, New York, named in honor of Alvan Rich- 
ardson, the first settler who went there from Otsego County in 1819. 

Bicbburg; town in Chester County, South Carolina, named for a prominent family. 

Bichfield; city in Morton County, Kansas, so named because it was thought it 
would prove a " rich field." 

Bichfield; township in Summit County, Ohio. The name originated from a weed 
which grew abundantly, known as richweed, corrupted to richfield, and applied 
to the settlement. 

Bichfield Springs; village in Otsego County, New York, so named because of the 
excellent character of the soil and the abundance of springs. 

Bich Hill; city in Bates County, Missouri, so named because of the fertile hill lands 
around it. 

Bichland; county in Illinois, named by the first settlers from Richland County, Ohio. 

Bichland; parish in Louisiana, and counties in North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina, 
and Wisconsin, so named because of the rich character of the soil. 

Bichmond; town in Contra Costa County, California, and cities in Wayne County, 
Indiana, and Madison County, Kentucky, named from Richmond, Virginia. 

Bichmond; county in Georgia, town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, and coun- 
ties in New York and North Carolina, named for Lennox, Duke of Richmond. 

Bichmond; town in Washington County, Rhode Island, thought to have been named 
for Edward Richmond, attorney-general of the colony. 

Bichmond; county, and city in Henrico County, Virginia, so named on account of 
the resemblance to Richmond, Surry County, England. 

Bichthofen; mountain in Colorado named for the geologist. 

Bichville; village in St. Lawrence County, New York, named for Salmon Rich, an 
early settler. 

Bich wood; village in Union County, Ohio, so named because of the fertility of the 
soil and the heavy growths of timber. 

Bickreal; river and village in Polk County, Oregon. A corruption of the French 

la creoky meaning "the Creole." 
Bidgefield; borough in Bergen County, New Jersey; 
Bidge Spring; town in Saluda County, South Carolina; 
Bidgeville; town in Dorchester County, South Carolina; 

Bidgeway; towns in Orleans County, New York, and Fairfield County, South Caro- 
lina. So named on account of the presence of ridges near by. 



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GANNETT. 1 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 263 

Bidi^ely; village in Sangamon County, Illinois, named for Charles Ridgely, one of its 

founders. 
Sidgreway; borough in Elk County, PennsylVania, named for John Jacob Ridgeway, 

of Philadelphia, a large landowner. 
Sidley Park; borough in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, named from the native 

place of its settlers in Cheshire, England. 
Sienzi; town in Alcorn County, Mississippi, named for the Roman tribune. 
Siga; town in Lenawee County, Michigan, named from the city in Russia. 
Riley; county in Kansas named for Maj. Gen. Bennet Riley, United States Army. 
Bixnersburg; borough in Clarion County, Pennsylvania, named for John Rimer, its 

first settler. 
Rimini ; town in Lewis and Clark County, Montana. Named by Lawrence Barrett 

for the character m the tragedy of ** Francesca da Rimini.'* 
Rincon; towns in Riverside County, California, and Donna Alia County, New 

Mexico. A Spanish word meaning ** comer,'* or ** inside corner.*' 
Rindge; town in Cheshire County, New Hampshire, named for one of the original 

proprietors. 
Ringgold; county in Iowa, named for Maj. Samuel Ringgold, an officer of the 

Mexican war. 
Ringwood; villages in Passaic County, New Jersey, and Halifax County, North 

Carolina, named from the town in England. 
Rio Arriba; county in New Mexico intersected by the Rio Grande del Norte, "great 

river of the North.** A Spanish name meaning "upper,** or "high river.** 
Rio Blanco; county in Colorado, named from the White River, of which the 

county's name is the Spanish interpretation. 
Rio de las Piedras; stream in New Mexico. A Spanish phrase meaning "river of 

the stones.*' 
Rio de l08 Americanos; river in California. A Spanish phrase meaning "river of 

the Americans,** the favorite route of the early emigrants; 
Rio de los Martires; river in California. A Spanish phrase meaning "river of the 

martyrs,*' so named from the murder of Spanish priests by Indians. 
Rio de los Mimbres; river in New Mexico. A Spanish phrase meaning "river of 

the willows." 
Rio de Mercede; river in California. A Spanish phrase meaning * * river of mercy. " 
Rio Frio; river in Texas. A Spanish word meaning " cold river." 
Rio Grande; county in Colorado, named from the river. 
Rio Grande; river rising in the Rocky Mountains and emptying into the Gulf of 

Mexico. A Spanish phrase meaning "great river.'' 
Rio Grande Pyramid; mountain of the San Juan Range, Colorado, so called because 

its form is that of a perfect pyramid. 
Rio Llano; river in Texas. A Spanish phrase meaning "river of the plain." 
Rio Salinas; river in Arizona, having alkaline deposits upon its banks, which caused 

it to be given this Spanish name, meaning "salt river." 
Rio Seco; town in Butte County, California. A Spanish phrase meaning "dry 

river." 
Rio Verde; river in Arizona. A Spanish phrase meaning "green river." 
Rio Vista; town in Solano County, California, at the mouth of the Sacramento 

River. A Spanish phrase meaning "river view." 
Ripley; counties in Indiana and Missouri and town in Chautauqua County, New 

York, named for Gen. Eleazer W. Ripley. 
Ripley; town in Brown County, Ohio, named for General Ripley, an officer in the 

war of 1812. 
Ripley; town in Payne County, Oklahoma, named for a leading official of the Santa 

Fe Railroad. 



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264 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Ripley; town in Jackson County, West Virginia, named for a resident. 

Ripen; city in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, named from the town in England. 

Rippey; town in Greene County, Iowa, named for Capt. C. M. Rippey, an old 

settler. 
Rising City; village in Butler County, Nebraska, named for the owners of the town 

site, A. W. and S. W. Rising. 
Rising Sun; village in Dearborn County, Indiana, so named by its founder, John 

James, when viewing the sunrise from that location. 
Ritchie; county in West Viipnia, named for Thomas Ritchie, editor of the Richmond 

Enquirer. 
Rivanna; river and township in Virginia, named for Queen Anne, of England. 
Rivera; tx)wn in Los Angeles County, California. The Spanish form of *' river." 
River Falls; city in Pierce County, Wisconsin, so named because of its situation 

near the falls of the Kinnikinnic River. 
Riverhead; town in Suffolk County, New York, so named because of its location 

near the head of the Peconic River. 
Riverside; county, and town in same county, in California, town in Washington 

County, Iowa, and forty other places, being usually so named on account of 

their location. 
Rivoli; town in Mercer County, Illinois, named from the town in Italy. 
Roach; creek in Humboldt County, California, named for a pioneer who was drowned 

in it. 
Roan; plateau in Colorado, so named on account of the color of the cliffe rising from 

the Grand River Valley. 
Roan; mountain in North Carolina, so named on account of the color of the laurel 

growing upon its summit. 
Roane; county in Tennessee, named for Governor Archibald Roane. 
Roane; county in West Virginia, named for Spencer Roane, judge of the supreme 

court of the State in its early days. 
Roanoke; towns in Randolph County, Alabama, Howard County, Missouri, and 

Genesee County, New York, named from the home of John Randolph in Vir- 
ginia. 
Roanoke; township and village in Woodford County, Illinois, named from Roanoke, 

Virginia, the home of its founders. 
Roanoke; town in Huntington County, Indiana; county, and city in same county, 

in Virginia; and river in Virginia and North Carolina. An Indian word desig- 
nating a kind of shell used for money. 
Roaring; mountain in Yellowstone Park, so named on account of the shrill sound 

made by the steam escaping from a vent in its summit. 
Roaring Fork; branch of the Grand River in Colorado, so named from its steep 

and rapid descent. 
Robbinston; town in Washington County, Maine, named for its original owners, 

Edward H. and Nathaniel J. Robbfns. 
Roberts; county in South Dakota, named for Moses Robert (Robar), a fur trader. 
Roberts; county in Texas, named for Oran M. Roberts, former governor of the State. 
Robertson; county in Kentucky, named for ex-Chief Justice George Robertson, a 

leading pioneer. 
Robertson; county in Tennessee, named for Gen. James Robertson, a pioneer. 
Robertson; county in Texas, named for Sterling C. Robertson, who received a colo- 
nization grant from Mexico. 
Robeson; county in North Carolina, named for Col. Thomas Robeson, of the North 

Carolina Revolutionary Militia. 
Robinson; town in Summit County, Colorado, named for George B. Robinson, 

former lieutenant-governor of the State. 



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GANNETT] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED 8TATE8. 265 

Bobinscin; township and city in Crawford County, Illinois, named for John M. 

Robinson, United States Senator from Illinois, 1830-1841. 
Bobinson; city in Brown County, Kansas, named for Governor Charles Robinson. 
Bobla; town in Ventura County, California. A Spanish word meaning **bill of 

sale." 
Boche a Gris; river in Adams County, Wisconsin. A French phrase meaning 

**gray rock." 
Boclielle; city in Ogle County, Illinois, named from Rochelle, France. 
Roclie Moutonnee; branch of the Eagle River in Colorado, so named on account of 

the glacial rocks of its gorge. 
Boche Perc^e; river in Boone County, Missouri. A French phrase meaning 

** pierced rock." 
Bocliester; township and town in Fulton County, Indiana, named from the city in 

New York. 
Bocliester; towns in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, and Beaver County, Penn- 
sylvania, named from the city in England. 
Bocliester; city in Monroe County, New York, named for the senior proprietor, 

Col. Nathaniel Rochester. 
Bochester; town in Ulster County, New York, named for the Earl of Rochester. 
Bock; counties in Minnesota and Nebraska, county and river in Wisconsin, antl 

many other places, so named on account of the rocky character of the soil. 
Bockaway; river, and borough in Morris County, New Jersey. Supposed to \ye 

derived from the Indian word reckavxwkeSf or achewek, meaning "bushy," or 

**diflacult to cross." 
Bockbridge; county in Virginia, so named on account of the natural bridge of rock 

over Cedar Creek. 
Bockcastle; county and river in Kentucky, named for the rock castles on the river 

banks. 
Bockdale; county in Geoipa, so named from the ledges of rock running through it. 
Bock Falls; city in Whiteside County, Illinois, named from its location at the falls 

in Rock River. 
Bockford; city in Winnebago County, Illinois, so named because of its situation on 

both sides of Rock River. 
Bockford; village in Wells County, Indiana, so named because it is located at a 

ford on Rock Creek. 
Bockingham; counties in New Hampshire, North Carolina, and Virginia, named 

for the Marquis of Rockingham, premier of England at the time of the repeal of 

the stamp act. 
Bock Island; county, and city in same county, in Illinois, named from an island in 

the Mississippi River which is formed of limestone. 
Bockland; city in Knox County, Maine, so name<l because of its granite quarries. 
Bockland; town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, so named from the character 

of the soil. 
Bockland; county in New York, so named on account of its extensive quarries of 

red sandstone. 
Bockport; town in Spencer County, Indiana, so named because of the hanging 

rock, ** Lady Washington Rock," on the Ohio River. 
Bockport; town in Essex County, Massachusetts, so named on account of the granite 

quarries near the sea. 
Bock Bapids; town in Lyon County, Iowa, named from its location on the falls of 

Rock River. 
Bockton; township and village in Winnebago County, Illinois, named from its loca- 
tion on the Rock River. 



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266 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Rockville; city in Tolland County, Connecticut, so named because of the rock for- 
mation of the hills upon which the city is built. 

Bockyille; city in Parke County, Indiana, so named because of large bowlders in 
the neighborhood. 

Rockville; village in Allegany County, New York, so named on account of a quarry 
in the vicinity. 

Rockwall; county in Texas, so named on account of an underground wall. 

Bodeo; town in Contra Costa County, California. A Spanish name signifying the 
market place where homed cattle are exhibited for sale. 

Rodman; town in Jefferson County, New York, named for Daniel Eodman, of 
Hudson. 

Rodney; town in Jefferson County, Mississippi, named for Judge Rodney, of the 
State. 

Roger Mills; county in Oklahoma, named for Roger Q. Mills, senator from Texas. 

Rogers; mountain in Tennessee, named for William B. Rogers, the geologist. 

Rogue; river in Oregon, named for the Tototins, an Indian tribe of nefarious habits, 
who were termed Coquins by the French and Rogues by the English. 

Rohnerville; town in Humboldt County, California, named for Henry Rohner, an 
early settler. 

Rolesville; town in Wake County, North Carolina, named for a prominent resident. 

Rolette; county in North Dakota, named for the Hon. Joseph Rolette, an early 
settler of Red River Valley. 

Rolfe; town in Pocahontas County, Iowa, said by some authorities to be named for 
the young Englishman who married Pocahontas, but by others for the man 
who previously owned the town site. 

RoUa; township and city in Phelps County, Missouri. A corruption of Raleigh, 
being named from the city in North Carolina. 

Rollinsford; town in Strafford County, New Hampshire, named for a resident 
family. 

Rollinsville; town in Gilpin County, Colorado, named for John Q. A. Rollins. 

Rome; cities in Floyd County, Georgia, and Oneida County, New York, and twenty 
other places, the name being transferred from the city in Italy. 

Romeo; village in Macomb County, Michigan, named for the character of Shake- 
speare's tragedy. 

Romulus; towns in Wayne County, Michigan, and Seneca County, New York, 
named for the founder of Rome. 

Rondout; creek in Ulster County, New York, the name being a corruption of 
** redoubt," a fortification built upon the stream by the early Dutch. 

Roodhouse; city in Greene County, Illinois, named for John Roodhouse, its founder. 

Rooks; county in Kansas, named for John C. Rooks, member of Company I, Elev- 
enth Kansas. 

Roosevelt; county in New Mexico, named for President Theodore Roosevelt. 

Root; town in Montgomery County, New York, named for Erastus Root, of Dela- 
ware County. 

Roscoe; town in Coshocton County, Ohio, named for William Roscoe, the English 
historian. 

Roscommon; county in Michigan, named from the county in Ireland. 

Rose; town in Wayne County, New York, named for Robert L. Rose, of Geneva. 

Roseau; county, river, and lake in Minnesota, retaining the early French name, 
meaning a reed or rush, referring to the abundance of a very coarse reed grass. 

Rosebroom; town in Otsego County, New York, named for Abraham Rosebroom, 
one of the earliest settlers. 

Rosebud; county and river in Montana, so named because of the profusion of wild 
roses in the vicinity. 



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GANNETT.! PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES, 267 

Boseburg; town in Douglas County, Oregon, named for Aaron Rose, one of the first 

settlers. 
Bosedale; city in Wyandotte County, Kansas, so named because when located the 

town site wa« a mass of wild rose bushes. 
Hosita; town in Custer County, Colorado, said to have been so named by the early 

miners because of the thickets of wild roses which surrounded the springs in the 

vicinity. 
Boss; town in Kent County, Michigan, named for Daniel Ross. 
Boss; county in Ohio, named for Hon. James Ross, of Pennsylvania. 
Bossie; town in St. Lawrence County, New York, named for a sister of David 

Parish, the proprietor. 
Bossville; village in Vermilion County, Illinois, named for its founder. 
Bossville; city in Shawnee County, Kansas, named for W. W. Ross, agent of the 

Pottawatomie Indians. 
Bossville; village in Richmond County, New York, now a part of New York City, 

named for the proprietor of a large tract of land. 
Bossville; town in Fayette County, Tennessee, named for Jon Ross, a Cherokee 

chief. 
Boswell; town in El Paso County, Colorado, named for Roswell P. Flower, of New 

York. 
Boswell; town in Cobb County, Georgia, named for Roswell King. 
Bothville; town in Chariton County, Missouri, named for John Roth, an early 

settler. 
Botterdam; town in Schenectady County, New York, named from the city in the 

Netherlands. 
Boubedeau; river in Delta County, and pass in Scotts Bluff County, Nebraska, 

named for Antoine Roubedeau, a French trader. 
Bougrh and Beady; town in Nevada County, California, so named by the miners 

of 1849. 
Bound Hill; town in Loudoun County, Virginia, so named because of its location 

near a round foothill of the Blue Ridge. 
Bouse Point; village in Clinton County, New York, named for a resident family. 
Boutt; county in Colorado, named for John L. Routt, the last governor of the Ter- 
ritory. 
Bowan; county in Kentucky, named for John Rowan, a distinguished lawyer of the 

State. 
Bowan; county in North Carolina, named for Matthew Rowan, prominent in the 

early politics of the State. 
Bowesville; town in Orangeburg County, South Carolina, named for Gen. William 

Rowe. 
Bowletts; town in Hart County, Kentucky, named for John P. Rowlett. 
Bowley; town in Essex County, Massachusetts, named from the town in England. 
Boyal; village in Antelope County, Nebraska, named for Royal Thayer. 
Boyal Oak; village in Talbot County, Maryland, so named because of a nearby oak 

into which the British shot a cannon ball in the war of 1812. 
Boyalston; town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, named for Col. Isaac Royal, 

one of its proprietors. 
Boyersford; borough in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, named for a family 

known as Roya, who lived at a ford in the Schuylkill River in that vicinity. 
Bubicon; town in Eldorado County, California, and river in Wisconsin, named from 

the river in Italy. 
Buby; peak in Colorado, so named on account of its color. 
Bulo; village in Richardson County, Nebraska, named for Charles Rouleau. 



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268 PLACE KAME8 IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Bumford; town in Oxford County, Maine, said to have been named for Count 
Runiford. 

Bumsey; town in McLean County, Kentucky, named for Edward Rumsey, a prom- 
inent resident of the State. 

Bunnels; county in Texas, name<l for Henry R. Runnels, former governor. 

Bunnelsville; town in Madison County, Mississippi, named for a prominent family 
of the State. 

Bush; county in Indiana, named for Dr. Benjamin Rush, of Philadelphia. 

Bush; county in Kansas, named for Alexander Rush, captain Company H, Second 
Regiment Kansas Colored Volunteers. 

Bush; town in Monroe County, New York, named from large stretches of rushes 
growing in the vicinity. 

Bushville; township and city in Schuyler County, Illinois, named for Dr. Richard 
Rush, candidate for vice-presidency in 1828. 

Bushville; town in Rush County, Indiana, named for Dr. Benjamin Rush, of Phila- 
delphia. 

Bushville; village in Sheridan County, Nebraska, so named because of the exten- 
sive growth of rushes. 

Busk; county in Texas, named for Gen. Thomas J. Rusk, United States Senator from 
that State. 

Bussell; county in Alabama, named for Col. Gilbert Russell, of that State. 

Bussell; county, and city in same county, in Kansas, named forCapt. Avra P. Russell, 
Company K, Second Kansas Regiment. 

Bussell; county, and city in Logan County, in Kentucky, and county in Virginia, 
named for Gen. William Russell. 

Bussell; village in St. Lawrence County, New York, named for Russell Atwater, its 
original proprietor. 

Bussell; township in Geauga County, Ohio, named for a family of early settlers. 

Bussellville; town in Pope County, Arkansas, named for Dr. Thomas Russell, who 
located there in 1835. 

Bussellville; village in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, named for the Russell 
family, prominent in the business interests of the vicinity. 

Bussian Biver; township in Sonoma County, California, on a river of the same 

name, so named because a Russian settlement was early located there. 
Butherford; counties in North Carolina and Tennessee; 

Butherfordton; town in Rutherford County, North Carolina. Named for Gen. 
Griffith Rutherford, a noted Indian fighter. 

Butherford; borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, named for John Rutherford, 
an extensive landowner. 

Butland; village in Lasalle County, Illinois, and town in Jefferson County, New 
York, named from the city in Vermont. 

Butland; town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, said to have been name<i from 
Rutland, near Leicestershire, England. 

Butland; county, and city in same county, in Vermont, named from the town in 
Massachusetts. 

Byans; creek in Humboldt County, California, named for an early settler. 

Bye; town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, named from the home of its 
English settlers. 

Sabatis; hill in Maine, named for an Indian who accompanied Arnold's expedition. 

Sabeta; peak in Colorado, named for the wife of Ouray, the chief of the Ute Indians. 

Sabetha; city in Nemaha County, Kansas, probably a corruption of the word Sab- 
bath, which was the name of the temporary fort, established on Sunday, from 
which the town was named. 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 269 

Sabine; parish in Louisiana, county, town in Jefferson County, and lake in Texaa. 

A French word, meaning "cypress." 
Sable; cape, the southernmost point of the mainland in Florida, and stream in 

Michigan. A French word meaning "sandy." 
Sabotawan; mountain in Maine, thfe most easterly of the Spencer Range. An Indian 

word meaning "the end of the pack," "where the strap is pulled together." 

(Sac; county in Iowa; 
Sac City; city in Sac County, Iowa, named for an Indian tribe. The word refers 
to "yellow earth," the proper form being Osaukee. 
Sacandagra; tributary of Hudson River, so named because of a great marsh lying 

along its banks. An Indian word meaning "drowned lands." 
Sacate; town in Santa Barbara County, California. A Spanish word meaning 

"grass." 
Saccarappa; village in Cumberland County, Maine. An Indian word meaning 

' * toward the rising sun. * * 
Sachem Head; watering place in New Haven County, Connecticut, so named 

because an Indian chief was once captured there. 
Sacketts Harbor; village in Jefferson County, New York, named for Augustus 

Sacket, its first settler. 
Saco; river, and city in York County, in Maine. Derived from an Indian word, 8ohk 

or sauky "pouring out;" hence the outlet or discharge of a river or lake. 
Sacram€»ntO; county, city in same county, and river in California, named by the 

Spaniards, the word meaning "sacrament." 
Sacramento; village in White County, Illinois, named from Sacramento, California, 

the home of many of the first settlers. 
Sadlersville; town in Robertson Comity, Tennessee, named for W. R. Sadler, an 

early settler. 
Sadorus; township and village in Champaign County, Illinois, named for Henry 

Sadorus, the first settler. 
Safford; village in Pima County, Arizona, named for A. P. K. Safford, governor of 

the Territory. 
Sagradahoc; county in Maine bordering on the Atlantic Ocean. An Indian word 

meaning "land at the mouth," or " mouth of the river." 
Sag^eville; village in Hamilton County, New York, named for Hezekiah Sage. 
Sag Harbor; village in Suffolk County, New York. Sagg is derived from the 

Indian word sagaporackf meaning "place where ground nuts grow." 
Sag^inaw; county, city in same county, river, and bay in Michigan, derived from an 

Ojibwa Indian word meaning "Sauk place," referring to the Sauk or Sac 

Indians. 
Sago; town in Muskingum County, Ohio. An Indian word meaning "welcome." 
Saguache; county, and town in same county, in Colorado. An Indian word mean- 
ing "water at the blue earth." 
Sahale; peak in Cascade Mountains, Okanogan County, Washington, named by the 

Mazamas, a mountaineering club of Portland, Oregon, from the Chinook word 

sahale J "high," "above." 
Saint Albans; city in Franklin County, Vermont, named for Alban, a Roman 

Christian, and the first martyr in Britain. 
Saint Anne; township and village in Kankakee County, Illinois, named from St. 

Anne, Quebec, the former home of nearly all the residents. 
Saint Anthony; falls in the Mississippi River at Minneapolis. So named by a 

French missionary, because "of the many favors received through the interces- 
sion of that saint." 
Saint Anthony; town in Stearns County, Minnesota, named from the falls. 



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270 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Saint Augrustine; city in St. John County, Florida, so named because the first land- 
ing was made on that day. 
Saint Bernard; parish in Louisiana, named by the French for the saint. 
Saint Charles; parish in Louisiana, named for the saint. 
Saint Charles; county, and city in the same county, in Missouri, so named because 

it was the purpose of the vicar of Pontoise to establish a seminary there in honor 

of that saint, where the Indians should be educated. 
Saint Clair; county, city in same county, and lake in Michigan, said to have been 

so named because the lake was discovered by the French upon that saint's day. 
Saint Clair; counties in Alabama, Illinois, and Missouri, town in Antelope County, 

Nebraska, and borough in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania; 
Saint Clairsville; village in Belmont County, Ohio. Named for Gen. Arthur St. 

Clair, governor of the Northwest Territory. 
Saint Clement; town in Pike County, Missouri, named for the patron saint of Clem- 
ent Grote, an early settler. 
Saint Cloud; township and city in Stearns County, Miniiesota, named by the 

original proprietors from the town in France. 
Saint Croix; river in Maine, probably so named because of its resemblance at Oak 

Bay to a cross; croixy the French word for ** cross.'* 
Saint Croix; river of Minnesota and Wisconsin, named for Monsieur St. Croix, who 

was drowned at its mouth. 
Saint Croix; county in Wisconsin, named from the river. 
Saint Derion; village in Nemaha County, Nebraska, named for Joseph Derion, an 

Indian chief of the Otoe tribe. 
Saint Elias; mountain in Alaska, named for the saint upon whose day it was dis- 
covered. 
Saint Francis; stream in Minnesota and county in Arkansas; 
Saint Francois; county in Missouri. Named for the founder of the Franciscan 

order. 
Sainte Genevieve; county, and city in same county, in Missouri, named for the 

French saint. 
Saint George; town in Knox County, Maine, named from the island which is now 

called Monhegan, but was originally named by its discoverer, Capt. George Wey- 
mouth, for his patron saint. 
Saint George; town in Dorchester County, South Caroliua, located in the defunct 

county of St. George, for which it is named. 
Saint George; town in Chittenden County, Vermont, named for George III, of 

England. 
Saint George; town in Tucker County, West Virginia, named for St. George Tucker, 

clerk of the house of delegates. 
Saint Helena; town in Napa County, California, and parish in Louisiana, named 

for the French saint. 
Saint Helens; mountain in Washington, named for Lord Saint Helens, British 

ambassador to Madrid. 
Saint Ignace; township in Mackinac County, Michigan, named for a Catholic 

church erected within its limits. 
Saint Jacob; township and village in Madison County, Illinois, named for the first 

three settlers, Jacob Shultz, Jacob Schroth, and Jacob Willi. 
Saint James; parish in Louisiana, named for the French saint. 
Saint James; city in Watonwan County, Minnesota, named for the first settler, 

James Purrington. 
Saint James; town in Phelps County, Missouri, named for a large mine owner in 

the vicinity. 
Saint John; county in Florida, named from Saint Johns River. 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 271 

Saint John; village in Perry County, Illinois, named from a celebration of Saint 

John's Day, June 24, held in the settlement in 1856. 
Saint John; city in Stafford County, Kansas, named for Governor John P. St. John. 
. Saint Johns; river in Florida, called by the Spanish discoverers San Juan Bautista, 

because upon this saint's day it was discovered. 
Saint Johns; village in Clinton County, Michigan, named for John Swegles. 
Saint Johnsbury; town in Caledonia County, Vermont, named for St. John de 

Creve-coeur, French consul at New York, and a benefactor of Vermont. 
Saint Johnsville; town in Montgomery County, New York, named for an old 

church ^established there in early days. 
Saint John the Baptist; parish in Louisiana, named from the Saint Johns River. 
Saint Joseph; county in Indiana, and county, and city in Berrien County, in Michi- 
gan, named from the river. 
Saint Joseph; river rising in Hillsdale County, Michigan, and entering Lake Michi- 
gan. Named by the early French Cathohc explorers for the husband of the 

Viiigin Mary. 
Saint Joseph; city in Buchanan County, Missouri, named for Joseph Robidoux, an 

early French settler. 
Saint Landry; parish in Louisiana, named for Saint Landri, bishop of Paris in 651. 
Saint I<awrence; gulf in New York, so named because discovered upon the feast 

day of that saint. 
Saint Lawrence; county and river in New York, named from the gulf. 
Saint Louis; town in Sonoma County, California, and city in Gratiot County, 

Michigan, named from the city in Missouri. 
Saint Louis; river rising in Saint Louis County, Minnesota, and flowing into Lake 

Superior. Probably so named by the explorer, Verendrye, in 1749, in honor of 

the cross of Saint Louis conferred upon him shortly before his death by the 

King of France. 
Saint Louis; county in Minnesota, named from the river. 
Saint Louis; county, and city in Saint Louis City County, Missouri, named for 

Louis XV of France. 
Saint Martin; parish in Louisiana, named for Saint Martin, bishop of Tours, about 

400. 
Saint Mary; parish in Louisiana, so named by Roman Catholic settlers. 
Saint Mary; county in Maryland, named for Queen Henrietta Maria. 
Saint Marys; city in Pottawatomie County, Kansas, peak in Bitter Root Mountain 

range, RavalM County, Montana, and township and village in Auglaize County, 

Ohio, named from St. Mary's Mission in Bitter Root Valley, Montana. 
Saint Mftrys; town in Elk County, Pennsylvania, originally settled by Roman 

Catholics, and named for the saint. 
Saint Matthews; town in Orangeburg County, South CaroUna, named for the 

county, now defunct, in which it was formerly located. 
Saint Paul; city in Ramsey County, Minnesota, named for a church which was 

built for M. Galtier, an early Catholic missionary. 
Saint Paul; city in Howard County, Nebraska, named for J. N. and N. J. Paul, its 

first settlers. 
Saint Peter; village in Cedar County, Nebraska, named for John Peter Abts, the 

first settler. 
Saint Peters; town in Saint Charles County, Missouri, named for a Jesuit mission 

established there in early days. 
Saint Begris Falls; village in Franklin County, river and falls in New York, named 

for a canonized Jesuit missionary. 
Saint Stephens; town in Berkeley County, South Carolina, named for the now 

defunct parish in which it was formerly located. 



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272 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Saint Tammany; parish in Loaisiana, named for a chief of the Delaware Indians, 
the name meaning ** beaver leader." 

Saint Vrain; creek in Colorado, named for Ceran St. Vrain, an early explorer. 

Salado; town in Bell County, Texas. A Spanish word meaning "salted," salt 
being abundant in the vicinity. 

Salamanca; village in Cattaraugus County, New York, named for Sefior Salamanca, 
a Spanish financier, interested in the Atlantic and Great Western Railroad. 

Salem; cities in Essex County, Massachusetts, and Marion County, Oregon; and 
city in Forsyth County, North Carolina, settled by Moravians, so named by 
early settlers in the hope of peaceful security. A Hebrew word meaning 
**peace." 

Salem; county, and city in same county. New Jersey, so named by a company 
of English Friends, from the peaceful aspect of the country. 

Salem; town in Washington County, New York, and township and city in Colum- 
biana County, Ohio, named from the city in Massachusetts. 

Salero; hill in Arizona, said to have been so named because a pltcellar, of ore from 
the hill, was made by the padres of St. Joseph for the table of their bishop. A 
Spanish word meaning "saltcellar." 

Salida; town in Stanislaus County, California, and city in Chaffee County, Colorado, 
at the junction of the Arkansas River with its large branch from the south. A 
Spanish word meaning "point of departure." 
Salina; town in Onondaga County, New York; 
Salinas; city in Monterrey County and river in California; 

Saline; rivers and counties in Arkansas, Illinois, and Kansas, and counties in Mis- 
souri and Nebraska, and many other places. So named from the presence of 
salt springs or salt deposits within their limits. 

Salisbury; town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, named for a resident. 

Salisbury; towns in Wicomico County, Maryland, and Essex County, Massachu- 
setts, named from the city in England. 

Salisbury; city in Chariton County, Missouri, named for Lucius Salisbury, of the 
county. 

Salisbury; town in Herkimer County, New York, named from the town in Con- 
necticut. 

Sallis; town in Attala County, Mississippi, named for Dr. James Sallis, the former 
owner of the land. 

Sallisaw; stream, and town in Cherokee Nation, Indian Territory. Supposed to 
have been derived from the French bayou scUaisoriy "salting provisions bayou." 

Sallys; town in Aiken County, South Carolina, named for the Salley family, promi- 
nent residents of the State. 

Salmon; river in Washington, so named on account of the shoals of salmon that 
ascend the river in the summer. 

Salmon Falls; river, and village in Strafford County, New Hampshire, named from 
the falls in the river, where the salmon stop in their upward course. 

Salt; creek in Colorado, so named on account of the character of the mineral deposits. 

Saltillo; borough in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania, named from the town in 
Mexico. A Spanish word meaning "leaping." 

Salt Lake; county, and city in same county in Utah, named from Great Salt Lake. 

Salton; town in San Diego County, California, situated on the border of the Salton 
Sea, from which it receives its name. 

Salton Sea; dry lake in San Diego County, California, 265 feet below sea level, the 
bottom of which is covered with salt. 

Saluda; town in Polk County, North Carolina, and river, county, and town in 
same county in South Carolina. An Indian word meaning "corn river," 



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GANNETT] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 273 

Salungra; village in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, derived from the Indian word 

chickimvalungay meaning "place of crawfish." 
Salyersville; town in Magoffin County, Kentucky, named for Samuel Salyer, a 

member of the State legislature. 
Samoa; village in Humboldt Oounty, California, named for an Indian chief. 
Sajnpson; county in North Carolina, named for Col. John Sampson, officer of the 

Revolution. 
Samsonville; village in Ulster County, New York, named for Gen. Henry A, 

Sampson. 
Sajnuel Adams; mountain in New Hampshire, named for a Revolutionary patriot. 
San Antonio; city in Bexar County, Texas, named for the Roman Catholic mission, 

San Antonio de Velero, otherwise the Alamo. 
San Aug^ostine; county, and town in same county, in Texas, probably named for 

Saint Augustine, one of the early fathers of the Roman Catholic church. 
San Benito; county, and township in same county, in California. The Spanish 

form of Saint Benedict. 
San Bernardino; county, and city in same county, in California, named for an old 

Spanish mission. 
Sanborn; town in O'Brien County, Iowa, and county in South Dakota, named for 

George W. Sanborn, division superintendent of the Chicago, Milwaukee and 

Saint Paul Railroad. 
Sanbomton; town in Belknap County, New Hampshire, named for a family of 

early settlers. 
San Buenaventura; town in Ventura County, California. A Spanish phrase sig- 
nifying '* saint of good fortune.'* 
San Carlos; village in San Mateo County, California. The Spanish form of Saint 

Charles. 
Sanders; town in Carroll County,. Kentucky, named for an old settler. 
Sandersville; city in Washington County, Georgia, named for Benjamin Saunders, 

who once owned all the land upon which the city is built. 
San Dieg^o; county, and city in same county, in California. A corruption of Saint 

lago, the patron saint of Spain, for whom they were named. 
Sandisfleld; town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, named for Lord Sandys, 

first lord of trade and the plantations. 
Sand liske; town in Kent County, Michigan, so named because a sand bar extends 

across the center of a near-by lake. 
Sandoval; county, and town in same county, in New Mexico, named for a resident 

family. 
Sandusky; town in Alexander County, Illinois; county, city in Erie County, and 

river in Ohio. Derived, from the Indian outmndoukey ** there is pure water 

here,'' or from m-anduste, "large pools of water." Another authority gives the 

meaning as "cold spring." 
Sandwich; township and city in Dekalb County, Illinois, named from the town in 

Massachusetts. 
Sandwich; town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, named from the town in 

England. 
Sandy Lake; township, and borough in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, so named 

because of the sandy character of the soil and the existence of a small lake in the 

neighborhood. 
San Felipe; post-office of Santa Clara County, California. The Spanish form of 

Saint Philip. 
San Fernando; town in Los Angeles County, California, named for an old Spanish 

Catholic mission. 

Bull. 258—05 18 

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274 PLACK NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Sanford; city in Orange County, Florida, named for Gen. H. S. Sanford, Uniteii 

States minister to Belgium. 
Sanford; township, and town in York County, Maine, named for Peleg Sanford, an 

early proprietor. 
Sanford; town in Moore County, North Carolina, named for Colonel Sanford, a civil 

engineer. 
San Francisco; bay, county, and city in same county, in California, said by some to 

have been named for the old Spanish mission of San Francisco de Assisi, by 

others to have been named for the founder of the order to which Father Juni- 

pero, the discoverer of the bay, belonged. 
San Gabriel; town in Los Angeles County, California, named for an old Spanish 

mission. 
Sangamon; county and river in Illinois. A corruption of an Indian word mean- 
ing ''good hunting ground.*' 
Sangerfield; town and township in Oneida County, New York, named for Judge 

Jedediah Sanger. 
Sangerville; town in Piscataquis County, Maine, named for Col. Calvin Sanger, its 

proprietor. 
rSanilac; county in Michigan; 

ISanilac Center; town in Sanilac County, Michigan. Named for an Indian chief. 
San Jacinto; city in Riverside County, California, and county and river, in Texas. 

The Spanish form of ** Saint Hyacinth," whose day is celebrated August 16th. 
San Joaquin; county and river in California. A Spanish phrase meaning '*whoni 

Jehovah has appointed." 
San Jose; city in Santa Clara County, California, named for the patron saint of 

Mexico. 
San Jose; village in Mason County, Illinois, named from the city in California. 
San Juan; counties in Colorado and New Mexico, and river in Utah. The name is 

the Spanish form of Saint John. 
San Juan; county in Utah, named for the San Juan River, which traverses it. 
San Juan; county in Washington, named for the Greek navigator, Juan de Fuca. 
San Lucas; town in Monterey County, California. The Spanish form of Saint Luke. 
San Luis Obispo; county, and city in same county, in California, named for an old 

Spanish mission. The name means Saint Louis, bishop. 
San Luis Rey; town in San Diego County, California, named for Louis IX, of 

France, meaning Saint Louis, king. 
San Marcos; town in San Diego County, California, named from the old Spanish 

grant Los Vallecitos de San Marcos, ''the little valleys of Saint Mark." 
San Mateo; county, and city in same county, in California. The Spanish form for 

Saint Matthew. 
San Migruel; town in San Luis Obispo County, California, and counties in Colorado 

and New Mexico. The Spanish form of Saint Michael. 
San Patricio; county in Texas, settled by Irish colonists, and named by them for 

the patron saint of Ireland, of which the present name is the Spanish form. 
San Pedro; city in Los Angeles County, California, named for the Spanish saint. 
Sanpete; county in Utah, named for an Indian chief. 
San Quentin; town in Marin County, California, said to be named for a former 

resident. 
San Rafael; township and city in Marin County, California, named for the Spanish 

saint. 
San Saba; county and river in Texas, probably named for the old San Saba mission 

established in 1734 in what is now Menard County. The Spanish form of ** Holy 

Savior." 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 275 

Sans Tache; town in Fresno County, California. A French phrase meaning "spot- 
less/' 
Santa Ana; township, and city in Orange County, California, named for an old 

Spanish mission. 
Santa Barbara; county, and city in same county, in California, named for an old 

Spanish mission. 
Santa Clara; county, and town in same county, in California, named for an old 

Spanish mission. 
Santa Cmz; county in Arizona, and county, city in same county, and island of 

California. A Spanish phrase meaning " holy cross." 
Santa Fe; city in Haskall County, Kansas, town in Monroe County, Missiouri, and 

county, and city in same county, in New Mexico. A Spanish phrase meaning 

" holy faith." 
Santa Monica; township, and city in Los Angeles County, in California, named for 

the Spanish saint, the mother of Saint Augustine. 
Santa Bosa; county in Florida, named for a saint of the Roman Catholic Church. 
Santa Tnez; town in Santa Barbara County, California, named for an old Spanish 

mission. The Spanish form of St. Agnes. 
Sapinero; town in Gunnison County, Colorado, named for a subchief of the Ute 

Indians. 

iSaranac; river and lake in New York; 
Saranac Lake; village in Franklin County, New York. An Indian word meaning 
" river that flows under a rock." 
Saratoga; town in Santa Clara County, California, named from the town in New 
York. 

{Saratoga; county, town in same county, and lake in New York; 
Saratoga Springs; town and village in Saratoga County, New York. An Indian 
word said to mean ** place of the miraculous water in a rock." 
Sarcoxie; city in Jasper County, Missouri, named for a friendly Indian chief. 
Sardinia; town in Erie County, New York, named from the island in the Mediter- 
ranean Sea. 
Sardis; town in Panola County, Mississippi, named from the ruined city in Asia 

Minor. 
Sargent; county in North Dakota, named for a former general manager of the 

Northern Pacific Railroad. 
Sarpy; county in Nebraska, named for Peter A. Sarpy. 

Sassafras; stream in Maryland. The English form of the Indian word wxnakhanne. 
Satartia; town in Yazoo County, Mississippi. Derived from an Indian word mean- 
ing "pumpkin place." 
Saucon; township and creek in Northampton County, Pennsylvania. An Indian 

word meaning "outlet of a smaller stream." 
Saugatuck; river and village in Fairfield County, Connecticut, and village in Allegan 

County, Michigan. An Indian word meaning " outlet of the tidal river." 
Saugerties; town in Ulster County, New York. One authority states that it is an 
Indian word meaning "at the outlet;" another gives it as from the Dutch, 
zaeger^s kill, meaning "sawyer's creek," so given because a sawmill was erected 
on the town site. 
Saugus; town in Essex County, Massachusetts. The Indian name of Lynn, the 

word meaning "extended." 
Sauk; county, and city in same county, in Wisconsin; 
Sauk Center; city in Stearns County, Minnesota; 

Sauk Bapids; village in Benton (>)unty, Minnesota. Named from the Sauk or 
Sac Indian tribe, the word meaning " |>eople living at a river mouth." 



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276 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Sault Sainte Marie; city in Chippewa County, Michigan, situated at the foot of 

the rapids of St. Marys River. A French phrase meaning "falls of St. Mary." 
Saunders; tributary of the Yellowstone River, Montana, named for a trapper who 

lived in the region. 
Saunders; county in Nebraska, named for Governor Alvin Saunders. 
Sauratown; town in Stokes County, North Carolina, named from the Sara Indian 

tribe. 
Sausalito; town in Marin County, California. A Spanish word meaning "little 

willow." 
Sauvie; island in the Columbia River, Oregon, named for Jean Baptiste Sauve, a 

French Canadian, who kept a dairy there. 
Savanna; city in Carroll County, Illinois; 
Savannah; city in Chatham County and river in Georgia, and town in Wayne 

County, New York. The name is a Creek corruption of the name of the Shawnee 

Indians, who formerly lived upon the Savannah River. 
Savoy; village in Champaign County, Illinois, named for Princess Cothilda of Savoy, 

who visited Illinois in 1861. 
Savoy; town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, named from the town in Switzer- 
land. 
Sawadabscook; branch of the Penobscot River in Maine. An Indian word mean- 
ing " place of large, smooth rocks." 
Sawyer; county in Wisconsin, named for Philetus Sawyer, Senator from that State. 
Saxapahaw; town in Alamance County, North Carolina. A corruption of the 

name of an Indian tribe, Sissipahaw. 
Saybrook; town in Middlesex County, Connecticut, named for Lords Say and Brook. 
Saybrook; village in McLean County, Illinois, named from Saybrook, Connecticut. 
Sayre; borough in Bradford County, Pennsylvania, probably named for R. S. Sayre,"~ 

chief engineer of the Lehigh Valley Railroad. 
Scales Mound; township and village in Jo Daviess County, Illinois, named from the 

proximity of a large mound owned by Samuel Scales. 
Scammon; city in Cherokee County, Kansas, named for four brothers, early settlers 

from Illinois. 
Scandia; city in Republic County, Kansas, named for the Scandinavian agricultural 

society by which it was colonized. 
Scandinavia; village in Waupaca County, Wisconsin, named for the people by 

whom it was settled. 
Scantic; river, and village in Hartford County, Connecticut. Derived from the 

Indian word reskatuky meaning "branch of the river." 
Scarboro; town in Cumberland County, Maine, named from the town in England. 
Scarsdale; town in Westchester County, New York, named from the town in Derby- 
shire, England. 
Scatacook; river in Connecticut. An Indian word meaning ** confluence of two 

streams." 
Schaghticoke; town in Rensselaer County, New York, situated at the confluence of 

the Hoosic and Hudson rivers. Derived from an Indian word pachgatgoch, 

** place where a river branches." 
Schellsburg; borough in Bedford County, Pennsylvania, named for the man who 

laid it out. 
Schenectady; county, and city in same county, in New York. Derived from the 

Indian meaning ''over beyond the plains," or ** river valley beyond the pine 

trees." 
Schererville; village in Lake County, Indiana, named for Scherer Wright, its 

founder. 



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GANNtrrr.] PLACE NAMES IN THK UNITED STATES. 277 

Schleicher; county in Texas, named for Gustav Schleicher, member of Congress 
from that State. 

Schleisingerville; village in Washington County, Wisconsin, named for B. Schleis- 
inger Weil, its founder. 

Schley; county in Georgia, named for William Schley, a former governor. 

Schodack; town in Rensselaer County, New York. An Indian word meaning 
** meadow or fire plain," so called because it was in ancient times the seat of the 
council fires of the Mohegans. 

Schoharie; county, town in same county, and creek in New York. An Indian 
word meaning ' * flood wood, " or * ' driftwood. ' ' Another authority gives * * tribu- 
tary that throws its waters across the main strea,pi.'* 

Schonbrunn; town in Tuscarawas County, Ohio. A German word meaning "beau- 
tiful fountain." 

Schoodic; river, and chain of lakes, in Maine. An Indian word to which many 
meanings are credited, among them, ** trout place," ** burnt lands," ** place 
where water rushes," and "where fish live all the year." 

Schoolcraft; county, and village in Kalamazoo County, in Michigan, named for 
Henry R. Schoolcraft, distinguished for his Indian researches. 

Schroeppel; town in Oswego County, New York, named for Henry W. Schroeppel, 
an early resident. 

Schroon; lake, river, mountain, and town in Essex County, in New York. Opinions 
differ as to the derivation of this name, some saying that it is derived from 
the Indian shaghnetaghrowahoray meaning "largest lake," or from the Saranac 
Indian, "daughter of the mountains;" another authority stating that it was 
named for the Duchess Scharon, of the court of Louis XIV. 

Schiilenburg:; town in Fayette County, Texas, named for a man prominent in the 
organization of a corporation that built the town. 

Schuyler; counties in Illinois, Missouri, and New York, named for Gen. Philip 
Schuyler, early mayor of Albany, New York. 

Schuyler; city in Colfax County, Nebraska, named for Schuyler Colfax, Vice- 
President under President Grant. 

£(chuylerville; village in Saratoga County, New York, named for Gen. Philip 
Schuyler, a prominent man, and early mayor of Albany. 

Schuylkill; county and river in Pennsylvania; so named because the first explorers 
passed its mouth without seeing it, which caused them to give it this Dutch name, 
meaning "hidden stream." The Delaware Indians called the river ganshmue- 
fiannej * * waving stream. ' ' 

Schuylkill Haven; town in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, so named because of 
its location at the head of the Schuylkill Canal. 

Scio; town in Allegany County, New York, named from the island in the Mediter- 
ranean. 

Sciota; village in McDonough County, Illinois, and river and county in Ohio. 
Derived from the Indian word seeyotah^ meaning "great legs," and applied to 
' the river on account of its numerous and long branches. 

Scipio; town in Cayuga County, New York, named for the Roman general. 

Scitico; village in Hartford County, Connecticut. An Indian word meaning "at 
the branch." 

Scituate; town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, named for the stream running 
into the harbor, which derived its name from the Indian word acUuity "cold 
brook." 

Scooba; town in Kemper County, Mississippi. An Indian word meaning "reed 
brake." 

Scotland; counties in Missouri and North Carolina, aud city in Bonhomme County, 
South Dakota named for the division of Great Britain. 



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278 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Scott; county in Arkansas, named for Judge Andrew Scott. 

Scott; county in Illinois, named from Scott County, Kentucky. 

Scott; counties in Indiana and Kentucky, named for Gen. Charles Scott, governor 

of Kentucky, 1808-1812. 
Scott; county in Iowa, county, and city in same county, in Kansas, and counties in 

Minnesota, Tennessee, and Virginia, named for Gen. Winfield Scott. 
Scott; county in Missouri, named for John Scott. 
Scottdale; borough in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, named for Thomas A. 

Scott, of the Pennsylvania Railroad. 
Scotts Bluff; county in Nebraska, named for the bluff where a man named S<^ott 

met death by starvation. 
Scottsboro; town in Baldwin County, Georgia, named for G^n. John Scott. 
Scottsburg; village in Livingston County, New York, named for Matthew and 

William Scott, early settlers. 
Scotts Creek; township in Jackson County, North Carolina, named for John Scott, 

a trader among the Cherokees. 
Scottsville; town in Allen County, Kentucky, named for Gen. Charles Scott, an 

early governor of the State. 
Scottsville; village in Monroe County, New York, named for Isaac Scott, the first 

settler. 
Scranton; town in Jackson County, Mississippi, named from the city in Pennsylvania. 
Scranton; city in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, named for Joseph H. Scranton, 

its founder. 
Scratch Gravel; hills in Lewis and Clark County, Montana, 5 miles northwest of 

Helena, so named because gold was picked up in the gravel after a heavy rain. 
Screven; county in Georgia, named for Gen. James Screven, a Revolutionary officer. 
Scriba; town in Oswego County, New York, named for George Scriba, the resident 

proprietor. 
Scurry; county in Texas, named for William B. Scurry, brigadier-general in the 

Army of the Confederacy. 
Seaboard; town in Northampton County, North Carolina, named from the Sea- 
board Air Line. 
Seabright; borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, named from the town in 

England. 
Sea Cliflf; village in Nassau County, New York, where camp meetings were formerly 

held upon a cliff by the salt water, from which circumstance the village was 

named. 
Sea Isle City; borough in Cape May County, New Jersey, so named because it is 

situated near the seashore. 
Searcy; county in Arkansas, named for Judge Richard Searcy. 
Searles; post-oflBce in Kern County, California, named for J. W. Searles, who dis- 
covered borax in the Mohave Desert in 1863. 
ISearsmont; town in Waldo County, Maine; 
Searsport; town in Waldo County, Maine. Named for David Sears, of Boston, 
Massachusetts. 
Seattle; city in King County, Washington, named for the chief of the Duwamish 

tribe of Indians, See-aa-thl. 
Sebago; lake in York County, and lake, pond, and town in Cumberland County, 

Maine. An Indian word meaning ** stretch of water, *' or "place of river lake." 
Sebamook; lake in Maine. An Indian word given two different meanings, 'Marge 

bay lake" and ** bright water." 
Sebastian; county in Arkansas, named for Senator William K. Sebastian. 
Sebethe; river in Connecticut. Supposed to be derived from the Indian word 

aepoese, ' * small river. * ' 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 279 

Sebewa; village in Ionia County, Michigan. Derived from the Indian word sibiu^, 

**rivulet," or "brook. »» 
Sebewaing:; village in Huron County, Michigan. Derived from the Indian word 

sibiweng, **at the creek.*' 
Seboeis; lake, stream, and plantation in Penobscot County, in Maine. Supposed to 

be derived from an Indian word meaning ** little river.*' 
Secaucus; town in Hudson County, New York. Thought to be derived from the 

Indian word sekakes, used in reference to snakes. 
Seco; creek in Texas, and village in Boxelder County, Utah. A Spanish word 

meaning "dry." 
Secor; village in Woodford County, Illinois, named for a railroad builder. 
Sedalia; city in Pettis County, Missouri. A modification of the original name 

Sadieville, having been named for the daughter of Gen. G. R. Smith, who laid 

out the town. 
Sedan; city in Chautauqua County, Kansas, named from the town in France. 
Sedgrwick; county, and fort in same county, in Colorstdo, mountain in Idaho, and 

county, and city in Harvey County, Kansas, named for Gen. John Sedgwick. 
Sedgrwick; town in Hancock County, Maine, named for Maj. Robert Sedgwick. 
Seekonk; town in Bristol County, Massachusetts. Said to be derived from an Indian 

word meaning "black goose," or "wild goose." 
Segruin; town in Gaudalupe County, Texas, named for Col. Juan Seguin, a Mexican 

who joined fortunes with the Texans in 1836. 
Seig^Iingville; town in Barnwell County, South Carolina, named for Gen. Randolph 

Seigling, a prominent capitalist of Charleston. 
Selinsg^rove; borough in Snyder County, Pennsylvania, named for a family of early 

settlers. 
Sellersville; borough in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. The Anglicized form of the 

original name. 2k)eller8, a family of early residents for whom it was named. 
Sell^wrood; town in Multnomah County, Oregon, named for Governor Sellwood. 
Selxna; city in Dallas County, Alabama, named from the "Songs of Selma," in 

Ossian. 
Selxna; town in Fresno County, California, named from the city in Alabama. 
Seminole; town in Hillsboro County, Florida, and nation in Indian Territory, 

named for the Indian tribe; the word probably means "separatist," or 

"renegade." 
Sempronius; town in Cayuga County, New York, named for the celebrated Roman 

tribune, father of the Gracchi. 
Senath; village in Dunklin County, Missouri, named for the wife of A. W. Doug- 
lass, an early settler. 
Senatobia; creek and town in Tate County, Mississippi. A Choctaw Indian word 

meaning "white sycamore." 
Seneca; city in Nehama County, Kansas, named from Seneca County in Ohio, by 

the first settlers who emigrated from that county. 
Seneca; nation in Indian Territory, city in Newton County, Missouri, counties in 

New York and Ohio, town in Oconee Couniy, South Carolina, and creek in 

Pendleton County, West Virginia; 
Seneca Falls; village in Seneca County, New York, named from an Indian tribe. 

The word is a corruption of SinnekaaSy a name given them by the Dutch. 
Seneg^ar; creek in Maryland, named from the Seneca tribe of Indians. 
Sequoia; town in Tuolumne County, California, named from the trees. 
Severance; city in Doniphan County, Kansas, named for one of the three proprietors. 
Severy; city in Greenwood County, Kansas, named for L. Severy, of P^mjmria, a 

director of the Santa Fe Railroad. 
Sevier; county in Arkansas, named for Ambrose H. Sevier, a Congressional delegate. 



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280 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Sevier; county in Tennessee, named for John Sevier, first governor of the State. 

Sevier; county in Utah, probably named for John Sevier, a pioneer. 

Seward; county in Kansas, county, and city in same county, in Nebraska, and 
mountain and town in Schoharie County, New York, named for William H. 
Seward, the American statesman. 

Sewickley; borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. An Indian word mean- 
ing ** sweet water." 

Seymour; city in Jackson Counter, Indiana, named for a civil engineer. 

Shabbona; township and village in Dekalb County, Illinois. Named for an Indian 
chief who befriended the white settlers at the time of the Black Hawk war. 

Shackelford; county in Texas, named for a surgeon, captain of a band called the 
*' Red Rovers," who helped the Texans in their revolution. 

Shakopee; city in Scott County, Minnesota, named for a Sioux Indian chief who 
formerly lived there; the name meaning **six." 

Shalersville; township in Portage County, Ohio, named for an early settler. 

Shamokin; borough in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. Derived from the 
Delaware Indian word schahamokiy meaning ** place of eels." 

Shamong; town in Burlington County, New Jersey. An Indian word meaning 
"place of the big horn." 

Shandaken; town in Ulster County, New York. An Indian word meaning *' rapid 
waters." 

Shaxinock; river in Connecticut. An Indian word meaning "place where two 
streams meet." 

Shannon; township and village in Carroll County, Illinois. Named for William 
Shannon, its founder. 

Shannon; county in Missouri. Named for George F. Shannon, of Marion County. 

Shannon; county in South Dakota. Named for Peter C. Shannon, former chief 
justice. 

Shapleigh; town in York County, Maine. Named for Nicholas Shapleigh, one of 
the earliest proprietors. 

Sharkey; cxjunty in Mississippi, named for William L. Sharkey, provisional gov- 
ernor during Governor Clark's absence at Fort Pulaski in 1805-66. 

Sharon; city in Barber County, Kansas, town in Schoharie County, New York, and 
twenty other places. The name is of biblical derivation, from the Hebrew, 
meaning "a plain." 

Sharon; town in Madison County, Mississippi, so named because the Sharon semi- 
nary for girls was situated there at an early day. 

Sharon Springrs; city in Wallace County, Kansas, and village in Schoharie County, 
New York. The name is of biblical derivation. 

Sharp; county in Arkansas. Named for Ephraim Sharp, representative from Law- 
rence County. 

Sharpsburg; town in Bath County, Kentucky. Named for Moses Sharp. 

Sharpsburg; borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Named for James 
Sharp, the original proprietor. 

Shasta; county in California. Named from the Indian tribe Sastey or Shastika. 

Shaume; river in Massachusetts. An Indian word meaning **fountain" or 
** spring." 

Shavano; peak of the Sa watch Range in Colorado, named for a Ute Indian. 

Shaw; town in Bolivar County, Mississippi, named for the owner of the lands 
through which the railroad passes. 

Shawan; town in Baltimore County, Maryland. An Indian word meaning * * south." 

Shawangunk; river, town in Ulster County, and mountain in New York. Said to 
be an Indian word meaning " white stone" or ** white salt rocks." 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 281 

Shawano; county, and city in same county, in Wisconsin. Derived from the 
Ojibwa Indian word shawanong^ meaning "on the south." 
Shawnee; nation in Indian Territory and county in Kansas; 
Shawneetown; city in Gallatin County, Illinois. Named for the Indian tribe, the 
word probably meaning "southerners,** and given them because they emigrated 
northward from the Savannah River. 

Sheboygan; county, and city in same county, in Wisconsin. Two derivations are 
given, one from the Ojibwa Indian word jibaigaUf meaning a perforated object, 
as a pipe stem, and the other from shawh-vm-ivay, expressing a tradition " that a 
great noise coming underground from the region of Lake Superior was heard at 
this place." 

Sheepeater; cliffs in the Yellowstone Park, named for a band of Indians, a sub- 
tribe of the Shoshoni. 

Sheepscot; river and bay in Maine. Derived from the Indian word sipsa-corUay 
meaning * * bird-flocking river " or " little bird place, * * because the Indians resorted 
there for young ducks. 

Sheffield; cities in Colbert County, Alabama, and Warren County, Pennsylvania, 
and town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, named from the city in England. 

Sheffield; village in Bureau County, Illinois, named for Joseph Sheffield, of New 
Haven, one of it founders. 

Sheffield; town in Franklin County, Iowa, named for James Sheffield, a railroad 
contractor. 

Shelbina; city in Shelby County, Missouri, named by early settlers from Shelby 
County in Kentucky. 

Shelbnme; towns in Franklin County, Massachusetts, and Chittenden County, Ver- 
mont, named for William Fitz Maurice, second Earl of Shelbume. 

Shelby; counties in Alabama, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, and Missouri; 
town in Orleans County, New York, and counties in Ohio, Tennessee, and Texas; 

Shelbyville; cities in Shelby counties, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, and Missouri. 
Named for Gen. Isaac Shelby, former governor of Kentucky. 

Sheldon; city in O'Brien County, Iowa, named for Israel Sheldon, a stockholder in 
the first railroad passing through the town. 

Sheldon; town in Franklin County, Vermont, named for a resident family. 

Shell Rock; town in Butler County, Iowa, so named on account of the rocks near 
the river. 

Shelter; island off Long Island, New York. Probably the translation of the original 
Indian word of manhanset-ahorcusha-tuommuck, meaning ''island sheltered by 
islands." 

Shelton; town in Mason County, Washington, named for an early settler. 

Shenandoah; city in Page County, Iowa, borough in Schuylkill County, Pennsyl- 
vania, county, town in Page County, and river in Virginia. An Indian word 
said to mean "sprucy stream." 

Shepaug; river in Connecticut. Derived from the Indian word mashapaug, mean- 
ing "large pond." 

Shepherd; village in Isabella County, Michigan, named for I. N. Shepherd, its 
founder. 

Shepherdstown; town in Jefferson County, West Virginia, named for Capt. Thomas 
Shepherd. 

Sherbom; town in Mid<llesex County, Massachusetts, named from the town of Sher- 
borne, England. 

Sherburne; county in Minnesota, named for Moses Sherburne, associate justice of 
the supreme court, 1853-1857. 

Sherburne; town in Chenango County, New York, named from the city in England. 



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282 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Sheridan; village in Lasalle County, Illinois, county in Kansas, town in Madison 

County, Montana, county in Nebraska, and county and mountain in Yellowstone 

Park, Wyoming, named for Gen. Philip H. Sheridan. 
Sherlock; township in Finney County, Kansas, named for a capitalist connected 

with the Santa Fe Railroad. 
Sherman; mountain in Idaho, county in Kansas, village in Wexford County, Michi- 
gan, and counties in Nebraska and Oregon, named for Gen. W. T. Sherman. 
Sherman; county, and city in Grayson County, Texas, named for Sidney Sherman, 

general of the Texas army, who raised the cry of ** Remember the Alamo" at 

the battle of San Jacinto. 
Sherman; village in Chautauqua County, New York, named for Roger Sherman, a 

signer of the Declaration of Independence. 
Sherwood; village in Branch County, Michigan, named from the forest in England. 
Sheshequin; village in Bradford County, Pennsylvania. An Indian word meaning 

"mysterious rattle.** 
Shetucket; river in Connecticut. An Indian word meaning **land between the 

rivers,** or, according to another authority, "confluence of rivers.** 
Shiawassee; county and river in Michigan. An Indian word meaning "straight 

running river.'* 
Shickshinny; borough in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, protected by a cordon of 

hills of five summits. An Indian word meaning "five mountains.** 
Shields; river in Montana, named for a member of the Lewis and Cl!ark expedition. 
Shinnecock; village in Suffolk County, New York, named for an Indian tribe. 
Shinnston; town in Harrison County, West Virginia, named for the owners of the 

land upon which it was built. 
Shintaka; several marshes in Minnesota. An Indian word meaning "tamarack.** 
Shippensburg*; borough in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, named for an early 

proprietor, Edward Shippen. 
Shippenville; borough in Clarion County, Pennsylvania, named for Judge Shippen, 

of Meadville. 
Shirley; town in Piscataquis County, Maine, named from the town in England. 

I Shirley; town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts; 
Shirley sburg>; borough in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. Named for Gen. 
William Shirley, an early governor of Massachusetts. 
Shivwits; plateau in Arizona. An Indian word meaning "people of the springs.'* 
Shobonier; town in Fayette County, Illinois, named for an Indian chief. 
Shocco; creek in North Carolina, named for the Indian tribe Shoccoree. 
Shohokin; stream in Wayne County, Pennsylvania. An Indian word meaning 
"where there is glue.** 

IShohola; stream in Pike County, Pennsylvania; 
Shohola Falls; village in Pike County, Pennsylvania. An Indian word meaning 
"weak,** "faint," or "distressed.** 
Shope; lake in Wisconsin. An Indian word meaning "shoulder.** 
Shoreham; town in Addison County, Vermont. So named because located on the 

shores of Lake Champlain. 
Shoup; village in Lemhi County, Idaho, named for G. L. Shoup, United States 

Senator. 
Showers; creek in Humboldt County, California, named for an early settler. 
Shreveport; city in Caddo Parish, Louisiana, named for Henry M. Shreve. 
Shrewsbury; town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, named for George Talbot, 

Earl of Shrewsbury. 
Shrewsbury; town in Rutland County, Vermont, and several other towns and vil- 
lages, nametl from the city in England. 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 283 

Shubrick; peak in Humboldt County, California, so named l)ec^U8e the steamer 

ShuMck went aground in the vicinity. 
Sbullsburg", city in Lafayette County, Wisconsin, named for Jesse W. Shull, the 

first settler. 
Sburz; mountain in Wyoming, named for Carl Shurz, Secretary of the Interior under 

President Hayes. 
Shusban; village in Washington County, New York, named for the ruined city in 

Persia. 
Sbutesburg*; town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, named for Gov. Samuel 

Shute, a relative of Governor Bernard. 
Sibley; county in Minnesota, named for Gen. Henry H. Sibley, an early pioneer of 

the Territory, the first governor of the State, and its military defender in the 

Sioux war of 1862. 
Sibley; town in Jackson County, Missouri, named for George C. Sibley, who was 

one of the commissioners to lay out a road in 1825 from Fort Osage to Santa Fe. 
Sidney; township and village in Champaign County, Illinois, named for Sydney 

Davis, a daughter of the founder. 
Sidney; Kennebec County, Maine, and cities in Shelby County, Ohio, named for Sir 

Philip Sidney. 
Sidney; town in Delaware County, New York, named for Admiral Sir Sidney 

Smith. 
Sidon; town in Leflore County, Mississippi, named for the ancient city of Syria. 
SiegrMed; post-office in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, named for Col. Jno. 

Siegfried, a Revolutionary soldier. 
Sierra; counties in California and New Mexico. Derived from the Spanish, Sierra 

Madre, "Mother Range," Rocky Mountains. 
Sierra La Sal; mountains in eastern Utah, so named from salt springs near their 

base. 
Sigrel; village in Shelby County, Illinois, named for Gen. Franz Sigel, an officer of 

the rebellion. 
Si^umey; city in Keokuk County, Iowa, named for the poetess, Mrs. Lydia H. 

Sigourney. 
Sikeston; city in Scott County, Missouri, named for John Sikes. 
Siler City; town in Chatham County, North Carolina, named for a prominent 

family of the neighborhood. 
Silliman; mountains in California and Nevada, named for Benjamin Silliman, the 

chemist. 
Silverbow; county in Montana, so named because of its shape, and on account of the 

presence of this precious metal. 
Silver Cliff; town in Custer County, Colorado, so named because silver was found 

in a cliff near the present town site. 
Silver Lake; city in Shawnee County, Kansas, so named because the Kansas River 

forms a lake at this point. 
Simpson; county in Kentucky, named for Capt. John Simpson, member of Congress. 
Simpson; county in Mississippi, named for Judge Josiah Simpson. 
Simpsonville; village in Shelby County, Kentucky, named for Capt. John Simp- 
son, member of Congress from that State. 
Simpsonville; town in Greenville County, South Carolina, named for a prominent 

family of the State. 
Sincarte; town in Mason County, Illinois, a corrupted name of the passage which was 

originally named by the French, chenal ecarte, ** remote channel." 
Sinclairville; village in Chautauqua County, New York, named for Maj. Samuel 

Sinclair, the first settler, who located there in 1810. 
Singrleys; town in Humboldt County, California, named for an early settler. 



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284 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Sinjc Sing; creek in Chemung County, New York. Indian words meaning " place 

of a stone." Anotlier authority states that it was named for John Sing Sing, a 

friendly Indian. 
Sinking; creek in Breckinridge County, Kentucky, so named because it sinks 

beneath the surface of the ground for a distance of 6 miles. 
Sinnemahoning; stream in Pennsylvania. A Delaware Indian word meaning 

"stony lick." 
Sinsinawa Mound; village in Grand County, Wisconsin. A combination of the 

Indian word sirmawe, meaning ** rattlesnake," and moundy because situated near 

a truncated cone several hundred feet high. 
Sioux; counties in Iowa and Nebraska, and eight other places, so named from the 

Dakota or Sioux Indians of Dakota and Minnesota, the largest tribe in the United 

States. The word is an abbreviation of their Ojibwa name, signifying "little 

snakes," i. e., "enemies." 
Sir Johns; small run in Morgan County, West Virginia, named for an ofl&cer of 

Braddock's army. 
Siskiyou; county in California and mountains in Oregon. By some authwities it is 

said to be a corruption of the original name given the district in California by 

the French — sijc caUlouXy meaning "six bowlders;" others state that it is an 

Indian w^ord meaning "bob-tailed horse," the mountains between California and 

Oregon having been so named because a famous bob-tailed race horse was lost 

on the trail. 
Siskowit; lake in Wisconsin. An Indian word meaning a " kind of fish resembling 

trout." 
Sisladobsis; lake in eastern Maine. An Indian word meaning "rock lake." 
Sisseton; town in Roberts County, South Dakota. An Indian word meaning 

"swamp village," a subtribe of the Sioux. 
Sisson; village in Siskiyou County, California, named for a former hotel keeper. 
Sissowkissink; creek on the west side of Delaware River, Pennsylvania. Derived 

from the Indian word shihuweriy "place of black ducks." 
Sitgreaves; pass in Arizona, named for Captain Sitgraaves, United States Army. 
Sitkum; village in Coos County, Oregon. A Chinook Indian word meaning " half,*' 

or "part." 
Skagit; county in Washington, named for an Indian tribe. 
S k a m an i a; county in Washington. An Indian word meaning "swift waters," and 

probably applied to the troubled waters of the Columbia River. 
Skanawono-Weshance; tributary of Wisconsin River. An Indian word meaning 

"creek that runs through bluffs." 
Skaneateles; lake, town, and village in Onondaga County, in New York. An 

Indian word meaning "long lake." 
Skilesville; town in Muhlenberg County, Kentucky, named for James R. Skiles. 
Skinner; island in Lake Memphremagog, Vermont, named for Uniak Skinner, the 

first settler. 
Skippack; stream and village in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. Derived from 

the Indian word schki-peek, "pool of stagnant water." 
Skitticook; branch of the Mattawamkeag River, Maine. An Indian word meaning 

"dead-water stream." 
Skokomish; river in Washington, named for an Indian tribe, the Skokomish; the 

word is said to mean "river people." 
Skookumchuck; village in Lewis County, Washinorton. An Indian word meaning 

"strong water." 
Skowhegan; town in Somerset County, Maine. An Indian word said to mean 

"spearing" or "place of watch." 



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GANNETT] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 285 

i Skull; valleys in Utah and Yavapai County, Arizona; 
Skull Valley; village in Yavapai County, Arizona. So named on account of the 
many skulls of Indians found there. 

Skunk; river in Iowa. A translation of the Indian name checauqua. 

Skunkscut; range of Hills in Hartford County, Connecticut. An Indian word 
meaning "at the high place.'* 

Slateford; village in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, so named hecause it is the 
center of manufacture of school slates. 

Slater; city in Saline County, Missouri, named for W. A. Slater, of Norwich, Con- 
necticut. 

Slatersville; village in Providence County, Rhode Island, named for Samuel Slater, 
it« founder. 

Slatingrton; borough in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania; so named on account of its 
extensive slate quarries. 

Slaugrhtersville; town in Webster County, Kentucky, named for G. G. Slaughter, 
an old settler. 

Sleepy Eye; lake and village in Brown County, Minnesota, named for the Indian 
chief Ishanumhaky **man whose eyes have the appearance of sleep.'* 

Slide; highest summit of the Catskill Mountains, Ulster County, New York, so 
named because an avalanche stripped a part of the mountain of earth and vege- 
tation. 

Slidell town in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, named for the celebrity of that 
name. 

Sligro; borough in Clarion County, Pennsylvania, and six other towns and villages, 
named from the town in Ireland. 

Slipperyrock; stream and borough in Butler County, Pennsylvania. Derived from 
the Indian word wesch-ach-ach-apochka, meaning ** slippery rock.*' 

Sloansville; village in Schoharie County, New York, named for John R. Sloan, an 
early settler. 

Slocums; island in Michigan, named for its owner. 

Slougrh; creek in Yellowstone Park, which was erroneously so described by its dis- 
coverer; it being, in fact, a swift running stream. 

Smackover; stream in Union County, Arkansas. Corrupted from the French 
chemin couvert^ ** covered road.** 

Smethport; borough in McKean County, Pennsylvania, named for Theodore Smethe, 
a friend of the original proprietor. 

Smith; county in Kansas, named for J. Nelson Smith, of the Second Colorado Regi- 
ment. 

Smith; county in Mississippi, named for Maj. David Smith. 

Smith; river in Montana, named for Robert Smith, former Secretary of the Navy. 

Smith; river in Nevada, named for Lieut. Kirby Smith. 

Smith; county in Tennessee, named for Gen. Daniel Smith, a patriot and early set- 
tler of the State. 

Smith; county in Texas, named for John W. Smith, killed at the Alamo. 

Smith Center; city in center of Smith County, Kansas, named for J. Nelson Smith, 
of the Second Colorado Regiment. 

Smithfield; town in Dutchess County, New York, named for Peter Smith. 

Smitlifield; town in Johnson County, North Carolina, named for John Smith, State 
senator. 

Smiths Ferry; village in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, name<l for Jesse Smith, the 
man who established the ferry. 

Smithtown; town in Suffolk County, New York, named for Richard Smith, an 
early proprietor. 



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286 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Smithville; village m Jefferson County, New York, named for Jesse Smith, a 

Imnber dealer. 
Smithville; village in Ritchie County, West Virginia, named for the former owner 

of the land. 
Smithville; town in Clay County, Missouri, named for Humphrey Smith, the first 

settler. 
Smokes; creek in Erie County, New York, named for an Indian who resided near 

its mouth. 
Smyrna; town in Cobb County, Georgia, and village in Chenango County, New 

York, and sixteen other places, the name being transferred from the ancient 

seaport of Asia Minor on the Gulf of Smyrna. 
Smyth; county in Virginia, named for Gen. Alexander Smyth, Member of Congress 

from that State. 
Snake; river in Idaho and Washington and Yellowstone Park, so named from the 

Snake or Shoshoni Indians. 
Snapeene; stream in Montana. An Indian word meaning ** crooked mouth." 
Snelling*; military post in Hennepin County, Minnesota, named for Colonel Josiah 

Snelling, under whose direction it was built. 
Sniabar; township and village in Lafayette County, Missouri. Corrupted from 

schuyte obeTf from the circumstance of an early German hunter having lost his 

life there. 
Snohomish; river, county, and town in same county, in Washington, named for an 

Indian tribe. 
Snoqualmie; river in Washington, named for an Indian tribe. 
Snowden; township in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, named for Judge Snowden, 

of Pittsburg. 
Snowmass; mountain in Colorado, so named because of the snow field near its 

summit. 

{Snyder; county in Pennsylvania; 
Snydertown; borough in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. Named for 
Governor Simon Snyder of the State. 
Socatean; stream in Maine, named for Standing Atean, a warrior of an Indian 

tribe, or from an Indian word, meaning **half burned land, and half standing 

lumber.'* 
Socorro; county, and city in same county, in New Mexico, and village in El Paso 

County, Texas. A Spanish word meaning *' succor" or ** relief." 
Solano; county in California, named for a chief of the Suisun Indians. 
Soledad; town in Monterey County, California. A Spanish, word meaning "soli- 
tude" or "desert." 
Solomon; city in Dickinson County and river in Kansas, originally known as the 

Wiskapella, from two Indian words, meaning "salt water." Name changed to 

Soloman as being more euphonic. 
Solon; towns in Somerset County, Maine, and Cortland County, New York, named 

for one of the seven wise men of Greece. 
Solon; township in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, named for Lorenzo Solon Bull. 
Solution; creek in Yellowstone Park, so named because it is the outlet to Riddle 

Lake. 
Solvay; village in Onondaga County, New York, so named because the Solvay 

Process works are situated there. 
Somers; town in Tolland County, Connecticut, named for Lord Somers. 
Somers; town in Westchester County, New York, named for Capt. Richanl Somers, 

naval officer in the Tripolitan war. 
Somerset; counties in Maine, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, named from the county 

in England. 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 287 

Somerset; county in Maryland, named for Edward Somerset, husband of the 

daughter of Lord Baltimore. 
Somerset; village in Perry County, Ohio, named from the county in Pennsylvania. 
Somers Point; borough in Atlantic County, New Jersey, named for a family of 

residents. 
Somerton; station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, named for Jacob Sommer, asso- 
ciate justice of the district court of Philadelphia. 
Somervell; county in Texas, named for Alexander Somerville, a brigadier-general 

of the Texas Militia. 
Somerville; city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, named for Capt. Richard 

Somers, naval officer in the Tripolitan war. 
Somerville; town in Somerset County, New Jersey, probably named for an English 

nobleman. 
Somonauk; village in Dekalb County, Illinois, derived from the Indian word, 

essemiaukf meaning ** pawpaw tree.** 
Sonoma; county, and town in same county, in California, said to have been named 

for the chief of the Chocuyens, the word meaning ** valley of the moon.'* 
Sopris; peak of the Elk Mountains in western Colorado, named for Capt. Dick 

Sopris, one of the early settlers of the State. 
Souderton; borough in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, named for a family of 

early settlers. 
Souheg^an; river in New Hampshire. An Indian word meaning ** worn-out lands." 
Soim.eiink; stream in Maine. An Indian word meaning *' that runs between 

mountains." 
Southampton; towns in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, and Suffolk County, 

New York, and county in Virginia, named from the town in England. 
South Anna; river in Virginia, said to have been named for Anne, Queen of 

England. 
South Berwick; town in York County, Maine, named from the city in England. 
Southboro; town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, so named because formed of 

the south part of Marlboro. 
Southbridge; town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, named with reference to 

the bridge over the Quinebaug River. 
South Carolina; one of the thirteen original States, first named for Charles IX of 

France, and later for Charles II of England. 
South Hero; town in Grand Isle County, Vermont, named for one of the two 

islands which were called Two Heroes, granted to Ethan Allen. It was intended 

that they should be owned only by brave men warmly disposed toward the 

Revolution. 
Southingrton; borough and town in Hartford County, Connecticut. A contraction 

of South Farmington, of which town it was originally a part. 
South Pittsburg; town in Marion County, Tennessee, named from the city in 

Pennsylvania. 
Southport; city in Brunswick County, North Carolina, so named because it is situ- 
ated in the southern part of the State. 
South Biver; borough in Middlesex County, New Jersey, so named to distinguish 

it from the North River district. 
Southwick; town in Hampden County, Massachusetts, named for its first settler. 
Spafford; town in Onondaga County, New York, named for Horatio Gates Spafford, 

author of the first gazetteer of that State. 
Spalding; county in Georgia, named for the Hon. Thomas Spaulding. 
Sparland; village in Marshall County, Illinois, named for John Sparr, owner of 

the site. 
Sparta; city in Randolph County, Illinois, named from Sparta in Greece. 



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288 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Spartanburg; county, and city in same county, in South Carolina, so called from 

the rigorous self-discipline practiced by the inhabitants during the Revolutionary- 
war. 
Spearville; town in Ford County, Kansas, named for Alden Speare, of Boston. 
Spencer; township, and city in Clay County, in Iowa, named for George E. Spencer, 

United States Senator from Alabama. 
Spencer; county in Kentucky, and county, and city in Owen County, in Indiana, 

named for Capt. Spier Spencer, killed at Tippecanoe. 
Spencer; town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, named for Spencer Phipps, 

lieutenant-governor 1732-1757; or, according to another authority, for Charles 

Spencer, second Duke of Marlborough. 
Spencerport; village in Monroe County, New York, named for William H. Spencer, 

a pioneer settler. 
Sphinx; mountain in Montana, so named on account of its resemblance in shape to 

the Sphinx in Egypt. 
Spink; county in South Dakota, named for S. L. Spink, a former Congressman. 
Spirit Lake; town in Dickinson County, Iowa, named from the lake which the 

Indians called "spirit water.*' 
Spivey; city in Kingman County, Kansas, named for R. M. Spivey, president of the 

Arkansas Valley Town and Land Company. 
Split Bock; village in Essex County, New York, so named because situated near a 

curiously formed rock. 
Spokane; county, city in same county, river, and falls in Washington, named for 

an Indian tribe, the name meaning "children of the sun.** 
Spoon; river in northern Illinois, so named by the first white settler because of the 

spoon-shaped course of the stream. The Indian name was MaqiLOUj meaning 

"feather.** 
Spottsylvania; county in Virginia, named for Alexander Spotswood, early lieu- 
tenant-governor. 
Spragrue; town in Lincoln County, Washington, named for Gen. John W. Sprague, 

interested in the Northern Pacific Railroad. 
Springrfield; city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, named from the town in 

Essex County, England. 
Spring^eld; city in Greene County, Missouri; village in Sarpy County, Nebraska, 

and city in Clark County, Ohio, so named because of the numerous springs. 
Springfield; village in Orangeburg County, South Carolina, so named by its founder 

because he "expected to see a town spring up in the old fields.** 
Spring^eld; town in Windsor County, Vermont, named from the city in Massa- 
chusetts. 
Spring* Lake; borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, named from a lake in 

the vicinity which is fed by springs. 
Spring Valley; township and village in Fillmore County, Minnesota, and village 

in Pierce County, Wisconsin, named from the springs which are notable features 

of the valleys. 
Springville; villages in Laporte County, Indiana, and Erie County, New York, so 

named because of the abundance of springs. 
Sproul; creek in Humboldt County, California, named for a settler. 
Squam; lake in New Hampshire. Derived from the Indian word, nesquammuket 

meaning "pleasant water place." 
Squaw; mountain and township in Piscataquis County, Maine. An abridged ver- 
sion of the translation of its Indian name, meaning "the mountain which 

belongs to a woman." 
Stafford; town in Tolland County, Connecticut, and county in Virginia, named for 

the county in England. 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 289 

Stafford; county, and town in same county, in Kansas, named for Lewis Stafford, 

captain Company E, First Kansas Regiment. 
Stafford; village in Fort Bend County, Texas, named for a prominent citizen. 
Stafford; county in Virginia, named from the county in England. 
Stair; falls on the east branch of the Penobscot River, Maine. A translation of the 

Indian name. 
Stambaug^h; village in Iron County, Michigan, named for the man who opened the 

Iron River mine. 
Stamping' Ground; village in Scott County, Kentucky, so named because of the 

buffalo herds that congregated in the neighborhood. 
Stanberry; city in Gentry County, Missouri, named for J. J. Stanberry, former 

owner of the town site. 
Standi sh; town in Cumberland County, Maine, named for Miles Standish. 
Stanford; mountain in California, named for Governor Leland Stanford. 
Stanislaus; county in California, named for a resident family. 
Stanley; town in Gaston County, North Carolina, named for Elwood Stanley, mem- 
ber of Congress. 
Stanley; town in South Dakota, named for Henry M. Stanley, the explorer. 
Stanly; county in North Carolina, named for John Stanly, Member of Congress. 
Stanton; county in Kansas, city in Montcalm County, Michigan, and county in 

Nebraska, named for Edwin M. Stanton, Secretary of War under President 

Lincoln. 
Stanton; town in Powell County, Kentucky, named for Hon. Richard H. Stanton, 

of Maysville. 
Stanwix; village and fort in Oneida County, New York, named for Gen. John 

Stanwix, the builder of the fort in 1758. 

{Stark; county in Illinois, towns in Coos County, New Hampshire, and Herkimer 
County, New York, and counties in North Dakota and Ohio; 
Starke; county in Indiana. * Named for Gen. John Stark, of the Revolution. 
Starkey; town in Yates County, New York, named for John Starkey, one of the 

first settlers. 
Starks; town in Somerset County, Maine; 
Starksboro; town in Addison County, Vermont; 
Starkville; town in Oktibbeha County, Mississippi. Named for Gen. John Stark, 

of Revolutionary fame. 
Starr; county in Texas, named for James H. Starr, secretary of the treasury of the 

republic of Texas. 
Starr King*; lake and mountains in California and New Hampshire, named for the 

Rev. Thomas Starr King. 
State Center; town in Marshall County, Iowa, so named because it is thought to be 

a geographical center. 
State College; borough in Center County, Pennsylvania, so named because it is the 

seat of the Pennsylvania State Collie of Agriculture. 
State Line; town in Wayne County, Mississippi, near the boundary line between 

that State and Alabama. 
Staten; island, part of Richmond County, New York, named by the Dutch for the 

Staaten general. 
Staunton; river, and city in Augusta County, in Virginia, named from the parish in 

England. 
Steamboat Rock; town in Hardin County, Iowa, so named because there is a large 

rock in the river near which resembles a steamboat in form. 
Steamboat Springs; town in^Routt County, Colorado, so named because of the 
sound which issues from an opening in the rocks. 

Bull. 258—05 19 

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290 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Steams; county in Minnesota, named for Charles T. Steams, a member of the State 

legislature. 
Steel; mountain in Washington, named for William G. Steel, of Portland, Oregon. 
Steele; counties in Minnesota and North Dakota, named for Franklin Steele, a res- 
ident of Minneapolis, a town-site promoter. 
Steele; village in Jefferson County, Nebraska, named for D. M. Steele, a railroad 

man. 
Steeleville; village in Randolph County, Illinois, named for the man who built 

the first mill in the settlement. 
Steelton; borough in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, named from the steel works. 
Steelville; city in Crawford County, Missouri, named from the mines near by. 
Steen; mountain in Oregon, named for Col. Enoch Steen. 
Steilacoom; town in Pierce County, Washington, named for an Indian tribe. 
Stephens; county in Texas, named for Alexander H. Stephens, the American 

statesman. 
Stephenson; county in Illinois, named for Col. Benjamin Stephenson of the War 

of 1812. 
Stephenson; village in Menominee County, Michigan, named for Robert Stephenson. 
Scephentown; town in Rensselaer County, New York, named for Stephen van 

Rensselaer. 
Steptoe; town in Whitman County, Washington, named for Colonel Steptoe, United 

States Army. 
Sterling*; township and city in Whiteside County, Illinois, named for Colonel 

Sterling, of Pennsylvania. 
Sterling; city in Rice County, Kansas, named for Sterling Rosan, father of C. W. 

and J. H. D. Rosan, early settlers. 
Sterling; town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, named for Lord Sterling, an 

American general. 
Sterling; county in Texas, named for a noted frontiersman. 
Sterlingburg; village in Jefferson County, New York, named for James Sterling, 

the builder of an iron furnace there. 
Stetson; town in Penobscot County, Maine, named for the original proprietor, 

Amasa Stetson. 
Steuben; county in Indiana, town in Washington County, Maine, and county, and 

town in Oneida County, in New York; 
Steubenville; city in Jefferson County, Ohio. Named for Baron von Steuben, a 

Prussian soldier who fought in the American Revolution. 
Stevens; town in Kern County, California, and county in Kansas, named for Thad- 

deus Stevens. 
Stevens; counties in Minnesota and Washington, named for Isaac I. Stevens, gov- 
ernor of Washington Territory in 1853. 
Stevens; stream in Caledonia County, Vermont, named for Capt. Phineas Stevens. 
Stevenson; mountain, and island in Yellowstone Lake, named for James Stevenson, 

of the United States Geological Survey. , 

Stevens Point; city in Portage County, Wisconsin, named for the Rev. J. D. Stevens, 

missionary to the Indians. 
Stevensville; village in Berrien County, Michigan, named for Thomas L. Stevens, 

who laid out the town. 
Stevensville; town in Ravalli County, Montana, named for Isaac I. Stevens, the 

first governor of Washington. 
Stewart; county in Georgia, named for Gen. Daniel Stewart. 
Stewart; county in Tennessee, named for Duncan Stewart. 
Stewartstown; town in Coos County, New Hampshire, named for John Stewart, 

one of the original proprietors. 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 291 

Stewartsville; city in Dekalb County, Missouri, named for Robert M. Stewart, a 
former governor. 

Stilesville; village in Hendricks County, Indiana, named for Jeremiah Stiles, the 
proprietor. 

Stillman Valley; village in Ogle County, Illinois, named for Gen. Joshua Stillman, 
an officer of the Black Hawk war. 

Stillwater; city in Washington County, Minnesota, named for a lumber company 
which selected this site for its mill. 

Stillwater; town in Saratoga County, New York, so named because of the *' still 
water" in the Hudson River near the town. 

Stoekbridge; town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, named from Stockbridge 
in England. 

Stockbridge Bowl; lake in the town of Stockbridge, Berkshire County, Massachu- 
setts, situated in a depression in the surrounding hills and mountains. 

Stockport; town in Columbia County, New York, and Wayne County, Pennsyl- 
vania, named from the town in England. 

Stockton; cities in San Joaquin County, California, and Cedar County, Missouri, 
and town in Chautauqua County, New York, named for Commodore R. F. 
Stockton, who participated in the conquest of California. 

Stockton; city in Rooks County, Kansas, named from the city in California. 

Stockton; borough in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, named for a resident family. 

Stockville; village in Frontier County, Nebraska, so named because stock raising 
was an important industry. 

Stoddard; county in Missouri, named for Amos Stoddard, a military officer and 
author. 

Stoddard; town in Cheshire County, New Hampshire, named for Col. Samson Stod- 
dard, one of the original proprietors. 

Stokes; county in North Carolina, named for Col. John Stokes, a Revolutionary 
officer. 

Stone; county in Arkansas, named for Gen. T. J. (Stonewall) Jackson. 
Stone; county in Missouri; 

Stoneham; town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. So named because of the 
sterile soil. 

Stonefort; township in Saline County, Illinois, named from an old stone fort sup- 
posed to have been built for protection against Indians. 

Stonewall; county in Texas and town in Pamlico County, North Carolina, named 
for Gen. T. J. (Stonewall) Jackson. 

Storey; county in Nevada, named for Colonel Storey, killed in battle with the 
Pyramid Lake Indians. 

Story; county in Iowa, named for Judge Joseph Story, of the Supreme Court. 

Stoughton; town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, named for William Stoughton, 
lieutenant-governor and chief justice of the province. 

Stoughton; city in Dane County, Wisconsin, named for Luke Stoughton, who platted 
the village. 

Stoutsville; village in Monroe County, Missouri, named for Robert P. Stout, of 
Kentucky. 

Stow; town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, named from the town in England. 

Stow; township in Summit County, Ohio, named for Judge Jonathan Stow. 

Stoystown; borough in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, named for an early settler 
and Revolutionary soldier, John Stoy. 

Strafford; county in New Hampshire, named from the town in England. 

Strasburg*; town in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, and borough in Lancaster County, 
Pennsylvania, named from the city in Germany. 



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292 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bddd. 258. 

Stratford; town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, named by an early English settler 

from his native town Stratford-on-Avon. 
Stratton; town in Windham County, Vermont, named for Samuel Stratton, an early 

settler of Vernon. 
Strawberry Point; town in Clayton County, Iowa, so named bacause of an abun- 
dance of these berries. 
Streator; city in Lasalle County, Illinois, named for Worthy S. Streator, of Cleve- 
land, Ohio. 
Streeter; creek in Nansemond County, Virginia, named for a resident family. 
Streetsboro; township in Portage County, Ohio, named for David Street, an early 

settler. 
Stromsburg; city in Polk County, Nebraska, named by a Swedish colony from a 

suburb of Stockholm. 
Strong*; creek in Humboldt County, California, named for an early settler. 
Strong*; city in Chase County, Kansas, named f or W. B. Strong, president, Atchison, 

Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad Company. 
Strong; town in Franklin County, Maine, named for Caleb Strong, United States 

Senator. 
Strongsville; township in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, named for John S. Strong. 
Strother; town in Monroe County, Missouri, named for Prof. French Strother. 
Stroudsburg; borough in Monroe County, Pennsylvania, named for Col. Jacob 

Stroud, its first settler. 
Stuart; township and city in Guthrie County, Iowa, named for Capt. Charles Stuart, 

of Vermont. 
Stuart; village in Holt County, Nebraska, named for Peter Stuart, an early settler. 
Sturbridge; town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, named from Stourbridge, 

England. 
Sturgeon; town in Boone County, Missouri, named for Isaac H. Sturgeon, of 

St. Louis. 
Sturgeon Bay; city in Door County, Wisconsin, named from the bay, which abounds 

with this fish. 
Sturgis; town in St. Joseph County, Michigan, named from the prairie which was 

named for Judge John Sturgis, first settler. 
Sturgis; city in Meade County, South Dakota, named for Col. Samuel Sturgis, of 

the Seventh U. S. Cavalry. 
Stutsman; county in North Dakota, named for Hon. Enoch Stutzman, a pioneer 

settler prominent in the State's history. 
Stuyvesant; town in Columbia County, New York, named for Governor Peter 

Stuyvesant. 
Suamico; river in Wisconsin. An Indian word meaning ** yellow sand." 
Subeet; town in Solano County, California. A combination of ** sugar" and **beet,*' 

from its location in the sugar-beet raising district. 
Sublett; town in Cassia County, Idaho, named for Captain Sublette, a partner in the 

Rocky Mountain Fur Company. 
Sublette; township and village in Lee County, Illinois, so named because of the 

subletting of the contract for the grading on that part of the Illinois Central 

Railroad. 
Succs^unna; town in Morris County, New Jersey, in a locality famous for its iron 

ore. Derived from the Indian sukeUy "black," and achmn, ** stone;" hence 

" place where black stone is found." 
Sudbury; town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, named from the town in 

England. 
Suffern; town in Rockland County, New York, named from the Suffern family, 

which owned considerable property in the county. 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 293 

Suffield; town in Hartford County, Connecticut, originally called Southfield, and 
situated in Massachusetts; so named because "being the southernmost towne that 
either at present or is like to be in that county/' 

Suffolk; counties in Massachusetts and New York, and town in Nansemond County, 
Virginia, named from the county in England. 

Sugrar; creek in North and South Carolina, named for the Indian tribe Sugar ee. 

Sug-arpine; lumber town in Tuolumne County, California, so named for its location 
in the sugar-pine forests. 

Suisim; town in Solano County, California, named from an Indian tribe. The 
word means "big expanse." • 

Sullivan; township and city in Moultrie County, Illinois, named by the county 
commissioners, who desired to associate the name with Moultrie, from Fort 
Moultrie on Sullivan Island; Charleston harbor. South Carolina. 

Sullivan; county and town in Indiana, named for Daniel Sullivan, killed by the 
Indians when bearing messages from Captain Clark, after the capture of Vin- 
cennes. 

Sullivan; county, and town in Franklin County, in Missouri, named from the county 
in Tennessee. 

Sullivan; town in Hancock County, Maine, named for an original proprietor. 

Sullivan; county, and town in Cheshire County, in New Hampshire, county, and 
town in Madison County, in New York, and counties in Pennsylvania and Ten- 
nessee, named for Maj. Gen. John Sullivan, of the Revolutionary War. 

Stilly; county in South Dakota, named for Alfred Sully, who commanded a brigade 
in Dakota. 

Sulphur Springs; town in Hopkins County, Texas, so named because of its local 
features. 

Summer; lake in Oregon, so called because of the warm weather which was experi- 
enced there by the Fremont party. 

Summerfield; city in Marshall County, Kansas, named for E. Summerfield, of Law- 
rence, Kansas. 

Summers; county in West Virginia, named for George W. Summers, congressman 
from Virginia. 

Summerville; town in Dorchester County, South Carolina, so named because it is 
a summer resort for residents. 

Sununit; county in Colorado, town in Pike County, Mississippi, city in Union 
County, New Jersey, and county in Ohio. So named because of the elevated 
situation. 

Sununit; village in Cook County, Illinois, named from its location on high land 
between two streams. 

Sununit; county in Utah, so named because of its mountains. 

Siunmit Hill; borough in Carbon County, Pennsylvania, so named because of the 
elevation. 

Stunner; county in Kansas, named for Charles Sumner, the American statesman. 

Sunuier; town in Oxford County, Maine, named for Governor Increase Sumner. 

Sunuier; county in Tennessee, named for Col. Jethro Sumner. 

Sumter; counties in Alabama, Florida, and Georgia, and county, town in same 
county, and fort in Charleston Harbor, in South Carolina, named for Gen. Thomas 
Sumter, an officer of the Revolutionary war. 

Sunapee; lake in New Hampshire. From an Indian word, shehunk-nippe, *'wild 
goose pond.'* 

Stuiapee; town in Sullivan County, and mountain in New Hampshire, named from 
the lake. 

Sunbiuy; borough in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, named from a village 
on the Thames. 



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294 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Suncook; river in New Hampshire. From an Indian word, schunk-auke, meaning 

** goose place.'* 
Sunderland; town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, named for Charles Spencer, 

Earl of Sunderland. 
Sunflower; river and county in Mississippi, no doubt descriptively named. 
Sun Prairie; town in Dane County, Wisconsin, so named because a party of pioneers, 

after a nine days' tramp over the prairies in the rain, came to this spot as the 

sun came out. 
Superior; lake in Michigan. Translation of the original French name, lac suph^ieur, 

** upper lake.'' 
Superior; city in Douglas County, Wisconsin, located on the border of Lake Supe- 
rior; hence the name. 
Surprise; creek in Yellowstone Park, so named because recent explorations find 

its course different than was formerly supposed. 
Surry; county in North Carolina, named for Lord Surry, an advocate of American 

independence. 
Surry; town in Cheshire County, New Hampshire, and county in Virginia, named 

from the county in England. 
Survey; peak in the Yellowstone Park, Wyoming, so named because a signaling 

point for the Indians. 
Suspecaug^h; stream in New Jersey. A Delaware Indian word meaning ** muddy 

water.'* 
Susquehanna; river, county, and borough in same county, in Pennsylvania. From 

an Indian word, mckahannej ** water." 
Sussex; counties in Delaware, New Jersey, and Virginia, named from the county in 

England. 
Sutro; village in Lyon County, Nevada, named for Adolph Sutro. 
Sutter; county, and town in same county, in California, named for Col. John Sutter, 

on whose land the first gold was discovered in California by John Marshall. 
Sutton; tpwn in Worcester County, Massachusetts, named from the town in England. 
Sutton; city in Clay County, Nebraska, and town in Merrimack County, New Hamp- 
shire, named from the town in Massachusetts. 
Sutton; county in Texas, named for Lieutenant-Colonel Sutton, of the army of the 

Confederacy. 
Suwanee; county, town in same county, and river in Florida, and creek and town 

in Gwinnett County, Georgia. Interpretations of this Indian word are various, 

but it seems to be derived from saivani, meaning "echo*' or **echo river.** 
Swain; county in North Carolina, named for David L. Swain, an early governor. 
Swainsboro; town in Emanuel County, Georgia, named for Col. Stephen Swain, of 

the State legislature. 
Swampscott; town in Essex County, Massachusetts. Various derivations are given 

this word — from the Indian word, wonnesquamsauke, "pleasant water place;*' 

from VI* sqirt'Ornpsky "red rock,** or "at the red rock;** or from another Indian 

word meaning "broken waters.** 
Swannanoa; stream and town in Buncombe County, North Carolina. A Cherokee 

Indian word meaning "Swali trail,'* the Swali or Sara being an ancient trail of 

eastern North Carolina. 
Swansboro; town in Onslow County, North Carolina, probably so named on account 

of the swans frequenting the neighborhood. 
Swansea; town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, named from the town in Wales. 
Swanton; town in Franklin County, Vermont, named for Capt. William Swanton, 

an officer in the British army before the colonies gained their independence. 
Swanville; village in Erie County, Pennsylvania, named for John L. Swan, its first 

settler. 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 295 

Swartlixnore; borough in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, named from the district 

in England. 
Sweathouse; creek in Ravalli CJounty, Montana. A translation of its Indian name 

(Flathead). The Indians built their sweathouses along the creek, believing its 

waters had medicinal qualities. 
Swedesboro; town in Gloucester County, New Jersey, so named because settled by 

Swedes. 
Sweet GrsjBs; county in Montana, named from the sweet-grass hills. 
Sweet Springrs; city in Saline County, Missouri, so named because of its neighbor- 
ing springs. 
Sweetwater; town in Monroe County, Tennessee. Translation of an Indian word 

meaning ' * crooked stream. * ' 
Sweetwater; river in Wyoming, so named because its waters have a sweet taste. 
Sweetwater; county in Wyoming, named from the river. 
Swepsonville; village in Alamance County, North Carolina, named for George W. 

Swepson, a capitalist. 
Swift; county in Minnesota, named for Henry A. Swift, governor of the State in 

1863. 
Swisher; county in Texas, named for James G. Swisher, a signer of the Texas 

declaration of independence. 
Switzerland; county in Indiana, named from the republic of Switzerland. 
Sycamore; township and city in Dekalb County, Illinois, named from the abun- 
dance of sycamore trees within its limits. 
Sylva; town in Jackson County, North Carolina, named for a prominent resident. 
Sylvan Grove; city in Lincoln County, Kansas, so named because situated near the 

Twin Groves, on the north bank of the Saline Kiver. 
Symxues; town in Hamilton County, Ohio, named for John Cleves Symmes, judge 

in the Northwest Territory. 
Syracuse; town in Hamilton County, Kansas. In 1873 a colony emigrated from 

Syracuse, New York, to Kansas, and gave their settlement the same name. 
Syracuse; village in Otoe County, Nebraska, named from the city in New York. 
Syracuse; city in Onondaga County, New York, named from tl^e ancient city of 

Sicily. 
Tabery ; village in Oneida County, New York, named from the iron-mining town in 

Sweden. 
Table Bock; village in Pawnee County, Nebraska, so named because situated near 

a large, flat-topped rock. 
Tacoma; city in Pierce County, Washington. From the Indian name meaning 

** mountain.'* 
Taconic; village in Fairfield County, Connecticut, and range of hills in Massachu- 
setts. An Indian word meaning * * forest ' * or * * wilderness. * * 
Taghkanick; creek and village in Columbia County, New York. An Indian word 

said to mean "there is water enough." 
Tahoe; lake in California and Nevada. An Indian word meaning "big water.'* 
Talbot; county in Georgia, named for Matthew Talbot, acting governor of the State 

in 1819. 
Talbot; county in Maryland, probably named for a son of Sir Robert Talbot, of 

Ireland, who married Grace, the daughter of Sir George Calvert, the first Lord 

Baltimore, though same authorities state that it was named for the uncle of Lady 

Talbot. 
Talbott; village in Jefferson County, Tennessee, named for Col. John Talbott. 
Talbotton; town in Talbot County, Georgia, named for Matthew Talbot, acting 

governor of the State in 1819. 
Taliaferro; county in Georgia, nrmed for CoL Benjamin Taliaferro. 



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296 1>LACE NAMES IK tfiE I^NltlfiD StA'TES. [boll. 258. 

Talladega; county, and city in same county in Alabama. A Creek Indian name 
meaning **at the end,*' ** on the border,** hence a town on the frontier. 

Tallahassee; city in Leon County, Florida. A Semmole Indian word meaning ''old 
town;** 80 named because it is supposed to have been the site of Indian corn- 
fields in remote times. 

Tallahatchie; county in Mississippi, named from the principal branch of the Yazoo 
River in the same State. An Indian word meaning ** river of the rock.** 

Tallapoosa; county in Alabama and city in Haralson County, Georgia, named from 
the river. 

Tallapoosa; river in Georgia and Alabama. An Indian word meaning ''swift cur- 
rent,** or, according to other authorities, "stranger** or '* newcomer.*' 

Talleyville; village in Newcastle County, Delaware, named for the Talley family, 
early residents. 

Talhnadge; township in Summit County , Ohio, named for Col. Benjamin Tallmadge, 
an original land proprietor. 

Tama; county in Iowa. An Indian word meaning "beautiful,** "pleasant,** 
" lovely,'* or the name of the wife of the Indian chief Poweshiek. Still another 
authority states that it is named for a chief whose name meant "bear whose 
voice makes the rocks tremble.** 

Tamalpais; village and mountain in Marin County, California. A Spanish word 
meaning "region of the Tamal Indians.*' 

Tamanend; village in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, named for a celebrated 
Delaware Indian chief, better known as Tammany, the word meaning "beaver- 
like,** or "amiable." 

Tamaqua; borough in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. From an Indian word 
mean ing ' ' beaver stream . ' ' 

Tamaroa; village in Perry County, Illinois, named from a tribe of Illinois Indians. 

Tampa; city in Hill8l)oro County and bay on the west coast of Florida. From the 
Indian word itimpi, meaning "close to it," or "near it." 

Tampico; township and village in Whiteside County, Illinois, named from Tampico 
in Mexico. 

Taney; county in Missouri, named for Roger B. Taney, chief justice of the United 
States. 

Tangipahoa; river, parish, and town in same parish, in Louisiana, named for an 
Indian tribe, the word meaning "those who gather maize stalks." 

Tankhanna, creek in Pennsylvania. A Delaware Indian word meaning "smaller 
stream.** 

Taopi; village in Mower County, Minnesota, said to be named for a Sioux Indian 
chief who befriended the whites in the Minnesota massacre, 1862, the word 
meaning "wounded." 

(Tappan; town in Harrison County, Ohio; 
Tappantown; village in Rockland County, New York. Said to be from an 
Indian word meaning "cold stream.** 
Tar; creek in Ventura County, California, named from the asphaltum deposits. 
Tar; river in North Carolina; 

Tarboro; town in Edgecombe County, North Carolina. Named from the river, 

which received its name on account of the tar made upon its banks by early 

colonial settlers. Wheeler gives the origin of the name of the river as from 

the Indian word tow, "river of health.** 

Tarentum; borough in Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, named from the city of 

Taranto in Italy. 
Tarkio; township, city, and river in Atchison County, in Missouri. An Indian word 
meaning "difficult to ford.** 



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dAilNETr.l 1>LACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 297 

Tarrant; county in Texas, named for an early settler prominent in politics after the 

annexation. 
Tarrant; creek in Virginia, named for the family who owned much land along its 

Western border. 
Tarry all; peak and stream in Colorado, so named because of the rich placers found 

along the latter. 
Tfirrytown; village in Westchester County, New York. A modification of its 

former name of terwen, ** wheat town," given on account of its large crops of 

that cereal. 
Tatamy; borough in Northamptoa County, Pennsylvania, named for a chief of the 

Delaware Indians who was prominent in the colonial history of the State. 
Tate; county in Mississippi, named for a prominent family, of which T. S. Tate was 

a member. 
Tatonka; village in Ellsworth County, Kansas. A Sioux Indian word meaning 

^^buffalo." 
Tattnall; county in Georgia, named for Josiah Tattnall, an early governor. 
Tatnm; town in Marlboro County, South Carolina, named for a resident family. 
Taunton; river, and city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, named from the town in 

England. 
Tawas; city in Iosco County, Michigan. A contraction of tawawa^ ** trader." 
Tawawa; town in Shelby County, Ohio. An Indian word meaning ** trader." 
Taycheedah; village in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, so named because of the 

Indian camp made upon Lake Winnebago. An Indian word meaning "lake 

camp." 
Taylor; town in Shasta County, and peak in Humboldt County, California, named 

for an early settler. 
Taylor; counties in Florida, Georgia, Iowa, and Kentucky, and towns in Cortland 

County, New York, and Williamson County, Texas, named for Gen. Zachary 

Taylor. 
Taylor; town in Lafayette County, Mississippi, named for an e^rly settler. 
Taylor; county in Texas, named for a family of early settlers. 
Taylor; county in West Virginia, named for John Taylor, of Caroline County, 

Virginia. 
Taylor; county in W^isconsin, named for David Taylor, justice of the supreme court. 
Taylor Center; village in Wayne County, Michigan, named for Gen. Zachary Taylor. 
Taylor Bidgre; mountains in Floyd County, Georgia, named for Richard Taylor, a 

Cherokee chief, who lived near their base. 
Taylors Falls; village in Chisago County, Minnesota, named for one of the first 

settlers, member of the Northwest Lumber Company. 
Taylorsville; village in Bartholomew County, Indiana, named for Gen. Zachary 

Taylor. 
Taylorsville; town in Spencer County, Kentucky, named for Richard Taylor, the 

former proprietor of the land. 
Taylorsville; town in Alexander County, North Carolina, named for John L. Tay- 
lor, a former judge of the State. 
Taylorsville; village in Muskingum County, Ohio, named for James Taylor, who 

laid it out. 
Taylorville; township and city in Christian County. Illinois, named for John 

Taylor, one of the commissioners who located the county seat. 
Tazewell; village in Marion County, Georgia, and county, and town in same county, 

in Virginia, named for Senator Henry Tazewell of Virginia. 
Tazewell; county in Illinois, named for Governor Littleton W. Tazewell, of Virginia, 

1834-1836. 



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298 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Tchemanahaut; stream in Hot Spring County, Arkansas. A corruption of the 

French chemin en haxUj **high road." 
Tecumseh; village in Lenawee County, Michigan, cities in Johnson County, 

Nebraska, and Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma, and several other places named 

for the Shawnee chief. The name refers to a panther, and figuratively to a 

shooting star. 
Tehachapi; town and pass in Kern County, California, named for the Indian tribe 

Ta hi cha pa hnn na. 
Tehama; county in California. The name is derived from one of the Indian 

languages, and is said to mean '^high water.'' The name was applied from the 

fact that at certain seasons the Sacramento River overflowed its banks at this 

point, partially submerging the settlement. 
Tejon; post-oflSce, fort, and mountain pass in Kern County, California. A Spanish 

word meaning "badger." 
Tekonslia; village in Calhoun County, Michigan, named for the Indian chief of the 

tribe who formerly occupied the town site. 
Telfair; county in Georgia, named for Edward Telfair, one of the early governors 

of the State. 
Tell City; city in Perry County, Indiana, named by its Swiss colonists for William 

Tell. 
Teller; county, and town in Mineral County, in Colorado, named for Senator Teller of 

the State. 
Telluride; town in San Miguel County, Colorado, named from the ore found in the 

vicinity. 
Temescal; town in Riverside County, California. From a Spanish word meaning 

'* sweat house." 
Temple; town in Hillsboro County, New Hampshire, named for John Temple, a 

relative of F^rl Temple, of England. 
Temple; city in Bell County, Texas, named for Major B. M. Temple. 
Templeton; town jn Worcester County, Massachusetts, said to have been named 

for Earl Temple. 
Tenafly; borough in Bergen County, New Jersey. A Dutch word meaning **at the 

meadow." 
Tenasillihee; island in the Columbia River, Oregon. An Indian word meaning 

*Mittle land." 
Tenino; town in Thurston County, Washington, named for an Indian tribe. 
Tenley; substation in Washingt-on, D. C. Named for two sisters, weavers, who 

lived near the old toll-gate. 
Tennessee; State of the Union, and a tributary of the Ohio River. The word is of 

Cherokee origin, being the name of several former settlements of that tribe, but 

has lost its meaning, attempted interpretations being purely fanciful. 
Tennessee; township and village in McDonough County, Illinois, named from the 

native State of its founders. 
Tensas; parish in Louisiana, named for a tribe of Indians now extinct. 
Teocalli; mountain in Colorado, so named beimuse shaped like a Mexican pyramid. 
Terrebonne; parish in Louisiana, named for a place in Canada. A French name 

meaning *'good land." 
Terre Haute; city in Vigo County, Indiana, built upon a bank 60 feet above the 

river. A French name meaning ''high land." 
Terrell; county in Georgia, named for Dr. William Terrell, an early member of 

Congress from that State. 
Terrell; city in Kaufman County, Texas, named for Capt. Robert A. Terrell, the 

first settler in the neighborhood. 
Terre Noir; creek in Arkansas. A French name meaning '' black land." 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NABfES IN THE UNITED STATES. 299 

Terrill; mountain in Utah, named for the wife of J. H. Renehawe, of the United 

States Geological Survey. 
Terry; town in Hinds County, Mississippi, named for Bill Terry, a resident. 
Terry; county in Texas, named for Frank Terry, commander of the Texas Rangers 

in the civil war. 
Terryville; village in Litchfield County, Connecticut, named for a manufacturer of 

wooden clocks in the village. 
Teton; town in Fremont County, Idaho, county, river, and mountain in Montana, 

and range of mountains in Wyoming, named for a division of the Sioux tribe, 

whose name was variously written Teton, Ttton, or TUcnvaUy and means " prairie 

dwellers.*' 
Teutopolis; village in Effingham County, Illinois, originally settled by a colony of 

Germans from Cincinnati. From Teuton, an ancient tribe of Germans, and 

opolis. 
Tewksbtiry; town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, probably named from the 

town in England. 
Texaxkana; city in Miller County, Arkansas, near the border between Arkansas 

and Texas. The name is a combination of these two names. 
Texas; largest State of the Union. The generally accepted version of the name is 

that it is an Indian word used as a token of friendship. 
Texas; county in Missouri, named from the Republic of Texas. 
Thames; river in Connecticut, named from the river iu England. 
Thatchers; island in Massachusetts, named for Anthony Thacher, who was ship- 
wrecked there in 1635. 
Thayer; city in Neosho County, Kansas, named for Nathaniel Thayer, of Boston. 
Thayer; county in Nebraska, named for Governor John M. Thayer. 
The Clips; ridge of hills extending from the Adirondack Mountains into Fulton 

County, New York. From the German klippe, meaning "high, steep rocks.'* 
The Dalles; city in Wasco County, Oregon, named for the rapids, or ** dalles" in 

the Columbia River, near which the city is located. 
The Geysers; town in Sonoma County, California, named from the hot springs. 
Theresa; town in Jefferson County, New York, named for the daughter of James 

Le Ray de Chaumont. 
Thermal; town in Riverside County, California, named from the hot springs. 
Thibodaux; town in Lafourche Parish, Louisiana, named for H. S. Thibodeaux. 
Thielsen; mountain in Oregon, named for Hans Thielsen, chief engineer of the 

Oregon and California Railroad. 
Thomas; county in Georgia, named for Gen. Jett Thomas. 
Thomas; county in Kansas, named for Maj. Gen. George H. Thomas. 
Thomcus; mountains in Utah, named for Col. L. Thomas. 
Thomasboro; village in Champaign County, Illinois, named for John Thomas, an 

early settler. 
Thomaston; town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, named for a family of 

manufacturers. 
Thomaston; town in Upson County, Georgia, named for Gen. Jett Thomas. 
Thomaston; town in Knox County, Maine, named for Gen. John Thomas, of Mas- 
sachusetts. 
Thomasville; town in Thomas County, Georgia, named for Gen. Jett Thomas. 
Thomasville; town in Davidson County, North Carolina, named for State senator 

Thomas. 
Thompson; township in Geauga County, Ohio, named for Matthew Thompson, of 

Connecticut. 
Thomdike; town in Waldo County, Maine, named for Thomas Thorndike, one of 

the original proprietors. 



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300 PLACE NAMES IN tHE UNITED 8TATES. [bull. 258. 

Thornton; town in Holmes County, Mississippi, named for Dr. C. C. Thornton, a 

large landowner. 
Thornton; town in Grafton County, New Hampshire. Probably named for three 

brothers, Thornton, early settlers, but by some credited to Hon. Mathew 

Thornton. 
Three Oaks; village in Berrien County, Michigan; so named on account of three 

large oaks near the village. 
Three Rivers; peak in Yellowstone Park, Wyoming; so named because the three 

rivers, Gallatin, Madison, and Gardiner, take their rise on its slopes. 
Three Rivers; city in St. Joseph County, Michigan; so named because situated at 

the junction of the St. Joseph, Portage, and Rocky rivers. 
Throckmorton; county in Texas, named for Dr. William E. Throckmorton, one 

of the first pioneers of northern Texas. 
Throgs Neck; cape in Westchester County, New York, named for John Throck- 
morton, an original patentee. 
Throop; town in Cayuga County, New York, named for Hon. Enos T. Throop, 

governor. 
Thnrman; town in Warren County, New York, named for John Thurman. 
Thurston; county in Nebraska, named for Senator John M. Thurston. 
Thurston; town in Steuben County, New York, named for William R. Thurston, 

a landholder. 
Thurston; county in Washington, named for Samuel R. Thurston, Del^ate to 

Congress from Oregon Territory. 
Tia Juana; post-oflSce in San Diego County, California. The Spanish form of "Aunt 

Jane.'* 
Tibbetts; creek in Westchester County, New York, named for the family who 

have owned the adjoining land for one hundred and thirty years. 
Tibee; creek in Mississippi. For derivation see Oktibbeha. 
Tiburon; island in the Gulf of California. A Spanish word meaning "shark." 
Ticonderog^a; town in Essex County, New York. Said to be a modification of the 

Indian word chiderogo, "sounding waters;" other meanings given are "brawl- 
ing water," or "noisy." 
Tidioute; borough in Warren County, Pennsylvania. An Indian word meaning, 

according to one authority, "see far," and according to others, " straight water" 

and "cluster of islands." 
Tiffin; city in Seneca County, Ohio, named for Edward TiflSn, the first governor of 

the State. 
Tillery; town in Halifax County, North Carolina, named for a prominent citizen. 
Tilton; town in Belknap County, New Hampshire, named for Charles E. Tilton, of 

New York. 
Tiltonsville; town in Jefferson County, Ohio, named for a feunily of early pro- 
prietors. 
Timmonsville; town in Florence County, South Carolina, named for the Timmons 

family. 
Tin Cup; town in Gunnison County, Colorado, so named because in its early day^, 

when a mining camp, gold was so plentiful that it was measured in a tin cup. 
Tintah; town in Traverse County, Minnesota. From a Sioux Indian word meaning 

"prairie." 
Tinton Falls; town in Monmouth County, New Jersey. Corruption of Tintem, 

Monmouthshire, England, 
Tioga; county ii? New York, county and borough in same county in Pennsylvania, 

and river traversing both States. An Indian word given various interpretations, 

" at the forks," "swift current," and "gate." 



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GANNETT] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 301 

Tioinati; tributary of the St. Lawrence River, in New York. An Indian word, 

meaning " beyond the point." 
Tiougrluiiogra; river in central New York. An Indian word meaning ** meeting of 

the waters." 
Tippali; county in Mississippi, named for the wife of Pontotoc, a Chickasaw Indian 

chief, the word meaning ** cut off." 
Tippecanoe; river and county in Indiana, and village in Harrison CJounty, Ohio. 

From an Indian word given the various meanings of "at the great clearing," 

"long-lipped pike," and "buffalo fish." 
Tipton; county, and city in same county, in Indiana, named for Gen. John Tipton, 

Senator from Indiana. 
Tipton; county in Tennessee, named for Capt. Jacob Tipton, father of Gen. Jacob 

Tipton. 
Tisbury; town in Dukes County, Massachusetts, named from the town in England. 
Tishoming^o; county in Mississippi, named for the king of the Chickasaw Indians, 

the name meaning "warrior chief." 
Tishtang:; creek in Humboldt County, California, fancifully named to suggest the 

sound of the water. 
Tiskilwa; village in Bureau County, Illinois. Said to be derived from various 

Indian words with the meanings "plover," "old boy," meaning a bachelor, and 

"beautiful valley." 
Titonka; village in Kossuth County, Iowa. A Sioux Indian word meaning "big 

house." 
Titus; county in Texas, named for James Titue, a prominent citizen. 
Titusville; town in Brevard County, Florida, named for its founder. Colonel Titus, 

who was a leader in the Kansas crusade. 
Titusville; city in Crawford County, Pennsylvania, named for Jonathan Titus, the 

former owner of the town site. 
Tivoli; village in Duchess County, New York, named from the town in Italy. 
Tobesofka; creek in Georgia, so named because an Indian lost a dish of meal while 

crossing it. Sofkee^ meaning "dish of meal," and tohe, "I have lost." 
Tobyhanna; stream in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, thickly banked with alder 

bushes. A I^elaware Indian word meaning " alder stream." 
Tocomo; river in Florida. A transposition of Tomoco, alias Timucus, a former 

tribe of that region. 
Todd; county in Kentucky, named for Col. John Todd. 
Todd; county in Minnesota, named for Gen. John B. Todd, of the Regular Army, 

commander at Fort Ripley, Maine, 1849-1856. 
Tohickon; stream in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. A Delaware Indian word mean- 
ing "driftwood stream," or "stream with a driftwood bridge." 
Toledo; town in Cumberland County, Illinois, named from the city in Ohio. 
Toledo; city in Lucas County, Ohio, named from the city in Spain. 
Tolland; county in Connecticut. The name is transferred from England. 
Tolly; point at the junction of Severn River and Chesapeake Bay, Maryland, where 

Captain Tolly was wrecked. 
Tolono; township and village in Champaign County, Illinois; a name coined by the 

founders for individuality. 
Toluca; city in Marshall County, Illinois, named by the founders from Toluca in 

Mexico. 
Tomah; city and town in Monroe County, Wisconsin, named for a chief of the 

Menominee Indians. 
Tomahawk; town in Searcy County, Arkansas, and city in Lincoln County, 

Wisconsin. From tomahawk, or tomahican, the Indian hatchet. 



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302 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Tomasaki; mountain in Utah, named for a Ute Indian. 

Tom Ball; mountain in the town of West Stockbridge, Berkshire Comity, Massa- 
chusetts, named for an early inhabitant living near the mountain. 

Tombicon; stream in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. A Delaware Indian word 
meaning "place of crab apples. '* 

Tombigrbee; river in Mississippi. Derived from the Indian itumbi-bikpe, "coffin 
makers.*' 

Tombstone; town in Pima County, Arizona, so named by its founder, because 
when starting out on his prospecting tour he waa assured he would "find his 
tombstone." 

Tome; village in Valencia County, New Mexico. A contraction of Santo Tom^, 
Spanish for St. Thomas. 

Tom Green; county in Texas, named for Gen. Tom Green, distinguished in the early 
history of the State, and later in the civil war. 

Tomoka; river in Florida, named for an Indian tribe, the Tomoco or Timucus. 
Tompkins; county, and town in Delaware County, New York; 
Tompkinsville; villages in Monroe County, Kentucky, and Richmond County, 
New York. Named for Daniel D. Tompkins, governor of New York in 1807. 

i?oms; river in Ocean County, New Jersey, said to have been named for Capt. 
William Tom, an early English settler. 

Tonawanda; stream, and town in Erie County, New York. An Indian word mean- 
ing "swift water." 

Tonganoxie; town in Leavenworth County, Kansas, named for a Delaware Indian 
who kept a stopping place near the present town site. 

Tonica; village in Lasalle County, Illinois, probably named from the Indian, the 
word said to mean "place inhabited." 

Tonti; township and village in Marion County, Illinois, named for Tonti, the part- 
ner of La Salle. 

Tooele; county in Utah, so named on account of a species of rush which grows in 
the mountains. 

Topeka; village in Mason County, Illinois, and city in Shawnee County, Kansas. 
Said to be the Sioux or Omaha Indian name for the so-called "Indian potato." 

Topsfield; town in Essex County, Massachusetts, named from the parish in England. 

Topsham; town in Sagadahoc County, Maine, named from the seaport in England. 

Toronto; township, and city in Woodson County, Kansas; village in Jefferson 
County, Ohio; and town in Deuel County, South Dakota. An Indian word 
meaning "oak tree rising from the lake." 

Torowcap; valley in Arizona. An Indian word meaning "clayey locality." 

Torrey; peak in Colorado, named for the botanist. 

Torrey; town in Yates County, New York, named for Henry Torrey. 

Torrington; town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, named from the town in 
England. 

Tortuga; town in San Diego County, California. A Spanish word meaning "turtle." 

Totowa; borough in Passaic County, New Jersey. From the Indian word tosawei, 
meaning "to sink," "dive," or "go under water," as timbers do wfien carried 
over a waterfall. 

Totoganic; river in Wisconsin. An Indian word meaning "place of floating logs." 

Totoket; hill in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Probably an Indian word meaning 
" on the great tidal river." 

Tottenville; village in Richmond County, New York, named for the Tottens, a 
family of early residents. 

Toulbah; mountain in Maine, in shape resembling a turtle. An Indian word mean- 
ing "turtle." 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 303 

Toulon; township and town in Stark County, Illinois, named from a discontinued 
post-office in Tennessee. 

Towaligu; river in Georgia, so named, it is claimed, because the Indians roasted the 
scalps of the whites upon its banks. From towelaggiej meaning "roasted 
scalps.'^ 

Towanda; village in McLean County, Illinois, and borough in Bradford County, 
Pennsylvania. A Delaware Indian word meaning "where we bury the dead." 

Towet'y city in Saint Louis County, Minnesota, named for the explorer of the Ver- 
million Iron Range. 

Tower City; town in Cass County, North Dakota, and borough in Schuylkill County, 
Pennsylvania, named for Charlemagne Tower. 

Towner; county in North Dakota, named for O. M. Towner, a member of the Terri- 
torial council. 

Towns; county in Georgia, named for George W. B. Towns, former governor of the 
State. 

Townsend; town in Newcastle County, Delaw^are, named for Samuel Townsend, a 
large land owner. 

I Townsend; town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts; 
Townshend; town in Windham County, Vermont. Named for Charles Townshend, 
a member of the ministry during Governor Wentworth's term of office. 
Townsend; town in Broadwater County, Montana, named for an official of the 

Northern Pacific Railroad. 
Towson; town in Baltimore County, Maryland, named for the family of which Gen. 

Nathan Towson was a member. 
Tracy; city in San Joaquin County, California, and village in Piatt County, Missouri, 

named for an official of the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad. 
Traill; county in North Dakota, named for W. J. S. Trail, a representative of the 

Hudson Bay Company. 
Transylvania; county in North Carolina, so named on account of its geographical 

position — ** beyond the forest." 
Trappe; borough in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, so named on account of 

the high steps which led up to one of the early taverns, designated by the Ger- 
man settlers as treppe. 
Travellers Best; town in Greenville County, South Carolina, named for an inn 

situated there in early days. 
Traverse; county and lake in Minnesota; a translation of the Dakota (Sioux) name 

of the lake, referring to the transverse position of this long lake across the course 

of the neighboring long lakes — Big Stone and Lac qui Parle — and the Minnesota 

River. 
Traverse City; city in Grand Traverse County, Michigan. The name, meaning 

** lying across," was given by early French voyagers to an indentation of the 

coast line of Lake Michigan, which they were accustomed to cross from headland 

to headland. 
Travis; county in Texas, named for Col. William B. Travis, one of Texas's most 

prominent men during its early days, who fell at the Alamo. 
Treadwell; bay in New York, named for Thomas Treadwell, an old resident. 
Treasury; mountain in Colorado, so named on account of the mines which it 

contains. 
Trego; towns in Los Angeles and San Joaquin counties, California, in the wheat- 
growing districts. The Spanish form of "wheat." 
Trego; county in Kansas, named for Edward P. Trego, captain Company H, Eighth 

Kansas Regiment, killed during the civil war. 
Trempealeau; county, and village in same county, in Wisconsin, named from the 

island in the Mississippi River. 

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304 ' PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Trempealeau; island in the Misflissippi River, designated by the French mont qui 

trempe it Peau meaning ^^ mountain which stands in the water." 
Trenton; township and city in Grundy County, Missouri, named from the city in 

New Jersey. 
Trenton; city in Mercer County, New Jersey, named for Col. William Trent, speaker 

of the assembly. 
Tres Finos; town in San Benito County, Caiifomia. A Spanish name meaning 

** three pines." 
Trexlertown; town in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, named for John Trexler. 
Tribune; city in Greeley County, Kansas, named for the Tribune (New York), 

Greeley's newspaper. 
Trident; mesa in Colorado, so named because of the three spurs which rise from it. 
Tri^; county in Kentucky, named for Col. Stephen Trigg, slain by the Indians at 

the battle of Blue Licks. 
Trimble; county in Kentucky, named for the Hon. Robert Trimble. 
Trinchera; creek in Colorado. A Spanish word meaning "cut-bank river." 
Trinity; river in California, so named from the supposition of its first American 

explorers that it emptied into the Bay of Trinidad, which was entered by its 

Spanish discoverers on Trinity Sunday. 
Trinity; county in California, named from the river. 
Trinity; town in Randolph County, North Carolina, named from Trinity College, 

formerly located there. 
Trinity; river, and county, named for the river in Texas, named for the Triune God. 
Tripp; county in South Dakota, named for Bartlett Tripp, United States minister to 

Austria in 1893. 
Tropico; town in Los Angeles County, California. The Spanish form of ''tropic." 
Troup; county in Georgia, named for Hon. George M. Troup, senator from that State. 
Trousdale; county in Tennessee, named for Governor William Trousdale. 
Troy; city in Pike County, Alabama, named for Alexander Troy, of Columbus 

County, North Carolina. 
Troy; cities in Doniphan County, Kansas; Pontotoc County, Mississippi; Rensselaer 

County, New York; Miami County, Ohio; and Bradford County, Pennsylvania, 

named from ancient Troy of Asia Minor. 
Troy; town in Montgomery County, North Carolina, named for Matthew Troy, a 

prominent lawyer. 
Truckee; river in Caiifomia, named for the old Indian guide of General Fremont. 
Truesdale; town in Warren County, Missouri, named for William Truesdale, former 

owner of the town site. 
Trumansburg; village in Tompkins Coimty, New York, named for the Tremaines, 

family of early settlers. 
Trumbull; county in Ohio, named for Jonathan Trumbull, first governor of Con- 
necticut, the land formerly being within Connecticut's Western Reserve. 
Truro; town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, named from the town in England. 
Truxton; town in Cortland County, New York, named for Confmodore Thomas 

Truxton. 
Tryon; town in Polk County, North Carolina, named for William Tryon, colonial 

governor. 
Tuckahoe; creek in New Jersey, probably named from the tuckahoe root. 
Tucker; village in Kankakee County, Illinois, named for J. T. Tucker, a railroad 

official. 
Tucker; county in West Virginia, named for St. George Tucker, an eminent Vir- 
ginia jurist. 
Tucson; city in Pima County, Arizona, derived from an Indian word meaning 

** black creek." 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 305 

Tuftonboro; town in Carroll County, New Hampshire, named for J. Tufton Mason, 

to whom the grant was made. 
Tukuhnikavats; peak of the Sierra la Sal, in Utah, named for a Ute Indian. The 

word means **dirt seer." 
Tulare; county, and city in same county, in California. An Indian word, ** place 

of tales," or "place of reeds." 
Tule; town in Tulare County, California, and lake lying in Modoc and Siskiyou 

counties, California, and Klamath County, Oregon, named from the willow 

growths, a grass used by Indians for making mats and baskets. 
Tule; river in Kings and Tulare counties, California. An Indian word meaning 

"reeds." 
Tuleys; creek in Humboldt County, California, named for an early settler. 
Tullahoma; town in Coffee County, Tennessee. An Indian word meaning "near- 
est town." 
TuUy; town in Onondaga County, New York, named for Marcus Tullius Cicero, the 

Boman orator. 
Tulpehocken, stream in Pennsylvania. A Delaware Indian word, "land of 

turtles." 
Tumwater; town in Thurston County, Washington. An Indian word meaning 

"waterfall." 
Tunkhannock; township and borough in Wyoming County, and creek in Susque- 
hanna Cormty, Pennsylvania. From the Delaware Indian tank hannCy meaning 

"small stream." 
Tuolumne; county, city in same county, and river in California, named for an Indian 

tribe. Bancroft states the name to be a corruption of talmalamne, meaning a 

"group of stone huts" or "collection of wigwams." 
Tuppeckhanna; stream in Pennsylvania. A Delaware Indian word meaning "stream 

which flows from a large spring." 
Turbutville; borough in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, named for a fam- 
ily who had large land holdings in the State. 
Turin; town in Lewis County, New York, named from the city in Italy. 
Turkey; river in Iowa, so named because much frequented by wild turkeys. 
Turmans; creek in Sullivan County, Indiana, named for Benjamin Turman, first 

settler on the west side of the county. 
Turner; town in Androscoggin County, Maine, named for the Rev. Charles Turner, 

of Sdtoate, Massachusetts. 
Turner; county in South Dakota, named for J. W. Turner, legislator. 
Turners Falls; falls on the Connecticut River and village in Franklin County, 

Massachusetts, named for Captain Turner, who led in the massacre of the Indians 

in King Philip's war. 
Tumersville; town in Robertson County, Tennessee, named for Major Turner. 
Tumwall; creek in Clark County, Arkansas, corruption of the French terre noivy 

"black land." 
Turret; mountain in Yellowstone Park, so named from its shape. 
Tuscaloosa; county, and city in same county, in Alabama, named for an Indian chief, 

the name meaning "black warrior." 
Tusccurawas; river, county, and village in same county, in Ohio. A Delaware 

Indian word, to which authorities give two meanings, "old town," because the 

oldest Indian town in that part of the State was situated on the banks of the 

river; and "open mouth." 
Tuscarora; village in Livingston County, New York, and river in Pennsylvania, 

named for the Tuscarora, one of the confederated Iroquois tribes. The meaning 

of the name is uncertain. 

Bull. 268— 05 ^20 

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306 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Tuscola; city in Douglas County, Illinois, and county in Michigan. The word is 

said to refer to "level place." 
Tuscumbia; city in Colbert County, Alabama, and village in Miller County, Mis- 
souri, named for a Chickasaw Indian chief. 
Tusquitee; village in Clay County, North Carolina. From the Cherokee name sig- 
nifying *' rafters, '' or "roof poles." 
Tusten; town in Sullivan County, New York, named for Col. Benjamin Tusten. 
Tuttle; lake in Wisconsin, named for an early settler. 
Tuxedo; town in Orange County, New York. Probably from the Indian word 

p* tauk-seet-toughy ' ' meaning * * place of bears. ' ' 
Twiggs; county in Georgia, named for Gen. John Twiggs. 
Twin Rivers; two small streams, so named because entering Lake Michigan, from 

Wisconsin at the same point. 
Twinsburg; township in Summit County, Ohio, named for twin brothers, Moses 

and Aaron Wilcox, who were bom there. 
Two Hearted; river in Michigan. An erroneous translation of the Indian word 

nizfiodesibij ** twin river." 
Two Licks; branch of the Conemaugh in Indiana County, Pennsylvania. A trans- 
lation of the Delaware Indian word nischahoni. 
Two Stivers; city and town in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, named from Twin 

Rivers. 
Twowater; branch of the White River in Eastern Utah, so named because of having 

two main sources — Bitterwater and Sweetwater forks. 
Tygart; valley and river in West Virginia, named for David Tygart, an early settler. 
Tyler; county in Texas, named for John Tyler, President of the United States. 
Tyler; county in West Virginia, named for John Tyler, governor of Virginia. 
Tylerville; village in Jefferson County, New York, named for Josiah and Frederick 

Tyler, early settlers. 
Tymochtee; stream, and town in Wyandot County, in Ohio, the former flowing 

around a large plain. An Indian word, meaning ** around the plain." 
Tyndall; mountain in California, named for the English physicist. 
Tyngrsboro; town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, named for Ebenezer Tjoig, 

but, according to Mason, it received its name from Mrs. Sarah Tyng Winslow. 
Tyringham; town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, named for the family of 

Tyringham, of which Governor Bernard was a descendant and representative. 
Tyrone; township and borough in Blair County, Pennsylvania, and eight other 

places bear the name of the county in Ireland. 
Tyrrel; county in North Carolina, named for Sir John Tyrrel, a lord proprietor. 
Uchee; village in Russell County, Alabama. The name of an ancient tribe of that 

region. 
Udall; city in Cowley County, Kansas, named for Cornelius Udall. 
TJhrichsville; city in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, named for a family of early settlers. 
Uinkaret; plateau in group of volcanic mountains in Grand Canyon, Colorado, and 

Arizona. An Indian word meaning "pine mountain." 
Uinta; county and mountain range in Utah, and county in Wyoming, named for a 

branch of the Ute Indians, the word being said to mean "pine land." 
Uiukufki; stream in Indian Territory. An Indian word meaning "muddy water." 
Ukiah; city in Mendocino County, California, and precinct in Umatilla County, 

Oregon. A corruption of Yokaiaj the name of an Indian tribe. The word is 

said to mean "lower valley" or "stranger." 
Ullin; village in Pulaski County, Illinois, named for a hero of the poet Ossian. 
TJlmers; town in Barnwell County, Soath Carolina, named for the Ulmer family. 
Ulster J county in New York, named from the province in Ireland. 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 307 

Ulysses; city in Grant County, Kansas, and village in Butler County, Nebraska, 

named for Gen. Ulysses S. Grant. 
Umatilla; river and county in Or^on, named for a tribe of Indians. 
Umbag^og^; lake, partly in New Hampshire and partly in Maine. An Indian word 

said to mean ** doubled up." Other authorities favor ** clear lake," "shallow," 

or ** great waters near another." 
U^mcolcus; lake and stream in Maine. An Indian word meaning * * whistling duck. ' ' 
Ummo; mountain in Mariposa County, California. An Indian word meaning **lost 

arrow." 
Umpachene; falls in a stream in the town of New Marlboro, Berkshire County, 

Massachusetts, named for an Indian chief. 
Unalaska; island in the Aleutian Archipelago. Indian word meaning *'land near 

Alayeska ( or Alakshak ) . " 
Unadilla; village in Dooly County, Georgia, and river, town, and village in Otsego 

County, New York. An Iroquois Indian word meaning "place of meeting." 
Unaweep; canyon in Colorado, so named because of the color of its sandstone. 

An Indian word meaning "red rock." 
Uncasville; village in New London County, Connecticut, named for a war chief of 

the Mohegan Indians. 
Uncompahgrre; river and mountain in Colorado. Derived from the Indian, wnccr, 

"hot;"j^/i, "water;" gre, "spring;" "hot water spring." 
Underbill; town in Chittenden County, Vermont, named for two brothers, share- 
holders under the original charter. 
Unicoi; county in Tennessee. A corrupted form of the name of the Ouika Indians. 
Unimo; mountain in Mariposa County, California. An Indian word said to mean 

"lost arrow." 
Union; counties in Arkansas, Georgia, and Iowa, parish in Louisiana, and counties 

in Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South 

Dakota, and Tennessee; so named as an expression of the sentiment which actu- 
ates the American people. 
Union; county in Illinois, so named because of a successful union meeting held in 

the vicinity about 1817 by two preachers of different denominations. 
Union; county in Indiana, formed by the union of parts of Wayne and Fayette 

counties. 
Union; mountain in Nevada, so named because it appears to be made up of many 

peaks. 
Union; county, and town in same county, in New Jersey, founded during the civil 

war, so named to express the patriotic sentiment of that section. 
Union; county in South Carolina, named from the Union Church on Brown Creek. 
Union City; city in Randolph County, Indiana, and Darke County, Ohio, so named 

because of its location in two States. 
Union City; village in Branch County, Michigan, so named because of its location 

at the junction of the Saint Joseph and Coldwater rivers. 
Union City; town in Obion County, Tennessee, so named with the expectation that 

it would eventually be a large railroad center. 
Union Springy; town in Bullock County, Alabama, so named because of Methodists 

assembling at the springs for camp meetings. 
Union Spring; village in Cayuga County, New York, so named l>ecau8e several 

springs unite at this place. 
Uniontown; borough in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, so named because of its 

being built on two farms, the owners of which disputed as to whose name the 

town should bear. 
Unionville; city in Putnam County, Missouri, so named because of the union of 

Putnam and Dodge counties, of which that city is the county seat. 



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308 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. T bull. 258. 

Unionville; town in Orange County, New York, named to commemorate the 
friendly adjustment of the matter of the questioned ownership of the locality of 
the present town site. 

ITpotogr; stream in Muscogee County, Alabama. An Indian word meaning ** cover- 
ing," "spreading out." 

TTpsliur; counties in Texas and West Virginia, named for Abel P. Upshur, secretary 
of state under President Tyler. 

Upson; county in Georgia, named for Stephen Upson, an eminent lawyer of the State. 

Upton; county in Texas, named for John and W. F. Upton, prominent citizens of 
the State, the former an oflScer of the Civil war. 

Urbana; city and township in Champaign County, Illinois, named from the city in 
Ohio. 

Urbana; township and city in Champaign County, Ohio. The name is derived from 
urban, ** pertaining to a city." 

Ursina; borough in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, named for Mr. Bear, one of its 
founders. The Latin form of * * bear. ' ' 

Utah; State of the Union, and county and lake in same State, named for the Ute 
Indians. The meaning is unknown. 

Utica; township in Lasalle County, Illinois, village in Macomb County, Michigan, 
and towns in Hinds County, Mississippi, and Livingston County, Missouri, 
named from the city in New York. 

Utica; city in Oneida County, New York, named from the ancient city in Africa. 

Utsayantha; mountain in Delaware County, and lake in Delaware and Schoharie 
counties, New York, named for the daughter of a legendary Indian chief. 

Utuhu; lake in Michigan. An Indian word meaning **oak." 

Uvalde; county, and town in same county, in Texas, named for Jose Uvalde. 

Uxbridge; town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, named for Henry Paget, Earl 
of Uxbridge. 

Vacaville; township and city in Solano County, California, so named because of the 
large number of cattle in the surrounding country, vaca being the Spanish word 
for *^cow." 

Vaiden; town in Carroll County, Mississippi, said to be named for Doctor Vaiden, a 
resident planter. 

Vailsburg; borough in Essex County, New Jersey, named for the Vail family, resi- 
dents of the neighborhood. 

Valatie ; village in Columbia County, New York, situated near a small falls. Derived 
from a Dutch word meaning "little falls." 

Valdosta; city in Lowndes County, Georgia. From the Spanish, meaning "vale of 
beauty." 

Valentia; county in New Mexico, named from the city in Spain. 

Valentine; village in Cherry County, Nebraska, named for Hon. E. K. Valentine, 
of the State. 

Vallejo; city in Solano County, California, named for Gen. Mariano G. Vallejo, a 
Mexican oflBcer. 

Valley; counties in Montana and Nebraska, so named on account of the topography 
of the county. 

Valley; town in Douglas County, Nebraska, so named because situated at the junc- 
tion of the Republican Valley branch and the Union Pacific Railroad. 

Valley Forge; village in Chester County, Pennsylvania, so named because situated 
at the mouth of Valley Creek, where a forge was erected by Isaac Potts pre- 
vious to the Revolution. 

Valley Junction; town in Polk County, Iowa; so named because situated at the 
junction of the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific and Des Moines Valley rail- 
roads. 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 309 

Valley Bidgre; town in Dunklin County, Missouri, so named because of the peculiar 

formation of the land. 
Val Verde; town in Riverside County, California, and county in Texas. A descrip- 
tive Spanish name meaning ** green valley." 
Van Buren; counties in Arkansas, Iowa, Michigan, and Tennessee, named for 

Martin Van Buren, President of the United States. 
r Vance; county in North Carolina; 

■jVanceboro; town in Craven County, North Carolina. Named for Z. B. Vance, 
I governor and Senator. 
Vances; town in Orangeburg County, South Carolina, named for the Vance family, 

who formerly kept the ferry. 
Vancouver; town and military fort in Clarke County, Washington, named for 

Capt. George Vancouver, Royal Navy, who. explored that part of the country in 

1791. 
Vandalia; city in Audrain County, Missouri, and village in Cass County, Michigan, 

named from the city in Illinois. 
Vandemere; town in Pamlico County, North Carolina, named for a resident family. 
Vanderbilt; mining district in San Bernardino County, California, named for 

Cornelius Vanderbilt, of New York. 
Vanderbnrg; county in Indiana, named for Henry Vanderburgh, judge of the first 

court formed in the State. 
Van Deusen; village in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, named for Isaac L. Van 

Deusen, an early manufacturer. 
Van Etten; village in Chemung County, New York, named for James B. Van Etten, 

member of the assembly in 1862. 
Van Leuvens Comers; village in Albany County, New York, named for Isaac Van 

Leuven. 
Van Orin; village in Bureau County, Illinois, named for Van Orin Greesap, an 

extensive landowner. 
Van Wert; county in Ohio, named for Isaac Van Wert, one of the militiamen who 

assisted in the capture of Major Andre. 
Van Zandt; county in Texas, named for Isaac Van Zandt, member of the Texas 

congress. 
Varinagroye; town in Henrico County, Vii^inia, named from the town in Spain, 

because the same kind of tobacco is raised in both places. 
Varna; village in Marshall County, Illinois, named by its founders from Varna in 

Bulgaria. 
Vamville; town in Hampton County, South Carolina, named for a resident family. 
Varysburg; villlage in Wyoming County, New York, named for William Vary, one 

of the first settlers. 
Vashon; island in Washington, named for a captain in the British navy. 
Vassalboro; town in Kennebec County, Maine, named for Florentins Vassall, a 

proprietor of the Plymouth patent. 
Vaugrhns; creek in Simpson County, Mississippi, named for an early settler. 
Veazie; town in Penobscot County, Maine, named for Gen. Samuel Veazie, a large 

property owner. 
Vega; town in Monterey County, California. A Spanish name descriptively applied, 

meaning a ** tract of level, fruitful ground." 
Venable; creek in Fluvanna County, Virginia, named for Lewis Venable. 
Venango; county, and borough in Crawford County, in Pennsylvania. From the 

Indian innungah^ in reference to a figure found on a tree, carved by the Eries. 
Ventura; river, county, and township and city in same county, in California. A 

Spanish word meaning **luck,'* "fortune," "favorable chance." 
Vera; village in Fayette County, Illinois; from the Latin Veritas, meaning "truth." 



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310 PLACE NAME8 IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Vera Oruz; town in Wells County, Indiana, named from the city in Mexico. From 
the Spanish, meaning *'true cross." 

Veras; town in Santa Barbara County, California. The Spanish word for "truth." 

Verde; river in Arizona with water of a greenish cast. A Spanish word meaning 
"green.'» 

Verdery; town in Greenwood County, South Carolina, named for a resident family. 

Verdugo; town in Ix)8 Angeles County, California. A Spanish word meaning 
** young shoot of a tree*' or **bud." 

VergrenneB; city in Addison County, Vermont, named for Charles Granvier, Count 
de Vergennes. 

Vermilion; counties in Illinois and Indiana, parish in Louisiana, and village in 
Erie County, Ohio, nameil from the rivers. 

Vermilion; village in Edgar County, Illinois, named for Edward S. Vermilion, 
owner of the site. 

Vermilion; rivers in Illinois, Louisiana, Ohio, and South Dakota; said to have been 
so named because of the red earth produced by the burning of the shale over- 
lying the outcrop of coal. 

Vermont; State of the Union, so named because of the appearance of its mountains. 
DerivtHl from the French vert montj '* green mountain." 

Vermontville; village in Eaton County, Michigan, named from the State. 

Vernal Fall; waterfall in Yosemite Valley, California, so named because of the 
beautiful greenish tints which it displays. 

Vernon; village in Marion County, Illinois, named for William Vernon, a railroad 
official. 

Vernon; parish in Louisiana and many other places, being generally named for the 
home of (Jen. George Wawhington — Mount Vernon. 

Vernon; county in Missouri, named for Miles Vernon, of Laclede County. 

Vernon; county in Wisconsin, given this name to suggest the greenery of the sur- 
rounding country. 

Verona; towns in Hancock County, Maine, and Oneida County, New York, and 
seventeen other towns and villages, named from Verona in Italy. 

Verplanck; village in Westchester County, New York, named for Philip Verplanck. 

Versailles; town in Ripley County, Indiana, and eight other places bear the name 
of the palace in Paris. 

Vershire; town in Orange County, Vermont, name formed by a combination of the 
first syllable of the State name and "shire," the English suffix designating 
county. 

Vevay; city in Switzerland County, Indiana, named from the town in Switzerland. 

Vicksburg; city in Warren County, Mississippi, named for Neivitt Vick, its founder. 

Victor; town in Ravalli County, Montana, named for Victor, a chief of the Flathead, 
Kootenai, and Pend'd Oreille tribes. 

Victor; village in Ontario County, New York, so named because the French com- 
mander in a battle fought there defeated the Iroquois Indians. 

Victoria; county in Texas, indirectly named for D. Felix Victoria, first president 
of Mexico, known as Guadalupe Victoria. 

Vidalia; town in Concordia Parish, Louisiana, named for Vidal, the Spanish gov- 
ernor of the district in which the town is situated. 

Viejos ; town in San Diego County, California. A Spanish word meaning * * ancients. * ' 

Vienna; township in Montgomery County, Michigan, and eighteen other places, 
bear the name of the capital city of Austria-Hungary. 

Vigo; county in Indiana, named for Col. Francis Vigo. 

Vigo; town in Concho County, Texas, named from the seaport in Spain. 

Vilas; county in Wisconsin, named for Senator William F. Vilas. 

Villa Bica; town in Carroll County, Georgia, having gold mines. Spanish words 
meaning **rich city." 

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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 311 

Villenova; town in Chautauqua County, New York. A Spanish name meaning 

** new town." 
Vixialhaven; island and town in Knox County, Maine, named for John Vinal, of 

Boston. 
Vincezmes; city in Knox County, Indiana, named from the fort built by Sieur de 

Vincennes. 
Vineland; borough in Cumberland County, New Jersey, so named because it was 

the intention of its founder to raise grapes on an extensive scale, which was 

realized to a considerable extent. 
Vineyard Haven; town in Dukes County, Massachusetts, so named because of the 

quantity of vines found on the island at the time of discovery. Haven from the 

harbor or haven on which the village is situated. 
Vining; city in Clay County, Kansas, named for E. P. Vining, an oflScer of the 

Union Pacific Railroad. 
Vinton; township and city in Benton County, Iowa, named for Hon. Plynn Vinton. 
Vinton; county in Ohio, named for S. F. Vinton, member of Congress from that 

State. 
Viola; village in Richland County, Wisconsin, named for Viola Buck. 
Virden; township and city in Macoupin County, Illinois, named for John Virden, 

founder. 
Virgil; town in Cortland County, New York, named for the poet, Publius Vergilius 

Maro. 
Virgin; river in Utah. Derived from the original Spanish name, Rio Virgen, 

** river of the vii^gin." 
Virginia; one of the original thirteen States, named for Elizabeth, Queen of England. 
Virginia; cities in Cass County, Illinois, and Storey County, Nevada, named from 

the State. 
Virginia; cascade in Yellowstone Park, named for the wife of Hon. Charles Gibson, 

president of the Yellowstone Park Association. 
Virginia City; city in Storey County, Nevada, named for'an early prospector known 

as **01d Virginia," who is said to have been the finder of the largest gold nug- 
get in America. 
Viroqua; town in Vernon County, Wisconsin, named from a version of the title 

given to Columbus and his descendents, Duke of Veragua. 
Visalia; city in Tulare County, California, named for Vise, a hunter. 
Vista; town in San Diego County, California. A descriptive Spanish name, mean- 
ing **view." 
Volney ; villages in Allamakee County, Iowa, and Oswego County, New York, named 

for Count Volney, the French writer. 
Voluntown; village in New London County, Connecticut, so named because the 

greater part of the town was granted to the volunteers of the Narragansett war. 
Volusia; county in Florida, named for a town within its limits supposed to have 

been named for Volus, an English settler. 
Voorheesville; village in Albany County, New York, named for Theodore Voor- 

hees, director of the Delaware and Lackawanna Railroad. 
Waas; mountain in Utah, named for a Ute Indian chief. 
Wabcush; county in Illinois, county, and city in same county, in Indiana, and river 

traversing both States. From the Indian word, vmahachcj meaning ** cloud 

borne by an equinoctial wind," or, according to another authority, ** white 

water." 
Wabasha; county, and town in same county, in Minnesota, named for the Dakota 

(Sioux) chief Wapashaw, meaning " red leaf," *' red cap," or " red flag," from 

a gift of a military uniform and flag of England to the first of three hereditary 

chiefs who bore the name. 



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312 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Wsbsiinsee; county, and town in same county, in Kansas, named fora Pottawatomi 
Indian chief, the name signifying **dim daylight,*' or ** causer of paleness," given 
because he captured an enemy's camp just at the break of day. 

Wsbeno; town in Forest County, Wisconsin. An Indian word meaning "men of 
the dawn," or ** eastern men." 

Wacasassee; river, and bay in Florida, so named because of the herds of cattle 
frequenting it A Seminole word meaning ** cow range." 

Waccamaw; town in Georgetown County, South Carolina, and river, lake, and town- 
ship in Brunswick County, North Carolina, named for an Indian tribe. 

Wachusett; mountain in Massachusetts. An Indian word meaning ** near the little 
mountain." 

Waco; town in Smith County, Mississippi, village in Cleveland County, North Caro- 
lina, and city in McLennan County, Texas, named for an Indian tribe. 

Waconia; village in Carver County, Minnesota. An Indian word meaning "living 
spring." 

Waconda; village in Mitchell County, Kansas. An Indian word meaning "spirit." 

Wacouta; village in Goodhue County, Minnesota. A Sioux Indian word meaning 
" shooter," the name of an Indian chief who lived at Red Wing. 

Waddams; township in Stephenson County, Illinois, named for William Waddams, 
one of the first settlers in the county. 

Waddingrton; town in Humboldt County, California, named for an early settler. 

Waddingrton; village in St. Lawrence County, New York, named for Joshua Wad- 
dington, proprietor. 

Wadena; county, and town in same county, in Minnesota, an archaic Ojibway word 
meaning "little round hill." 

Wadesboro; town in Anson County, North Carolina, named for Col. Thomas Wade. 

Wading River; village in Suffolk County, New York, named from the river, which 
was so called because the Indians waded into it for the shellfish. 

Wadsworth; township and village in Medina County, Ohio, named for Col. E. 
Wads worth. 

Wady Petra; village in Stark County, Illinois. From the Arabian, vxidy, meaning 
"valley," and the Latin pefra, "rock." 

Wag^a; tributary to the Minnesota River. An Indian word meaning " cotton wood." 

Wag^ara; stream in New Jersey. Derived from the Indian word woakeu, * * crooked, * * 
or "bent," and akl^ "a place.*' 

Wagener; town in Aiken County, South Carolina, named for F. W. Wagener, cap- 
italist, of Charleston. 

Wahkiakum; county in Washington, named for a tribe of Indians, said to have 
received their name from their first chief. 

Wahoo; village in Lumpkin County, Georgia, and precinct in Saunders County, 
Nebraska. An Indian word said to mean a species of elm. 

Wahpeton; city in Richland County, North Dakota. A Sioux Indian word mean- 
ing "leaf village." 

Waitsfield; town in Washington County, Vermont, named for Gen. Benjamin 
Waite, the first settler. 

Wa^atomika; village in Coshockton County, Ohio. An Indian word meaning 
"other side town." 

Wa^e; county in North Carolina, named for the wife of Governor Tryon. 

Wa^eeney; city in Trego County, Kansas, named for its founders, A. E. Warren 
and J. F. Keeney. 

Wakefield; city in Clay County, Kansas, named for the Rev. Richard Wake, one 
of its founders. 

Wakefield; town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, named for Cyrus Wakefield. 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 313 

{Wakefield; village in Wake County, North Carolina; 
Wake Forest; town in Wake County, North Carolina. Named for the wife of 
Governor Tryon. 
Wakenda; town in Carroll County, Missouri. An Indian word meaning ** wor- 
shiped." 
Wakulla; county in Florida, named for the famous spring near the Gulf coast. 

An Indian word meaning " mystery.** 
Walden; town in Orange County, New York, named for Jacob T. Walden, a promi- 
nent citizen. 
Walden; town in Caledonia County, Vermont, named for commanding oflScerof the 

military forces present during the building of a road in the vicinity. 
[Waldo; county in Maine; 

j Waldoboro; town in Lincoln County, Maine. Named for Brig. Gen. Samuel Waldo, 
^ of Boston. 

Waldron; island in Washington, named for W. T. Waldron, of the ship Porpoise, 
Wales; town in Hampden County, Massachusetts, named for James Lawrence 

Wales. 
Walesboro; village in Bartholomew County, Indiana, named for John P. Wales, its 

founder. 
Walhalla; towns in Pembina County, North Dakota, and Oconee County, South 

Carolina. A Scandinavian name meaning ** palace of immortality.*' 
Walhonding:; river in Ohio. An Indian word meaning "white woman.** 
Walke; point in North Landing River, Virginia, named for the oldest resident family 

of Princess Anne County. 
Walker; county in Alabama, named for Senator J. W. Walker, of the State. 
Walker; pass in California, and lake and river in Esmeralda County, Nevada, named 

for Joseph Reddeford Walker, guide of Fremont*s second expedition. 
Walker; county in Georgia, named for Freeman Walker. 
Walker; village in Macon County, Illinois, named for J. W. Walker, one of the 

founders. 
Walker; county in Texas, named for Robert J. Walker, Secretary of the Treasury 

during President Polk*s Administration. 
Walkerville; city in Silverbow County, Montana, named for the owner of the 

"Alice** mine. 
Wallace; county, and town in same county, in Kansas, named for Gen. William H. L. 

Wallace, a veteran of the Mexican war. 
Wallace; town in Duplin County, North Carolina, named for a prominent resident. 
Wallace; county in North Dakota, named for ** Farmer** Wallace, a pioneer of the 

State in 1870. 
Wallawalla; county, and city in same county, in Washington. From a Nez Perc6 

Indian word used to designate a rapid stream. 
Wallenpaupack; stream in Pennsylvania. An Indian word meaning " deep, dead 

water.** 
Waller; county in Texai^, named for Edwin Waller, formerly postmaster-general 

under the republic. 
Wallface; mountain on the west side of the Indian Pass 'in the Adirondack Moun- 
tains, so called because it terminates at this place in a precipice hundreds of feet 

high. 
Wall Hill; town in Marshall County, Mississippi, named for William Wall. 
Walling: ton; borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, named for Walling Van 

Winkle, the former owner. 
Walloostook; river in Maine. An Indian word meaning ** stream where you get 

boughs,** or "fine, beautiful river.** 



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314 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [BDrLL.258. 

Wallowa; county and river in Oregon. An Indian word meaning a tripod for hold- 
ing a fish trap in the water. 

Walnut; township and village in Bureau County, Illinois, so named from the large 
numher of walnut trees within the limits. 

Walpack ; township in Sussex County, New Jersey. An Indian word meaning ** sud- 
den bend of a stream around the base of a rock." 

Walpole; town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, named for Sir Robert Walpole. 

Walpole; town in C'heshire County, New Hampshire, named from the town in 
England. 

Walsenburg; town in Huerfano County, Colorado, named for Fred Walsen, a 
banker and old settler. 

Walsh; County in North Dakota, named for George H. Walsh. 

Walterboro; town in Colleton County, South Carolina, named for the Walter fam- 
ily, prominent residents of the State. 

Walthall; town in Welister County, Mississippi, named for Gren. Edward Walthall. 

Waltham; city in Middlesex (/ounty, Massachusetts, supposedly named from Wal- 
tham Abl)ey, England. 

Waltham; town in Addison County, Vermont, named from the city in Massachusetts. 

Walton; county in Florida, named for Colonel Walton, of Georgia. 

Walton; county in (xeorgia, named for (xeorge Walton, a signer of the Declaration 
of Independence. 

Walton; city in Harvey County, Kansas, named for a stockholder of the Atchison, 
Topeka and Santa Fe Kailroad. 

Walton; town in Delaware County, New York, named for William Walton, a large 
land proprietor. 

Walworth; town in Wayne County, New York, and county in Wisconsin, named 
for Chancellor Reuben H. Walworth. 

Walworth; county in South Dakota, named from the county in Wisconsin. 

Wamego; city in Pottawatomie County, Kansas, said to be so named because 
formerly there was no water in the village. An Indian word meaning "clear of 
springs." Other authorities say that it was named for an Indian chief whose 
name meant "running waters." 

Wamesit; village in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. From the Indian word 
wamey "all," or "whole," and aukcy "place." 

Wampum; borough in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania. The name of the Indian 
shell money. 

Wanaque; river and valley in New Jersey. An Indian word meaning "sassafras 
place." 

Wanatah; town in Laporte County, Indiana, named from an Indian chief, whose 
name signified "he that charges on his enemies." 

Wangunbog:; pond in Connecticut. An Indian word meaning "bent pond." 

Wapakoneta, village in Auglaize County, Ohio. An Indian word meaning "clay 
river." 

Wapanucka; town in Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory. Derived from Wappa- 
7iocca^ the name given the Dela wares by other Indians, it signifjring "East- 
landers." 

Wapato; village in Washington County, Oregon. The Indian designation of a 
bulbous root resembling a potato. 

Wapella; village in Dewitt County, Illinois, named for a chief of the Fox tribe, the 
name meaning "he who is painted white." 

Wapiti; village in Summit County, Colorado. An Indian word meaning "elk." 
Wappinger; creek and town in Dutchess County, New York; 
Wappingers Falls; village in Dutchess County, New Yofk. Named for an Indian 
tribe. 



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OANNBTT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 815 

Wspsipmcon; river in Iowa, so named l)ecause of the root which is found in great 
abundance upon its banks. An Indian word meaning "white potatoes." 

Wspwallopen; stream and village in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. A Delaware 
Indian name said by some to mean "place where the messengers were mur- 
dered;" by others, "where white hemp grows." 

Waqiiapaug; stream in Rhode Island. An Indian word meaning "at the end of 
the pond." 

Ward; town in Boulder County, Colorado, named for the Ward lode, discovered in 
1860. 

Ward; village in Boone County, Indiana, named for Thomas Ward, Congressman 
from that State. 

Ward; peak in Montana, named for Artemus Ward. 

Ward; point on Staten Island, New York, named for the man who formerly owned 
that part of the island. 

Ward; county in North Dakota, named for Hon. Mark Ward, of South Dakota. 

Ward; county in Texas, named for Thomas W. Ward, the commissioner of the gen- 
eral land oflSce under the first State governor of Texrs. 

Wards; island in New York, named for Jasper and Bartholomew Ward, former 
proprietors. 

Wards; town in Saluda County, South Carolina, named for the Ward family, promi- 
nent residents of the State. 

Wardsboro; town in Windham County, Vermont, named for William Ward, of 
Newfane, the principal proprietor. 

Ware; county in Georgia named for Nicholas Ware, an early Senator from Georgia. 

Ware; town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, so named on account of the weirs, 
or weirers, formerly constructed in the river to catch salmon. 

Wareham; town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, named from the town in 
England. 

Waresboro; town in Ware County, Greorgia, named for Nicholas Ware, an early 
Senator from that State. 

Warm Springs; town in Alameda County California, named from the hot springs. 

Warner; town in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, named for Col. Jonathan 
Warner, of Portsmouth. 

Wamerville; village in Schoharie County, New York, named for Capt. George 
Warner, the first settler. 

Warramaug; pond in Litchfield County, Connecticut. An Indian word meaning 
* * good fishing place. ' ' 

Warren; creek in Humboldt County, California, named for a settler. 

Warren; town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, named for Samuel Warren of 
Revolutionary fame. 

Warren; counties in Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, and Kentucky; town in Knox County, 
Maine; fortification in Boston Harbor, and town in Worcester County, Massa- 
chusetts; counties in Mississippi, Missouri, and New Jersey; county and town in 
Herkimer County, New York; counties in North Carolina and Ohio; county, 
and borough in same county, in Pennsylvania; and counties in Tennessee and 
Virginia; named for Joseph Warren, who fell in the battle of Bunker Hill. 

Warren; township and village in Jo Daviess County, Illinois, nam^d for the first 
white child bom in the settlement. 

Warren; 'county in Indiana, named for Gen. Francis Warren. 

Warren; city in Trumbull County, Ohio, named for Gen. Moses Warren, of Lyme, 
Connecticut. 

Warren; towns in Grafton County, New Hampshire, and Bristol County, Rho<le 
Island, named for Admiral Sir Peter Warren, of the royal navy. 



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316 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Warrensburg; town in Macon County, Illinois, named for a family prominent in 
the county. 

Warrensville; township in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, named for Moses Warren, an 
early settler. 

Warrenton; towns in Warren County, North Carolina, and Fauquier County, Vir- 
ginia, named for Gen. Joseph Warren, who fell in the battle of Bunker Hill. 

Warrick; county in Indiana, named for Capt. Jacob Warrick, killed in the battle 
of Tippecanoe. 

Warsaw; township and town in Hancock County, Illinois, city in Kosciusko County, 
Indiana, and town in Benton County, Missouri, named from the capital city of 
Poland. 

Warwick; towns in Franklin County, Massachusetts; Orange County, New York, 
and Kent County, Rhode Island, and county in Virginia, named for the Earl 
of Warwick. 

Washburn; village in Woodford County, Illinois, named for the Washbume 
family. 

Washburn; town in Aroostook County, Maine, named for Israel Washburn, jr., 
governor of the State during the civil war. 

Washburn; mountain in Yellowstone Park, named for Gen. Henry Dane Washburn. 

Washburn; county, and town in Bayfield County, in Wisconsin, named for Cadwal- 
lader C. Washburn, former governor. 

Wasco; county in Oregon, named for an Indian tribe, the name signifying ** grass." 

Washabaugh; county in South Dakota, named for Frank Washabaugh, a promi- 
nent State politician. 

Washington; State of the Union; counties in Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, 
Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, and Kentucky; parish in Louisiana; counties in Maine 
and Maryland; town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts; counties in Missis- 
sippi and Missouri; highest peak of the White Mountains in New Hampshire; 
counties in New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, 
Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, and Wisconsin; and probably the counties in 
Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oregon, Rhode Island, 
Texas, and Utah; and many cities, towns, and villages. Named for Gen. George 
Washington. 

Washington; city in the District of Columbia, the capital of the United States, 
named for George Washington, first President of the United States. 

Washining; Washinee; lakes in the town of Salisbury, Litchfield County, Con- 
necticut, connected by a small stream. The names are of Indian origin, express- 
ing beauty, washining indicating a higher degree of charm than vmshinee, 

Washita; village in Montgomery County, Arkansas, and county in Oklahoma. 
Another form of "Wichita." 

Washoe; county, and city in same county, in Nevada, named for a tribe of Indians 
in that vicinity. 

Washta; town in Cherokee County, Iowa. A Sioux Indian word meaning "good." 

Washtenaw; county in Michigan, named from the east branch of Grand River; the 
name is said to be derived from the Indian word washtenong, "river that is 
far off." 

Wasioja; town in Dodge County, Minnesota, so named because of the pine trees 
growing near. An Indian word meaning "pine grove." 

Wassaic; village in Dutchess County, New York. An Indian word meaning "diflS- 
cult," or "hard work." 

Wastedo; town in Goodhue County, Minnesota. An Indian word meaning "good." 

Watab; village in Benton County, Minnesota. An Indian word meaning "root of 
pine," or "to sew a canoe.' 



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GANNETT! PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 31 7 

Watagra; village in Knox County, Illinois. From the Pottawatomi Indian word 

meaning, " I heard;" or, if derived from ahweatagaj ** he has gone to ramble." 
Watch Hill; town in Washington County, Rhode Island. From this promontory 

the Narragansett Indians watched for their enemies, the Montauks. 
Wateree; river, and town in Richland County, in South Carolina, named for an Indian 

tribe. 
Waterford; town in Marshall County, Mississippi, so named on account of the great 

volume of water contained in Spring Creek at this point. 
Waterford; village in Saratoga County, New York, and town in Caledonia County, 

Vermont, named from the city in Ireland. 
Waterford; town in Loudoun County, Virginia, named by an early settler from 

Waterford in Ireland, his native place. 
Waterloo; city in Monroe County, Illinois, village in Douglaa County, Nebraska, 

and many other places; named from the battlefield in Belgium. 
Watertown; town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, so called because it was a 

** well- watered place," and the first means of communication between this place 

and Boston was by water. 
Watertown; town in Jefferson County, New York, so named on account of the 

extraordinary amount of water power. 
Water Valley; city in Yalobusha County, Mississippi, so named on account of the 

continuous flow of water in the valley. 
Waterville; town in Marshall County, Kansas, named from Waterville, New York, 

the home of Colonel Osborne, who was the contractor for the construction of the 

railroad. 
Waterville; city in Kennebec County, Maine, so named because of its situation at 

Ticonic Falls on the Kennebec River, which furnishes the motive power for the 

factories of the city. 
Watervliet; city on the Hudson, in Albany County, New York. From the Dutch, 

meaning ** flowing stream." 
Wathena; city in Doniphan County, Kansas, named for a chief of the Kickapoo 

Indians. 
Watkins; village in Schuyler County, New York, named for Dr. Samuel Watkins, 

of London, one of the first proprietors. 
Watkinsville; town in Oconee County, Georgia, named for Col. Robert Watkins, 

of Augusta, member of the State legislature. 
Watonwan; county and river in Minnesota. A Dakota (Sioux) name, meaning 

* * fish bait, " or " where fish bait abounds. ' ' 
Watrous; town in Mora County, New Mexico, named for Samuel B. Watrous, an 

early settler. 
Watseka; city in Iroquois County, Illinois, named for a mythical Indian girl who 

saved her tribe from disaster. Another authority gives it as a corruption of an 

Indian word, meaning " pretty woman." 
Watson; township and village in EflSngham County, Illinois, named for George 

Watson, a constructing railroad engineer. 
Watson; town in Lewis County, New York, named for James Watson, a former 

proprietor. 
Watson; town in Hampshire County, West Virginia, named for Joseph Watson, the 

former owner of the land. 
Watsontown; borough in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, named for John 

Watson, the original proprietor. 
Watsonville; city in Santa Cruz County, California, named for Col. James Watson, 

a first settler. 
Wattsburg; borough in Erie County, Pennsylvania, named for David Watts, an 

early settler. 



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318 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Waubay; village in Day County, South' Dakota. An Indian word meaning "place 

of hatching." 
Waubeek; towns in Linn County, Iowa, and Dunn County, Wisconsin. An Indian 

word meaning "metal," or ** metallic substance." 
Waubesa; lake in Wisconsin. An Indian word meaning "swan." 
Wauconda; village in Lake County, Illinois. A Sioux Indian word signifying 

"sacred," or "god." 
Waukanisa; stream in Kansas. An Indian word meaning "hip deep." 
Waukau; a town in Winnebago County, Wisconsin. An Indian word meaning 

"habitually," or "often." 
Waukegan; township and city in. Lake County, Illinois, first called Little Fort. 

In 1849 the name was changed to the present form, said to be the Indian trans- 
lation of the old name. 
Waukesha; county, and city in sapie county, in Wisconsin. From the Indian 

wauk-tsha, meaning "fox." 
Waukon; town in Allamakee County, Iowa. An Indian word meaning "moss on 

trees that is eatable." 
Waiinakee; village in Dane County, Wisconsin. From the Indian word wanaki, 

"he lies," or "he lives in peace." 
Waiineta; village in Chase County, Nebraska. An Indian word meaning " winter 

camp." 
Waupaca; county in Wisconsin, named for the Menominee Indians, the meaning 

being "pale water.". 
Wauponsee; town in Grundy County, Illinois. For derivation see Wabaunsee, 
Waupun; town in Fond dii lac County, Wisconsin. An Indian word meaning 

"early," or "early day," or, according to another authority, irouiwaha, meaning 

"east." 
Wauregan; village in Windham County, Connecticut. An Indian word meaning 

"good thing." 
Wausau; city in Marathon County, Wisconsin. A corruption of wasmy meaning 

"faraway." 
Wausaukee; river in Wisconsin. An Indian word meaning "distant land." 
Wauseon; village in Fulton County, Ohio, named for an Indian chief. The word 

means "far off." 
Wauwatosa; city in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. A corruption of wewaJtesm, 

meaning "fire-fly." 
Wauzeka; village in Crawford County, Wisconsin, named for an Indian chief; the 

name is said to mean "pine." 
Waverly ; city in Morgan County, Illinois, and villages in Tioga County, New York, 

and Pike County, Ohio, named from Scott's novels. 
Waxahachie; town in Ellis County, Texas, so named because of the large number 

of cattle in the vicinity. An Indian word meaning "cow town," or "cow 

creek." 
Waxhaw; creek in North Carolina and South Carolina, towns in Union County, 

North Carolina, and Lancaster County, South Carolina, named for an Indian 

tribe. 
Waycross; town in Ware County, Georgia, named from the crossing of two ways 

or roads. 
Wayland; town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, named for Francis Wayland. 
Wayland; village in Steuben County, New York, named for Rev. Francis Wayland, 

of Rhode Island. 
Waymansville; village in Bartholomew County, Indiana, named for Charles L. 

Wayman, its founder. 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED 8TATEB. 819 

"Wayne; coonties in Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, MIsbIs- 
sippi, Misaonri, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and 
West Virginia, and probably the counties in Nebraska and I^tah; 
Waynesboro; towns in Burke County, Georgia, and Wayne County, Mississippi, 

and borough in Franklin County, Pennsylvania; 
Waynesburg; town in Stark County, Ohio, and borough in (ireene County, Penn- 
sylvania; 
Waynesfield; town in Auglaize County, Ohio; 

Waynesville; township and village in Dewitt County, Illinois, and towns in Hay- 
wood County, North Carolina, and Warren County, Ohio. Named for (Jen. 
Anthony Wayne, hero of the Revolution. 

Wayzata; village in Hennepin County, Minnesota. An Indian word meaning *'at 
the mouth.'* 

Weakley; county in Tennessee, named for Robert Weakley, a member of the House 
of Representatives and the reviser of the constitution of Tennessee. 

Weare; town in Hillsboro County, New Hampshire, named for Meshech Weare, 
chief justice of the province of New Hampshire. 

Weatherford; city in Parker County, Texas, said to be named for Jefferson Weatli- 
erford, one of its early settlers. 

Weatogue; village in Hartford County, Connecticut. An Indian word meaning 
** wigwam place.** 

Weauatucket; river in Connecticut. From the Indian, *Mand at the end of tide 
water.** 

Weaverville; town in Trinity County, California, named for a pioneer. 

Weaverville; town in Buncombe County, North Carolina, named for a family numer- 
ous in the State. 

Webb; county in Texas, named for Judge James Webb, politician in the early days 
of the State. 

Webb City; city in Jasper County, Missouri, so named because lead and zinc were 
first discovered in that locality on the farm of John C. Webb. 

Webberville; village in Ingham County, Michigan, named for Herbert Webber, an 
early settler. 

Weber; county and river in Utah, named ior a well-known trapper and guide. 
Webster; counties in (leorgia, Iowa, and Kentucky; parish in Louisiana; town in 
Worcester County, Massachusetts; counties in Mississippi and Missouri; town 
in Merrimac County, and mountain in New Hampshire; county in West Mrginia; 
and many cities, towns, and villages; probably, also, the county in Nebraska; 
Webster Groves; city in St. Louis County, Missouri. Named for Daniel Webster, 
the statesman. 

Weeuppemee; river in Connecticut. An Indian word meaning ** linden** or 
"basswood.** 

Wedge; mountain in Montana, so named on account of its shape. 

Weedsport; village in Cayuga County, New York, named for Elisha and Edward 
Weed, the first settlers. 

WeebAwken; town in Hudson County, New Jersey. An Indian word meaning 
** maize land.** 

Weeping Child; stream in Ravalli County, Montana, so named, according to tra- 
dition, from the circumstance of an Indian child being carried off by a mountain 
lion, causing insanity in the mother. 

Weeping Water; river in Nebraska. A translation of the Indian word nehaga. 

Weir; city in Cherokee County, Kansas, named for T. M. Weir, its founder. 

Weisner; mountain in Idaho, named for a topographer with the Mullan expedition. 

Weissport; borough in Carbon County, Pennsylvania, named for Col. Jacob Weiss, 
an officer of the Revolution, who early settled in the Lehigh Valley. 



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320 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [dull. 258. 

Weitchpec; town in Humboldt County, California, named for an Indian town called 
WeUspna; the word is said to mean ** junction of rivers." 

Welaka; t<^wn in Putnam County, Florida. An Indian word meaning ** river of lakes.** 

"Welch; town in McDowell County, West Virginia, named for Capt. J. A. Welch, of 
that county. 

Weld; county in Colorado, named for Lewis Ledyard Weld, first secretary of Colo- 
rado Territory. 

Weld; town in Franklin County, Maine, named for Benjamin Weld, one of the 
original owners. 

Weldon; village in Dewitt County, Illinois, named for Judge Lawrence M. Weldon. 

Weldon; town in Halifax County, North Carolina, named for a resident family. 

Wellfleet; town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts. The name is doubtless a 
corruption of '* whale fleet." 

Wellington; city in Sumner County, Kansas, and township and village in Lorain 
County, Ohio, named for the Duke of Wellington. 

Wells; county in Indiana, named for Capt. William Wells, killed at the Fort Dear- 
bom massacre. 

Wells; town in York County, Maine, supposed to be named from the town in England. 

Wells; town in Hamilton County, New York, named for Joshua Wells, the first 
settler. 

Wells; county in North Dakota, named for the Hon. E. P. Wells, of Jamestown, an 
old settler. 

Wellsboro; borough in Tioga County, Pennsylvania, named for Mrs. Henry Wells 
Morris, an early resident. 

Wellsburg; town in Chemung County, New York, named for a family who formerly 
owned most of the town site. 

Wellsburg:; city in Brooke County, West Virginia, named for Alexander Wells. 

Wells Biver; stream which rises in Caledonia County, Vermont, named for Cap- 
tain Wells, who was drowned in it. 

Wells River; village in Orange County, Vermont, named from the river. 

Wellston; township and city in Jackson County, Ohio, named for Harvey Wells, 
its founder. 

Wellsville; town in Allegany County, New York, named for Gardiner Wells, a 
prominent resident. 

Wellsville; city in Franklin County, Kansas, named for D. L. Wells, a railroad 
contractor. 

Wellsville; town in Montgomery County, Missouri, named for Judge Carly Wells. 

Wellsville; city in Columbiana County, Ohio, named for William Wells, who laid 
it out. 

Wendell; town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, named for Oliver Wendell, a 
Boston banker. 

Wenham; town in Essex County, Massachusetts, named from the town in Suffolk 
County, England. 
Wenona; city in Marshall County, Illinois; 

Wenonah; borough in Gloucester County, New Jersey. Derived from the Sioux 
Indian, meaning ** first-born daughter.** 

Wentworth; town in Grafton County, New Hampshire, named for Benning Went- 
worth, former governor of the State. 

Wentzville; town in St. Charles County, Missouri, named for the man who laid it 
out. 

Wepatuck; mountain in Connecticut. An Indian word meaning ** place at the nar- 
row pass or strait.** 

Wesaw; river in Miami County, Indiana, named for an Indian chief. 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 321 

Wesley; township in Washington County, Ohio, and town in Washington County, 

Maine, named for John Wesley, the founder of Methodism. 
Wesson; town in Copiah County, Michigan, named for Col. J. M. Wesson, its 

founder. 
West; town in McLean County, Illinois, named for Henry West. 
West Baton Bouge; parish in Louisiana. See Baton Rouge. 
West Bend; city in Washington County, Wisconsin, so named because of the bend 

in Milwaukee River at this point. 
Westboro; town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, formerly a part of Marlboro, 

hence its name. 
Westby; village in Vernon County, Wisconsin, named for 0. T. Westby, an early 

settler. 
West Carroll; parish in Louisiana, named for Charles Carroll of Carrollton. 
Westchester; county in New York, named from the town in England. 
West Creek; town in Ocean County, New Jersey. Derived from an Indian word 

meaning "place to get meat." 
Wester lo; town in Albany County, New York, named for Rev. Eilardus Westerlo, 

of Albany. 
Westerly; town in Washington County, Rhode Island, so named because of its loca- 
tion in the most westerly part of the State. 
West Feliciana; parish in Louisiana. See East Feliciana. 
Westfield; town in Hampden County, Massachusetts, so named because situated on 

the west boundry of an early survey. 
Westhampton; town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, so named because, until 

its incorporation, it was the west parish of Northampton. 
West Haverstraw; town in Rockland County, New York, named from haverstraw, 

a Dutch word, originally written haverstrooy and meaning "oat straw.** Believed 

to have been suggested by wild oats growing there. 
West Jersey; township and village in Stark County, Illinois, named by the first 

settlers from the State of New Jersey. 
Westminster; town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, named from the borough 

of London. 
Westmoreland; town in Pottawatomie County, Kansas, named from the county in 

Pennsylvania. 
Westmoreland; counties in Pennsylvania and Virginia, named from the county in 

England. 
Weston; town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, and city in Platte County, 

Missouri, so named because situated at the western edge of their respective 

counties. 
Weston; county in Wyoming, named for a man prominent in the building of rail- 
roads in eastern and northern Wyoming. 
Westphalia; village in Clinton County, Michigan, named from the province in 

Germany. 
West Plains; city in Howell County, Missouri, so named because the settlement 

was in a prairie in a westerly direction from the nearest town. 
West Point; city in Troup County, Georgia, probably named from its location at 

the most westerly point of the Chattahooche River. 
West Point; town in Clay County, Mississippi, so named because of its location in 

the extreme westerly part of the county. 
West Point; United States military academy in Orange County, New York. The 
' promontory known as Gees Point was called West Point by the early settlers on 

the opposite bank of the river, as in their descriptions they designated it as **the 

point to the west." 

Bull. 258—05 21 



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322 PLACE NAMES IN THE CNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Westport; town in Clateop County, Oregon, named for John West. 

West Salem; town in Edwards County, Illinois, named by Moravian settlers from 
Salem, North Carolina. 

West Station; town in Holmes County, Mississippi, named for A. M. West, a promi- 
nent citizen and president of the Mississippi Central Railroad. 

"West Stockbridge; town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, named from its rela- 
tion to Stockbridge, of which it was originally a part. 

Westville; town in Simpson County, Mississippi, named for Col. Cato West. 

Westville; town in Chariton County, Missouri, named for Dr. William S. West, the 
first postmaster. 

Westville; town in Kershaw County, South Carolina, named for a prominent family. 

Wet; mountains in Colorado, so named because of the heavy rains upon them in the 
'^ summer season. 

Wetmore; city in Nemaha County, Kansas, named for W. T. Wetmore, vice- 
president of the Central Branch, Union Pacific Railroad. 

Wetumka; city in Elmore County, Alabama, near the falls of the Coosa River. An 
Indian word meaning "waterfall,'* "tumbling water.*' 

Wetzel; county in West Virginia, named for Lewis Wetzel, a noted pioneer and 
Indian fighter. 

Wewoka; stream, and village in Seminole Nation, in Indian Territory. An Indian 
word meaning "barking water." 

Wexford; county, and town in same county, in Michigan, probably named from the 
county in Ireland. 

Weyauwega; village in Waupaca County, Wisconsin. Probably a corruption of 
the Indian word ouknrikayi, "he embodies it," but, according to an other author- 
ity, it is the name of a trusted Indian guide in the employ of Governor Doty, the 
name meaning "whirling wind." 

Weyers Cave; town and cavern in Augusta County, Virginia, named for Bernard 
AVeyer. 

Weymouth; town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, named from the town in 
England. 

Wharton; county, and town in same county, in Texas, named for William H. and 
John A. Wharton, of a family prominent in the State. 

What Cheer; township and city in Keokuk County, Iowa, so named by a Scotch 
miner when he discovered coal in the vicinity. 

Whatcom; county, and town in same county, in Washington. An Indian word, 
said to mean "noisy water." 

Whately; town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, named for Thomas Whately, 
member of the board of trade. 

Wheatfield; town in Niagara County, New York, named from the general character 
of the locality — wheat producing. 

Wheatland; township in Bureau County, Illinois, named from the home of Presi- 
dent James Buchanan. 

Wheatland; borough in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, named for the estate of the 
Hon. James Buchanan. 

Wheaton; city in Dupage County, Illinois, named for Warren L. and Jesse Whea- 
ton, first settlers. 

Wheeler; mountain in Nevada, named for Capt. George M. Wheeler. 

Wheeler; county in Nebraska, named for D. H. Wheeler, a local politician. 

Wheeler; town in Steuben County, New York, named for Capt. Silas Wheeler, the 
first settler. 

Wheeler; county in Oregon, named for H. H. Wheeler, the first mail carrier between 
The Dalles and Canyon City. 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. ,323 

"WTieeler; county in Texas, named for Royal T. Wheeler, former chief justice of the 

State supreme court. 
TVlieeling:; village in Livingston County, Missouri, named from the city in West 

Virginia. 
Wheeling:; city in Ohio County, West Virginia, from the Indian, weal-ink^ meaning 
** place of a human head,'' from the circumstance of the Indians having dis- 
played the head of a white man on a pole at this point. Another authority 
gives whHinky **at the head of the river." 
Wlieelock; town in Caledonia County, Vermont, named for Eleaier Wheelock, 
president of an Indian charity school situated there, but another authority states 
that it was named for John Wheelock. 

Whippany; river in Morris county, New Jersey. A Delaware Indian word mean- 
ing ** arrow wood stream." 

"Wliipple; peak in the Monument range, California, named for Lieutenant Whipple, 
of the Pacific railroad explorations. 

Wliiskah; river of Grays harbor, Washington. An Indian word meaning ** stinking 
water." 

Wliitakers; town in Edgecombe County, North Carolina, named for a family 
numerous in the State. 

WMte; county in Arkansas, named for the river which forms the eastern boundary. 

WMte; branch of the Green River in Colorado and eastern Utah, so named because 
of the white cliffs of its canyon. 

White; county in Georgia, named for the Rev. George White. 

White; counties in Illinois and Indiana, named for Col. Isaac White, killed at Tippe- 
canoe, 1811. 

White; rivers in Indiana and South Dakota. A translation of the name originally 
given by the French, rivihre la blanche. 

White; city in Morris County, Kansas, named for F. C. White, superintendent of 
the Union Pacific Southern Branch. 

White; river in Minnesota, so named because of the color of the water. 

Wliite; river in Nebraska, so named because the soil near its head is white clay. 

White; county in Tennessee, named for Hugh L. White, a pioneer settler of Knox- 
ville. 

Wliite Bluffs; town in Dickson County, Tennessee, named for the White Bluff Iron 
Forge, which was formerly in operation near the present town site. 

White Castle; town in Iberville Parish, Louisiana, named for the large, white plan- 
tation house visible from the river. 

Wliite Cloud; towns in Mills County, Iowa, and Doniphan County, Kansas, named 
for the Indian chief, Mahu-ska. 

Wliite Creek; town in Washington County, New York, named from the creek, 
whose bed is formed pf white quartz pebbles. 

Wliite Beer; creek in Union County, Pennsylvania. A translation of its Indian 
name, woaptuchanne. 

Wliiteface; mountain peak near Lake Placid in Essex County, New York, so called 
because of the white appearance of the rock of its upper part. 

Wliitefield; towns in Lincoln County, Maine, and Coos County, New Hampshire, 
named for the Rev. George Whitefield. 

Whitehall; town in Bladen County, North Carolina, named for an old resident. 

White Haven; borough in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, named for Josiah White. 

Whiteheath; town in Piatt County, Illinois, named for two early residents, White 
and Heath. 

Wliite Pigeon; village in St. Joseph County, Michigan, named for an Indian chief. 

White Pine; county in Nevada, so named because of the trees of this species grow- 
ing there. 



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324 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

White Plains; village in Westchester County, New York, so named because of the 

white balsam (Gnaphalium Polycephalum) which grows abundantly in that 

section. 
Whitesboro; village in Oneida County, New York, named for Judge Hugh White, 

the pioneer settler of the county. 
Whitesboro; town in Grayson County, Texas, named for Capt. A. B. White, a pio- 
neer settler. 
Whitesburg; town in Letcher County, Kentucky, named for C. White, member of 

the State legislature at the time of the formation of the town. 
Whiteside; county in Illinois, named for Capt. Samuel Whitesides, of the war of 

1812 and Black Hawk war. 
Whitestown; -town in Oneida County, New York, named for Judge Hugh White, 

pioneer settler of the county. 
White Sulphur Springs; town in Meagher County, Montana, named for the medic- 
inal springs located in the vicinity. 
Whitesville; village in Jefferson County, New York, named for Thomas White, one 

of the first settlers. 
Whiteville; town in Columbus County, North Carolina, named for James B. White, 

first member of the State assembly. 
Whitewater; river, and town in Wayne County, in Indiana, so named because of the 

whitish cast of the waters of the river. 
Whitfield; county in Georgia, named for George Whitfield, a missionary. 
Whiting:; town in Monona County, Iowa, named for Senator Whiting. 
Whiting; town in Jackson County, Kansas, named for Mrs. Whiting, wife of 

Senator C. S. Pomeroy. 
Whiting; town in Addison County, Vermont, so named because three of the pro- 
prietors bore that name; another authority states that it is named for John 

Whiting, of Massachusetts. 
Whitingham; town in Windham County; Vermont, named for Nathan Whiting, 

one of the grantees. 
Whitley; counties in Indiana and Kentucky, named for Col. William Whitley. 
Whitman; town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, named for Jared Whitman 

and his son Augustus, who donated land to the town. 
Whitman; county and college in Washington, named for Dr. Marcus Whitman, an 

early missionary. 
Whitmires; town in Newberry County, South Carolina, named for the Whitmire 

family. 
Whitney; loftiest peak of the Sierra Nevadas, named for Prof. J. D. Whitney, State 

geologist of California. 
Whitney; peak in Colorada, named for W. D. Whitney, the philologist. 
Whitney Point; town in Broome County, New York, named in 1824 for Thomas 

Whitney, first postmaster. 
Whitneyville; village in New Haven County, Connecticut, named for Eli Whitney> 

its founder. 
Wichita; county, and city in Sedgwick County, in Kansas, and county and river 

in Texas; 

Wichita Falls; town in Wichita County, Texas. Named for the Indian tribe. 
Wickenburg; town in Maricopa County, Arizona, named for Henry Wickenburg, a 

pioneer. 
Wickliflfe; town in Ballard County, Kentucky, named for a prominent family of the 

State. 
Wicomico; county and river in Maryland. An Indian word meaning "where 

houses are building." 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 325 

Wiconisco; stream and a village in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. An Indian 

word meaning **wet and muddy." 
Wicopee; mountain in New York. An Indian word meaning **long hill." 
Wilbarger; county in Texas, named for Josiah and Mathias Wilbarger, early settlers. 
Wilber; village in Saline County, Nebraska, named for C. D. Wilber, who laid it out. 
Wilbraham; town in Hampden County, Massachusetts, supposed to have been 

named for a family of that name from England. 
Wilcox; county in Alabama, named for Lieut. Joseph M. Wilcox. 
Wilcox; county in Georgia, named for Capt. John Wilcox. 
Wilcox; township in Newaygo County, Michigan, named for S. N. Wilcox. 
Wilcox; village in Elk County, Pennsylvania, named for A. I. Wilcox. 
Wild Bice; stream in Minnesota, so named because this plant grows abundantly 

upon its banks. 
Wilkes; counties in Georgia and North Carolina, named for John Wilkes, member 

of British Pjirliament. 
Wilkesbarre; city in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, named for two members of 

the British Parliament, American sympathizers, John Wilkes and Colonel Barre. 
Wilkesboro; town in Wilkes County, North Carolina, named for John Wilkes 

member of the British Parliament and American sympathizer. 
Wilkin; county in Minnesota, named for Col. Alexander Wilkin of the Ninth 

Minnesota Regiment of the Civil war, and second secretary of the Territory. 
Wilkinsburg; town in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, named for William Wil- 

kins, secretary of war under President Tyler. 
Wilkinson; counties in Georgia and Mississippi, named for Gen. James Wilkinson, 

of Maryland. 
Will; county in Illinois, named for Dr. Conrad Will, member of the State legislature, 

1818-1834. 
Willamette; river in Oregon. An Indian word said to have been originally walJa' 

met, derived from the same root as Walla Walla and Wallula; when applied to 

water, meaning '^running." Another authority gives its definition as ''long 

and beautiful river." 
Willey; peak in the White Mountains, New Hampshire, named for the Willey 

family, killed in an avalanche in 1826. 
Williams; river and mountain in Arizona, named for one of the guides of the Fre- 
mont expedition. 
WiUiams; creek in Humboldt County, California, named for an early settler. 
Williams; town in Colusa County, California, named for its founder. 
Williams; county in North Dakota, named for Hon. E. A. Williams, ^ne of the 

Territorial pioneers, and prominent in the political life of the State. 
Williams; county in Ohio, named for David Williams, one of the captors of Major 

Andr^. 
Williams; river in Vermont, named for the Rev. John Williams. 
Williamsburg; town in Iowa County, Iowa, named for an early settler. 
Williamsburg; town in Piscataquis County, Maine, named for William Dood, of 

Boston, an early settler. 
Williamsburg; town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, named for a family 

resident of the neighborhood. 
Williamsburg; village in Clermont County, Ohio, named for Gen. William Lytle, 

its founder. 
Williamsburg; county in South Carolina and city in James City County, Virginia, 

named for William III, of England. 
Williamsfield; village in Knox County, Illinois, named for a railroad ofi&cial. 
Williamsfield; township in Ashtabula County, Ohio, named for Gen. Joseph 

Williams. 



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/ 



320 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258- 

Williamson; county in Illinois named from Williamson County , Tennessee, whence 

many of the early settlers came. 
Williamson; town in Wayne County, New York, named for Charles Williamson, 

first agent of the Pulteney estate. 
Williamson; river in Oregon, named for Lieut. R. S. Williamson, an early explorer 

of that part of the country. 
Williamson; county in Tennessee, named for General Williamson, of Virginia, of 

Revolutionary fame. 
Williamson; county in Texas, named for Judge Robert Williamson, last of the 

alcaldes of Texas. 
Williamsport; city in Warren County, Indiana, said to be named for James D. 

Williams, former governor. 
Williamsport; city in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, named for William Hep- 
burn, one of the first associate judges of the county of Lycoming. 
Williamston; township and village in Ingham County, Michigan, named for three 

brothers who were the first settlers. 
Williamston; town in Martin County, North Carolina, named for a family nmner- 

ous in the State. 
Williamston; town in Anderson County, South Carolina, named for the family of 

Col. James Williams, an oflicer of the Revolution. 
Williamstown; town in Grant County, Kentucky, named for William Arnold, 

probably the first settler. 
Williamstown; town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, named for Col. Ephraim 

Williams, the founder of Williams College. 
Williamstown; town in Orange County, Vermont, named from the town in Mas- 

sachusetts. 
Williamsville: city in AVayne County, Missouri, named for Asa E. Williams, who 

laid it out. 
Williamsville; village in Erie County, New York, named for Jonas Williams, an 

early settler. 
Willimantic; river, and city in Windham County, in Connecticut. An Indian word 

meaning **good lookout,'* or, according to another authority, "good cedar 

swamps." 
Willis; city in Brown County, Kansas, named for Martin Cleveland Willis, an early 

settler. 
Williston; town in Williams County, North Dakota, named for Associate Justice 

Lorenzo P. Williston. 
Williston; town in Barnwell County, South Carolina, named for the Willis family, 

prominent residents of the vicinity. 
Williston; town in Chittenden County, Vermont, named for Samuel Willis, one of 

the grantees. 
WiUmar; township and village in Handiyohi County, Minnesota, named for a 

railroad official. 
Willoughby; village in Lake County, Ohio, named for Professor Willoughby, of 

New York. 
Willows; town in Glenn County, California, so named because of the prevalence of 

of this species of tree. 
Willshire; village in Van Wert County, Ohio, named for the man who ransomed 

Capt. James W. Riley from captivity by the Arabs. 
Wills Point; town in Van Zandt County, Texas, named for Mrs. N. A. Wills, for- 
mer owner of the town site. 
Wilmette; village in Cook County, Illinois, named for Quilmette, an Indian half- 
breed. 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 327 

Wilmingrton; city in Newcastle Ounty, Delaware; the present name is a corruption 

of the name Willington, given it in honor of Thomas Willing. 
Wilxningfton; township and city in Will County, Illinois, named from Wilmington, 

Ohio. 
Wilxning^n; towns in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, New Hanover County, 

North Carolina, and Windham County, Vermont, named for Spencer Compton, 

Earl of Wilmington. 
Wilxningrton; city in Clinton County, Ohio, named from the town in North Caro- 
lina, whence many of the early settlers came. 
Wilmot; town in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, named for Doctor Wilmot, an 

Englishman. 
Wilna; town in Jefferson County, New York, named from the town in Russia. 
Wilpiquin; stream in Maryland. An Indian word meaning "place of interring 

skulls," so called because the Nanticokes carried the skulls and bones of the 

dead and buried them in the caverns. 
Wilson; mountains in Colorado and Utah, named for A. D. Wilson, topographer. 
Wilson; county, and town in Ellsworth County, in Kansas, named for Hiero T. Wil- 
son, merchant of Fort Scott. 
Wilson; village in Niagara County, New York, named for Reuben Wilson, an early 

settler. 
Wilson; county, and town in same county, in North Carolina, named for Louis D 

Wilson, State senator and oflScer of Mexican war. 
Wilson; county in Tennessee, named for Maj. David Wilson. 
Wilson; county in Texas, named for James C. Wilson. 

Wilson; point in Washington, named for Capt. George Wilson of the British navy. 
Wilton; town in Hillsboro County, New Hampshire, named from the town in 

England. 
Winamac; town in Pulaski County, Indiana. An Indian word meaning "catfish." 
Winchendon; town in Worchester county, Massachusetts, named from the estate in 

England to which Governor Francis Bernard was heir. 
Winchester; town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, named for William P. 

Winchester, who donated money to the town. 
Winchester; town in Franklin County, Tennessee, named for Gen. James Win- 
chester, who served in the battle of Raisin River, 1813. 
Winchester; city in Frederick County, Virginia, named from the town in England. 
Wind Gap; borough in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, which takes its name 

from the gap in the Blue Mountains, the first below the Delaware watergap. 
Windham; county, and town in same county, in Connecticut, named from the town 

in England. 
Windham; village in Portage County, Ohio, and county in Vermont, named from 

the county in Connecticut. 
Windham Center; town in Cumberland County, Maine, named for the earls of 

Egremont. 
Windom; town in McPherson County, Kansas, and village in Cottonwood County, 

Minnesota, named for the Hon. William Windom, member of the cabinet during 

President Harrison's administration. 
Windsor; towns in Kennebec County, Maine, Berkshire County, Massachusetts, 

and Broome County, New York, and county in Vermont; also many other cities, 

towns, and villages in the United States. Named, directly or indirectly, from 

the town in England. 
Winfield; town in Cowley County, Kansas, named for the Rev. Winfield Scott, of 

Leavenworth. 
Winfield; town in Herkimer County, New York, named for Gen. Winfield Scott. 



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328 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Wingrohocking; south branch of Frankford Creek, Pennsylvania. An Indian word 

meaning "favorite spot for planting." 
Winhall; town in Bennington County, Vermont, named for its two proprietors, 

Winn and Hall. 
Winkler; county in Texas, named for C. M. Winkler, judge of the State court of 

appeals. 
Winn; parish in Louisiana, named for Gen. Richard Winn, a noted lawyer of the 

State. 
Winnebago; counties in Illinois and Iowa, village in Faribault County, Minnesota, 

and county in Wisconsin, named for a tribe of Indians, the name meaning 

** people of the stinking waters." 
Winnebigoshish; lake in Minnesota. An Indian word meaning "turbid water." 
Winneconne; village in Winnebago County, Wisconsin. From an Indian word 

uinikaning^ ** dirty place. " 
Winnegance; village in Sagadahoc County, Maine, named from a near-by river. 

An Indian word meaning " beautiful water." 
Winnemucca; town in Humboldt County, and mountain peak and lake in Nevada, 

named for a chief of the Piute Indians. 
Winnepe; lake in Minnesota. An Indian word meaning "place of dirty water." 
Winnepesaukee; lake in New Hampshire. An Indian word given various mean- 
ings, "beautiful lake of the highlands," "good water outlet." 
Winneshiek; county in Iowa, named for an Indian chief. 
Winnetka; village in Cook County, Illinois. An Indian word meaning "beautiful 

place." 
Winnsboro; city in Fairfield County, South Carolina, named for Gen. Richard 

Winn, its founder. 
Winona; county, and city in same county, in Minnesota, and town in Montgomery 

County, Mississippi. A Sioux Indian word meaning "first-bom daughter." 
Winooski; village in Chittenden County, Vermont. An Indian word meaning 

"beautiful river." 
Winslow; town in Kennebec County, Maine, named for Gen. John Winslow. 
Winsted: borough in Litchfield County, Connecticut. A coined name from Tfin- 

chester and Barkhams^gc?, of which towns it was originally a part. 
Winston; county in Alabama, named for John A. Winston, former governor of the 

State. 
Winston; county in Mississippi, named for Col. Louis Winston. 
Winston; city in Forsyth County, North Carolina, named for Joseph Winston, sol- 
dier of the Revolution. 
Winthrop; towns in Kennebec County, Maine, and Suffolk County, Massachusetts, 

named for the Winthrop family, whose founder in America was John Winthrop, 

governor of the Massachusetts colony in 1629. 
Winton; town in Hertford County, North Carolina, named for a member of Congress. 
Winyah; bay in Georgetown County, South Carolina. A corrupted name of the 

tribe of Winyaw Indians. 
Wirt; county in West Virginia, named for William Wirt, Attorney-General of the 

United States during President Monroe's administration. 
Wisacky ; town in Sumter County, South Carolina. A corruption of the name of the 

Waxhaw Indians. 
Wiscasset; town in Lincoln County, Maine. An Indian word meaning "place of 

the yellow pine." 
Wisconk; river in New Jersey. An Indian word meaning " the elbow." 
Wisconsin; State of the Union, and river tributary to the Mississippi. A Sauk 

Indian word having reference to holes in the banks of a stream, in which birds 

nest. 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES.. 329 

Wiscoy; village in Allegany County, and stream in Wyoming County, New York. 
An Indian word meaning "under the banks," or, according to another author- " 
ity, */many fall creek.'* 

Wise; counties in Texas and Virginia, named for Henry A. Wise, a prominent poli- 
tician of Virginia. 

Wissahickon; creek in Montgomery county, Pennsylvania. A Delaware Indian 
word meaning ** catfish stream." 

Wissinoming; north branch of Frankford Creek, Pennsylvania. A Delaware Indian 
word meaning ** where we were frightened." 

Witakantu; lake in Minnesota. An Indian word meaning **high islands." 

Withlacoocliee; river, and town in Hernando County, Florida. A Seminole Indian 
word meaning^" little river," or, according to another authority, **long, narrow 
river." 

Wiwoka; tributary of the Coosa River, Alabama. A Creek Indian word meaning 
** roaring water." 

Wobiini; city in Mifldlesex County, Massachusetts, named from the town in Eng- 
land. 

Wolcott; town in New Haven County, Connecticut, named for Frederick Wolcott. 
Wolcott; town in Wayne County, New York; 

Wolcottville; village in Litchfield County, Connecticut. Named for Oliver Wol- 
cott, secretary of the treasury during the administrations of Presidents Wash- 
ington and Adams. 

Wolf; river in Kansas. A translation of the French name, rivihre de loup. 

Wolf; rapids in the Yellowstone River, Montana, so named by Clark because a 
wolf was seen there. 

Wolf; stream in Pennsylvania. From the Indian word tummeinky ** where there is 
a wolf." 

Wolfe; county in Kentucky, named for Nathaniel Wolfe, member of the State 
legislature. 

Wolfeboro; town in Carroll County, New Hampshire, named for General Wolfe, 
the hero of Quebec. 

Wolhurst; station in Arapahoe County, Colorado, named for Senator Wolcott, real 
estate owner. 

Wolverton; creek in California, named for a settler. 

Womelsdorf ; borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania, named for John Wommels- 
dorf, its founder. 

Wonakaketuk; stream in Vermont. An Indian word meaning ** river of otters." 

Wonewoc; village in Juneau County, Wisconsin. A corruption of the Indian word 
wonowag, "they howl," referring to the wolves. 

Wononsco; lake in Litchfield County, Connecticut. A colloquial abbreviation of 
wononscopomuc, an Indian word meaning "bend of the pond land." 

Wood; county in Ohio, named for Col. Eleazer D. Wood, distinguished at the battle 
of Niagara. 

Wood; county in Texas, named for George T. Wood, former governor. 

Wood; county in West Virginia, named for James Wood, an early governor of 
Virginia. 

Wood; county in Wisconsin, named for Joseph Wood, a member of the legislature 
creating the county. 

Woodbridge; village in Hillsdale County, Michigan, named for William Wood- 
bridge, secretary of Michigan Territory. 

Woodbridge; town in Bergen County, New Jersey, so named because of the wooded 
ridge rising from the Hackensack meadows. Others say the name was trans- 
ferred from the town in Suffolk, England. 



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830 . PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Woodbury; county in Iowa, named for Levi Woodbury, of New Hampshire. 
Woodbury; city in Gloucester County, New Jersey, named from the English town. 
Woodbury; town in Washington County, Vermont, named for Col. Ebenezer Wood, 

the first grantee. 
Woodford; county in Illinois, named from the county in Kentucky, the birthplace 

of many of the first settlers. 
Woodford; county in Kentucky, named for Gen. William Woodford, of the French 

and Indian and Revolutionary wars. 
Woodhull; village in Henry County, Illinois, named for its founder. Maxwell 

Woodhull. 
Woodhiill; town in Steuben County, New York, named for Gen. Nathaniel Wood- 
hull, a Revolutionary officer. 
Woodland; township and city in Yolo County, CaUfomia, so named because of the 

abundance of timber in the locality. 
Wood Biver; village in Hall County, Nebraska, so named because situated on the 

banks of the river of that name. 
Woodruff; county in Arkansas, named for William E. Woodruff, sr., a pioneer. 
Woodruff; valley in Nevada, named for Capt. I. C. Woodruff. 
Woodruff; town in Spartanburg County, South Carolina, named for a prominent 

family. 
Woods; county in Oklahoma, named for Samuel Wood, of Kansas, the **8'* being 

added through a mistake of the printer. 
Woodsfield; village in Monroe County, Ohio, named for Archibald Woods, of Wheel- 
ing, West Virginia. 
Woodson; county in Kansas, named for Daniel Woodson, former secretary of the 

Territory of Kansas. 
Woodsonville; village in Hart County, Kentucky, named for Senator Thomas 

Woodson. 
Woodstock; towns in Windham County, Connecticut, originally in Massachusetts, 

and in Windsor County, Vermont, named from the town in England. 
Woodstock; city in McHenry County, Illinois, named from the town in Vermont 
Woodstown; borough in Salem County, New Jersey, named for an early resident. 
Woodville; village in Jefferson County, New York, named for Ebenezer, Ephraim, 

and Jacob Wood, the first settlers. 
Woodward; county in Oklahoma, named for an army oflicer. 
Woolwich; town in Sagadahoc County, Maine, named from the military depot in 

England. 
Woonsocket; cities in Providence County, Rhode Island, and Sanborn County, 

South Dakota. From the Indian word meaning "at the place of mist." 
Wooster; city in Wayne County, Ohio, named for Gen. David Wooster, an oflBcer 

of the Revolution. 
Woosung; township and village in Ogle County, Illinois, named from Woosung in 

China. 
Worcester; county in Maryland, nameii for the Earl of Worcester, who married a 

Calvert. 
Worcester; county, and city in same county, in Massachusetts, named from the 

county in England. 
Worth; counties in Georgia, Iowa, and Missouri, and town in Jefferson county, New 

York, named for Gen. W. J. Worth, an oflScer in the Mexican war. 
Worthington; town in Greene County, Indiana, named from the village in Min- 
nesota. 
Worthington; town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, named for its proprietor, 

Col. John Worthington. 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 331 

Worthington; village in Nobles County, Minnesota, named for the Worthington 

family of Ohio. 
Wortliville; town in Jefferson County, New York, named for Gen. William J. 

Worth, an officer of the Mexican war. 
Worthville; town in Randolph County, North Carolina, named for Governor 

Jonathan Worth and State Treasurer J. M. Worth. 
Wray; town in Yuma County, Colorado, named for John Wray, foreman for I. P. 

Olive. 
Wrentham; town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, named from the town in 

England. 
Wriglit; county in Iowa, named for Hon. Joseph A. Wright, at that time governor 

of Indiana. 
Wright; counties in Minnesota and Missouri, and town in Schoharie County, New 

York, named for Hon. Silas Wright, United States Senator from New York, and 

later governor of the State. 
Wright City; village in Warren County, Missouri, named for Dr. H. C. Wright, an 

early settler. 
Wrightsboro; town in McDuffie County, Georgia, named for Judge Augustus R. 

Wright. 
Wrightson; mountain in Arizona, named for the manager of the Salero Company, 
Wrightstown; village in Brown County, Wisconsin, named for H. S. Wright, who 

early established a ferry. 
Wrightsville; borough in York County, Pennsylvania, named for Samuel Wright^ 

an early settler. 
Wrightsville Beach; town in New Hanover County, North Carolina, named for a 

family of Wilmington. 
Wrightville; town in Dunklin County, Missouri, named for the AV right brothers,. 

its founders. 
Wurtsboro; village in Sullivan County, New York, named for Maurice Wurtz. 
Wyalusing; borough and stream in Bradford County, Pennsylvania. From the 

Delaware Indian, meaning ** place of the hoary veteran." 

i Wyandot; county in Ohio; 
Wyandotte; nation in Indian Territory, county in Kansas, and city in Wayne 
County, Michigan. Named for the Wyandot Indian tribe. 
Wyanet; village in Bureau County, Illinois. An Indian word meaning ** beautiful." 
Wymore; city in Gage County, Nebraska, named for G. S. Wymore, an early settler. 
Wyncoops; town in Chemung County, New York, named for William Wyncoop, 

an early settler. 
Wynooche; river in Washington, so named because of its varying course. An 

Indian word meaning ** shifting." 
Wyoming; State of the Union, and valley in Pennsylvania. A corruption of the 

Delaware Indian word meaning "large plains," "extensive meadows." 
Wyoming; city in Stark County, Illinois, and counties in New York, Pennsylvania, 

and Virginia, named from the valley in Pennsylvania. 
Wysox; tributary of the Susquehanna. An Indian word meaning * ' place of grapes. ' ' 

I Wythe; county in Virginia; 
Wytheville; town in Wythe County, Virginia. Named for George Wythe, a 
signer of the Declaration of Independence. 
Xenia; city in Green County, Ohio. A Greek word meaning * ' friendly hospitality. * * 
Tadkin; county in North Carolina. A corruption of the Indian word **reatkin." 
jYager; creek in Humboldt County, California; 

[Yagerville; town in Humboldt County, California. Named for an early settler. 
Tahara; tributary of Rock River, Wisconsin. An Indian word meaning ** catfish 
river." 



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332 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Takima; county, city in same county, and river in Washington, said to have been 
named for a tribe of Indians, the name meaning "black bear,** or, according to 
other authorities, * * coward.* ' 

Tale; university in New Haven, Connecticut, named for Elihu Yale, of London, 
England. 

Tale; mountain in Colorado, and many cities, towns, and villages, named from the 
university. 

Talobusha; county in Mississippi. An Indian word meaning "tadpole place.** 

Tamhill; county and river in Oregon, named for the Yamel Indians. 

Tancey; county in North Carolina, named for Bartlett Yancey, prominent politi- 
cian of the State. 

Tankee; this name, with various suffixes, forms the name of many places in the 
United States. The name is a corruption of the Massachusetts Indian pronun- 
ciation of the word "English** ( Yengeese), and was bestowed upon the inhab- 
itants of New England by the people of Virginia when they refused to aid them 
in a war with the Cherokees, it meaning to them "cowards.** After the battle of 
Bunker Hill the people of New England, having established a reputation for 
bravery, accepted the name. 

Tankton; county, and city in same county, in South Dakota. A corruption of the 
Sioux Indian name IJmnktonwan, meaning "end village.*' 

Tantic; river in Connecticut. An Indian word, meaning "extending to the tidal 
river.'* 

Taqiiina; bay and town in Lincoln County, Oregon, probably named for Yaquina, 
a female Indian chief. 

Tardley; borough in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, named for a family of early 
settlers. 

Tarmouth, town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, named from the seaport 
town of England. 

Tates; township in McLean County, Illinois, named for Gov. Richard Yates. 

Tates; county in New York, named for Joseph C. Yates, an early governor of the 
State. 

Tates Center; town in Woodson County, Kansas, named for Abner Yates, the 
former owner. 

Tates City; village in Knox County, Illinois, named from Yates County, New York. 

Tavapai; county in Arizona, named for a small tribe of Indians, now nearly 
extinct, which formerly resided in the vicinity. 

Tell; county in Arkansas, named for Col. Archibald Yell, former governor of the 
State. 

Tellow Jacket; pass in Colorado, so named because infested with these insects. 

Tellow Medicine; county and river in Minnesota; a translation of the Dakota 
(Sioux) name of the river, referring to the long, slender, bitter, yellow root of 
the moonseed (Menispermum cana'dense) which abounds there, and was used by 
the Dakotas as a medicine. 

Tellowstone; county in Montana, and river in Montana and Wyoming. The name 
is a translation of the original French name, roche jaune, meaning "yellow 
rock.** Another authority states it is from the Indian, mi-tsi-a-darzi, "rock 
yellow river.** 

Tellowstone; national park lying mostly in Wyoming, but includes a small part of 
Montana, and is about 65 miles long and 55 miles wide; lake in Yellowstone 
National Park, 7,788 feet above' sea level. Its outlet is Yellowstone River. 
Named from the river. 

Tellville; town in Marion County, Arkansas, named for Col. Archibald Yell, former 
governor of the State. 



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GANNETT.] PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. 883 

ITenictssee; village in Hampton County, South Carolina, named for a former noted 

Indian tribe. 
Yerba; town in Los Angeles County, California. A Spanish word meaning "herb." 
Yoakum; county in Texas, named for H. Yoakum, the Texan historian. 
Yokuns Seat; mountain in the town of Lenox, Berkshire County, Massachusetts, 

named for an Indian chief. 
Yolo; county in California. From the Indian, meaning "place abounding with 

rushes,*' or according to another authority, "possession of royal blood." 
Yonkers; city in Winchester County, New York, named for a manor house built 

by the Dutch, the word meaning "young lord," and first apphed in this country 

to Adrien Van der Douck, a patentee. 
York; county, and town in same county, in Maine, named for the Duke of York, 

James II, of England. 
York; county, and city in same county, in Nebraska, named for a resident family. 

I York; counties in Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Virginia; 
Yorktown; town in York County, Virginia. Named from the county in England, 
or for the Duke of York, Charles I, of England. 
Yorkville; village in Kendall County, Illinois, named from New York, the native 

State of most of the settlers. 
Yorkville; town in York County, South Carolina, named from the city in Pennsyl- 
vania. 
Yosemite; valley in California. From uzumaiti, meaning "grizzly bear," the name 

applied by other tribes to the Awani tribe of Indians. 
Youghiogheny; river in Maryland and Pennsylvania. An Indian word meaning 

"stream flowing in an opposite direction." 
Young; county in Texas, named for William Cooke Young. 
Youngs; bay and river in Washington, named for Sir Charles Young, of the royal 

navy. 
Youngstown; village in Niagara County, New York, named for John Young, a 

merchant of the place. 
Youngstown; city in Mahoning County, Ohio, named for John Young, an early 

resident. 
Youngsville; town in Franklin County, North Carolina, named for a prominent 

family. 
Yount; peak in the Yellowstone Park, named for Harry Yount, an early hunter and 

guide. 
Ypsilanti; township and city in Washtenaw County, Michigan, named for Dimitrius 

Ypsilanti, a Greek patriot. 
Yreka; county seat of Siskiyou County, California. The name was made by a trans- 
position of the letters in "bakery." 
Yreka; town in Siskiyou County, California, named for an Indian tribe. 
Yuba; river and county in California. Derived from the original Spanish name of 

the river, el Rio de las TJvaSy " the river of the grapes." 
Yucca; station in San Bernardino County, and town in Yuba County, named from 

the abundant growths of the yucca plant. 
Yuma; county, and city in same county, in Arizona, and count v, and town in same 

county, in Colorado, named for an Indian tribe, the name meaning "sons of the 

river." 
Zanesfield; village in Logan County, Ohio, named for Col. Isaac Zane. 
Zanesville; city in Ohio, named for Ebenezer Zane, who, with John Mclntire, 

founded the city. 
Zapata; county in Texas, named for a Mexican colonel who led a force of Mexicans 

and Texans against Mexico in 1839. 



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334 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 

Zavalla; county in Texas, named for Gren. Lorenzo de Zavala, a Mexican who 
espoused the cause of Texan independence and was vice-president of the 
Republic. 

Zearing; village in Bureau County, Illinois, named for a resident family. 

Zebulon; town in Pike County, Georgia, named for Col. Zebulon M. Pike. 

Zion; village in Carroll County, Illinois, named from Mount Zion in Palestine. 

Zionsville; town in Boone County, Indiana, named for William Zion, a pioneer. 

Zuni; river in New Mexico, named for an Indian tribe. 

Zwingle; village in Jackson County, Iowa, named for Ulrich Zwingle, a Swiss 
reformer. 



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PUBLICATIONS OF UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 

[Bulletin No. 258.] 

The pnblications of the United States Geological Survey consist of (1) Annnal 
Reports, (2) Monographs, (3) Professional Papers, (4) Bulletins, (5) Mineral 
ResoTirces, (6) Water-Supply and Irrigation Papers, (7) Topographic Atlas of 
United States — folios and separate sheets thereof, (8) Geologic Atlas of United 
States — folios thereof. The classes numbered 2, 7, and 8 are sold at cost of pub- 
lication; the others are distributed free. A circular giving complete lists may be 
had on application. 

The Professional Papers, Bulletins, and Water-Supply Papers treat of a variety 
of subjects, and the total number issued is large. They have therefore been classi- 
fied into the following series: A, Economic geology; B, Descriptive geology; C, 
Systematic geology and paleontology; D, Petrography and mineralogy; E, Chem- 
istry and physics; F, Geography; G, Miscellaneous; H, Forestry; I, Irrigation; J, 
Water storage; K, Pumping water; L,Quality of water; M, General hydrographic 
investigations; N, Water power; O, Underground waters; P, Hydrographic 
progress rex)orts. This bulletin is the forty-fifth in Series F, the complete list 
of which follows (all are bulletins thus far): 

SERIES F, GEOGRAPHY. 

5. Dictionary of altitudes in United States, by Henry Gannett. 1884. 326 pp. (Out of stock; 

see Bulletin IflO.) 

6. Elevations in Dominion of Canada, by J. W. Spencer. 1884. 43 pp. (Out of stock.) 

13. Boundaries of United States and of the several States and Territories, with historical sketch 
of territorial changes, by Henry Gannett. 1886. 136 pp. (Out of stock; see Bulletin 171.) 

48. On form and position of sea level, by R. 8. Woodward. 1888. 88 pp. (Out of stock.) 

49. Latitudes and longitudes of certain points in Missouri, Kansas, and New Mexico, by R. S. 

Woodward. 1889. 183 pp. 

50. Formulas and tables to facilitate the construction and use of maps, by R. S. Woodward. 

1889. 124 pp. (Out of stock.) 
"JO. Report on astronomical work of 1889 and 1890, by R. S. Woodward. 1890. 79 pp. 
Tji. Altitudes between Lake Superior and Rocky Mountains, by Warren Upham. 1891. 229 pp. 
IK Dictionary of altitudes in United States (second edition), by Henry Gannett. 1891. 393 pp. 

(Out of stock; see Bulletin IflO.) 

115. Geographic dictionary of Rhode Island, by Henry Gannett. 1894. 31 pp. 

116. Geographic dictionary of Massachusetts, by Henry Gannett. 1894. 126 pp. 

117. Geographic dictionary of Connecticut, by Henry Gannett. 1894, 67 pp. 

118. Geographic dictionary of New Jersey, by Henry Gannett. 1894. 131 pp. 

122. Results of primary triangrulation, by Henry Gannett. 1894. 412 pp., 17 pis. (Out of stock.) 

123. Dictionary of geographic positions, by Henry Gannett. 1895. 183 pp. , 1 map. ( Out of stock. ) 
154. Gazetteer of Kansas, by Henry Gannett. 1898. 246 pp., 6 pis. 

180. Dictionary of altitudes in United States (third edition), by Henry Gannett. 1899. 775 pp. 

(Out of stock.) 
166. Gazetteer of Utah, by Henry Gannett. 1900. 43 pp., 1 map. 

169. Altitudes in Alaska, by Henry Gannett. 1900. 13 pp. 

170. Survey of boundary line between Idaho and Montana from international boundary to crest 

of Bitterroot Mountains, by R. U. Goode. 1900. 67 pp., 14 pis. 

171. Boundaries of United States and of the several States and Territories, with outline of 

history of all imi)ortant changes of territory (second edition), by Henry Gannett. 1900. 
142 pp., 53 pis. (Out of stock. ) 

174. Survey of northwestern boundary of United States, 1857-1861, by Marcus Baker. 1900. 

78 pp., 1 pi. 

175. Triangulation and spirit leveling in Indian Territory, by C. H. Fitch. 1900. 141 pp., 1 pi. 

181. Results of primary triangrulation and primary traverse, fiscal year 1900-1901, by H. M. 

Wilson, J. H. Renshawe, E. M. Douglas, and R. U. Goode. 1901. 240 pp., 1 map. 
183. Gktzetteer of Porto Rico, by Henry Gannett. 1901. 51 pp. 

I 



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II PUBLICATIONS U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 

186. Results of spirit leveling, fiscal year 1900-1901, by H. M. Wilson, J. H. Renshawe, E. M. Douglas, 

and R. U. Goode. 1901. 219 pp. 

187. Geographic dictionary of Alaska, by Marcus Baker. 1901. -446 pp. (Out of stock.) 
190. Gazetteer of Texas, by Henry Gannett. 1908. 162 pp., 8 pis. (Out of stock.) 

192. Gazetteer of Cuba, by Henry Gannett. 1902. 113 pp., 8 pis. (Out of stock.) 
194. Northwest boundary of Texas, by Marcus Baker. 1902. 51 pp., 1 pi. 

196. Topographic development of the Klamath Mountains, by J. S. Diller. 1902. 89 pp., 13 pis. 

197. The origin of certain place names in the United States, by Henry Gannett. 1902. 280 pp. 

(Out of stock.) 
201. Results of primary triangulation and primary traverse, fiscal year 1901-2, by H. M. AVilson, 

J. H. Renshawe, E. M. Douglas, and R. U. Goode. 1902. 164 pp., 1 pi. 
214. Geographic tables and formulas, compiled by S. S. Gannett. 1903. 284 pp. 
216. Results of primary triangulation and primary traverse, fiscal year 1902-3, by S. S. Gtennett. 

1903. 222 pp., 1 pi. 

224. Gazetteer of Texas (second edition), by Henry Gannett. 1904. 177 pp., 7 pis. 
226. Boundaries of the United States and of the several States and Territories, with an outline 
of the history of all important changes of territory (third edition), by Henry Gannett. 

1904. 145 pp., 54 pis. 

230. Gazetteer of Delaware, by Henry Gannett. 1904. 15 pp. 
281. Gazetteerof Maryland, by Henry Gannett. 1904. 84 pp. 

232. Gazetteer of Virginia, by Henry Gannett. 1904. 159 pp. 

233. Gazetteer of West Virginia, by Henry Gannett. 1904. 164 pp. 

234. Geographic tables and formulas (second edition), compiled by S. S. Gannett. 1904. 310 pp. 
246. Results of primary triangulation and primary traverse, fiscal year 1902-3, by S. 8. Gkinnett. 

1904. 328 pp., 1 pi. 

248. Gazetteer of Indian Territory, by Henry Gannett. 1904. 70 pp. 

258. The origin of certain place names in the United States (second edition), by Henry Gannett. 

1905. 334 pp. 

Correspondence should be addressed to 

The Director, 

United States Geological Sdrvey, 

Washington, D. C. 
March, 1905. 



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LIBEAET CATALOOXIE SLIPS. 

[Mount each slip upon a separate card, placing the subject at the top of the 
second slip. The name of the series should not be repeated on the series 
card, but the additional numbers should be added, as received, to the 
first entry.] 

Gannett, Henry, 1846- 

. . . The origin of certain place names in the United 
States; 2d ed., by Henry Gannett. Washington, Gov't 
print, off., 1905. 

334, iii p. 23 J^"". (U. S. Geological survey. Bulletin no. 258) 
Subject series: F, Geography, 45. 
1st ed. issued as Bulletin no. 197. 
^^Authorities**: p. 10-14. 
1. Names, Geographical. 

Gannett, Henry, 1846- 

. . . The origin of certain place names in the United 
States'; 2d ed., by Henrj^ Gannett. Washington, Gov't 
print, off., 1905. 

334, iii p. 23J<"°. (U. S. Geological survey. Bulletm no. 258) 
Subject series: F, Geography, 45. 
Ist ed. issued as Bulletin no. 197. 
"Authorities": p. 10-14. 
1. Names, Geographical. 

U. S. Geological survey. 

Bulletin. 

no. 258. Gannett, Henry. The origin of certain place 
names in the United States; 2d ed. 1905. 



U. S. Dept. of the Interior. 

I 

i see also 



£ 



U. S. Geological survey. 

BtQl. 258—05 22 iii 

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