The Origin of Certain Place Names In the United States

The Something Awful Forums > Main > General Bullshit > The Origin of Certain Place Names In the United States

HugeGrossBurrito: Mar 20, 2018

grill youre saelf posted:

"WISCONSIN RAPIDS, WI"

if that doesn't work "STEVENS POINT, WI"

thank you for owning an old book and doing this

(these town names are hard to figure out)

nothing on either but it led me to an interesting one, Wissinoming,north branch of frankford creek Pennsylvania, an indian word meaning, where we were frightened. Wisconsin means wild rushing river according to the book so it make just be an expansion on those words.

on Wisconsin rapids the internet says

Prior to the Wisconsin River being dammed, this area held a treacherous stretch of water, which descended 45 feet as it passed through the community. The Indians gave to this place along the river the name of �Ad-dah-wah-gam,� meaning the �Two-sided Rapids,� as the rapids here was divided in two by a great boulder. After the river was dammed, the increase in water level covered most of the rocks and boulders and therefore, rapids, in the area.

on stevens point

Stevens Point was named after George Stevens, who operated a grocery and supply business on the Wisconsin River during the extensive logging of interior Wisconsin. The river was used by logging companies to float logs to market. Loggers on the river found this a convenient stopping point, as the river bends slightly and the operation was from far upstream. The town developed from Stevens's post and was named for him.

very cool name origins!

HugeGrossBurrito fucked around with this message at 23:21 on Sep 26, 2020

# ? Sep 26, 2020 23:09

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# ? Apr 24, 2024 10:41

HugeGrossBurrito: Mar 20, 2018

Into The Mild posted:

Hey TeachesOfPeaches. I�m told you find the way I say Effort Post is funny.

she's doing a very poor impression of you right now lol im so sorry

# ? Sep 26, 2020 23:10

HugeGrossBurrito: Mar 20, 2018

free hubcaps posted:

whoa whoa....HGB has a wife?!?!

I know I know I was shocked too

# ? Sep 26, 2020 23:15

grill youre saelf: Jan 22, 2006

HugeGrossBurrito posted:

nothing on either but it led me to an interesting one, Wissinoming,north branch of frankford creek Pennsylvania, an indian word meaning, where we were frightened. Wisconsin means wild rushing river according to the book so it make just be an expansion on those words.

on Wisconsin rapids the internet says

Prior to the Wisconsin River being dammed, this area held a treacherous stretch of water, which descended 45 feet as it passed through the community. The Indians gave to this place along the river the name of �Ad-dah-wah-gam,� meaning the �Two-sided Rapids,� as the rapids here was divided in two by a great boulder. After the river was dammed, the increase in water level covered most of the rocks and boulders and therefore, rapids, in the area.

on stevens point

Stevens Point was named after George Stevens, who operated a grocery and supply business on the Wisconsin River during the extensive logging of interior Wisconsin. The river was used by logging companies to float logs to market. Loggers on the river found this a convenient stopping point, as the river bends slightly and the operation was from far upstream. The town developed from Stevens's post and was named for him.

very cool name origins!

I love you hugegrossburrito!

Mind doing "Waupaca, Wisconsin"? I've heard it was named after Jon Waupaca but I think that's a lie.

# ? Sep 26, 2020 23:23

grill youre saelf: Jan 22, 2006

HugeGrossBurrito posted:

nothing on either but it led me to an interesting one, Wissinoming,north branch of frankford creek Pennsylvania, an indian word meaning, where we were frightened. Wisconsin means wild rushing river according to the book so it make just be an expansion on those words.

on Wisconsin rapids the internet says

Prior to the Wisconsin River being dammed, this area held a treacherous stretch of water, which descended 45 feet as it passed through the community. The Indians gave to this place along the river the name of �Ad-dah-wah-gam,� meaning the �Two-sided Rapids,� as the rapids here was divided in two by a great boulder. After the river was dammed, the increase in water level covered most of the rocks and boulders and therefore, rapids, in the area.

on stevens point

Stevens Point was named after George Stevens, who operated a grocery and supply business on the Wisconsin River during the extensive logging of interior Wisconsin. The river was used by logging companies to float logs to market. Loggers on the river found this a convenient stopping point, as the river bends slightly and the operation was from far upstream. The town developed from Stevens's post and was named for him.

very cool name origins!

To give a modern touch to this:

Wisconsin Rapids was a booming paper town, but now is filled with meth and a lack of jobs.

Stevens Point is a "college town" of less than 30k people. It's a stopping off/middle point of most people's journey's

# ? Sep 26, 2020 23:26

HugeGrossBurrito: Mar 20, 2018

grill youre saelf posted:

I love you hugegrossburrito!

Mind doing "Waupaca, Wisconsin"? I've heard it was named after Jon Waupaca but I think that's a lie.

It�s in there! County in Wisconsin named for the Menominee Indians, the meaning being, pale water.

# ? Sep 26, 2020 23:33

HugeGrossBurrito: Mar 20, 2018

What I find interesting about this book is he actually traveled and asked locals, people could have been loving with him but he recorded it dutifully.

# ? Sep 26, 2020 23:35

widefault: Mar 16, 2009

HugeGrossBurrito posted:

so many of these are French names that just lost their meaning entirely. Green Bay for instance was la grande baie

This one I know is wrong. It was originally called La Baye Des Puants, Bay of Stinking Waters, then La Baye Verte, because the water coming through the Fox River was green.

And the Fox flows from Lake Winnebago, with Winnebago being a derogatory term for the native tribes that means people of the smelly water.

Pretty sure the name of the city of Kaukauna on the Fox River also has roots in smelly water, which is now overshadowed by the smellier paper mill.

# ? Sep 27, 2020 01:57

HugeGrossBurrito: Mar 20, 2018

widefault posted:

This one I know is wrong. It was originally called La Baye Des Puants, Bay of Stinking Waters, then La Baye Verte, because the water coming through the Fox River was green.

And the Fox flows from Lake Winnebago, with Winnebago being a derogatory term for the native tribes that means people of the smelly water.

Pretty sure the name of the city of Kaukauna on the Fox River also has roots in smelly water, which is now overshadowed by the smellier paper mill.

lol you will do well with the thread I�m working on, gbs drunk history. Have to set up my audio equipment first

HugeGrossBurrito fucked around with this message at 19:01 on Sep 27, 2020

# ? Sep 27, 2020 01:59

Spazzle: Jul 5, 2003

Does it have Hugegrossburritown, Georgia?

# ? Sep 27, 2020 02:37

HugeGrossBurrito: Mar 20, 2018

Spazzle posted:

Does it have Hugegrossburritown, Georgia?

Inshallah

# ? Sep 27, 2020 02:39

Edgar Allen Ho: Apr 3, 2017; by sebmojo

HugeGrossBurrito posted:

so many of these are French names that just lost their meaning entirely. Green Bay for instance was la grande baie

A lot of places in the midwest and Canada are french butcherings of what various natives called the lands of their hated enemies, butchered again into english.

# ? Sep 27, 2020 03:13

bones 4 beginners: Jan 7, 2018; "...a masterpiece that no one can read too often, or admire too much."

Can you see if Withlacoochee is in there?

# ? Sep 27, 2020 03:43

HugeGrossBurrito: Mar 20, 2018

bones 4 beginners posted:

Can you see if Withlacoochee is in there?

Will do in the morning, that sounds like something that would totally be in there, please post requests overnight I�ll find them.

# ? Sep 27, 2020 03:48

Skratte: Nov 11, 2010

all the towns here in central texas have german names because a bunch of nobles in germany tried to flood texas with as many germans as possible to lay claim to the lands and create a german state before Texas joined the US.

# ? Sep 27, 2020 07:11

CleverHans: Apr 25, 2011; Can't post for 8 years!

Kinda a long shot but: Satan's Kingdom, MA?

# ? Sep 27, 2020 08:39

Milo and POTUS: Sep 3, 2017; I will not shut up about the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. I talk about them all the time and work them into every conversation I have. I built a shrine in my room for the yellow one who died because sadly no one noticed because she died around 9/11. Wanna see it?

Jose posted:

why is so much stuff in the US named gaylord

apparently you were their most notable visitor

# ? Sep 27, 2020 08:48

Grevling: Dec 18, 2016

Is Swastika in there?

# ? Sep 27, 2020 13:22

HugeGrossBurrito: Mar 20, 2018

bones 4 beginners posted:

Can you see if Withlacoochee is in there?

Withlacoochee- River and town in Hernando county, Florida. Indian word meaning "little river" or according to another authority, " long narrow river.

# ? Sep 27, 2020 19:07

HugeGrossBurrito: Mar 20, 2018

CleverHans posted:

Kinda a long shot but: Satan's Kingdom, MA?

Not in the book but it seems it may have been named after a forest fire.

# ? Sep 27, 2020 19:11

Sweaty IT Nerd: Jul 13, 2007

What about Snoqualmie WA? I think the origin is on wikipedia but curious what the book says.

# ? Sep 27, 2020 19:13

HugeGrossBurrito: Mar 20, 2018

Grevling posted:

Is Swastika in there?

Very surprised Swastika, NY is not in the book considering how extensively it covers NY. Obviously, before the Nazis co-opted it, it was a good luck symbol often used on sports jerseys, product names, looking into it coca cola even made a swastika shaped bottle opener. Fuckin Hitler what a jerk.

# ? Sep 27, 2020 19:18

HugeGrossBurrito: Mar 20, 2018

Sweaty IT Nerd posted:

What about Snoqualmie WA? I think the origin is on wikipedia but curious what the book says.

Snoqualmie- a city in Washington named for an Indian tribe, translated, " the people of the moon."

# ? Sep 27, 2020 19:23

Milo and POTUS: Sep 3, 2017; I will not shut up about the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. I talk about them all the time and work them into every conversation I have. I built a shrine in my room for the yellow one who died because sadly no one noticed because she died around 9/11. Wanna see it?

Our Town, Alabama

# ? Sep 27, 2020 19:42

Vincent Van Goatse: Nov 8, 2006; Enjoy every sandwich.; Smellrose

Cheesequake, New Jersey

# ? Sep 27, 2020 19:44

HugeGrossBurrito: Mar 20, 2018

Milo and POTUS posted:

Our Town, Alabama

Our town did not exist until 1913 and was established after railroad expansion.

I found this old news article about it at least.

https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=qiMLAAAAIBAJ&sjid=jVEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6889%2C112219

# ? Sep 27, 2020 19:51

Sweaty IT Nerd: Jul 13, 2007

HugeGrossBurrito posted:

Snoqualmie- a city in Washington named for an Indian tribe, translated, " the people of the moon."

wikipedia posted:

The name "Snoqualmie" is derived from the Lushootseed name s�dukʷalbixʷ, generally interpreted to mean "ferocious people", a name applied by another Coast Salishan people in reference to the Snoqualmie people.

Thanks!

# ? Sep 27, 2020 20:07

HugeGrossBurrito: Mar 20, 2018

Vincent Van Goatse posted:

Cheesequake, New Jersey

Nothing in the book, but derived from the Lenni Lenape word "Cheseh-oh-ke", meaning "upland" or from the word "chickhake", meaning "land that has been cleared."

Another similar name that does appear,

Cheesechankamuck- Eastern branch of the Farmington River, Connecticut. Indian word meaning, "the great fishing fishing pier at the weir."

# ? Sep 27, 2020 20:15

HugeGrossBurrito: Mar 20, 2018

Ill let a few collect if anyone has new ones, I'm working on a dramatic reading of a famously verbose IK resignation.

# ? Sep 27, 2020 20:16

Kaiser Schnitzel: Mar 29, 2006; Schnitzel mit uns

Atmore, AL, Red Level, AL, Axis, AL, and Talisheek, LA.

Oh and Coffeville, AL and Hot Coffee, MS

# ? Sep 29, 2020 02:53

Mister Olympus: Oct 31, 2011; Buzzard, Who Steals From Dead Bodies

Gaylord is an Anglicization of Gaillard, a French place name/surname

# ? Sep 29, 2020 04:35

Chumbawumba4ever97: Dec 31, 2000; by Fluffdaddy

HugeGrossBurrito posted:

Very surprised Swastika, NY is not in the book considering how extensively it covers NY. Obviously, before the Nazis co-opted it, it was a good luck symbol often used on sports jerseys, product names, looking into it coca cola even made a swastika shaped bottle opener. Fuckin Hitler what a jerk.

Apparently they just voted four days ago to NOT change the name

https://www.npr.org/sections/live-updates-protests-for-racial-justice/2020/09/24/915307315/swastika-new-york-is-keeping-its-name

# ? Sep 29, 2020 04:44

wesleywillis: Dec 30, 2016; SUCK A MALE CAMEL'S DICK WITH MIRACLE WHIP!!

HugeGrossBurrito posted:

Snoqualmie- a city in Washington named for an Indian tribe, translated, " the people of the moon."

I think they used to moon their enemies before and during battle.

# ? Sep 30, 2020 18:11

Outrail: Jan 4, 2009; www.sapphicrobotica.com

Anything on the origins of 'New England'? That one's always puzzled me.

# ? Sep 30, 2020 18:28

wesleywillis: Dec 30, 2016; SUCK A MALE CAMEL'S DICK WITH MIRACLE WHIP!!

It's named after tom brady

# ? Sep 30, 2020 18:29

Well What Now: Nov 10, 2016; by Fluffdaddy; Shredded Hen

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCQG5Hb6Gew

# ? Sep 30, 2020 18:31

HugeGrossBurrito: Mar 20, 2018

Will update this evening!

# ? Sep 30, 2020 18:33

Lord Decimus Barnacle: Jun 25, 2005; Hell Gem

Provo and Orem please

# ? Oct 2, 2020 05:35

Barudak: May 7, 2007

When I was young I listened to a radio play on the naming of US towns, based I believe on this book. Of course, one was as far as I could tell made up which was Strange, Montana with the origin of finding a dead body with a note on it saying "strange is how I lived and died".

# ? Oct 2, 2020 05:43

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# ? Apr 24, 2024 10:41

Heath: Apr 30, 2008; 🍂🎃🏞️💦

Is Chillicothe in there?

# ? Oct 2, 2020 05:46

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