USA > Illinois > Cook County > Chicago > A History of the Origin of the Place Names Connected with the Chicago & North Western and. > Part 20
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Alton, Sioux County, Iowa. Was founded in 1872. The earliest name was East Orange. It was then changed to Orange City and both of these were given in honor of William, the Silent, Count of Nassau and Prince of Orange, because many Hollanders were settled in the vicinity. When it was deter- mined by the citizens that the name should be changed, in a meeting held for that purpose of those present, one suggested Alton, and it was adopted. The name was taken from Alton, Illinois and Alton, New Hampshire, and both these got their names from Alton, a town in England.
Altoona, Eau Claire County, Wisconsin. This village was started in 1881 and was named from Altoona, Pennsylvania, by Capt. T. P. Gere, who, when the town was started was superintendent of the railroad that passed through it. The place in Pennsylvania was named because of its high situation in the Alleghany Mountains. The name is a derivative of the Latin word Altus, meaning "high."
Amboy, Blue Earth County, Minnesota. The town was started in 1879 and its postoffice was named by some one connected with the postoffice depart- ment in Washington. As the town sprang up around the postoffice, the village so formed took the name of the postoffice. The name is an Indian word and means "hollow inside," "like a bowl."
Angus, Barron County, Wisconsin, was named for United States Sonataor Angus Cameron, the well known citizen of the state.
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Anson, Chippewa County, Wisconsin, was named by Arthur Clark, an old settler for Anson Burlingham, a well known statesman of Maine. The township in which the village is situated carries the same name, and for the same reason as the village.
Arnold, Chippewa County, Wisconsin. This town was formerly known as Stillhaven, but was changed in 1896. Its present name was given it for Arnold Deuel, eldest son of H. H. Deuel, postmaster here when the name was changed.
Anh Creek, Rock County, Minnesota. The town was started in 1881. It was named from a nearby creek that was named from the many white ash (Fraxinus Americana) trees that grew along its banks. The town was named by Orville Estey, its earliest settler.
Ashland, Ashland County, Wisconsin, was in 1858 named by Martin Beaver, the original proprietor, from Henry Clay's home in Kentucky. The postoffice was originally called Whittlesey for Asoph Whittlesey, its first postmaster, but in 1860 it was changed to conform to the name of the town. The town was once called St. Mark, from the Tower in Venice, and then Bay City, because it was located on a bay. The Indian name for this locality was sham-a-wa-mik-"the long-stretched beaver."
Ashland Junuction, Bayfield County, Wisconsin. Was founded in 1883 and was named by the railroad company on account of its nearness to and relation to the city of Ashland.
Ashton, Osceola County, Iowa. Was started in 1870. Its earliest name was Gillman for J. G. Gillman an early land agent here. The name was changed to its present form in 1875. The present name came from the fact that the white ash (Fraxinus Americana) trees were plentiful hereabouts and suggested the name.
Augusta, Eau Claire County, Wisconsin. Was named by Charles or John Buck- man, who came here in 1856 and named it from Augusta, Maine, whence he had emigrated. The place in Maine was named for Augusta, of Saxe- Gotha, the wife of Frederick, Prince of Wales of English history.
Avoca, Murray County, Minnesota, was named in 1879 by Archbishop John Ire- Jand who established a colony nearby. The name is an allusion to Thomas Moore's poem, "Sweet Vale of Avoca."
Baldwin, St. Croix County, Wisconsin, was named by D. R. Bailey and Jacob Humbird for D. A. Baldwin, a prominent early day officer of the railroad that passes through this place. Its earliest name was Clarkesville, and was named for Frank B. Clark, then of the Hudson, Wisconsin, Flouring Mill Company.
Bancroft, Cuming County, Nebraska. Was named for George Bancroft, the American historian.
Barden, Scott County, Minnesota, was named for J. W. Barden, who was largely interested in grain elevators and other business enterprises here and hereabouts. The place was first called Sibley for General Henry H. Sibley the early pioneer of Minnesota. It was afterwards called Long Lake from a nearby lake of that name. Its present name was given it in 1885.
Barksdale, Bayfield County, Wisconsin, was named by W. G. Ramsay, April 7th, 1904 for H. M. Barksdale, president of the Atlantic Manufacturing Company that has large powder mills here.
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Barronett, Barron County, Minnesota. The town was platted in 1880 and was named Foster City for Jerry Foster who owned interests here at that time. That name was dropped for that of Bourne for Captain W. R. Bourne, an early business man of the place. The next year, Captain Bourne changed the name to its present form. This name came from the name of the county, with the letters "ett" added for euphony. The county was named for Judge Henry D. Barron of Wisconsin.
Bayfield, Bayfield County, Wisconsin, was named in 1856 by United States Senator H. M. Rice of Minnesota, in honor of a British officer named Bayfield, who, in a very early day, explored, surveyed and charted for the first time, the shores of Lake Superior.
Beaver Creek, Rock County, Minnesota, was named from a nearby creek. The creek was so named because many beaver (Castor Canadmins) dams were ' on it when it was first discovered by the whites.
Beebe, Douglas County, Wisconsin, was named for Dr. C. V. Beebe of Superior, Wisconsin.
Beldenville, Pierce County, Wisconsin, was named in 1860 by A. Belden for his family name. He was a large mill and land owner at this point.
Belle Plaine, Scott County, Minnesota, was named in 1853 by Judge Andrew G. Chatfield, one of the Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the Territory of Minnesota, from the French words meaning "beautiful field or plain," because this name was descriptive of the place and its sur- roundings. The Judge lived here from 1857 to 1871, and after the forma- tion of the State was on the Bench until 1875.
Bennett, Douglas County, Wisconsin, was named for Richard Bennett, who at one time had a side track here for use in his business.
Benoit, Bayfield County, Wisconsin, was named for Antoine Benoit, an early French settler.
Bibon, Bayfield County, Wisconsin. This town was started. in 1879 and was called Mason Junction. The name was soon changed by W. F. Fitch, Manager of the Duluth, South Shore and Atlantic Railroad, to its present form. The name is a corruption of the Chippewa Indian word-bibwine- which means "winter." It was applied to this place by Mr. Fitch in honor of E. W. Winter, then a prominent railroad official of St. Paul, Minnesota, and now (1907) of New York City.
Bigelow, Nobles County, Minnesota, was located in 1872 and named for Charles H. Bigelow, who in an early day lived here, and aided in having the railroad built through the place, and who is now (1907) president of the St. Paul Fire and Marine Insurance Company at St. Paul, Minnesota. Bingham Lake, Cottonwood County, Minnesota, was named from a nearby lake. The lake was named, by the United States surveyor, for Senator H. S. Bingham of Michigan.
Birchwood, Washburn County, Wisconsin, was named by W. A. Scott, the General Manager of the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha Rail- road, when the town was located. He so named the place because it was established in the midst of a dense grove of White Birch (Betula populifolia) trees.
Black River Falls. Jackson County, Wisconsin. This settlement was started in 1830. The Mormons built a mill here in an early day and here cut much of the timber that was used in building their temple at Nauvoo.
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The present town was platted in 1860 and was named from the river and falls of the river here. This named came from the dark appearance of the water which was caused by the decomposition of pine and hemlock bark and roots from the forests that lined its banks for many miles.
Blair, Washington County, Nebraska, was named for John I. Blair of Blairs- town, New Jersey and who built the first railroad through the place.
Blakeley, Scott County, Minnesota, was named by E. F. Drake and I. N. Dean, who in 1867 when the town was laid out, had an interest in the town site and in the railroad that passed through it. It was named for Captain Russell Blakely of St. Paul, Minnesota. He was prominent in an early day in stage and steamboat transportation.
Bloomer, Chippewa County, Wisconsin. Its first name was Vanville and was given it for Sylvester Van Loon, its first settler and first postmaster. The origin of the present name can not be ascertained.
Bloomfield, Knox County, Nebraska. The town was established in 1890 by the Northern Nebraska Land and Improvement Company, and was supposed to be descriptive of it and its vicinity, viz: "blooming fields," "fields full of blossoms." This place was once known as Wausa and was so named from a Swedish Church having that name and located about three miles from the present site of Bloomfield.
. Blue Earth, Faribault County, Minnesota, was so named from the nearby river because of the soil from its banks owing to its containing copper had a decidededly bluish cast. The town was laid out by H. P. Constance and J. B. Wakefield.
Bluff, Jackson County, Minnesota, was named from a bluff or abrupt elevation of land nearby.
Boardman, St. Croix County, Wisconsin, was named in 1853 by and for C. A. Boardman, the first settler.
Bradley, Blue Earth County, Minnesota. This place was named from the Bradley crossing of the Blue Earth River. The crossing was named for the Bradley family, who owned the farm on which the town is located and who established the river crossing.
Brandon, Minnehaha County, South Dakota, was named from the township and that was named from Brandon, Vermont. It is a corruption of "burnt town" from the fact of the burning of the Vermont settlement by Indians in 1777.
Brewster, Nobles County, Minnesota, was originally called Hersey, for a prominent citizen of Stillwater, Minnesota, who was largely interested in the railroad when it reached this point, but owing to confusion with a similar name it was changed to its present form. The present name was given it in honor of Brewster, a town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, which was named in honor of Elder William Brewster ,one of the first settlers in the Plymouth colony.
Brill, Barron County, Wisconsin, was started in 1901 and was named by W. A. Scott, then General Manager of the railroad for Judge Hascal R. Brill, District Judge of Ramsay County, Minnesota.
Brunet, Chippewa County, Wisconsin, was named for Captain Jean Brunet, one of the pioneers and for whom a nearby cataract (Brunet Falls) was
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named. Captain Brunet was the first permanent white settler on the Chippewa River, having settled there in 1832 and built the first sawmill on that stream in 1836.
Burkhardt, St. Croix County, Wisconsin, was named for C. Burkhardt, the owner of a lumber mill operated here when the town was located.
Butterfield, Watonwan County, Minnesota, was named for William Butter- field, the original owner of the town site and its first settler.
Cable, Bayfield County, Wisconsin, was named by and for R. Cable an early . settler here and who conducted the first hotel in this part of the country. The present town was laid out in 1878 and for three or more years was the northern terminus of the branch of the railroad that runs through the place.
Cameron, Barron County, Wisconsin, was named by Colonel George W. Ginty, in honor of Hon. Angus Cameron, for many years, United States Senator from Wisconsin.
Camp Douglas, Juneau County, Wisconsin, was named for the Douglas Log- ging Company that had "logging camps" here long before any railroad penetrated this part of the state. The present town was laid out in 1870. The Logging Company was named for James Douglas and the town was named by A. Chombielier of Kilbourn, Wis.
Carnes, Sioux County, Iowa, was named for Edward Carnes, a long time road- master of the railroad that ran through this place.
Carroll, Wayne County, Nebraska, was named by E. W. Winter, the General Manager of the railroad when it was opened to this point. It was named for Charles Carroll of Carrollton, Maryland, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.
Cedarhurst, Clark County, Wisconsin. This name was made for the occasion. The word "Cedar" was used because of the presence of many. cedar (Thuja) trees nearby and "hurst" for the Dutch word hoorst which means "grove." Hence the name means Cedar Grove. ,
Chandlet, Washington County, Wisconsin, was named for Hon. Zachariah Chand- ler, United States Senator from Michigan, who owned land in this vicinity. Chapman, St. Croix County, Wisconsin, was named for A. W. Chapman, once chief train despatcher of the railroad that runs through this place.
Chetek, Barron County, Wisconsin, was named by Knapp, Stout and Company, lumbermen here, for a Chippewa Indian Chief, whose name by various writers was spelled Chetek, Shetek, Shetack, Shetuc, and Chetack respect- ively. In a very early day in Connecticut the word was spelled Shetucket, and gave the name to a river there, the meaning being "land between two rivers," or, according to another authority, "confluence of rivers."
Chili, Clark County, Wisconsin, was located in 1893 and was named by Ira Fick and Charles Coiedius, from Chili in South America.
Chippewa Falls, Chippewa County, Wisconsin, was named by H. S. Allen in 1847 from the falls (rapids) in the river that runs through the place. The river was named from the noted Chippewa (Ojibway) Indian tribe that inhabited this, as well as other parts of the state. The word means "puckered up," or "to roast till puckered up."
Clarks, St. Croix County, Wisconsin, was named for J. T. Clark, who was Second Vice President of the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha Railroad, when the town was established.
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Clayton, Polk County, Wisconsin, was named for Clayton Rodgers, a foreman of a mill owned by Humbird and Company at this point.
Clear Lake, Polk County, Wisconsin. This town was named from a nearby lake. The town was organized in 1877.
Cliff, Dakota County, Minnesota, was named from nearby cliffs or bluffs and was illustrative of the location. This name was adopted in 1902 as a suggestion from F. L. Slaker, the Superintendent of the railroad that passed through the place. Its earliest name was East Connection.
Cobban, Chippewa County, Wisconsin, was named for S. C. F. Cobban of Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, the owner of much land in the vicinity of this town.
Coburn, Dakota County, Nebraska, was named for Warren and Zerah Colburn, Mathematician and Arithmetrical prodigy respectively, but was misspelled in making the plat of the town and was so recorded and the error allowed to stand. A legend claims that the place was named for "Fred" Colburn, a railroad ticket agent of St. Louis, Missouri, and another asserted it was named for a pugilist, but so far as can now be learned, both these legends are untrue ,and the first named derivation is the correct one, and the one that should go down in history as the true one.
Coffman, Washington County, Nebraska. This town was laid out in 1886 and was named for Dr. V. H. Coffman, who owned the farm on which the town was platted.
Coleridge, Cedar County, Nebraska, was named by an admirer of his "philoso- phy" for Samuel T. Coleridge, the English author-poet and "philosopher." Columbia, Clark County, Wisconsin, was named from the poem "Hail Colum- bia" by the Heckney, Boynton Lumber Company, that had property here. Comfort, Dunn County, Wisconsin, was named for Comfort Starr, a son of W. J. Starr of Eau Clair, Wisconsin. The party giving it this name, said that it would express the hope that all who came here to live would find comfort while dwelling here.
Comstock, Barron County, Wisconsin, was named for Judge H. S. Comstock of Cumberland, Wisconsin.
Concord, Dixon County, Nebraska, was named by Marvin Hughitt, president of the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha Railroad from the Concord (bridge) battlefield in Massachusetts.
Cornell, Chippewa County, Wisconsin, was named for Ezra Cornell, the founder and supporter of Cornell University at Ithaca, New York. The college owned most of the land in this vicinity. The foresight of Mr. Cornell caused him to locate much of the University landscrip in this vicinity. The wisdom of his choice has been demonstrated beyond a question; much of the support of the University having come from the revenue from these lands. Had it not been for Mr. Cornell's perseverance in the case, the land grant would have been frittered away, and hence what is now his immortal monument, but for his sagacity would doubtless have had no existence today.
Couderay, Sawyer County, Wisconsin. This place was named from a nearby lake. The word, however, is a corruption of the proper name of the lake which is Lac Courte Oreille. The name was given to the lake by early French traders and means "Short Ear." It is stated the name was given to the lake owing to a massacre having taken place on its shore, in
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which the victors saved the ears of the victims for a cannibalistic feast, and which is said to have been partaken of on the lake shore. It is notorious that the Huron Indians were cannibals as they killed and made a feast of Stephen (Ettaine) Brule.
County Line, Pierce County, Wisconsin, was so named from the fact that it was located on the line between the counties of St. Croix and Pierce.
Cray, Blue Earth County, Minnesota. This town was named for Lorin Cray, Judge of the Sixth Judicial District of Minnesota, who resided in 1906 at Mankato, Minnesota. He was for many years the attorney of the railroad company.
Crofton, Knox County, Nebraska. This place was named for Mr. J. T. M. Pierce from Crofton Court, a place he owned in England. He spent much time and money in trying to procure the construction of a railroad from Yankton, South Dakota to Norfolk, Nebraska. It was in honor of these efforts that the place was named as it is.
Craig, Burt County, Nebraska, was named by and for W. S. Craig, who es- tablished the town in 1881.
Cumberland, Barron County, Wisconsin, was named by J. A. Humbird in 1873 from the City in Maryland. That city was named for the Duke of Cumber- land, the victor in the Battle of Culloden of Scotch-English history. In an early day, Cumberland, Wisconsin, was called Lake Land, because of the many lakes in the vicinity.
Currie, Murray County, Minnesota, was named in 1872 by Neil Currie, the first settler, for the Currie family. It formerly was called Shetek from the nearby Lake Shetek, on the banks of which, many settlers were massacred by the Sioux Indians in 1862. The name of this lake comes from an Indian word that has many forms of spelling. (For these, and other facts connected with the word see Chetek, Barron County, Wisconsin, in this history of place names).
Dakota City, Dakota County, Nebraska, was established on September 20th, 1855, and was named by Mrs. D. C. Crockwell, the wife of J. D. M. Crock. well, for the Indian tribe. The Indian (Sioux) form of the word is Lakota, Nokota or Dakota, according to the dialect, and signifying "allies," the common Indian name of the confederated Sioux tribes. The word Sioux is a white man's corruption of the Ojibway Indian name, Nadowessious, for the tribe. It meant "snake," "snake like" or "ene- mies."
Dauby, Bayfield County, Wisconsin, was named for Gunder Dauby, formerly connected with the White River Lumber Company at Mason, Minnesota, and who in an early day owned and operated a sawmill at this place.
Deer Park, St. Croix County, Wisconsin. The town was established in 1876 and was named by Otto Neitge, a German who built a twelve foot high fence around one hundred and sixty acres of land adjoining this place, and within this fenced in park, placed over three hundred deer and protected them from Indians and "pot" hunters.
Delft, Cottonwood County, Minnesota, was established in 1892 and was named for the city in Holland by John Bartsch and Henry Wieb. Previous to adopting this name the village was called Wilhelmine, a female given name common in Holland.
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DeSoto, Washington County, Nebraska. This town was opened in 1880 and was named for Hernando de Soto, the renowned Spanish explorer and discoverer of the Mississippi River.
Donald, Taylor County, Wisconsin, was started in 1903 and was named by W. J. Campbell for Donald Campbell, his son. The Fountain-Campbell Lumber Company having large interests here and hereabouts once called the location Fountain and the railroad company caller it Fountain Spur, because of a spur or branch track that was operated for the lumber com- pany. W. J. Campbell was the president of this lumber company.
Doon, Lyon County, Iowa, was established in 1868 .and was named by H. D. Rice, its earliest settler from the "Bonnie Doon" of Robert Burns' poem. Dovray, Murray County, Minnesota. This village was named in 1904 from the township. The township was named by the early Norwegian settlers from Doverfjeld in Norway.
Draper, Sawyer County, Wisconsin, was named for Lyman C. Draper, the projector and devoted life-long secretary of the Wisconsin Historical Society, by whose work a collection of early history has been pre- served in its library, which is not equalled by any other collection any- where. Dr. Draper's entire life was spent in collecting and editing mann- scripts, pamphlets and books of the early history of the North-West and of its founders. To his indefatigable efforts, we are indebted for biographies of a large number of our heroic Indian fighters, who were largely instru- mental in wresting the territory now known as the North-West from the grasp of the savages, and holding it open for the march of civilization. The Wisconsin State Historical Society, with its excellent library of rare and valuable volumes and its large collection of original manuscripts of Wisconsin pioneers, is a lasting monument to Dr. Draper; but heretofore there has been no town or village named for this useful, if not famous, benefactor, and it has fallen to the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha Railway to perpetuate his memory in the annals of Wisconsin.
Drummond, Bayfield County, Wisconsin. This village was started in 1888 and was named by W. A. Rust for F. H. Drummond, the General Manager of the Rust, Owen Lumber Company, that owned large interests here. Duluth, St. Louis County, Minnesota. The city was started in 1856 and its name was suggested by Rev. J. G. Wilson of Logansport, Indiana. It was named for Sieur Daniel Graysolon Duluth, a French traveller, and who was one of the first whites to set foot on the north shore of Lake Superior. The name in some of the Jesuit Relations, is spelled DuLuth, and in others Dulud. The spelling of the name of the place has not fol- lowed these "Relations." "The zenith city of the unsalted sea" today retains the spelling that was first applied to its name.
Dundee, Nobles County, Minnesota, was located in 1879 and was named from the city in Scotland. Its earliest name was Warren, and was named for the immortal Joseph Warren, who fell in the battle of Bunker's Hill.
Bagle Point, Chippewa County, Wisconsin. During the war of the Rebellion, one of the Wisconsin regiments that became justly celebrated, carried with it, when it left Wisconsin, and brought it back at the end of the war, a Bald-headed Eagle, which the regiment named "Old Abe" the familiar and affectionate nickname for President Abraham Lincoln. This eagle was caught in the bluffs near this point, and at the end of the war, when
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the eagle was returned to Wisconsin, the point or bluff was named for him. When the eagle died, its skin was stuffed, and it is preserved in the rooms of the Wisconsin Historical Society at Madison, Wisconsin.
Eastlake, Le Sueur County, Minnesota, was named because of its location near East lake.
Barl, Washburn County, Wisconsin. This place was formerly known as Sin- clair Spur, but its name was changed in 1906 to conform to that of the postoffice. This last name was given it for Earl McDill, a relative of John Whitney the postmaster, who was in charge of the postoffice when the name was changed.
Eagle, Bayfield County, Wisconsin, was named for the eagle and because many every year were seen in the vicinity.
Baton, Pipestone County, Minnesota. This place was at one time named Gray, but was changed to Eaton from a celebrated school in England, at which the Close brothers and Benson were educated. These gentlemen colonized many Englishmen in this county, and the people of this place wished to honor their memories by naming this place for their school.
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