USA > Illinois > Cook County > Chicago > A History of the Origin of the Place Names Connected with the Chicago & North Western and. > Part 5
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Arlington, Washington County, Nebraska. This place was originally called. "Bell Creek" from a nearby stream. This stream was named for the family of an early settler on its banks. Finally L. B. Sheppard and other citziens of the place thought the name was not euphonious enough and in- duced the change to the present form. Its present name came from the place on the Potomac River in Virginia.
Arlington Heights, Cook County, Illinois. This station had been called Brad- ley, Elk Grove and Dunton at various periods of its existence. In 1872 the citizens of the village induced the railway company to change the name of the station, and then the name of the village was made to conform to that of the station.
Armstrong, Iron County, Michigan, was named for a prominent explorer and woodsman of this county, and who was a contractor in building the rail- road that runs through the place.
Arpin, Wood County, Wisconsin, is an elision of the proper name Arpino, a place in Italy.
Arthur, Ida County, Iowa. Named by the citizens for Gen. Arthur, ex-president of the United States. It was platted by the Western Town Lot company in 1885.
Ashland, Ashland County, Wisconsin. The Indian name for the place was Zham-a-wa-mik, "the long stretched beaver." It was platted by the Mil- waukee, Lake Shore and Western Railroad in 1885, and named by Martin Beavor, one of the original owners, from the home of Henry Clay in Ken- tucky. Before this name was adopted it was called Whittlesey, for Adolph Whittlesey, its first postmaster, and then Bay City and St. Mark. This last name came from the campanile of St. Mark in Venice.
Ashton, Lee County, Illinois. The name of this station originally was Ogle, but owing to confusion arising from its being taken for Ogle County, the citi- zens of the village caused the name to be changed to Ashton.
Astoria, Deuel County, South Dakota, was platted by the Western Town Lot company in 1900. Was named from the place in Oregon, and that was named by and for John Jacob Astor of New York City, who established a trading post there in an early day.
Athol, Spink County, South Dakota, was platted by the Western Town Lot company in 1881, and was named from Athol in Massachusetts; that was named for James Murray, Second Duke of Athol of Scotland.
Atkinson, Iron County, Michigan. This place was named for H. W. Atkinson, who owned a mill at this point before the railroad station was estab- lished. It was at one time called Stackville for John Stack of Escanaba, Mich.
Atkinson, Holt County, Nebraska. This town was platted by the Pioneer Town Site company in 1881. It was named for Col. John Atkinson of Detroit, Mich., who had large landed interests hereabouts.
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HISTORY OF THE PLACE NAMES OF THE NORTH WESTERN LINE
Atwood, Keokuk County, Iowa. Named for Daniel Atwood, an officer of the first railroad that reached this location.
Auburn, Sac County, Iowa, was named from Auburn, Cayuga County New York. It was platted by the Western Town Lot company in 1888.
Audubon, Audubon County, Iowa. Was named for J. J. Audubon, the orni- thologist and traveler.
Aurora, Brookings County, South Dakota. Was platted by the Western Town Lot company in 1880, and was named by Mrs. W. R. Stowe of Brookings, S. D., from Aurora, Ill., her old home, which was named from Aurora, N. Y., which was named from the Latin word meaning "morning," "dawn," "east."
Aurora, Kane County, Illinois, was founded by Joseph G. Stolp in 1837, and was named by James McCarty, one of the original owners of the town site, from Aurora, Cayuga County, N. Y.
Austin, Cook County, Illinois, was named by and for Henry W. Austin, who was a large land owner hereabouts and who was prominent in the growth and nurture of the place.
Austin Avenue, Cook County, Illinois, was named from its location on a street of that name, which is the dividing line between the city of Chicago and the village of Oak Park.
Avenue, Cook County, Illinois. Named from the street Oak Park avenue in Oak Park. Its present name was adopted by the railroad company because of its shortness. La Vallette for a time was applied as the name of this station, and was so named from a place in New Jersey, which was named for an old New Jersey family.
Avondale, Cook County, Illinois. Named by Brian Philpot who platted the town site. He made the name by taking "Avon" from the river in Eng- land upon which Shakespear's home was situated and to it added the word "dale."
Bagley, Menominee County, Michigan. Named by S. G. Baldwin, the then superintendent of the railroad, for ex-Gox. J. J. Bagley, of Michigan.
Bain Junction, Kenosha County, Wisconsin. This name merely indicates a point that is shown on the time table of the road. The name has no his- torical significance. The name "Bain" was taken from the name of the Bain Wagon Company of Kenosba.
Baldwin, Jackson County, Iowa. The original name was "Fremont," named for "The Pathfinder," but was by the citizens changed to Baldwin, for Edward Baldwin, the original owner of the land on which the town was established.
Balaton, Lyon County, Minnesota, named from a lake in Hungary, Europe. Platted by the Winona and St. Peter Railroad Company in 1879.
Ballous, Menominee County, Michigan. This place was named for M. H. Ballous, who had charge of a mill for making barrel stock located here when the station was founded.
Balsam, Iron County, Michigan. This place was named from the Balsam Fir (Abies balsamea) trees that abounded here when the railroad was built through this locality.
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HISTORY OF THE PLACE NAMES OF THE NORTH WESTERN LINE
Bay Siding, Delta County, Michigan. This name merely indicates a point that is shown on the time table of the road. The name has no historical sig- nificance.
Bancroft, Kossuth County, Iowa, was named by Judge A. C. Call, of Algona, agent of the American Emigrant Association, for George Bancroft, the historian. This town was platted by the Western Town Lot Company, in 1881.
Bancroft, Portage County, Wisconsin, was named for George Bancroft, the American historian.
Bangor, LaCrosse County, Wisconsin. Named by the early settlers at the suggestion of John Wheldon, from Bangor in Wales, many of the early settlers here having come from Wales.
Baraboo, Sauk County, Wisconsin. Named for Jean Baribault, an early French trapper and settler. The river of this name was by J. A. Lapham, a local historian, asserted to have been named for a Capt. Barabeary, who was alleged to have been an officer in Morgan's expedition against the Indians, but there does not seem to be any real evidence to sustain his- story, and it is very certain the river was named after Jean Baribault, who lived on this stream before Morgan's expedition was even thought of. Barclay, Ontonagon County, Michigan, was named for John Barclay, an old settler.
Bark River, Delta County, Michigan. Named from the river on which it is situated. That was named by the engineers who located the railroad along its course from the fact that when they first saw it, it was full of float- ing bark. At one time the place was called "Barkville."
Barneveld, Iowa County, Wisconsin. Named for John of Barneveld, one of the heroes of the wars between the Netherlands and Spain, and whose life and times are made the basis of a history by Motley, the American his- torian. His proper name was Oldenbarneveld, but it has passed into history in the shortened form. As advocate, president, attorney general and minister of foreign affairs, for forty years, it might be said he was the whole republic and the real founder of the commonwealth. While William. of Orange was the founder of its independence Barneveld made it perma- nent and respected.
Barrington, Cook County, Illinois. Named from the township in which it is- located; that was named by an early settler from Great Barrington, Mass. Bartel, Ozaukee County, Wisconsin. Was named for John Bartel, a nearby farmer and early settler here.
Barton, Washington County, Wisconsin. Named by and for Barton Salisbury, the original owner of the town site. At one time (1847) the place was called Salisbury's Mills; and at another time (1848) Newark, but in 1853 its present name became fixed and has so since remained.
Bassett, Rock County, Nebraska, was named for J. W. Bassett, a ranchman, who in 1871 took into the country the first "bunch" of cattle to test the quality and fitness of the native grasses for cattle food, and who thus. became the founder of one of the most important industries of the state.
Bassetts, Kenosha County, Wisconsin. Named by and for R. L. Bassett, the. original owner of the town site. He died here in 1907.
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HISTORY OF THE PLACE NAMES OF THE NORTH WESTERN LINE
Basswood, Iron County, Michigan. The name of this station was suggested by the "Basswood" (Tilia Americana) or "Linden" that grew around the place. At one time the place was called "Hemlock" from the tree of that name.
Batavia, Kane County, Illinois. Named from the city of that name in New York State. The earlier name was "Big Wood" and was given it by Christopher Payne, who in 1838, built the first cabin here. The name Batavia came from the Batavian republic which was applied to Holland by the French after its conquest in 1795.
Battle Creek, Ida County, Iowa. Named from an adjacent stream, which derived its name from the fact that a battle had been fought by Indians on its banks near this station site.
Battle Creek, Madison County, Nebraska, was named from a nearby stream on which a battle was fought by Nebraska volunteer militiamen under Gen. John M. Thayer with the Pawnee Indians. The town was laid out by the Pioneer Town Site Company in 1884.
Bay View, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, was named because of its location on the Bay of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and because of the fine view up the lake that is had from this location.
Beach, Lake County, Illinois, was originally called Benton from the township, and that was named for Senator Thomas H. Benton of Missouri. The present name was given on account of the location on the shore (beach) of Lake Michigan.
Beaman, Grundy County, Iowa. Named by and for H. H. Beaman, the original owner of the town site. It was once called Wa-di-loupe, and this was supposed to mean "forks of the Wolf" River, on which it is located.
Bear Creek, Outagamie County, Wisconsin. Was named from the nearby stream. The stream was named by early settlers thereon, who found many bears along it.
Bear Trap, Ashland County, Wisconsin. Was named by an early settler because he had caught in a trap a black bear at this point some time before the town was located.
Beaver, Boone County, Iowa. There is doubt as to the origin of this name, one story being to the effect that it was named for a citizen of Cedar Rapids, lowa; and the other, that it was named for an adjacent stream on which beavers (Castor Canadensis) were found as late as 1856. This last is probably the true story of the name.
Beaver, Delta County, Michigan. Named from the many beavers (Castor Canadensis) dams that were found nearby when the station was estab- lished.
Beaver Crossing, Seward County, Nebraska. Was platted by the Pioneer Town Cite Company in 1887. The overland trail from Fort Leavenworth, joining the Platte River trail near here, crossed Beaver Creek at the ford near this place, and the town took its name from that crossing place.
Bee, Seward County, Nebraska. The political township in which this town is located is "B" township on the land department maps. This name was adopted for the town by adding two "es" to the "B" so as to make a name that would be understood. It was laid out by the Pioneer Town Site Company in 1887.
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HISTORY OF THE PLACE NAMES OF THE NORTH WESTERN LINE
Beechwood, Iron County, Michigan. The name for this place was suggested by many Beech trees (Fagus ferrugonia) that are found in this locality. Beemer, Cuming County, Nebraska. Was named by and for Albert Beemer, at one time sheriff of Cuming County and afterwards a state official at Lin- coln. He laid out and owned the town site. In early days the place was called "Rock Creek," because it was located on a creek of that name. The creek was so named because its bottom was covered with rocks, which was very unusual in streams in this part of the state.
Belgium, Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, was named because the early settlers around it had emigrated from Belgium, in Europe.
Belle Fourche, Butte County, South Dakota. Named from the north fork of the Cheyenne River, which was by the early French explorers called "Belle Fourche" (beautiful fork). The town was platted by the Pioneer Town Site Company in 1890. In 1884 the original village was called "DeMores" from the French Marquis DeMores, who had a stock ranch near here.
Belle Plaine, Benton County, Iowa, named from the French, meaning "beauti- ful plain," and was indicative of the beautiful and extensive plain that surrounded the place when the location of the town was made.
Belle Plaine, Shawano County, Wisconsin. Was named from the French mean- ing "beautiful plain," and was indicative of its surroundings when it was so named.
Bellevue, Brown County, Wisconsin, was named from the French word mean- ing "beautiful view," and was believed to be indicative of the locality.
Beloit, Rock County, Wisconsin. Its names previous to 1837 were "Turtle Creek" and "New Albany." In 1837 the citizens gave it its present name. The name was coined from the name Detroit by a committee who was asked to select a name for the village.
Belvidere, Boone County, Illinois, was named by Samuel P. Doty, the first white settler, who claimed that he named it at the suggestion of Mark Beaubien, an early French settler of Chicago, who fancied the country around it resembled Belvidere near Weimar in Saxe-Gotha, Germany. There is a Belvidere in New Jersey, New York, North Carolina and Vermont re- spectively and a Belvedere in Italy and it alleged that all of them were named directly or indirectly from the place in Germany.
Benld. Macoupin County, Illinois. This town was established in 1903 and named for Benjamin L. Dorsey, the founder of the Dorsey family of this county. The name is made up of the sylable "Ben" from Mr. Dorsey's given name, and the initials "L" and "D", which were also taken from Mr. Dorsey's name.
Bennington, Douglas County, Nebraska, was platted by the Pioneer Town Sito Company in 1887, and named for Bennington in Vermont, which was named for Gov. Benning Wentworth of New Hampshire.
Benton, La Fayette County, Wisconsin. Named for United States Senator Thomas H. Benton ("Old bullion"), of Missouri.
Beresford, Union County, South Dakota. Named for Admiral (Lord) Charles Beresford of England. It was laid out by the Western Town Lot Com- pany in 1883.
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HISTORY OF THE PLACE NAMES OF THE NORTH WESTERN LINE
Berne, Crawford County, Iowa, was named and platted by the Western Town Lot Company in 1899, and named from the city and canton, in Switzerland. Berryville, Kenosha County, Wisconsin. Around this place are many large fruit farms on which many strawberries, raspberries, gooseberries and blackberries are grown. The place was named from this fact.
Bertram, Linn County, Iowa. Named for Capt. John Bertram of Massachusetts, who assisted in building the first railroad that ran through Linn County, Iowa.
Bessemer, Gogebic County, Michigan, was named by Mr. F. W. Rhinelander," from the nearby mine. That was named for Henry Bessemer, the English inventor of the process for the reduction of iron that bears his name. The town was platted by the Milwaukee, Lake Shore and Western Railroad Company in 1884. The first iron ore that was discovered in the Gogebic range was found at this place and in what is now known as the "Colby Mine."
Beverly, Linn County, Iowa, was named from Beverly, Mass., which was derived from Beverly in Yorkshire, England.
Big Muddy, Converse County, Wyoming, was named from a nearby stream. That was translated from the name given it by the early French traders- Grande riviere vaseuse-"Great Muddy River."
Big Suamico, Brown County, Wisconsin. Named from the French Indian name given to the Big Suamico River. The words meant "big sand," "yellow beaver," or "yellow residence place." The Indian word was 0-80-wa- mick-kong.
Birch, Ashland County, Wisconsin, was so named because the vicinity was covered with white birch (Betula pupuliopolia) trees.
Birch Creek, Menominee County, Michigan. Named from the river on which it is located. That was named from the fact that the river was densely shaded by black birch (Betula lenta) trees.
Birnamwood, Shawno County, Wisconsin, was named from Birnamwood, men- tioned by Shakespeare in his play "Macbeth."
Black Hawk, Meade County, South Dakota, was named from a nearby stream, and that was named for the Sac and Fox Indian chief, Ma-ka-tai-me-shep, kia-kiak, or "Black Hawk," who died on the Des Moines River in Iowa, October 1, 1838, about six years after his final defeat in the cele- brated "Black Hawk war." The town was platted by the Pioneer Town Site Company in 1887.
Black Tail, Lawrence County, South Dakota. The place was named because of the many black tailed deer (Arvus Lewisii) found in the gulch in an early day. The station was once named Gayville for Mr. William (Bill) Gay, a noted character in the early days of the Black Hills.
Blair, Washington County, Nebraska, was named for John I. Blair, of Blairs- town, N. J., who was largely instrumental in building the first railroad that passed through this place.
*Note .- For many years Mr. Rhinelander was the president of the then Milwaukee, Lake Shore and Western Railroad Company, and as such named many of the stations that were established while the road was under construction.
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HISTORY OF THE PLACE NAMES OF THE NORTH WESTERN LINE
Blairstown, Benton County, Iowa. Named for John I. Blair, of Blairstown, N. J., who was president of the Blair Town Lot and Land Company that platted the town site.
Blemers, Gogebic County, Michigan, was named for Gustave Blemers, a road- master of the first railroad that reached this place.
Blencoe, Monona County, Iowa, was named from a place in Canada, whence a former settler near this place had emigrated.
Blodgett, Cook County, Illinois, was named for Judge Henry W. Blodgett, a noted judge of the United States courts, and once the general counsel of the Chicago and Milwaukee Railroad.
Blue Earth City, Fairbault County, Minnesota. The town was laid out by H. P. Carstans and J. B. Wakefield, and was named from the Blue Earth Biver; the river was so named because of the bluish hue of the earth on its banks due to the presence of copper.
Blue Mounds, Dane County, Wisconsin. Named by the early French mission- aries from three nearby high mounds and on account of the bluish appear- ance of these mounds when seen from a distance.
Bluff Siding, Buffalo County, Wisconsin, was named from the precipitous rocky "bluffs" at this point.
Blunt, Hughes County, South Dakota, was named for John E. Blunt, who was chief engineer of the Chicago and North Western Railway when the station was established. Mr. Blunt was also an officer of the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad at a very early day.
Bolton, Vilas County, Wisconsin, was named from Bolton in Massachusetts, which was named for Charles Powlet, third duke of Bolton, of England.
Bonesteel, Gregory County, South Dakota, was named for H. E. Bonesteel of the forwarding firm of Bonesteel and Turner, who freighted merchandise through this part of the country before any railroad had reached it.
Boone, Boone County, Iowa. When the county was organized, Boonesboro, a mile or so north of the present city of Boone was named from the county and was made the county seat. When the railroad was built east and west through the county, a site on the railroad was platted and was called Montana, a Latin word meaning "Mountainous regions" because of the rolling character of the land around the site. Ultimately Boones- boro became a part of the city and the name Montana was dropped and the municipality became Boone, which was named from the county.
Bordeaux, Dawes County, Nebraska, was named from the stream on which it is located. That was named for Pierre Bordeaux, a French trapper and trader on this stream, who took the name of and emigrated from Bor- deaux, in France.
Botna, Shelby .County, Iowa. Its early name was Rochdale. Its present name is an abbreviation of Nishnabotna, the Indian name of the stream that flows through the place. It meant a "canoe making river." It was platted as Rochdale by the Western Town Lot Company in 1884, and was named from a place in England.
Bowen, Washington County, Nebraska, was platted by the Pioneer Town Site Company in 1886 and named for John S. Bowen, an early settler of Blair, Neb.
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HISTORY OF THE PLACE NAMES OF THE NORTH WESTERN LINE
Boyer, Crawford County, Iowa, was laid out by the Western Town Lot Com- pany, in 1889. The place was named from the stream that flows past the town. The stream was named for the Boyer family of Berks County, Pennsylvania, one of that family having been a hunter and trapper amongst the Indians in this part of Iowa. The stream is mentioned by Lewis and Clark and also by Maximilian, Prince of Weid, who explored this part of the country in an early day.
Bradgate, Humboldt County, Iowa, was originally named "Willow Glen," this name was changed by the early settlers to Bradgate. It was platted by the Western Town Lot Company in 1882. The name Bradgate was coined for its use here.
Bradish, Boone County, Nebraska, was laid out by the Pioneer Town Site Com- pany in 1888, and it was named for George Bradish, an engineer in charge of track laying on the railroad that runs through the place.
Brainard, Butler County, Nebraska, was named by the Union Pacific Railroad Company for David Brainard, a celebrated missionary to the Indians.
Bramhall, Hyde County, South Dakota, was named by W. N. Brayton, the original owner of the town site. The name was made for the place.
Brampton, Delta County, Michigan. This station was named from a city in England. Its first name was Day's River, and was named for a nearby river that was named for John Day, an explorer, trapper and hunter.
Branch, Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, was named from the nearby river. At one time the village was called Zalesburg for the family name of an early settler from Germany.
Blackwell Junction, Forest County, Wisconsin, was named for the owner, John Blackwell, of a nearby sawmill, and from the fact that it is the junction of a mill road from said sawmill to the railroad.
Bowler, Shawano County, Wisconsin, was named for Col. J. C. Bowler, who owned property in this vicinity.
Bonduel, Shawano County, Wisconsin, was named from a nearby long estab- lished postoffice. That was named for the first postmaster of the place.
Box Elder, Pennington County, South Dakota, was named from the nearby stream. That was so named because along its banks the "Box Elder" (Acer negundo) grows in great abundance.
Breed, Oconto County, Wisconsin, was named by and for George M. Breed, who was the first postmaster of the village.
Breda, Carroll County, Iowa, was named from Breda, in Holland, Europe, by P. E. Hall for Mrs. J. La Duc, an early settler here, who had emigrated from Breda.
Brennan, Pennington County, South Dakota, was named for John R. Brennan, an early settler and notable man in this part of South Dakota. He settled there before Indian titles to the lands were adjusted and suffered from Indian depredations. He finally became United States Indian agent for the same Indians who had sought his scalp.
Bricelyn, Faribault County, Minnesota, was named by and for John Brice, who owned and platted the town site.
Brillion, Calumet County, Wisconsin, is the misspelled name of Brilion, a town in Prussia, from which it was named.
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HISTORY OF THE PLACE NAMES OF THE NORTH WESTERN LINE
Bristol, Kenosha County, Wisconsin, was named by Alfred Giddings from the township. That was named in 1836 for two brothers, George and Lester Bristol, early settlers.
Bristow, Boyd County, Nebraska, was platted by the Pioneer Town Site Com- pany in 1902, and was named for Secretary of the Treasury Benjamin H. Bristow, of President Grant's cabinet.
Broadland, Beadle County, South Dakota, was named by the owner of the farm adjoining the station, from the broad valley in which the farm and station are located. It was laid out by the Western Town Lot Company in 1881.
Broadmoor, Stark County, Illinois, was platted in 1901 and named from the appearance of the surrounding country, viz., like a broad, wide "Moor," or meadow. It formerly was called Bradford, from the place in Penn- sylvania.
Brock, Nomaha County, Nebraska, was named for Henry Brock, an early settler and farmer of this vicinity.
Bronson, Woodbury County, Iowa, was laid out by the Western Town Lot Com- pany in 1901, and was named for Ira D. Bronson, an emigrant from Fort Scott, Kan.
Brookings, Brookings County, South Dakota. Named by W. H. Skinner, an early settler for the Hon. Wilmot W. Brookings, an early settler and a delegate to congress from the territory of Dakota. It was laid out by the Western Town Lot Company in 1880.
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