USA > Illinois > Cook County > Chicago > A History of the Origin of the Place Names Connected with the Chicago & North Western and. > Part 6
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23
Brooklyn, Green County, Wisconsin, was named by John E. Blunt, the engineer in charge who located the railroad. through the place. The name of the station was from the township and that was named for the city in New York State.
Brookside, Oconto County, Wisconsin, was named from its location alongside of a brook.
Brule, Florence County, Wisconsin, was named from the Brule River that runs near the station. The river was, on the suggestion of Lyman C. Draper, the founder and for a long life time, the devoted secretary of the Wis- consin Historical Society, named to honor the memory of Etienne (Stephen, in English) Brule, a French explorer. It is a fiction to say that the river was named from a tribe of Indians, as the Brule Sioux were never known in this vicinity. Their roaming grounds were and still are on the Missouri River. They were named "Brule" in derision, from a large party of them having been caught in a fire that was set by their enemies and were badly burned about the legs. It is also fiction to say that the river or any river in Wisconsin, was named "Brule" because of the burnt timber on the banks. Stephen (Etienne in French) Brule was born in Champigny, France in 1592 and came to New France (Canada), with Champlain in 1608. Champlain destined the boy for an explorer and interpreter and induced an Algonquin Indian chief to take the boy and teach him the "Huron" language and teach him the Indian ways and wiles. Brule never wrote an account of his explorations but reported them verbally to Champlain and his other superiors so that we have to take the word of others as to his work. It is clear that his first journey with the Algon- quin Indians "resulted in the first exploration ever made west of the great river of Canada (the St. Lawrence), and in the discovery of Lake
48
HISTORY OF THE PLACE NAMES OF THE NORTH WESTERN LINE
Huron, ten years before the landing of the Pilgrims on Plymouth Rock." It was only six years after Henry Hudson first saw the Hudson River that Stephen Brule stood on the shores of Lake Huron. He was the first white man to see this great lake. In one of his earliest journeyings he visited a copper mine on the north shore of Lake Huron and took back with him to Champlain an ingot of copper that he got from the Indians at the mine. It is believed that when he made this trip to Lake Huron he discovered Lake Superior. Brule was the first white man to ascend the Ottawa River, to see Lake Nipissing-to descend French River, and as is stated above, to see Lake Huron. He probably was also the first white man to see the Falls of Niagara, as he was sent there by Champlain to secure Indian allies who had promised to help Champlain in one of his Indian wars. It is certain that while on this mission he saw the falls, and traversed what now is Western New York State. This was in 1615, and only eight years after Jamestown, Va., was settled. He visited the head waters of the Susquehanna River, followed it to the salt water, and explored the country around Chesapeake Bay. He was with the "Huron" Indians until 1618 and by Champlain's orders went again to Lake Huron. On this trip he was accompanied by Grenoble (Crenoble of some writers). He visited Sault de Ste. Marie, and was the first white man to see it. He called the people (Indians) around the Sault, Sautuers or "people of the falls." They were the ancestors of the modern Otchipwas (misnamed Ojibways and now generally known as Chippewas). These two Frenchmen went up Saint Marie's River, skirted the shores of Lake Superior in their canoes, visited Isle Royale, on the north shore of the Lake, and went west at least to the mouth of the St. Louis River, near where the cities of Duluth and Superior are located. In 1625, Brule again was with the Huron Indians. He discovered and visited Lake Ontario, ten years before Cartier had ever heard of it, as Cartier first heard of it in 1635. Cartier, however, never saw the lake, nor did Champlain ever see it. Champlain visited Lake Huron with Brule on one of his trips there, and in his report called it "Mer douce," "the fresh (sweet) water sea." Brule was finally killed and eaten by the Huron Indians. From this brief narrative it can be seen why Lyman C. Draper wished to perpetuate the memory of this explorer by attaching his name to one of the rivers of Wisconsin.
Bruce, Brookings County, South Dakota, was named for the son of one of the officers of the railroad, by L. A. Robinson, of St. Paul. It was laid out by M. M. Kirkman, of Chicago, and by him deeded to the Western Town Lot Company. The village was originally called Lee, but that name was dropped and the town and station were called Bruce.
Bruno, Butler County, Nebraska. The name is a corruption of Brno, the name of a city in Bohemia, Europe. It was platted by the Pioneer Town Site Company in 1887. Enunciation of this name being so difficult, the letter "u" was added and the present form made. Its first name was Skull Creek.
Bryant, Clinton County, Iowa, was named by Isaac Howe, a railroad civil engineer, for William Cullen Bryant, the poet, and the editor of The Evening Post of New York City.
49
HISTORY OF THE PLACE NAMES OF THE NORTH WESTERN LINE
Bryant, Langlade County, Wisconsin, was named for Sherburn M. Bryant, of Milwaukee, the owner of most of the farm land in the vicinity, and who was also a large owner of timber in this locality.
Buda, Bureau County, Illinois, was named for Buda, in Austria, Europe. Buckbee, Waupaca County, Wisconsin, was named for Col. J. E. Buckbee, late of the Sixth Michigan regiment, United States volunteers.
Buckingham, Tama County, Iowa, was named from the county in Virginia and that was named from Buckinghamshire, in England, which gave its name to the many Dukes of Buckingham of English history.
Bucknum, Natrona County, Wyoming. Was named on December 27, 1907, for C. K. Bucknum, a member of the Wyoming legislature and a large ranch owner, near the station, by Frank Walters, manager of the railroad.
Bull Creek, Pennington County, South Dakota, was named from the nearby Bull Creek, which is a branch of the south fork of the Cheyenne river. The creek was named by trappers who found a buffalo bull "stalled" in the creek where it had been driven by its fellows.
Buffalo Gap, Custer County, South Dakota, was named from a nearby "gap" in the "hills" through which the Buffalo fork of the Cheyenne River came out of the hills. It was laid out by the Pioneer Town Site Company in 1885. In a recent day this "Buffalo fork" was frequented as "feeding grounds" by thousands of buffalo (Bos Americana). This fact gave it its Indian name, of which the present name is a transliteration.
Buncombe, La Fayette County, Wisconsin, was named for "Buncombe" Gillett, the owner of an adjoining farm, who was a prominent local politician when the station and town were established.
Burchard, Lyon County, Minnesota, was formerly called Redwood and Shel- burn, but was finally named, in 1886, for the Hon. H. M. Burchard, an early land agent of the railroad company at Marshall, Minn. The town was laid out by the Winona and St. Peter Railroad Company in 1886.
Burke's Siding, Fall River County, South Dakota, was named for John L. Burke, then a nearby settler and stone quarry man and now (1907) register of the United States land office in Rapid City, South Dakota.
Barnett Junction, Dodge County, Wisconsin, was named from the township, which was named for Ellsworth Burnett, a member of a United States surveying party, who was shot in 1836 by Indians on Rock River, near the present site of Horicon, Wisconsin.
Burke, Gregory County, South Dakota, was named for Congressman C. H. Burke, of Pierre, Hughes County, S. D.
Burkmere, Faulk County, South Dakota, was named for John M. Burke, a director of the Chicago and North Western Railway Company. It was laid out by the Western Town Lot Company in 1886. The name is made up of Burke and mere. The last part of the word is used for euphony only. Burnside, Outagamie County, Wisconsin, was named for Gen. A. E. Burnside, of Rhode Island, of the War of the Rebellion.
Burr, Yellow Medicine County, Minnesota. The town was platted under the name of Stanley by the Winona and St. Peter Railroad Company in 1886. The present name was given it for Burr Anderson, an early settler.
Burt, Kossuth County, Iowa, was named for Horace G. Burt, once chief engineer of the Chicago and North Western Railway Company. It was platted by the Western Town Lot Company in 1881.
50
HISTORY OF THE PLACE NAMES OF THE NORTH WESTERN LINE
Butterfield, Watonwan County, Minnesota, was named by and for William Butterfield, the owner of the town site and its first settler.
Buxton, Monroe County, Iowa, was named for John E. Buxton, for many years manager of extensive coal mines here.
Byron, Olmsted County, Minnesota, was named at the suggestion of G. W. VanDusen, an early grain buyer, for his old home, Port Byron, in New York State. The place was once named Bear Grove, from the fact that in early days many bears were found nearby.
Cadams, Nuckolls County, Nebraska, was platted by the Pioneer Town Site Company in 1901. It was named for C. Adams, a banker of Superior, Neb. The initial "C." of his given name was added to his family name.
Calamus, Clinton County, Iowa, was named by S. B. Walker from a nearby "Calamus slough" in which a large quantity of Acorus-calamus (sweet flag) grew long before and also when the station was established.
Caledonia, Boone County, Illinois, was named by John Ralston, the original owner of the town site, from Caledonia one of the poetical names of Scotland.
Caledonia Mine, Iron County, Wisconsin, was named from a nearby iron ore mine, the mine was named for Caledonia, one of the poetical names of Scotland.
Calhoun, Waukesha County, Wisconsin, was named for George E. Calhoun, the owner of the farm on which the station was established.
Cadoma, Natrona County, Wyoming. This name is an Indian word and means "to hide" or "to secrete."
California Junction, Harrison County, Iowa. The first name of this state was Yazoo, from the Yazoo Landing on the Missouri River a few miles distant. The name was changed by John I. Blair, who expected that passengers going to and coming from California would be forced to change cars at this station.
Callon, Marathon Coounty, Wisconsin, was named for Patrick Callon, the owner of large tracts of land in this vicinity. He lived at Wausau, Wis- consin.
Calvary, Cook County, Illinois, was named from Calvary Cemetery, for which the station was established, and that now lies alongside the station grounds. The cemetery was named for the place where Christ was crucified.
Calvary, Fond du lac County, Wisconsin, was named by F. M. Barrett, a rail- road contractor, from the Calvary Convent located near the station. The convent was named from the place where Christ was crucified.
Cambria, Blue Earth County, Minnesota, was platted by the Western Town Lot Company in 1900; the village was named from the township and that was named from the ancient name of Wales.
Camache, Clinton County, Iowa, was named for the Comanche Indian tribe. The spelling of the name of the town was adopted because it was thought it would make a more euphoneus sound than the real Indian word.
Campbell, Delta County, Michigan, was named for Robert Campbell, a contractor who built a part of the Peninsula Railroad of Michigan between Escanaba and Negaunee.
Campbellsport, Fond du lac County, Wisconsin, was named for Stuart Campbell. the first settler in the place. The earliest name was New Cassel from Cassel in Germany.
51
HISTORY OF THE PLACE NAMES OF THE NORTH WESTERN LINE
Camp Grove, Marshall County, Illinois, was platted by the Railway Company in 1901, and was named from a large camp that existed in a nearby grove, when the town was platted.
Camp Logan, Lake County, Illinois, was named for Gen. John A. Logan, of Illinois.
Canby, Yellow Medicine County, Minnesota, was named for Gen. E. S. R. Canby, of the United States Army, who was murdered by the Modoe Indians. The town was laid out and named by the Winona and St. Peter Railroad Company in 1886.
Canistota, McCook County, South Dakota, was named from a place in New York State; this place was named from the Indian word canistoe, meaning "board on the water." It was laid out by the Western Town Lot Com- pany in 1883.
Canning, Hughes County, South Dakota, was named for George Canning, the British statesman and orator.
Canova, Miner County, South Dakota, was named for Antonio Canova, the Italian artist (sculptor). It was platted by the Western Town Lot Com- pany in 1883.
Capa, Stanley County, South Dakota, this town was platted by the Western. Town Lot Company and named Russell to honor Mr. J. R. Russell. He objected to this use of his name, then the name was changed to Capa on the suggestion of Mr. Doane Robinson, the accomplished secretary of the South Dakota Historical Society. The word is Sioux Indian for Beaver. (Castor Canadensis.)
Capron, Boone County, Illinois, was named for Capt. John Capron, an early settler of this county. The first name given the place was Helgason, and it was so named in derision by S. R. Lattimer, its first postmaster.
Carbondale, Menominee County, Michigan, was named from the location of char- coal kilns here. They made charcoal for use in iron furnaces in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
Careyhurst, Converse County, Wyoming, was named for Hon. John M. Carey, United States senator from Wyoming, who owned large tracts of land along the Platte River in this vicinity.
Carnarvon, Sac County, Iowa, was named by H. M. Hughes for the county and city of this name in Wales, from whence he emigrated. Before this name was given the place it was called Wall Lake Junction, owing to its rela- tion to Wall Lake, a noted body of water in this vicinity.
Carlisle, Fillmore County, Nebraska, was platted in 1901 under the name Walters. by the Pioneer Town Site Company, but the name was changed to honor John G. Carlisle, secretary of the treasury under President Grover Cleve- land.
Carlton, Dekalb County, Illinois. The first name was Newtown, and was so named because it was a new town as compared with other places in the county. The present name is from Carlton, N. Y., and that place was named from a place in England.
Carters Siding, Forest County, Wisconsin, was named for John Carter, who built the first house in what is now the village. He was a carpenter and took his wife and two little girls with him and settled in what was then a dense wilderness.
52
HISTORY OF THE PLACE NAMES OF THE NORTH WESTERN LINE
Carney, Menominee County, Michigan, was named by Isaac Stephenson of Marinette, Wisconsin for Frederick Carney, of Marinette, who had a warehouse at this point when the village was established.
Carnforth, Poweshiek County, Iowa, was named from a place one of the officers of the railroad company found in a book he happened to be reading when he was asked to name the station.
Carnforth Crossing, Poweshiek County, Iowa, was named from the station above named.
Carpentersville, Kane County, Illinois, was named by and for D. G. Carpenter, an early settler in Kane County.
Carroll, Carroll County, Iowa, was named from the county, and this was named for Charles Carroll of Carrollton, Md., of Revolutionary fame.
Carrollville, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, was named by and for Patrick Carroll. The name of the postoffice is Otjen and was named for Theobald Otjen, once a member of congress from Wisconsin.
Carson, Iron County, Wisconsin, was named for John B. Carson, a prominent railroad man of Ohio, Illinois and Indiana, and who was an inveterate fisherman, and who penetrated the country around this place long before any settlers lived here and before the railroad came.
Cartersville, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, was named for a character-"Col. . Carter, of Cartersville"-in a popular work of fiction.
Carthage, Miner County, South Dakota, was named by F. B. Ward, a town site agent, from Carthage, N. Y. The town was platted by the Western Town Lot Company in 1883.
Cary, McHenry County, Illinois, was named for W. D. Cary, the original owner of the site of the station grounds.
Cascade Junction, Marquette County, Michigan, was named from the Cascade Iron Mining Company, that opened and operated iron mines near this locality.
Casper, Natrona County, Wyoming, was platted by the Pioneer Town Site Company in 1889. This town and station takes its name from Fort Casper. The main overland trail going up the Platte Valley crossed to the north side of the river near this place. During the troubles with the Sioux Indians about 1864 a detachment of the Ohio volunteer infantry was stationed there to protect the bridge over the Platte and also to give protection to the overland travelers. These troops were commanded by a colonel who had a son, a young man eighteen or twenty years of age, whose first name was Casper. One day the Indians appeared a few miles away on the hills on the north side of the Platte and as the Indian force did not seem to be large, this boy asked permission of his father to go out with some of the soldiers and drive the Indians off. In the fight which resulted the boy was killed. Afterwards some "adobe" barracke were erected on the south side of the river at the end of the bridge and was kept for a time as a regular military post, and was given the name of Fort Casper in memory of this young man.
Castana, Monona County, Iowa, was named by J. P. B. Day, one of the first settlers here, from what he understood to be the Latin word for Chestnuts, as he thought the oak trees growing there resembled the chinkapin (Castana pumila). The village around the station was laid out by the Western Town Lot Company in 1886, and the name of the old settlement retained
53
HISTORY OF THE PLACE NAMES OF THE NORTH WESTERN LINE
therefor. Another story says that the name came from Castalia, famous springs near Delphi in ancient Greece on the slope of Mount Parnassus, and another legend is, that the name came from a place in Asia-Minor.
Castlewood, Hamlin County, South Dakota. Much fiction has been made and propagated as to the origin of the name of this place. Amongst this fiction is a story to the effect that the name of the place was made from the names of two trainmen who were said to have run the first train of the railroad that runs through the place. The simple fact that the town was named Castlewood and platted and fixed as the county seat of Hamlin County many years before the railroad was built to or through it, is sufficient of itself to prove the falsity of that story. The true story of the name and of the naming of the place is this: In the early eighties, Mr. J. S. Keator, of Davenport, Iowa, bought 15,000 acres of land in Hamlin County, established his headquarters in a hotel in Watertown, S. D., and started in to open up a farm or ranch in the center of his tract, about eleven miles south of Watertown, to which point he drove his team daily, or nearly so. He located the town site, and his daughter, or a lady member of his family, named the same, Castlewood, from the American home of Henry Esmond in Thackeray's novel, The Virginians. This novel opens with a description of this Castlewood and says it was named from Castlewood in the County of Hants, England. The Virginian Castlewood, was, by Thackeray, located in Westmoreland County, Virginia, in which George Washington was born. Mr. Keator told this story to Charles Williams, member of congress for Wisconsin, to C. W. Tyson, now (1907) of Nashua, N. H., and to the writer of these lines long before any railroad train ever reached this location. When the railroad was built through this place, the Winona and St. Peter Railroad Company located its station here and in 1882 laid out the town and adopted the name the place had already carried for many months if not for years. Outside of all of this, the simple fact that the county seat was named Castlewood, before the railroad, 80 far as is known, was through, is sufficient to prove that no railway train- men's names had any connection whatever with the name of the place. Mr. Keator's story must be accepted as a fact.
Cato, Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, was named by John Hickok from Cato, N. Y. Its former name was Harrisville, so named for N. A. and J. J. Harris; it was afterwards called Nettle Hill, because of the many nettles (Urtica) that grew in the vicinity. Cato, N. Y., was named in honor of the distinguished Roman.
Cavour, Beadle County, South Dakota, was named for Carriello Benno, Count Cavour (an Italian statesman) to honor him as the real father of the railroads of Italy. The town was laid out by the Western Town Lot Com- pany in 1880.
Cecil, Shawano County, Wisconsin, was named for a daughter of one of the officers of the Milwaukee, Lake Shore and Western Railway, when it was constructed through this place.
Cedar, Menominee County, Michigan. Named from the river. This was so named because of the abundant growth of Thuja occidentolis (white cedar) on its banks.
Cedar, Iron County, Wisconsin. The name came from the cedar (Arbor vitae) that abounded around the place when the town was established.
54
HISTORY OF THE PLACE NAMES OF THE NORTH WESTERN LINE
Cedar Bluffs, Saunders County, Nebraska, was platted by the Pioneer Town Site Company in 1886. The town was named because on a nearby abrupt bluff along the river, on which a large quantity of "red cedar" (Juniperus Virginiana) was growing when the place was laid out.
Cedar Grove, Sheboygan County, Wisconsin, was named from a grove of cedar (Thuja occidentolis) trees that grew here when the town was located.
Cedar Rapids, Linn County, Iowa. Named from the rapids in Cedar River at this place. The river was named from the fact that in an early day the Juniperus Virginiana (red cedar) grew on its banks. The town was platted in 1838 by William Stone and was named Columbus. In 1841 it was again laid out by N. B. Brown and others and given its present name.
Center Junction, Jones County, Iowa, was named by the original owners of the town site because it was at the geographical center of the county, and was to be the crossing (junction) place of two railroads.
Central City, Lawrence County, South Dakota, was named because of its location about half way between two other villages in the gulch in which Deadwood, Lead and other villages are located.
Centerville, Turner County, South Dakota. Named by Dr. Jesse Smith in 1871 because of its being midway between Parker and Vermillion on the old stage road. It is on what was known as the Vermillion and Swan Lake stage and United States mail route. The village was platted by the West- ern Town Lot Company in 1883.
Ceresco, Saunders County, Nebraska, was platted by the Pioneer Town Site Company in 1886. This name was built up by Professor Saunderson (who was a teacher in an eastern college before coming to Nebraska) from the Roman Ceres, the goddess of grains and of their harvests.
Ceylon, Martin County, Minnesota, was platted under the name of Tenhassen by the Western Town Lot Company in 1899. Its present name was taken from the island off the southeast coast of India.
Chadron, Dawes County, Nebraska, was platted by the Pioneer Town Site Com- pany in 1885. The town was named from a nearby stream; the stream was named for Pierre Chadron, a French-Indian "squaw-man," who lived and trapped on the stream. He was at one time a trader for the American Fur Company (of St. Louis, Mo.) and had his headquarters at "Winter Quarters" at the mouth of the Cheyenne River above Fort Pierre.
Champion, Marquette County, Michigan, was named for the Champion iron mine that is located nearby.
Charleston, York County, Nebraska, was platted by the Pioneer Town Site Company in 1887 and was named for Charles A. McCloud of York, Neb., who was engaged in procuring the "right of way" while the railroad was being located and built.
Charlotte, Clinton County, Iowa, was named for Mrs. Charlotte Gilman, the wife of the earliest settler in the locality.
Chaison, Delta County, Michigan, was named for Daniel Chaison, who was for thirty-five years a section foreman of the railroad.
Chatfield, Fillmore County, Minnesota, was named for Andrew G. Chatfield, the first United States judge for the territory of Minnesota.
55
HISTORY OF THE PLACE NAMES OF THE NORTH WESTERN LINE
Chelsea, Tama County, Iowa. The original name of this place was Otter Creek Station. The name was changed in 1864 to Chelsea by S. G. Breese, one of the original owners of land near the town site, from Chelsea, Mass. The town was platted by John I. Blair and associates.
Chemung, McHenry County, Illinois, was named by A. M. Seward from Che- mung, N. Y. The name is an Indian word meaning "big horn" or "big horn in the water," the Indians having found the skeleton of a prehistoric monster in the bank of the river.
Chittenden, Lake County, Wisconsin. It was named for Chittenden, Vt., and that was named for Thomas Chittenden, governor of Vermont, 1790-97.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.