Of course, not all the hidden history is so grim. It's interesting to know that Shepherdstown, W.Va., has had several name changes. When it was no more than a crossing point on the Potomac, it was called Pack Horse Ford. When the community was founded there, it was originally named Mecklenberg. The name was later changed to recognize Thomas Shepherd, who purchased the legal grant to the land.
Some name changes raise intriguing questions.
Why was Potomac, Md. Besides satisfying such idle curiosity, the study of Potomac place names illustrates how the environment here has variously been regarded first as a shared home, then a resource to exploit, and finally a canvas for human construction. Few realize that the relationship between the city and the river is far from accidental. When George Washington argued for placing the capital here, he pointed out that the Potomac did more than provide convenient deep-water harbors for trade. In fact, the Potomac was the center of a unique transportation network including a long navigable river, numerous tributaries, well-established Indian trails, and mountain passes.