Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1849-06-22
ORIGIN OF NAMES &C. IN WISCON
SIN

terestlng to our readers -
1.-The State derives its name form the priIi-E
cipal river which runs centrally through IT,.
The Chippewas upon its head waters call
this river Uees-k0n-san which signifies s'the:
gathering of the waters" They gave It this
name, as an Indian trader informed me, con ac-
count of it's numerous branches near its head
concentrating into one stream, which cafter-s
wards runs so great distance with bufScOTs-.
paratvely few principal branches TO swsfll It's.
current. The French voyager called it%Otsfs-1
corasin, the first syllable of which comes.heaE-,,
er the sound of the Indian than does Wis.,:
The second syllable of the French, II, yeui
give the its hard sound IS more lika. Kan
than con but the last syllable (sin) is ey:sertt-
ly deviation from the Indian both in tlsa En-
gIish and French. An attempt was m.de "a.
few wears since. to restore the second 8ylla-.
bic of this name its original Indian sous;d, lsy.
substituting for c, but this would not Issstofei
either the first or last. The attempt, hewes-.
or was unpopular, and the Legislature sell
emily decreed that the name should be:,spel-:
led UTsconsin, and this, probably, more from
opposition TO the individual who attempted the.
restoration, than from correct literary tase, or
any regard for the original Indian name:
OF COUNTIES.
.2dams.-Named in honor of President AG-.
ANS.
Bro1on.-In honor of Gen. Brown of sle Z ;;
S. Army.
Crarford.-In honor of w. H. Crats ford, !
L. S. Treasurer.
Coh4n15tts.-From Columbus
CataHlet.-lndian-pi ofpeace; the.name'
said to have been given to the place s5n ac-.
coun. of the different tribes frequently hold
ing peace councils there, when they smoke
the Calumet or pipe of peace.
Chfppe1cu.-From the river of that nssIne--.
Indian, Oiibowa. Several bands of this tribe
settled on its head waters, to which thcy fo'ti
their way about 100 years since, from Stake
Superior against the Dacotah or Sioux. and
gave their name to the river in honor oI:their3
victory.
Dane.-In honor of the author of the:ordi-
nance of 1897.
Dodge.-In honor of Gov. Dodge. :
Fond du Lac.-The head or fountain ysf the
Lake. Winnebago. The same name Is also'
given to the head of Lake Superior.
Grant.-From the river which took itSname.
from one Grant, trapper, who had hiScablnl
on its banks.
Green.-In honor of Gen. Green, of ths Rev.
olution.
Io,Ua.-From an Indian tribe who olsce i4l-S
habted the country.
JeferSo,..-In honor of President jefferson.
LGteyette-In honor of Gen. Lafayette
La Point.-From the point of MagIalenes
Island in Lake Superior, on which tie tra-s:
ding post and village are situated.
lIar9uette.-In honor of the French Gjscov-E
eTer OF the country. :,
Micaukee.-From the river of that pane.
II is Indian. VIII some Milwaukee&n giYe'
the meaning! !.
Portqge.--This county took its namG orig,
inally, from the portage between the Wascon-'
sin and Fox rivers. But when the county.
was divided, the representatives from i, hail.
sd from the north part of it, with vieE.., II is
said, to keep the record books. and t6erebys
save the expense of a few dollars in the pfr-s
chase of new ones, managed to retain the lya,e5
for the north part of it, in which is Ylorer}
Portage, calling the South part CoIumk;a.
Rqcine.-From the French name of the rootf
or principal river in it. VIII some ojtizon7
Of the place tell US what root was so attendant
on it as to give it the name !
Richland.-So called on account of the rgcil-s
ness of the soil.
Rock.-From Rock prairie within its limits =
and this from large rock located on it,
She6oygan.-From its principle ri<er.---ss
will some one tell US whatthe word means 7
81. Cr0ir.-The holy cross-the name giv-5
en- TO the lake and river upon which it bGfdets, s
by the French Missionaries, because it enters
the Mississippi nearly at right angles, aid be-
cause the waters, of it when high, are OF a
8dih itu GultOi, DtlIlA SidlUc1 BS the IG%sLS 81
tamarack which abound on It's head braAches.
Sauk.-From Sank Prairie within is Inns
its, which took its name from the Sank Irs1ans {
who once had their principal village upon 1t.
Hashington.- honor of Gen Washington.
Uaukesha.-From the Indian name Sof lie
principle river. 1t signifies Fox, prcbablya
from the number Of foxes taken upon it T Is it
Menomonee, Potawotome, or what n : s
Hine5qgo.-From the lake Of that saarHeas
~ =, l. - ~
Haitcorth.-ln honor of Chancellor W al :
worth. S
Of PLACES, LAKES, RIVERS, AND MoUNTaINs, Is
Prairie d. Ciaen.-Dog's Prairie. From az
Sank chief of that name who had his village
on It when first visited by the French Soya-
gers.
Prairie Ia Cross.-From the French :narrles
Of ball club" crooked or hooked st the
end. When the French first visited the cou1,-E
try, the neighboring tribes were in the shabit
every summer Of meeting on this prairie Tor :
their annual ball play. At these games each
tribe took a side, and often ssaked all they had :
al command.
9iont-tromp-au-lG u.-The mountair. that
stands In the water. 1t rises in the form OF an
oval cone or natural pyramid, from tase. s09
rods long by 40 in width, TO about 500 feet.
high, and is entirely surrounded by weter.~-g
IL contains an extensive den of yellow: ratles
snakes. from which they swim in the *pring
and to which they return in the fall
Lac Fambeaur.-Torch Lake. A a.olEsc-f
ton Of FIVE small Lakes, of from three 20 five
miles in length, and from twenty rods 20 half
a mile wide. On these lakes band Of c Iip-s
pewas settled. about 100 years ago, to switch
they fought their way against the Siaux onS
one hand and the SaukS and Foxes sn 3Aes
other. The lakes abound in FISH, whicA vefes
taken by torch light, from which the s:re4ch :
traders gave 1t the name OF Lac FlambeEuI. :
Sac CotrfeorefILe-Short Ears-It IS said ]
that when the French traders first visited this
Lake called Otfotcd. band of Ottawas occs-
pied its banks, who had cut the rim Of tireir
ears, making them short; from which she Fn-s