The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1888-05-04
THE NAMES OF OUR STATES.
Their Various DerIyatiOm-How the
Nfck-nanses Came 10 be Attached.

Connecticut and Massachusetts, have names
directly borrowed from England; the cen
trail States and Territories, from Ken
lucky and Tennessee to Minnesota
and Dakota, are of Indian NOM
encIature; while the names Florida.
Texas. California and Nevada perpetuate
the recollection Of former Spanish occu-
paney The Evanston (IIl.) HigA School
Journal gives a very good list Of the deri-
walton Of the names and nicknames Of our
commemorative and territories:
Alabama-The name is Of Indian origin,
signifying Here We Rest. .
Arizona Territory-An Indian word sig
nifty ing Sand Hills"
Arkansas-Freneh and Indian word sig-
nifying Bow of Smoky Waters" 1t is
also named the Bear State, . from the
number of these animals formerly found
there.
Caiifornia-From Spanish words mean
ing Hot Furnace" Also called Golden
State
Colorado-From Spanish word meaning
"Colored." Called the centennial
State, because admitted in 1876.
Connecticut-An Indian name signifying
''Tbe Long River The nicknames are
'Freestone State, y Nutmeg State, aud
Land of Steady Habits"
Dakota-Indian word meaning allied
Delaware-Named IN honor of Lord Del
aware. 1t is called @The Diamond State
from its small size and intrinsic value.
Also s.Biue Hen State
Florida-From the Spanish, meaning
"Flowery," so called from the abundance
of flowers, and the day Easter Sunday
upon which it was discovered. From it's
shape it is sometimes called THE PENN
sula State
Georgia-Named in honor Of King
George II, of England. The nickname is
The Empire State of the South"
Iilinois-An Indian name signifying "A
Superior Tribe of Men" The sobriquet is
prairie State also Sucker State"
Indiana-Is so called from the In
dians. The nickname is sThe Hoosier
State"
Iowa-An Indian word meaning sThe
Beautiful Land The fictitious name is
"IIawkeye State
Kansas-An Indian word signifying
''Smoky Water" The sohriquet is Gar
den of the West"
Kentueky-An Indian word signifying
.'The Dark and Bloody Ground from It's
being a ~fayorite Indian hunting ground.
The nickname is The Gorp-cracker
State
Louisiana-Named in honor Of King
Louis XIV. Of France. sobriquet, Creole
State
Maine-So called from Maine ia France.
Fictitious name is ''Tbe Pine Tree State"
Maryland-Named in honor of Queen
Maria, wife of Charles II. of England.
Massachusetts-An Ipdian name signify
ing 'Blue Hills" The faneiful name is
''The Bay State
Michigan-An Indian word meaning
''The Lake Country" 1t is niek-named
"The Lake State, also The Wolverine
State"
Minnesota-From the Indian word mean
ing Nv hitish or Sky-colored Water. 1t is
called '.The Gopher State
Mississippi-An Indian word meaning
'sFather of Waters Niek-named s"The
Bayou state"
Missouri-An Indian word meaning
Muddy Waters
Nebraska-An Indian word meaning
shallow Water, the Missouri and Platte
rivers being OF little depth.
Nevada - Spanish, signifying SNOW
clad
New IIampshire-Named from Hamp-
shire County, England. The sebriquet is
THE Granite State"
New Jersey-Namcd for a grantee, Sir
George Carteret, Governor of the Isle of
Jersey. The sohriquet is ''Tbe Jersey
Blue"
New Mexico-Spanish; named from the
country of Mexico, meaning THE Place
of Aztec-God of War"
New York-Named in honor fthe Duke
of York and Albany. 1t is called s'The
Empire State"
North Caroiina-Named, with South Car
olina, in honor Of Charles /, OF England.
The fictitious names are 'sThe Old North
State, . 'sfhe Tar State aud the ssrnr-
pentine State"
oaio-An Indian word signifying "Beau-
tiful River" Nieknamed buckeye
State"
Oregon-Name derived from the Spanish
for ''Wild Thyme" which is abundant
there.
Pennsylyania-~Penn's Woodland Is
the Specification; the grantee was Vim
Penn, and the country is covered with
forests. The sobriquet is The keystone
State, : from it's central position, like the
keystone OF an arch.
Rhode Islamd-Namcd from the Isle of
Rhodes il the Mediterranean. Rhode sig
mites "A Rose" Nicknamed Little
| Rhody."
South Carolina-Nsmed in The same
manner as North Carolina, which see. The
sobriquet is 1.-THE Palmetto State"
Tenressae--Derive from Indian words
signifylug s'River OF the Big Bend 1t is
,,;oLn.mad ssThe Pic Pend State