Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1893-03-17
oRiGiS or ~owYMEE.r

The BOISE Statesman has d;scov.
cred that the words Hawaii and Owv.
hee are pronounced alike. Hawaii
W. was originally spelled O-w-y.h ee.
lnat paper is interested in trying 10
learn who gave the Kanaka name 10
this range Of mountains. We do not
profess 70 know, hut we do know of
al old blathsrskite who will pretend
TO give the information wanted. Onlv
inquire OF Joaquin Miller. He claims
to have named the Gem Of the Mouu.
tains, although he says it should be-
pronounced Idaho. II the poet Of
the Sierras cannot tell, then the only
hope OF solving the question will be
t. refer to Col. D. H. FOCUS. He
christened pretty nearly everything
observation-disclosures Nugget.
We do not believe that either Joa.
qu'n Miller or Col. Fogus lay claim
TO the honor Of christening the Owy-
hee river, from winch this range of
mountains and county derived their
names. A gentleman who is a long
residen. here and well informed, has
suggested TO us = solution of this
question, which seems to us not only
reasonable, but the correct theory.
Years ago the Hudson Bay COM
pany had trading post at old Fort
BOISE. at the mouth of the Boise river,
and nearly opposite the mouth Of the
Owyhee river, both of which empty
into the Snake. This company EN-
ployed numerous Kanakas (natives
OF the sandwich lslands) in hunting
and trapping. The stream now called
the Owvhee river, was at that time
alive with beaver, and doubtless the
trappers piled their avocation to the
headwaters Of the stream. The to-
biography OF the country IN the vicin-
ity OF the river Is very similar 10 that
of the Hawaii islands-a lava over
flow-and, undoubtedly, some of the
kanaka trappers, impressed with the
resemblance, named the river "Owhy-
hee," after their native island, Ha-
waii. Old English writer's spelled
Hawaii O-w-h-y-h-ee. The name
"Owhyhee p" as given by the natives
could very easily have been misinter-
preted "Owyhee by the whites in
after years. This would seem to be
very reasonable theory, and we be-
lieve that the Statesman and Nugget
editors will concur with us in our con-
clusions.-Silver City Avalanche.
Joaquin Miller has generally been
given the honor of naming Idaho.
Prof. Butler wrote history of Idaho
many years ago, and he wrote to
Joaquin for information in regard to
the name, its pronunciation, inter-
probation, etc. Prof. Butler was con-
slderahly surprised on receiving the
reply to find that Joaquin did not
claim the honor of naming Idaho
He was not sure who was entitled to
the honor, but said that Col. Craig
was the first person he heard use the
name. Joaquin was then cores.
pondent of the Albany Democrat and
in his communications the northern
portion of Idaho was given the name
that WAS afterwards bestowed on the
Territory when it was organized
Although Joaquin Miller did no
name the Territory, or at any rate
was not the first to conceive tbt
name, it is more than probable tina
if it had not appeared in his letters
the Territory would have been organ
lied under some other name. Joa
quin said Idaho was pronounced
E-dah- no by the Indians, and mean
Gem on the Mountain.
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