English, Department of

 

Title

Nebraska Place-Names

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

January 1925

Comments

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA STUDIES IN LANGUAGE, LITERATURE, AND CRITICISM, NUMBER 6.
Lincoln, Nebraska, 1925.

This study of Nebraska place-names is as exhaustive as I could make it. Nevertheless it is not wholly complete. There are a few town names in many counties concerning which I could obtain no accurate information. Hence they are not entered. There are other names concerning which my information is deficient despite my best efforts. Moreover Nebraska is a large state and new towns are constantly springing up, especially in the remoter counties. I would like to have the record for the state as complete as possible. Additional information and corrective or supplementary material, where these may be needed, will be gladly received by me.

One could scarcely hope that a work entering such a multitude of details could be free from misstatements. Great pains were taken, however, to minimize the number of errors. Authoritative material is at hand for practically every statement made by me with regard to Nebraska place-names. In obtaining the information incorporated in this work not only was all available literature collated but an extensive correspondence was maintained with hundreds of people throughout the state, including county, state, and United States government officials, editors, bankers, and local historians. In fact any one was approached who seemed to possess the information needed. The list of those giving assistance is too long to be included in full.

I am indebted to Professor Louise Pound of the Department of English of the University of Nebraska for the suggestion that a study of Nebraska place-names might be both valuable and interesting, and also for her aid during the progress of the work. I am under especial obligations to Grant L. Shumway, the historian of the western counties of Nebraska, for very material aid with reference to Scotts Bluff, Banner, Morrill, Box Butte, and Sioux counties. Dr. Melvin R. Gilmore gave his kindly attention to the place-names of Indian origin and made many valuable additions and corrections. Hon. C. H. Morrill of Stromsburg gave valuable information in a number of instances.

Mr. D. T. Heynen, county clerk of Kimball county, contributed much of the information for Kimball county. Miss Mabel E. Swanson of Holdrege gave the same service for Phelps county, Mr. H. 0. Smith of Lexington for Dawson county, Mr. S. C. Bassett of Gibbon for Buffalo county, Judge Ira E. Tash of Alliance for Box Butte county, J. W. Barton of Bartley for Frontier county, J. S. Dellinger of Astoria, Oregon, for Grant county, John Armour, county clerk, Gandy, for Logan county, Ira E. Cumpston of Tryon for McPherson county, John Howe of Stockville for Frontier county, J. C. Puckett of Indianola for Red Willow county, T. J. Scott, Register of Deeds, Kearney, for Buffalo county, Charles W. Meeker and James Burke, Imperial, for Chase county, Harold J. Cook, Agate, for Sioux county, J. E. Thackrey, Simeon, for Cherry county, Leslie Roseberry, Lincoln, for Cherry and Hooker counties, and Emma N. Andersen for Dodge county.

I am under many obligations to Professor T. J. Fitzpatrick. He financed the investigation, planned the method of procedure, suggested the arrangement of the material, and through the entire work was mentor, guide, critic, and proof reader. During my absence from Nebraska he continued the investigation and brought the work to its present state of Completion.