Interesting Names for rivers, streams, pools, lakes and other water bodies

[SwampDonkey]

Maybe folks can give a little description, translation or story for their submissions. ;)

Places to fish Atlantic Salmon
Restigouche River

Five Fingers Pool English translation for the Indian name of the river
Devil's Half Acre Pool Water color
Million Dollar Pool
The Three Sisters Stretch
The Flying Eddy

Saint John River

The Grand Pass Section of river between Sugar and Savage Islands near Fredericton, in front of Currie Mountain. This section of water does not freeze.

[old3dogg]

I will get beat for this but?...............

Big Bone Lick in the fine state of Kentucky!

I have no idea why it is called this and maybe I dont want to know.

[Jeff]

Another definition of a Lick is "matter deposited by some natural process". Thats why you will see many towns with lick after the first part of the name, as it is describing the local somehow, either by describing the type of the deposit, or simply proclaiming there "is" a deposit.

[old3dogg]

I really didnt want to know but now I do and now I have learned something.

[Tom]

This seems like it will be fun.  I'll play.  Florida and Georgia has a lot of wierd names, mostly derived from the Creeks.

Swimming Pen Creek.

Cattle were driven into the creek where they swam to barges (pens built on them) to be shipped down the St. Johns River to market.

We have a Turtle Creek down the road and I guess everybody has a Nine Mile or Ten Mile creek.

[crtreedude]

According to the locals, the best river to fish here is called Rio Muerte.

For those who don't speak Spanish, that means Dead River. 

[old3dogg]

We have Potatoe Creek in Northen PA?

I dont even have a clue?

[Paschale]

I love the ever present Mud Lakes that seem to be everywhere.  And then, here in Michigan, there's a town called Lake Odessa.  The name of the lake in the center of town, you ask?  Well, of course, it's Jordan Lake.   :

[Radar67]

A creek running thru my property is called Military Branch. I haven't researched it yet, but there is nothing military even close to it.

[Pete J]

I live between the Hockanum and Skunkamug rivers. Everyone around here knows exactly where you are refering to if you call them The "Hock" and the "Skunk". Both names are old indian names although I don't know the history.

[Bro. Noble]

We used to live on 'lick crick'  It was close to 'Pomme-de-terra'  lake-----which I believe means apple of the earth  which means potato :D

Nearby we have  two 'greazy creeks',  'Cowskin Creek',  and 'Stinkin Creek'

Two of the most interesting names of bodies of water I've seen are at Cuba,  or maybe it's Bourbon, Mo.  There are two identical water towers.  One is named 'Hot'  and one "Cold' :

[SwampDonkey]

Nepisiquit River Tributaries These names have to do with logging and fishing

Fly Tent Brook

Moody Brook

Three Corner Lake

Devil's Elbow Brook

Popple Depot

Knoll Spruce Lake

Corker's Gulch

[pigman]

I will get beat for this but?...............

Big Bone Lick in the fine state of Kentucky!

I have no idea why it is called this and maybe I dont want to know.

At the Big Bone Lick State Park in the fine state of Kentucky there are deposits of bones of prehistoric animals such as Mamoths. There were salt deposits there that attracted the animals and some of them got stuck in the mud and their bones were preserved.

[edsaws]

I live between the Hockanum and Skunkamug rivers. Everyone around here knows exactly where you are refering to if you call them The "Hock" and the "Skunk"

So true Logrite I like to go tubing down Satan's Kingdom 

[breederman]

We have the Ouleout Creek.Sounds just like it is spelled.

[DanG]

Just north of Tallahassee, there is a little water bod known as "Monkey Business Pond."  The yuppies have built houses all around it, now, and assume it was a favorite spot for "parking."  Actually, it was a place where the KKK used to go to do their "monkey business!"   Just being around the place will give ya the willies!

Just up in the edge of Georgia, is a stream called "Manbone Creek."  Your imagination is as good as mine on this one.

[isawlogs]

 Kazabazua,
small town north of me ... Algonguin for river that flows under ground , wich it does , there is no river for 1/2 a mile  it goes under a little hill .

[Tom]

When I was a younger fellow, in the Boy Scouts, some of my cohorts and I were turned lose for a week to survive with a match, a tin can, a knife and whatever we could find in a place west of Okeechobee called "Fish Eating Creek".

[DanG]

We got one of those, Marcel.  Not a Kazabazua, but a river that goes underground for a ways.  The St. Marks River goes under an area known as "Natural Bridge,"  just a few miles south of Tallahassee.  There was an important battle fought there in the Civil War, that kept Florida's capitol from falling to the Union.

The St. Marks joins with the Wakulla River a little ways south of there.  "Wakulla" mean's "Mysterious Water" in the Miccosukee language.  The river originates in a huge spring, which is supposedly the world's deepest natural spring.  I can't remember just how deep the mouth of the spring is, but I'm thinkin' it is over 400'.  I'll bet a Google search on "Wakulla Springs" would get you more info than you could ever want.

[Tom]

Just South of Holopaw (I don't know where that came from)  is Yee Haw Junction.  That's pretty explanatory.  If your heading North on US 441, you either turn right or left. That's not too far from Deadheader. And if you're heading West you can turn right or left.    It's a cross road.

Just a little North West of Dang, out in the panhandld and on the Florida side just south of Dothan Ala. is a little place in the road named "Two Egg".  The town sign has been stolen so many times that the City had bolt it all the way around to make it more difficult to take.  The stories of how the town was named generally revolve around children trading eggs at the general store every day for candy and other items.  Most showed up with two eggs.

[CHARLIE]

In Minnesota there is the Root River, Zumbro River, Whitewater River, Rum River, Kettle River, Cannon River, Crow River, St. Louis River, Cloquet River,  Red River, Temperance River (only river without a sand bar ;D ).

Deer Creek, Bear Creek, Mill Run, Trout creek with a dam call Bucksnort dam.

In Wisconsin, Black River, Chippewa River, Eau Claire River, Flambeau River,  St. Croix River, KinnicKinnic River, Embarrass River, Peshtigo River, Wolf River, Red River, Willow River, Potato River, Brule River,

In Florida there is the Kissimmee River,  and Mosquito Creek.

[Paschale]

Temperance River (only river without a sand bar ;D ).

;D

In the U.P., we have Kitch-iti-kipi Spring, which is a huge natural spring which means "Mirror of Heaven." 

"One of the Upper Peninsula's major attractions, Kitch-iti-kipi or "The Big Spring" is two hundred feet across and forty feet deep. Over 10,000 gallons a minute gush from many fissures in underlying limestone, the flow continuing throughout the year at a constant 45 degree temperature so the spring never freezes and can be enjoyed any season of the year."

There's a Bad River, a Dead River, the Paint River, the Paw Paw River, the Tobacco River, and the Tittabawassee River. 

[crtreedude]

We have a place here called Ojo de Agua - Eye of Water. Since it is blue, I suspect it should have been called Ojo Gringo de Agua  (Gringo Eye of Water).

[crtreedude]

By the way, I see I just hit 1,000 postings - do I get a prize ?

[Patty]

Up in Wisconsin where my Gramma & Grampa lived is the Kickapoo River, which flows through the Kickapoo Valley.

[sawguy21]

There are some colourful names up here, especially on the Fraser River, that are holdouts from the gold rush era. China bar, Deadman creek, (quite a story behind that one), Headless Valley. Lots of Frenchman creeks. Trouble is, any with an ethnic connotation are being changed by the PC police so as not to offend anyone. 
Chinaman Peak is a good one. A group of British adventurers with more money and time than common sense was trying to climb the mountain. When they reached the top to plant His Majesty's flag, they found their Chinese cook had beaten them the night before and planted his own flag :D They tried to cover it up but he had kept a detailed journal.

[OneWithWood]

Sorry, CR, but you no longer have 1000 postings so a prize would be too late to be meaningful.  About the best we can do is offer a belated congrats for your feat.  :D :D ;)

As for names, I will submit two.

Jack's Defeat Creek - no one can agree on the story behind it but it is said to have something to do with unrequited love.

Rapid Creek - This one flows through my property.  Actually the head waters begin about ten feet from my southern boundary and it bisects the property as it flows north down to Lake Lemon.  The name has meaning in that it is a seasonal creek that is rapidly flowing during and immendiately after rainfalls and snowmelts and then is rapicly gone when the ground dries up.

[crtreedude]

Well, it would have been the first time I was ever awarded for talking to much - so perhaps it is a good thing.  :

I guess I could submit the town I live in Ciudad Quesada... Queso = cheese so we are the Cheesy City...

[Tom]

Fred got a Thousand Posts!

Wahoo!

I remember getting a thousand posts
and thought I was gabby.  Now look at me.
You'll look back on this milepost as menial
one day. :D

It still looks like a good excuse for a party, eh? ;D

[crtreedude]

Tom, I think everyone needs to get an award for having to deal with 1,000 post from me...  :

[Tom]

Let me take this opportunity,while we are talking about place names, to make everyone aware that spring diving in Florida is very dangerous.  Don't do it on a lark.  You need training, a group, a guide and special equipment.  I've personally lost friends who got turned around in a spring and couldn't find their way out.  Their air ran out and they drowned.  It could sure ruin a vacation.

Now!    Most of you are familiar with names like Silver Springs, but a lot of the Springs carry indian-like names.   Ichetucknee is one.  

Charlie mentions Kissimmee.  We can generally nail a new comer by how he pronounces certain Florida names.   Kissimmee isn't pronounced Kiss-a-me, it's Keh-simee.  Now and again there is a news announcer imported from other parts who makes the mistake of airing mispronounced names.  They usually don't last long.  :D

Folks from other places will call the outfall of a spring a creek, or branch, or river.  It's not, it's a "Run" until it either develops into something substantial or runs into a bigger body of water.

Lake Okeechobee is the largest, natural, fresh water lake in the USA with its boundary's within the confines of a State.

[Tom]

Tom, I think everyone needs to get an award for having to deal with 1,000 post from me...  :

OK!!
I now designate the Forum Psycho Ward as belonging to Fred.  :D :D :D

[SwampDonkey]

Just up in the edge of Georgia, is a stream called "Manbone Creek."  Your imagination is as good as mine on this one.

I'm afraid I'm compelled to give you full credit on this one. :D :D

[SwampDonkey]

Budworm City, not a waterbody, but an airbase in the middle of the forest where the war against the spruce budworm with DDT began. ;)

1957 CBC Newsfile (Windows Media)

[CHARLIE]

Patty, remember Kickapoo Joy Juice?  That was in a DanG good comic strip. ;D

Lake Okeechobee is the 2nd largest freshwater lake in the lower U.S.    Third largest if you include Alaska.  Lake Okeechobee is a dangerous lake because most of it is only about 12 feet deep. I think the deepest parts are about 20 feet.  When the wind whips up, the water has no where to go but up, so the waves get ferocious.  It's famous for it's great bass fishing and the catfish out of the lake are extremely delicious.  I remember when I was a young'un, we could go to little restaurants near the lake and get "All you can eat fried catfish" for $1.00 and that included cole slaw, hushpuppies and ice tea.

[Paschale]

By the way, I see I just hit 1,000 postings - do I get a prize ?

Hey there CRTreedude...congrats on the 1,000th post...looks like we're neck and neck...but I think I got ya beat in the Hot Air Dept!    ;)

[Patty]

Charlie, no I don't recall the Kickapoo Joy Juice. I am far to young and innocent.  :  However it easily could have originated there in the valley. The little town where my gram & gramp lived was called Soldiers Grove. In its hey dey it supported several bars (one on every corner plus an additional one in the center of the block)  and 1 lonely grocery store! I guess they got their priorities all figured out!  ;D   

[Bro. Noble]

Patty,

If you don't know about  kickapoo joy juice,  you missed out on some very good literature.  You shurly heard of Sadie Hawkins havn't you? ;)

[CHARLIE]

Oh Patty, I'm sorry you missed one of the greatest comic strips known to man.  Lil' Abner by Al Capp. I reckon that's one of the penalties of not being old. ;D  Wander around this website a bit.

http://www.lil-abner.com/kickapoo.html

[beenthere]

And there was Al Capp's Shmoo characters, that provided everything. There was a Shmoo rage in the late 40's for about a year or so.
Is summarized here (and I still have a Shmoo book or two  ).

About Al Capp's Shmoo character

[SwampDonkey]

Restigouche tributaries

Sport Camp Brook

Fire Trail Branch

Portage Brook

Winding Eddy Brook

Burnt Camp Brook

Poplar Brook

Balm of Gilead Brook

Yellow Brook I'll leave that to your imagination ;D

Burntland Brook

[pappy]

I won't even try to pronounce this one   ;D



Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg



Translation from the Algonquin: "You fish on your side of the lake, and I'll fish on my side of the lake, and nobody fishes in the middle.
Webster, Massachusetts

you tell me which side is mine 
http://www.oldewebster.com/archive/images/lake/lake_map.jpg


more info
http://www.oldewebster.com/history/lake_chargogg.htm

[Phorester]

We got one of those too, Marcel, just over the line in West VA.  Aptly named Lost River 'cause it dissappears underground for a few miles.

It's close to Back Creek, about 20 miles south of Sleepy Creek, and about 50 miles west of Naked Creek.

[Bro. Noble]

We got a 'dry dreek'  that runs into Bryant Creek just below our place------or it would if it wasn't dry :D :D

[Murf]

There's a big lake a few miles from my summer place, it's called Lake Kashagawigamog, at least by the people that can pronounce it anyways.  :D

Lot's of people just call it "Kash" .......

It is Indian for "lake of many long and winding bays.".

[jon12345]

NY has at least 2 mud lakes, and at least 2 cranberry lakes.

Saranac Lake, NY is closer to at least 2 other lakes (Colby & Oseetah) than to any of the 'Saranac Lakes'

Others where I live - Big Bill & Little Bill,   two small brooks that run almost parallel to one another about 1/4 mile apart.

Stoner Lake

[Wudman]

Hell's Bay, Purgatory Bay, and Broken Axle Road - Located in the Hoffman Forest of Eastern North Carolina.  I think they must have been named by a poor forester soul taking inventory plots.

Assamoosic Swamp (a local Indian Tribe) - Located in Eastern Virginia in Sussex and Southampton Counties.

Modest Creek - Lunenburg County Virginia - named by order of a Circuit Court judge in a criminal case.  There was a "lovers lane" on the creek and the creek was known locally by a more colorful name.  There was a fight in the parking area that led to a criminal trial.  One lady was called to testify in the case.  The prosecuting attorney asked her to state the location of the altercation.  She stated on record that she was much to modest to say that word in public.  The judge asked her to approach him and tell him the name.  She whispered the name in his ear.  The judge ordered that the name was not to be spoken in his court.  An order was issued that the creek would be known as "Modest CreeK".  It carries that name today.

Wudman

[Ernie]

The Maori in Taranaki (our province in NZ) have a lot of names which are rather strange and also rather rude.

Te Henui stream.  The Mistake,  A bunch of maori were worried about attack from a neighbouring tribe and posted a watch, unfortunately some members of the tribe went around the back way to try and ambush the intruders.  There was no one there and on their return to the PA (fortified village)  They were killed by their relatives in error.

Mimi Stream.  We have about 1 Kilometer of this stream as one of our boundaries, it means urine in Maori.

Urenui and Uruti are both villages and  mean large and small male members.  We used to live at Uruti but now live half way in between the two.  I must say, I feel a lot less insignificant now that we are closer to Urenui ;D ;D

There are many more but this is a family forum so I wont post them. :'( :'(

[Ianab]

There are many more but this is a family forum so I wont post them.

Good idea Ernie...   translating Waitara would prolly get us sent to the Woodshed 

:D

Ian

[Blake22]

The county I live in is surrounded by rivers on three sides & the state of Georgia to the north. To the west is the AUCILLA RIVER. To the east is the WITHLACOOCHEE RIVER. To the south is the famous SUWANNE RIVER.

I had some property over around DanGs neck of the woods that had a creek running through called ROCKY COMFORT CREEK.

One of my favorites is just accross the Georgia line called PISCOLA CREEK. Wonder how it got its name? ;D ;D

[Modat22]

This is Sinking Creek in Irvington KY. It runs next to my property, Its fed by a large cave spring called Blue Head (because the water looks blue and clear).

If your hot jump in this and you'll be covered in goose flesh in moments, also makes a great way to chill beer when your out of ice.

[Tom]

eons ago, in feudal days, my ancestors cared for the land at the head of the Cadden.   It 's a tributary in Scotland called Cadden Water.    We came from the Head-of-the-Cadden. ;D   There is a Cadden Foot too.  But, I don't know any Cadenfoots. :D

[Ernie]

There are many more but this is a family forum so I wont post them.

Good idea Ernie...   translating Waitara would prolly get us sent to the Woodshed 

:D

Ian

Translating Rahotu  would definately get us sent there :D :D

[SwampDonkey]

North Pole River

Table Rock Pool, a catch and release salmon fishing retreat for NB residents only. Licenses are drawn on lottery.

Little NorthPole Stream

This was the best trout fishing stream when I was a kid fishing with grandfather. The water just boiled with trout and your hook didn't even need baiting or feather wings. This stream also disappears under ground for quite some distance. It doesn't go into a hill though, just into the gound. I tried to follow it once, but had to give up. You could trace it by following alders, then after awhile there where no alders.  How in the world so many trout got up that steam is a mystery to me. I wouldn't think they would like going under ground to swim up a stream. Down stream a ways, down from where it comes out, was a deep hole where the big ones hung out, further down I beleive were spawning beds. The bottom was a layer of sand that glittered in the sun like gold and the water was slow moving over it. Airforce pilots used to fly over the area from Chatam and they'd scout out their weekend fishing spots. They pretty much wiped the trout stock out by netting the deadwaters stretches. We found several of their nets in the bush. Never dared to report it because the wardens would accuse us, so we'de toss the nets away from the brook so they couldn't be found. >:(

[Danny_S]

Magaguadavic Lake/River ~ Maliseet-Passamaquoddy Indian word meaning "River of Eels".

http://www.nanookofthenashwaak.com/magaguadavicriver.shtml

[SwampDonkey]

St Nicholas River runs into the Richibucto R at Mundleville.

[SwampDonkey]

The Tantramar marshes the "World's Largest Hayfield"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tantramar_Marshes

Shows a picture of 300 year old dikes built by the Acadians. ;) The name is french for 'racket', named for the noisey birds that use the area.

[Phorester]

Old Woman Creek.  South central VA near North Carolina.

There's Short Mountain a few dozen miles south of me.  It was originally named Short Ass Mountain, but was (ahem)  shortened many many years ago to be less offensive.   With all that we hear now in prime time TV programs, can you imagine doing that??

[SAW MILLER]

At waverly ohio there is a crick called Pee Pee creek.The gas station there is called Pee Pee gas.

[beenthere]

.Short Mountain.....shortened.......  With all that we hear now in prime time TV programs, can you imagine doing that??

I don't think we should use prime time TV as our guide.  It gets more rotten as time goes on. I had just a couple minutes of prime time on last night, and what a shocker - won't even repeat it on here.  ;)

[SwampDonkey]

I don't think we should use prime time TV as our guide.  It gets more rotten as time goes on. I had just a couple minutes of prime time on last night, and what a shocker - won't even repeat it on here.  ;)

Oh come on, some of us are men. ;D :D

[tnlogger]

wal now we do have The Calf Killer river here it runs all the way thiugh town
The name explanes it all  ;D

[SwampDonkey]

Doughboy Brook

Mistake Brook

Bull Lake

Moose Lake

Indian Lake

Trousers Lake

JiggerTown Brook

Pasture Brook

Frog Lake

Moosehorn Creek

Mechanic Lake

-------------------------
Inchby Ridge

Break Neck Hill

Doughnut Hill

[sawguy21]

 Lots of Zipper Lakes around. Ya keep yer lip zipped about the location because it has the best fishing.

[Lenny_M]

 Peacock brook runs throught the middle of my property. Peacocks in N.H.?? ???

On a farm down the road a bit there`s  N>g>>r Pond.

Over in Mont vernon is Blood pond

In francestown there`s Haunted Pond

[DanG]

Along a route I take through Georgia every year or so, there's a stream called "Murder Creek."   I can't imagine how it got that name. ??? :P

[Phorester]

If I were you, DanG, I wouldn't slow down when driving through there.

[Radar67]

A creek running thru my property is called Military Branch. I haven't researched it yet, but there is nothing military even close to it.

I now know the answer. There is an old bridge on this creek, possibly on my property, that dates back to the Civil War. It seems that Stonewall Jackson and his troops crossed over this bridge on a march. I have not located the bridge yet, but curiosity will soon get the best of me.

Stew