front cover of Place Names in Alabama
Place Names in Alabama
Virginia O. Foscue
University of Alabama Press, 1988

The first systematic attempt to account for all the names of the counties, cities, town, water courses, bodies of water, and mountains that appear on readily available maps of Alabama

In dictionary format, this volume contains some 2,610 place names, selected according to strict criteria as outlined in the introductions, from more than 52,000 available for the state of Alabama. Included in each entry is a description of the geographical feature, its exact location, the etymology of each name the feature has carried through the years, the historical circumstances and dates of each naming, and the sources for these facts, which include both written documents and interviews with local informants.
 
“…provides fascinating insights, into not only the origin of the name but also many of the people who settled the state.” —Joab L. Thomas, President of The University of Alabama

“An invaluable resource for television news and talk shows…not to mention a treasure for trivia buffs!” —Tom York, WBRC-6

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front cover of Place Names of Illinois
Place Names of Illinois
Edward Callary
University of Illinois Press, 2007
This extensive guide shows how the history and culture of Illinois are embedded in the names of its towns, cities, and other geographical features. Edward Callary unearths the origins of names of nearly three thousand Illinois communities and the circumstances surrounding their naming and renaming. Organized alphabetically, the entries are concise, engaging, and full of fascinating detail revealing the rich ethnic history of the state, the impact of industrialization and the coming of the railroads, and insight into local politics and personalities. Many entries also provide information on local pronunciation, the name’s etymology, and the community’s location, all set in historical and cultural context. A general introduction locates Illinois place names in the context of general patterns of place naming in the United States. An extremely useful reference for scholars of American history, geography, language, and culture, Place Names of Illinois also offers intriguing browsing material for the inquisitive reader and the curious traveler.
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Place Names of Southwest Peloponnesus
Register and Indexes
Demetrius J. Georgacas and William A. McDonald
University of Minnesota Press, 1969

Place Names of Southwest Peloponnesus was first published in 1969. Minnesota Archive Editions uses digital technology to make long-unavailable books once again accessible, and are published unaltered from the original University of Minnesota Press editions.

This work contains listings, in Greek, of nearly 10,000 place names collected in approximately 300 settlements of regions in Peloponnesus, the southern peninsula of Greece. In their introduction the authors point out that the present-day toponyms reflect historical and linguistic developments through the ages and thus provide important source material for scholarly studies. Inhabitants of the region whose language was ancient Greek, Koine Greek, Byzantine Greek, South Slavic, Frankish, Venetian, Albanian, Turkish, or Neo-Greek have all left discernible traces in the local place names. The book will be useful not only to specialists in onomastics and linguistics but also to historians, archaeologists, geographers, and other researchers in Greek and comparative studies.

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Place Names of Wisconsin
Edward Callary
University of Wisconsin Press, 2016
The colorful history and culture of Wisconsin are reflected in its place names, from those created by Native Americans, French explorers, and diverse European settlers to more recent appellations commemorating political figures, postmasters, and landowners. Organized alphabetically for easy reference, Edward Callary’s concise entries reveal the stories behind such intriguing names as Fussville, Misha Mokwa, Couderay, and Thiry Daems. Fun to read and packed with information, Place Names of Wisconsin is a must-have for anyone interested in Wisconsin and Midwest history, language, geography, and culture—or anyone who simply wonders “why did they name it that?”
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