US Place Names ~ Westport, Oregon to Wilmington, Illinois

Westport; town in Clatsop County, Oregon, named for John West.

West Salem; town in Edwards County, Illinois, named by Moravian settlers from Salem, North Carolina.

West Station; town in Holmes County, Mississippi, named for A. M. West, a prominent citizen and president of the Mississippi Central Railroad.

West Stockbridge; town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, named from its relation to Stockbridge, of which it was originally a part.

Westville; town in Simpson County, Mississippi, named for Col. Cato West.

Westville; town in Chariton County, Missouri, named for Dr. William S. West, the first postmaster.

Westville; town in Kershaw County, South Carolina, named for a prominent family.

Wet; mountains in Colorado, so named because of the heavy rains upon them in the summer season.

Wetmore; city in Nemaha County, Kansas, named for W. T. Wetmore, vice-president of the Central Branch, Union Pacific Railroad.

Wetumka; city in Elmore County, Alabama, near the falls of the Coosa River. An Indian word meaning "waterfall," "tumbling water.''

Wetzel; county in West Virginia, named for Lewis Wetzel, a noted pioneer and Indian fighter.

Wewoka; stream, and village in Seminole Nation, in Indian Territory. An Indian word meaning "barking water."

Wexford; county, and town in same county, in Michigan, probably named from the county in Ireland.

Weyauwega; village in Waupaca County, Wisconsin. Probably a corruption of the Indian word ouiawikan, "he embodies it," but, according to another authority, it is the name of a trusted Indian guide in the employ of Governor Doty, the name meaning "whirling wind."

Weyers Cave; town and cavern in Augusta County, Virginia, named for Bernard Weyer.

Weymouth; town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, named from the town in England.

Wharton; county, and town in same county, in Texas, named for William H. and John A. Wharton, of a family prominent in the State.

What Cheer; township and city in Keokuk County, Iowa, so named by a Scotch miner when he discovered coal in the vicinity.

Whatcom; county, and town in same county, in Washington. An Indian word, said to mean "noisy water."

Whately; town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, named for Thomas Whately, member of the board of trade.

Wheatfield; town in Niagara County, New York, named from the general character of the locality, wheat producing.

Wheatland; township in Bureau County, Illinois, named from the home of President James Buchanan.

Wheatland; borough in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, named for the estate of the Hon. James Buchanan.

Wheaton; city in Dupage County, Illinois, named for Warren L. and Jesse Wheaton, first settlers.

Wheeler; mountain in Nevada, named for Capt. George M. Wheeler.

Wheeler; county in Nebraska, named for D. H. Wheeler, a local politician.

Wheeler; town in Steuben County, New York, named for Capt. Silas Wheeler, the first settler.

Wheeler; county in Oregon, named for H. H. Wheeler, the first mail carrier between The Dalles and Canyon City.

Wheeler; county in Texas, named for Royal T. Wheeler, former chief justice of the State supreme court.

Wheeling; village in Livingston County, Missouri, named from the city in West Virginia.

Wheeling; city in Ohio County, West Virginia, from the Indian, weal-ink, meaning "place of a human head," from the circumstance of the Indians having displayed the head of a white man on a pole at this point. Another authority gives whilink, "at the head of the river."

Wheelock; town in Caledonia County, Vermont, named for Eleazer Wheelock, president of an Indian charity school situated there, but another authority states that it was named for John Wheelock.

Whippany; river in Morris County, New Jersey. A Delaware Indian word mean-ing "arrow wood stream."

Whipple; peak in the Monument range, California, named for Lieutenant Whipple, of the Pacific railroad explorations.

Whiskah; river of Grays Harbor, Washington. An Indian word meaning "stinking water."

Whitakers; town in Edgecombe County, North Carolina, named for a family numerous in the State.

White; county in Arkansas, named for the river which forms the eastern boundary.

White; branch of the Green River in Colorado and eastern Utah, so named because of the white cliffs of its canyon.

White; county in Georgia, named for the Rev. George White.

White; counties in Illinois and Indiana, named for Col. Isaac White, killed at Tippecanoe, 1811.

White; rivers in Indiana and South Dakota. A translation of the name originally given by the French, rivière la blanche.

White; city in Morris County, Kansas, named for F. C. White, superintendent of the Union Pacific Southern Branch.

White; river in Minnesota, so named because of the color of the water.

White; river in Nebraska, so named because the soil near its head is white clay.

White; county in Tennessee, named for Hugh L. White, a pioneer settler of Knox-ville.

White Bluffs; town in Dickson County, Tennessee, named for the White Bluff Iron Forge, which was formerly in operation near the present town site.

White Castle; town in Iberville Parish, Louisiana, named for the large, white plantation house visible from the river.

White Cloud; towns in Mills County, Iowa, and Doniphan County, Kansas, named for the Indian chief, Mahu-ska.

White Creek; town in Washington County, New York, named from the creek, whose bed is formed of white quartz pebbles.

White Deer; creek in Union County, Pennsylvania. A translation of its Indian name, woaptuchanne.

Whiteface; mountain peak near Lake Placid in Essex County, New York, so called because of the white appearance of the rock of its upper part.

Whitefield; towns in Lincoln County, Maine, and Coos County, New Hampshire, named for the Rev. George Whitefield.

Whitehall; town in Bladen County, North Carolina, named for an old resident.

White Haven; borough in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, named for Josiah White.

Whiteheath; town in Piatt County, Illinois, named for two early residents. White and Heath.

White Pigeon; village in St. Joseph County, Michigan, named for an Indian chief.

White Pine; county in Nevada, so named because of the trees of this species growing there.

White Plains; village in Westchester County, New York, so named because of the white balsam (Gnaphalium Polycephalum) which grows abundantly in that section.

Whitesboro; village in Oneida County, New York, named for Judge Hugh White, the pioneer settler of the county.

Whitesboro; town in Grayson County, Texas, named for Capt. A. B. White, a pioneer settler.

Whitesburg; town in Letcher County, Kentucky, named for C. White, member of the State legislature at the time of the formation of the town.

Whiteside; county in Illinois, named for Capt. Samuel Whitesides, of the war of 1812 and Black Hawk war.

Whitestown; town in Oneida County, New York, named for Judge Hugh White, pioneer settler of the county.

White Sulphur Springs; town in Meagher County, Montana, named for the medicinal springs located in the vicinity.

Whitesville; village in Jefferson County, New York, named for Thomas White, one of the first settlers.

Whiteville; town in Columbus County, North Carolina, named for James B. White, first member of the State assembly.

Whitewater; river, and town in Wayne County, in Indiana, so named because of the whitish cast of the waters of the river.

Whitfield; county in Georgia, named for George Whitfield, a missionary.

Whiting; town in Monona County, Iowa, named for Senator Whiting.

Whiting; town in Jackson County, Kansas, named for Mrs. Whiting, wife of Senator C. S. Pomeroy.

Whiting; town in Addison County, Vermont, so named because three of the proprietors bore that name; another authority states that it is named for John Whiting, of Massachusetts.

Whitingham; town in Windham County, Vermont, named for Nathan Whiting, one of the grantees.

Whitley; counties in Indiana and Kentucky, named for Col. William Whitley.

Whitman; town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, named for Jared Whitman and his son Augustus, who donated land to the town.

Whitman; county and college in Washington, named for Dr. Marcus Whitman, an early missionary.

Whitmires; town in Newberry County, South Carolina, named for the Whitmire family.

Whitney; loftiest peak of the Sierra Nevadas, named for Prof. J. D. Whitney, State geologist of California.

Whitney; peak in Colorado, named for W. D. Whitney, the philologist.

Whitney Point; town in Broome County, New York, named in 1824 for Thomas Whitney, first postmaster.

Whitneyville; village in New Haven County, Connecticut, named for Eli Whitney, its founder.

Wichita; county, and city in Sedgwick County, in Kansas, and county and river in Texas;

Wichita Falls; town in Wichita County, Texas. Named for the Indian tribe. Wickenburg; town in Maricopa County, Arizona, named for Henry Wickenburg, a pioneer.

Wickliffe; town in Ballard County, Kentucky, named for a prominent family of the State.

Wicomico; county and river in Maryland. An Indian word meaning "where houses are building."

Wiconisco; stream and a village in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. An Indian word meaning "wet and muddy."

Wicopee; mountain in New York. An Indian word meaning "long hill.'*

Wilbarger; county in Texas, named for Josiah and Mathias Wilbarger, early settlers.

Wilber; village in Saline County, Nebraska, named for C. D. Wilber, who laid it out.

Wilbraham; town in Hampden County, Massachusetts, supposed to have been named for a family of that name from England.

Wilcox; county in Alabama, named for Lieut. Joseph M. Wilcox.

Wilcox; county in Georgia, named for Capt. John Wilcox.

Wilcox; township in Newaygo County, Michigan, named for S. N. Wilcox.

Wilcox; village in Elk County, Pennsylvania, named for A. I. Wilcox.

Wild Rice; stream in Minnesota, so named because this plant grows abundantly upon its banks.

Wilkes; counties in Georgia and North Carolina, named for John Wilkes, member of British Parliament.

Wilkesbarre; city in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, named for two members of the British Parliament, American sympathizers, John Wilkes and Colonel Barre.

Wilkesboro; town in Wilkes County, North Carolina, named for John Wilkes member of the British Parliament and American sympathizer.

Wilkin; county in Minnesota, named for Col. Alexander Wilkin of the Ninth Minnesota Regiment of the Civil war, and second secretary of the Territory.

Wilkinsburg; town in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, named for William Wilkins, secretary of war under President Tyler.

Wilkinson; counties in Georgia and Mississippi, named for Gen. James Wilkinson, of Maryland.

Will; county in Illinois, named for Dr. Conrad Will, member of the State legislature, 1818-1834.

Willamette; river in Oregon. An Indian word said to have been originally wallamet, derived from the same root as Walla Walla and Wallula; when applied to water, meaning "running." Another authority gives its definition as "long and beautiful river."

Willey; peak in the White Mountains, New Hampshire, named for the Willey family, killed in an avalanche in 1826.

Williams; river and mountain in Arizona, named for one of the guides of the Fremont expedition.

Williams; creek in Humboldt County, California, named for an early settler.

Williams; town in Colusa County, California, named for its founder.

Williams; county in North Dakota, named for Hon. E. A. Williams, one of the Territorial pioneers, and prominent in the political life of the State.

Williams; county in Ohio, named for David Williams, one of the captors of Major André.

Williams; river in Vermont, named for the Rev. John Williams.

Williamsburg; town in Iowa County, Iowa, named for an early settler.

Williamsburg; town in Piscataquis County, Maine, named for William Dood, of Boston, an early settler.

Williamsburg; town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, named for a family resident of the neighborhood.

Williamsburg; village in Clermont County, Ohio, named for Gen. William Lytle, its founder.

Williamsburg; county in South Carolina and city in James City County, Virginia, named for William III, of England.

Williamsfield; village in Knox County, Illinois, named for a railroad official.

Williamsfield; township in Ashtabula County, Ohio, named for Gen. Joseph Williams.

Williamson; county in Illinois named from Williamson County, Tennessee, whence many of the early settlers came.

Williamson; town in Wayne County, New York, named for Charles Williamson, first agent of the Pulteney estate.

Williamson; river in Oregon, named for Lieut. R. S. Williamson, an early explorer of that part of the country.

Williamson; county in Tennessee, named for General Williamson, of Virginia, of Revolutionary fame.

Williamson; county in Texas, named for Judge Robert Williamson, last of the alcalde of Texas.

Williamsport; city in Warren County, Indiana, said to be named for James D. Williams, former governor.

Williamsport; city in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, named for William Hepburn, one of the first associate judges of the county of Lycoming.

Williamston; township and village in Ingham County, Michigan, named for three brothers who were the first settlers.

Williamston; town in Martin County, North Carolina, named for a family numerous in the State.

Williamston; town in Anderson County, South Carolina, named for the family of Col. James Williams, an officer of the Revolution.

Williamstown; town in Grant County, Kentucky, named for William Arnold, probably the first settler.

Williamstown; town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, named for Col. Ephraim Williams, the founder of Williams College.

Williamstown; town in Orange County, Vermont, named from the town in Massachusetts.

Williamsville: city in Wayne County, Missouri, named for Asa E. Williams, who laid it out.

Williamsville; village in Erie County, New York, named for Jonas Williams, an early settler.

Willimantic; river, and city in Windham County, in Connecticut. An Indian word meaning "good lookout," or, according to another authority, "good cedar swamps."

Willis; city in Brown County, Kansas, named for Martin Cleveland Willis, an early settler.

Williston; town in Williams County, North Dakota, named for Associate Justice Lorenzo P. Williston.

Williston; town in Barnwell County, South Carolina, named for the Willis family, prominent residents of the vicinity.

Williston; town in Chittenden County, Vermont, named for Samuel Willis, one of the grantees.

Willmar; township and village in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota, named for a railroad official.

Willoughby; village in Lake County, Ohio, named for Professor Willoughby, of New York.

Willows; town in Glenn County, California, so named because of the prevalence of of this species of tree.

Willshire; village in Van Wert County, Ohio, named for the man who ransomed Capt. James W. Riley from captivity by the Arabs.

Wills Point; town in Van Zandt County, Texas, named for Mrs. N. A. Wills, former owner of the town site.

Wilmette; village in Cook County, Illinois, named for Quilmette, an Indian half-breed.

Wilmington; city in Newcastle County, Delaware; the present name is a corruption of the name Willington, given it in honor of Thomas Willing.

Wilmington; township and city in Will County, Illinois, named from Wilmington, Ohio.

US Place Names

Source: The Origin of Certain Place Names the United States, Second Edition, Henry Gannett, Washington, Government Printing Office, 1906.