US Place Names ~ Devils Lake, Wisconsin to Dysart, Iowa

Devils; lake in Sauk County, Wisconsin, so named because it is situated in a deep chasm with no visible inlet or outlet.

Devils Lake; village in Sauk County, Wisconsin, named from the lake.

Devine; town in Medina County, Texas, named for Hon. Thomas J. Devine, an old resident of San Antonio.

Devoe; creek in Arkansas, so called from the name given by the early French, de veau, "of calf."

Dewey; county in Oklahoma, named for Admiral George Dewey. A number of towns also bear his name.

Dewey; county in South Dakota, named for William P. Dewey, surveyor-general in 1873.

Dewitt; county, and village in same county, in Illinois, township and city in Clinton County, Iowa, and town in Carroll County, Missouri, named for De Witt Clinton, former governor of New York.

Dewitt; town in Onondaga County, New York, named for Moses De Witt, an early settler.

Dewitt; county in Texas, named for Green De Witt, a colonizer who settled families at Gonzales in 1827.

Dexter; city in Cowley County, Kansas, named for a trotting horse of Robert Bon-ner, of New York.

Dexter; town in Penobscot County, Maine, named for Judge Samuel Dexter, candidate for governor of Massachusetts in 1816.

Dexter; village in Washtenaw County, Michigan, named for Samuel W. Dexter, who settled there in 1829.

Dexter; village in Jefferson County, New York, named for S. Newton Dexter, a prominent business man of Whitesboro.

D'Hanis; town in Medina County, Texas, named for Count von D' Hauls, who founded the town about 1845.

Diamond; village in Grundy County, Illinois, named from its location in the center of the "Black Diamond" coal district.

Diana; town in Lewis County, New York, named for the Roman goddess.

Dickens; county in Texas, name for J. Dickens, who fell at the Alamo.

Dickenson; county in Virginia, named for William J. Dickenson of the State.

Dickey; county, and village in Lamoure County, in North Dakota, named for Hon. George Dickey, member of the legislature.

Dickey; river in Washington. The name is derived from the Indian name, dickoh-dockteader.

Dickinson; counties in Iowa and Kansas, name for Daniel S. Dickinson, United States Senator from New York in 1844.

Dickinson; county in Michigan, named for Don M. Dickinson, postmaster-general under President Cleveland.

Dickinson; town in Stark County, North Dakota, named for W. S. Dickinson, of Malone, New York, who founded it.

Dickinson; county in Virginia, named for a prominent member of the legislature.

Dicksburg; village in Knox County, Indiana, named for Thomas Dick, former owner of the ground.

Dickson; county, and town in same county, in Tennessee, named for William Dickson.

Die All; island in California, so named because all the Indians on the island died.

Dighton; city in Lane County, Kansas, named for Dick Deighton, a surveyor.

Dighton; village in Bristol County, Massachusetts, named for Frances Dighton, wife of Richard Williams, one of the first settlers.

Diller; village in Jefferson County, Nebraska, named for H. H. Diller, an early settler.

Dillon; city in Beaverhead County, Montana, named for Sydney Dillon, railroad president.

Dillon; town in Marion County, South Carolina, named for a prominent family.

Dillsboro; town in Dearborn County, Indiana, named for Gen. James Dill, an early settler.

Dillsboro; town in Jackson County, North Carolina, named for George W. Dill, an early settler.

Dimmick; township and village in Lasalle County, Illinois, named for an early settler.

Dimmit; county in Texas, named for Philip Dimmit, one of the earliest settlers in the State.

Dinwiddle; county, and town in same county, in Virginia, named for Robert Dinwiddle, lieutenant-governor of the State in 1752-1758.

Dirty Devil; creek in Arizona, so named by Major Powell during his first trip down the canyon of the Colorado, because of the muddiness of its waters.

Disappointment; cape at the mouth of the Columbia River, Washington, so named by John Meares, the English navigator, who thought no river existed in the region.

Dismal; swamp in Virginia and North Carolina, so named because of its dismal appearance, due to the dense forest of juniper, cypress, etc., which cover it District of Columbia. See Columbia.

Dix; mount and town in Schuyler County, New York, named for Gen. John A. Dix, United States Senator.

Dixmont; town in Penobscot County, Maine, named for Dr. Elijah Dix, of Boston.

Dixmont; village in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, named for Miss Dorothea Dix, American philanthropist.

Dixon; town in Solano County, California, named for Thomas Dixon, a pioneer settler.

Dixon; city in Lee County, Illinois, named for John Dixon, the founder.

Dixon; town in Webster County, Kentucky, named for Hon. Archibald Dixon.

Dixville; town in Coos County, New Hampshire, named for Col. Timothy Dix, first settler.

Doane; mount in Yellowstone Park, named for Lieut. Gustavus C. Doane, United States Army, who commanded the military escort of an expedition in 1870.

Bobbins; town in Yuba County, California, named for a settler.

Dobbs Ferry; village in Westchester County, New York, named for a Swede who owned a ferry.

Dobson; town in Surry County, North Carolina, name for W. P. Dobson, State senator.

Doctortown; town in Wayne County, Georgia, built upon the site of an old Indian settlement, which was the abode of a great "medicine man."

Doddridge; county in West Virginia, named for Philip Doddridge, a distinguished statesman of western Virginia.

Dodge; county in Georgia, named for W. E. Dodge, of New York, who, with W. P. Eastman, presented a court-house to the county. See Eastman.

Dodge; city in Ford County, Kansas, on the site of old Fort Dodge, and counties in Minnesota and Wisconsin, named for Gen. Henry Dodge, governor of Wisconsin Territory, and later United States Senator from Wisconsin.

Dodge; county in Nebraska, named for Augustus Caesar Dodge, United States Senator from Iowa.

Dodge Center; village in Dodge County, Minnesota;

Dodgeville; city in Iowa County, Wisconsin. Name for Gen. Henry Dodge, governor of Wisconsin Territory.

Dolores; county in Colorado, named from the Rio Dolores. A Spanish word, meaning "grief," which has a special significance among the Spaniards, being one of the titles of the Virgin Mary.

Dolph; village in Tillamook County, Oregon, named for J. N. Dolph, Unite States Senator.

Dominguez; creek in Colorado, named for a Spanish priest, who was one of the early explorers in this region.

Domke; mountain, lake, and creek in Chelan County, in Washington, named for the first settler in the vicinity.

Dona Ana; county, and town in same county, in New Mexico. A Spanish name meaning "Madam Anna, and probably given in honor of some Spanish matron.

Donaldsonville; town in Ascension Parish, Louisiana, named for William Donaldson.

Donderberg; mountain in New York, on the Hudson. A Dutch word, meaning "thunder mountain," so called by the early Dutch settlers because of the frequent thunder storms in its vicinity.

Donegal; borough and township in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, named from the town in Ireland.

Dongola; village in Union County, Illinois, named by the founder from Dongola in Africa.

Doniphan; county, and city in same county, in Kansas, city in Ripley County, Missouri, and village in Hall County, Nebraska, named for Col. Alexander William Doniphan, a distinguished western soldier.

Donley; county in Texas named for Stockton P. Donley, justice of the supreme court of the State.

Donnaha; post-office in Forsyth County, North Carolina, named for the last chief of the Sauras.

Donner; lake in Nevada County, California, named for a leader of a party of immigrants, nearly all of whom perished from starvation.

Dooly; county in Georgia named for Col. John Dooly, an officer in the Revolution.

Doon; towns in Sierra County, California, and Lyon County, Iowa, named from the river in Scotland.

Door; county in Wisconsin, so named because of its proximity to "Death's Door," entrance to Green Bay.

Doran; village in Coles County, Illinois, named for S. A. Doran, a neighboring landowner.

Dorchester; county in Maryland, named for the Earl of Dorchester, whom Scharf says was a family friend of the Calverts.

Dorchester; part of Boston, Massachusetts, named from the town in England.

Dorchester; county in South Carolina, named from the town in Massachusetts.

Dormansville; village in Albany County, New York, named for Daniel Dorman, former inn and store keeper.

Dorrance; borough in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, named for a family of early settlers.

Dosoris; village in Queens County, New York. The name is a contraction of "dos uxoris," "dowry of a wife," the property having come to the first settler through his wife.

Dos Palmos; town in Riverside County, California, named from the giant yucca palms which grow near the spring. A Spanish phrase, meaning "two palms."

Dos Palos; town in Merced County; California. A Spanish phrase meaning "two timbers."

Dos Pueblos; town in Santa Barbara County, California. A Spanish phrase meaning "two towns."

Dossett; village in Anderson County, Tennessee, named for the owner of the property, Jacob Dossett.

Dougherty; County in Georgia, named for Charles Dougherty.

Dougherty; township in Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, named for Daniel Dougherty, one of the prominent residents.

Douglas; counties in Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, South Dakota, and Wisconsin, and probably the counties in Nebraska, Oregon, and Washington; named for Stephen A. Douglas, of Illinois.

Douglas; creek in Colorado, named for Chief Douglas, of the White River Utes.

Douglas; town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, named for Dr. William Douglas, of Boston, author of a history of New England.

Douglas; mount in Montana, named for E. M. Douglas, of the United States Geological Survey.

Douglas City; township in Trinity County, California, named for Stephen A. Douglas, of Illinois.

Douglass; city in Butler County, Kansas, named for Joseph Douglass, by whom it was laid out.

Dover; cities in Kent County, Delaware, and Strafford County, New Hampshire, and town in Morris County, New Jersey, named from the town in England.

Dowagiac; river, and city in Cass County, in Michigan. An Indian word meaning "fishing river."

Downers Grove; township and village in Dupage County, Illinois, named for Pierce Downer, who located there in 1830.

Downieville; town in Sierra County, California, named for a pioneer.

Downingtown; borough in Chester County, Pennsylvania, named for Thomas Downing.

Downs; town in McLean County, Illinois, named for Lawson Downs, a pioneer settler.

Downs; city in Osborne County, Kansas, named for William F. Downs, of Atchison.

Downsville; village in Delaware County, New York, situated on Downs Creek. Both are named for Abel Downs, who had a tannery there.

"Dows; town in Wright County, Iowa, named for a railroad contractor.

Doylestown; borough in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, named for William Doyle, an early settler.

Dracut; town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, named from the home of the Varnum family, in Wales.

Drakes; bay in California, named for Sir Francis Drake, the navigator.

Drakesville; town in Davis County, Iowa, named for John A. Drake, who laid it out.

Drayton; town in Dooly County, Georgia, named for Colonel Drayton, of South Carolina.

Dresden; fifteen places in the country bear the name of the city in Germany.

Drew; county in Arkansas, named for Thomas S. Drew, governor in 1844-1848.

Drew; village in Sunflower County, Mississippi, named for a railroad man.

Drewry; bluff on James River, Virginia;

Drewry Bluff; post-office in Chesterfield County, Virginia. Named for Maj. Augustus Drewry.

Drummond; lake in the center of Dismal Swamp in Virginia, named for William Drummond, former governor of North Carolina. Another authority says that it was named for a hunter who discovered it.

Dryden; town in Tompkins County, New York, named for the poet, John Dryden.

Dry Tortugas; ten small islands off the coast of Florida. The name was given from the lack of springs and abundance of sea turtles. Tortugas is a Spanish word meaning "tortoises."

Duane; town in Franklin County, New York, named for James Duane, proprietor and first settler.

Duanesburg; town in Schenectady County, New York, French says that it was named for James Duane, principal proprietor.
Gordon says it was named for Judge Duane.

Dublin; city in Laurens County, Georgia, named from the city in Ireland. Several other places are named from the same.

Dubois; township and village in Washington County, Illinois, named for Jesse K. Du Bois, State auditor of public accounts, 1856-1864.

Dubois; county in Indiana, named for Toussaint Dubois, who had charge of the guides and spies in the Tippecanoe campaign.

Dubois; borough in Pennsylvania, named for its founder, John Dubois.

Dubuque; county, and city in same county, in Iowa, named for a French trader, Julien Dubuque.

Duck Hill; town in Montgomery County, Mississippi, named from a hill near the town where ducks were plentiful in early days.

Dudley; town in Kings County, California, named from the town in Massachusetts.

Dudley; town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, named for two brothers, Paul and William Dudley, who were among the first proprietors.

Dufur; village in Wasco County, Oregon, named for an old settler.

Dukes; county in Massachusetts, so named because it was under the government of the Duke of York, afterwards James II.

Duluth; city in St. Louis County, Minnesota, named for Sieur Daniel Graysolon Duluth, a French traveler.

Dolzura; town in San Diego County, California. A Spanish word meaning "gentleness," "forbearance."

Dumfries; town in Prince William County, Virginia, named from the town in
Scotland.

Dummer; town in Coos County, New Hampshire;

Dumnerston; town in Windham County, Vermont. Named for William Dummer, lieutenant-governor of Vermont and acting governor of Massachusetts, 1723-1730.

Dumont; village in Clear Creek County, Colorado, named for John M. Dumont, a mine operator.

Dunbar; village in Otoe County, Nebraska, named for John Dunbar, a large landowner.

Dunbar; borough in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, named for Col. John Dunbar, who commanded an English force at this point and was defeated by the French and Indians.

Dunbar; village in Marlboro County, South Carolina, named for a family in the neighborhood.

Dunbarton; town in Merrimac County, New Hampshire, named by Archibald Stark, one of the first proprietors, who emigrated from Dunbarton, Scotland.

Duncan; village in Stark County, Illinois, named for James Henry Duncan, United States Congressman from Massachusetts, 1849-1853.

Duncan; town in Bolivar County, Mississippi, named for a leading citizen.

Duncan Falls; town in Muskingum County, Ohio, named for a trader, Major Duncan.

Duncannon; borough in Perry County, Pennsylvania, named from the town in Wexford, Ireland.

Duncombe; town in Webster County, Iowa, named for Hon. J. F. Duncombe.

Dundaff; borough in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, named from the town in Wales.

Dundee; township in Kane County, Illinois, named from the village in New York.

Dundee; village in Yates County, New York, named from the town in Scotland. A number of other places also bear this name.

Dundy; county in Nebraska, named for Judge Elmer S. Dundy.

Dungeness; town in Clallam County, Washington. This name was given to a low point of land in the county by Vancouver, because of its resemblance to Dungeness in the British channel, and subsequently applied to the town.

Dunkirk; city in Chautauqua County, New York, named indirectly from the town in France.

Dunklin; county in Missouri, named for Daniel Dunklin, governor of Missouri in 1832-1836.

Dunlap; village in Peoria County, Illinois, named for Alva Dunlap, prominent landowner.

Dunlap; town in Harrison County, Iowa, named for the superintendent of the Chicago and Northwestern Railway.

Dunlap; city in Morris County, Kansas, named for Joseph Dunlap, a trader among the Indians and founder of the town.

Dunlapsville; town in Union County, Indiana, laid out by John Dunlap, one of the first settlers.

Dunmore; lake in Vermont, named by the Earl of Dunmore, who waded into it and formally christened it for himself.

Dunmore; town in Pocahontas County, West Virginia, named for John (Lord) Dunmore, governor of Virginia, 1772-1776.

Dunn; town in Harnet County, North Carolina, named for a resident.

Dunn; county in North Dakota, named for John P. Dunn, a pioneer of the State in 1871.

Dunn; county in Wisconsin, named for Charles Dunn, first chief justice of the Territory.

Dunnsville; town in Albany County, New York, named for Christopher Dunn, the original owner.

Dunraven; peak in Yellowstone Park, Wyoming, named for the Earl of Dunraven.

Dunstable; town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. The history of the town states that it was named for the mother of one of the petitioners, Mary Tyng, but there is no record of her maiden name or birthplace. There is, however, record of a large family by the name of Long, who came from Dunstable, England, in 1635. This fact gives direct connection, and it is probable that the town took its name from the English town.

Dupage; county in Illinois, named from the river.

Dupage; river in Illinois, named for a French Indian, Du Page or De Page, who had his headquarters on the river before 1800.

Duplin; county in North Carolina, named for Lord Duplin, or Dupplin, of the board of trade.

Duquesne; borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, named from old Fort

Duquesne, which was named for a distinguished French officer.

Duquoin; city in Perry County, Illinois, said to have been named for an Indian chief of the Kaskaskia tribe.

Durand; village in Winnebago County, Illinois, named for H. S. Durand, a prominent railroad official.

Durand; village in Shiawassee County, Michigan, named for George H. Durand, of Flint, Michigan, member of Congress.

Durand; city in Pepin County, Wisconsin, named for Miles Durand Prindle, an early settler.

Durango; city in La Plata County, Colorado, named for a resident Spanish family.

Durant; town in Cedar County, Iowa, named for Thomas Durant.

Durants; neck of land in Perquimans County, North Carolina, granted to George Durant in 1662.

Durham; town in Butte County, California, named from the town in Maine.

Durham; town in Middlesex County, Connecticut, named from the town in England.

Durham; town in Androscoggin County, Maine, named from the former residence of the royal family, by early settlers.

Durham; county, and town in same county, in North Carolina, named for Dr. Bartholomew Durham, owner of the town site.

Dushore; borough in Sullivan County, Pennsylvania, named for its founder, the name being a corruption of Dupetit-Thouars.

Duston; island in New Hampshire, named for an early settler.

Dutchess; county in New York, named for Mary of Modena, Duchess of York.

Previous to the appearance of Johnson's Dictionary the title was spelled with a "t" hence the name of the county is so spelled.

Dutton; mount in Utah, named by Major Powell for Maj. C. E. Dutton.

Duval; county in Florida, named for William P. Duval, Territorial governor in 1822-1834,

Duval; county in Texas, named for the Duval family, prominent in the State. One member. Burr H. Duval, fell in Fannin's massacre.

Duwamish; river in Washington, named from the Duwamish tribe of Indians.

Duxbury; town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, settled by Miles Standish. It is said to have received its name from the seat of the Standish family in England, Duxbury Hall.

Dwight; township and village in Livingston County, Illinois, named for Henry A. Dwight, junior, a benefactor of the town.

Dwight; village in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, named for the Dwight family, prominent early settlers.

Dycusburg; village in Crittenden County, Kentucky, named for William E. Dycus, its founder.

Dyer; county in Tennessee;

Dyersburg; city in Dyer County, Tennessee. Named for Col. Henry Dyer, who fell at the battle of New Orleans.

Dyersville; town in Dubuque County, Iowa, named for a former owner, James Dyer.

Dyersville; town in Humboldt County, California, named for a settler.

Dysart; town in Tama County, Iowa, named from the town in Scotland.

US Place Names

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