Sachal ~ Sylvan Origin Washington Geographical Names

Sachal, an early name for a river and lake in Thurston County, southwest of Olympia, probably the Black River and Black Lake of more recent maps. The Wilkes Expedition, 1841, in describing the Indians of that region, say the Sachals numbered about forty and "reside about the lake of the same name, and along the river Chickeeles" [Chehalis]. (Narrative Volume V., page 132.)

Sachap, see Satsop.
Sachen Point, see March Point.

Saddle Mountain, a local name frequently encountered for saddle-shaped peaks. Captain John Meares, while off the entrance of Willapa Harbor in 1788 named such a peak in the present Pacific County. (United States Public Documents, Serial No. 1005, page 403.) The name also appears in the southern part of Grant County.

Saddlebag Island, in Padella Bay, in the northwestern part of Skagit County. The Wilkes Expedition, 1841, included it as one of the "Porpoise Rocks." (Hydrography, Volume XXIII, Atlas, chart 92.) The United States Coast and Geodetic Survey Chart 6377 shows the present name evidently derived from the shape of the island.

Saddlehorn Mountain, in the southwestern part of Asotin County, It was named by the early settlers because it is shaped like a saddle. (Henry Hanson of Hansen Ferry, in Names MSS. Letter 236.)

Sage, a station on the north bank of the Columbia River, opposite Blalock Island, in the southwestern part of Benton County, it was named for the prevailing vegetation there. (L. C. Gilman, in Names MSS. Letter 590.)

Sahale, a peak at the headwaters of the Stehekin River, in the northwestern part of Chelan County, named by The Mazamas, mountaineering club of Oregon. The word is from the Chinook Jargon and means "high" or "above''. (Henry Gannett; Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States, page 269.)

Sahaptin River, see Snake River.
Sahawamish Bay, see Shelton Bay.
Sa-ha-wamsh, see Hammersley Inlet.
Sah-kee-me-hue, see Sauk River.
Sahpenis River, see Toppenish Creek.
Sahtlilkwun, see Okanongan Creek.

Sail, Rock, in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, two miles east of Waaddah Island, in the northwestern part of Clallam County. It was named by the Wilkes Expedition, 1841, on account of its shape and color. The rock is 150 feet high. (Hydrography Volume XXIII., Atlas, charts 76 and 80.) Captain Kellett, in 1847, called it "Klaholoh." (British Admiralty Chart 1911 and George Davidson: Pacific Coast Pilot, page 523.)

Saint Andrews, a post office in the east central part of Douglas County, named about 1890 in honor of Captain James Saint Andrews, a Civil War veteran who was an early settler and first postmaster at the place. (A. D. Cross, in Names MSS. Letter 210.) Saint Clair Island, see Sinclair Island.

Saint Germain, a town in the central part of Douglas County, named in honor of A. L. St. Germain. (B. C. Ferguson, of Mansfield, in Names MSS. Letter 77.)

Saint Helens, a town in the northwestern part of Cowlitz County. See Mount Saint Helens for the origin of the name.

Saint Helens Reach, the Channel in the Columbia River east and west of Cape Horn, named by the Wilkes Expedition, 1841. "In this part of the river, which I named St. Helens Reach, we met the brig Wave that had brought our stores from Oahu." A narrative. Volume IV, page 319.)

Saint John, in Clarke County, see Hidden. Saint John, a town in the northern part of Whitman County, named by the Oregon Railway and Navigation Company in 1888 for E. T. St. John, an old settler and owner of the land at that place. (J. C. Crane, in Names MSS. Letter 472.)

Saint Joseph's Mission, established in 1848, on Budd Inlet, about a mile north of Olympia, by Rev. Pascal Ricard. (Elwood Evans: History of the Pacific Northwest: Oregon and Washington, Volume I., page 302 and Hubert Howe Bancroft: Works, Volume XXXI., page 10.)

Saint Pierre, see Mount Saint Pierre.
Saint Roc see Columbia River.
Saint Roque, see Cape Disappointment.

Sakpam River, the Wilkes Expedition, 1841, gave this name for the present Duwamish River, in King County. (Hydrography, Volume XXIII, Atlas, chart 67.)

Salem Point, see Salmon Point.
Saleesh, see Clark Fork River.

Sallal Prarie, near North Bend in the central part of King County, named for the sallal berry shrubs which abound there. (W. H. Ruffner, 1889: Resources of Washington Territory, page 62.) Sallie's Lake, a name sometimes applied to Rock Lake, Whitman County.

Salmon Bank, off the southwestern point of San Juan Island, discovered by the United States Coast Survey in 1854. (United States Public Documents, Serial No. 1134, page 96; and George Davidson: Pacific Coast Pilot, 554.)

Salmon Bay, now within the limits of Seattle, King County. On, its shore developed the City of Ballard, since joined to Seattle. See Ballard. The Indian name was Shul-shale, for a tribe, now extinct, which had its headquarters on the bay. (J. A. Costello, The Siwash.) In December, 1852, Arthur A. Denny, knew the bay as "Shilshole." It was later changed to Salmon Bay because it was thought to be frequented by Salmon. (Arthur A. Denny: Pioneer Days on Puget Sound, Harriman edition, page 52.) The Lake Washington Canal passes through the bay. See Lake Washington Canal.

Salmon Creek, at least nine streams in the State of Washington bear this name, all because they were frequented by salmon in the spawning seasons.

Salmon-fall River, a name once used for Methow River.

Salom Point, the northern point of Squaxin Island in the southeastern part of Mason County. It was named by the Wilkes Expedition, 1841, which also charted the island as "Jacks Island?" (Hydrography, Volume XXIII., Atlas, charts 78 and 79.) The meaning of the names has not been ascertained. The spelling is often "Salem", but the United States Coast and Geodetic chart 460 retains the original spelling Salom.

Salsbury Point, the Wilkes Expedition, 1841, gave this name to two places, an eastern cape of San Juan Island and on Hood Canal east of Termination Point, near Port Gamble. (Hydrography Volume XXIII, Atlas, Charts 77 and 78.) The United States Coast and Geodetic Survey Charts 6380 and 6450 show the name on San Juan Island to be changed to Turn Island and the one on Hood Canal to be retained as originally given. The honor bestowed by Wilkes was intended for Francis Salsbury, captain of the top in one of his crews. Men of such rank were the ones most often chosen for honors in the naming of points.

Salt Lake, a name sometimes used for Moses Lake. There is a small lake by the name in the south central part of Okanogan County. The name is descriptive.

Salter's Point, see Gordon Point.

Salzer Valley, in the northwestern part of Lewis County, named for a pioneer family. Joseph Salzer filed on the first homestead in the valley. His son Gottleib lived on the claim to hold it for the father and during that time the valley was named. (C. Ellington, of Chehalis, in Names MSS. Letter 21.)

Samahma, see Cle Elum.

Samego, the northwest extremity of McNeil Island, Pierce County, so named by the Wilkes Expedition, 1841. (Hydrography, Volume XXIII, Atlas, chart 79.) Captain Inskip, in 1846, named it McCarthy Point, in honor of Lieutenant Henry H. McCarthy of the Fisgard. (British Admiralty Chart 1947.) Neither name persists.

Sa-milk-a-meigh, see Similkameen River.

Samish, a bay, island, river and town in the northwestern part of Skagit County and a lake in the southwestern part of Whatcom County, all from the name of a tribe of Indians which formerly lived in that region. (Myron Eells, in American Anthropologist for January, 1892.)

Sammamish, a lake, river and town in the northwestern part of King County. The name is from a former tribe of Indians. The word is from Samena, hunter. (Bureau of American Ethnology: Handbook of American Indians, Volume II., page 421.)

Sand Island, in the Columbia River near its mouth. The island of sand and driftwood, never many feet above the surface of the water, has shifted its position from time to time. This quality is discussed by Captain George Davidson of the United States Coast Survey. (Pacific Coast Pilot, page 458.) On account of these changes, Sand Island has caused conferences between the Legislatures of Oregon and Washington. Boundary and fishing rights are involved.

Sanderson, a town in the northeastern part of Douglas County, was named for Thomas Sanderson, the first postmaster at that place. (C. A. Carson, in Names MSS. Letter 38.)

Sandford Cove, at the northwest extremity of Fidalgo Island, Skagit County, named by the Wilkes Expedition, 1841, in honor of Thomas Sandford, Quartermaster in one of the crews. (Hydrography, Volume XXIII., page 310 and Atlas, chart 92.) See also Point Sandford. The name of the cove has not persisted. See Boxer Cove and Flounder Bay. The United States Coast and Geodetic Survey Chart 6377 now shows the little Sandford Cove to be Flounder Bay.

San De Fuca, a town on the shore of Penn Cove, Whidbey Island, in the northeastern part of Island County. The Holbrook donation land claim was acquired by Henry C. Power and in 1889 a townsite was platted by L. H. Griffiths, H. C. Power and J. W. Gillespie. In choosing a name, they evidently confused the names of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and San Juan Island. Whatever else may be said of the mythical Juan de Fuca, he certainly was no saint. (Edmond S. Meany: History of the State of Washington, pages 15-16.) The little town of San de Fuca has not grown but from its neighborhood there have gone many young men who have achieved careers as seamen and steamboat men.

Sandy Point, this descriptive name has been given too many places on the shores of Washington. The most historic one is on Whidbey Island, at the southwestern entrance to Saratoga Passage. It was named by the Wilkes Expedition, 1841. (Hydrography Volume XXIII., Atlas, chart 89.) Captain George Davidson, of the United States Coast Survey, wrote: ''It is moderately long, low and has no bushes. It is locally known as Joe Brown's Point." (Pacific Coast Pilot, page 600.)

San Juan Archipelago, the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey has been urged to accept this locally used name in lieu of the officially charted Washington Sound. The origin and evolution of the name are shown in the discussions following of San Juan Channel, San Juan County and San Juan Island.

San Juan Channel, east of San Juan Island and between that and the islands Oreas and Lopez. The Spanish explorer, Eliza, in 1791, named the passage between San Juan and Lopez Islands "Boca de Horcasitas," a name from the same source as that of Orcas Island. (United States Public Documents Serial No. 1557, Chart K.) The Wilkes Expedition, 1841, called that part of the channel '"Ontario Road," the southern entrance to it "Little Belt Passage" and the waterway between San Juan and Orcas Islands, "President's Passage." (Hydrography, Volume XXIII., Atlas, chart 77.) These were honors for historic war vessels. See Lopez, Orcas, San Juan Island, Little Belt Passage, Ontario Road and President Channel. Captain Richards, in 1858, sought to change the name to "Middle Channel." (British Admiralty Chart 2840.) The present name of San Juan Channel is shown on the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey Chart 6380.

San Juan County, named for one of the largest islands in Washington Sound, which should be known as San Juan Archipelago, Following the boundary treaty of 1846, a dispute arose between the British and American Governments for the possession of this group of islands, which dispute was settled by Emperor William I., of Germany, as arbitrator on October 21, 1872. On receiving information of that award the Territorial Legislature of Washington' organized the archipelago into San Juan County on October 31, 1873.

San Juan Island, the western part of San Juan County, received its name in 1791 from the Spanish explorer Eliza, who realized that there were' several islands in the group and wrote on his chart "Isla y Archipelago de San Juan." (United States Public Documents, Serial No. 1557, chart K.) The Spanish map remained only in manuscript for many years. The Wilkes Expedition, 1841, respected the names given by Vancouver in 1792 but apparently knew nothing of the "San Juan" name. The large island was named "Rodgers" in honor of Commodore John Rodgers who commanded the President in the combat with the Little Belt, which was also commemorated in the attempted naming of the adjacent waterways. See President Channel and Little Belt Passage. The whole group was called "Navy Archipelago," the report saying: "Navy Archipelago is a collection of 25 islands, having; the Straits of Fuca on the south, the Gulf of Georgia on the north, the Canal de Arro on the west and Ringgold's Channel on the east. They have been named from distinguished officers late of the U. S. naval service, viz., Rodgers, Chauncey, Hull, Shaw, Decatur, Jones, Blakeley, Perry, Sinclair, Lawrence, Gordon, Percival, and others.'' Hydrography, Volume XXIII., page 306, and Atlas, chart 77,) Captain Henry Kellett, of the Royal Navy, in 1847, restored the Spanish name of San Juan for the island but gave no name for the archipelago. (British Admiralty Chart 1911.) The Hudson's Bay Company gave a local name of "Bellevue" to the island. (Pacific Coast Pilot page 556.) When the United States Coast Survey began work among the islands in 1853, the archipelago was named Washington Sound. (Pacific Coast Pilot, page 556.) The confusion of names for the island is shown by the official charting of "Bellevue or San Juan Island." (United States Coast Survey Report for 1854, chart 51.) The maps by the Surveyor General of Washington Territory for 1857 and 1859 show the same dual names. (United States Public Documents, Serial Nos. 877 and 1026.) Later the American geographers dropped the name "Bellevue" and accepted the Spanish name as restored on the British charts.

Sanpoil River, a tributary of the Columbia River in the southwestern part of Ferry County. On July 24, 1825, John Work, of the Hudson's Bay Company, called it "Lampoile River." (Washington Historical Quarterly for April 1914, page 100.) In June, 1826, David Douglas, botanist, used the name "Cinqpoil River." The name was derived from that of a band of the Spokane Indians. The Bureau of American Ethnology gives many synonyms. (Handbook of American Indians, Volume II., pages 451-452.)

San Roquk, see Cape Disappointment.
Santa Rosalia, see Mount Olympus.
Saptin River, see Snake River.

Saratoga Passage, the Wilkes Expedition, 1841, made the following record: "I have called Saratoga Passage the strait leading from Deception Passage to Admiralty Inlet at the south end of Whidby's Island, 35 miles distant." (Hydrography Volume XXIII, page 311, and chart 77.) Wilkes had called the island on the east of the waterway "McDonough's Island" in honor of Thomas Macdonough who gained fame in the Lake Champlain battles of 1812, using as his flagship the Saratoga. Intensifying a geographical honor for a naval hero by an adjacent one for his ship, was a favorite scheme of Wilkes. Vancouver, in 1792, had named the waterway Port Gardner after Sir Alan Gardner. The southeastern cape he had called Point Alan after the same man and the adjacent waterway he called Port Susan after Lady Susan Gardner. He took possession for Great Britain and called the waterway from Point Alan to the southern end of Whidbey Island Possession Sound. Captain Henry Kellett in 1847 gave the Spanish name Camano to the island and sought to restore Vancouver's name of Port Gardner has now practically disappeared. The United States Coast and Geodetic Survey Chart 6450 shows Possession Sound extending from the southern end of Whidbey Island to Allen Point and Saratoga Passage from that point northward. The same Survey's Chart 6448 gives the name Port Gardner to the southern portion of Everett Harbor. See Allen Point, Camano Island, Everett, Port Gardner, Port Susan and Possession Sound.

Sares Head, see Langley Point.

Satsop River, a tributary of the Chehalis River in the eastern part of Grays Harbor County. The Bureau of American Ethnology says the name was that of a Salish band of Indians living along the river. (Handbook of American Indians Volume II., page 471.) The word is said to mean "on a creek." (W. F. Wagner, in Names MSS. Letter 218.) The Wilkes Expedition, 1841, spelled the word "Sachap." (Narrative, Volume V., page 127.) J. A. Costello says the Lower Chehalis Indians called the river "Sats-apish." (The Siwash.)

Satus Creek, a tributary of the Yakima River in the southeastern part of Yakima County. The Indian word is said to mean "rich land." (Robert M. Graham, of Mabton, in Names MSS. Letter 297.) The Bureau of American Ethnology has a different spelling and meaning: "Setaslema 'a people of the rye prarie.' A Yakima band formerly living on Setass Creek." (Handbook of American Indians Volume II., page 514.)

Sauk, the name of a river, mountain and railway station in the central part of Skagit County. The name is from that of a tribe of Indians. (Postmaster at Sauk, in Names MSS. Letter 49.) The post office of that name was established in 1884. (History of Skagit and Snohomish Counties, page 244.) George Gibbs writing on March 1, 1854, said the Indians had a portage from the north fork of the Stilaguamish to the "Sah-kee-me-hu" branch of the Skagit. (Pacific Railroad Reports, Volume I., page 472.)

Saundersonville, see Chehalis.
Sawamish, see Mason County.

Saxon, a railroad station in Snohomish County, which years ago had a post office. It was named in honor of a widow by the name of Saxon, about 1888. (Charles F. Elsbree, of Acme, in Names MSS. Letter 195.)

Scabock Harbor, see Seabeck.
Scadget Head, see Scatchet Head.

Scaffold Camp Creek, a tributary of Twisp River in the west central part of Okanogan County. On September 30, 1853, Captain George B. McClellan made his way up the creek seeking a passage across the mountains. He charted the creek by an Indian name "Nai-hai-ul-ix-on." (Pacific Railroad Reports Volume I., pages 377-389.) The origin of the name Scaffold has not been ascertained. There may have been a hanging there and, what seems more likely, pioneers may have found huge tepee poles standing at an Indian camping place. Such poles have been found at other camping places. For an illustration of such a camp, see The Mountaineer for 1911, facing page 22.

Scaget River, see Skagit River.

Scarboro Hill, back of Chinook near the mouth of the Columbia River in the southwestern part of Pacific County. The name is often spelled in full as Scarborough Hill. Oh November 21, 1813, Alexander Henry referred to it by two names when he wrote: "We ascended the Chinook hill, or Red Patch, from the top of which we had an extensive view." (Elliott Coues: New Light on the Early History of the Greater Northwest, page 755.) The Wilkes Expedition, 1841, also charted it as "Chinook Hill." (Hydrography, Volume XXIII., Atlas, chart 68.) Captain James Scarborough, on leaving the employ of the Hudson's Bay Company, took up a claim at Chinook and also served as river pilot for the mail steamers from from California. (James G. Swan: Northwest Coast, page 101.) The giving of his name to Chinook Hill was recognized by the United States Coast Survey in 1858. (Annual Report for 1858, page 392.) For another honor proposed for the same man, see Neah Bay.

Scarboro Shoals, see Toliva Shoal.
Scarborough Harbor, see Neah Bay.
Scarborough Point, see Klatchopis Point.

Scatchet Head, at the southwestern extremity of Whidbey Island, in Island County. It was named by the Wilkes Expedition, 1841, (Hydrography, Volume XXIII, Atlas, chart 78.) The same name was probably in local use by the Hudson's Bay Company prior to 1841. (J. G. Kohl in Pacific Railroad Reports, Volume XII., Part I., chapter XV, page 286.) The name was taken from that of the Indian tribe, now usually spelled Skagit. The incorrect spelling was recognized and yet used by the United States Coast Survey in 1858 and the Indian name of the cape recorded as "Skoolhks." (Annual Report for 1858, page 444.)

Schuh-Tlahks, see Priest Point, Snohomish County.
Schwan-Ate-Koo, see Kettle Falls.
Schwock River, see Swauk Creek.

Scott Island, a small island in Carr Inlet, in the northwestern part of Pierce County. It was named in honor of Thomas Scott, Quartermaster in one of the crews, by the Wilkes Expedition, 1841. Hydrography, Volume XXIII, Atlas, chart 78.) Name has since been changed to Cutts Island. (United States Coast and Geodetic Survey Chart 6460,)

Scott's Prairie, about three miles northwest of Shelton, Mason County, named in Honor of John Tucker Scott who crossed the plains in 1852. After two, years in Oregon, the family moved to Washington Territory and settled on the prairie in 1854. During the Indian war of 1855-1856, the family was stockaded at Fort Collins, opposite Acadia. Not long after the war the family moved back to Oregon. Two of the children became famous: Harvey W. Scott, veteran editor of The Oregonian, and Mrs. Abigail Scott Duniway, editor, writer and pioneer advocate of women suffrage. It is related that Harvey W. Scott, after splitting rails and ranching on the prairie farm for a year or two "hoofed it" to Forest Grove, Oregon, where he obtained the beginings of his education in the academy, now Pacific University. (Grant C. Angle, of Shelton, in Names MSS. Letter 83.)

Scow Bay, a pioneer name near Port Townsend, Jefferson County, and probably the same as Long Bay and Kalisut Harbor.

Scriber Lake, about four miles east of Edmonds in the southwestern part of Snohomish County. It should be called Schriber Lake since it was named for Peter Schriber, a Dane, who proved up on a homestead including all of the lake about 1890 or 1893. (Samuel F. Street, in Names MSS. Letter 152.)

Scribner, a Northern Pacific Railway station in the central part of Spokane County. It was named in honor of Peter Scribner, a particular friend of W. P. Kenney, Vice President of the Great Northern Railway Company, (L. C. Gilman, in Names MSS. Letter 590.)

Sdze-sdza-la-lich, see Seattle.

Seabeck, a bay and town on the east shore of Hood Canal, in the west central part of Kitsap County. The Wilkes Expedition, 1841, evidently tried to spell an Indian name when charting **Scabock Harbor." (Hydrography, Volume XXIII., Atlas, chart 78.) At the southwest cape was also charted "Scabock Island." Captain Henry Kellet, in 1847, changed the name of the bay to "Hahamish Harbor," but retained the Wilkes name of the supposed island, changing the spelling to Seabeck Island. (British Admiralty Chart 1911.) When the pioneers built a sawmill on the bay they chose the British spelling and it has remained Seabeck ever since. The idea of an island, however, is abandoned and for some reason there is charted in its place Point Misery. (United States Coast and Geodetic Survey Chart 6450.) J. A. Costello says the Skokomish Indian name for the bay is 'L-ka-bak-hu" (The Siwash.)

Seabold, a town on Brainbridge Island, near Agate Pass, in the east central part of Kitsop County. William Bull gave the name in 1894 because the place was near a tidal shore. (Postmaster at Seabold, in Names MSS. Letter 13.)

Seabury, a station in the northeastern part of Whitman County, so called after a Maine town of the same name. (H.R. Williams, Vice President of the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway Company, in Names MSS. Letter 589.)

Seahaven, in Pacific County. "The town of Seahaven, at mouth of the Willapa River, was founded about 1889 and was located on a tract of tide land belonging to Thomas Potter. The moving spirits in the townsite proposition were Herman Trott of Saint Paul, Minn., John Dobson, Frank Donahue, N. B. Coffman and others of Chehalis, Wash. In 1890, it had a bank, a newspaper, a large hotel and several buildings. All of them have long ago disappeared or have been moved to South Bend and the place is again a fine dairy farm." (F. A. Hazeltine, of South Bend, in Names MSS. Letter 91)

Seal, River, see Washougal River.
Seal Rock, a name sometimes used for Sail Rock.

Seaport, a townsite platted by Lewis Henry Rhoades in the early nineties on a place commonly known as Sand Point, Willapa Bay, Pacific County. The plat was later vacated and the name went into disuse. (L. L. Bush, of Bay Center, in Names MSS. Letter 97.)

Seatco, see Bucoda.

Seattle, on Elliott Bay, now Seattle Harbor, a part of Puget Sound. It is the metropolis of the State and county seat of King County. The colony of twelve adults and twelve children, from which the city has grown, landed at what is known as Alki Point on November 13, 1851. The winter was stormy at that point and on February 15, 1852, A. A. Denny, W. N. Bell and C. D. Boren located and marked three claims on the east shore of the bay. On March 31, 1852, Dr. D. S. Maynard arrived and accepted the offer of the others to move their lines so as to give him an adjoining claim on the south. In October, 1852, Henry L. Yesler arrived, looking for a mill-site. Maynard and Boren adjusted their lines to accommodate him. The road leading from his mill became Mill Street, later changed to Yesler Way. Before this, Denny, Boren and Maynard agreed upon a plat and a name for the town. On May 23, 1853, Denny and Boren filed the first plat for the town of Seattle and later the same day Doctor Maynard filed his part of the plot. Chief Seattle, who was thus honored, had been friendly to the white settlers and remained so during the Indian war in which followed in 1855-1856. (Arthur A. Denny: Pioneer Days on Puget Sound, pages 17-21.) Chief Seattle did not know his age. He died in 1866 when the pioneers estimated his age as eighty years. If this be true, he was a boy of six when Vancouver dropped anchor at Restoration Point on May 19, 1792, and the Suquamish Indians saw white men for the first time. Vancouver gives a graphic account of the Indians and their camp. (Voyage Round the World, second edition. Volume IL, pages 118-127.) While still a boy Seattle succeeded his father Schweabe as Chief of the Suquamish tribe and on attaining manhood he evidently was a thorough savage. The Hudson's Bay Company's daily record, known as the Nsqually Journal, contains frequent references to the Chief. The entry for September 30, 1835, says: 'This forenoon a quarrel took place between Ovrie and an Indian of the Suquamish tribe by name Seealt or by us called La Gros. It is said he threatened Ovrie with his gun. This is the second time. I of course brought him to an account and told him that if ever he did so again I should not pass over the business so quietly. At best this fellow is a scamp and like Challacum [Steilacoom] a black heart ready to pick a quarrel." The writer was Chief Trader at Fort Nisqually. (The original manuscript journals of Fort Nisqually are in the possession of Thomas Huggins of Tacoma.) The entry for October 18, 1835, says a Skagit Indian gave ten large beaver skins to "See yat as a present to his daughter." In six entries for 1836 the name is spelled "See yat". The entry for December 6, 1837, says: "The Chief See yat has murdered an Indian doctor, much talk about the affair amongst the Suquamish tribe. I wish they would determine on shooting the villian." On January 9, 1838, the record says: "Challicum with a party of his Indians cast up, put a few skins in the store and then left us for a visit to the Saw aye waw mish to buy some articles for the death of a So qua mish shot by the villian See yat, the latter having got a gun from the Saw aye waw mish and with it committed murder." Seattle's people were good hunters. The Fort Nisqually record contains a summary for 1837, showing that of 555 large beaver, Seattle brought 68, 16 out of 141 small beaver, 37 out of 261 otter skins. In this, his tribe was excelled only by the Skagits. The condemnatory entries cease after 1838. For this there are two good reasons: The Puget Sound Agricultural Company, a subsidiary of the Hudson's Bay Company, changed the nature of Fort Nisqually making it an agricultural and stock raising center; and Chief Seattle was baptized under the name of "Noah Sealth" by a Catholic missionary, probably Father Modeste Demers, who began work on Puget Sound in 1838. The futile attack on Fort Nisqually by Chief Patkanim of the Snoqualmie tribe in 1849 changed that warrior into a friend of the white people and must have had an influence for good on Chief Seattle as well. United States troops were brought to Puget Sound and Fort Steilacoom established that same year. (Edmond S. Meany: History of the State of Washington, pages 149-150.) Whatever the cause or causes, Seattle became the friend of the pioneers who settled in his neighborhood in 1851 and remained steadfast during the remaining fifteen eventful years of his life. The Chief was a large man, an impressive leader of his people. Among his other native talents, was that of oratory. Miss Emily Inez Denny, daughter of David T. Denny, has gleaned from the memory of her father and other pioneers anecdotes about Seattle's oratory. Dr. H. A. Smith, for whom Smith's Cove was named, told about the first arrival of Governor Isaac I. Stevens at Seattle in 1854. "The bay swarmed with canoes and the shore was lined with a living mass of swaying, writhing, dusky humanity, until Old Chief Seattle's trumpet-toned voice rolled over the immense multitude like the reveille of a bass drum, when silence became as instantaneous and perfect as that which follows a clap of thunder from a clear sky." (Blazing the Way pages 362-363.) The grave of the old Chief remained unmarked until June 28, 1890, when Arthur A. Denny, Hillory Butler, Samuel Crawford and other pioneers placed over it a large marble cross seven feet high. (Frank Carlson: Chief Seattle, page 30.) The religious letters "I. H. S." are entwined with ivy. Two sides of the monument bear inscriptions: "Seattle, Chief of the Suquamps and Allied Tribes, Died June 7, 1866. The Firm Friend of the Whites, and for Him the City of Seattle was Named by Its Founders." "Baptismal name, Noah, Sealth. Age probably 80 years." The grave is at Suquamish, Port Madison Bay, Kitsap County, near the famous long-house home of the Chief. The spelling of the name has been much discussed. The different forms arose from the difficulty in catching the gutteral pronunciation by the Indians. In addition to the above instances, it may be cited that in 1853, Theodore Winthrop wrote it "Se-at-tlh." (The Canoe and the Saddle, J. H. Williams edition, page 32.) In 1858, the United States Coast Survey wrote it "Se-at-tl." (Annual Report for 1858, page 446.) The more euphonious spelling on that first pioneer plat has persisted. The Indians' own name for the place was "Tzee-tzee-lal-itch," meaning "little portage," and referring to the trail to the large lake, Washington, so much shorter that the circuitous river route. (Charles M. Buchanan, of Tulalip, in Names MSS. Letter 155.) Frederic James Grant has recorded the origin of the city's "pet" name as follows: "The summer of 1883 was distinguished by the arrival of many people of note, from both far and near. General Sprague and John Muir, of the Northern Pacific, addressed Seattle as the Queen City of the Sound." (History of Seattle, page 167.) The city's rapid growth in recent years has resulted in its merging with a number of suburbs, such as Fremont on the north shore of Lake Union. See Alki Point, Ballard, Columbia, Fauntleroy Cove, Georgetown, Latona, and Ravenna Park.

Seaview, a town on the ocean shore in the southwestern part of Pacific County. J. L. Stout secured some four hundred acres on North Beach in 1871. He erected a summer hotel and gave it the name which has become that; of the town. (History of Pacific Northwest: Oregon and Washington, Volume II., page 588.)

Sedro-Woolley, a city in the west central part of Skagit County. The place was first settled in 1878 by David Batey and Joseph Hart. In 1884, Mortimer Cook bought forty acres and planned a town. Desiring a name that would be unique he called it "Bug." The settlers did not like the lack of dignity and threatened to prefix the syllable "Hum" to the sign at the river landing. Mrs. Batey said she had found "Sedro" in a Spanish dictionary as meaning cedar. As there were many fine trees there of that species the suggested name was taken though the spelling should have been "Cedro." In 1890, Norman R. Kelly platted some land and His part of the town was known as "Kellyville." With the boom of 1890, Philip A. Woolley started a rival town nearby under the name of "Woolley". The dual government was expensive and on December 19, 1898, the movement for consolidation was successful, resulting in the hyphenated name of Sedro-Woolley. (History of Skagit and Snohomish Counties, pages 219-227.)

Sehome, now a part of Bellingham, Whatcom County. The original town of Sehome was laid off by E. C. Fitzhugh, James Tilton and C. Vail in 1858 on the land claim of Vail & De Lacey. The name was from that of a chief of the Samish tribe. (H. H. Bancroft: Works, Volume XXXI., page 367.)

Seh-quu River, see Toutle River.
Sejachio, a former name for Crescent Bay.

Sekou Point, the western cape of Clallam Bay in the northwestern part of Clallam County. It was first charted by Captain Henry Klellett, 1847. (British Admiralty Chart 1911.) Captain George Davidson says it should be pronounced Sik-ke-u. (Pacific Coast Pilot, page 524.)

Selah, the name of a town, creek and valley in the north central part of Yakima County. "I have talked with a number of the oldest residents of our valley, one among whom came to the valley in 1861. As a result of my inquiries, I have found that Selah is an Indian word meaning 'still water' or 'smooth water.' This was locally applied to a section of the Yakima River about a mile and a half in length and lying between the present site of Pomona and a point a little south of Selah. That part of the river between Ellensburg and Pomona is very swift and rough. As it emerges from the Kittitas Canyon it reaches a level valley where it flows smoothly for a short distance and then passes over rapids again. Hence the name Selah' applied to this section of the river. As near as I can learn, the Indians here had no name for an entire stream but named different sections of a stream from their peculiar characteristics. The name Selah was extended to Selah Creek and to different parts of the valley by the people who settled here. Selah has been often confused with the Hebrew musical term which has the same spelling and pronunciation but is of entirely different origin and meaning." (Arthur C. Vail, of Selah, in Names MS'S. Letter 355.)

Selleck, a town in the central part of King County, named for F. L. Selleck, who was resident Superintendent of the Pacific States Lumber Company, operating the principal industry of the place. (F. G. Arnold, in Names MSS. Letter 487.)

Selows-kap Creek, a former name for Colville River.

Semiahmoo Bay, at the northwestern corner of Whatcom County, at the Canadian boundary. During the gold rush of 1858, the town on the bay was called Semiahmoo. In 1885, the town's name was changed to Blaine. Likewise the bay was formerly charted as Drayton Harbor. The name Semiahmoo is that of a former tribe of Salish Indians living on the bay. (Handbook of American Indians, Volume II., page 500.) See Blaine, Boundary Bay and Drayton Harbor.

Seng de Padilla, see Padilla Bay.
Seng de Gaston, see Bellingham Bay.
Seno de Santa Rosa, see Strait of Juan de Fuca.

Sentinel Rocks, just south of Spieden Island, in the northwestern part of San Juan County, named by the Wilkes Expedition, 1841. (Hydrography Volume XXIII, Atlas, chart 77.) The rocks are sometimes charted as an island.

Sepulchre: Island, see Memaloose Island.

Sequalitchew, the name of a lake and small stream in the west central part of Pierce County. Near this stream the Hudson's Bay Company's famous Nisqually House was located. See Dupont and Nisqually House. The Wilkes Expedition celebrated the Fourth of July there in 1841. (Edmond S. Meany: History of the State of Washington, page 77.) During the American agitation of "Fifty-four, Forty or Fight!" the British were urged by their secret mission of Warre and Vavasour to build defenses there. "Any description of work can be thrown up, such as a bastion or redoubt, on the large plain near the Sequalitz stream, with barracks etc., for the accommodation of Troops." (Washington Historical Quarterly, April, 1912, page 151.)

Sequim, a town in the northwestern part of Clallam County. Rev. Myron Eells says the Clallam tribe had a village on Washington Harbor, just south of New Dungeness Bay and the village was known in the Clallam language as Such-e-kwai-ing, from which has been derived the word Sequim. (American Anthropologist for January, 1892, and Handbook of American Indians, Volume II., page 510.) Matthew Fleming, a pioneer who lived in that vicinity for more than sixty years, thinks the present word is as near as we can get to a proper spelling of the Clallam word, meaning "quiet water." The Indians applied it to Washington Harbor but the white people have extended it to the prairie and the town. (J. H. McCourt, postmaster at Sequim, in Names MSS. Letter 572.)

Servia, a station in the west central part of Adams County, named for the European country of that name. (H. R. Williams, Vice President of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St Paul Railway Company in Names MSS. Letter 589.)

Sha-ap-tin, see Snake River.

Shag Reef, adjacent to Cactus Island, north of Spieden Island, San Juan County. It was charted by Captain Richards, 1858-1860. (British Admiralty Chart 5860.)

Snais-Quihl, Indian name for the peninsula at the southeastern end of Fidalgo Island. (Point Elliott Treaty with the Indians, January 22, 1855.)

Shallow Nitch, see Grays Bay.

Shanghai Creek, a branch of Lacamas Creek, flowing through the Shanghai district. (Chauncy Price, of Sifton, in Names MSS. Letter 181.)

Shanghai Valley, Cowlitz County, named by Samuel J. Huntington who thought that Mr. Choate and sons, early settlers in the valley had unusually long legs. He called them "Shanghais" and referred to the valley as "over to Shanghai." The name thus given in jest has stuck to the region. (Mrs. Antoinette Baker Huntington, of Castle Rock, in Pioneer Biography Manuscripts, University of Washington.)

Shannon Point, a northwestern cape of Fidalgo Island, at the western edge of Skagit County. It was charted as "Ship Point" by Captain Richards, 1858-1859. (British Admiralty Chart 2689.) For a reason not ascertained, American geographies have given the present name. (United States Coast and Geodetic Survey Chart 6300.)

Shanwappum, see Tieton River.

Shark Reef, on the west coast of Lopez Island, south of the present Fisherman's Harbor. The name was given by Captain Richards, 1858-1859. (British Admiralty Chart 2689.)

Shaw Island, in the central part of San Juan County. The Spanish Captain Eliza in 1791 included this island with others in his "Isla y Archipelago de San Juan." The present name was given by the Wilkes Expedition, 1841, in honor of Captain John D. Shaw, of the United States Navy, who had srved prominently in the war against Algiers, 1815. (Hydrography, Volume XXIII., Atlas, chart 77.)

Shawuteus, see Colville River.
Shawpatin Mountains, see Blue Mountains.
Shawpatin River, see Snake River.

Sheep Creek, a number of small streams have obtained this name since the beginning of grazing flocks in the hills.

Sheep Island, in West Sound, Orcas Island, San Juan County. It was charted by Captain Richards, 1858-1860. (British Admiralty Chart 2840.)

Sheetshoo, see Spokane River.

Shelton, county seat of Mason County, named for David Shelton, the pioneer who secured there a donation land claim and lived on it until his death in 1897. (Grant C. Angle, in Names MSS. Letter 261.) An arm of Hammersly Inlet is called Shelton Bay and a small stream there is known as Shelton Creek. The Indian name for the region was Sahawamish. (Grant C. Angle, in Names MSS. Letter 83.) David Shelton was an interesting figure in the pioneer history of Washington. He was born in North Carolina September 15, 1812, and with his parents moved to Missouri in 1819. Trapping, Indian fighting, hardships and farming were experienced until 1847 when he migrated to "Oregon with the traditional ox-teams. Near Walla Walla, he met Marcus Whitman six weeks before the tragic death of that missionary. He left the family in Oregon while he joined the gold rush to California in 1849. Returning to Oregon he settled at East Portland until January, 1852, when he moved to Puget Sound. In April, 1853, he moved from Olympia to the place which became Shelton. He was a member of the first Territorial Legislature in which he got his home section organized into Sawamish County. When a member of a later session he sponsored another bill, to change the name to Mason County in honor of Charles H. Mason, first Territorial Secretary under Governor Isaac I. Stevens. Mr. Shelton was honored with election to most of the important offices in Mason County and also served as Mayor of the city which bore his own name. His wife who had shared his pioneering died in 1887, aged seventy-one years, while he lived to attain the age of eighty-five years. (Rev. H. K. Hines: Illustrated History of the State of Washington, pages 575-576.)

Shih-rail-lup, see Tacoma.
Shilshole, see Salmon Bay.

Shine, a town on the west shore of Hood Canal, west of Port Gamble in the northeastern part of Jefferson County. The Post office Department rejected the proposed name of ''Sunshine" but approved "Shine." (Charles A. Cook, Postmaster at Shine, in Names MSS. Letter 154.)

Ship Harbor, east of Shannon Point, at the northwestern extremity of Fidalgo Island, Skagit County. (United States Coast and Geodetic Survey Chart 6377.) "The superior excellence of Ship Harbor had been known perhaps even before the United States vessel Massachusetts began making it her headquarters, a circumstance which is said to have given it its name." (History of Skagit and Snohomish Counties, page 89.)

Ship Point, see Shannon Point.
Shipjack Islands, see Bare Island and Skipjack Island.

Shoal Bright, on the southeast coast of Lopez Island, San Juan County. "Named by the United States Coast Survey in 1854. We were the first to discover this available anchorage. It is called Davis Bay on the English Admiralty Chart of 1859." (Captain George Davidson: Pacific Coast Pilot, page 562, note.)

Shoalwater Bay, see Willapa Bay.

Shovel Creek, a small stream in the southern part of Asotin County. It derived its name from a wild tale by prospectors that they had taken gold out of the stream "by the shovelful." (Illustrated History of Southeastern Washington, page 647.)

Shushuskin Canyon, south of Ellensburg, in the south central part of Kittitas County. An Indian by that name brought a plow from Nisqually and became a farmer. Miners on their way to gold prospects were fed and befriended by him. His name was given to the canyon and its little creek. (Interview with Mr. Houser in the History of Kittitas County, by the Seventh Grade in the State Normal School at Ellensburg, page 3.)

Shutes River, see Deschutes River.
Sidney, a former name of Port Orchard, county seat of Kitsap County.

Sierra Nevadas de San Antonio, see Cascade Mountains.

Sifton, terminus of the Oregon-Washington Corporation's electric line from Vancouver, in the southern part of Clarke County. It was named about 1908 for Doctor Sifton, of Portland, Oregon, one of the original stockholders in the company. (Chauney Price, of Sifton, in Names MSS. Letter 181.)

Siga-Kah, a former name for Kettle River.

Silcott, a post office at the mouth of Alpowa Creek, in the northern part of Asotin County. It was named for John Silcott, the pioneer who ran the ferry across the Clearwater, to Lewiston, before that city was named. (Cliff M, Wilson, Postmaster at Silcott, in Names MSS. Letter 240.) William S. Newland filed the plat for "Alpowa City" on April 10, 1882, but nothing came of it and the place lapsed into Silcott in 1885. (Illustrated History of Southeastern Washington, page 697.)

Silkatkwu, see Colville Lake.

Silver Creek, a town in the west central part of Lewis County, named on April 28, 1868, by John Tucker for a small stream by that name. (G. H. Tucker, in Names MSS. Letter 398.) Six other small streams in the State have the same name.

Silver Lake, there are five small lakes and one post office bearing this name in the State. The post office is located near the shore of the lake of that name in the north central part of Cowlitz County, about six miles northeast of Castle Rock. It is a camping place for those who ascend Mount St. Helens. This lake was formerly known as Toutle Lake. (Joseph O'Neill, Postmaster at Castle Rock, in Names MSS. Letter 158.) Another Silver Lake is west of Medical Lake in Spokane County, named by W. F. Bassett. (H. S. Bassett, of Harrington, Lincoln County, in Names MSS. Letter 327.) Another lake by the name is near Eatonville, in the south central part of Pierce County; a fourth is seven miles south of Everett in the southwestern part of Snohomish County; a fifth is at the head of Silver Creek, near Monte Cristo, in the southeastern part of Snohomish County. (Henry Landes: A Geographic Dictionary of Washington, page 254.)

Silverdale, a town on Dyes Inlet, in the central part of Kitsap County, named by a Mr. Munson about 1880. (Postmaster at Silverdale, in Name MSS. Letter 450.)

Silverton, a town in the central part of Snohomish County, christened on August 26, 1891, by a mass meeting of miners. History of Skagit and Snohomish Counties, pages 373-374.)

Simcoe: Creek, a tributary of Toppenish Creek in the central part of Yakima County. Captain George B. McClellan arrived there on August 16, 1853, and mentioned it as Simkwe Creek. (Pacific Railroad Reports, Volume I., page 380.) See Fort Simcoe.

Similk Bay, on the southern shore of Fidalgo Island, northeast of Description Pass, in the west central part of Skagit County. It was named by the Wilkes Expedition, 1841. (Hydrography Volume XXIII., Atlas, chart 90.) The name is retained on the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey Chart 6380.

Similkameen River, a tributary of the Okanogan River, near Osoyoos Lake, in the north central part of Okanogan County. Alexander Ross, of the Astorians, wrote: "At the Indian camp we remained one day, got the information we required about the country procured some furs, and then, following the course of the Sa-milk-
a-meigh River, got to Oakinacken at its forks." (Oregon Settlers, in "Early Western Travels." Volume VII, page 206.) The surveyors with Captain George B. McClellan in 1853 included the Similkameen as part of the Okanogan, calling the main stream northward through the lake "Sahtlikwu" and the present Similk-ameen "Millakitekwu". (Pacific Railroad Surveys, Volume I., Chapter XVIII, page 214.)

Simkwe, see Simcoe Creek.
Simmons, a name proposed for Thurston County.

Simmons Lake, two miles west of Olympia, Thurston County, named for William Simmons, whose land claim embraced the lake. (H. B. McElroy, of Olympia, in Names MSS. Letter 46.)

Sinahomis River, see Snohomish River.
Sinawamis River, a name once used for the Duwamish River.

Sinclair Inlet, the southwestern arm of Port Orchard, in the south central part of Kitsap County. It was named by the Wilkes Expedition, 1841, in honor of George T. Sinclair, Acting Master, in one of the crews. (Hydrography, Volume XXIII, page 317, and Atlas chart 88.)^ See Dyes Inlet, Liberty Bay, and May's Inlet.

Sinclair Island, north of Cypress Island, at the northwest corner of Skagit County. It was named by the Wilkes Expedition, 1841. (Hydrography, Volume XXIII, Atlas, chart 77.) Since Wilkes was naming the islands of this archipelago for ''distinguished officers late of the U. S. naval service," it is probable that this honor was for Arthur Sinclair, Sr., Commander of the Argus in the War of 1812. (E. S. Maclay: History of the Navy, Volume I., pages 183, 383, 427 and 491.)

Sine, a former post office in the eastern part of Grays Harbor County, named for Jackson Sine, a pioneer when the post office was established in March, 1905. It has since been discontinued. (L. M. Croft, of McCleary, in Names MSS. Letter 121.)

Sinnahamis, see Snohomish River.

Sin-See-Hoo-Ille, a tributary of the Palouse River, on James Tilton's Map of a Part of Washington Territory, September, 1859. (United States Public Documents, Serial No. 1026.)

Sin-Too-Too-ooley, see Latah.

Sisco, a town in the northwestern part of Snohomish County, named for a pioneer of that name, who homesteaded land there about 1890. In 1900 the Stimson Company and the Standard Logging Company opened up camps there and Sisco came into existence. Later the camps moved to different locations and "a shingle mill is Sisco's only lease on life". (Mary M. Farrell, in Names MSS. Letter 163.)

Sister Islands, northeast of Orcas Island, in the northeastern part of San Juan County, named by the Wilkes Expedition, 1841. (Hydrography, Volume XXIII, Atlas, chart 77.)

Sisters Point, on the north side of Hood Canal, east of Union, in the central part of Mason County, named by the Wilkes Expedition, 1841. (Hydrography, Volume XXIII, Atlas chart 78.)

Siwash Slough, near Samish, in the northwestern part of Skagit County. "Daniel Dingwall seems to have been the pioneer merchant of the Samish County, having established, a store in partnership with Thomas Hayes, in the fall of 1869 on Samish Island, adjoining the Siwash Slough. This Siwash Slough was so called from the; location upon it of two thousand Siwashes engaged in fishing and hunting." (History of Skagit and Snohomish Counties, page 111.) "Siwash is the Chinook Jargon word for 'Indian' and is a corruption of the French word 'sauvage'." (Rev. Myron Eells in the American Anthropologist, for January, 1892.)

Skaewena Indians, see Yakima Indians.

Skagit, the name of an Indian tribe which lived on the river now known by the same name. The tribe also occupied part of Whidbey Island. As in the case of other Indian names there have been many forms of the word used. (Handbook of American Indians, Volume II., page 585.)' John Work, of the Hudson's Bay Company, in 1824, referred to Scaadchet Bay. (Washington Historical Quarterly, July, 1912, page 225.) George Gibbs used the present form of the word on March 1, 1854. (Pacific Railroad Reports, Volume I., page 471.) The same form is used in the treaty by which the Skagits ceded their lands, January 22, 1855. The County bearing this name was created by the Legislature of the Territory of Washington on November 28, 1883. At the southern extremity of Whidbey Island is a bluff called Scatchet Head, another spelling of the same word. Near the northern extremity of the same island are Skagit Bay and Skagit Island. Skagit City began with Barker's trading post in 1869. The townsite was platted on the homestead of W. H. McAlpine. "It is no longer much of a place." (History of Skagit and Snohomish Counties, page 246.) The Wilkes Expedition, 1841, charted the island as "Skait Island". (Hydrography, Volume XXIII, Atlas, chart 90.)

Ska-ka-bish, see Skokomish.
Skait Island, see Skagit.

Skakane Creek, in the hills near Cashmere, Chelan County, an Indian name meaning "deep canyon". (A. Manson, of Cashmere, in Names MSS. Letter 300.)

Skamania County, organized by the Washington Territorial Legislature on March 9, 1854. The name is an Indian word meaning ''swift water" and was "probably applied to the troubled waters of the Columbia River". (Henry Gannett: Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States, page 284.) A town in the' county bearing the same name was formerly known as Butler until the residents petitioned for', a change. (L. C. Oilman, in Names MSS. Letter 590.)

S'Kamish, an Indian name applied to White River. (Theodore Winthrop: The Canoe and the Saddle, J. H. Williams edition, page 78, note.)

Skamokawa, the name of a town and a small tributary of the Columbia River at that place in the south central part of Wahkiakum County. The word, sometimes spelled "Skamokaway," was the name of a famous old Indian chief. (W. D. Lyman, in History of Pacific Northwest: Oregon and Washington, Volume II., page 176.) "Skamokawa is an Indian name, meaning 'smoke on the water'. Nearly every morning there is more or less fog at the mouth of Skamokawa Creek. It is thought that the Indians derived the name from that source, although there was a chief named Skamokawa. His tribe was one of the numerous little off-shoots of the Wahkiakums or Chinooks." (S. G. Williams, proprietor of the Skamokawa Eagle, in Names MSS. Letter 560.)

Skawn-te-us, see Colville River.
Skeet-ko-mish, see Spokane River.
Skeetshoo, see Spokane River.
Sketsui, sometimes spelled "Sketch-hugh," is a former name of Coeur d' Alene Lake.

Skiff Point, the north cape of Rolling Bay, in the west central part of Kitsap County, so named because at low tide it has the appearance of an overturned skiff and, also, many skiffs are found stranded on the shallow bar. (Lucas A. Rodal, Postmaster at Rolling Bay, in Names MSS. Letter 1.) See Murdens Cove and Rolling Bay.

Skipjack Island, north of Waldron Island, in the north central part of San Juan County. The Wilkes Expedition, 1841, charted two small islands as "Ship Jack Islands." (Hydrography, Volume XXIII., Atlas, chart 77.) The United States Coast Survey in 1853 noted the contrast in their covering and charted the larger as "Wooded" and the smaller as "Bare" Island. (Captain George Davidson: Pacific Coast Pilot, page 558.) Captain Richards, in 1858-1859, restored the original name for the larger island and changed the name of the smaller one to "Penguin Island." (British Admiralty Chart 2689.) The United States Coast and Geodetic Survey Chart 6300 retains the "Skipjack" name for the larger island but rejects the name "Penguin" for the other which is now, "Bare Island. There are several species of fish which go by the common name of "Shipjack", which probably accounts for the origin of this name.

Skilkantin, see Stemilt Creek.

Ski-ou or Syue, Point, at the southeast entrance to Tulalip Bay, in the west central part of Snohomish County. "Skyu" is the Indian word for dead body. In primitive times, the point was the site of an Indian cemetery. The place is often called "Dead Man's Point." (Charles M. Buchanan, of Tulalip, in Names MSS. Letter 155.)

Skohomish River, rising in the Olympic Mountains and flowing into Hood Canal at Union, in the northwestern part of Mason County, was named "Black Creek" by the Wilkes Exploring Expedition, 1841. (Narrative, Volume IV., page 411) This was probably intended as an honor for the trader Black at one of the northern posts. Captain Wilkes wrote: "To Mr. Black the world is indebted for the greater part of the geographical knowledge which has been published of the country west of the Rocky Mountains."" (Narrative, Volume IV., page 369.) That name did not persist. The present Indian name means "river people", from kaw "fresh water" and mish, "people", (Myron Eells in American Anthropologist for January, 1892.

Skookumchuck River, in the southern part of Thurston County and the northwestern part of Lewis County, flowing into the Chehalis River near Centralia. In one spelling or another, the name appears on the earliest Territorial maps of Washington. Skookum, is a Chehalis Indian word meaning "strong" and Cluck is a Chinook Indian word meaning "water." Both words are in the Chinook Jargon and the name as applied means swift river.

Skull, Rock, in Massacre Bay, West Sound, Orcas Island, in San Juan County. See Massacre Bay.

Skwa-kwe-i, see Port Discovery.

Skykomish River, rises in the Cascade Range and flows through the southern part of Snohomish County. Near Monroe it joins with the Snoqualmie River forming the Snohomish River. The Bureau of American Ethnology says the Indian name comes from skaikh, meaning "inland" and mish, "people". (Handbook of American Indians, Volume II., page 591.) There have been many spellings of the word. Captain George B. McClellan referred to it as "Skywhamish." (Pacific Railroad Reports, Volume I., chapter 18. page 200.)

Seal-Atl-Atl-Tul-Hu, see Hoodsport.
Slaughter, see Auburn.
Slaughter County, see Kitsap County.
Slawntehus River, see Colville River.

Sur Point, at Clallam Bay, in the northwestern part of Clallam County. "Very broken-up formation and slides frequently occur." (Postmaster at Clallam Bay in Names MSS. Letter 265.)

Slup-Puks, an Indian name for the site of Marysville. (Charles M. Buchanan, in Names MSS, Letter 155.)

Small Pox Bay, on the west coast of San Juan Island, "directly across the island from Friday Harbor. Many Indians infected with the disease at Victoria died there. Their bodies were burned with kerosene by American officers in 1860." (E. P. Osbourne, in manuscript in Pacific Marine Station.)

Smalocho, see Greenwater River and White River.

Smith Cove, part of Seattle Harbor, King County, named in honor of Dr. Henry A. Smith, the pioneer who settled there in 1853. (Frederic James Grant, History of Seattle, page 432.) The Wilkes Expedition, 1841, had called it "Quartermaster Cove". (Hydrography, Volume XXIII., Atlas, chart 92.)

Smith Creek, a small stream flowing into Lake Whatcom in the western part of Whatcom County, named for the pioneer, T. J. Smith, who settled there in 1884. Mr. Smith was the pioneer hardware merchant in what is now Bellingham. (J. D. Custer, of Park, m Names MSS. Letter 209.) There are at least three other streams in the State with the same name, in Lewis, Pacific and Skamania Counties.

Smith Island, at the eastern extremity of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, in the west central part of Island Count). Its main use is for the location of a powerful and important light and foghorn. The Wilkes Expedition, 1841, named it "Blunt's Island," in honor for Midshipman Simon F. Blunt, of the expedition. (Hydrography, Volume XXIII., Atlas, chart 77.) The Spanish Captain Francisco Eliza had named the group "Islas de Bonilla," in honor of Antonio de Bonilla. (United States Public Documents, Serial Number 1557, chart K.) The present name for Smith Island was probably introduced by the Hudson's Bay Company. (J. G. Kohl, in Pacific Railroad Reports, Volume XII., chapter 15, page 272.) Captain George Davidson, of the United States Coast Survey, found the name in use in 1858 and placed it on the official charts. (United States Public Documents, Serial Number 1005, pages 429-430.)

Smith Island, another island by this name is in the mouth of the Snohomish River, between Everett and Marysville. It was named for Dr. Henry A. Smith, who, in 1864, secured 600 acres of land there to carry out one of his ideas that reclaimed tide-lands would profitable. By a system of dikes he reclaimed 75 acres, (H. K. Hines History of Washington, page 468.)

Smithfield, see Olympia.
Smokestacks, City of, see Everett.

Smyrna, in the southern part of Grant County named by the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway Company after the port on the Aegean Sea. (Vice President H. P. Williams, in Names MSS. Letter 530.)

Snag Point, in the Columbia River, near its mouth, mentioned by that name in Lieutenant Howison's "Report on Oregon, 1840" in the Quarterly of the Oregon Historical Society, Volume XI, page 17).

Snake Indians and Snake Country. Early travelers used these terms for the natives and the region where flows the river now known as the Snake River. David Thompson, of the Northwest Company of Montreal, uses the term for the natives in 1811, but he calls the river "Shawpatin." (Narrative, Champlain Society edition, pages 492 and 526.) John Work, of the Hudson's Bay Company, mentions the Snake people and Snake Country, in 1825. ("Journal" in Washington Historical Quarterly, Volume V., pages 96, 101, 111.) Peter Skeen Ogden, of the Hudson's Bay Company, mentions the Snake Country in 1826. (Quarterly of the Oregon Historical Society, Volume XL, page 204.)

Snake River, the greatest tributary of the Columbia River, enters that stream between Wallula and Pasco, forming the boundary between Walla Walla and Franklin Counties. Names in wide divergence have been used for the river. On August 21, 1805, Captain William Clark named it Lewis River, in honor of his colleague, Captain Meriwether Lewis. (Elliott Coues, History of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, Volume II., page 528.) This happened at one of the sources now known as Lemhi River, which flows into Snake River. As the travelers later came upon the larger river they called it by the Indian name "Kimooenim." Later they erased that name and restored that of Lewis River, which was correctly charted from its junction with the Columbia River. (Elliott Coues, History of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, Volume II., pages 621-622 and 635, and notes.) Gabriel Franchere on April 16, 1814: "Toward the decline of day we passed the river Lewis, in the language of the country, the Sha-ap-tin." (Franchere's Narrative, in "Early Western Travels," Volume VI, page 338.) Above, under "Snake Indians," a contemporary, David Thompson, is shown to have spelled it "Shawpatin." On May 29, 1824, Alexander Ross wrote: "The main south branch of the Columbia, the Nez Perces, the main Snake River and Lewis River, are one and the same differently named." ("Journal of Alexander Ross" in the (Quarterly of the Oregon Historical Society, Volume XIV, page 381.) Peter Skeen Ogden, of the Hudson's Bay Company, in July, 1826, mentioned Snake Indians and Snake River. ("Journals" in the Quarterly of the Oregon Historical Society, Volume XL, page 221.) Rev. Gustavus mines, Missionary, uses "Snake or Lewis River." (Exploring Expedition to Oregon, pages 170 and 325.) Elliott Coues, in his History of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, Volume II, pages 21-622, note 58, pleads for the original name, concluding as follows: "The great stream that rises in and about Lake Henry, and empties into the Columbia, is Lewis River, by the clear intent of William Clark, who discovered, described, charted, and named it." See Lewis River,

Snake Rock, at Port Ludlow, in the northeastern part of Jefferson County, was charted and named by the United States Coast Survey in 1856. (United States Public Documents, Serial Number 888, chart 54.)

Snakeland Point, see Watsak Point.
Sna-nul-kwo, see Port Ludlow.
S'ngaznele, see Olympic Mountains.

Snomomish, name of a city, county, river, and tribe of Indians. The name was first applied to the Indians. Rev. Myron Eells says the word refers to "a style of union among them." (American Anthropologist, for January, 1892.) Dr. Charles M. Buchanan, for many years Indian Agent at Tulalip, says: "I have never met an Indian who could give a meaning to the word Snohomish, though I have made twenty-one years of inquiry." He says the tribe was dominant in the region about the present City of Everett and he has a theory, though no Indian has ever corroborated it. In the native language the word is Sdoh-doh-hohbsh. In the same language Sdohbsh means man. "Alight not the word be the plural form signifying 'the men, the warriors, the braves.' They dominated their confederation, you know." (In Names MSS. Letters 141 and 155.) The word has been variously spelled. On December 9, 1824, John Work, of the Hudson's Bay Company, wrote it "Sinnahamis." ("Journal," in Washington Historical Quarterly, Volume III., page 213.) The Wilkes Expedition, 1841, charted the river as "Tuxpam River." (Hydrography, Volume XXI II., Alias, chart 67.) In 1847, Captain Henry Kellett charted the river as "Sinahomis River." (British Admiralty Chart 1911.) The same spelling was used by the United States Coast Survey in 1854. (United States Public Documents, Serial Number 784, chart 51.) The present spelling was adopted by the Surveyor General of Washington Territory in 1857. (United States Public Documents, Serial Number 877.) Snohomish City was founded by E. C. Ferguson and E. V. Cady about 1860. (H. H. Bancroft, Works, Volume XXXI., page 367.)

Snoqualmie, the name of a tribe of Indians, of a river, a pass through the Cascade Range, and a sawmill town near the beautiful falls, also of the same name, in King and Snohomish Counties. On most of the earlier maps the spelling was "Snoqualmoo." The river joins with the Skykomish River hear Monroe, forming the Snohomish River. The white men have softened the native word Sdoh-kwahlb-bluh; which refers to the legend that their people came from the moon. Sdoh-kwahlb means moon. (Charles M. Buchanan, Indian Agent at Tulalip, in Names MSS. Letter 155.) Colonel J. Patton Anderson visited the falls in July, 1852. He was accompanied by Lieutenant Floyd Jones, of the United States Infantry. Only one white man had visited them before that. (James G. Swan, Northwest Coast, page 395.)

Snowshoe Falls, the highest falls in Denny Creek, near Snoqualmie Pass, in the east central part of King County. The elevation of the crest of the falls is about 3600 feet above the sea. The name was recommended to the United States Geographic Board on June 15, 1916 by the Trustees of The Mountaineers. (In Names MSS. Letter .580.)

Soap Lake, a body of water and a town in Grand Coulee, in the north central part of Grant County. "The water is very soapy." (N. Okerberg, in Names MSS. Letter 223.)

Soh-Gwahbt, see Joe Hill's Bay.
Soinetkwu, see Kettle Falls.

Sol Due, a river in the south western part of Clallam County, and hot-springs at which was developed a resort with hotel and post office. On early maps it was counted a part of Ouillayute River. (Map by the Surveyor General of Washington Territory 1857, in United Slates Public Documents, Serial Number 877.) More recently the hot-springs are called Sol Due and the river Soleduck. (Henry Landes, A Geographic Dictionary of Washington, page 260.) The river is shown to be a branch, which, with the Bogachiel, forms the Quillayute River. The Sol Due Hot Springs Company say the Indians were first to locate the springs and that the name means "magic waters." (In Names MSS. Letter 452.)

Soloosa, see Plymouth.
Sooes River, see Waatch River.

Sopun Inlet, a name given by the Wilkes Expedition, 1841, to designate the inlet leading from South Bay (Grays Harbor) to the Elk River. (Hydrography, Volume XXIII., Atlas, chart 75.)

Soquamis Bay, see Port Madison.

South Bay, see Henderson Inlet, for which it is sometimes used as a local name. There is another bay of the same name in Grays Harbor.

South Bend, county seat of Pacific County. The Willapa River takes a bend to the south in what is now the city. A sawmill was located there as early as 1860 and in 1800 the South Bend Land Company was organized with (George U. Holcomb, L. M. Eklund and P. W. Swett as the prime movers. Since then the growth has been steady. (F. A. Hazeltine, in Names MSS. Letter 91.)

South Bluff, see Birch Point.
South East Island, see Colville Island.
South Pierce Creek, a branch of Carbon River, in the northern part of Pierce County. See Carbon River.
Spa-Kwatl, see Tumwater.

Spanaway, a lake and town about ten miles south of Tacoma, in the north central part of Pierce County. A probable origin of the name is found in the Hudson's Bay Company's Nisqually Journal of Occurrences, entry for April 26, 1849: "Two plows sent to Spanuch and one to Muck." (In Washington Historical Quarterly, Volume X., page 211.) Clara G. Lindsly says the name is of Indian origin, "but when or the meaning of the word is unknown to anyone I have found." (In Names MSS. Letter 254.) In the biography of Andrew J. Frost is the statement that in 1854 the lake was known as Bushelier Lake. (H. K. Hines, History of Washington, page 502.)

Spangle, the name of a creek and a town in the south central part of Spokane County. Both were named after William Spangle, a veteran of the Civil War who took up a squatter's claim on the land in 1872. When the Government survey was completed he took a Soldier's claim to the acres and on June 3 1886, located the town site. (Julian Hawthorne, History of Washington, Volume II., page 626.)

Spar Point, on the north shore of Grays Harbor, five miles east of Neds Rock, chartered by the Wilkes Expedition, 1 841 . (Hydrography, Volume XXIII, Atlas, chart 75.)

Spedis, a town in the southwestern part of Klickitat County, named for an Indian chief of that name. (L. C. Gilman, in Names MSS. Letter 590.)

Speebidah, a geographical term among the Indians, for a natural needle of rod: projecting from a bluff, northwest of Tulalip, on the Port Susan shore of the Tulalip Indian Reservation. Beedah means "child" and Speebidah, the diminutive form, means 'little child." (Charles M. Buchanan, in Names MSS. Letter 155.)

Spergeon Creek, a tributary of the Deschutes River in the north central part of Thurston County, named for a pioneer who took up a claim along the creek. (H. B. McElroy, in Names MSS. Letter 46.)

Spieden Island, in the west central part of San Juan County, named by the Wilkes Expedition, 1841, in honor of William Spieden, Purser of the Peacock, one of the vessels of the expedition. (Hydrography, Volume XXIII, Atlas, chart 77.) In 1858-1859, the British Captain Richards extended the use of the name by charting Spieden Bluff on the west cape of the island and Spieden Channel, the waterway between Spieden and San Juan Islands: British Admiralty Chart 2680.) Both names are retained on the American charts.

Spillnin, see Nespelem.

Spilyeh Creek, a tributary of Lewis River, five miles below the town of Yale, in the southeastern part of Cowlitz County. It was named for an Indian chief of that name. The word means ''coyote." (Anna Griffiths, of Yale, in Names MSS. Letter 243.) In the itinerary of Captain George B. McClellan, 1853, the creek is mentioned with its present name. (Pacific Railroad Reports, Volume I., pages 377-389.) The Indians of that vicinity had many legends of "Speelyai" (coyote) the great Indian god. (Dr. G. P. Kuykendall, in History of the Pacific Northwest: Oregon and Washington, Volume II., pages 64-66.)

Spipen River, see Naches.
Spirit Lake, see Lange.

Spokane, an Indian word which has attained great geographical use in the State of Washington. A wealthy county wears the name and its capitol, with the same name, is the beautiful and proud "Metropolis of the Inland Empire." It was first applied to the Indians, then to the river and the region it drained. Lewis and Clark, in 1805, wrote of the Indians and the falls, but used the name "Skeetsomish." (Elliott Coues, History of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, Volume III., pages 990-992.) On June 8 and August 11, 1811, David Thompson, of the Northwest Company of Montreal, referred to the Spokane River and Spokane House, while on his map the river is charted as "Skeetshoo." (Narrative, Champlain Society edition, pages 461, 530, and map,) The Spokane House mentioned by Mr. Thompson had been established under his authority in 1810 by Jaco Finlay and Finan McDonald at the junction of the Spokane and the Little Spokane Rivers. A short distance away the Pacific Fur Company (Astorians.) built a rival Fort Spokane in 1812. (T. C. Elliott, "Columbia Fur Trade Prior to 1811," in the Washington Historical Quarterly, Volume VI., page 9.) Although the river was then known by another name and although the two trading posts were abandoned, they helped materially to fix the name on the country. The Astorians' post was taken over by the Northwest Company of Montreal during the War of 1812. The Northwest Company was absorbed by the Hudson's Bay Company in 1821 and in 1827 that company established Fort Colville and abandoned Spokane House. In the meantime Hudson's Bay Company men were making use of the name, Spokane River. David Douglas, the botanist, used it in his entry following the date of March 24, 1826. (Journal, 1823-1827, page 62.) John Work used the name on August 2, 1826. ("Journal," in the Washington Historical Quarterly, Volume VI., page 36.) For a time, the upper part of the river, from the junction of what is now Little Spokane River to Lake Coeur d' Alene, was known and charted as Coeur d'Alene River. (Pacific Railroad Reports, 1853, Volume XI, chart 3; Volume XII., Part I., map.) Later the name Spokane River was extended to the lake and the tributary became known as Little Spokane River. The first law to organize Spokane County was approved by the Legislature of Washington Territory on January 29, 1858. The city was incorporated in 1881. (N. W. Durham, Spokane and the Inland Empire, page 362.) For years the official name of the city was Spokane Falls. The meaning of the native Indian word has been much discussed. Rev. Myron Eells, who gave a life-time to missionary work among Indians and whose father was one of the first missionaries to work with the Spokane Indians, says: Spokane has some reference to the sun. Ross Cox says that in 1812 he met there the head chief of the Spokane tribe, whose name was Il-lim-spokanee, which he says means 'son of the sun. Il-li-mikum, however, in that language means 'chief,' while skok-salt means 'son.' Illim is evidently a contraction of illimihum, and I think that the name, as given by Ross Cox, means 'chief of the sun people,' not probably the name of the chief, but his title." (In American Anthropologist for January, 1892.) N. W. Durham says that M. M. Cowley settled on the Kootenai River, near Bonner's Ferry, Idaho, in 1867 and moved to Spokane Valley in 1872. Mr. Cowley says: "I always thought that the fur traders must have named these Kootenai Siwashes 'The Spokanes.' The Indians called themselves Sinkomahnahs. If the Indians had wanted to call themselves 'children of the sun,' they would have made it Spo-kan-ee ; that means 'sun,' and the ordinary Indian greeting, instead of 'good morning' is 'Hust-Spokanee,' which merely means 'good sun'." (Spokane and the Inland Umpire, page 643.) Edward S. Curtis says: "Etymologically the word seems to be related to spukani, 'sun,' but the force of the reference is not apparent. It may conceivably have originated among a tribe which thus described a related people living 'towards the sun'." Mr. Curtis is also authority for the statement that the name for Spokane Falls in the Indian language is Stluputqu, meaning 'swift water.' (The North American Indian, Volume VII, pages 56 and 60.) Out of such discussion, it is probable that a locally used definition, 'child of the sun,' will become fixed in speech and literature.

Sprague, a town in the southeastern part of Lincoln County named in honor of General John W. Spreague, of the Northern Pacific Railroad Company. (Henry Gannett, Origin of Certain Place names in the United States, page 288.)

Spring Beach, in the northwestern part of King County, named by H. B. Ritz, of Tacoma, on September 5, 1903, on account of many beautiful springs in the wild region. Mr. Ritz acquired about 200 acres and began the foundations for a summer resort. (H. B. Ritz, in Names MSS. Letter 177.)

Spring Passage, the waterway between Jones and Orcas Islands, in the central part of San Juan County. It was first charted by Captain Richards, 1858-1859. (British Admiralty Chart 2689.) The name remains on the American charts. (United States Coast and Geodetic Survey Chart 6300.)

Springdale, a town in the south central part of Stevens County, formerly called "Squire City" in honor of Charles O. Squire, who homesteaded there. Spring Creek was formerly called "Sheep Creek." Daniel C. Corbin changed the name of the town in honor of the new name of Spring Creek. (Jerry Cooney, in Names MSS. Letter 89.)

Spruce, a post office on the Hoh River in the western part of Jefferson County, so named on June 18, 1904, because of a local predominance of spruce timber. (John Huelsdonk, in Names MSS. Letter 171.)

Sqow, see Issaquah.
Squah-ah-shee, see Rock Island Rapids.
Squak, see Issaquah.
Squakson, see Squaxin.

Squalicum, Indian name for a creek, lake and mountain at Bellingham, in Whatcom County. Hugh Eldridge, son of a pioneer family of Bellingham says the Indian name was "Qualla" after the dog salmon which ran up the creek. (In Names MSS. Letter 136.)

Squaltz-quilth, see Latona.

Squamish Harbor, on the western side of Hood Canal, in the northeastern part of Jefferson County. See Suquamish.

Squaxin Island, in the southeastern part of Mason County, for which the Indians' own name was Pul-le-la. (J. A. Costello, The Siwash.) The Wilkes Expedition, 1841, called it "Jack's Island." (Hydrography, Volume XXIII., Atlas, charts 78 and 79.) Rev. Myron Eells, the missionary, says the word is derived from Duskwak-sin, the name of a creek at North Bay (Case Inlet), the word itself meaning "alone." The tribe living near the creek was called Skwaks-namish. The Medicine Creek treaty, December 26, 1854, arranged for the removal of that tribe to the island, which from that time has been known as Squaxin Island. (In American Anthropologist for January, 1892.)

Squim, see Sequim.
Squire City, see Springdale.

Squire Creek, a tributary of the Stillaguamish River near Darrington, named for a man of that name. (Charles E. Moore, of Darrington, in Names MSS. Letter 193.)

Stalukahamish, see Stillaguamish River.

Stampede Pass, in the eastern part of King County. W. P. Bonney, of Tacoma, who was express rider from Tacoma to the front while the Northern Pacific Railroad was being projected to the Cascade Range, says that Virgil G. Bogue discovered the pass on March 19, 1881. As the work went on, Mr. Bogue sent out a new foreman to "speed-up." The men quit. Orders were served: "No work, no eat," and the men stampeded for the valley. The officers wanted to name the pass after its discoverer but Mr. Bogue asked that it be called Stampede. (W. P. Bonney, in Names MSS. Letter 529, and "Naming Stampede Pass," in Washington Historical Quarterly, Volume XII., pages 272-278.)

Standard, a town in the southwestern part of Whatcom County, was formerly known as "Green's Spur," which was a sort of business handicap. In 1908, O. M. Rosseau, acting postmaster and general manager of the Standard Lumber and Shingle Company asked that the name be changed. This was done and he was appointed postmaster. (O. M. Rosseau, in Names MSS. Letter 167.)

Stanwood, a town in the northwestern part of Snohomish County, first settled in 1866 as a trading post by Robert Fulton, later George Kyle secured the claim and established a post office known as Centerville. In 1877, D. O. Pearson built a store, wharf and warehouse. He became postmaster and had the name changed to Stanwood, in honor of his wife's maiden name. (History of Skagit and Snohomish Counties, pages 349-354.)

Starbuck, a town in the northwestern part of Columbia County, named in honor of General Starbuck, of New York, one of the officials and stockholders of the Oregon, Railway and Navigation Company. On the first trip over the road. General Starbuck promised a bell to the first church built and the bell is still in service. (William Goodyear, in Names MSS. Letter 43.)

Startup, a town in the south central part of Snohomish County. The place was homesteaded by F. M. Sparlin in the eighties and in 1890 William Wait laid out a townsite and called it ''Wallace". There was so much trouble with mail being missent to Wallace, Idaho, that the name was changed in 1901 to Startup, in honor of George G. Startup, manager of the Wallace Lumber Company. (History of Skagit and Snohomish Counties, pages 372-373; Mary I. Scott, in Names MSS. Letter 364; J. F. Stretch, in Names MSS. Letter 497.)

State; of Lincoln, name for a proposed new state, which was to have included part of the State of Washington. (Edmond S. Meany, History of the State of Washington, page 267.)

Steamboat Rock, in Grand Coulee, in the northern part of Grant County, named for its fancied resemblance to a huge steamboat. A town nearby has received the same name. (C. A. Carsen, postmaster at Steamboat Rock, in Names MSS. Letter 38.)

Steavens Creek, in Grays Harbor County, named by surveyors in the summer of 1880, in honor of Harry Steavens, an old settler who was living in a nearby cabin. (Hilda E. Evans, of Humptulips, in Names MSS. Letter 230.)

Steel, "a mountain in Washington named for William G. Steel, of Portland, Oregon." (Henry Gannett, Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States, page 290.) The location is not given.

Steep Point, a name given by Captain Richards, 1858-1859, to a west cape of Orcas Island near Jones Island. (British Admiralty Chart 2689.)

Stehekin, a river flowing into Lake Chelan in the north central part of Chelan County, and a town near the mouth of the river. Seception, former chief of the Indians said the word was from the Skagit Indian language and means "the way" or "pass". (Mrs. N. B. Knutson, in Names MSS. Letter 489.)

Stehna, see Stony Creek.

Steilacoom, one of the most historic towns in the state, in the west central part of Pierce County. On December 24, 1824, John Work, of the Hudson's Bay Company, wrote: "Embarked a, little after 4 o'clock in the morning and encamped at 2 o'clock in the afternoon at Sinonghtons, our guides' village which is called Chilacoom." ("Journal" in the Washington Historical Quarterly, Volume III, page 225.) An attempt to change the name is found in this entry of June 9, 1846, in the "Journal of Occurrences at Nisqually House," the original of which is in the possession of Thomas Huggins of Tacoma: "Joined Capt. Duntz's and Capt. Baillie's party in a trip to Steilacoom bay (now Fisgardita cove) in the launch, or Fisgardita. We all rode home by the American plains track." In the report of the United States Coast Survey for 1858, George Davidson said: "The pronunciation of the name of Steilacoom, as given to us by Indians, is Tchil-ae-cum. On the Admiralty maps we find it Chelakoom." (United States Public Documents, Serial Number 1005, page 451.) Rev. Myron Eells wrote: "It is a corruption of the name of the Indian chief, Tail-a-koom." (In the American Anthropologist for January, 1892.)

Stella, a post office in the southwestern part of Cowlitz County. About 1880, a man named Packard started a store and secured a post office which he caused to be named after his daughter, Stella. (C. F. Struckmeier, in Names MSS. Letter 446.)

Stemlit Creek, a small tributary of the Columbia River, near Wenatchee, in the southeastern part of Chelan County. In the itinerary of Captain George B. McClellan for September, 1853, it is shown that he crossed this stream and called it "Skilkantin Creek", though this may be confused with Squillchuck Creek, another small stream in that vicinity. (Pacific Railroad Surveys, Volume I, page 377.)

Stephens, see Tyler.

Steptoe, a name applied to a town in the central part of Whitman County, a creek in the south central part of that county, rapids in Snake River eleven and a half miles below Clarkston, and more especially a mountain known as Steptoe Butte, in the northeastern part of Whitman County. All the names are in honor of Colonel Edward J. Steptoe, who suffered defeat at the hands of the Indians in a battle where the town of Rosalia now stands. At the time of I he battle the great landmark of the region, rising 3613 feet above sea-level was known as Pyramid Peak. Later the name was changed to Steptoe Butte. B. F. Manring has published an interesting book on the campaigns in that vicinity, one chapter of which is devoted to the mountain. (Conquest of the Coeur d'Alene, Spokane and Palouse Indians, pages 18-25.) On March 15, 1919, the writer learned from Louis James, a Nez Perce Indian, that the Nez Perce name for Steptoe Butte is Yu-mos-tos. Walla Walla was in early days called "Steptoe City" and ''Steptoeville". http://www.accessgenealogy.com/native/conquest-of-the-coeur-dalene-spokane-and-palouse.htm

Sterling, a town in the west central part of Skagit County, founded in 1878 by Jesse B. Ball, who crossed the plains in 1853 and became a well-known pioneer farmer and logger. (History of the Pacific Northwest: Oregon and Washington, Volume II, page 200.)

Stevens County, organized by act of the Legislature dated January 20, 1863, and named in honor of General Isaac Ingalls Stevens, who had been the first Governor of Washington Territory and who was killed while leading an assault on the Confederates at the Battle of Chantilly, September 1, 1862.

Stevens Lake, near Everett in the western part of Snohomish County. It was evidently named in honor of Governor Isaac I. Stevens, as it appears on Surveyor General Tilton's "Map of Part of Washington Territory", dated September 1, 1859. (United States Public Documents, Serial Number 1026.)

Stevenson, a town on the Columbia River, in the south central part of Skamania County, It was platted by and named for George H. Stevenson, a pioneer fisherman and legislator. (Postmaster at Stevenson, in Names MSS. Letter 233.)

Stewarts Island, see Stuart Island.
Stiak Run, see Martin Island.

Stillaguamish, the name of a lake, a peak and a river in Snohomish County. Many spellings of the word have been used. Dr. Charles M. Buchanan says: "The ward is really Stoh-luk-whahmpsh. Stoh-luk means river. The suffix whahmpsh omahmpsh is used to indicate a people or a tribe. The word meant river people." (Names MSS. Letters 141 and 155.) On James Tilton's "Map of a Part of Washington Territory", dated September 1, 1859, the name is spelled "Stalukahamish".

Stillwater, a town in the north central part of King County. H. Butikofer writes: "In the fall of 1909, I started from Seattle to North Bend on an exploring tour for a store location in the country. I passed a farm at the foot of a road up the hill to a big logging camp. It was a beautiful park-like spot, and I said 'here shall be my little town. In May, 1910, I laid out for the farmer about twenty-five lots. On December 31, 1910, I was appointed postmaster and selected the name Stillwater in honor of the owners and most of the workers in the logging camp who hailed from Stillwater, Minnesota." (Names MSS. Letter 581.) It is interesting to note that the Minnesota city was also named for a lumber company. (Henry Gannett: Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States, page 291.)

Stkahp, see Cow Creek.
St'kamish River, see White River.

Stl-Pohbsh, an aboriginal name for Cowlitz, used at Tulalip. (Dr. Charles M. Buchanan, in Names MSS. Letter 155.)

Stluputqu, see Spokane.
Stockade, Bay, see Buck Bay.

Stony Creek, a tributary of the Puyallup River in Pierce County, named "Stehna" by the Johnson party of the Wilkes Expedition, 1841. (Narrative, Volume IV, pages 420-422.

Stony Hill, a name given to a hill, 300 feet high north of Cascade Bay, East Sound, Orcas Island, in San Juan County. The name appears on the British Admiralty Chart 2689, Richards, 1858-1859. It does not appear on the United States Coast and Geodetic Chart 6380.

Stony Islands, mentioned by David Douglas on June 7, 1826, while he was traveling down the Columbia from Okanogan toward Walla Walla. He says: ''Passed the Stony Islands, place in the river about half a mile in length, exceeding rugged and dangerous." (Journal 1823-1827, page 181.)

Stony Point, near Bruceport, Willapa Bay, in the northwestern part of Pacific County. On March 1, 1854, George Gibbs wrote: "At Stony Point there is a stratum of transported boulders of large size and a layer of gravel containing agates." (Pacific Railroad Reports, Volume I, page 466.)

Strait of Georgia, see Georgia Strait.

Strait of Juan de Fuca, a broad channel extending from the Pacific Ocean between Vancouver Island of British Columbia and the northern coast of Washington. The origin of this name is one of the world's geographical puzzles. There had arisen a sort of belief in the mythical "Straits of Anian", stretching from the Pacific to the Atlantic through North America. In 1625 there appeared a geographical work called Hakluytus Posthumus, or Purchas his Pilgrimes: containing a history of the World, in Sea Voyages and Land Travels by Englishmen and Others. In this work, Rev. Samuel Purchas, who lived from 1577 to 1626, included a note from Michael Lok, who said he had met in Venice, in 1596, Juan de Fuca, a native of Cephalonia, whose real Greek name was Apostolos Valerianos. This Greek sailor claimed to have served the Spaniards for forty years and in 1592 he had gone on a voyage to seek the Straits of Anian. Quite a minute description was given of the entrance he claimed to have found "between 47 and 48 degrees of Latitude". Michael Lok was a man well known for his interest in geographical matters. His note, thus published in 1625, received much attention from navigators. In later years, when Spain, Great Britain and others were disputing over the rights of discovery, searches were made in Mexico, Spain and Greece. No trace could be found of the Greek sailor under his Greek or his Spanish name, nor could record be found of the "Caravela and Pinnace" in which he had claimed to have sailed to the northern coast. It seemed that Michael Lok had been made the carrier of a sailor's yarn. However, his published note perpetuated the name of a great geographical feature. This phase is fully discussed in Edmond S. Meany's Vancouver's Discovery of Puget Sound)

Strawberry Bay, on the western shore of Cypress Island, in the northwestern part of Skagit County. The island and the bay were both named from plants found there. The great English explorer. Captain George Vancouver, anchored there on June 6, 1792, and then charted both names. (Edmond S. Meany's Vancouver's Discovery of Puget Sound, pages 174 and 176.) George Davidson says the Indian name for the bay is Tutl-ke-teh-nus. ("Report of the Superintendent of the United States Coast Survey for 1858" in United States Public Documents, Serial Number 1006, page 432.)

Strawberry Island, a small island at the mouth of Strawberry Bay. It was left nameless by Vancouver, when he named the bay and the larger Cypress Island. The Wilkes Expedition, 1841, found berries on the little island and named it Hautboy. (Hydrography, Volume XXIII, Atlas, chart 77.) This name is pronounced "hoboy" and is the common name of Fragaria elatior, a species of strawberry. (New Standard Dictionary, page 1123.) On most of the recent maps the little island is charted as Strawberry Island. Strawberry Island, in the Columbia River, near the town of Cascades in the south central part of Skamania County. It was named by Lewis and Clark, who camped there on November 1, 1805. (Journals, Thwaites edition, Volume III, page 188.) It was mentioned by Franchere. (Early Western Travels, Volume VI, page 309.) It was also mentioned on January 14, 1814. (Elliott Coues, Henry-Thompson Journals, Volume II, page 801.)

Strensgar Creek, a tributary of the Columbia River at Gifford, in the west central part of Stevens County, "named for John Stensgar, an Indian who settled on the Colville Reservation in 1880". (Postmaster at Gifford, in Names MSS. Letter 106.)

Stretch Island, a small island near the head of Case Inlet, in the northeastern part of Mason County, named in honor of Samuel Stretch, gunner's mate in one of the crews, by the Wilkes Expedition, 1841. (Hydrography, Volume XXIII, Atlas, chart 78.)

Striped Peak, on the coast of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, east of Crescent Bay, in the northern part of Clallam Bay, first mapped on the British Admiralty Chart, 1911, Captain Henry Kellet, 1847.

Strongs River, see Alockaman River.

Stuart Island, in the northwestern part of San Juan County, named by the Wilkes Expedition, 1841, in honor of Frederick D. Stuart, Captain's Clerk on the expedition. (Hydrography Volume XXIII, Atlas, chart 77; and J. G. Kohl, in Pacific Railroad Reports, Volume XII, Part I, chapter xv, page 297.) The Spaniards had named it Isla de Moralesa in 1791. ("Elisa's Map", or chart K in United States Public Documents, Serial Number 1557.)

Stuck River, a stream about ten miles long, near the boundary between King and Pierce Counties, which connects the White River near Auburn with the Puyallup River near Sumner. On March 1, 1854, George Gibbs wrote: "A remarkable circumstance connected with the D'Wamish [White River] is, that at the western termination of these bluffs a large body of water breaks from it, through a tract of low country, and enters the Puyallup near its mouth. This canal, called by the Indians 'stuck' is about twenty yards wide, deep and rapid." (Pacific Railroad Reports, Volume I, page 470.) On December 5, 1864, the Seattle Gazette said: "The highlands approach to within a mile of the offshoot, on either side and the waters are very sluggish. The stream has been christened 'Stuck'," (Copied in Names MSS. Letter 573.) The difference in the flow of water in the two accounts is probably explained by the times of observation, one in March, the other in December. In the early days the Hudson's Bay Company and Puget Sound Agricultural Company maintained a station in the Nisqually Valley called Sastuck, which was sometimes abbreviated to "Stuck". The "Nisqually Journal" for November 21, 1846, records: "In the evening Mr. C. F. Douglas arrived from Vancouver, he came by water as Squally was unfordable. Mr. Work, Mr. Coodi, 2nd Lieut. of H. M. Sloop Modeste, who came with him remained at Stuck near the River." (Manuscript in possession of Thomas Huggins of Tacoma.)

Sturgeon Creek, a small stream flowing into the Kkul-see-dah on the Tulalip Indian Reservation, near Everett in the west central part of Snohomish County. The Indian name of the stream is Duh-kwuh-ti-ad-sid-dub, which means Sturgean Creek. (Dr. Charles M. Buchanan, in Names MSS. Letter 155.)

Sturgeon Island, see Puget Island.
Stutzi Island, see Jackson Island.

Subeebeeda, a natural needle or obelisk on the face of a bluff on the Tulalip Indian Reservation, Snohomish County. It comes from Bee-dah meaning "little child." (Dr. Charles M. Buchanan, in Names MSS. Letter 141.)

Such-e-Kwai-ing, see Sequim.

Sucia Islands, in the northern part of San Juan County. The name originated with the Spaniards, Captain Eliza's map of 1791 showing the group of small islands at "Isla Sucia". (United States Public Documents, Serial Number 1557, chart K.) In the Spanish language sucio means "dirty", or, in nautical phrase, "foul". In other words, the shore was deemed unclean and reefy. (J. G. Kohl, in Pacific Railroad Reports, Volume XII, part I., chapter xv, page 297.) The Wilkes Expedition, 1841, called the islands "Percival Group", an honor intended for Captain John Percival, a distinguished officer of the United States Navy. (Hydrography, Volume XXIII, Atlas, chart 77.) This name was used on September 1, 1859, by Surveyor General James Tilton on his Map of a Part of Washington Territory, but the Spanish name of Sucia had been restored on the British Admiralty Chart 1917, evidently by Captain Henry Kellett in 1847. The United States Coast Survey followed this restoration of the name of Sucia Islands in its chart of 1854. (United States Public Documents, Serial Number 784, chart 81.) That name has persisted since then.

Suiattle, one of the headwater streams of the Skagit River. The name is evidently of Indian origin, but its meaning was unknown to Dr. Charles M. Buchanan, the best authority in that field. (In Names MSS. Letter 155.)

Sul-Gwahes, an Indian name for the place where Stanwood is now located, in the northwestern part of Snohomish County. (Dr. Charles M. Buchanan, in Names MSS. Letter 155.)

Sultan, the name of a river and a town near its mouth, in the central part of Snohomish County. The river derived its name from Tseul-tud, a local Indian chief. (Dr. Charles M. Buchanan, in Names MSS. Letter 155.) The first settler on the site of the town of Sultan was John Nailor, who with his Indian wife obtained a home there in 1880. Placer gold diggings brought people and Mr. Nailor became the first postmaster, the name of the town being taken from that of the river. (History of Skagit and Snohomish Counties, pages 366-368.)

Sumas, the name of a stream, of mountains and a town, in the northern part of Whatcom County at the international boundary. The name is derived from that of a Cowichan tribe of Indians who lived in that vicinity. (Bureau of American Ethnology, Handbook of American Indians, Volume II, page 649.)

Sumner, a town in the north central part of Pierce County. The town was originally platted by John Francis Kincaid on the old donation land claim of his father, William Kincaid, and named in honor of the American statesman Charles Sumner. John Francis Kincaid, eldest son of William and Nancy J. Wollery Kincaid, was born in Marion County, Missouri, on December 6, 1838. His mother died in 1850 and the father, three brothers, three sisters and he joined a party which crossed the plains in 1853 and came on to Puget Sound over the Naches Pass. (History of the Pacific Northwest: Oregon and Washington, Volume II, page 407.) A tradition arose that the name was an honor for Thomas Sumner, father of Mrs. E/ra Meeker, another pioneer of those early days. An inquiry as to the truth of this tradition was sent to Airs. Eben S. Osborne, granddaughter of Thomas Sumner and she replied on September 22, 1918, that Charles Sumner was the one honored by the town's name. J. A. Costello says that the Indian name for the place is Sta-hu. [The Siwash, Seattle, 1895.)

Sun-a-do, see Olympic Mountains.

Sundale, a station on the Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway, in the south central part of Klickitat County. The name was selected by L. W. Hill and C. M. Levy, railroad officials. (L. C. Oilman, in Names MSS. Letter 590.)

Sun Lake, see Ozette.

Sunday Creek, a tributary of Green River, near Stampede in the southeastern part of King County. Virgil G. Pogue, locating engineer for the Northern Pacific Railroad, discovered the stream on a Sunday in 1881 and for that reason conferred the name it has since worn.

Sunnyside, a town in the eastern part of Yakima County. Mr. E. F. Blaine writes that the town "was laid out by Walter N. Granger in 1893. Before the establishment of this townsite the big canal, known as the Sunnyside Canal, had been started. As the land under the Sunnyside Canal slopes toward the midday sun, the canal and district were named Sunnyside and Mr. Granger, believing that Sunnyside would be the principal town of the new district, called the town Sunnyside." (In Names MSS. Letter 354.) Another version of the origin of the name for the district is given' by S. J. Lowe who says that in 1882, he, with Joe Stephenson, Andy Mc-Daniels and one of the Nelsons, went exploring for bunch-grass hay in October, 1882. Lowe says that he, on that trip, conferred the name Sunnyside. On returning, they met J. M. Adams, publisher of the Signal, who at that time recorded the new name in his newspaper. (Yakima Herald, copied in the Washington Historical. Quarterly, Volume XIII, page 120.)

Sunshine, a railroad station in the southeastern part of Whitman County, named from a small stream of that name which flows nearby. (Lou E. Wenham, of Pullman, in Names MSS. Letter 115.)

Sunset, in the south central part of King County, named by the Sunset Cooperative Company in 1897. (Joseph T. Paschich, in Names MSS. Letter 31.)

Suquamish Point, see Hazel Point.

Suquamish, a town on Port Madison Bay, in the northeastern part of Kitsap County. For a time the place was known as Bartow, in honor of A. A. Bartow who was in charge of the Indian Reservation there. "Suquamish Head" is a name sometimes used for Foulweather Bluff, Suquamish Harbor, on the west side of Hood Canal, opposite Port Gamble, in the northeastern part of Jefferson County, was named by the Wilkes Expedition, 1841. (Hydrography Volume XIII, Atlas, charts 78 and 84.) The United States Coast and Geodetic Survey Chart 6450 gives the name as Squamish Harbor. The Bureau of American Ethnology says the Suquamish, a Salish division of Indians, claimed the lands from Appletree Cove in the north to Gig Harbor in the south and "Seattle, who gave his name to the city, was chief of this tribe and the Dwamish in 1853." (Handbook of American Indians, Volume II, page 652.)

Surveyors Lake, at the head of Rockdale Creek in the east central part of King County. The name was suggested by The Mountaineers Club who have a lodge in that vicinity. (In Names MSS. Letter 580.) The name was approved by the United States Geographical Board. (Report, 1890-1920, page 316.)

Sutter Mountain, in the central part of Skagit County, named in honor of John Sutter, an old time white settler. (Postmaster at Sauk in Names MSS. Letter 49.)

Swadhums Creek, a small stream at East Twenty-fourth Street or Puyallup Avenue, Tacoma, Pierce County. The Indians who originally lived on its banks were known as Swadhums or "Plains-people." From them came the name. (Article by Henry Sicade, an educated Indian, in the Tacoma News for June 30, 1916, copy in Names MSS. Letter 567.)

Swallalahoost, an Indian name for Saddle Mountain. (Rev. Gustavus Hines, Exploring Expedition to Oregon, page 320.) He gives an Indian legend of the mountain to the effect that one of their mighty chiefs, "who, after death, assumed the form of a monstrous eagle, and taking wing, flew to the top of this mountain, and subsequently became the creator of the lightning and the thunder."

Swantown, now a portion of Olympia, Thurston County, named for John M. Swan, who settled there in 1850. (H. H. Bancroft, Works, Volume XXXI, page 18.)

Swauk Creek, this small stream also gave its name to a mining district in the north central part of Kittitas County. The name is evidently of Indian origin for it first appears, with other Indian names, for places, in the report of J. K. Duncan, topographer with Captain George B. McClellan in 1854. There the name is spelled "Schwock." (Pacific Railroad Reports, Volume I, chapter xviii, page 210.')

Swinomish Slough, a waterway between Skagit Bay and Padilla Bay in the western part of Skagit County. On its east bank is the town of La Conner which was one time called Swinomish. Opposite the town is the Swinomish Indian Reservation. The name comes from that of a branch of the Skagit tribe of Indians.

Swofford, a town in the central part of Lewis County, named in honor of T. F. Swofford, who settled in the valley in 1887 and had the post office established in 1890. He was postmaster there for several years and later moved to Mossy Rock. (T. M. Hill, in Names MSS. Letter 99.)

Sylopash Point, a large sandspit at the mouth of the Dosewallips River, in the eastern part of Jefferson County, so named by the Wilkes Expedition, 1841. (Hydrography Volume XXIII, Atlas, chart 78.) In 1847, Captain Henry Kellett extended the name to apply to the Dosewallips River. (British Admiralty Chart 1911.) The name has not persisted.

Sylvan, a town on Fox Island, in the northwestern part of Pierce County. It was named in 1888 by Mrs. C. J. Miller, who called it Sylvan Glen. When the post office was established in 1891, the name was cut down to Sylvan. (Postmaster in Names MSS. Letter 556.)

Washington AHGP | Geographic Names

Source: Washington Historical Quarterly, Volume 8 - 14