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Ozarks
words and names Nagogami
means “Sandy Lake” in Algonquian By
Gerald Cohen (presenting
information from John Bradbury and Marc Picard)
I
had often wondered about the origin of the roadname Nagogami
(with stress on “gog”), located in the town where I live (Rolla,
Missouri). Recently John Bradbury (manuscript specialist, Western
Historical Manuscript Society, Rolla branch) told me a 1923 newspaper
article mentions the name for the first time (for a newly opened
resort),and the article says it’s an Indian name meaning “River
of Springs,” i.e., the river is a product of many springs. A
check of Google turns up a Nagagami
(sic: -gag-, not -gog-) Lake in Canada.
The gami part is readily
identifiable as Algonquian gama
“lake.” But Naga is less evident.
For example, George R. Stewart’s American
Place Names lists a pond Nagog
in Massachusetts, but after saying it’s Algonquian he adds “meaning
uncertain.” Here
now is relevant information from John Bradbury (jfb@umr.edu): “Here
is the exact quote from the Rolla
Herald. It is the first mention of the name that I have found:
5 Jul 1923 1:5 ‘Nagogami, Indian name for River of Springs, is the
name of the new resort recently opened by Claude Harvey just below
Gaine’s Ford on the Gasconade River. The resort is fast becoming a
popular resort in this section. On July 4th, about 200 people visited
this resort, enjoyed bathing, followed by a fine dinner at Nagogami
Lodge.” I
sent a query to the American Name Society about Nagogami and on June 29,
2006, received a very helpful reply from from Marc Picard (marcpicard@SYMPATICO.CA):
“Perhaps a bit more precise (than the George Stewart entry) is the
following entry in Bright’s Native
American Placenames of the United States: ‘NAGOG Brook (Mass.,
Middlesex Co.). The SNEng. Algonquian name perhaps means “at the sandy
place”.’ He
continues: “Another entry which might shed some light on Nagogami is: ‘NAGAWICKA Lake (Wis., Waukeshaw Co.). From Ojibwa
(Algonquian) negawikaa “there
is much sand,” from negaw
‘sand’. So it seems like Nagogami
could mean ‘Sandy Lake,’ and there are numerous references to this
toponym on Google, including the Sandy Lake Band of Ojibwe at http://www.sandylakeojibwe.org/.
My
thanks to Marc Picard for this clarification. Incidentally,
Algonquian gama is the same
word that appears in Long-fellow's ‘Song of Hiawatha’: ‘By the
shores of Gitchi Gumi’ (i.e., Lake Superior; Kitchi
Gama = big lake). REFERENCES Bradbury,
John 2006. Nagogami Lodge. In: Old
Settler’s Gazette, issue 24, July 29, 2006 (published by The Old
Stagecoach Stop Foundation, (Waynesville City Park, Waynesville,
Missouri), pp. 52-55. Bright,
William 2004. Native American Placenames of the United States. Norman: U of
Oklahoma Pr. Stewart,
George R. 1970. American Place Names. New York: Oxford U. Pr. Dr. Gerald Cohen, of Rolla, a professor in the Arts, Languages and Philosophy Department at the University of Missouri-Rolla, is an authority on Missouri place names. |