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Subject: Re: MAPS-L: where geog. features get their names
Date: Wed, 7 Dec 2005
From: Roger L Payne <[log in to unmask]>
To: Maps, Air Photo & Geospatial Systems Forum <[log in to unmask]>
Regarding Big Butt on the boundary between Buncomb County and Yancey
County, the entry in the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS)
<http://geonames.usgs.gov>, the nation's official geographic name
repository, indicates that the name of the feature has been somewhat
controversial. Specifically, as the entry indicates, the official name
originally was Yeates Mountain, which was a specific decision of the U.S.
Board on Geographic Names in 1901. Unfortunately, those records are
sketchy and mostly nonexistent, and so we do not know why the name of the
feature was "controversial" or problematic in 1901? In 1969, the U.S.
Board on Geographic Names changed the official name from Yeates Mountain to
Big Butt. This was slightly irregular in that the action (proposal) was
initiated by the Board's staff, which is rare; the Board preferring to be
reactive, and only to act on proposals from without. Anyway, the reason
given for the staff generated proposal in 1969 is to become more reflective
of local usage. Apparently, Yeates Mountain had fallen into disuse in
favor of the usage for Big Butt. The Board approved that change. Of
course, today, more in the way of requirements and local recommendations
would be required, but not then. There is no information on the origin of
the name Big Butt, but it is speculated to be descriptive, and as is
known, is used elsewhere in this region. However, one should not presume
anything regarding geographic name origin. Also, in the GNIS record, the
variant (other names) listed include Yates Mountain, Yeates Knob, and
Wilson Knob Mountain (as indicated in the GNIS record, the citation has
been lost). There is no known information for the use of Wilson Knob
Mountain, other than simply being listed on an old card in the Board's
records. Also, listed as a variant is Big Butt Mountain found to be used
on the county maps published by the North Carolina Department of
Transportation, and so listed in the GNIS entry citation for that variant.
The earliest known usage of Yeates Mountain was in 1865 on a USCS map of
the region, and was used later in 1882 on Kerr's Map of North Carolina.
There is a note that the Board "wrestled" with whether it should approve
Yates or Yeates, but ultimately decided in favor of Yeates in 1901. This
is not a definitive answer regarding Big Butt, but is the best we can
offer.
To view the entry, go to GNIS at <http://geonames.usgs.gov>, click on U.S.
& Territories for the query page. Type Big Butt in the name box, select
North Carolina from the State list, and select Buncomb from the county list
(not really necessary). There will be two different entries retrieved
(more if the county is not selected); click on the name of the one that is
only Big Butt (the other(s) can be avoided at the query page by clicking
exact match - still click on the name once retrieved) to view the complete
entry and invoke various map display options.
Roger L. Payne
Executive Secretary,
U.S. Board on Geographic Names
Manager GNIS
703.648.4544
"Angie Cope,
AGSL"
<[log in to unmask]> To
Sent by: "Maps, [log in to unmask]
Air Photo & cc
Geospatial
Systems Forum" Subject
<[log in to unmask] MAPS-L: where geog. features get
UGA.EDU> their names
12/07/2005 10:26
AM
Please respond to
"Maps, Air Photo
& Geospatial
Systems Forum"
<[log in to unmask]
UGA.EDU>
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Subject: Re: MAPS-L: where geog. features get their names
Date: Wed, 07 Dec 2005
From: Miriam Kennard <[log in to unmask]>
To: Maps, Air Photo & Geospatial Systems Forum
<[log in to unmask]>
I looked in the "North Carolina Gazeteer" (William Powell). It does
give place name
origins for some entries, but not all. There were several entries for
Big Butt, Big Butte,
Big Butt Mountain and Big Butte Mountain, but no mention of the place
name origin
for any of these.
Miriam Kennard
Geological Sciences Library
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Angie Cope, AGSL wrote:
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> Subject: Re: MAPS-L: where geog. features get their names
> Date: Tue, 06 Dec 2005
> From: Russell Guy <[log in to unmask]>
> To: Maps, Air Photo & Geospatial Systems Forum
> <[log in to unmask]>
>
>
>
>
>
> Whoops - I gave the wrong title - it is North Carolina Gazetteer by
> William
> Powell not Carolina Through Four Centuries. Sorry about that.
>
> Russell
>
> At 05:05 PM 12/6/2005, you wrote:
>
>> ================================================
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>>
>>
>> Subject: Re: MAPS-L: where geog. features get their names
>> Date: Tue, 06 Dec 2005
>> From: Russell Guy <[log in to unmask]>
>> To: Maps, Air Photo & Geospatial Systems Forum
>> <[log in to unmask]>
>> References: <[log in to unmask]>
>>
>>
>>
>> Hi;
>>
>> For North Carolina, there is a fun book called
>>
>> "<
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/ref=br_ss_hs//exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1878086820/qid=1133905801/sr=8-4/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i4_xgl14/104-8709095-8610362?v=glance&s=books&n=507846
>Talking
>>
>>
>> Turkey: And Other Stories of North Carolina's Oddly Named Places by
>> Jamie
>> Perry Cox, which discusses the "why" of many unusual place names in
>> NC. $14.95.
>>
>> There is also the
>> <
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/index=books&field-author-exact=William%20Stevens%20Powell&rank=-relevance%2C%2Bavailability%2C-daterank//exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0807818461/qid=1133906145/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/104-8709095-8610362?v=glance&s=books
>North
>>
>>
>> Carolina Through Four Centuries by William Stevens Powell that is a more
>> academic and complete approach to place names ($42.50).
>>
>> Cheers
>> Russell Guy
>>
>> At 04:35 PM 12/6/2005, you wrote:
>>
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>>>
>>>
>>> Subject: where geog. features get their names
>>> Date: Tue, 06 Dec 2005
>>> From: Michael Fry <[log in to unmask]>
>>> Organization: University of Maryland Libraries
>>> To: Maps and Air Photo Systems Forum <[log in to unmask]>
>>>
>>>
>>> Anybody know of a definitive resource that would tell me not *what*
>>> something is called, but *why*?
>>> My patron wants to know why Big Butt, a summit in western North
>>> Carolina
>>> (Buncombe County), is so
>>> named, but the gazetteers we've looked at (i.e., Columbia, Omni and the
>>> GNIS) say only *what* the
>>> standard name is, not why it is. The US Board on Geographic Names has a
>>> "Decisions on geographic
>>> names in the United States" publication, but most of the entries
>>> seem to
>>> lack this kind of info (and
>>> we're missing the relevant edition, anyway).
>>>
>>> I've since directed her to local resources, including libraries,
>>> historical societies, Forest
>>> Service offices, guide and tourist books, etc., but don't know if
>>> anything
>>> will pan out. I've also
>>> called the BGN's domestic names committee--they're checking their
>>> library.
>>>
>>> Is this sort of info lost to history, or does somebody document such
>>> things on a systematic basis?
>>>
>>> Thanks very much for any advice you can provide.
>>>
>>> mf
>>> --
>>> Michael Fry
>>> Government Documents & Maps
>>> University of Maryland Libraries
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>
>>
>>
*******************************************************************************
>>
>> Russell Guy [log in to unmask]
>> Vice President http://www.omnimap.com/maps.htm
>> Omni Resources Tel.: 800-742-2677 (USA only)
>> International Map Specialists Tel.: 336-227-8300 (International)
>> P.O. Box 2096 Fax: 336-227-3748
>> 1004 South Mebane St.
>> Burlington, NC 27216-2096 USA
>> Past President (1996), International Map Trade Association
>> Founding Member, Independent Travel Stores Association
>>
****************************************************************************
>>
>> ****
>>
>>
>> --
>>
>
>
*******************************************************************************
>
> Russell Guy [log in to unmask]
> Vice President http://www.omnimap.com/maps.htm
> Omni Resources Tel.: 800-742-2677 (USA only)
> International Map Specialists Tel.: 336-227-8300 (International)
> P.O. Box 2096 Fax: 336-227-3748
> 1004 South Mebane St.
> Burlington, NC 27216-2096 USA
> Past President (1996), International Map Trade Association
> Founding Member, Independent Travel Stores Association
>
****************************************************************************
>
> ****
>
>
> --
--
--
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