Roxbury Place-Name Stories

Book excerpt: Every place on earth has a name. Never noticed the place-names in your town? Then take a look at these tales; you'll learn some things about where you live. These stories are about a rural Connecticut town settled in the 1700s. Place-names are everywhere on rivers, roads, brooks, hills, buildings, parks, cemeteries, nature preserves, even rocks. The names are from Englishmen, Indians, plants, animals, battles, the Bible, hell, heroes, celebrities, and just plain folks. Place-names are strange creatures, but they all reveal the history, culture, and eccentricities of people who passed through even in your town. Rummage around these tales if you're a librarian, historian, geographer, genealogist, traveler, or resident of this planet. Advance Praise from Roxbury, Conn. Notables lasting treasure for our community insights into nuggets of Roxbury's heritage quick and pleasurable read Barbara Henry, First Selectman extraordinary vade mecum informs and amuses paints a living portrait of Roxbury Steven Schinke, President, Roxbury Land Trust exhaustive research into town records, printed sources, unpublished manuscripts and the memories of older residents clear panorama of where white settlers first arrived in the 18th century Timothy Field Beard, FASG, Town Historian important local history and delightful read Valerie G. Annis, Director, Minor Memorial Library.