Different Names for States

[American_Samurai]

maybe I am just making a big assumption here, but when states and territories were formed they had different ideas for names.Like Sequoya for Oklahoma. Does any body know what were some of the unused options. What are other possible names that states should have recieved? Any non-American territories that would have a new more American name, once the stars and stripes are raised there.

[Xen]

West Virginia was originally called Kanawa, the name Westsylvania was also considered.

[Leo Caesius]

I believe (although I may be mistaken) that Kentucky was originally to be incorporated as the state of Transylvania. Now that would be cool.

[David S Poepoe]

Originally Posted by American_Samurai

maybe I am just making a big assumption here, but when states and territories were formed they had different ideas for names.Like Sequoya for Oklahoma.

Actually, Sequoyah would have only been used for the eastern portion of the Indian Territory, that portion still predominately Indian held. There was a move to divide and admit both Oklahoma (the western portion) and Sequoyah as individual states, but it failed.

[zoomar]

Originally Posted by David S Poepoe

Actually, Sequoyah would have only been used for the eastern portion of the Indian Territory, that portion still predominately Indian held. There was a move to divide and admit both Oklahoma (the western portion) and Sequoyah as individual states, but it failed.

...and the Indians got screwed again....sigh.

[Grey Wolf]

Originally Posted by Leo Caesius

I believe (although I may be mistaken) that Kentucky was originally to be incorporated as the state of Transylvania. Now that would be cool.

Yes, one of the maps I found from the late eighteenth century has a load of wonderful unexpected names West of the Appalachians (or on top of them ? what do I know, lol). Transylvania is one which springs to mind, but actually think about what it means ? Sylvania and Trans... Why should the place in Rumania have this name in the first place when it is a kind of generic name ?

Grey Wolf

[Admiral Matt]

"I believe (although I may be mistaken) that Kentucky was originally to be incorporated as the state of Transylvania. Now that would be cool."

That's right. Most of Kentucky and a slice of northern Tennessee would have become Transylvania. However, there was also a similar proposal made (a decade before the revolution, IIRC) for a colony where West Virginia is now, but with little added pieces of Kentucky and Virginia. Now that would have been called "Vandalia".

[American_Samurai]

to add fuel to my own fire in The Year the Cloud Fell series Iowa is called Yankton. Virgina is called East Virginia, as oppposed to regular Virginia I guess, and Pennsylvania is spelled Penn's Sylvania.

[Grey Wolf]

Originally Posted by Admiral Matt

"I believe (although I may be mistaken) that Kentucky was originally to be incorporated as the state of Transylvania. Now that would be cool."

That's right. Most of Kentucky and a slice of northern Tennessee would have become Transylvania. However, there was also a similar proposal made (a decade before the revolution, IIRC) for a colony where West Virginia is now, but with little added pieces of Kentucky and Virginia. Now that would have been called "Vandalia".

Yes thats another one on my map as well as Transylvania

Grey Wolf

[chrispi]

Vandalia, Chersonneus and even Lacustria were proposed state names, IIRC...

[chrispi]

Originally Posted by American_Samurai

to add fuel to my own fire in The Year the Cloud Fell series Iowa is called Yankton. Virgina is called East Virginia, as oppposed to regular Virginia I guess, and Pennsylvania is spelled Penn's Sylvania.

Virgina? I hope that's not a slip of the tongue...

[Grey Wolf]

Originally Posted by chrispi

Virgina? I hope that's not a slip of the tongue...

Though it doesn't actually MEAN anything as a virgin would have a vagina, it would just be under-utilised, one cannot say unutilised and who are we to judge what God thinks about candles

But Virgina is a play on words, a jokey name ? Like the fact that the4 gun used to kill Kennedy was a Manlicker...

Grey Wolf

[Archangel Michael]

Read this.

[Paul Spring]

I thought that the proposed "Vandalia" was north of the Ohio River - basically the southern half of Ohio and Indiana. I could be wrong, or maybe the same name was used for 2 separate areas in different proposals.

Wasn't there an attempt by settlers in what is now eastern Tennessee to set up their own state called "Franklin"?

In the 18th century "Florida" included the coastal areas as far west as Mobile. The US could easily have gotten a "West Florida" and an "East Florida", with Mississippi and Alabama not having any coastline.

[American_Samurai]

I remember reading about Jefferson's proposed plan, I was more interested in states we have now with similar areas to the states we know today. I know that really the same thing, but in subtle ways there is a difference. I guess there really isn't anyway that a state would have the same shape as they do now and just have a diffrent name. It would work better, andf would be easier with completely different state lines, seeing as It would be a completely different state. But still, if peope have ideas for different names for states don't be afraid to share them with me.

[WngMasterD]

South Dakota should be called 'South Flatland', and North Dakoda 'North Flatland'

[Archangel Michael]

Originally Posted by WngMasterD

South Dakota should be called 'South Flatland', and North Dakoda 'North Flatland'

You've never been in western SD have you?

[American_Samurai]

Walking to class I found my self wondering why we don't call my home state Kiowa, pronouneced "Kie-way", seeing as thats similar to the tribe, that Iowa is named after pronounced it. I know old timey people pronounce "I-uh-way" as opposed to the more normal "I-uh-wuh." at least with the name Kiowa now ignoramuses won't confuse our state with Idaho, or Ohio

[Xen]

Originally Posted by American_Samurai

Walking to class I found my self wondering why we don't call my home state Kiowa, pronouneced "Kie-way", seeing as thats similar to the tribe, that Iowa is named after pronounced it. I know old timey people pronounce "I-uh-way" as opposed to the more normal "I-uh-wuh." at least with the name Kiowa now ignoramuses won't confuse our state with Idaho, or Ohio

I know that feeling we have people who talk about the Kanawa River and pronounce it Kan-uh-wah and insist those of us who live here pronounce it wrong. We pronounce it correctly it is Kan-aw-uh. Trying to argue with the natives over the correct usage of the word, thats about sad

[WngMasterD]

Originally Posted by Mikey

You've never been in western SD have you?

I have. I have memories of the not-flat sections, but they are sorrounded by the memories of Flat-land