Railroad Town Names
What's in a name? Todd tells how some Frisco Towns gained theirs by D. M. Todd
Frisco Employes' [sic] Magazine, March 1925, page 9
"The writer began his railroad career as an office boy in the car accountant's office of the old Kansas City, Ft. Scott and Memphis Line, July 15, 1889, with L. W. Towne, car accountant and claim agent, and J. H. Ashley, chief clerk (later car service agent).
"At the time most of the officials of the K. C. F. S. & M. had been associated with the road since the beginning of its operation, which dated back into the early eighties.
"As towns sprung into existence, quite a number of them were named for officials and directors. Kansas City was the headquarters of the general offices.
"From conversations with 'old timers,' I was informed of the origin of the names of some of the towns which still appear on the Frisco map, some of them having developed more commercial importance than others in the progress of the railroad.
"The K. C. F. S. & M. officials rather took a delight in giving names to some of these towns in honor of the men who built and operated the road.
"Starting out of Kansas City, the town of Merriam, Kansas, was named after Charles Merriam of Boston, a director of the road. A popular park stood for years one mile south of Merriam, named Merriam Park, located exactly at Mile Post 9, the landmark of which still survives and appears on the east side of the track, recognized by a patch of grassless ground over which stood a former pavilion marking the entrance to the park. The park was peculiarly associated with the Memphis Line, which was the only transportation means in those days of reaching it.
"Further south at Mile Post 41, we find Dana, named for I. P. Dana, former attorney of the K. C. F. S. & M.
"On the Rich Hill Branch is Sprague, named for the former superintendent of telegraph, H. C. Sprague.
"Between Ft. Scott and Springfield, the towns of Lockwood and Dumbeck appear, one of these named for the former general passenger agent; the other for a former general freight agent.
"Between Springfield and Thayer appear Fordland, named after the late J. S. Ford, comptroller and later auditor of the C. & E. I., and Sargent, former general freight agent; also Dunn, former cashier and paymaster, and Diggins, a former superintendent of that division.
"Thayer, the terminal, was named after Nathaniel Thayer, a stockholder of Boston.
On the Current River Branch we have Montier, named after A. N. Montier, mechanical superintendent.
"On the K. C. F. S. & M., now the Osceola Sub, are the towns of Winchell and Aldrich; the former for B. L. Winchell, president and the latter for J. H. Aldrich, cashier.
"South of Thayer are Finkinger and Nettleton, the former named for a superintendent of the division, and the latter for the greatly honored and revered Geo. H. Nettleton, who from the beginning of the railroad organization until his death in 1896 was president and general manager of the property.
"Pratt city, on the south end, was named after Wallace Pratt, the general solicitor, a great companion of Geo. H. Nettleton.
"In the Kansas City Times, on the editorial sheet each day, appears a column entitled, 'Kansas City 40 Years Ago,' and in that column frequent references are made to most of the men formerly associated with the K. C. F. S. & M.
"On the original site of the town of Koshkonong appears the once solitary residence of R. R. Hammond, general superintendent. The name of Koshkonong was given to the place by the Hitt family, who purchased the
Hammond estate. The town was named after the old family home by the side of Lake Koshkonong in Wisconsin.
"In some instances, local peculiarities surround the town name. I was told by an old resident of Ravenden, Arkansas, that the town derived its name through the fact that at some springs located ten miles north in the cleft of some rocks forming a cave-like recess in the side of the hills, large flocks of ravens at one time assembled, and the place was called Ravensden (den of ravens).
"The town of Peculiar on the High Line (formerly known as the Blair Line) received its name by some of the settlers writing to Governor Marmaduke and asking him to name the new town, and suggesting that he give it some 'peculiar' name. In his reply, he said to them: 'Why not call it Peculiar?'"
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