I often learn something from the comments I get on my daily posts. I’ve received a lot of them regarding town names and how they came about. My go-to source on this particular topic is Lalia Boone’s Idaho Place Names, published in 1988 by University of Idaho Press. I highly recommend it if this topic is of particular interest.
I checked a comment from a reader about Sagle, Idaho. He’d heard that the folks there wanted to call it Eagle, but that the name was already in use in Idaho. Sure enough, Lalia said the same thing. A Mr. Powell applied for the name Eagle for the post office there in 1900. When informed that he couldn’t use that name, he substituted the E with an S, and Sagle was born.
I’m not sure if that was creative or lazy. It did result in a unique name in any case.
By the way, when you’re in the Sagle area, pop in and take a look at nearby Round Lake State Park (pictured). And if you’re ever in Eagle, check out Eagle Island State Park. Both parks have lakes. One is round. One isn’t.
I checked a comment from a reader about Sagle, Idaho. He’d heard that the folks there wanted to call it Eagle, but that the name was already in use in Idaho. Sure enough, Lalia said the same thing. A Mr. Powell applied for the name Eagle for the post office there in 1900. When informed that he couldn’t use that name, he substituted the E with an S, and Sagle was born.
I’m not sure if that was creative or lazy. It did result in a unique name in any case.
By the way, when you’re in the Sagle area, pop in and take a look at nearby Round Lake State Park (pictured). And if you’re ever in Eagle, check out Eagle Island State Park. Both parks have lakes. One is round. One isn’t.
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