Kenosha - early spelling of the name

Contributor

Radio-Mat

Date

• 1856

Summary

• From an account of the "First Settlement of Kenosha" by Wallace Mygatt, 1856: "It may be proper here to remark that Kenosha was first known as Pike River, and afterwards, until it was incorporated as a city in 1850, it was called Southport. A portion of the inhabitants desired at all times to call the place after the Indian name of the stream which here empties into the Lake; and we accordingly find the principal public house kept in Kenosha, as early as 1838, called the 'Kenosha Cee-pee House.' Kenosha, at that time, was almost as variously spelt as there were different writers; by some it was spelt Kenosia, by others Kenozia, and by others again Kenozha. Some spelt the word as it is now spelt, Kenosha, which manifestly gives the Indian pronunciation most nearly. It may also be well to add that Kenosha, in Indian, signifies Pike, and Ce-pee, Creek."