The State of Wisconsin

State Historical Society

816 State Street

Madison 6, Wisconsin

November 26, 1955

Miss S. Kurkowski

High School Library

Waupaca, Wisconsin

Dear Miss Kurkowski:

Your request for information about certain Wisconsin place names and particularly the prefix Wau has been received. The three names – Waupaca, Wausau and Wauwatosa – do not come from the same Indian language and it is only in our written language that they have a similarity.

In Herbert W. Huhm’s INDIAN PLACE – NAMES IN WISCONSIN one learns that Waupaca comes from Wapuka, the Potawotomi for Looking, a famous Bald Eagle clan personal name. The same references gives this meaning for Wausau – Ojibwe word, wassa, meaning just sprouting, while Wauwatosa is from the Potawatomi word, Wawato’sa, meaning what he works for, or what he earns.

Very truly yours,

Margaret Gleason

Reference Librarian