"Tallahassee" - is it Apalachee or Muskogean or Creek Indian word?

[caseminole]

Serious question.

Until today, i always thought the word translated into "7 hills". Now I am reading it means "old fields", "old town", or "abandoned fields" depending on where you look.

Does anyone remember the "7 hills" translation from somewhere?

 

[Renegade_State]

This is directly from Florida's Department of State.

Tallahassee, Leon County -- The name is derived from a Muskogee word meaning "old town."

 

[KEL9430]

I like to think of Tallahassee with like giant eagles wings, and singling lead vocals for Lynard Skynard, with like an angel band, and I’m in the front row, and I’m hammer drunk! That’s what it means to me!

 

[Andre']

ugh, i should have known better. Let the games begin i guess.

You mean you had the temerity to pose a serious question on The TC, and you didn't expect tommyrott?
Silly OP. Your response did incite my laughter though.

 

[trky2]

Serious question.

Until today, i always thought the word translated into "7 hills". Now I am reading it means "old fields", "old town", or "abandoned fields" depending on where you look.

Does anyone remember the "7 hills" translation from somewhere?

As with most “Indian” worlds, it is most likely a word that an American settler traveling in Florida “thought” he heard. Truth is, if you ask most Native Americans to translate these “Indian” words, they will laugh at you because they have no idea what the Hell you are talking about...

 

[Polly Coppingers Son]

As with most “Indian” worlds, it is most likely a word that an American settler traveling in Florida “thought” he heard. Truth is, if you ask most Native Americans to translate these “Indian” words, they will laugh at you because they have no idea what the Hell you are talking about...

Kinda like the Wacissa River, the jokes always been that years ago an Indian stumbled across the head of the river and said “whatsthis a river”? That was mistaken for Wacissa River.

 

[Samben12]

This is directly from Florida's Department of State.

Tallahassee, Leon County -- The name is derived from a Muskogee word meaning "old town."

Renegade State, you have a way of bringing saneness to this board. If that's a word. Thank you!

 

[squiffynole]

Its an Indian word for town that is bigger, cleaner and more sophisticated than Gainesville.

 

[soflanolefan87]

Take me back to a south Tallahassee
Down cross the bridge to my sweet sassafrassy
Can't stand up on my feet in the city
Gotta get back to the real nitty gritty

 

[BarryB1081]

I giggle every time I see a sign for Coosawatchie; sounds like a porn site.

 

[NebNoles]

Renegade State, you have a way of bringing saneness to this board. If that's a word. Thank you!

Sanity.

 

[-OB1-]

I thought Tallahassee was Algonquin for “The Good Land”

 

[False Hope]

Little known fact: the Cherokee meaning of the Cahoolawasee River translates to, "Ned Beatty squealing like a pig."

 

[False Hope]

I thought Tallahassee was Algonquin for “The Good Land”

That's Milli-Waukee. Not Talli-Hausee.

 

[Oclawaha]

The name Tallahassee is of Apalachee Indian origin. Loosely translated meaning is “Really Long Red Light”.

 

[slynole]

Thread of the year so far!

 

[anon_vKoAeFUPShc82MGE]

Take me back to a south Tallahassee
Down cross the bridge to my sweet sassafrassy
Can't stand up on my feet in the city
Gotta get back to the real nitty gritty

View embedded media

"Home, Sweet, Home"

 

[Imsofreakinugly]

Eessahallat means “Paul is dead.”

 

[FtWaltonNole]

I thought Tallahassee was Algonquin for “The Good Land”

Actually it’s “millioke” which means “the good land”

 

[FayuGes]

OP, I also remember the "7 hills" meaning but don't have a source. It wasn't just you remembering this : )

 

[kj9127]

I thought it meant, “where gators come to die”,

 

[Seminolejon78]

OP, I also remember the "7 hills" meaning but don't have a source. It wasn't just you remembering this : )

The 7 hills thing is just legend. There are many more than 7 hills in the area.

 

[G&Gbudd]

The 7 hills thing is just legend. There are many more than 7 hills in the area.

That's true but even if there were a thousand hills in what is now Leon County my understanding was that Tallahassee was laid out on only seven hills, whether the town was originally that big or not. Then it grew to cover the seven hills (some of which could have been pretty small) and much more. However, I too believe it's just a legend fabricated to impart some grandeur on the area.
See:
http://www.leoncountyfl.gov/libraryapps/stumpers/view.asp?trivianumber=61

 

[Finance85]

As with most “Indian” worlds, it is most likely a word that an American settler traveling in Florida “thought” he heard. Truth is, if you ask most Native Americans to translate these “Indian” words, they will laugh at you because they have no idea what the Hell you are talking about...

Why do you put "Indian" in quotes? A great many "Native Americans" refer to themselves as Indians.

 

[noleclone2]

I always thought it meant "Kingdom of Beautiful Women"

 

[bungman]

For trivia buffs, the city’s name originated with the Creek tribe, later known as the Seminole tribe, from a Muskogean Indian word for “old fields," or “old town.

 

[Phyrst1]

I giggle every time I see a sign for Coosawatchie; sounds like a porn site.

I can relate, we have a town in South Georgia called Willacoochee, always wondered why not Wontacoochee....

 

[Zeek99]

I thought it meant "Land of many burger places and mattress stores".

 

[Nolomite]

As with most “Indian” worlds, it is most likely a word that an American settler traveling in Florida “thought” he heard. Truth is, if you ask most Native Americans to translate these “Indian” words, they will laugh at you because they have no idea what the Hell you are talking about...

They must have invented the Internet too - as this "catch and exploit the typo" behavior delights so many digital d-bags.

 

[Nolomite]

Actually it’s “millioke” which means “the good land”

 

[GoNolesTX]

Sanity.

Is that like symbology?