Place Names

[C. Thrush]

Don,

My understanding of the place name Neahkanie is that it references the
site as the home of a powerful figure in Tillamook mythology.  "Ecanie"
(there are a bunch of different spellings) is the name of the figure,
which I seen called a "fire god" (which doesn't really seem right).  "Ne"
is a common prefix along the northern Oregon Coast, meaning "place of" in
Tillamook.  There are quite a few "Ne" places along the coast -- Nestucca,
Netarts, Nehalem, Neskowin, Necanicum, and so on.  For a closer look,
check out the book _Nehalem Tillamook Tales_, which includes a bit on
geography.  I can't think of the author; I believe it's from Oregon State
University Press.

As for Elk Creek, it's now called Ecola Creek, which runs into the surf at
the north end of Cannon Beach.  There was a Tillamook village there called
No-cost (again, that same prefix).  This is the place where Lewis & Clark
helped pick over a beached whale.

Coll Thrush

*************************************************************************
Coll-Peter Thrush, M.A.
Mangels Fellow in Public History
Graduate Program in History		
University of Washington, Seattle	
ishriver at u.washington.edu
*************************************************************************