Why am I bringing this up? I’ll probably be asking myself the same question before the days out. Actually I saw something on an old map, from 1903 a few days ago, that I had never seen before. There was a crossing below Wirtz Dam that was named Nigger Crossing. (More research will be done to fine when that name was expunged from the USGS Maps)

Did it get that name because they had their own crossing? If so, did the white folks cross wherever they wanted? That seems special to have your own crossing.

I was well aware of Niggerhead Mt. in western Travis County (or very close to the Burnet/Travis County Line down off of Cow Creek) or Negrohead Peak in the western part of Burnet County out close to Lake Buchanan.

Gov. Rick Perry caught holy heck for his family hunting ranch out west of here that was named Niggerhead Ranch.

I guess one could conclude this is a Texas Thang or at least a Southern Thing. If you do a Google Search, you’ll find them all over this Nation. Even in civilized places like Vermont and New York. Heck they have been on maps all around the globe, in New Zealand and Australia and who know where else.

From Wikipedia: In several English-speaking countries, the word niggerhead or nigger head is a former name for several things thought to resemble the head of a black person (cf. “nigger“).^[1][2]The name is now taboo in normal usage.

The term was once widely used for all sorts of things, including nautical bollards^[3][4] and consumer products including soap, chewing tobacco, stove polish, canned oysters and shrimp, golf tees, and toy cap pistols, among others. It was often used for geographic features such as hills and rocks and geological objects such as geodes.^[5][6] The term appears in several US patents for mechanical devices prior to about 1950.^[7][8]Languages other than English have used similar terms to describe chocolate-coated marshmallow treats.

In 1955, the Aughinbaugh Canning Company of Mississippi renamed its “Nigger Head Brand” oysters to “Negro Head Brand” following pressure from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).^[9] More than a hundred “Niggerheads”, and other place names now considered racially offensive, were changed in 1962 by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names, but many local names remained unchanged.^[10]

The word “negro” is derived from the Spanish and Portuguese word for “black.” It was historically used to refer to black people, particularly those of African descent. Similar to the word “nigger,” it was neutral and descriptive in its early usage. However, like many other terms, its connotations and social acceptability have changed over time. While “negro” was once commonly used, it is now considered outdated and potentially offensive. It is essential to be aware of the evolving nature of language and use respectful and inclusive terminology when referring to racial or ethnic groups.

You know something. I’m fine with not using the dreaded “N” word, ever again. But when you read it right there in print, it just slips right off of the tongue.