After 1670 the Lower Creek Trading Path, which linked Creek towns on the Chattahoochee River to the English colonial town of Charlestown, crossed Tobesofkee Creek. The river has been called by several names in the Muskogee language, spoken by Creek Indians. The earliest recorded name is Togosohatchee. In 1776 William Bartram recorded the river's name as Tobosochte.[2]
The meaning of the name Tobesofkee is unclear, although it appears to contain the word sofkee, a hominy dish that is considered the forerunner of grits. The name was first recorded in the 1790s by Benjamin Hawkins, the United States agent to the Creek Indians, who spelled it variously as Tobosaufkee, Tobe saufe ke, and Tobesauke.[2]
In his 1905 study of U.S. place names, Henry Gannett derived the stream's name (which he spelled "Tobesofka") from the supposed fact that "an Indian lost a dish of meal while crossing it."[3] William A. Read later translated the name as meaning "sofkee stirrer," from atapa (tool for stirring) and safki (corn gruel).[4] Historian John Goff criticized Gannett's interpretation as "open to doubt" and concluded that, with the available historical sources, "it would be mere speculation to attempt to translate Tobesofkee."[2]
Between 1963 and 1967 the U.S. Soil Conservation Service and the Bibb County Commission built a series of dams on Tobesofkee Creek to form flood control reservoirs, including Lake Tobesofkee and "Little Lake Tobosofkee." The Lake Tobesofkee Recreation Area opened in 1969, and private developers built and sold lakefront houses over the following decades. By the turn of the 21st century Lake Tobesofkee was considered one of the most heavily fished lakes in Georgia.[5]
^U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. The National Map, accessed April 21, 2011
^ abcJohn H. Goff, Placenames of Georgia: Essays of John H. Goff, ed. Francis Lee Utley and Marion R. Hemperley (Athens: University of Georgia Press, 2007), 37-38. ISBN978-0-8203-3129-4
^Henry Gannett, The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States, United States Geological Survey Bulletin No. 258, 2nd ed. (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1905), 301.
^William A. Read, "Indian Stream-Names in Georgia," International Journal of American Linguistics 15 (2) (1949): 128-132.
^S. Heather Duncan, "Report urges expanding size of 16 Georgia reservoirs," Macon Telegraph, 18 November 2008; Kevin Dallmier, Fishing Georgia: An Angler's Guide to More Than 100 Fresh- and Saltwater Fishing Spots, 2nd ed. (Guilford, Conn.: Lyons Press, 2007), 220.
U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Tobesofkee Creek
USGS Hydrologic Unit Map - State of Georgia (1974)
tobesofkee, creek, mile, long, river, georgia, originates, near, barnesville, flows, roughly, southeast, across, lamar, monroe, bibb, counties, join, ocmulgee, river, south, city, macon, this, stream, forms, lake, tobesofkee, locationcountryunited, statesphysi. Tobesofkee Creek is a 58 9 mile long 94 8 km 1 river in Georgia It originates near Barnesville and flows roughly southeast across Lamar Monroe and Bibb counties to join the Ocmulgee River south of the city of Macon A dam on this stream forms Lake Tobesofkee Tobesofkee CreekLocationCountryUnited StatesPhysical characteristicsSource locationGeorgiaHistory editAfter 1670 the Lower Creek Trading Path which linked Creek towns on the Chattahoochee River to the English colonial town of Charlestown crossed Tobesofkee Creek The river has been called by several names in the Muskogee language spoken by Creek Indians The earliest recorded name is Togosohatchee In 1776 William Bartram recorded the river s name as Tobosochte 2 The meaning of the name Tobesofkee is unclear although it appears to contain the word sofkee a hominy dish that is considered the forerunner of grits The name was first recorded in the 1790s by Benjamin Hawkins the United States agent to the Creek Indians who spelled it variously as Tobosaufkee Tobe saufe ke and Tobesauke 2 In his 1905 study of U S place names Henry Gannett derived the stream s name which he spelled Tobesofka from the supposed fact that an Indian lost a dish of meal while crossing it 3 William A Read later translated the name as meaning sofkee stirrer from atapa tool for stirring and safki corn gruel 4 Historian John Goff criticized Gannett s interpretation as open to doubt and concluded that with the available historical sources it would be mere speculation to attempt to translate Tobesofkee 2 Between 1963 and 1967 the U S Soil Conservation Service and the Bibb County Commission built a series of dams on Tobesofkee Creek to form flood control reservoirs including Lake Tobesofkee and Little Lake Tobosofkee The Lake Tobesofkee Recreation Area opened in 1969 and private developers built and sold lakefront houses over the following decades By the turn of the 21st century Lake Tobesofkee was considered one of the most heavily fished lakes in Georgia 5 See also editList of rivers of GeorgiaReferences edit U S Geological Survey National Hydrography Dataset high resolution flowline data The National Map accessed April 21 2011 a b c John H Goff Placenames of Georgia Essays of John H Goff ed Francis Lee Utley and Marion R Hemperley Athens University of Georgia Press 2007 37 38 ISBN 978 0 8203 3129 4 Henry Gannett The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States United States Geological Survey Bulletin No 258 2nd ed Washington D C Government Printing Office 1905 301 William A Read Indian Stream Names in Georgia International Journal of American Linguistics 15 2 1949 128 132 S Heather Duncan Report urges expanding size of 16 Georgia reservoirs Macon Telegraph 18 November 2008 Kevin Dallmier Fishing Georgia An Angler s Guide to More Than 100 Fresh and Saltwater Fishing Spots 2nd ed Guilford Conn Lyons Press 2007 220 U S Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System Tobesofkee Creek USGS Hydrologic Unit Map State of Georgia 1974 32 43 11 N 83 36 08 W 32 71986 N 83 60213 W 32 71986 83 60213 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Tobesofkee Creek amp oldid 1046329113, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
