What's in a name? Amalgamated Trail Names

Who was Newton Blackmour?

Wisconsin’s Wiouwash State Trail and Newton Blackmour State Trail have a lot in common—besides being tongue-twisters. They're both former rail lines that now serve as scenic trails, and they share a similar length and proximity of location. But what truly ties these two together is their names, which are both clever examples of amalgamated names.

Are you asking, "What in the world is an amalgamated name?" Yeah, I did that too - it’s one of those things that you don’t know you know (you know?) Amalgamation is the term for taking two or more words, smooshing them together, and coming up with something new. It's basically the linguistic equivalent of a well-crafted sandwich. Take TriBeCa in New York City, for example: it's short for "Triangle Below Canal Street." Or SoHo—it stands for "South of Houston Street." See? You’ve probably been using amalgamated names without even realizing it!

Now let’s break down the name "Wiouwash"—it’s a bit of a head-scratcher at first, but with some creative capitalization, it all makes sense: WiOuWaSh is supposed to stand for the four counties the trail passes through—Winnebago, Outagamie, Waupaca, and Shawano. Pretty neat, right? But here’s where things get a little tricky: the trail is split into two sections. The northern section, which runs for 19 miles, is fully contained within Shawano County, the “SH” in WIOUWASH. The southern section, which stretches for 22 miles, runs from Hortonville (Outagamie County or “OU”) to Oshkosh (Winnebago County, the “WI”), and is maintained by those two counties.

Photo by Judith Chambers on Unsplash

So, where’s Waupaca in all this? Where’s the WA, Waupaca? The northern and southern sections of the trail are separated by about 30 miles—basically the entire length of Waupaca County. But the trail doesn’t go through Waupaca County yet. So that begs the question: What’s the deal, Waupaca? Why aren’t you holding up your end of the bargain, buddy? Shouldn't it be called something like "WiOuSh" right now? Maybe Waupaca’s just hanging out, waiting for a future extension. Stay tuned.

As for the Newton Blackmour State Trail, you might think it was named after some important person, like Newton Blackmour himself (let’s be honest, that would be a great name for a detective). But, like Wiouwash, Newton Blackmour is another amalgamated name. It’s actually a blend of four towns the trail passes through: New London, Shiocton, Black Creek, and Seymour. Big creativity points to the person who came up with that. So, while there might not be a Mr. Blackmour to thank for this trail, you can certainly thank the towns along the way. Bonus points: The Newton Blackmour connects to the Wiouwash State Trail via the County Road M Bike Path. Now you can run or ride from one amalgamation to another. Double the fun!

And while we’re on the topic of creative trail names, let’s give an honorable mention to the Wau-King Trail. This little 4-mile gem connects the city of Waupaca to the town of King. Short and sweet, and perfect for those looking for a quick and amusing detour, but also “Wau-King” - like “walking,” right? (It’s a solid setup for a great Dad joke: “Where are you walking today?” “Wau-king.” “Yes, that’s what I asked: where are you walking today?” “I said: Wau-king.” ::anguished adolescent murmurings::) Maybe Wau-King isn’t as long or as convoluted as Wiouwash or Newton Blackmour, but it’s a delight in its own way nonetheless.

So there you have it: three trails, each with names that are more than just words—they’re little puzzles that tell the story of the places they pass through.