42 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 
Bellavista; town in Shasta County, California. A Spanish phrase, meaning "beau- 
tiful view." 
Belle; a French word meaning "beautiful," of frequent occurrence in the country, 
there being seventy-eight post-offices which have this name in combination with 
descriptive suffixes. 
Bellefontaine ; city in Logan County, Ohio, so named because of the beautiful 
springs in the neighborhood. 
Belleville; township and city in St. Clair County, Illinois. The name was sug- 
gested by John Hay, a French Canadian, prominent in the early days of the 
State. 
Belleville; city in Republic County, Kansas, named for Arabelle, wife of A. B. 
Tutton, president of the town-site company. 
Belleville; village in Jefferson County, New York, named from the village in Wis- 
consin. 
Belleville; village in Dane County, Wisconsin, named by the first settler, John 
Frederick, from his native village in Canada. 
Bellevue; village in Sonoma County, California; a French term meaning "beautiful 
view." 
Bellevue; township and city in Jackson County, Iowa, named for John D. Bell, the 
first settler. 
Bellnower; township and village in McLean County, Illinois, so named by the 
early settlers from the fields of bell-shaped flowers. 
Belling-ham; town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, named for Governor Richard 
Bellingham. 
Belling-ham; bay in Washington, named by Vancouver, the explorer, probably for 
Sir Henry Bellingham, who was knighted in 1796. 
Bellmont; village in Franklin County, New York, named for William Bell, an early 
proprietor. 
Bellows Falls; village in Windham County, Vermont, named for Col. Benjamin 
Bellows, an early settler and founder of Walpole. 
Bell Spring"; mountain in Humboldt County, California, so named by an early 
explorer, who found a cow bell in a spring on the mountain. 
Bellwood; village in Butler County, Nebraska, named for D. J. Bell, its proprietor 
and patron. 
Belmont; village in San Mateo County, California, and Allegany County, New York, 
named for its pleasing situation in the hills; translation from the French, "fine 
mountain." 
Belmont; towns in Mississippi County, Missouri, and Belknap County, New Hamp- 
shire, named for August Belmont, of New York. 
Belmont; county, and village in same county, in Ohio, named for an early settler. 
Howe says it is named in reference to its hilly surface; French, "fine mountain." 
Belmont; village in Lafayette County, Wisconsin, named for three mounds within 
its limits, which the early French travelers called "Belles Montes." 
Beloit; city in Rock County, Wisconsin. A coined name selected by a committee, 
to whom it was suggested by the name Detroit. 
Beloit; city in Mitchell County, Kansas, named for the city in Wisconsin. 
Belpre; town in Washington County, Ohio, named from the French, meaning 
"beautiful prairie," from its situation on a prairie. 
Belton; town in Anderson County, South Carolina, named for a prominent family. 
Belton; city in Bell County, Texas, named for Governor P. H. Bell. 
Beltrami; county, and village in same county, in Minnesota, named for Count C. C. 
Beltrami, an Italian, with Major Long's exploring expedition into the Northwest 
country. 
