154 PLACE NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 258. 
Helderberg; plateau in New York, so named because of the fine prospect from it. 
A Dutch word meaning "clear mountain." 
Helena; city in Lewis and Clark County, Montana. Opinions differ as to the origin 
of the name, for by some it is supposed to be named for Helen of Troy, but, 
according to the Helena Historical Directory of 1879, it was named by John 
Somerville, of Minnesota, St. Helena, from the resemblance in its location to that 
of the original St. Helena. It was then voted to drop the prefix Saint, 
Helena; village in St. Lawrence County, New York, named for the daughter of 
Joseph Pitcairn, of New York. 
Helicon; village in Winston County, Alabama, named from the ancient mountain 
in Boeotia. 
Hellertown; borough in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, named for a family 
of early settlers. 
Hellg-ate; river in Montana, named by Father de Smet parte de Venfer, meaning 
"gate of hell," because by way of the river the Blackfeet Indians reached the 
settlers. 
Hell Gate; narrow pass in East River, New York. A Dutch word hellegat, the 
translation of which is "bright strait," or "clear opening." The Anglicized 
form was applied to the pass as being appropriate on account of whirlpools which 
made navigation at that point dangerous. 
Hell Roaring"; creek in Yellowstone Park, so named by a prospecting party, one of 
whom described the creek as a "hell roarer." 
Helvetia; village in Randolph County, West Virginia, settled by Swiss, and by 
them given the ancient name of Switzerland. Post-villages in Pima County, 
Arizona, and Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, also bear this name. 
Hemlock; lake in New York. A translation of the Indian word onehda. 
Hemphill; county in Texas, named for John Hemphill, former Congressman from 
Texas. 
Hempstead; county in Arkansas, named for Edward Hempstead, first delegate to 
Congress from Missouri Territory. 
Hempstead; towns in Nassau County, New York, and Waller County, Texas, 
named by early setters from Hemel-Hempstead in England. 
Henderson; county and river in Illinois; county, and city in same county, in Ken- 
tucky, and county, and village in Chester County, Tennessee, named for Col. 
Richard Henderson, of Kentucky. 
Henderson; town in Wexford County, Michigan, named for its first settler. 
Henderson; village in York County, Nebraska, named for David Henderson, one of 
its first settlers. 
Henderson; town in Jefferson County, New York, named for William Henderson, 
a proprietor. 
Henderson; county in North Carolina, named for Chief Justice Leonard Henderson. 
Henderson; county in Texas, named for James Pinckney Henderson, foreign min- 
ister in the days of the republic; its first governor. 
Henderson; village in Mason County, West Virginia, named for a family of early 
settlers. 
Hendersonville; town in Henderson County, North Carolina, named for Chief 
Justice Leonard Henderson. 
Hendricks; county in Indiana, named for William Hendricks, one of the early gov- 
ernors of the State. 
Hendrix; village in McLean County, Illinois, named for John Hendrix, the first 
settler in the county. 
Henlopen; cape on the coast of Delaware. Derived from the Dutch words kin 
loop or inlopen, meaning to "run in." 
