Mike Landers wrote: > Hello Mike, > > Could you tell me what the proper origin, pronunciation, and meaning of the > word Monongahela is? > > Thanks, > > Mike Landers Hi Mike The pronounciation of Monongahela is, I guess, pretty much the way it is spelled. Mo·non·ga·he·la Folks who live nearby usually take the easier way out - The river is known as simply "The Mon", The town is Mon City. and the area is the Mon Valley. Although I've seen slightly different meanings, they are all basically the same. Monongahela, is derived from a Native American word meaning "high banks or bluffs, breaking off and falling down at places". (Much of the Monongahela Valley still fits that discription. As far back as I've seen history written about the area, dating back to the mid 1700's, the river was always known as the Monongahela. Hope this helps! -- Thanks Mike Donaldson, Bentleyville, PA (mdonald4@bentcom.net) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Mon Valley History and Genealogy Website: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~pamonval/ Mon Valley: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow: http://www.geocities.com/mdonald318/ My family gedcom: http://www.my-ged.com/donldson ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Listowner of: Monongahela River Valley of Penna Rootsweb mailing list: PAMONVAL-L@rootsweb.com - Mail mode PAMONVAL-D@rootsweb.com - Digest mode Bieneman / Bienemann Rootsweb Mailing list Bienemann-L@rootsweb.com - Mail Mode Bienemann-D@rootsweb.com - Digest mode

Sorry Mike; but, I cannot resist sharing one of my late father's favorite stories regarding how the Mon River got its name. Here goes: There was a canoe of three Indians(PC now dictates Native Americans) on their way to trade their furs for supplies and trinkets. They were paid handsomely for their fine load of furs. Paddling their way back home while on the "river," one of the men spotted something shinning in the forest along the banks. When he stood up to get a better look, the heavily laden canoe started to tip and the man fell overboard with the supplies and trinkets after him. Swimming for their lives to the bank, the first Indian looked at the second one, shook his head sadly, and said, "Money go to hella". And that my folks is how the river was named Monongahela. Marilyn, Lake Co., IL; grew up in Belle Vernon, PA where the Mon travels past on the way to meet the Ohio at Pittsburgh. ******************************************************** ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mike Donaldson" <mdonald4@bentcom.net> To: <PAMONVAL-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, April 26, 2001 10:03 PM Subject: [PAMONVAL] Re: Specific Question... : Mike Landers wrote: : : > Hello Mike, : > : > Could you tell me what the proper origin, pronunciation, and meaning of the : > word Monongahela is? : > : > Thanks, : > : > Mike Landers : : Hi Mike : The pronounciation of Monongahela is, I guess, pretty much the way it is : spelled. : Mo·non·ga·he·la : : Folks who live nearby usually take the easier way out - The river is known as : simply "The Mon", The town is Mon City. and the area is the Mon Valley. : : Although I've seen slightly different meanings, they are all basically the : same. Monongahela, is derived from a Native American word meaning "high banks : or bluffs, breaking off and falling down at places". (Much of the Monongahela : Valley still fits that discription. : : As far back as I've seen history written about the area, dating back to the mid : 1700's, the river was always known as the Monongahela. : : Hope this helps! : -- : Thanks : Mike Donaldson, Bentleyville, PA (mdonald4@bentcom.net) :

Marilyn.. You took the "thunder out of my response" on how Monongahela obtained its name!! Only a Monongahelian / Monongahela Valleyan, (How do you like that one?) would know that story. All you English language buffs can bounce that one around!! Have a great day... Dave Copenhaver ----- Original Message ----- From: "Marilyn Prinzing" <marjenp@mindspring.com> To: <PAMONVAL-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, April 27, 2001 12:48 AM Subject: Re: [PAMONVAL] Re: Specific Question... > Sorry Mike; but, I cannot resist sharing one of my late father's favorite > stories regarding how the Mon River got its name. Here goes: > > There was a canoe of three Indians(PC now dictates Native Americans) on > their way to trade their furs for supplies and trinkets. They were paid > handsomely for their fine load of furs. Paddling their way back home while > on the "river," one of the men spotted something shinning in the forest > along the banks. When he stood up to get a better look, the heavily laden > canoe started to tip and the man fell overboard with the supplies and > trinkets after him. Swimming for their lives to the bank, the first Indian > looked at the second one, shook his head sadly, and said, "Money go to > hella". And that my folks is how the river was named Monongahela. > > Marilyn, Lake Co., IL; grew up in Belle Vernon, PA where the Mon travels > past on the way to meet the Ohio at Pittsburgh. > ******************************************************** > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Mike Donaldson" <mdonald4@bentcom.net> > To: <PAMONVAL-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Thursday, April 26, 2001 10:03 PM > Subject: [PAMONVAL] Re: Specific Question... > > > : Mike Landers wrote: > : > : > Hello Mike, > : > > : > Could you tell me what the proper origin, pronunciation, and meaning of > the > : > word Monongahela is? > : > > : > Thanks, > : > > : > Mike Landers > : > : Hi Mike > : The pronounciation of Monongahela is, I guess, pretty much the way it is > : spelled. > : Mo·non·ga·he·la > : > : Folks who live nearby usually take the easier way out - The river is known > as > : simply "The Mon", The town is Mon City. and the area is the Mon Valley. > : > : Although I've seen slightly different meanings, they are all basically the > : same. Monongahela, is derived from a Native American word meaning "high > banks > : or bluffs, breaking off and falling down at places". (Much of the > Monongahela > : Valley still fits that discription. > : > : As far back as I've seen history written about the area, dating back to > the mid > : 1700's, the river was always known as the Monongahela. > : > : Hope this helps! > : -- > : Thanks > : Mike Donaldson, Bentleyville, PA (mdonald4@bentcom.net) > : >