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Q: Where did the name “Kenosha” come from?
A: Kenosha Pass and Kenosha Peak in Park County were named for Kenosha, Wis., by a stage coach driver who was from there. The town in Wisconsin was named for the Algonquin word meaning “pike fish.”
Source: “Colorado Place Names” by William Bright.
Q: How did the area around West 78th Avenue and Wadsworth Boulevard get the name Indian Tree?
A: Legend tells of an Indian battle on the hill that is now Hackberry Hill near West 68th Avenue and Wadsworth Boulevard in Arvada. An Indian chief, who was carrying hackberry seeds in a pouch, was killed there and buried at the top of that hill. From those seeds, a hackberry tree grew and became a landmark for wagon trains and stagecoaches because it could be seen from as far away as Denver. The tree became a symbol of the community, but in 1936 a vandal chopped down the original tree. Later, a new tree was planted by the Arvada Garden Club, but it wasn’t until North Jeffco Park and Recreation built the golf course that the name “Indian Tree” was used.
Source: Arvada Historical Society
