Indian River County Main Library

Vero Beach, Florida

Wabasso

 Where Did Wabasso Get its name?

The following information was found in the cited works, but not proven with primary documentation.

 

 1889? - (Changes by Kathy Pickel, 1985 and Mimeo News by Clarence Vandiveer, 1954.) First named Lowanna - Named by Mr. & Mrs. George King for their daughter Lowanna, early settlers of I/R County. A George W. and Anna King did purchase land in 1886 in present day Wabasso. However, they have not been found on the census or verified to have a daughter named Lowanna. In addition, this name is not found on any of the old maps. There is no source for this statement and should not be accepted as true.
 

189? - Formerly named Two Dollar Bluff. (According to Isaac Reams for speech in 1962 “Pioneer Days.”) This was a land description for an Indian mound along the river.

 

26 Mar 1897 - Post Office application by Frank Forster giving the name of Wabasso. (Actual copies of the applications are available at the library.)

 

10 Feb 1915 - Reapplied for post office change of address by J. O. Jameson. (Application available at the library.)

 

14 Jan 1942 - Reapplied for change of address by M. W. Neeley. (Application available at the library.)

   

Legends on the Name “Wabasso”

 

Legend I

The meaning of the word Wabasso has its origin in old Indian legends concerning the creation of the earth. “Wabasso” was one of the four sons of “Gitche Manito, the mighty, the creator of the nations,” who came to earth and took a wife of men. When Wabasso saw the light of day he fled to the north where he was changed into a white rabbit and was considered a great spirit - THE SPIRIT OF THE NORTH. (from The   Wabasso Yearbook at Phillips High School, Wisconsin) Conceivably, someone from the north could have named it Wabasso after the spirit. 

Legend II           

Taken from the poem written by Henry W. Longfellow called The Song of Hiawatha:

                 II—The Four Winds

                 "Honor be to Mudjekeewis!"
                 Cried the warriors, cried the old men,
                 When he came in triumph homeward
                 With the sacred Belt of Wampum,
                 From the regions of the North-Wind,
                 From the kingdom of Wabasso,
                 From the land of the White Rabbit. 

Legend III

Settlers From Ossabaw Island, GA settled there in 1898. Wabasso is Ossabaw spelled backwards (Changes by Kathy Pickel, 1985 and Florida's Historic Indian River County by Charlotte Lockwood.)       From the web site “The Ossabaw Island Foundation” http://www.ossabawisland.org/history.asp The word Ossabaw derives from the Guale (Wally) Indian word in the Muskogean or Creek language that means,     literally, “yaupon holly bushes place.” The Muskogean peoples who used them to make the “black drink” prized the leaves of the cassine or yaupon holly (Ilex vomitoria.) This tea induced vomiting that signified cleansing and purification. 

This is a very interesting story. Ossabaw island was inhabited by African-Americans until the late 1800’s. The holly bushes mentioned above still exist in Indian River County and were mentioned as early as 1696 when Jonathan Dickinson wrote about it in his diary. Could it be that an African American from this island came to Wabasso? Would he suggest reversing the letters? Another coincidence that correlates Ossabaw and Wabasso is that severe hurricanes hit the Ossabaw Island in 1896 and 1898, which caused the black population to leave the island. Wabasso was named in 1897. There is only one black family that came from Georgia listed on the 1900 census near Wabasso. His name was Frank Pitman and he died 1931 in Wabasso and is buried in the Gifford Cemetery as Frank Pitmand. Coincidence? 

Legend IV

Named by J. R. Perrot of the Florida East Coast Railroad in 1893. (Florida’s Hibiscus City: Vero Beach, by J. Noble Richards.) Mr. Perrot was the Vice-President of FEC in charge of the onsite activities and was Henry Flagler’s right-hand man. The only reference that can be found where Mr. Perrot may have named a town was actually Woodley (1893) and NOT Wabasso. By 1897, Mr. Perrot left the area and the trains were already in south Florida. It is unlikely that he had anything to do with the naming of this town.

Legend V

There were two families that lived in the Wabasso area that came from Minnesota. James Dodge (arrived 1892) and Ole Helseth (arrived 1896.) Both men were postmasters and  there is the remote possibility that they were familiar with the name of Wabasso, Minnesota.