Thursday, March 30, 2017

Was the Town of Volo Named after the Greek Town of Volos?

I have found some information online that suggests that the town of Forksville, Illinois was renamed to Volo at the suggestion of a Greek resident who was naming it after the town of Volos in Greece.  I am still trying to determine if this information is correct.  There is a town in Greece named Volos and it is very beautiful.  Considering that the Gales were probably descendants of the Greek Trojans, this is very appropriate as many Gales settled in what is now Volo, Illinois.



Volos, Greece at night

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volos#/media/File:Volos-bynight.JPG


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volos


Here is the official seal of Volos, Il (looks like a Phoenician ship which is very appropriate).





https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volos#/media/File:Volos_Siegel.png



The name was changed on November 27, 1868.





- History of Lake County, by John J. Halsey, LL.D, Illinois , University of Chicago Library,  1912, page 626 of 904. 






3 comments:

  1. I am from the city of Volos and I am extremely curious whether Volo, Ill. was named after my hometown. Any information would be welcomed.
    Incidentally have you ever seen a great postcard of Volo Ill from ~1909?

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  2. I have not seen this comment until now. Never got notice. I am almost sure it was. It was named Volo in honor of newly arriving Greek immigrants from my research. It's not a very big town, but it is growing now. It is also in the middle of something really big history wise that I have been researching for several years now. Stay tuned.

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  3. I lived in and around Volo for many years, and that's what I was always told-- There was a Greek restaurant at one time in town. The long standing church is called St. Peters.......

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