A1 log onto www.elkintribune.com for archive • games • features • e-edition • polls & more OPINION WEATHER SPORTS ONLINE Today: mostly cloudy, my coach did not high 56° low 32° o’donnell, Joines busy? check us spit on anybody’s Tomorrow: pleasant with clouds and sun, capture conference out online at hand .... Page 4 high 56° low 31° titles .... Page 7 elkintribune.com Vol. CI, No.017 WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2012 $1.00 ElkinJessica Pickens Creek or Elkin River? staffw riter
[email protected] It goes by several names: Elkin River, Elkin Creek, the Big Elk, the Big Elk Creek. But what is the true name of the body of water that runs through Elkin? Local physician Bill Blackley was researching the area’s history and found several discrepancies with the name of the Elkin Creek. “I’ve found several sources that called it the Elkin River, including a map from 1774 that is hanging in Independence Hall in Philadel- phia,” Blackley said. “We are in the process of building a green- TRIBUNE/Jessica pickens way along this body water and we The plaque at the end of a bridge across from the Elkin Rec Center reads want to make sure that we give it “Elkin River Bridge” and is marked from 1940. the proper authoritative name.” Prior to 1971, Blackley has labels this river as the Elkin River. Blackley contacted the Unit- found several old documents and “The book states that our town, ed States Board of Geographic maps that site the body of water as Elkin, was named after the Elkin Names in Washington, D.C.