Dunkirk Becomes Dunkirk
Dunkirk, New York, is located on Lake Erie about 45 miles west of Buffalo. Dunkirk was named for Dunkerque, France. It happened in 1818, soon after the first Europeans began settling on the southern shore of Lake Erie. One settler who left a lasting mark was Solomon Chadwick. A native of Massachusetts, he moved to the present site of Dunkirk around 1810. Chadwick settled on land along the harbor. When people talked about the area, they naturally began to say something like, “Well, let’s go over to Chadwick’s Bay tomorrow and buy some supplies.” Chadwick later sold his land to Daniel G. Garney. Once again, people began calling the settlement “Garney’s Bay.”
“Reminds Me of Dunkerque!”
For the name, Dunkirk, we can thank a dry goods and shipping merchant named Elisha Jenkins. He also was an early settler in the area. But Jenkins also was a world traveler. At one time, he worked in Dunkerque, France. His family’s businesses, Wendell & Jenkins and Thomas Jenkins & Sons, had an office there. That “other” Dunkirk had an excellent harbor for ships to dock. It is on the English Channel, part of the North Sea. When Jenkins first set eyes on the Lake Erie shore, he was awed. To him, the harbor in Dunkirk resembled the harbor in Dunkerque, France. As a wealthy landowner and politician, Jenkins had a great deal of influence. People listened to what he said, and respected his opinion. So other settlers in 1826 accepted his suggestion of naming the community after Dunkerque, France.
What’s in a Name?
The name, “Dunkerque,” comes from a dialect of the Dutch language. People in Flanders, the northern part of Belgium, spoke that language. It was Flemish. Their neighbors in the nearby area of France that included Dunkerque, also spoke Flemish. In Flemish, “Dunkerque” means “church in the dunes.” But Jenkins and the other residents spoke English. They decided to use the anglicized, or English, form of the name. So Dunkirk became Dunkirk.
We do not know what name, if any, the earlier occupants used for this heavily forested area. Scientists think that ancient Indians, called Paleo-Indians lived in this area about 12,000 years ago. The evidence comes from fluted stone spear points and other artifacts found during excavations. We do know that Native Americans such as the Erie people and the Seneca people lived here more than 500 years ago. They got company in the 1500s, when French explorers entered North America.
Yuk! Furry People!!
Wearing the skins of fur-bearing animals as coats and hats is out of style today. Nobody likes the thought of killing animals for their fur. But in the past, fur trading was the most important business in North America. Furs brought French and other traders to the area around the Great Lakes. Native American men hunted and trapped beaver, mink, and other small animals. Women processed the skins into furs.
French traders bought the furs with glass beads, knives, cloth, and other items. Then they shipped the furs back to Europe. In 1602, the king of France gave businessmen a royal charter with exclusive fur trading rights that extended from Florida to through Canada.
Added Attraction: Dunkirk’s Harbor
The area that became Dunkirk also attracted these early traders and settlers because of its long circular harbor. The first French explorers thought Lake Erie and the other Great Lakes were an inland sea. They called it the “Fresh Sea” because the water was not salty. Ships were the main way of transporting cargo in those days. Dunkirk’s harbor provided a good place for ships to dock, load and unload. It also provided a safe haven from the terrible storms that swept Lake Erie. Indeed, it was the best harbor within 50 miles. As the population grew, Dunkirk was incorporated as a village in 1837. With further population increases, the village became a full-fledged city in 1880.