The name "Little Egypt" evokes a sense of mystery and intrigue, conjuring images of ancient lands and hidden histories. But what exactly is "Little Egypt," and why does this name appear in different places across the United States? This article delves into the stories behind this intriguing name, exploring its connections to communities in Texas, parks in North Dakota, archaeological sites in Georgia, and a lake in Southern Illinois.
Lake of Egypt Map - the lake's irregular shape reveals its origins as a dammed river amidst hilly terrain.
Little Egypt in Lake Highlands, Dallas
Do you remember ‘Little Egypt’? Nobody is literally rebuilding “Little Egypt” - one of Lake Highlands’ earliest neighborhoods. The land that once housed Little Egypt, just north of Northwest Highway between Ferndale and Audelia, now contains both Northlake Shopping Center and a larger area that showcases large, architecturally interesting homes atop rolling hills, among towering trees and within the attendance zone of quality Richardson ISD schools.
Lisa C. Little Egypt was located just north of Northwest Highway between Ferndale and Audelia, near White Rock Lake within the city limits of Dallas in Dallas County. The community began after the Civil War, when the site was deeded to former slaves Jeff and Hanna Hill, when they were freed by their master in 1865. By 1870 they had built the Little Egypt Baptist Church, and the community became known as Little Egypt because the residents were delivered from bondage, as in the biblical story.
Though Little Egypt was officially within the Dallas city limits, it remained a distinct community until 1962, when developers bought the thirty to thirty-five acre tract, which was across the street from Northlake Shopping Center, for retail development. This purchase followed a November 1961 rezoning of the area for retail use. At this time community residents were served by dirt streets and lacked running water, electricity, gas, and indoor plumbing.
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Since the houses in Little Egypt were dilapidated and some residents feared the buildings would be condemned, they were in favor of selling the land. Of the twenty-eight families who owned land in the community, two-thirds wished to find new homes close to one another. In May 1962 the 200 residents of Little Egypt moved to their new homes, led by community patriarch William Hill, who was eighty-nine at the time. The families were given enough money to buy new houses and most of them settled either in Oak Cliff or in Rockwall County.
In the 1980s a controversy arose, in which the former residents of Little Egypt were portrayed as being taken advantage of for the commercial gains of White developers. Jim Schutze, The Accommodation: The Politics of Race in an American City (Secaucus, New Jersey: Citadel, 1986). Lisa C. Section 107 related to Copyright and “Fair Use” for Non-Profit educational institutions, which permits the Texas State Historical Association (TSHA), to utilize copyrighted materials to further scholarship, education, and inform the public.
Siegle was so fascinated that he got together with one of Richland’s anthropology teachers to create an honors history class wherein students are challenged to dig up all the history they can on Little Egypt, the last of which was overtaken by new developers in 1968. He and his students are “beating the bushes” in an attempt to find interview subjects. The oral histories are going to be a vital piece of the project, he says, so if you or someone you know lived in Lake Highlands or Little Egypt in the 50s and 60s and have any memories whatsoever about Little Egypt (no detail is too small, stresses Siegle), please respond.
Little Egypt Park in North Dakota
Oldest Pyramid On Earth Found In North Dakota?
Little Egypt Park, located 30 miles south of Ray on Lake Sakakawea, features picnic areas, camping, and direct access to the lake so visitors can boat, fish, and swim at the park as well. In the late 1980s, plans were made to improve the park by creating a swimming area and bathhouse as well as upgraded picnic shelters and camping areas.
This research got me thinking about how and why place names were chosen during European immigration and settlement in the Midwest and Western states. Towns across the Midwest were named Little Norway or Little Sweden by Norwegian or Swedish immigrants. So what inspired the people of Williams County to choose Little Egypt as their new park’s name? Continuing my search, I started looking for places named Little Egypt outside of North Dakota to see if any other information could be gathered about this interesting place name.
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The “good dirt” that the old timers in Williams County thought the name came from could have been an allusion to the fertile soil found in that region of the county or to the fertile soil they hoped the region would have. The name also evokes the feeling of a prosperous community, like the settlers in Little Chicago would have wanted. Or perhaps people from southern Illinois settled in Williams County and chose to name the park after their home in Illinois. One single answer may not exist with multiple inspirations possible.
Little Egypt Site in Georgia
The Little Egypt site (9 MU 102) was an archaeological site located in Murray County, Georgia, near the junction of the Coosawattee River and Talking Rock Creek. The site originally had three platform mounds surrounding a plaza and a large village area. It was destroyed during the construction of the Dam of Carters Lake in 1972. The site lay on a stretch of the Coosawattee River. It was a large village about 12.5 acres (0.051 km2) with three platform mounds and a plaza. Two of the mounds were over 2.5 metres (8.2 ft) in height.
The main mound was built up in four stages over the course of many years. Each stage may have represented the inter-generational change from a chief to his successor. Sometime around 1475 A.D. The Coosa chiefdom encountered by the Hernando de Soto expedition had its capital at the Little Egypt site. De Soto and his expedition entered the Coosa chiefdom in 1540. Chroniclers recorded that the chiefdom then consisted of eight villages. Archaeologists have identified the remains of seven of these.
The population of the Coosa chiefdom is thought to have been between about 2,500 to 4,650 people. The chief of Coosa ruled over a significantly wider confederation of other chiefdoms, whose territory spread 400 miles along the Appalachian Mountains across northern Georgia into eastern Tennessee and central Alabama, and whose populations totaled in the tens of thousands.
The Little Egypt site was excavated twice, once by Warren K. Moorehead in 1925 and again by David Hally (in association with the University of Georgia) in 1969. The site had been damaged by farming in the area since European settlement as well as erosion due to the water sources nearby. In the historic period, Creeks then Cherokees were known to inhabit the general area, but not the mounds themselves.
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Hally and his team excavated several pits, 5 feet (1.5 m) by 10 feet (3.0 m) by 3 feet (0.91 m) and several trenches 3 feet (0.91 m) in width. The site consisted of two mounds and a village nearby. Features uncovered included several smudge pits for deer hide, layers of ash with food pieces in it, including both plants and animals (with an emphasis on acorns), and several hearths.
Some artifacts unburied during the process of excavation include: columella beads, cut and ground antler, bone awls, a shell mask, brass rings, and copper plate fragments. Some worked stone tools were found. Rock flakes, blades, points, and bifaces were also found.
Time Periods Represented in the Excavation
Several time periods were represented in the excavation.
| Period | Culture |
|---|---|
| Dallas phase | South Appalachian Mississippian culture |
| Lamar phase | South Appalachian Mississippian culture |
| Mouse Creek phase | South Appalachian Mississippian culture |
Lake of Egypt in Southern Illinois
Oldest Pyramid On Earth Found In North Dakota?
Lake of Egypt is a hidden gem nestled in Southern Illinois, just south of Marion. Here, you’ll find a secluded expanse of water spanning 93 miles of wooded bays and inlets. Locals have been coming here for lazy summer vacations, drawn by the serenity and long days of fishing, boating, and lakeside relaxation.
The lake was created in 1962 when the Southern Illinois Power Cooperative dammed the south fork of the Saline River. It is called a reservoir because it was created by building a dam. This lake covers a big area, about 2,300 acres (9 km²). It also has a very long shoreline, stretching for 90 miles (145 km).
The Southern Illinois Power Cooperative (SIPC) owns Lake of Egypt. They built the lake in 1962. They needed a lot of water to cool down their power plant, which uses coal to make electricity. Since the lake is privately owned, it has its own set of rules. These rules are made by SIPC and the state of Illinois. Public access is allowed as are all size boat motors.
The lake got its name from the "Little Egypt" region of Southern Illinois. Southern Illinois has long been referred to as "Little Egypt." This nickname may be the result of the practices of early settlers from Northern Illinois who traveled to Southern Illinois to buy grain after a series of bad winters and droughts. These wagon train folks recognized the similarities between themselves and the ancient Israelites who went to Egypt to buy grain grown in the rich Nile Delta. Additionally, one notices the existence of many Egyptian names such as Carmi, Cairo, Thebes, Karnak, Goshen, and Dongola.
Lake of Egypt is a popular spot for many outdoor activities. You can bring your boat to Lake of Egypt. All sizes of boat motors are allowed on the water. If you want to stay overnight, you can go Camping at Buck Ridge Campground. There are three marinas around Lake of Egypt. Marinas are places where you can dock your boat, get supplies, or rent equipment.
The lake has an average depth of 18 feet (5.5 m) with a maximum depth of 52 feet (16 m) . As a privately owned lake, it is subject to regulation by its owners and the state. Waterskiing and jet skis are also permitted in most of the lake. Fishing includes Bluegill, Largemouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Striped Bass, and Crappie. Camping at the lake is allowed at Buck Ridge Campground, part of the Shawnee National Forest.
In 1960, when Southeastern Illinois College was formed, a sphinx was included in the official seal of the college to honor the "Little Egypt" heritage shared by the people of the college district. Southeastern's competitive teams have always had the falcon as their mascot. In Egypt, the king was thought of as a living god. While alive, he was Horus, the falcon-headed skygod, sitting on the magic Isis throne. At one time, a stone pyramid, approximately 12 feet high, sat on the front lawn of the campus adjacent to College Drive.
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