Here's how Churubusco got its name

Here's how Churubusco got its name. . , Shortly after the town's founding an application was made to the postal authorities at Washington for a post office under the name "Franklin".

It was refused because a Franklin post office already existed in Indiana and the department would not allow two of them.

A new name would have to be found, which was quite a problem without a list of the states's towns. Anyway, word was passed around that there was to be a meeting in a log store to select a new name.

The meeting was well-attended, and there was "a heated discussion" between a German, an Englishman and an Irishman.

The German proposed the name Brunswick and the Englishman wanted it to be Liverpool. But the furious Irishman insisted that the name should be "Maloney".

He said he'd be darned if he'd have his town saddled with an English or German name and, jerking off his coat, prepared to back up his own suggestion.

A Mrs. Jackson was the permitted to speak. She appealed to the patriotism of the men, saying she was sure they were all good Americans and would willingly fight for their country if the need arose.

She read a letter she had recently received from a relative who was a soldier in the war with Mexico, telling of the victory by the Americans at Churubusco.

She thought it would be a patriotic move for the citizens to name the town "Churubusco" and was quite certain that no other town with such a name would be found in Indiana.

The Irishman put his coat back on, and although remarking that he could not pronounce the name, nevertheless said he was for it if it was patriotic.

"But I'll never permit a foreign name for my town," he said.

The little group decided on the name and the Post Office Department granted a permit in November, 1847. To this day, only one other U.S. town is known by the name Churubusco, that one is New York State.

Churubusco is the Spanish corruption of the name of the Aztec War god - Huitzilopochtli - and the city surrounding the war god's place, Huizilopochoo.

When Cortez invaded Mexico in 1815 and advanced toward the capital in quest of gold, Montezuma attempted to placate him with presents of gold and slaves.

One of the slaves, Dona Marina, was more beautiful and intelligent than the rest. She became the devoted mistress of Cortes and acted as interpreter and diplomat.

When one of the Cortes' scribes wished to know the name of the city, he called Dona Marina to pronounce it for him. The Spaniard gasped at such a name and after chewing the end of his quill, reluctantly name the record "Churubusco".