Lawrence County has a rich tradition of interesting place names. Some community names such as Barnesville, Henryville, Bonnertown, and Alexander Springs were named after individuals or families who lived in those areas.

Other community names were inspired by Biblical places, such as Mars Hill, Mount Zion, Ramah, Antioch, and Mt. Nebo. The names of St. Joseph and St. Mary’s were inspired by Biblical characters who are also Catholic saints.

But some of our county’s place names are a bit more unusual.

We have mentioned before that Revilo, in southeastern Lawrence County, is ‘Oliver’ spelled backwards, after the Oliver double-shoveled plow.

It is said by some locals that Copperas Branch, the name of both a creek and a road east of Leoma, was named for the great number of copperhead snakes that live in and around the creek.

Insurance Bluff is the name of a 200-foot drop near West Point, so-named because many vehicles have been pushed from the top of the bluff’s steep ledge to the creek below in order for the owner to collect insurance money. Many wrecked cars remain at the bottom of the bluff, today.

According to Mrs. Ethel Young Benson, the community of Marcella Falls was named for Marcella Paine, the daughter of an attorney from Columbia who, during a bout of ill health, acted as governess for the children of A.O. Williams in the years before the Civil War. Williams, who operated one of the cotton mills at the base of the massive waterfalls, liked the name, and decided to name the falls after her.

Leoma, according to ‘The Heritage of Lawrence County, Tennessee,’ was named after the the daughter of a railroad clerk when the post office was reestablished in the place in 1911. Prior names of the community were ‘Dean Switch’ and ‘Shade.’

What is your favorite unique place name in Lawrence County? If you have heard where the name of a place originated, please let us know in a comment.