The Rapid City Journal has a little interesting (or at least moderately amusing) story in the Saturday, July 5, 2014 issue concerning Hisega, SD west of Rapid City on Highway 44.
I assumed it was a Native American term for "flowering moon" or something like that. But no, it was named after six women at a camping party organized by State Historian Doane Robinson in 1908. The "H" was for Helen Scroggs of Beresford, "I" for Robinson's secretary Ida McNeile, etc. They arranged the first letters of six first names to make up the acronym "H.I.S.E.G.A." which devolved into Hisega, SD.
The Journal says that Carol Duncan, owner of Hisega Lodge, indicates that there are now 10 or 12 full-time households and probably 40 summertime cabins in the area.
My brother was wondering what other words might be made of the six letters. I guess "Shagie" might have been one other, but doesn't have the remote mystery sound of Hisega.
Anyway, an interesting SD place name. Guess I will have to dig out our old book on South Dakota Place Names put together as a WPA project or some such.
*** Stay tuned for more name-calling--- Doug Wiken
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