Catskills

The mountains were made famous through Washington Irving’s short stories about the legendary Rip Van Winkle, who supposedly took his long nap near the town of Catskill, on the Hudson River at the eastern entrance to the park. The origin of the name Catskill is somewhat contentious. It has long been argued that the name is derived from Kaaterskill (Dutch: “Wildcat Creek”), as one of the better-known nearby streams is called (probably because of the presence of bobcats). But it has also been suggested that the name comes from kaatsbaan, the Dutch name for the field on which a tennislike racquet game was played, an association that may have sprung from Dutch settlers witnessing local Native Americans playing lacrosse.

On 16/08/2022 1:24 a.m., Daud Deden wrote:
>
> Catskills
>
> The mountains were made famous through Washington Irving’s short stories about the legendary Rip Van Winkle, who supposedly took his long nap near the town of Catskill, on the Hudson River at the eastern entrance to the park. The origin of the name Catskill is somewhat contentious. It has long been argued that the name is derived from Kaaterskill (Dutch: “Wildcat Creek”), as one of the better-known nearby streams is called (probably because of the presence of bobcats).

Or even mountain lions....
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catskill_Mountains#Etymology

But it has also been suggested that the name comes from kaatsbaan, the
Dutch name for the field on which a tennislike racquet game was played,
an association that may have sprung from Dutch settlers witnessing local
Native Americans playing lacrosse.

This sounds like a lame etymology in search of a purpose.
Du kaatsen 'to play ball' baan 'way, track, tennis court'

Overall I'm a bit puzzled by why both your source and Wikipedia use
words like "contentious", "mystery", "confusion" about what seems quite
unmysterious, as place-name etymologies go.

On Monday, August 15, 2022 at 5:13:40 PM UTC-4, benl...@ihug.co.nz wrote:
> On 16/08/2022 1:24 a.m., Daud Deden wrote:
> >
> > Catskills
> >
> > The mountains were made famous through Washington Irving’s short stories about the legendary Rip Van Winkle, who supposedly took his long nap near the town of Catskill, on the Hudson River at the eastern entrance to the park. The origin of the name Catskill is somewhat contentious. It has long been argued that the name is derived from Kaaterskill (Dutch: “Wildcat Creek”), as one of the better-known nearby streams is called (probably because of the presence of bobcats).
> Or even mountain lions....
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catskill_Mountains#Etymology

I like "catamount".

> But it has also been suggested that the name comes from kaatsbaan, the
> Dutch name for the field on which a tennislike racquet game was played,
> an association that may have sprung from Dutch settlers witnessing local
> Native Americans playing lacrosse.
> This sounds like a lame etymology in search of a purpose.
> Du kaatsen 'to play ball' baan 'way, track, tennis court'
>
> Overall I'm a bit puzzled by why both your source and Wikipedia use
> words like "contentious", "mystery", "confusion" about what seems quite
> unmysterious, as place-name etymologies go.

Yes, puzzling. I had come across Kaaterskill in a novel and had to check if it was catskill.