From Herb Lampman, pioneer settler who came here in 1866 with his
father Bradford Lampman, we learn of the origin of the name "Chetek",
which the original inhabitants, the Ojibway Indians, called "Sheetak"
and means pelican, literally little pelican; this to distinguish it
from Big Chetek located farther north. The first postmaster's
cancelling stamp spelled the name "Sheteack" but after several changes
the present spelling of Chetek was adopted.
From "The Romance of Place Names", written by Robert Gard and L.
G. Sorden published in 1968, we find this: In 1836 Joe Trepannier
operated a trading post on what is known as the Red Club House Point.
Records show that in 1852 when government surveyors arrived, they
found Louis Montra buying furs from the Indians. The Chippewa word
for Chetek is "Jede-sagaigan'" Jede meaning swan or pelican, and
sagaigan meaning an island lake."
From "A History of the Origin of the Place Names Connected with
The Chicago & North Western & Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha
Railways. Compiled by W. H. Stennet, Chicago in 1908--Chetek, in
Barron County, was named by Knapp, Stout & Co. lumbermen for a
Chippewa Indian Chief, whose name by various writers was spelled
Chetek, Shetek, Shetack, Shetuc and Chetack respectively. In a very
early day in Connecticut the word was spelled Shetucket, and gave the
name to a river there, the meaning being "between two rivers," or
"confluence of rivers."
Charley Moore, often referred to as "The Father of Chetek," while
serving as assemblyman from this district was instrumental in getting
a charter for the City of Chetek, this being the first and only city
in the United States to pass directly from a township system to a
full-fledged city, and also this being the smallest incorporated city
in the United States, having a population then of only 531 people.
NOTE: In spite of the above derivations on the meaning of Chetek
my favorite interpretation is this one: "The Indian name Chetek was
derived from a long-legged rice bird called, by the Indians, a
SHADACK. Chetek Lake was originally a source of wild rice which the
Indians gathered. The spelling of Shadack was changed when the
settlers established a post office in Chetek." Unfortunately, I
cannot remember the name of the book from which it is taken, but it
was in the Superior College Library.
Hazel M. Calhoun