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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Four generations of Rogue Valley women to tackle 60-mile walk to fight breast cancer ... Since You Asked: Fire response time was faster than reported ... Dems choose Moro as nominee for Bates' seat; she's also on interim list with Moran and Talbert ... Four generations of Rogue Valley women to tackle 60-mile walk to fight breast cancer ... Since You Asked: Fire response time was faster than reported ... Dems choose Moro as nominee for Bates' seat; she's also on interim list with Moran and Talbert ... Swastikas weren't always evil While looking at Google Earth, I found a mountain in our region of Oregon with the name of Swastika Mountain. Any ideas how it got this nonfriendly name? Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Nov. 8, 2009 at 12:01 AM Posted Nov. 8, 2009 at 12:01 AM » Social News While looking at Google Earth, I found a mountain in our region of Oregon with the name of Swastika Mountain. Any ideas how it got this nonfriendly name? — Troy M., Phoenix We sure do, Troy, thanks to our bible, the Oregon Geographic Names book, and stories mined from our morgue here at SYA Central. The name is not to be confused with the symbol popularized by the monstrous German dictator who dragged the globe into World War II. Swastika was the name of a tiny town that popped up on the mountain on the eastern edge of the county about 35 miles from Ashland. Its innocent name was the result of a cattle brand shaped like a swastika, which was used by rancher Clayton E. Burton, long before Hitler ever spread his reign of evil. A post office was established with Burton as the post master at the site on Dec. 11, 1909, only to close forever three years later. The town, also known as Deadwood, died away, leaving munching cattle where civilization once stood. If you're a history buff, Troy, you may be aware that the Nuremberg Laws of 1935 deprived German Jews of their citizenship and made the swastika the official symbol of Nazi Germany. For a decade, the symbol represented an evil blight on our globe, a reputation that will not likely ever be forgotten. But back when Burton used the name, it had a positive connotation. The word swastika is derived from the Sanskrit word svastika, meaning any lucky or auspicious object. In effect, it was a mark made on persons and things to denote good luck. The modern equivalent to the term would be a talisman. Send questions to "Since You Asked," Mail Tribune Newsroom, P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501; by fax to 541-776-4376; or by e-mail to [email protected]. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Nov. 8, 2009 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501