The Chronicles of Grant County

Beautiful blue waters of the Gulf of Naples are near Mount Vesuvius in September of 2017. (The photograph was provided courtesy of Carlo Raso through Flickr.)
Several roadways north of Silver City are named after major mountains and volcanoes in the world. Today, we look at two of these streets that get their names from geographic landmarks in Greece and Italy.

The name of Vesuvius Way is derived from Mount Vesuvius, an active volcano located near Naples, Italy. Many know the historical story of Pompeii and nearby communities being destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. This was at a time when the region was part of the Roman Empire.

The eruption that devastated the region at that time, though, was but one of its volcanic eruptions. One eruption, for example, took place during World War II when Mount Vesuvius erupted in 1944.

According to the United States Geological Survey, volcanic eruptions can include "episodes during which gases, ash, and lava (molten rock) escape from vents in the earth's crust, accompanied by minor tremors."

Many people live near Mount Vesuvius today. Not far from this volcano is the Metropolitan City of Naples; more than 3 million people are estimated to live in this community. Campania, the region of Italy that includes the Metropolitan City of Naples and Mount Vesuvius, includes more than 5 million residents.

The highest mountain in Greece, Mount Olympus, provides the source of the name for Mount Olympus Road in Grant County.

Greek mythology says that Mount Olympus is the home of 12 Gods. Among the residents were Zeus, Apollo, Aphrodite, and others. The mountain is preserved as part of the first national park in Greece; the Olympus National Park was created in 1938. The area is also part of the Mount Olympus Biosphere Reserve, a designation made in 1981 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

"This biosphere reserve is situated on the eastern part of the Greece mainland and covers the eastern limestone foothills and the summit of Mount Olympus…[about 9,560 feet] above sea level," according to a statement from UNESCO. "The landscape comprises…shrublands, beech and oak woodlands, pine…forests, as well as montane grasslands and alpine areas."

"…As with almost all areas in the Mediterranean, this area was subject to heavy grazing and timber extraction in the past," the statement from UNESCO continued. "Today, local communities use the buffer zone of the biosphere reserve for grazing, hunting, gathering of herbs and wood extraction. However, tourism is the main economic activity in the reserve. Many tourists…visit this [center] of Greek mythology as, according to Homer, the twelve Greek gods have their palaces on Mount Olympus."

 The Olympus National Park includes about 92 square miles of land located in the border areas of Thessaly and Macedonia in Greece. (The photograph was produced by H. Kakarouhas and provided courtesy of the Greek National Tourism Organisation.)

Do you have questions about communities in Grant County?

A street name? A building?

Your questions may be used in a future news column.

Contact Richard McDonough at chroniclesofgrantcounty@mail.com.

© 2020 Richard McDonough