Here’s the sum total of what I learned while I was in the Lit program at the American University: There is usually a story behind a name. Charles Dickens and Nathaniel Hawthorne both had a knack for creating names that characterized people. Think about Ebenezer Scrooge and Roger Chillingworth.
When I went to write about Lithia Park, a big, red flag went up. Who is Lithia? Was she some Greek goddess that was the champion of equality and small towns in mountain passes?
Actually, no. Lithia Park gets its name from the fact that it has a high concentration of lithium oxide in the water. This mineral is supposed to have positive psychological effects. The jury’s out on that, but the park is amazing and deserves a visit.
