Swastika, New York facts for kids
Swastika is a very small place, sometimes called a hamlet, in Clinton County, New York, United States. It's not a big city or town, but more like a wide spot on the road with a few buildings. It's located about 19 miles southwest of the city of Plattsburgh.
The Name Swastika
The name "Swastika" has been used for this small community for a long time. It became the official name for the local post office in 1913. Before that, the area was known as Goodrich Mills.
Why the Name Was Chosen
The name "Swastika" was actually chosen from a list of names sent by the government for the post office. It wasn't picked because of anything special about the community itself. The word "swastika" comes from the ancient Sanskrit language, which is an old language from India. In Sanskrit, it means "well-being" or "good luck." For thousands of years, this symbol was used in many cultures around the world as a sign of good fortune.
Keeping the Name Today
In September 2020, the local leaders of Black Brook, the town where Swastika is located, decided to keep the name. Some people had asked for the name to be changed because the symbol later became associated with very negative things in modern history. However, the town supervisor, Jon Douglass, explained that the community's name was chosen by its first settlers in the 1800s based on its original meaning of good luck and well-being. This wasn't the first time people asked for the name to be changed; it had also come up right after World War II.
