Where does the name “Cascadilla” come from?
Cascadilla is a place name used extensively around Ithaca, New York, where Cornell University is located. There’s a Cascadilla Creek which runs along the edge of the main campus separating Cornell from Collegetown, nestled in Cascadilla Gorge. One of the descents that the creek takes on its way to Cayuga Lake is Cascadilla Falls. You can see photos at http://www.geo.cornell.edu/geology/classes/Geo101/cascadilla.html. There’s a Cascadilla Street in Ithaca, as well as a Cascadilla Boat Club. Cascadilla Press is actually located in the Boston area, but we like the word. “Cascadilla” most likely comes from Spanish, meaning “little waterfall.” As a place name around Ithaca, it is always pronounced with an English “l” sound near the end, not a “y” as in Spanish. If you ask an Ithaca resident where “Cascadiya Street” is, they may look at you blankly. While our preferred pronunciation for Cascadilla Press is the English pronunciation, we are certainly used to hearing the Spanish pronunciation.
