Murderkill River

One description of the river's naming was recorded in 1945 by George R. Stewart, but is now considered to be a folk tale: Dick Carter, Chair of the Delaware Heritage Commission, states that the name of Murderkill River is taken from the original Dutch for Mother River. Mother is moeder in Middle Dutch, and river is Kille. Later, under British rule, the word "River" was added to the waterway's name, effectively making it "mother river river." Delaware's creeks and rivers are slow-moving and there is deep mud associated with marshy rivers. Dutch "modder" = mud, a false cognate to "mother." Modder Kill = Muddy Creek or Muddy River. The word is still used in Dutch, such as this Dutch video of a tractor stuck in mud ("vast in de modder"). Also, in New York there is Muddy Kill, with a clear connection to the older Dutch name. == Variant names ==

According to the Geographic Names Information System, the Murderkill River has also been known historically as: • Mordare Kijhlen (Swedish) • Mother Creek • Mother Kill • Motherkill • Motherkiln Creek • Mothers Creek • Murder Kill Creek • Murther Creek • Murtherkill == Notable events ==

On June 30, 2020, two brothers, Kevin and Zion George, drowned in Murderkill River near South Bowers. The incident occurred when a group of four, including the brothers, were swimming during low tide, when they were carried away by a tidal current. An unknown person was able to pull away two members of the group, but the brothers were pulled underwater before they could be reached. The state police received a report of the incident around 3pm, and a search was started the same day. The brothers were found on the morning of the next day. == See also ==