Calvin's Footprint

Calviniana, that is, the legacy of John Calvin has been much analyzed in theological, political, economic, aesthetic, historical and even geographical terms. One sometimes-overlooked measure of evaluating Calvin's "footprint" is to take note of the places named for him in Europe and beyond.

Of course, Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, comes to mind, but there are other sites perhaps less well-known but of interest to the student of Calvin.

There is, for example, a little town at the foot of the Hantam Mountains in South Africa called Calvinia. Although John Calvin never visited Africa, nevertheless, South Africa was the final destination for many Calvinists who were spread abroad by the French Huguenot Diaspora and, thus, the town was founded and named for him in 1851. The significance of this name is further magnified by the fact that an asteroid was discovered by English-South African astronomer Cyril Jackson on May 26, 1932. It is called 1245 Calvinia, named for the town, and in fact extends John Calvin's "footprint" into outer space.

Philip Vollmer, John Calvin: Man of the Millennium (2008 ed.), pp. 22, 24, 31:

At Angouleme, Calvin remained some little time with Du Tillet, a priest and a secret adherent of the Reformed faith. Traces of his residence there long existed in the country; a vineyard was known as "Calvin's Vineyard" 150 years after his death.
...
Leaving Paris, Calvin returned to Angouleme to take leave of Du Tillet, but the latter determined to accompany him. They stopped at Poitiers, where he organized a small congregation, and where the Lord's Supper was administered in a cave near the city, known to this day as "Calvin's Grotto".
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On his return, he spent some time in Piedmont, most probably in visiting the Waldensian churches, among whom his friend Olivetan continued to labor. Aosta was deeply agitated by the Reformed faith at this time, but, the town being too well guarded, he could not enter.

Calvin went to a farm close by which to this day is known as "Calvin's Farm". The people flocked to him in large numbers. A political and religious revolution was in progress. He was in constant danger, but remained. Warned that he was about to be arrested, he fled on March 8, accompanied by some of his adherents. As St. Bernard was guarded, they had to take bypaths, crossing torrents and scaling precipices; but even then they were in constant danger, for the Count of Chalans gave chase to Calvin, pursuing him with a drawn sword. But Calvin and his companions at length got beyond the territory of the Duranda, one of the lofty entrances of that region which is still designated by the name of "Calvin's Window".