The name of the third-highest summit east of the Mississippi River has been restored to its original name. The U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN) approved an application on Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024 that restores the name of Clingman’s Dome, in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP), to its original Cherokee name, Kuwohi (mulberry place).
Lavita Hill and Mary “Missy” Crowe, both members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI), started this effort in 2022 and received widespread support for the initiative.
This reminds me of when I visited Alaska over a decade ago. I thought it was the strangest thing that people there referred to Mt. McKinley as Denali. I was surprised to find out later that the name was officially changed to Denali in 2015.
It’s nice to see these landmarks restored to their original names. The stories behind these original names are far more interesting anyway.