Gatlinburg, TN (WOKI) The U.S. Board on Geographic Names’ Domestic Names Committee voted, unanimously, today (Wednesday) to change the name of a popular spot in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
It’s the latest development in a years-long effort to rename Clingmans Dome to Kuwohi (Coo – Woe – HE), the traditional Cherokee name for the mountain which translates to “mulberry place.”
Clingmans Dome was named after U.S. Senator Thomas Clingman, and the first name change happened in 1859.
The effort to restore the name was in part pushed by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, which says the act of naming the mountain Clingmans Dome was disrespectful and racist.
Arnold Guyot, a geographer and professor, named the area after Clingman. Since then, Guyot has been accused of advocating for “scientific racism,” a point of view not uncommon at the time.
In a release issued Wednesday, the National Park Service said [it] “strongly supported the name restoration and applauds today’s decision, which also received support from local communities and governments.”
“The Great Smoky National Park team was proud to support this effort to officially restore the mountain and to recognize its importance to the Cherokee People,” said Superintendent Cassius Cash. “The Cherokee People have had strong connections to Kuwohi and the surrounding area, long before the land became a national park. The National Park Service looks forward to continuing to work with the Cherokee People to share their story and preserve this landscape together.”
The proposal was submitted in January of this year by EBCI Principal Chief Michell Hicks following an effort started in 2022 by Lavita Hill and Mary Crowe, both enrolled EBCI members, to restore the traditional name of the summit.
Kuwohi is one of the most popular sites in Great Smoky Mountains National Park with more than 650,000 visitors per year. It is the tallest point in Tennessee and the third-highest summit east of the Mississippi River, officials with the national park said.
