Obama renames Mt McKinley.....Wait, what!??!?

originally posted by: gmoneystunt
"Pres McKinley was a proud Ohioan, and the mountain was named after him, as a way to remember his rich legacy after his assassination" sen rob portman

Of course, Rob Portman is going to say that. Let's get an unbiased source instead of one of the politicians fighting against the Denali name.

Actually, a gold prospector named it McKinley in support of the CANDIDATE McKinley in 1896, thinking it would help his campaign. Source

In 1896, a gold prospector named it McKinley as political support for then-presidential candidate William McKinley, who became president the following year. The United States formally recognized the name Mount McKinley after President Wilson signed the Mount McKinley National Park Act of February 26, 1917.

McKinley died in 1901 and the US government made the name official 16 years later, as part of the Mount McKinley National Park Act.

Mount McKinley National Part Act

I don't even consider this "renaming".
More like an De-naming.
Back to a more original name of record..

a reply to: spacedoubt

De-naming.

I like that term. There's a certain amount of arrogance shown by colonists to re-name places which were well known by both early settlers and First Nations, but it's all transient because people will remember the original names regardless of the ideological reasoning for name changes.

It puts me in mind of the fact that Kitchener, Ontario, used to be called Berlin before the First World War. They changed it because the Germans weren't very popular after that. However, the population of Kitchener is largely German, so I wouldn't be surprised if they changed it back again. Either that, or re-name it for the first settlers of the area... the Mennonites.

Maybe call it Mennopolis.

A rose by any other name is still a rose.

a reply to: Benevolent Heretic

Might have already been presented here, but I heard this morning (NPR) McKinley never even WENT to Alaska.

Jewell noted in her order, "President McKinley never visited, nor did he have any significant historical connection to, the mountain or to Alaska."

Additional source, USA Today

originally posted by: Benevolent Heretic

Of course, Rob Portman is going to say that. Let's get an unbiased source instead of one of the politicians fighting against the Denali name.

I can't find the link again, but a guy from the McKinkey Heritage Foundation said the GOP is over reacting.

He said naming that mountain after McKinley really has no merit. That there's no historical reason for it.

originally posted by: BuzzyWigs

Might have already been presented here, but I heard this morning (NPR) McKinley never even WENT to Alaska.

There might be a logical reason for that.

a reply to: KyoZero

Just like the Sears Tower....it's been a monument of Chicago for ages now...but it was bought and now it is the Willis Tower. Doesn't change anything...to me it is still the Sears Tower....

Exactly. For me, too. Don't care what Willis thinks about that, either.

a reply to: xuenchen

For what?
That he never went there?

It's a fact.
WHY he never went there? I have no idea. Perhaps total indifference.



Or, he was dead by the time they changed it, never heard of it and didn't pay attention to some gold prospector naming something on his behalf. Still, he won the presidency and this was a campaign move. A gracious winner would have least gone to visit the place.

My cat is named Stephen (for Stephen Hawking) - Steve for short - but I doubt that Hawking would care much. I just think it's a great cat name.

I'm from Ohio.

I find it reprehensible that Ohio politicians have been the ones stalling this for 40 years.

I'm no Obama fan, as my previous posts have shown. But this is just insane the amount of people who came out against this simply because his name was mentioned! Childish way to be IMO.

This was a nod to States Rights. Alaska wanted this, and after 40 years of stalling from another state 1/4 of the world away, they got it.

Mt Denali. Welcome back!

originally posted by: BuzzyWigs
A gracious winner would have least gone to visit the place.

Not really a feasible trip since he would have been incommunicado for a lengthy period of time.

It's interesting that this name change (or rather de-naming as spacedoubt said) has once again sparked a little debate again here in Washington state regarding Mount Rainier. Before the mountain was renamed Rainier, it was most commonly called Tahoma by the natives here.

Personally, I am totally fine with Denali reverting to it's original name and I would also support Rainier being de-named to her original name of Tahoma - which in the native language means "source of the waters" or "mother of the waters"... a much more accurate title for "The Mountain" as it often called here.

Rainier was the name given to the mountain by George Vancouver in honor of British Admiral Peter Rainier - who fought against America in the revolutionary war. Yet another reason to de-name back to Tahoma!
www.kirotv.com...

a reply to: BuzzyWigs

Think about the reason he may not have "had time" to go there.

originally posted by: tallcool1

Rainier was the name given to the mountain by George Vancouver in honor of British Admiral Peter Rainier - who fought against America in the revolutionary war. Yet another reason to de-name back to Tahoma!
www.kirotv.com...

Seriously! The era of stealing culture - - - because you can.

Not really the same as changing the name of a building because of a new owner.

I vote for Tahoma. Nothing wrong with correcting wrong.

originally posted by: MystikMushroom

originally posted by: Cobaltic1978
You can continue to call it Mount McKinley, just like the locals kept referring to it as Denali.

Besides, it will continue to be known around the world as Mount McKinley, thanks to the various editions of Trivial Pursuit.

Born here, raised here. My parents were both raised and lived their entire lives here. I guess you could call me 2nd generation Alaskan.

The only people who call it "Denali" around here were tourists. The mountain climbers, hunters, and people that I knew all called it "McKinley". Sure, there's "Denali National Park" and the "Denali Highway" -- but the mountain itself was always called McKinley by people I've known.

I've been up on its glaciers, and none of the climbers called it "Denali" ...

I will continue to call it that, since that's what it's always been to me. It's just a name anyway, and if it makes some people happy to have it renamed, I don't care.

McDonald's, however, might have to change the name of the McKinley Mac to "Denali Mac" (It's our version of the Big Mac made with quarter pounder patties and buns).

Oddly enough also raised here - 31 years and counting (32 years old, but was born in Korea and adopted). I've heard it called Denali by a lot of climbers and hikers. My brother mountain climbed for years (46) and refers to it as Denali more than McKinley. Just a different perception. A lot of local Alaskans refer to it as Denali as well, probably about equal to the number who call it McKinley. I've called it McKinley, generally, but I also don't give a flying # what it's named - because it's just a mountain.

Denali, McKinley, Mount-Inspired-A-Local-McDonalds-Burger. Doesn't really matter that much.

originally posted by: MystikMushroom
As someone that lives here and was born here -- this sure seems like a bigger deal to everyone who DOESN'T live in Alaska than to those of us who live here.

Sure, the politicians here have made some half-hearted attempts over the years to change it ... but it wasn't ever a big platform item.

This is the truth right here as I mentioned in my previous post.

I live in Alaska. Have for over 30 years. Seriously - no one here actually gives a damn except the Natives, and we're happy to let them have it named BACK to their indigenous name. Why? Because it really doesn't matter that much.

The only Agenda I see here is the usual "Everything is Obama's fault!"

originally posted by: MystikMushroom
Like I said, it won't change much for us up here. Our McDonald's might have to change the name of their "Alaska-only" burger they sell here:

They already did They had new advertising for it 24 hours after it changed lol.

a reply to: xuenchen

Just make your point, please, Yoda.

originally posted by: UnmitigatedDisaster
The only Agenda I see here is the usual "Everything is Obama's fault!"

Truth is, Obama didn't even DO this! LOL! www.abovetopsecret.com...

a reply to: Benevolent Heretic

*whispers 'they're not interested, I don't think'*

Oh well - I'm enjoying the thread anyway.

The odd thing...

If a Republican had been president and announced this, I don't think Democrats would say much about it. I think by and large they'd agree with returning the name to it native roots.