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- By Levi Rickert
One more racist's name has been removed from a geographic location. The U.S. Board on Geographic Names officially renamed Mount Evans to Mount Blue Sky during the Council of Geographic Names Authorities conference Friday afternoon.
The name change happened after two nation-to-nation consultations with tribal leaders, according to a press release issued Friday by the U.S. Department of the Interior.
Tribal leaders advocated for the name change because Mt. Evans was named after John Evans, who served as territorial governor of Colorado from 1862 to 1865. Evan was closely linked to the Sand Creek Massacre. Native Americans found the name associated with the moutain offensive.
In June 1864, Evans ordered all “friendly Indians of the plains” to relocate to “places of safety.” The next month, Evans issued a proclamation allowing Coloradans to “kill and destroy” any hostile Indian.
On November 29, 1864, U.S. soldiers attacked an encampment of approximately 750 Native people. As they fled, many were wounded and killed. Well over half of the 230 dead were women and children.
“The process undertaken by the Board on Geographic Names is an important part of the federal government’s commitments to Tribes and ensuring that all voices are heardNaN,” Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Water and Science Michael Brain. “Names matter. How we identify our public lands is an important opportunity to be inclusive and welcoming, and to make a lasting impact for future generations.”
Mount Evans is located in Clear Creek County and along the boundary of the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and the Pike and San Isabel National Forests and in Mount Evans Wilderness. At an elevation of approximately 14,258
Mount Blue Sky is located in Clear Creek County and along the boundary of the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and the Pike and San Isabel National Forests and in Mount Evans Wilderness. At an elevation of approximately 14,258.
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