Highest Peak in the Smoky Mountains Has Original Name Restored

After 165 years, the name of the highest peak has recently reverted to its original name. Most of you know this peak as Clingmans Dome, but moving forward, it will now be called Kuwohi, (koo-wo’-hee) which is a Cherokee word for “mulberry place.” It was also a refuge for Cherokee people, who were avoiding their forced relocation to reservations in Oklahoma, known infamously as the Trail of Tears.

While it is the highest point in the park, it is also the Cherokee homeland’s highest peak. They consider this a sacred place, as the Great Smoky Mountains National Park actually closes it every year for three half-days, in order for schools predominately made up of Cherokee students to visit and be educated on its rich history.

I remember hearing news of the proposal back in January. This proposal was more than 100 pages long and submitted by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Principal Chief, Mitchell Hicks. In 2022, Lavita Hill and Mary Crowe, as ECBI members, submitted a resolution beginning the process of possibly petitioning the government to restore the Kuwohi name.

There has been precedent from the National Park Service regarding name changes. Mt. McKinley in Alaska—the highest mountain in North America—was officially changed to Denali back in 2015. The Indigenous people of the area and beyond had long referred to it as Denali, which stems from “deenaalee,” a Koyukon language spoken on the north side. It was named William McKinley National Park in 1917, despite the former President having no formal connections to the park.

Dr. Derek Alderman, a recent appointee to the federal Advisory Committee on Reconciliation of Place Names by the Secretary of the Interior, shared his views on the matter. He believes it is important to all of us, educationally, because not everything we learn about society and its people are in history books. Changing a place name is an opportunity for us to generate new discussions about what is the history of this mountain, and also the one in Alaska.

As far as my personal thoughts, I don’t want to be seen as someone dipping into political issues, so I’ll leave that alone. Please refrain from attacking me or others based on their thoughts on this matter—I’m just relaying facts. I will be mentioning Clingmans Dome and Kuwohi to guests only to avoid confusion, since it is a beautiful location, and was our very first hike in the Smoky Mountains in 2011. However, I will note the name, Kuwohi, is what will eventually be on all brochures and books online and print, and this will also be communicated to our lovely tourists who want to know of good places for views and hikes.

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