Tennessee — The most visited national park in the country is the Great Smoky Mountains. Its most renowned attraction is Kuwohi, the tallest peak in Tennessee. For some people, this name may not ring a bell, as many remember it as Clingman’s Dome. However, it‘s now got a new name.
Last month, the U.S. Board of Geographic Names approved changing the name of Clingman’s Dome to Kuwohi. The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians brought this name change forward, which was supported by the National Park Service, local governments, and various organizations. Kuwohi translates to “mulberry place” in English, as the mountain is considered sacred to the Cherokee.
“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 Cassius Cash, Superintendent of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. “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.”
In 1859, Arnold Guyot renamed the peak Clingman’s Dome in honor of Thomas L. Clingman, who was the first person to measure the elevation of Kuwohi accurately. The renaming came after Clingman argued with Elisha Mitchell about whether Kuwohi and Black Dome (later known as Mount Mitchell) were the tallest in the region. Guyot discovered that Kuwohi was indeed the taller of the two.
Clingman served in the U.S. House of Representatives for multiple terms in the 1840s and ’50s, representing North Carolina. He then went on to become a U.S. Senator from 1858 to 1861. His legacy was tarnished when he joined the Confederacy and became a general for the failed nation. He is one of fifteen people that have been expelled from the U.S. Senate.
Changing names of monuments named after members of the Confederacy has been a divisive topic for a while now. This doesn’t really seem like a situation where they’re changing the name of something because he was a part of the Confederacy. It’s returning to its Cherokee roots, which I can get behind.
Image/Video Credits: Kirk Thornton (Featured Image), WLOS News 13, Michael Chambers