Posted on 01/26/2025 7:50:55 AM PST by DIRTYSECRET
The mountain was named after McKinley in 1896. The McKinley name stuck until President Barack Obama’s administration changed it to Denali as a symbolic gesture to Alaska Natives on the eve of his Alaska visit to highlight climate change.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsmax.com ...
I love my GMC McKinley.
Frankly, this whole name dispute should be about nothing but getting Murkowski out of the Senate.
Numerous Indigenous peoples of the area had their own names for this prominent peak. The local Koyukon Athabaskan name for the mountain, used by the Indigenous Americans with access to the flanks of the mountain (living in the Yukon, Tanana and Kuskokwim basins), is Dinale or Denali. To the South the Dena'ina people in the Susitna River valley used the name Dghelay Ka'a ('the big mountain'), anglicized as Doleika or Traleika, as in Traleika Glacier.Personally, I like "Denali" much more than "McKinley," but this brouhaha is fun just to watch Trump poke a stick in leftist / marxist eyes.The historical first European sighting of Denali took place on May 6, 1794, when George Vancouver was surveying the Knik Arm of the Cook Inlet and mentioned "distant stupendous mountains" in his journal. However, he uncharacteristically left the mountain unnamed. The mountain is first named on a map by Ferdinand von Wrangel in 1839; the names Tschigmit and Tenada correspond to the locations of Mount Foraker and Denali, respectively. Von Wrangel had been chief administrator of the Russian settlements in North America from 1829 to 1835.
During the Russian ownership of Alaska, the common name for the mountain was Bolshaya Gora (Russian: Большая Гора, lit. 'big mountain'). The first English name applied to the peak was Densmore's Mountain or Densmore's Peak, for the gold prospector Frank Densmore, who in 1889 had fervently praised the mountain's majesty; however, the name persevered only locally and informally.
The mountain was first designated "Mount McKinley" by a New Hampshire-born Seattleite named William Dickey, who led a gold prospecting dig in the sands of the Susitna River in June 1896. An account written on his return to the contiguous United States appeared in The New York Sun on January 24, 1897, under the title Discoveries in Alaska (1896). Dickey wrote, "We named our great peak Mount McKinley, after William McKinley of Ohio, who had been nominated for the Presidency, and that fact was the first news we received on our way out of that wonderful wilderness."
By most accounts, the naming was politically driven; Dickey had met many silver miners who zealously promoted Democratic presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan's ideal of a silver standard, inspiring him to retaliate by naming the mountain after a strong proponent of the gold standard. McKinley never visited Alaska or had any connection to the mountain.
Take your pick...
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I still call “Kolkata” Calcutta and “Chennai” Madras, too.
Oh, and how many Alaskans actually object? Wut? Only the ones that work for the MSM?
Thought so. WWW influencers. Thought leaders.
AKA worthless dousebags screaming into the wind.
I still call the Washington Commanders, the Washington Redskins.
Well said.
I read there are five different Athabaskan Indian tribes around Mt McKinley, and they all have separate languages an customs an all have a different name for the mountain so to me its MT MC KINLEY an you can call it whatever you want. LOL
LEX
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i stand corrected.
/-)
I never called it that other name.
No problem for me to call it Mt McKinley.
And I am writing this from my residence on the Eastern Shore of the Gulf of America.
“””The McKinley name stuck from 1896 until 2015,”””
Not so. McKinley was named in 1917. Interestingly, during Woodrow Wilson’s presidency.
Interior Department Advances Restoration of Historic Names Honoring American Greatness
01/24/2025
Last edited 01/24/2025
Date: Friday, January 24, 2025
Contact: Interior_Press@ios.doi.gov
WASHINGTON, D.C. — In accordance with President Donald J. Trump’s recent executive order, the Department of the Interior is proud to announce the implementation of name restorations that honor the legacy of American greatness, with efforts already underway.
As directed by the President, the Gulf of Mexico will now officially be known as the Gulf of America and North America’s highest peak will once again bear the name Mount McKinley. These changes reaffirm the Nation’s commitment to preserving the extraordinary heritage of the United States and ensuring that future generations of Americans celebrate the legacy of its heroes and historic assets.
The U.S. Board on Geographic Names, under the purview of the Department of the Interior, is working expeditiously to update the official federal nomenclature in the Geographic Names Information System to reflect these changes, effective immediately for federal use.
Gulf of America
The Gulf of America, formerly known as the Gulf of Mexico, is one of the most vital assets in the Nation’s history and economy. Spanning over 1,700 miles of U.S. coastline and encompassing nearly 160 million acres, the Gulf has been a critical artery for America’s trade, energy production, and maritime industries.
From its rich fisheries, which drive local economies, to its vast reserves of oil and natural gas that have fueled innovation and prosperity, the Gulf of America has consistently been a cornerstone of the Nation’s growth. Its ports rank among the largest and most impressive in the world, connecting American goods to global markets. Recognizing the Gulf’s enduring contributions to the economic strength and vitality of the United States, President Trump’s directive affirms its central importance to the Nation by officially renaming it the Gulf of America.
Mount McKinley
Mount McKinley, North America’s highest peak, stands as a monument to the strength and determination of President William McKinley, the 25th President of the United States. President McKinley heroically led the Nation to victory in the Spanish-American War, fostering an era of rapid economic growth and territorial gains for the Nation. Tragically assassinated while in office, President McKinley’s leadership and sacrifice remain a testament to American resilience and success.
In 1917, the country officially honored President McKinley through the naming of North America’s highest peak. Yet after nearly a century, President Obama’s administration, in 2015, stripped the McKinley name from federal nomenclature, an affront to President McKinley’s life, his achievements, and his sacrifice. The decision to return the peak to its historical name is a meaningful recognition of President McKinley’s enduring legacy.
A Commitment to Legacy
The Department of the Interior remains committed to upholding all aspects of President Trump’s executive order, ensuring that the names we use reflect the values, sacrifices, and accomplishments that define our Nation.
For more information about the Board on Geographic Names or to access federal naming resources, please visit the U.S. Board on Geographic Names website.
Dear Alaskans,
You are correct. President Trump will honor your Free Speech rights.
You are welcome.
Went to Denali last year. I found it confusing to call the park and the mountain by the same name. It seems the ONLY people who cared to make the distinction were woke NPS officials. But when we were there last spring, the park officials were mostly concerned with preventing construction crews working in the park from flying the US flag. It seem the new park andministrator was concerned these unapproved flags sent a too American message and were alienating tourists. Then about a day after the huge public expression of outrage, they were super concerned with a walk back campaign, claiming they never meant to prevent them from flying flags. Turns out the young female head of the Denali Park, was recently elevated to the position from somewhere in the lower 48, where woke policies were never challenged. She got an education real fast. BTW, it was pointed out that she was promoted and assigned to that position by the Biden Administration Interior Department, skipping over many experienced senior rangers with no local input whatsoever.
Heh... I wonder if GMC will rename the GMC “Denali” the “McKinley”?
I met a Chinese? Taiwanese? fellow in college — he said the proper spelling should be Peking. It means “North Capital.” It was the same word as “Taipei,” meaning “North Taiwan.”
Nanking is “South Capital,” so “Tainan” = “South Taiwan.”
In 1917, the country officially honored President McKinley through the naming of North America’s highest peak.
was there statute designating it as “Mount McKinley?”
If so, the President ought not be able to change it by fiat.
“Are we talking about Mt. McKinley? I think we are; talking about Mt. McKinley. That is a good name for Mt. McKinley.”
Lovin’ it! 🤣
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