Bill introduced to block Devil’s Tower name change

WYOMING – Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming) has brought back legislation that would protect the name of Devils Tower National Monument from being changed.

The bill, which is co-sponsored by Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyoming), would ensure the name Devils Tower for the monument and the populated area around it in all official capacities. While such a bill is being considered by congress, the United States Board on Geographic Names cannot proceed with a name change that Native Americans have been pursuing for decades. Lummis’ bill is not the first legislation to use such a tactic as similar bills to stall the name change were made by the Wyoming delegation in 2015 and 2019.

Among the most recent calls for changing the name of Devils Tower came from Chief Arvol Looking Horse in 2014 when he submitted a proposal to the United States Board on Geographic Names. He requested the monument and area be re-named Bear Lodge, a traditional name for the site.

Looking Horse, backed by spiritual leaders from 20 tribes, has said that the name invokes anxiety and anger among Native Americans. He said that for the 19 generations that have used the site for ceremonies, a good heart and mind are essential for prayer and the name Devils Tower does not support that.

According to the National Park Service, the site was ascribed “the names ‘Bear Lodge,’ ‘Bears Lodge,’ and ‘Mato Teepee’” on many maps prior to 1901. It wasn’t until 1875 when Lt. Col. Richard Dodge ventured into the Black Hills region to confirm the existence of gold reported by Gen. George A. Custer that a mistranslation of the site was recorded as ‘The Bad God’s Tower.’

The translation recorded by Dodge resulted in some maps portraying ‘Devils Tower’ as the name and subsequently the name of the first national monument proclaimed in 1906 by President Theodore Roosevelt.

After Chief Looking Horse’s request in 2014, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) issued a resolution in support of the name change. The resolution states that history prescribed the name ‘Bear Lodge’ to the site and that Looking Horse’s request was not new, but in fact Native Americans had been arguing for over a century that the name was “offensive, insulting, and disparaging.”

The resolution continues to cite that changing the name of a national monument is not unprecedented. “Whereas, nine of the eighteen national monuments established by President Theodore Roosevelt have either been abolished or no longer retain their original monument designation, and almost half of the current national parks have undergone a significant change in their name, agency, boundaries, showing historical precedent for enacting change to reflect the nation’s values, and priorities,” the resolution states.

Opponents to changing the name of the monument, including members of the Wyoming delegation, say that changing the name would negatively impact the state’s popular tourism site. “Devils Tower is one of the most iconic sights in Wyoming,” said Lummis. “It’s the first national monument in the United States, and a place of significance for everyone who sees it, from the tourists who visit to the native peoples and Wyoming residents who live nearby. Devils Tower is well known across the country and around the world as a historical and cultural landmark, and it is critical that we maintain its legacy and its name.”

Since the time of Looking Horse’s 2014 request, many popular sites have changed their named. Mount McKinley was renamed to Mount Denali to reflect the traditional name prescribed by Native Americans. Harney Peak, South Dakota’s highest peak, was renamed Black Elk Peak in order to shine light on a more positive history.

(Contact Travis at travisldewes@gmail.com)

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