Thursday, February 24, 2022

Derogatory mountain stream to be renamed

Back in November, U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland formally declared the term “squaw” – denoting an American Indian woman – as derogatory. Not surprising, there are a number of geographic place names in the country -- more than 600, to be exact -- with that term in it. That list includes 37 states - including one spot in North Carolina. (A high concentration of sites names using the term can be found in the American West, especially in Arizona, California and Idaho, according to Statista.)

The spot ID'd here in North Carolina? A stream called Chesquaw Branch in Graham and Swain counties, up in the mountains.

N.C. is not alone (clearly) in having some, uh, unfortunate place names, as we have discussed in the past. After all, who could forget Bloodrun Creek in Chatham County? Or Maggot Spring Gap up in the mountains? Surry County boasts Pinch Gut Branch, while Kill'em Swamp bubbles over in Hertford County.


 

 From Statista:

Infographic: Derogatory Place Names: Where Changes Are Planned | Statista

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