The public is invited to comment next week on the ongoing process of potentially renaming Mount Evans.
The 14,265-feet high peak is in Clear Creek County, part of the Mount Evans Wilderness area along the Front Range. The mountain is currently named for former Colorado Territorial Governor John Evans, who was in office during the Sand Creek Massacre of Nov. 29, 1864.
Other places and landmarks in Colorado are also being considered for name changes because of racist and violent histories.
Clear Creek County has a role in the renaming process, for Mount Evans, and is in pursuit of developing an “official county position,” according to documents on the county’s website.
Five proposals for new names (with links to documentation) are:
- Mount Blue Sky (from the Southern Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes)
- Mount Cheyenne-Arapaho (from the Northern Cheyenne Tribe)
- Mount Soule (from a private party)
- Mount Rosalie (from a private party)
- Mount Evans (re-designated after a different Evans family member; private party)
The Colorado Geographic Naming Advisory Board (CGNAB) and the US Board on Geographic Names (BGN) intend to act this year on five proposals to change the name of Mount Evans. Both entities have asked Clear Creek County for an official recommendation as part of the process. A final decision will be made by the BGN, with recommendations of Native American Tribes, the U.S. Forest Service, the CGNAB, Colorado Governor Jared Polis, Clear Creek County and the public.
At 6 p.m. Tuesday the board of county commissioners will hold a public comment session on the proposals, allowing three minutes per person. At 1 p.m. March 15, the county board will host an “action session,” with public comment, BOCC discussion and its decision, which will be passed on to the CGNAB and BGN. A Zoom link to attend the meetings is: https://zoom.us/J/167562115
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