Squaw Valley in Fresno County now known as Yokuts Valley
FRESNO, Calif. (FOX26) — The Department of the Interior announced the Board on Geographic Names (BGN) has voted on the remaining of more locations that feature the word "squaw," which some consider to be a racial slur against Native American women.
In September, the department announced the final vote for nearly 650 features but completed an additional review for seven locations that are considered unincorporated populated places, one of those being Squaw Valley located in Fresno County.
“Words matter, particularly in our work to ensure our nation’s public lands and waters are accessible and welcoming to people of all backgrounds,” said Secretary Deb Haaland. “I am grateful to the members of the Derogatory Geographic Names Task Force and the Board on Geographic Names for their efforts to finalize the removal of this harmful word."
Together, we are showing why representation matters and charting a path for an inclusive America.
The vote comes after a year-long process to remove the term from federal use.
Noting that there are unique concerns with renaming populated locations, the BGN sought additional review and comments from Tribes, local communities, and stakeholders before the final vote.
The seven places for additional review included:
- Squaw Harbor, Alaska: It has been removed from consideration because it features is a historical area that no longer serves as an unincorporated community.
- Squaw Hill, California: The name was changed to Loybas Hill, as proposed by the Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians. The name translates to “Young Lady” and honors the past, present, and future Native women from and living in the area.
- Squaw Valley, California: The name was changed to Yokuts Valley, which was proposed during the public comment period. Yokuts translates to “people.” The former Squaw Valley Ski Resort near Lake Tahoe changed its name to Palisades Tahoe in 2021.
- Squaw Gap, North Dakota: The name was changed to Homesteaders Gap, which was selected by the community in the populated area as relevant to their local history.
- Squawberry, Tennessee: The name was changed to Partridgeberry, which is another common name for the plant for which the community is currently named.
- Squaw Mountain, Texas: The name was changed to Lynn Creek in honor of Isaac Lynn, who lived on the creek nearby that bears his name.
- Squaw Place, Wyoming: The name was removed from consideration because it is now listed as privately owned land.
While the new names are immediately effective for federal use, the public may continue to propose name changes for any features through the regular BGN process.
