Montana Geographic Names Advisor
Geographic Name Change Request
Change Squaw Lake to Jurds Lake
Beaverhead County, Montana
Status =
Withdrawn
| Description |
lake,
4 acres,
in Beaverhead National Forest/West Pioneer Mountains Wilderness Study Area, 2.4 km (1.5 mi) WNW of Foolhen Mountain; named for Jurd Williams who settled and farmed in the Big Hole Valley in the 1880’s |
| Location |
45°45’27”N, 113°13’20”W |
| PLSS Location |
Secs 9&16, T1S, R13W |
| Proposal |
to change a name considered by some to be derogatory |
| Proponent |
Tim Fay; Wise River, MT |
| Not |
Squaw Lake |
| Administrative area |
Beaverhead National Forest/West Pioneer Mountains |
| Previous BGN Action |
None |
| See also |
38306, 39101, 39202, 39203, 39301, 39618, 39619 |
| GNIS ID |
791383
|
| Local Usage |
None found
|
| Published |
Squaw Lake (USGS 1962, 1990; USFS 1962)
|
This proposal is to change officially the name of Squaw Lake to Jurds Lake. It was submitted by the U.S. Forest Service on behalf of a resident of Wise River, who believes the existing name is derogatory and should be changed. The new name would honor Jurd Williams, who with his brother settled in the Big Hole Valley in the 1880’s. The lake lies just to the north of and along a short unnamed tributary to Squaw Creek, which is proposed to be renamed to Jurds Creek (q.v.). It also lies within the West Pioneer Mountains Wilderness Study Area, which is administered by the Beaverhead National Forest. The BGN has already been asked by the Montana House Bill 412 “Squaw Name Change” Committee to rename this same lake to Indian Woman Lake (BGN Review List 383), but the proponent and the U.S. Forest Service suggest the term “Indian Woman” is overused and that it would be more appropriate to name the lake for a local family. In addition to the HB 412 Committee, two State Senators, the Beaverhead County Commissioners, and the Montana State Geographic Names Board have already expressed support for the proposal for Indian Woman Lake, but all have been asked to revisit the issue in view of this new proposal.
This proposal was withdrawn
|
| Domestic Names Committee Discussion -
awn
|
