Bringing it back from the dead because the vote is tomorrow.. http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/daily/local/81933.php It should all be decided tomorrow.... =============================== Mayor Phil Gordon City of Phoenix, Mayor's Office 200 W. Washington Street, 1 lth floor Phoenix, Arizona 85003 Dear Mayor Gordon: This is in reference to the two proposals that the U.S. Board on Geographic Names has received, to change officially the name of Sauaw Peak in the City of Phoenix. As you are likely aware, the U.S. Board is responsible by law for standardizing geographic names for use by the Federal government and its members must approve any new name or name change before it can appear on Federal maps and publications. Because local acceptance of a name is very important to the Board, we would like to know the opinion of the Phoenix City Council regarding the issue. The two proposals in question are to change the name of Squaw Peak to Piestewa Peak or to Swilling Peak. The first was submitted to the Board in November 2003 by Governor Janet Napolitano, and the second in April 2007 by a resident of Prescott. In both instances, the proponents believe the word "Squaw" is offensive to American Indian women and therefore should be changed. We presume the Mayor's Office is aware of much of the activity and controversy that has surrounded the decision by the Governor to propose a change fiom S~uawPe ak to Piestewa Peak, as well as the subsequent approval of that proposal by the Arizona Board on Geographic and Historic Names (AZBGHN). This approval took place on April 17,2003, just one month following the death of Pfc. Lori Piestewa. Although the AZBGHN has historically followed the U.S. Board's policy of requiring a five-year wait following the death of an individual to (re)name a natural geographic feature in hisfher honor, the majority of AZBGHN members believed there was sufficient cause to set aside that requirement and to approve the change. In July 2003, the AZBGHN voted to reaffirm its decision. In November of that year, the Governor's office asked the U.S. Board to also waive its five-year requirement but if that was not possible to hold the proposal until the waiting period had passed. After reviewing the case, the U.S. Board members determined that an exception to its Commemorative Naming Policy was not warranted, and indeed no such exceptions have been made in the Board's history (prior to 1995, the policy required just a one-year wait). As you know, March 23, 2008 will be the fifth anniversary of Pfc. Piestewa's death, so the proposal for Piestewa Peak, along with the second proposal for Swilling Peak, will be brought before the U.S. Board at its first meeting following that date, scheduled for Thursday, April 10th. It is for this reason that we are writing now to seek the formal recommendation of the City of Phoenix. It is our understanding that although the then-Mayor of Phoenix spoke in favor of Piestewa Peak at the AZBGHN's April 2003 meeting, it is unclear whether the entire City Council has issued a statement on the matter. We also understand the City declined to provide a recommendation on the counter-proposal Swilling Peak. In order for the U.S. Board to vote on these issues at its April meeting, and because evidence of local use and acceptance is critical to the Board's deliberations, we would very much welcome any input you can provide. We have also asked the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors to comment officially on the issue. We can add that since April 2003, our office has received letters and e-mails from numerous Phoenix area residents, 30 of whom support the change to Piestewa Peak and approximately 75 oppose it. An additional three dozen individuals have contacted us to protest the Governor's and the AZBGHN'S actions, but they did not offer any specific opinion regarding the name itself. In recent months, as the five year anniversary approaches and as individuals become aware that the U.S. Board will be voting on the issue, we have received several additional e-mails both for and against the change, and once again, several who continue to protest the Governor's actions. Needless to say, this is a small percentage of the amount of correspondence that has been submitted to the AZBGHN over the past five years, a copy of which has been and continues to be forwarded to us. Many of those who object to the name change claim S~uawPe ak is a well-established historic name that was never intended to be used as a derogatory term, and that they will continue to use the name. We understand the park in which the summit is located has been renamed, as has the Squaw Peak Parkway, but also that many local businesses, City and County facilities, and area roads continue to bear the name Squaw Peak. The second proposal, to change the summit's name to Swilling; Peak, was submitted to the U.S. Board in April 2007. The proponent is a local historian who believes it would be more appropriate to honor Jack Swilling (1830-1878), one of the original founders of Phoenix, than to apply the name Piestewa Peak "a designation not favored by the majority of Arizona citizens." In summary, the members of the U.S. Board appreciate any additional insight or evidence you can provide in order to assist them in rendering their decision on April 10th. Thank you once for your assistance in this matter and we look forward to hearing fiom you. If you have any questions or to submit your recommendation, we may be contacted by mail at the address above; by telephone at (703) 648-4552; by fax at (703) 648-4549; or by email at < BGNEXEC@usgs.gov>. Lou Yost Executive Secretary Domestic Names Committee U.S. Board on deographic ~ames On Thu, Aug 30, 2007 at 7:27 AM, Guy Aldrich wrote: > I'm surprised Garmin is still calling it Squaw Peak. > > On 8/30/07, ShadowAce wrote: > > I tried sending this last night but it bounced due to the attached > files.. > > No now I am using photobucket links...::: > > > > Also CO, AZ, NM, UT with a tad of bleed over into surrounding states > due to > > the area selections, comes to 269.6 MB required. So it would depend on > how > > large a card you have. Mine is 1GB so I have most of the Western region > in > > Topo and Steet maps on the 60cx. > > > > I have found it really depends on the area in question to know which is > > better detail.. > > > > If these come through here are two examples .. topo vs topo 2008 > > > > On set is Squaw Peak in Phoenix area the other is Mnt Lemmon in Tucson > > area. > > The red area in the top left shows which version is which in each > picture.. > > > > You be the judge. > > > > > http://s242.photobucket.com/albums/ff88/shadowace-az/?action=view¤t=squawpktopo.jpg > > > > > http://s242.photobucket.com/albums/ff88/shadowace-az/?action=view¤t=squawpk2008.jpg > > > > > http://s242.photobucket.com/albums/ff88/shadowace-az/?action=view¤t=lemmontopo.jpg > > > > > http://s242.photobucket.com/albums/ff88/shadowace-az/?action=view¤t=Lemmon2008.jpg > > > > >