The Cleveland Plain Dealer has a story related to a local Cleveland landmark known as Squaw Rock.  For over a hundred years, Ohio hikers have passed by the rock sculpture of a young Native American woman.  The location has so far remained oblivious to national moves to end the use of “squaw” in geographic naming.  Excerpts and link:

The term “squaw” is slowly being erased from the names of geographic features across the country amid complaints that the word is derogatory. This spring, a federal agency wiped 16 off the map, attaching new monikers to assorted creeks, peaks and other sites.

Since 1995, the U.S. Board on Geographic Names has approved 167 changes to “squaw” names, according to Jennifer Runyon, senior researcher for the agency.

That leaves 917 features nationwide that use the term, Runyon reports. Only one is in Greater Cleveland.

The outdoor sculpture known as Squaw Rock sits under a leafy canopy along the babbling Chagrin River. A local artist and blacksmith named Henry Church carved a series of images — including one of an American Indian woman — into the massive chunk of sandstone in 1885.

Every year, countless hikers follow a trail from the Squaw Rock Picnic Area and descend into the valley to view the alluring landmark.

Metroparks spokesman Bob Rotatori said there has been no movement or local pressure to drop the name.

“From our perspective, it’s a traditional, historical name given by the folks who lived there,” Rotatori said. “It kind of stuck, and, as far as we know, nobody seems to mind.”

http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2008/07/cleveland_metroparks_squaw_roc.html

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