The tallest point in Tennessee and the third-highest summit east of the Mississippi River isn’t Clingmans Dome. It used to be, and nothing new has grown out of the ground in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Rather, the name for that highest peak has reverted to its original name, Kuwohi.
Was Clingmans Dome; tallest peak now reclaims its original name
The U.S. Board of Geographic Names voted yesterday in favor of the formal request submitted by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) to change the name of Clingmans Dome (FID #1326387) to Kuwohi (pronounced koo-WHOA-hee). Kuwohi is the Cherokee name for the mountain and translates to “mulberry place.” In Cherokee syllabary, the name is ᎫᏬᎯ. The National Park Service strongly supported the name restoration. The name change also received support from local communities and governments.
Kuwohi is a sacred place for the Cherokee people. It is the highest point within the traditional Cherokee homeland. Kuwohi is visible from the Qualla Boundary, the home of the EBCI. Efforts are already underway to update signage, website, and other materials with the Kuwohi name.
National Park Service supported effort
“The Great Smoky National Park team was proud to support this effort to officially restore the mountain and to recognize its importance to the Cherokee People,” said Superintendent Cassius Cash. “The Cherokee People have had strong connections to Kuwohi and the surrounding area, long before the land became a national park. The National Park Service looks forward to continuing to work with the Cherokee People to share their story and preserve this landscape together.”
The proposal was submitted in January of this year by EBCI Principal Chief Michell Hicks following an effort started in 2022 by Lavita Hill and Mary Crowe, both enrolled EBCI members, to restore the traditional name of the summit.
Popular destination, but closed three half-days each year
Kuwohi is one of the most popular sites in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, with more than 650,000 visitors each year.
The park closes Kuwohi for three half-days each year to provide access to predominantly Cherokee schools to visit the mountain and learn the history of Kuwohi and the Cherokee people from elders, Cherokee language speakers, culture bearers, and community members.
Clingmans Dome has always been known as Kuwohi to the Cherokee People. The mountain became known as Clingmans Dome following an 1859 survey by geographer Arnold Guyot. It was named for Thomas Lanier Clingman, a lawyer, U.S. Representative and Senator from North Carolina, and Confederate Brigadier General.
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Thank you, Russ and Tina! Interesting I just learned that the Cherokee in Oklahoma are considered the Cherokee Nation and those in North Carolina are a separate band, but merely that. Thank you for the pronunciation guide! 🙂 Have a great day, safe travels, and safe stays! 🙂
Really good report and an even better history lesson. Thanks for finding this story R&T !
Maybe the time has come to rename United States of America to it’s original name, United Colonies or perhaps one of several American Indian names this land had in the distant past.