In February of 2021, the Utah State Legislature passed a bill creating a process to change the names of places in Utah that use Native American words offensively. Since then, Provo residents have been awaiting an announcement about Squaw Peak. This week, The Provo City Council held a town hall and invited residents to propose and vote on new names for the landmark. After a thrilling debate, 5 names emerged as popular potentials:
- Manifest Destiny
- Christopher Columbus Peak
- [redacted] (our reporter refused to write it down because it was too racist)
- Makeout Mountain
- Abraham Smoot Peak
The name “Equality Peak” was also proposed, but was turned down. Attendees felt that the blatant anti-racism was bordering on discrimination against white people.
A few residents who participated in the Town Hall shared with the Alternate Universe why this issue was so important to them. Trevor Smith said, “everyone already calls it Makeout Mountain, so we should go ahead and make it official. Plus then I can say I’ve summited Makeout Mountain.”
M’chelle Taylor shared, “My great-great-great grandfather married a Ute woman, so I’m going to keep calling it Squaw Peak because it’s my heritage.” A specially appointed committee consisting entirely of white men will take the proposed names into account and decide on an official name next week.