The Sutter Buttes, a small mountain range located in Northern California, may soon be getting a new name. A petition was recently filed to the U.S. Board on Geographic Names to change the name of the landmark, which is currently named after John Sutter, a controversial figure in California’s history.
The petition argues that Sutter, a Swiss immigrant who played a significant role in the colonization and exploitation of Native American land in California during the Gold Rush era, does not deserve to have a landmark named after him. Instead, the petition suggests renaming the Sutter Buttes to the Marysville Buttes, after the nearby city of Marysville.
Supporters of the name change believe that it is time to reckon with California’s history of colonization and the treatment of Native American communities. The petition has garnered strong support from local residents, Indigenous groups, and others who believe that the name change would be a step towards acknowledging past wrongs and honoring the Native peoples who inhabited the land long before European settlers arrived.
If the petition is successful, the Sutter Buttes would join a growing list of landmarks and institutions across the country that have been renamed in recent years to reflect a more inclusive and accurate representation of history. While some may argue that renaming landmarks erases history, supporters of the name change believe that it is an important step towards recognizing the harmful legacies of colonization and honoring the contributions and resilience of Indigenous communities.
The U.S. Board on Geographic Names will review the petition and consider the arguments presented before making a decision on whether to approve the name change.
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