Vol. 48 No. 3 (2000)
Research Article

Protecting the Endangered Blank Spots on Maps: The Wilderness Names Policy of the United States Board on Geographic Names

PDF
  • Robert Julyan
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1179/nam.2000.48.3-4.217

Published 2000-12-01

Copyright (c) 2000 Maney

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Abstract

Abstract

The policy of the United States Board on Geographic Names of discouraging new name proposals for formally designated wilderness areas embodies a radical concept: creating name-restricted zones to protect a specific, culturally defined characteristic of an area. This article traces the evolution and rationale of this policy and, using case studies, examines some of the implications and practicalities of its implementation.

PDF

References

  1. Estill, Elizabeth. 1995. Copy of a letter to Congressman Dan Schaefer, January 30. In the Mount Blaurock Case Brief, Domestic Geographie Names Report, United States Board on Geographic Names. Reston, VA: U.S. Geological Survey.
  2. Forbes, Lowell P. and Eric Whisenhunt. 1995. Letter, April 28. In the Mount Blaurock Case Brief, Domestic Geographic Names Report, United States Board on Geographic Names. Reston, VA: U.S. Geological Survey.
  3. Foreman, Dave. 2000. Personal communication, February 17.
  4. Gorte, Ross W. 1994. Wilderness: Overview and Statistics. Washington, D.C.: Congressional Research Service.
  5. Harder, Kelsie. 1976. Illustrated Dictionary of Place Names, United States and Canada. New York: Van Nostrand.
  6. Howard, Robert. 2000. Personal communication, February 21.
  7. Julyan, Robert Hixson. 1984. Mountain Names. Seattle, WA: The Mountaineers Books.
  8. Leopold, Aldo. 1987. A Sand County Almanac and Sketches Here and There. New York, Oxford: Oxford U P. [Originally published in 1949].
  9. National Wilderness Preservation System Database: Key Attributes and Trends, 1964-1998. www.wilderness.net/nwps/db
  10. Orth, Donald J. 1990. Diary of Actions, Policies and Events: 18901990. Reston, VA: U.S. Geological Survey.
  11. Orth, Donald J, and Roger L. Payne. 1997. Principles, Policies, and Procedures: Domestic Geographic Names. 3rd printing. Revised. Reston, VA: U.S. Geological Survey.
  12. Payne, Roger. 2000. Personal communication, February 18.
  13. Rubinstein, Paul, Lee H. Whittlesey, and Mike Stevens. 2000. The Guide to Yellowstone Waterfalls and Their Discovery. Englewood, CO: Westcliffe Publishers.
  14. Wexler, Mark. 1978. “The Naming (and Misnaming) of America.” National Wildlife 16:5, 12-16.
  15. White, Robert R. 2000. Personal communication, February 17.
  16. Whittlesey, Lee H. 1988. Yellowstone Place Names. Helena, MT: Montana Historical Society.
  17. Whittlesey, Lee H. 2000. Personal communication, February 18.

Most read articles by the same author(s)