'Offensive' national forest name to be changed: What to know
A clash over the name of a national forest is picking up steam in Ohio.
Wayne National Forest, named after Revolutionary War Maj. Gen. Anthony Wayne, is in southeast Ohio, about 60 miles from Columbus. Wayne is known for leading a decisive battle against Ohio's Native American tribes that led to their displacement, the Cincinnati Enquirer, part of the Paste BN Network, reported.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service last month proposed changing the name to the Buckeye National Forest, citing requests from local community members, Native American tribes and others.
“The national forest is currently named after General Anthony Wayne, whose complicated legacy includes leading a violent campaign against the Indigenous peoples of Ohio that resulted in their removal from their homelands,” the forest service said in a news release. “The current forest name is offensive because of this history of violence.”
The proposed new name refers to Ohio’s state tree and is a common nickname for the state. The USDA Forest Service said other proposed names include Ohio National Forest and Koteewa National Forest.
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The push in Ohio isn’t without its opponents. Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, wrote a letter last month to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, saying the name change "denigrates Ohio history and represents a lack of fidelity to our nation’s founding generation."
But Forest Manager Lee Stewart said Native American tribes have sought a name change for decades, The Associated Press reported. Their request was formalized in 2022 under a review of derogatory landmark names launched by the Biden administration.
About 40 tribes have ancestral ties to the forest, which today spreads over 381 square miles.
Logan York, a representative of the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma, said in a statement that Wayne “may be a Revolutionary War hero to some, but he is also the main villain in our story of resistance, trying to keep our homes and maintain our lives.”
“For a National Forest to bear the name of Anthony Wayne is a harmful, and painful reminder and devalues us as Native peoples of Ohio.”
Contributing: Scott Wartman, Cincinnati Enquirer; The Associated Press