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Churchill Peaks and the politics of naming

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 October 2009

Fae L. Korsmo  and
Michael P. Sfraga
Fae L. Korsmo
Affiliation:
University of Alaska Fairbanks, Department of Political Science, P.O. Box 756420, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA, and Office of Polar Programs, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22230, USA
Michael P. Sfraga
Affiliation:
Office of the President, University of Alaska, P.O. Box 755000, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA
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Abstract

The highest mountain in North America bears two official names. While most visitors to Denali National Park in Alaska are familiar with the mountain's official name ‘McKinley,’ and with the frequently used Athabaskan name ‘Denali,’ the mountain also has a second official name: Churchill Peaks. This article traces the history and politics of naming Alaska's famous mountain, including the events that led to the addition of Churchill Peaks. Those events began when President Lyndon Johnson was unable to attend Winston Churchill's funeral in January 1965. The resulting controversy surrounding the naming of the great mountain reflects the ambiguous and often troubled relations between the national government and the remote northern periphery of the country.

Type
Articles
Information
Polar Record , Volume 36 , Issue 197 , April 2000 , pp. 131 - 138
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2000

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