By SCOTT MCKIE B.P.
One Feather Asst. Editor
KUWOHI – The name of the third-highest summit east of the Mississippi River was restored to its original name last fall, and now it is completely official – it has a sign. A sign designating the area in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park known as Kuwohi (mulberry place) was officially unveiled in a ceremony on the morning of Tuesday, April 1, 2025.
A sign designating the area in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park known as Kuwohi (mulberry place) was officially unveiled on the morning of Tuesday, April 1. Shown, left to right, are Lavita Hill, Mary “Missy” Crowe, and Ugvwiyuhi (Principal Chief) Michell Hicks of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI). Hill and Crowe, both EBCI members, were instrumental in the name restoration effort. (SCOTT MCKIE B.P./One Feather photo)
Formerly known as Clingman’s Dome, the U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN) approved an application on Sept. 18, 2024 to restore it to its original Cherokee name, Kuwohi.
The name restoration effort was led by Lavita Hill and Mary “Missy” Crowe, both members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI).
Hill noted on Tuesday morning, “I could just cry. I feel like this is the most beautiful full-circle moment…it was a thought that, ‘why don’t we do this? Ok, let’s do this’. And now we can look back at two-and-a-half years later and it’s done. It’s done and it’s emotional. Driving up here, you just look out and this is the most beautiful land and you’re thinking, ‘we are so blessed to be here and to travel where our ancestors once passed through’. Then to give this back to our people today is just incredible.”
She added, “I just feel like, above all, thank you God, Creator, for this, for all of the blessings, for the beautiful scenery, for the people, for our families, for the love. I never imagined in a million years this would be, but here we are and this is awesome. I’m forever grateful that we did this.”
Crowe commented, “It’s a blessing. When she and I first started and talked about it, we said, ‘we’ve just got to try. Let’s see how far we can take this and see what we can do’. By putting in the resolution, asking just for the Tribe to support us in these efforts. It didn’t mean that they had to do anything, we would do that work. Then we figured out what it is that we had to do to be successful in this and it was a major task that had to be achieved. By having a plan of action, by taking our time, knowing that this wasn’t going to change overnight, knowing that we would probably get pushback and opposition.
The tremendous support that we got was overwhelming. In spite of all the accolades that she and I got, it’s never been about Lavita and I. It’s about our people and it’s about restoring these things that were kept from us. They were kept from us for a long time. The sign is one thing, but having that in your heart and in your mind and knowing and learning…that spiritual connection that we have. We’re blessed.”
EBCI Ugvwiyuhi (Principal Chief) Michell Hicks joined Hill and Crowe for the sign unveiling and noted, “The biggest thing for me is just restoring the historical aspect. I know Lavita and Missy have worked really hard. It’s been a joint effort. Again, just retracing history and making sure that it’s right.”
Background
The Dinilawigi (Tribal Council) of the EBCI passed Res. No. 72 (2024) unanimously during its regular session on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2024 that approved the submittal of an application on behalf of the Tribe to restore the name. The application to BGN was filed by Hill and Crowe on behalf of Ugvwiyuhi (Principal Chief) Michell Hicks and Dinilawigi on Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024.
Res. No. 72 speaks to the support for the name restoration regionally stating, “…community support for the restoration of the Kuwohi name has been overwhelming, including formal support from multiple local governments, including the counties of: Buncombe, Haywood, Jackson, Macon, Swain, Graham, Clay, and Cherokee, and the towns of Asheville, Andrews, Murphy, Hayesville, Fontana Dam, Lake Santeetlah, Robbinsville, Canton, Clyde, Maggie Valley, Waynesville, Dillsboro, Sylva, Webster, the Village of Forrest Hills, Franklin, Highlands, and Bryson City in western North Carolina, and the counties of Knox and Cambel in eastern Tennessee.”
In 2023, Hill and Crowe were recognized for their efforts by the Tennessee General Assembly with the passage of Bill H.J. 452. That legislation, submitted by State Rep. Justin Jones (D-District 52), stated, “Ms. Crowe and Ms. Hill are testaments to the power of dedication and determination, and their laudable mission deserves to be acknowledged; now, therefore, be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the One Hundred Thirteenth General Assembly of the State of Tennessee, the Senate concurring, that we honor and commend Mary Crowe and Lavita Hill on their efforts to restore the traditional Cherokee name of ‘Kuwohi’ to Clingman’s Dome in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and wish them all the best in their future endeavors.”
That legislation passed 92-0 in the Tennessee House of Representatives on March 20, 2023, and it passed 31-0 in the Tennessee Senate on March 30, 2023. Gov. Lee signed it on April 11, 2023.
Dinilawigi passed legislation on July 14, 2022 which officially lent support from the EBCI for the name restoration effort. That legislation, submitted by Crowe and Hill, describes the area, “Kuwohi or ‘mulberry place’, is the highest point in our area and has significance to us as Cherokee as it was visited by medicine people who prayed and sought guidance from the Creator regarding important matters facing our people, and then returned to our towns to give guidance and advice.”
