The U.S. Department of the Interior announced a plan in February to rename geographical locations containing the word “squaw”, which was determined to be a derogatory term, a press release said. Under Secretary’s Order 3404 in November 2021, the department determined the term to be derogatory as it is often used as an ethnic, racial and sexist slur, especially toward Indigenous women, according to the order.
There are over 660 geographic locations in the U.S. using the term, the DOI press release said. According to a database of the locations and potential replacements, there are 17 places in Texas using the term.
“Words matter, particularly in our work to make our nation’s public lands and waters accessible and welcoming to people of all backgrounds,” Secretary Deb Haaland, the first Native American cabinet secretary, said in the release. “Consideration of these replacements is a big step forward in our efforts to remove derogatory terms whose expiration dates are long overdue.”
The department said it is starting with a list of five candidates names for each location as potential replacements. The names come from a search of nearby geographic features.
Tribal consultations on potential replacement names were completed March 23, but the public can still submit comments through April 24, a statement from the DOI said. The Derogatory Geographic Names Task Force will review the names and provide a final recommendation to the Board of Geographic Names when it meets later this year, the DOI said.
Here are the locations being renamed in Texas and their potential replacements.
Squaws Teat
Brewster County
Potential replacements: Musquiz Creek, Hatch Canyon Draw, Antelope Draw, Booster Mill Draw, Mah Pe Draw
Squaw Creek
Collingsworth County
Potential replacements: McIntosh Lake, O’Hair Springs, Club Lake, Club Spring, Parker Springs
Squaw Creek
Gillespie County, Mason County
Potential replacements: Buckeye Point, Mund Hill, Lehmann Mountain, Brockmann Point, Flathead Point
Squaw Creek
Hardeman County
Potential replacements: Brooks Springs, Quanah Country Club North Lake, Quanah Country Club South Lake, Moffet Springs. Sparks Springs
Squaw Creek
Haskell County, Throckmorton County
Potential replacements: Pea Ridge Tank, Elm Creek Tank, Millers Creek Reservoir, Big Wolf Tank, Elm Creek Reservoir
Squaw Creek
Hood County, Somervell County
Potential replacements: Glen Lake, Bullman Pond, North Crites Lake, Faulkner Pond, Comanche Peak
Squaw Creek Reservoir
Hood County, Somervell County
Potential replacements: Lollar Branch, Million Branch, Panther Branch, Panter Branch, Wheeler Branch
Squaw Pass
Hudspeth County
Potential replacements: Oxford Canyon, Oxford Spring, Eagle Mountains, Wilson Spring, Echo Canyon
Squaw Peak
Hudspeth County
Potential replacements: Oxford Canyon, Oxford Spring, Wilson Spring, Echo Canyon, Eagle Mountains
Squaw Spring
Hudspeth County
Potential replacements: Echo Canyon, Eagle Canyon, Oxford Canyon, Green River, Eagle Mountains
Squaw Spring
Hudspeth County
Potential replacements: Rio Grande, Gibson Reservoir, Mayfield Canyon, Red Bull Canyon, Indian Water Hole
Squaw Creek
Hudspeth County
Potential replacements: Wilson Spring, Oxford Spring, Red Tank, Eagle Mountains, Van Horn Mountains
Squaw Mountain
Jack County
Potential replacements: Cameron Creek, Roper Branch, McBee Branch, Lynn Creek, West Fork Trinity River, Satanta Mountain
Squaw Mountains
Jack County
Potential replacements: Cameron Creek, Roper Branch, McBee Branch, Lynn Creek, West Fork Trinity River
Squaw Creek
Parker County
Potential replacements: Reservoir Number Twentythree, Lake Weatherford, Reservoir Number Twentyone, Mary Springs, Reservoir Number Twentytwo A
Squaw Peak
Pecos County
Potential replacements: Sheffield Draw, Pecos River, Musk Hog Canyon, Pecos Spring, Harkey Draw
Squawteat Peak
Pecos County
Potential replacements: Tunas Creek, Bootleg Canyon, Fourmile Draw, Upper Fourmile Draw, Harral Draw
