The California town of Kelseyville has been embroiled in a heated debate over changing the area’s name to a Native American word.
The town is said to have been named after 19th-century settler Andrew Kelsey, who was known for his torture and murder of the Pomo Indian people.
While some residents insist the name should be retained, others think differently and a campaign has been launched to change the name to Konocti.
Konocti is a Pomo word and the name of the dormant volcano that lies between Kelseyville and nearby Clear Lake.
Proponents say the current name symbolizes the atrocities committed by Kelsey and the massacre of the Pomo people by the U.S. military after her death.
The town is said to have been named after 19th-century settler Andrew Kelsey, known for his ruthless enslavement, torture and murder of the Pomo indigenous people.
The measure, known as Measure U, was pushed by local group Citizens for Healing after submitting a proposal to the U.S. Board on Geographic Names.
The agency is responsible for reviewing place names that use racist or derogatory language.
Flaman McCloud Jr., chairman of the Great Valley of the Pomo Indians, said in a letter in support that the name served as a “painful” reminder of ancestral hardships.
They then sought input from the California Geographic Names Advisory Committee, local tribes and the local county Board of Supervisors, according to Gate of Saint Francis.
Local supervisors then created Measure U, an advisory measure that would result in the name change if approved.
Alan Fletcher, a member of Citizens for Healing, told the outlet: ‘We’re hoping that 30% (of voters) will agree with the name change.
“I think 30% will vote no. And the remaining 40%? Well, I don’t know.”
Some residents have responded by creating the group Save Kelseyville in hopes of preserving the town’s name.
Fletcher told SFGate that the group is well funded and run by residents with a considerable financial interest in the area.
In a letter against Measure U, Save Kelseyville said there was “no conclusive evidence” that the town was named after Kelsey.
They argued that the name change would entail “considerable administrative and financial burdens.”
The measure, known as Measure U, was pushed by local group Citizens for Healing after submitting a proposal to the U.S. Board on Geographic Names.
Flaman McCloud Jr., president of the Greater Valley Pomo Indian Association, said in a letter in support that the name served as a “painful” reminder of ancestral hardships.
McCloud said, ‘By voting YES to change the name, we can begin a healing process that brings our communities together.
‘It’s a step toward fostering an environment of love, forgiveness and growth for both current and future generations, demonstrating that Lake County is a place where we honor and respect history and the people who have shaped it.’
Tensions among residents will come to a head in November, when they will vote on whether to support or reject the idea.
If Measure U is approved, the Board of Supervisors can then recommend the city’s name change to the California Geographic Names Advisory Committee.
They would then send their recommendation to the U.S. Board on Geographic Names.
The Pomo tribe rose up and killed Kelsey for his brutal abuse after he murdered a young Pomo man for allegedly insulting his wife.
After the uprising, Kelsey’s brother Andrew gathered a group and began indiscriminately killing natives.
They fled to a nearby island, where soldiers pursued them. The massacre, known as the Blood Island Massacre, resulted in the deaths of some 900 Pomos.