Feds look to find new name for Wayne National Forest without a 'history of violence'

The name of Maj. Gen. Anthony Wayne, as well as his nickname, "Mad Anthony," lives on through many places in southern Ohio.

Two streets in Cincinnati are named after him: Mad Anthony Street in Northside and Anthony Wayne Avenue, which runs through the city's Carthage and Hartwell neighborhoods as well as several northern suburbs.

There's Anthony Wayne Elementary School in Franklin and Waynesville, a village of 2,600 famous for its antique stores and annual sauerkraut festival.

Now the Revolutionary War general's name has led to a modern-day political clash between the government and some Republican lawmakers.

Wayne, who is known for leading the decisive battle against Ohio's Native American tribes that led to their displacement, could soon no longer be known as the namesake of the Wayne National Forest.

The proposed name change follows similar debates across the country over how – or whether – to honor historical figures with problematic legacies. Confederate monuments have been torn down, school buildings and military bases renamed, and new fronts in the culture wars opened with each decision.

Buckeye National Forest instead?

The United States Forestry Service has proposed changing the name of the 244,000-acre woodland in Southern Ohio. "The current forest name is offensive because of this history of violence," a press release from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service on Aug. 21 stated.

The proposal follows a 2021 order from Department of the Interior Secretary Deb Haaland that formed a committee to reconsider names deemed offensive.

The Forest Service said the agency consulted with American Indian tribes who have suggested Buckeye National Forest. Other possibilities include Ohio National Forest and Koteewa National Forest, according to the agency.

Vance says name change 'denigrates Ohio history'

Sen. J.D. Vance, a Republican who lives in Cincinnati's East Walnut Hills neighborhood, wants to keep Wayne's name on the forest. He wrote a letter Aug. 24 to U.S. Agricultural Secretary Tom Vilsack saying the name change "denigrates Ohio history and represents a lack of fidelity to our nation’s founding generation."

The Forest Service, as part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, will make a recommendation to Vilsack, who has the authority to change the forest's name.

"I am left to conclude that the USDA possesses such a low opinion of Ohioans that you believe us incapable of appreciating the complexities of American history," Vance wrote.

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, who is running for Senate in 2024, tweeted on Monday that he stood with Vance "in his efforts to stop the Biden admin from canceling Wayne Forest."

Native Americans hope it shines a light on history

Some in the American Indian community hope the name change will shine a light on history often ignored. The American Indian Movement of Ohio was one of the groups that pushed to change the name of the Cleveland Indians baseball team to the Cleveland Guardians. Since then, its executive director Philip Yenyo said community organizations have reached out more to include American Indians in planning and as speakers. He hopes the same will happen after changing the name of Wayne National Forest.

"I would hope that would get people to dig deeper into the history prior to European contact," Yenyo told The Enquirer, "and get to know people and the nations and what it was like here for us to live on this side of the world the way we did."

Who is Anthony Wayne?

Vance, in his letter, described Wayne as someone who "heroically served our nation in a time when its continued existence was not a foregone conclusion."

Wayne won a decisive victory over American Indians during the Battle of Fallen Timbers near Toledo, Ohio, in 1794. The tribes were forced to cede their territory in Ohio.

American Indian tribes and community members requested the name change, according to the Forest Service, but the Forest Service didn't mention any by name in the release.

“Our intention is to listen to tribal nations and community members, and take the actions needed to better serve them,” said Forest Supervisor Lee Stewart in a statement. “The new name embraces the forest’s identity as Ohio’s only national forest and the welcoming, inclusive nature of the people of Ohio.”

Representatives of the Absentee-Shawnee Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma, Shawnee Tribe, Delaware Nation, Forest County Potawatomi, Miami Tribe of Oklahoma, Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians, Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma, and Osage Nation provided input in the name change, Forest Service representatives told Cleveland.com.

The Enquirer reached out to American Indian tribes that were displaced from Ohio, including the Miami and Shawnee, both of which are now based in Oklahoma. The messages were not returned.

What about the other Waynes?

Will other streets and places drop Wayne's name? There haven't been any efforts to change the names of the streets named after Wayne in Cincinnati, said Cincinnati city manager spokeswoman Mollie Lair in an email to The Enquirer. The Enquirer reached out to Mayor Aftab Pureval who did not respond. Waynesville Mayor Earl Isaacs also did not respond.

It does appear Anthony Wayne Elementary School in Franklin might not be around much longer but not due to any controversy over the name. The school district will consolidate from five to three schools in the next "few years," Superintendent Michael Sander wrote in an email to The Enquirer. One of the schools closing will be Anthony Wayne. But no one has discussed renaming the elementary school "as of this moment," he said in the email.

Messages to other members of the congressional delegations that represent the Cincinnati region were not returned.

How can you weigh in?

You can weigh in during a 15-day public engagement period that began on Aug. 21, 2023. The deadline now is currently Sept. 4 but might be extended until the Sept. 5 due to the Labor Day holiday, according to the Forest Service.

The Forest Service has already received a lot of feedback, said Dawn McCarthy, the operation staff officer for the Wayne National Forest. She said most of it has been positive.

"We want to respect everyone's thoughts," McCarthy told The Enquirer. "We want to make sure we're being inclusive. Buckeye seems to be a name that's great for all of Ohio. It's hard to argue with Buckeye."

Comments may be submitted to r9_wayne_website@usda.gov.

What is the Wayne National Forest?

The Wayne National Forest is actually three large sections of forest in the Appalachian foothills of southern and southeastern Ohio. The sections are near Athens, Ironton and Marietta. The federal government acquired the first tracts that would become the Wayne National Forest in 1935, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

It now includes 244,000 acres that allows for hiking, camping and horseback riding.

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This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Why is the government looking to rename Wayne National Forest?