Wyoming Board on Geographic Names

Next meeting: April 24, 2025 @3:00 PM in the Wyoming State Engineer's Conference Room (located  @122 West 25th Street, Herschler Building 2 West, Cheyenne, WY 82002meet.google.com/mwa-emek-fks or join by phone (US) +1 347-354-9323‬ PIN: ‪128 490 241‬# Meet


All meetings of the Wyoming Board on Geographic Names are open to the public. 


Overview

The Wyoming Board on Geographic Names is an advisory Board established by  Executive Order 1995-7 to evaluate proposals concerning name changes, new names, and name controversies of geographic features and certain public places in the State of Wyoming and then make official recommendations to the United States Board on Geographic Names, who gives final determinations for standardizing the names of geographic and natural features.

Purpose

Officers/Members

Officers:

Herbert W. Stoughton, Ph.D.: Chairman

John (Jack) Studley, PLS: Vice Chairman

Shelley Messer: Executive Director

contact: @ shelley.messer@wyo.gov or 307-777-5801

Members:

Calvin B Williams Cindy Brown

Dan White Janie  Nelson

Mary Agnes McAleenan         Jessica Otto

Scott Scherbel                                Jeffrey Hamerlinck

Scott Gerber                               Elijah True       


The Wyoming Board of Geographic Names (WyoBGN) recognizes the need for open and candid communication concerning the naming and/or re-naming of geographic features within the State of Wyoming.  The WyoBGN seeks and considers input from all interested sources before rendering decisions.  This process may require several months, and is addressed at every scheduled meeting.  Inquiries concerning the naming or re-naming of any geographic feature should be submitted to Ms. Shelley Messer, WyoBGN Executive Director, State Engineers' Office.  Although any WyoBGN member can comment on a particular issue, it is the consensus of the members that inquiries should be directed to Ms. Messer, who has and maintains the official records of the organization.  [Reference: WyoBGN meeting: 16 November 2022].

Current Discussions: Mount Woodring Proposal

                                          Mount Nellie Tayloe Ross, Pending alternate name Proposal

                                          Mount Fryxell, Alternate Name Proposal




Agendas and Meeting Minutes:

October 24, 2024, Preliminary notes 

April 18, 2024 -Approved

November 2, 2023 Notes 

April 19, 2023 Notes                                                                                     November 17, 2021 Notes 

November 16, 2022  Notes                                                                         November 18, 2020 Notes

May 18, 2022 Notes                                                                                      November 2019 Notes                                                                                        

May 19, 2021 Notes                                                                                                                                                                               

May 20, 2020, Notes                                                                                                    

May 30, 2019 Notes                                                                                       



Resources and Useful Information : 


By-laws                                                                                                                             United States Board on Geographic Names Policies 

Executive Order 1995-7                                                                                                 Name Proposal process                                                                                 

                                                                                                                                           Name Proposal Form 

                                                                                                                                           


The U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN) is a Federal body created in 1890 and established in its present form by Public Law in 1947 to maintain uniform geographic name usage throughout the Federal Government. The BGN comprises representatives of Federal agencies concerned with geographic information, population, ecology, and management of public lands.

Previous Recommendations:

18-April-2024 WBGN voted to recommend the removal of the name Mount Woodring, a feature in Grand Teton National Park. The discussion on a replacement name was tabled until the October 2024 meeting.

18-April-2024 WBGN voted to recommend the approval to name a previously unnamed stream in Natron county Porter Creek

11-January-2024 - The BGN approved the name Knight Lake, replacing Swastika lake

20-December-2023 WBGN voted to recommend the change Swastika Lake to Knight Lake

19-April-2023 WBGN voted to recommend the change Falls River Basin to Fall River Basin

18-May-2022 The WBGN voted to recommend rejection of the proposal to name an unnamed feature Mount Jackson Pollock

Proposals to rename Mount Doane and Hayden Valley: WBGN voted to recommend: 

The name Mount Doane be changed to First People's Mountain.

The name Hayden Valley be retained.