Lummis Introduces Bill to Protect Name of Iconic Devils Tower Monument

Press Release

Senator Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming introduced a bill to protect the name of the Devils Tower National Monument located in the northeast corner of Wyoming. Despite the fact that the monument has been known as Devils Tower since the 1800s, efforts have been made in recent years to change the name of the well-known landmark. Sen. John Barrasso is co-sponsoring the bill.

Of the bill, Sen. Lummis said:

"Devils Tower is one of the most iconic sights In Wyoming. It's the first national monument in the United States, and a place of significance for everyone who sees it, from the tourists who visit to the native peoples and Wyoming residents who live nearby. Devils Tower is well known across the country and around the world as a historical and cultural landmark, and it is critical that we maintain its legacy and its name."

In 1906, President Theodore Roosevelt proclaimed Devils Tower as the first national monument in the United States. The monument welcomes more than half a million visitors each year and is an important part of the state and regional economy.

Since 2005, petitioners have asked the U.S. Board on Geographic Names to rename Devils Tower. The bureaucratic board has been unable to do so, however, thanks to the Devils Tower protection bill. Since the bill is under consideration by Congress, the board cannot make its own decision on the issue. As a result, whether the bill becomes law or not, the name cannot be changed.

While serving in the U.S. House of Representatives, then-Rep. Lummis served as sponsor for the House's companion legislation.

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