Debate simmers over name of Devils Tower

it’s unnecessary and would cause confusion and hurt tourism.

“The truth is, the vast majority of all of the public worldwide recognize it as a landmark, as Devils Tower; they don’t see it as an evil thing, as a bad thing,” local rancher Ogden Driskill said.

Supporters hope President Barack Obama will change the name during his administration’s final months. Obama has used his administration’s executive authority to unilaterally rename other geologic features — most notably changing MountMcKinley to Denali in Alaska — and create new national monuments.

Opponents are relying on the state’s Republican congressional delegation to continue at least block- ing Congress from renaming the monument and the Board on Geographic Names from moving to rename the tower and the nearby community of Devils Tower, which consists of a post office, tourist shops and a campground.

The tower can be seen for miles, standing out like a giant tree stump among surrounding hills. It rises about 865 feet from its rocky base to its relatively flat top, which is about the size of a football field. By comparison, the WashingtonMonument in Washington, D.C., is 555 feet tall.

Roosevelt designated the monument using powers granted to him in the 1906 Antiquities Act. Themonument is maintained by the National Park Service and has become popular with rock climbers.

STEPHEN BEREND — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS This undated file photo shows Devils Tower near Moorcraft, in northeastern Wyoming.