A State Representative Proposes Renaming Lake Erie

A Pennsylvania lawmaker is urging President Trump to change the name of Lake Erie to “Lake Pennsylvania.” This suggestion is expected to face backlash, particularly from Native American groups, who have previously expressed strong objections to the president renaming Lake Ontario, another body named with Native American heritage. Lake Erie’s name also derives from a Native American tribe historically living along its banks.

Republican Representative David Maloney, representing a district in southeastern Pennsylvania (which has about 65,000 residents but does not touch the lake), is working on a resolution to propose this change to Trump, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, and lawmakers in Washington. This comes after Trump’s recent decision to rename Lake Ontario to Lake America.

Tribal leaders in the area have pointed out that such name changes erase the Native American roots of North America’s history. Lake Ontario’s name is derived from an Indigenous term meaning “lake of shining waters,” while Erie comes from an Iroquois word for the Eastern Cougar. Interestingly, four of the five Great Lakes, except Lake Superior—named by early French explorers—take their names from Native American languages.

According to Maloney, the change reflects the lake’s contemporary identity and significance, given its importance to recreational activities. “This is Pennsylvania’s only Great Lake,” Maloney remarked, emphasizing how the lake’s modern economy is linked to boaters, anglers, families, and tourists. He added, “Ohio has plenty of shoreline. New York already has two Great Lakes. Canada has four others. Pennsylvania has one. Let’s call it Lake Pennsylvania!”

The lake spans 240 miles and ranks as the fourth largest of the Great Lakes by surface area, but it’s the smallest in terms of water volume and the shallowest, with a maximum depth of 210 feet. Around 12 million people live near its shores, including 10.5 million in the U.S. and 1.9 million in Canada.

As of now, the Canadian government has not responded to Maloney’s proposal, though government officials have previously rejected Trump’s executive order that renamed Lake Ontario. Tribal leaders have yet to weigh in on Maloney’s suggestion for Lake Erie, but they quickly condemned the name change for Lake Ontario.

The Seneca Nation’s leader has argued that the renaming of Ontario infringes upon a 225-year-old treaty established by George Washington in 1794. Meanwhile, leaders from Wyandotte and Mohawk tribes have protested the decision to rename Lake Ontario, calling it “disrespectful” and stating that the Department of the Interior failed to consult tribal nations regarding water bodies named by Indigenous peoples prior to the establishment of the U.S. and Canada.

It’s important to note that the renaming applies only to the U.S. federal government, which means other international entities and states are not obliged to acknowledge this change. However, following the executive order, both Apple Maps and Google Maps updated the name of Lake Ontario for U.S. users.

The president has also floated the idea of renaming New Mexico to “New America,” which has spurred several Democratic lawmakers in the state to urge tech companies to uphold the current name in their applications.

As for the potential implications of these naming efforts for upcoming elections in the Great Lakes region, it’s still unclear. However, a national poll conducted by Reuters/Ipsos in late August revealed that 63 percent of respondents disapproved of the naming change for Lake Ontario, while only 14 percent were in favor.