Submitted by Willie Frank III Nisqually Tribe Chairman.
The Nisqually Tribe strongly objects to the proposal of renaming Ft. Steilacoom Park. To do so erases the history of this area which includes the jailing and hanging of our Nisqually Chief Leschi there.
We are requesting a government to government meeting to discuss this and the ways that Ft. Steilacoom could be a place of interpretation about the Nisqually Tribe, which should have occurred before this proposal was made.
We in no way want to disrespect Claudia Thomas and her achievements – but there are many other places that do not carry this weight of history to consider for her honor.
If you are not familiar with the history of Ft. Steilacoom or Leschi, we direct you to our slideshow about Leschi, who was posthumously exonerated in 2004 or Cecilia Svinth Carpenter’s book, Chief Leschi, Last of the Nisquallies, which can be found at most of the local libraries.
Hopefully this puts this issue to rest. As an educator, Dr Claudia Thomas would not support such a change to a historical site.
There are so many other appropriate ways to honor Dr Thomas’ legacy.
I am quite certain that were she here, Claudia Thomas would say how honored she is that her name be honored: but not at the cost of the name of Fort Steilacoom Park. I am equally certain that she would insist that we honor the soldiers who served at the Fort and the Fort’s key role in Lakewood, Pierce County and State history. No doubt she would remind us the Fort’s commander, Col. Silas Casey, and his staff fought to provide Leschi’s innocence and when Leschi’s execution became unavoidable, refused to allow it to take place on the grounds of Fort Steilacoom.
In line six above, “provide” should read prove.
I liked and respected Claudia Thomas, but she should be honored in the education sphere. Historic landmarks should be honored and the Nisqually people have much at stake here.
If the indigenous people are finally stating in writing, what is in their hearts AND this should be enough for all of us! The people who “settled America” came to this continent, pushed in & demanded everything they thought they were entitled to, just because of their arrogance, selfishness, and the attitude of superiority. We see it everyday. I agree with Mr. Egan; Claudia would not have wanted this change either.
Why to change? We as a nation need to keep history for future generations learn how this country was build. The Nisqually tribe and all the Native American need the respect. History is history we cannot fix that but we can improve for better life to all future generations to live in peace and love and enjoy the living on this country.
I have lived in Lakewood since 1972 and spent a 41-year career at Western State Hospital, along with my wife’s 26+ years, that directly and indirectly tied us into the history of the hospital grounds and neighboring park. In that light for me Ft. Steilacoom Park has always been Ft. Steilacoom Park. Even with a potential name change in my heart and soul it will always be that.
Dr. Thomas of a certainty should be honored. The educational realm would be more appropriate as Lakewood is a highly transient community and, I would dare say, many of its citizens would have little to no connection to an educational system linked to her legacy.
Having said that, I would agree tribal concerns should carry the necessary weight to abstain from what I view as an arbitrary decision
Many thoughtful INTELLIGENT comments here,you would be dishonoring Dr. Thomas by going ahead with this naming. Surely somewhere there is building on a campus that would be honored to be renamed for her.
Here’s a name to consider: LESCHI; one I would support.
Can’t think of another.
I agree with all the comments above which point out the merit of keeping the name of Fort Steilacoom Park or, perhaps, another name meaningful to the Nisqually tribe. There are more appropriate ways to honor Dr. Claudia Thomas.
How about Claudia Thomas High School, for Clover Park?
That’s a perfect school to rename in her honor. Everyone drives by this school and to name it in her honor it’s the perfect place.
Perfect rename Clover Park high school
There is already a school named after here in the district.
We already have Claudia Thomas middle school in Lakewood. It was built on the site where Mann middles school was.
All this is is the evil leftist government eating itself. They want to change everything to represent what they want and they don’t even give a s*** about the true history. They read they rename all kinds of schools and Parks because that’s what they think will help them look more walk to the people of color. They changed names of schools and buildings and parks and half of the time the people of whom they’re changing the name to and for you have no idea who the hell they are but your school needs to be changed to honor this person on top of that they never ask people from the Community or people who use that Park if they want the name change, it’s a bunch of liberal-leftist who moved here to Washington state from California and other lefties places that they’ve destroyed with their form of government which knows nothing about governance who want this change to push these changes. Now they’re up against Native American my guess is that they’re going to have to back down because you can’t force a bunch of one group of people of color to accept the name change of another group of people of color and my guess is doing so will create a lot of resentment with black and red people if you want to say that or a African-Americans and Native Americans.
https://thesubtimes.com/2021/09/24/renaming-of-parks-facilities-in-lakewood/
Hello,
I’m Jim, the Communications Manager for the City. I submitted the above last week to correct the record on the prospect of renaming parks in Lakewood.
In short, a resident filed an application. That triggers a “public hearing”, or an automatic process for the application to be considered and for comments to be registered in support or against the application.
This is not a City-led effort to rename.
Why are some feeling it necessary to change the history of this regional Park. No doubt in my mind that a school has already been named to honor the ladies name.
https://cityoflakewood.us/renaming-of-parks-facilities-in-lakewood/
To all concerned – please read this.
We note a general misunderstanding of how this all works. I see folks getting pretty riled up at the City for even considering a resident’s valid application filed by the proper process. There’s no wrongdoing here by any party. Someone had an idea, and that idea will be treated with a fair process to consider it.
I consider this very similar to any public comment made at a City Council meeting. There’s some procedure involved, and someone has a valid suggestion, and it goes onto the record for consideration.
Just heard about this It is Ridiculous you want to change the name of the park that’s been there for so many years at one time it used to be at the farm for the hospital leave it as it is city councilman Whalen should be recalled for even thought of endorsing this. No disrespect for this educator name a school in her honor not a park
Chief Leschi WAS NOT HANGED at Fort Steilacoom.
While it is absolutely true that Leschi was incarcerated there, it was to protect him from Isaac Stevens and his volunteer militia who wanted desperately to see him hanged. The soldiers of Fort Steilacoom put out two issues of a Newsletter they named “The Truth Teller” to proclaim Chief Leschi’s innocence while they also sent off couriers to the nation’s capital to effect a stay of execution. At one point, the soldiers of Fort Steilacoom even arrested and jailed the Sheriff of Thurston County, who was the only one authorized to execute criminals in Washington Territory. This was done in order to stay Leschi’s execution. When all of this had ended up in abject failure, and it was certain that Governor Stevens was finally going to get his way, the only recourse left to Colonel Silas Casey was to see to it that Chief Leschi would not be hanged at the Military Fort. Even though Fort Steilacoom was the designated location for all Territorial executions, the Colonel and his men absolutely refused to have the heinous act be done there. Leschi was hanged close to a half mile away on what is now Leschi Road SW. – For more information go to the Fort website at http://www.historicfortsteilacoom.org