We are proposing that Harney Channel, a body of water in the San Juan Islands of Washington State, be renamed. It was originally named by the British around 1860 for General William S. Harney (1800-1889). A group of us who reside in the islands feel that General Harney does not deserve the honor because he was responsible for a number of heinous incidents to Native Americans and black people which do not reflect the values we hold today – or even at that time.
 
Instead, we are proposing that this water be renamed for Henry Cayou (1869-1959), who lived in the San Juan Islands through his entire life of 90 years and was a major figure in both the Native American and white communities. He was truly a bridge between cultures.
 
General Harney is particularly notorious for the following incidents, and we encourage you to consult Wikipedia or other online sources for more information: 
-  In Missouri in 1834, then-Major Harney killed a young black woman with a cane. The act, which of course would be considered murder today, was considered heinous even by 1830s standards. At that time, the Cincinnati newspaper called him “a monster!”.
 -  In Nebraska in 1855, Brigadier General Harney commanded about 600 soldiers in the Battle of Ash Hollow (aka Battle of Blue Water Creek and also as the Harney Massacre). Harney engineered the killing of 86 Sicangu Lakota warriors, taking their 70 women and children, many of them wounded, as prisoners. The chief of the Sicangu Lakota, Little Thunder, had tried to de-escalate the situation the night before, but Harney was adamant in his demands which led to the battle.  Harney engaged the chief in false peace talks while his soldiers crept around and took positions behind the Sicangu Lakota. Their belongings either torched or taken as souvenirs, the survivors were forced to walk 140 miles to the nearest Army fort, most of them without shoes.
 - As the Commanding Officer of the U.S. Army’s Department of Oregon, which included the San Juan Islands, he is widely considered to have needlessly escalated the potential for armed conflict during the so-called Pig War of 1859-60 by sending troops to the island. The Commanding General of the Army had to recall Harney from his command and bring us back from war.
 
In contrast, Henry Cayou was born on Orcas Island in 1869 and passed away in 1959. He is interred on Orcas Island. His father was a trapper who was a very early settler on Orcas and his mother was Lummi; her people’s point of origin story is centered on San Juan Island. 
Henry Cayou’s first wife was Tlingit and many Native people in our area consider him their ancestor. His relations can be found throughout the Salish Sea, including at Lummi, Swinomish, and Samish. 
Cayou was a highly successful commercial fisherman (trapping and seining), was an early local maritime leader (owner of a steam tug and several fishing boats), farmed a 500-acre tract on Decatur Island, and was a co-founder of the local electric coooperative. Very notably, Henry Cayou was a member of the San Juan County Board of County Commissioners for 29 years and was chairman for a significant time on the commission. His signature is on Friday Harbor’s incorporation documents displayed in Friday Harbor Town Hall.

We realize that the renaming of a body of water can have implications to navigation, but Harney Channel, which is just two miles long and averages a half-mile wide, has other landmarks such as two state ferry landings which are routinely used by mariners as points of reference. The authority of marine charting, the Coast Pilot published by the U.S. National Ocean Survey, considers Harney Channel to be a minor passage. 
 
A precedent for renaming a topographic feature named after Harney occurred in 2016 when Harney Peak in South Dakota’s Black Hills was renamed to Black Elk Peak by the state and federal governments in response to a proposal by local tribes and citizens.
 
We will be applying to the Committee of Geographic Names of the Washington State Department of Natural Resources and public support is essential for adoption of a name change.
 
Naming landmarks and bodies of water is important for our convenience in navigation, but has also traditionally served as an opportunity to honor people, especially residents, who have had a lasting influence culturally and economically on the land and the community. The names we choose help tell the story of a place.  Renaming this channel to honor Henry Cayou will satisfy this opportunity.
 
Thank you for signing this petition. You will be supporting our efforts to rename Harney Channel to Cayou Channel – in recognition of an Indigenous islander and 20th century fishing, maritime and political leader. Our email address is renameharneychannel@gmail.com.