Camden: Happy trails to the name John Wayne Pioneer Trail?
By Jim Camden
Published: April 25, 2018, 6:01am
Share:
Well, pilgrim, it looks like the John Wayne Pioneer Trail is gonna be a-ridin’ off into the sunset. The Duke’s name is set to be rounded up and cut out of the name of that little piece of God’s Green Earth that stretches from the Columbia River to the Idaho border, sorta like an old steer gettin’ cut from the herd on a long cattle drive and fed to the wranglers.
Folks in the big city — that is, Olympia — think it’s too dang confusin’ for tenderfoots lookin’ for a way to hike or bike or gallop their mustang across the state, what with the part of the trail on the other side of the river called the Iron Horse State Park Trail. The whole shebang should all have just one name, they said.
So these Parks Department folks came up with a list of names that fits with all-a them other trails around the state, the ones named for places or historic events or culturally important stuff or the plants or critters ya might see while you’re out a-walkin’ on ’em.
Under those rules, the Duke doesn’t qualify, even if he did pretty much win the West and World War II practically single-handed. They came up with some names they think folks’ll like better:
Cascalouse State Park Trail. A combination of Cascade and Palouse, they said. Like that’s not confusin’ to nobody.
Columbian State Park Trail. Name of an old passenger train that used to run there, they said. Like folks’ll remember that.
Cross Washington State Park Trail. Descriptive, they said. Pretty plain, too.
Iron Horse State Park Trail. Current name of one-half of the trail, they said. Guess the other half is old horse pucky.
Milwaukee Road State Park Trail. Name of the railroad that used to be there, they said. They coulda used that all along.
Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail. Another descriptive name, they said. Well, at least it’s not Paluscades.
So they’re askin’ for any comments ya might have on those names. Or maybe you’ve got a better one. Just go on that there interweb to the state Parks Department site, and click your mousie on the news item about changin’ the trail name.
Just don’t suggest namin’ it after the Duke, ’cause that horse is already outta the barn.
Alright, then. Not sure how my John Wayne impression works in print but some readers are probably thankful I’m not doing radio.
The Legislature named the stretch of the Old Milwaukee Railroad from Tekoa to the river the John Wayne Pioneer Trail in 1985, although it wasn’t directly because of the actor. It was a salute to the John Wayne Pioneer Wagons and Riders group, which pushed to get the state to take over the old right-of-way.
“How could you be against John Wayne?” the group’s Tom Short said. Wayne had died by then, but they got the approval from his family and the Legislature said OK.
The organization, which hosts a cross-state trail ride every year, isn’t real happy about the proposed change, but they’ve known it was coming for a couple years.
What’s best for the trail?
Everybody knew who John Wayne was 33 years ago, he said. Now, not so much.
Some who do remember him don’t remember him fondly. Wayne has been denounced as a racist based on a 1971 interview in which he made disparaging remarks about African Americans and Native Americans. Plus there’s his membership in ultraconservative groups like the John Birch Society that rankles more than a few liberals. Plus he never set foot in Eastern Washington, as far as anyone knows.
Even the Friends of the John Wayne Pioneer Trail support the name change. President Robert Yates said while Wayne still represents American exceptionalism and pioneer spirit to people in their 60s and 70s like him, that’s not the case for those in their teens and 20s.
Yates sees the proposed change as a good marketing move that gives the entire 285-mile trail a single, unique and descriptive name.
“We want what’s best for the trail,” he said.
Morning Briefing Newsletter
Get a rundown of the latest local and regional news every Mon-Fri morning.
