RANGELEY – County commissioners and the Board of Selectmen will be discussing an island on Rangeley Lake in the next two weeks, offering local opinions as part of a federal process to change the island’s name.
The owner of Doctors Island, a 15-acre wooded island located in the eastern half of Rangeley Lake, wants to change the name to Maneskootuk Island – Abenaki for “place of big trout.” The decision to change the name at the federal level will be made by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names, with that agency requesting local opinions from the commissioners and Rangeley selectmen.
Maneskootuk Island is not, historically speaking, a new name for Doctors Island. Local documents, several guidebooks and mapping resources, such as Google Maps, all currently list Doctors Island as “Maneskootuk Island.”
The current owner and proponent of the change, Carolyn Garrigues Scofield, wrote a book on the history of the island in 2008.
According to the U.S. Board on Geographic Names, the island was originally known as Ram Island when it was purchased by Frederick Dickson in the 1880s. Dickson renamed it Maneskootuk Island after building a summer house on the island. The property was later sold to a doctor, who renamed it Doctors Island in the 1950s, with an ensuing owner renaming it Persian Island in the 1960s. In 1968, Scofield’s father, a friend of Dickson, bought the island and began calling it Maneskootuk Island again. Scofield has owned the property since 1991.
The BGN was not notified of any name change prior to Doctors Island, so the island continues to be listed that way on federal publications and maps. At the request of Scofield, they are now taking up the issue. The Geographic Names Information System indicates that no other islands in the state are named Maneskootuk Island.
In a letter dated Oct. 10 and addressed to the commissioners, Matt O’Donnell, a member of the BGN research staff, asked for an opinion on the name change.
“Because local opinion is important to the BGN, we would like the opinion of the Franklin County Commissioners concerning this issue,” wrote O’Donnell, “We ask that you please share this request with any offices or others who might have an interest in this proposal.”
Commissioners decided to wait until their next regular meeting on Nov 7., in case anyone wanted to speak to the change. In Rangeley, the Board of Selectmen is expected to take up the matter at their first meeting of the month on Nov. 6. BGN also intends to contact the Maine State Names Authority about the proposed switch.
Why not ask the American Indians what they think of using this name?
I understand this may be the name – Maneskootuk – that the proponent associates with the lake, given originally by her father’s friend Dickson, and for which she no doubt has a great affection. Citing an Abenaki translation is another matter – this is a verifiable language and a speaker should be consulted before making such a claim. It’s not that hard. Perhaps Carolyn has already done so.
I am a beginning student of Aln8ba8dwaw8gan (the Western Abenaki language) and I see some credence for the explanation “place of big trout.” It should read closer to Mskotatuk or Mskotatekw, which might signify something closer to Big Trout River, not Lake.There is some Native background to Lake Trout being referred to as togue, again a slight bending of the meaning. But there is no need to make this up,or perpetuate a misnomer; check with the authorities, the Native speakers.
She owns it, she can name it whatever she wants as far as I’m concerned. I’ve known that island as Indian Island since the mid 90’s. That’s what I was told the name of it was by a few people. Anyone else ever hear of it being called that?
It’s a nice nod to the past, but I think “Kaepernick Island” is more appropriate. What better way to acknowledge the grievous social injustices in our nation.
Doctor’s Island I heard it called. Persian Island I have heard it called.
What’s wrong with Dickson Island. That’s what “THE ISLANDER” called it.
…… Just wondering if Frank Z has any more ways to acknowledge the frivolous … I mean grievous social injustices in our nation….
Glen: Hold that thought, I’m on one knee during the National Anthem.
I do have a few other ideas that might interest you.