Apple Maps restores Mount McKinley name on President Trump’s order

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Just a few weeks into the new administration, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that’s made a big splash on both Apple Maps and Google Maps. This order, called “Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness,” brought back the name Mount McKinley for North America’s highest peak, which was previously known as “Denali” under the Obama administration.

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Mount McKinley, in Alaska, was originally named after President William McKinley back in 1896. But in 2015, Obama changed the mountain’s name back to Denali to honor the Koyukon Athabaskan heritage. This move was a big deal for Native American groups, but it also got some criticism, especially from people in Ohio, McKinley’s home state, who thought it was a way of erasing history.

On his first day in office, President Trump told the U.S. Department of the Interior to reverse these changes. This order was part of a bigger plan to honor important American figures and landmarks. And guess what? Within a few days, the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS), which is run by the U.S. Geological Survey, was updated to reflect these changes. This made a big difference on all the digital mapping services out there.

Apple Maps and Google Maps have both updated their maps to reflect the official name change from Denali to Mount McKinley. Apple Maps users in the U.S. can now see Mount McKinley when navigating or searching for this landmark. Google Maps also displays “Mount McKinley” for U.S. users, with the Gulf of Mexico renamed to “Gulf of America” as per another part of the executive order. For users outside the U.S., Google maintains a dual naming system where both the new and the old names are shown, respecting international conventions.

Critics of the renaming argue it’s a political move to undo what was perceived as “woke” changes by the previous administration. Supporters of the change argue it’s about preserving American legacy and the recognition of President McKinley’s contributions.

While the name change is primarily enforced within U.S. boundaries, international map users might see both names or be directed to the older names depending on the context of their search or location. This reflects a broader issue in cartography where names can change based on political, cultural, or historical shifts, requiring map services to stay abreast of such changes.

We might see further adjustments in naming conventions as political fortunes change, but for the foreseeable future, Mount McKinley has reclaimed its place on digital maps across America.

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