MEDFORD, Ore — Tonight was a chance for anyone with strong feelings about Dead Indian Memorial Road’s name to make their voices heard.
According to an article written by Linda Lewis Miller, the road was named after a couple members of the Shasta tribe were killed after stealing horses from a ranch and taking them into the hills.
Dozens of people turned out to tell Jackson County Commissioners why or why not the road’s name should be changed.
Many people voiced concern over changing a name that is a reminder of a historical event, while others felt the name disrespects the original inhabitants of the land.
“That’s gonna make an eight-year-old kid say, ‘daddy, why is it called Dead Indian?’ Let’s preserve and keep the history being told,” remarked one woman who lives on Dead Indian Memorial Road.
“I think we’ve reached a point in time where we can drop these disrespectful things and treat each other with a little more respect,” commented an Ashland man.
The public record is being kept open until October 31st. You can submit your comments to the roads department by emailing [email protected], faxing your comment to (541) 774-6295, or by mail to Jackson County Roads, 200 Antelope Road, White City, Oregon, 97503.
Commissioners plan to discuss the possible re-naming at their November 2nd meeting.
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