OLYMPIA – The Washington State Committee on Geographic Names approved five proposals, including the naming of a creek and a mountain range in east Clallam County, during its October meeting in Olympia.
Misty Creek and Misty Mountains are the proposed names for an unnamed creek and a mountain range near Blyn. The campaign to name them is being being championed by Laura Beitz, who owns property that’s bordered by the creek.
“I thought it was really important that we name things because there’s people that maintain our creeks and make sure that they’re doing…they’re healthy creeks and other things, and rather than call it ‘the creek at highway number whatever’ I thought it would be nicer to…and then if their search and rescue as well, that it has a name to it. That’s one of the reasons I was so adamant about having it be named.”
Beitz says the process of naming the creek and mountains has, so far, taken about three years. It’s a process that requires historical detective work, campaigning of one’s neighbors and a lot of forms to fill out.
We asked her how she came up with the names Misty Creek and Misty Mountains.
“Yes, we’re locked in fog. A lot of the times it burns off, but a lot of times we are, and it just looked like mist mingling in the trees and that’s what it always reminded me of so, that’s why I wanted to name it that. And then the mountains that the creek originates from, it just seemed natural to make it Misty Mountains as well.”
And why does she think a creek that flows all year round was never named after all these years?
“I think our area is becoming more populated and I think people didn’t know it was there, or didn’t…it wasn’t developed, so they just didn’t know it was there.”
Beitz says the names still have to be approved by the Board of Natural Resources for final decision in our state. After that they’ll be forwarded to the United States Board on Geographic Names for federal approval.
“I’m hoping that it’s in January of 2020…would be the final final where I get the letter from the United States, and then we’ll see it on the maps and on Google Earth and things like that.”
She’s also been told the new creek will get its own sign along Highway 101 where it flows into Sequim Bay. Watch for that sometime next year.
Below: Laura Beitz (right) and her sister Deb.
