Howard Lake (Washington) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Howard Lake |
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 Howard Lake
Location in Washington (state)
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| Location | Chelan County, Washington |
| Coordinates | 48°23′19″N 120°50′00″W / 48.3886007°N 120.8334497°W |
| Type | lake |
| Surface area | 15 acres (0.061 km2) |
Howard Lake, a 15 acres (0.061 km2) lake, and its associated 3 miles (4.8 km) stream, Howard Creek, are located in the Stehekin River Valley in Washington State’s Cascade Mountain Range. They are both within the Lake Chelan National Recreation Area, a part of both the North Cascades National Park Complex and the Stephen Mather Wilderness. Howard Lake is located at Latitude +48.3886007 and Longitude -120.8334497.
The lake and creek are named after Wilson Howard, a black prospector who staked gold-mining claims and lived by the lake around 1891 and 1892. Howard was one of only two Black miners in the North Cascades during that period.
Beginning shortly after 1900, the local residents of the Stehekin Valley began calling the lake "Coon Lake," widely seen as a pejorative slur against Mr. Howard. The lake and creek retained the "Coon" names until the early 21st Century. In 2007, Washington State changed the names to "Howard Lake" and "Howard Creek," but the U.S. government, which administers the Lake Chelan National Recreation Area in which the lake and creek are located, refused to concur. For several years, state maps referred to the geographic features with the "Howard" name, while federal maps, trail signs and tourist information retained the "Coon" name. In 2015, following a concerted effort by citizens and elected officials, the federal government agreed to drop the "Coon" name and adopt "Howard."
