Federal board OKs NH town's bid to rename Jew Pond

Ice partially covers the surface of Jew Pond in Mont Vernon, N.H., on March 12, 2012. / AP Photo/Garrett Brnger

(AP) MONT VERNON, N.H. - A federal board has approved a New Hampshire town's request to change the name of a fishing spot that's been called Jew Pond since the 1920s.

The Telegraph of Nashua reports the U.S. Board of Geographic Names recently approved the decision by Mont Vernon residents to rename the pond Carleton Pond, after one of the town's founding families.

Town officials say the pond originally was named Spring Pond because the owners of a hotel there created it by digging up a spring to irrigate their golf course. It's believed the spot became Jew Pond when Jewish businessmen bought the hotel.

In supporting the change, Sens. Jeanne Shaheen and Kelly Ayotte had said "pejorative place names" reflecting religious "prejudice" aren't consistent with New Hampshire values of "community and mutual respect."

[matt6052]

It's not clear whether the businessmen who owned the hotel re-named it or if local townspeople re-named it. Either way, it should be changed to match today's standards, but the word "Jew" by itself is not a pejorative term the way that the N-word is perjorative in almost any context.

"Jew Pond" could be equivalent to "White Only," in that it could identify who has permission to use the pond, whereas N-word Lake or Creek was used to discourage African Americans from using the area for recreation.

[AOCGUY]

So Beth did you just use a pejorative yourself? This all seems a bit over the top to me.

[matt6052]

The idea that blacks have always been welcome in New England overlooks the terrible days when the schools in Boston were desegregated, unless you consider Boston to not be part of the region represented by its football team, the New England Patriots.

But... the point remains unresolved. If the hotel owners named the pond Jew Pond then there would be no non-Jews using it, yes? Given the anti-Semitism of the Northeast, non Jews would not risk being mis-identified as Jews -- by using the pond. Who re-named the pond?

Blacks always welcome but no blacks there at all-- that's a laugh.

[unclebernies]

Can can avoid going to this pond by going down making a left on Islamic Way then make a right on to Mormon Street then go straight until you see the signs for Taliban lake.

[w_roos]

Someone from the town went out there with a metal detector and didn't find a single penny in it. (Joke) Seriously, I am glad to see it being renamed. Too bad it didn't get renamed already.

[dgjs5410]

Thank you Mont Vernon, you've shown the world how stupid our society is AGAIN.