Feds Concur In Eliminating Offensive Name Of New Hampshire Pond

The Nashua (NH) Telegraph reports today that the U.S. Board of Geographic Names has officially approved the name change of a small pond in Mont Vernon, Hew Hapmshire so that it is no longer officially known as "Jew Pond." Instead its official name is now "Carleton Pond", though the USGS still lists" Jew Pond," as well as "Spring Pond," as a "variant name." The pond was created for a local hotel a century ago by damming a small brook. Originally called Spring Pond, it began to be called Jew Pond in the 1930's when the hotel was owned for a few years by Jewish businessmen from Boston. The name Jew Pond, which was seen as offensive by many, was changed by the town after the town's health officer, Rich Masters, raised the issue last year.