Citizens For Healing (C4H) has been working on changing the name of Kelseyville since October 2020. We spent a year talking informally to Natives and to residents of Kelseyville and Lake County, mostly in Pioneer Park. In the process we selected, in conjunction with advising officials of the tribes, the name "Konocti". We then got written approval from all the tribes, and launched a public information program of meetings round the lake, which were widely advertised and reported in the press.

At that time we believed that the change would be by county ballot, but were then informed that the US Board on Geographic Names has authority to change the name of an unincorporated populated place, such as Kelseyville, which is "offensive ... to a racial group".

In October 2023 we filed a proposal with the BGN, which was was added to their case file in January 2024.

The BGN solicited responses from the Lake County Board of Supervisors, from all Federally recognized Tribes in Lake County, and directly from individuals.

No other name has been proposed, to us or to the BGN.

All seven tribes submitted letters of support, but the BoS took no action, until they decided in July 2024 to hold an advisory ballot measure : "Shall the Board of Supervisors recommend approval of the proposal to change the name of the town of Kelseyville to Konocti". C4H believes the measure was deeply flawed in concept, demographics and in detail. The results were about 30% For and 70% Against. On December 10, 2024 the BoS decided 3-2 to recommend the change, and submitted a letter to the BGN.

The case now goes to the California Advisory Committee on Geographic Name (CACGN), in February. They send their recommendation to the BGN, which will make the final decision, probably by mid-2025.


If the BGN approves the change the USPS does not necessarily have to change the name of the Post Office or the Zip code. We expect that they will support both the old and new town names as an "overlay", and that no address changes are required except for a few specialized business licenses. No business is required to change its name.

Details

NCAI Resolutions

This award-winning film by a Middletown High School student is only only ten minutes long, but it covers the whole sweep of early Lake County History.

Imagine you were in your family's tule house with your parents, siblings, cousins, uncles, aunts and grandparents. And a year later you were the only one left.

See Thunder and Wolves

In Decmber the Lake County Board of Supervisors decided in December to recommedn the name change. . Please join our c4h@groups.io mailing list for details.

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The most important things you can do to help change the name are

• Send an email of support to the Board on Geographic Names
• Tell your friends

See the Get Involved Page, which also has links to our Facebook Page and our online petition.

Citizens for Healing has petitioned the US Board on Geographic Names to change the name of Kelseyville to Konocti.

The unique name of Konocti honors our beautiful mountain and the native people who have lived in sight of it for fourteen thousand years. The beautiful name "Konocti" evokes images of nature, art, music, spirituality, and recreation.

The town of Kelseyville was named after Andrew Kelsey. However, historic records reveal that this same man and his brothers enslaved, brutalized, raped, starved, and murdered many local natives.

Giving the town a new name will create a more healing environment for the whole county.

All seven tribes in Lake County and the Board of Supervisors have given their approval of the change to the new name Konocti.

Citizens for Healing (C4H) is a local group of volunteers who came together to change the name of the town of Kelseyville to Konocti. See our About Page

The core of our formal proposal is on our Why Page The full proposal and status is on the Application Page The procedure is on the How Page

Our case has been referred to the California Advisory Committee on Geographic Names (CACGN) which solicits input from diverse local groups. Input from the Board of Supervisors, and all Lake County Tribes has also been requested. The CACGN then sends a recommendation to the BGN, which makes the final decision.

On Sunday, Jan 12, 2025 - 2 pm - we are holding a supporters/members-only meeting at Dallas' house in Upper Lake. For details see the c4h@groups.io or c4h-members@groups.io mailing lists.
(apply to join c4h-members as described on our C4HA page https://admin.citizensforhealing.org/c4h_membership.php)