McCarthy, Kennecott, & the Kennicott Valley
The Heart of America's Largest National Park!
Why is "Kennecott" sometimes spelled with an "i" and sometimes with an "e"?
The original spelling of the Kennicott came from naturalist Robert Kennicott, who worked on the trans-Pacific telegraph line in the 1880s. Oscar Rohn, who worked for the USGS, named the glacier, river and valley in his honor. When Kennecott Mining Company was formed, a mistake was made on some paperwork and the company name was forever spelled with an "e". Today the natural features still carry the original spelling, while the town of Kennecott and associated man-made features are spelled the "wrong" way.
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