The Cleveland City Council voted 13-1 to approve a resolution renaming a 2-mile stretch of Lake Erie along its shoreline as the 'Gulf of Cleveland'. The action, taken during an emergency meeting, is not legally binding and applies only within Cleveland’s jurisdiction.
The resolution, introduced by Councilmember Kris Harsh, directs the city clerk to request that national mapping companies such as Apple update their records to reflect the new name. The designation covers the portion of Lake Erie bordering Cleveland’s waterfront but does not alter the official name of the lake outside the city.
The move follows recent political efforts to rename major bodies of water, including President Donald Trump’s executive order declaring Lake Ontario the 'Lake America'. Harsh stated the proposal was intended as satirical commentary on the trend of renaming geographic locations.
What the resolution does
- Renames a 2-mile stretch of Lake Erie’s Cleveland shoreline as the 'Gulf of Cleveland'.
- Passed in a 13-1 vote during an emergency session.
- Not legally binding but requires the city clerk to notify mapping services.
- Applies only within Cleveland and does not change the lake’s official name.
Context of the renaming
The resolution was introduced in response to multiple recent renaming proposals at the federal and state levels. Councilmember Harsh described the measure as a deliberately absurd response to what he characterized as a growing political focus on renaming geographic features.
Harsh told reporters the action was meant to highlight what he described as distractions from broader policy issues, stating that the renaming trend reflects a larger pattern of political maneuvering. The councilmember did not respond to requests for further clarification on the long-term implications of the symbolic gesture.
Reaction and scope
The resolution has drawn attention for its satirical intent, with Harsh explicitly framing it as a provocative statement rather than a substantive policy change. The city has not indicated plans to pursue legal or administrative steps to enforce the name change beyond notifying mapping services.
While the action is ceremonial, it underscores ongoing debates about the appropriateness of renaming natural landmarks for political purposes. The council’s decision does not affect navigation, legal boundaries, or the lake’s designation in official state or federal records.