Uinta Basin
The Uinta Basin is the largest west-east depression which flanks the southern side of the Uinta Mountains. Erosion of the Uintas supplied the sediments laid down in the Basin. "The Uinta Basin is a natural depression lying in northeastern Utah and northwestern Colorado. It comprises all of Duchesne and Uintah counties, Utah, the western half of Rio Blanco, and the Southwest corner of Moffat counties, Colorado. All the principal drainage is into the Green River" (G.E. Untermann). Uinta Basin was the original homelands of the Uinta, Yampah, and lesser divisions of the Ute Indian stock; the Basin was named for the Uinta Utes.
Uinta vs. Uintah
Uinta is applied to natural features and to the Uinta Utes -- Uinta Basin, Uinta River, Uinta Mountains, Uinta National Forest, etc.
Uintah (a variant of Uinta) is applied to political entities -- Uintah County, Uintah School District, Uintah & Ouray Reservation, etc.
The U.S. Board on Geographic Names lists the official spelling for Uinta Basin as Uinta -- not Uintah -- as it is a natural feature. Other features being derived from the name of a physical feature should retain the natural feature spelling. Thus it should be Uinta Basin Standard, Uinta Basin Medical Center, etc. as these names are derived using the natural feature "Uinta Basin" as part of their name.
The U.S. Board on Geographic Names is a Federal body created in 1890 and established in its present form by Public Law in 1947 to maintain uniform geographic name usage. The board promulgates official geographic feature names with locative attributes as well as principles, policies, and procedures governing the use of domestic names. The original program of names standardization addressed the complex issues of domestic geographic feature names during the surge of exploration, mining, and settlement of the western territories after the American Civil War. Inconsistencies and contradictions among many names, spellings, and applications became a serious problem to surveyors, map makers, and scientists who required uniform, non-conflicting geographic nomenclature. President Benjamin Harrison signed an Executive Order establishing the Board and giving it authority to resolve unsettled geographic names questions. Decisions of the Board were accepted as binding.
Uintah (a variant of Uinta) is applied to political entities -- Uintah County, Uintah School District, Uintah & Ouray Reservation, etc.
The U.S. Board on Geographic Names lists the official spelling for Uinta Basin as Uinta -- not Uintah -- as it is a natural feature. Other features being derived from the name of a physical feature should retain the natural feature spelling. Thus it should be Uinta Basin Standard, Uinta Basin Medical Center, etc. as these names are derived using the natural feature "Uinta Basin" as part of their name.
The U.S. Board on Geographic Names is a Federal body created in 1890 and established in its present form by Public Law in 1947 to maintain uniform geographic name usage. The board promulgates official geographic feature names with locative attributes as well as principles, policies, and procedures governing the use of domestic names. The original program of names standardization addressed the complex issues of domestic geographic feature names during the surge of exploration, mining, and settlement of the western territories after the American Civil War. Inconsistencies and contradictions among many names, spellings, and applications became a serious problem to surveyors, map makers, and scientists who required uniform, non-conflicting geographic nomenclature. President Benjamin Harrison signed an Executive Order establishing the Board and giving it authority to resolve unsettled geographic names questions. Decisions of the Board were accepted as binding.
Information from:
Geology of Uintah County, G.E. Untermann and B.R. Untermann, University of Utah Press, 1968, page 13
Five hundred Utah Place Names: Their Origin and Significance, Rufus Wood Leigh, 1961, page 100
Utah Place Names by John W. Van Cott, University of Utah Press, 1990, page 379
Doris Karren Burton, Uintah County Historian, Retired
U.S. Board on Geographic Names, U.S. Geological Survey, Created 1890, Est. 1947
Geology of Uintah County, G.E. Untermann and B.R. Untermann, University of Utah Press, 1968, page 13
Five hundred Utah Place Names: Their Origin and Significance, Rufus Wood Leigh, 1961, page 100
Utah Place Names by John W. Van Cott, University of Utah Press, 1990, page 379
Doris Karren Burton, Uintah County Historian, Retired
U.S. Board on Geographic Names, U.S. Geological Survey, Created 1890, Est. 1947
Spelling Mistake
Unfortunatly, you will notice that there are many who mis-spell Uinta Basin when refering to the Basin itself or when they use Uinta Basin as part of a larger name! This is not only unfortunate, but perpetuates this mis-spelling of the Uinta Basin's name. The teaching of this correct spelling, for Uinta Basin, seems to have 'dropped by the way-side' in our local schools. Also for some reason, local newspapers no longer make an effort to use the correct spelling in their publications, thus reinforcing this mistake. In these instances, users either do not know the correct official spelling for Uinta Basin or they choose to ignore the correct official spelling -- Uinta Basin (always without an 'h'). This spelling mistake seems to be more prevelent with the Uinta Basin, than with other Uinta geographic names -- the Uinta Mountains, the Uinta River, the Uinta National Forest, etc. Let's work together and stamp out this mis-spelling of Uinta Basin!
Uinta Basin not Uintah Basin!
Okay Uinta Basin residents, let's step-up to the plate and spell it right!
