At the summit of Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park, visitors can no longer see a marker explaining the site’s sacred significance to the Wabanaki people. The sign was one of approximately 30 markers removed from the park under a Trump administration initiative to eliminate materials deemed disparaging to American history. The removal, ordered by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, has disrupted decades of trust-building between the National Park Service and the Wabanaki Confederacy, who have inhabited the region for over 10,000 years.
The removed signage included references to climate change and Indigenous history, such as the Wabanaki name for the mountain, Wapuwoc, meaning "white mountain of the first light." This action is part of a wider campaign across national parks where signs, books, and exhibits covering topics like slavery and Native American massacres have been flagged and removed. A coalition of conservation and history organizations has filed a lawsuit against the federal government to restore these items, arguing that the removals distort the historical record.
What the Left Is Saying
Progressive voices and Indigenous leaders argue that the removal of these signs erases the contributions and suffering of marginalized groups. Maulian Bryant, executive director of the Wabanaki Alliance, stated that erasing the presence of Wabanaki language and history in parks has "big implications for how far we’ve come." She noted that the removed signs did not even cover the most severe aspects of Indigenous history, such as the high mortality rates from disease.
Former National Park Service Director Chuck Sams, who served under the Biden administration, described the effort to rewrite history into a "single narrative" as counter to democracy and the idea of a plural nation. Sams, who was one of the first Native Americans to lead the agency, emphasized that the removals undo work done to reflect the experiences of all Americans. Jennifer Neptune, a Penobscot Nation citizen, described the erasure as a "real gut punch" for Indigenous and Black communities whose stories are already underrepresented in public spaces.
What the Right Is Saying
The Trump administration’s initiative is framed as a correction to exhibits that officials deemed disparaging to American history. The campaign, led by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, targeted materials that critics argue presented a negative or incomplete view of the nation’s past. While specific quotes from Burgum regarding the Acadia removals were not included in the source material, the policy reflects a broader conservative goal to streamline national park narratives around a more traditional interpretation of American heritage.
The administration has reviewed flagged materials through a committee led by National Park Service Associate Director Joy Beasley. In a June affidavit, Beasley acknowledged that the spreadsheet tracking these changes is "unlikely to capture every removal, revision, or replacement," indicating an ongoing and complex process of curation. The Interior Department did not respond to requests for comment on the current status of the removals or the lawsuit.
What the Numbers Show
According to the National Parks Conservation Association, 30 markers were removed from Acadia National Park. A database leaked earlier this year and examined by the Center for American Progress found that one-third of national parks had flagged exhibits featuring history or science, with Black and Indigenous history being the most targeted categories. Angelo Villagomez of the Center for American Progress noted that some items were removed, then put back, and then removed again, highlighting inconsistent enforcement.
By the end of the Biden administration, there were over 400 co-stewardship or co-management agreements with tribes, including 159 within the National Park Service. Acadia National Park, which receives over 4 million visitors annually, had established programs such as a Wabanaki-led sweetgrass study and cultural performances on Cadillac Mountain. These programs were the result of partnerships with organizations like the Friends of Acadia and the Abbe Museum, involving consultation with citizens of the Wabanaki Nations.
The Bottom Line
The removal of the Wabanaki markers at Cadillac Mountain represents a significant shift in how the federal government interprets and presents national history. With a lawsuit pending and a coalition of organizations advocating for the restoration of the exhibits, the outcome may determine the future of co-stewardship agreements between the National Park Service and tribal nations. Observers note that while some relationships, such as those with the Abbe Museum, continue through private partnerships, the official federal narrative has been narrowed, potentially affecting how millions of visitors understand the land’s historical and cultural context.