Story perspectives

Cleveland City Council Renames Lake Erie Stretch “Gulf of Cleveland”

By Drooid · Sep 15, 2026, 11:59 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Cleveland City Council voted to rename a two-mile stretch of Lake Erie the “Gulf of Cleveland.”
Council members framed the rename as a satirical protest against President Donald Trump’s nationwide renaming orders.
Ward 4 Councilman Kris Harsh led the resolution and presented a Sharpie-crossed map.
Harsh said the city will spend no money on the change and urged Google and Apple to update their maps.

History

Historical Context

On August 7, 1964 the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution—approved 416-0 in the House and 88-2 in the Senate—gave President Lyndon B. Johnson authority to expand the Vietnam War. In 2023 Cleveland Councilman Kris Harsh renamed a two-mile Lake Erie stretch “Gulf of Cleveland,” echoing past disputes over symbolic geographic renamings, including President Donald Trump’s 2020 order to rename Confederate-linked military bases.

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Story summary

Cleveland City Council voted to rename a two-mile stretch of Lake Erie the “Gulf of Cleveland.”
Council members framed the rename as a satirical protest against President Donald Trump’s nationwide renaming orders.
Ward 4 Councilman Kris Harsh led the resolution and presented a Sharpie-crossed map.
Harsh said the city will spend no money on the change and urged Google and Apple to update their maps.

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