Ross Barnett Reservoir: Could the name be changed to R.H. Cleveland Reservoir?

Following the death of longtime outdoors writer Bobby Cleveland, some Mississippians are calling to change the name of the Ross Barnett Reservoir and rename it R.H. Cleveland Reservoir.

It's an idea that spurred an online petition that has more than 400 signatures so far.

"It's kind of like the community coming together and saying, 'Let's do this for Bobby,'" said Barin Von Foregger, a reservoir resident who created the petition. "It seems like a pretty good fit.

"I've worked with him and grew up reading his stuff. For those of us who hunt and fish, he was a big name. He was a steward of all things outdoors for the entire state of Mississippi." 

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Cleveland was a face of the outdoors and the reservoir

Cleveland died on April 28 of injuries sustained in an automobile accident. His name was synonymous with outdoors, but he was also closely associated with the reservoir.

He was a resident of the reservoir area and the lake was his playground. Also, after leaving the Clarion Ledger in 2012, be became the spokesperson for the Pearl River Water Supply District, the state agency that oversees the reservoir.

"He was kind of a bookmark for anything that was going on at the reservoir," Von Foregger said.

Comments on the petition reflect similar feelings among supporters.

"Bobby Cleveland has done more for the Rez than anyone!!!" one supporter wrote. "Let’s honor him and change history!"

"Bobby was as great as the great outdoors he wrote about," another wrote. "He also loved hunting and fishing as much as he did writing about it.

"This is a no brainer. Change the name to R. H. Cleveland Jr. Reservoir."

Although he created the petition, Von Foregger said the idea didn't originate with him. Von Foregger said he started the petition after seeing a Facebook post by Todd Macko, a reservoir resident, calling for the change.

Macko said not only did Cleveland's work as an outdoors writer and spokesperson for PRVWSD warrant naming the lake after him, his work with the Barnett Reservoir Foundation did as well.

"Bobby was the absolute heart and soul of the reservoir foundation," Macko said. "He's basically for the last decade served the entire community constantly. He was kind of like the gravitational pull for community service at the reservoir."

A deserving name

Macko pointed out that Barnett's name went down in history as a racist and segregationist, but said that's not the main reason he'd like to have his name replaced.

"I'm really not going after Barnett," Macko said. "I just think Mr. Cleveland, the man, the community servant, is much more deserving."

According to reservoir general manager John Sigman, the reservoir has carried the name Ross Barnett since its completion in 1963 and the name was adopted by the reservoir board of directors; the same body that can rename it today.

"The renaming of the reservoir is in the purview of our board of directors," Sigman said. "It would be a matter of the board of directors taking up the issue."

However, he said that does not exclude the Mississippi Legislature from taking action.

"The Legislature has the authority to step in at any time, but as it stands, the authority remains with our board of directors," Sigman said.

Macko said he doesn't expect any immediate action, but he hopes discussion will continue and more people will sign the petition in coming months.

"I just planted the seed," Macko said.

Contact Brian Broom at 601-961-7225 or bbroom@gannett.com. Follow Clarion LedgerOutdoors on Facebook and @BrianBroom on Twitter.