Minnehaha Falls, May 2006
Minnehaha Creek is a tributary of the Mississippi River located in Hennepin County, Minnesota that extends from Lake Minnetonka in the west and flows east for 22 miles (35 km) through several suburbs west of Minneapolis and then through south Minneapolis. Including Lake Minnetonka, the watershed for the creek covers 181 square miles (469 km˛). The creek might have been unremarkable except for the 53 foot (16 m) Minnehaha Falls located near the creek's confluence with the Mississippi. The site is not far from Fort Snelling, one of the earliest white settlements in the region.
While the name is often translated as "Laughing Water", the correct translation is "curling water" or "waterfall". The name comes from the Dakota language elements mni, meaning water, and ?a?a, meaning waterfall.[1][2] Thus the expression "Minnehaha Falls" translates as "Waterfall Falls". The "Laughing Water" translation comes from Mary Eastman's book Dacotah, published in 1849. On the Fort map of 1823, the falls were named Brown's Falls, in honor of United States Army commander Jacob Brown, who was commander-in-chief of the army since 1814.[3] The Dakota called Minnehaha Creek, "Wakpa Cistinna", meaning "Little River".[2]
History
Minnehaha Falls, circa 1860
In 1852, Ard Godfrey built a house, sawmill, and gristmill on Joe Brown's old claim, but he and his wife Harriet abandoned the site in 1871, as the mills at St. Anthony Falls economically overshadowed any commercial potential of Minnehaha.[2]
The falls became a tourist destination, especially after the publication of The Song of Hiawatha by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in 1855. However, Longfellow never visited the falls himself. He was inspired by the stories of Mary Eastman and Henry Rowe Schoolcraft and images of the falls.
Beginning in 1885, the state legislature began acquiring the land to become the first Minnesota State Park. But in 1889, it was turned over to the city of Minneapolis for a city park.[4] Residents and visitors could fish, swim, picnic, and visit the zoo, run by Robert "Fish" Jones. The park also featured a carnival and horse-racing. Each year, 20,000 campers stayed at the park—through the 1930s.[2]
In geologic time, the site of Minnehaha Falls is linked historically to Saint Anthony Falls, which is several miles upriver on the Mississippi. Around 10,000 years ago, the St. Anthony Falls were located near the site where Minnehaha Creek entered the river. As erosion brought the falls upriver, they passed Minnehaha Creek, causing a new waterfall to form. The story actually becomes even more complex because the Mississippi eventually abandoned the portion of St. Anthony Falls that was then nearest to Minnehaha and this abandoned channel and waterfall have since been covered by tons of fill dirt.[5] The lower portion of Minnehaha Creek now flows through a wide and deep channel once belonging to the larger river. The end of Minnehaha Creek where it joins the Mississippi River is the lowest surface point in the city of Minneapolis at 686 ft (209 m) above sea level.
Erosion within the last century has resulted in a falls that is fairly narrowly channeled and vigorous, notably after a heavy rain. Photographs of the waterfall from the 1800s (such as the one from 1860) show a much wider, curtain like character to the falls. When the falls is dry, the older, much-broader ledge can be observed. If there were sufficient interest and funding, some remedial work could theoretically restore the 19th century appearance of the falls.
Due to the extremely cold temperatures in the area during the winter months, the falls often freeze, creating a dramatic cascade of ice that can last well into the spring. If there is a rain shortage in the autumn, the falls may virtually dry up. In the summer, especially in the rainy months of June and July, the flow can be surprisingly forceful.
Minnehaha Park
Today, the falls are located near the entrance of Minnehaha Park in Minneapolis. The park is divided into two main portions, an upper section above the falls which is kept trimmed and maintained like many other city parks, and the lower section which is largely left in a natural state. Minnehaha Park is a popular site for cultural festivities and weddings.
Some historic structures are located in the park.
- The home of John H. Stevens, built in 1849 or 1850 near St. Anthony Falls was moved to Minnehaha Park in 1896. According to the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, the home has the distinction of being the first wood-frame dwelling built west of the Mississippi. It was in this home that the name Minneapolis was suggested, and the government of Hennepin County was organized. In 1896 over 10,000 school children helped pull the house to Minnehaha park and in 1982, the home was situated in its current location.
A building known as the Longfellow House is also on the park grounds and provides some history of the park. It houses a small collection of historical photographs and is the main informational site for the Grand Rounds Scenic Byway, a 50-mile automobile, bicycle, and pedestrian parkway that circles through the city. It was built in 1906 for Robert "Fish" Jones, who owned and operated a zoo, the Longfellow Zoological Gardens, and recreational train on the site. The home is a 2/3 scale replica of the Longfellow National Historic Site, the long-time home of poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Jones donated the Gardens to the Park Board in 1924.
Statues on the grounds commemorate several notable figures including John H. Stevens, Gunnar Wennerberg, Hiawatha and Minnehaha, Little Crow, and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. The main Minnesota Veterans Home is also located in the area.
Minnehaha Park is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Minnehaha Historic District. Minnehaha Park is also within the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area, a unit of the National Park Service.
Image gallery Minnehaha Park
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A close up next to the falls, 2005
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A view downstream taken from behind Minnehaha Falls in 2005
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Down a trail at Minnehaha Falls, someone carved out the limestone to make a cave. Photo taken fall 2007.
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Map of the north end of the park
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Falls are southwest of Ford Bridge, with the Veterans Home overlooking Lock and Dam 1. (1994 IR photo)
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Limestone/sandstone layers on the bank of Minnehaha Creek
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Plaque describing geology of Minnehaha Falls
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External links
References
Coordinates: 44°54'56?N 93°12'39?W? / ?44.91556, -93.21083
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