Minnehaha Falls

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Minnehaha Falls, May 2006.
Photo by The Statue With The Dictionary

For Minnehaha Falls in Georgia, see Minnehaha Falls, Georgia

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 km²). 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 "waterfall". The name comes from the Dakota language elements mni, meaning water, and haha, meaning waterfall. The "Laughing Water" translation comes from Mary Eastman's book Dacotah, published in 1849. Early reports from white visitors called the spot Brown's Falls, named for United States Army commander Jacob Brown.

Hiawatha and Minnehaha by Jacob Fjelde.
Photo by Mulad

Minnehaha Falls ca.1860

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Seasons of Minnehaha

The falls became a tourist destination, especially after the publication of The Song of Hiawatha by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. 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.

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. The lower portion of Minnehaha Creek now flows through a wide and deep channel once belonging to the larger river.

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 at left, from Urbancreek) 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.

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 small train station officially named Minnehaha Depot but also known as "the Princess Depot" was built in 1875; it was a stop on the Milwaukee Road railroad and provided easy access to the park from Fort Snelling, downtown Minneapolis, and downtown St. Paul. The depot handled as many as 39 round trips per day; it was once integrated into the region's streetcar system. In 1964, title was transferred to the Minnesota Historical Society. The Minnesota Transportation Museum has assisted in the restoration of the building. The depot is open on Sundays from 1:30 to 4:30. A modern light rail station currently serves the park.

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 F. (Fish) Jones, who owned and operated a zoo, the Longfellow Gardens and Zoo, and recreational train on the site. The home is a 2/3 scale replica of Longfellow's home 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.

[edit] Image gallery Minnehaha Park

John H. Stevens' house	2/3 scale replica of Longfellow's house	Minnehaha depot	Minnehaha depot
Minnehaha depot plaque	Gunnar Wennerberg statue	John H. Stevens Statue	Map of the north end of the park
Another park map	Falls are southwest of Ford Bridge, with the Veterans Home overlooking Lock and Dam 1. (1994 IR photo)	Limestone/sandstone layers on the bank of Minnehaha Creek	Plaque describing geology of Minnehaha Falls
Minnehaha creek