Minneapolis Geographic Place Names Others have written about the origin of some of our geographic place names in Minneapolis. I have found "Minnesota Geographic Names" by Warren Upham, published by the Minnesota Historical Society Press to be very useful with regard to origins of street names, creeks, etc.
Regarding the origin of the name of Shingle Creek neighborhood, Bob Velez already noted taking its name from the creek that leaves Brooklyn Center, enters Minneapolis and traverses the Camden community neighborhoods of Shingle Creek, Lind-Bohanon and Webber Camden and flows into the Mississippi River. Quoting from the book, "Shingle creek, which crosses Brooklyn township and the Brooklyn Center village, joining the Mississippi in the north edge of Minneapolis, had near its mouth the first shingle mill in this county (Hennepin), built in 1852. It flows through Palmer lake, named for a pioneer." Hennepin County, page 232, 1979 reprint edition. The masthead of the Camden Community News newspaper reflects this heritage. Hennepin Community Works commissioned a historical analysis as part of the Humboldt Greenway project. African Americans were among the earliest residents in Shingle Creek neighborhood in northwest Minneapolis. As I recall, this work was serialized in the Shingle Creek N.A. newsletter c. Feb. 2001 for Black History month. See the prior postings from Candyce Sartell, who has articulated the background on opportunities for further exploration of this river heritage at the new North Mississippi Regional Park Interpretive Center. To further this interesting thread, the name Keewaydin is cited as a point of interest among bays, points and islands of Lake Minnetonka. Quoting again from the book (page 234) , "Hotel Keewaydin, a name from Longfellow's "Song of Hiawatha," meaning "the Northwest wind, the Home wind," was at Cottagewood, close west of Carson's bay. Keewaydin is the same name as the differently spelled Keewatin, a former large province of northwestern Canada, lying west of Hudson bay." Jeffrey L. Strand, Shingle Creek Fourth Ward ===================================== Message: 16 Date: Thu, 16 May 2002 17:39:17 -0500 From: Rosalind Nelson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [Mpls] Neighborhood name histories I've just assumed that "Wedge" referred to the shape of the area formed by Lyndale and Hennepin Avenues north of Lake Street. The Wedge Coop was originally on Franklin Avenue near the point. Rosalind Nelson Bancroft neighborhood--named for Bancroft school, I believe. Bob Velez wrote: > Since I am not from Minneapolis originally, I am quite curious as to the > origins of the names of neighborhoods. > > Of course, Shingle Creek is named after the creek of the same name that > runs through it, but I am MOST curious about the neighborhoods that have a > bit more esoteric names: > > Namely: > > CARAG > Wedge > Keewaydin > Seward > > Please advise! > > Bob Velez > Shingle Creek > Ward 4 > _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
