The name is sure to bring a smile to your face — it is a happy name, taken from the Dakota language. It doesn’t mean “Laughing Waters” as has become the popular lore. The name Minnehaha actually means “Curling Water” or “Waterfall.”

Located in a 193-acre park overlooking the Mississippi River near downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, Minnehaha Falls is spectacular in the winter when the snow blankets the park and large icicles form on the limestone bluffs where the water cascades down, freezing along the edges of the pool at the bottom. Although the paths and steps are “officially closed,” you can still walk down the stairs to the bridge at the bottom of the gorge and hike along the creek. On a sunny day, the sparkle of light on the icicles and snow is dazzling to the eye. It is so cold that the spray freezes in mid-air forming crystals that shimmer.

Several inches of fresh snow bend the boughs of the trees, creating a bower over the Minnehaha Creek as it flows to meet the Mississippi, about a mile away. On the south side of the creek at the top of the bluff is the snow-covered bronze sculpture of Little Crow, Chief of the Mdewankanton Sioux tribe, gazing at the world through haunted eyes. His is a tale of heroism, betrayal, and death. Having taken part in negotiations for the Treaties of Traverse des Sioux and agreed to move his tribe to a reservation near the Minnesota River in return for certain rights and concessions, the Government reneged on its promises. Little Crow became involved in the Dakota War of 1862. Ultimately, he was murdered by a bounty hunter at a time when Minnesota rewarded the killing of Dakotas. This area of the park is considered sacred ground by the Native Americans.

The Falls have been the subject of poetry. Minnehaha, as some may remember, is immortalized in the poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow entitled, “The Song of Hiawatha.” A bronze sculpture of Hiawatha carrying Minnehaha in his arms can be seen on the small island above the falls.

The park has a completely different feel in every season. In spring, the melting snows turn the falls into a roaring cascade surrounded by flowering elms, oaks, silver maples and cottonwood trees. In the summer, especially if there has been a drought, the waterfall turns to a trickle but the park is alive with activities and concerts. The autumn sees brilliantly colored leaves lining the banks of the creek, turning it into a tapestry of nature. In winter, those hardy enough to brave the famous Minnesota cold will be rewarded with a spectacle of snow and ice.

And so what’s in a name? The Dakotas may have thought of the falls as “curling water” but if “laughing waters” makes you smile, why not?

IF YOU GO
Minnehaha Park is located at the intersection of Hiawatha Ave and Minnehaha Parkway (4801 Minnehaha Ave, South; Minneapolis, MN Tel 612-230-6400) The falls are a short distance from the entrance. If you don’t want to drive, try the Hiawatha Light Rail Line which stops at 50th Street and Minnehaha Park, a short walk from the falls. Be sure to buy your ticket from one of the automatic ticket machines before you board the train. (see www.metrotransit.org for more information).

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