[Mpls] Minneapolis: What's in a name?

[Shawne FitzGerald]

Since Minneapolis and St. Anthony merged in the 1860's, the beginning of 
our city might be dated to 1838 when Franklin Steele and others 
established preemptive claims on the eastside of the river.  Steele 
engaged a Metis couple to live on his claim.  There was a Metis village 
at the falls - I don't know if it was earlier than 1838.  Peter 
(Patrick) Quinn lived at the Falls in the early 1820's but left when his 
visitors, Dakotah and Ojibwa, would fight each other.  Mr. Quinn 
resettled in Bloomington where he is recognized as a pioneer founder of 
the community.

Eli Pettijohn arrived in Minnesota in 1841 and during a trip to St. 
Anthony Falls, saw the smoke from the Metis village.  (See 
http://tinyurl.com/ceaph).   Pettijohn also noticed a small band of 
Dakotah living near Nicollet Island.  This was probably the same band 
that lived near the John Stevens house in its original location.  The 
band was there until, at least, 1853.  The Dakota woman who ran the 
first ferry service at the falls - above Nicollet Island to the Metis 
village - was likely a member of this band.*

*Bottineau ran an upriver freighting company carrying military goods 
from Fort Snelling to northern posts.   He had warehouses at the 
riverfront and hired voyageurs to transport the goods.  Caleb Door 
(arrived MN 1847)  in Old Rail Fence Corners recalled an evening at 
Bottineau's:

"Once I was spending the evening at Burchineau's place when a number of 
the Red River cart men were there. As they were part Indian and part 
white. I looked down on them. One of them challenged me to see who could 
dance the longest. I would not let him win on account of his color, so 
danced until my teeth rattled and I saw stars. It seemed as if I was 
dancing in my sleep, but I would not give up and jigged him down."

A few years ago, I met a NE realtor who told me of finding three houses 
in a row on 14th Street that were original Metis log cabins that had 
been rehabbed on the inside and outside but the original logs were still 
there in the structure.  They were identified as French construction - 
different than American log cabin construction.

We aren't taught the diverse history of Minneapolis/St. Anthony ca. 
1838-1850.   On the west bank, there was Col. Stevens and the tipis of 
the Dakota band.  On the west bank, there was the Metis village up near 
St. Anthony of Padua.  There were small produce farms, just a few acres, 
back off the riverfront.  The village was French and Ojibwa and who 
knows how many others.  Soldiers ran a mill on the west bank.  After 
1848, Capt. Tapper was running the ferry.  New Englanders were arriving 
settling downriver from the Metis village.  Fiddling, dancing, Catholic 
masses in a log church.  Fr. Galtier would come from St. Paul on 
horseback.  The river was full of batteaux and dugout canoes.  Rafts 
also were in use.

Nicollet Island was full of maple trees until 1848.  Just downriver from 
the island, at it's tip, was a natural ford easily crossed by horseback 
and wagon when the water was low.  Springtime meant sugaring on the 
island. 

I imagine early Minneapolis/St. Anthony as a bustling place - where at 
least four languages were commonly heard.  The buffalo were gone and 
game was scarce - the place had been trapped out early in the fur 
trading days.  But, there must have been deer and fish.  And migrating 
wildfowl.  We can assume the Metis farmers had luck with corn, cabbage, 
and onions.  And probably lots more.  I'm a Minneapolis/Minnesota 
history buff who has been frustrated and amazed that so little is known 
or told about this era in our history. 

But, it is a good story.  Would like to hear that fiddle music that kept 
guys dancing all night.  Would like to know more.  The year, 06, is only 
an anniversary of when Minneapolis was approved legally - it's as good a 
year as any to honor our history.  But I hope ALL of our history is 
honored.  Fort Snelling was founded about 1821 and the civilian complex 
on the west side of the river goes back to about that time - it too 
offers a diverse history and a diverse commerce as well.  Our 
celebrations need to embrace the diversity of our history and to 
recognize that official dates are unofficial - long before there were 
villages at St. Anthony Falls, there were more ancient peoples - the 
Dakotah and the Ojibwa - and going back farther to the Mississippians 
who seem to have been the mound builders. 

Honoring the passage of 1856 legislation alone would be a disservice to 
our community, to this place and its history.  We know our history goes 
back hundreds, maybe thousands, of years.

Interpreting history is always about perspective - including our place 
in time.  I married into a family that, per family history, is descended 
from Pierre Parrant (aka Pig's Eye).  Historical accounts, with the 
exception of Mr. Larpenteur, were generally unkind to Pig's Eye.  But 
from our perspective, a family and historical perspective, Pig's Eye 
might be remembered as the most-noted founding member of the St. Paul 
hospitality industry.  Just goes to show - history is how you look at it!

I'm hoping for an open embracing interpretation of Minneapolis history 
when the celebration comes!

Shawne FitzGerald
Powderhorn

Steve Brandt wrote:

>Ray Marshall asks:
>By the way, I do believe that this year might indeed be the 150th birthday
>of the city of Minneapolis.  Why is it that the city fathers and mothers and
>undecideds haven't come up with a celebration for us? 
>
>
>Here's what the public library's web site says:  
>"Minneapolis was authorized by the Minnesota Territorial Legislature in 1856 as a town. In 1858 the town of Minneapolis government was organized."
>
>It goes on to say that some land claims filed by previously settled squatters were accepted in 1855.  But it sounds like 2006 or 2008 are arguably the sequicentennial years for city government, even though people settled here earlier.   Of course, I defer to real historians such as Penny Petersen or Kathy O'Brien.
>
>
>Steve Brandt
>Kingfield
>  
>