Facts about: Lake Minnewaska
Minnewaska means : Good Water
Minne = meaning water Waska = meaning good
* It is the 13th largest lake in Minnesota
* Surface water area= 7,110 acres
* Shore length = 20 miles
This is over the Starbuck Airport, looking east toward Glenwood, located at the other end of the lake
The row of trees along the shoreline ( in the foreground) is Starbuck Beach. Sandy & Soft, with a lawn .
Some History :
- American Indians :This area used to be home for .... both Dakota and Ojibwa Indians .
A battle between the two tribes took place just south of here in Benson.
- The Red River Cart Trail used to pass though here.
"Red River Carts" hauled "goods and pelts" between St.Paul and Winnipeg Canada.
The reason pelts were hauled all the way to St.Paul, was because The American Fur Co.
paid 2-4 times more for pelts .. than The Hudson Bay Company in Canada.
These pelts were used for high fashion in Europe and were in great demand.
The Red River Carts would carry those pelts south to St.Paul, to be sold. They were then loaded onto river boats
headed down the Mississippi River. Those pelts were eventually loaded...onto ships going to Europe.
On the return trip back to Winnipeg ...
The Red River Carts would be loaded with goods that had come north on the river boats.
one of the trails went north out of St.Paul, to the St.Cloud area, along the north side of Lake Minnewaska,
then west to the Red River, and north to Winnipeg.
Another trail cut west through Benson and north along the Red River to Winnipeg
When you see furs and beaver hats in history books....
they may very well have traveled by "Red River Carts."
- Princess Minnewaska: Burial Mound, is located on the north side of Lake Minnewaska,
near Hwy 28 & Hwy 24. junction.
- Land of 10,000 Lakes: Our lakes were formed by an ancient glacier, pushing it's way south,out of what is now Canada.
This glacier pushed dirt and rock and ice ahead of it. When the glacier receded ....it left footprints of ice behind.
These footprints melted ...leaving us lakes .. "The Land of 10,000 Lakes."
