Minnesota State Government Series - State Counties

eople from Willmar, Minn., may be unaware that the county in which they live — Kandiyohi — means "where the buffalo fish come" in the Dakota, or Sioux, language. And some people from Mora may have no idea that the county in which they live — Kanabec — is the Ojibway word for "snake."

 

Those are just a few of the derivations of the names of Minnesota’s 87 counties — little-known facts that are largely overlooked in the bustle of ordinary life.

But those names are perhaps the best indicator of the patchwork quilt that is Minnesota. Each county has a distinct flavor all its own.

Minnesota’s diversity isn’t surprising given the state is the nation’s 12th largest in size. But the regional differences, from the flat potato and sugar beet country of the Red River Valley in northwestern Minnesota to the dairy farms and hardwood forests of the southeast, and from the lush lake country of the northeast to the rich prairie lands in southwestern Minnesota, have been largely put aside since Minnesota became a state in 1858.

Just as the 50 United States are different, so, too, are the 87 counties of Minnesota. But there is clearly a united sense of Minnesota.

ifteen county names came directly from the Dakota, or Sioux, language, and 12 are derived from the Ojibway language — the two principal Indian groups in Minnesota. Fifty-two counties were named for early explorers, fur traders, Minnesota pioneers, and prominent U.S. citizens.

Wilkin County, for example, was named for Colonel Alexander Wilkin, who was shot and killed in the Civil War in 1864 during the battle at Tupelo, Miss.

Six more counties were named by pioneers for prominent geographic features of the area. Pine County, for example, was named for the abundant pine forests in the region.

If it’s true that the most telling glimpses of a culture are revealed by studying what is most overlooked, then the following origins of county names should offer a brief sketch of the Minnesota character. t

itkin County: Named for William Alexander Aitkin, a fur trader with the Ojibway Indians, who married into an influential Indian family. Est. May 23, 1857.

Anoka County: Taken from the town of that name, which, in the Dakota language, means "the other side, or both sides." The town lies on both sides of the Rum River. Est. May 23, 1857.

ecker County: Named for lawyer George Loomis Becker, one of three people elected to Congress in 1857. But upon gaining statehood, Minnesota was allotted only two House spots, and Becker lost the draw. His reward, in part, was having a county named after him. Est. March 18, 1858.

Beltrami County: Named for Giacomo Constantino Beltrami, an Italian explorer who searched for the source of the Mississippi River. Accused of plotting to establish an Italian republic, he was exiled and came to America.Est. Feb. 28, 1866.

Benton County: Named for Thomas Hart Benton, a U.S. senator from Missouri from 1821 to 1851. Seven other states have counties named for him. Established on Oct. 27, 1849, Benton is one of the earliest Minnesota counties.

Big Stone County: Derived from Big Stone Lake. The name is a translation of the Dakota term that alluded to the granite quarries at one end of the lake. Est. Feb. 20, 1862.

Blue Earth County: Taken from the Dakota name — Makato — for the Blue Earth River. "Maka" means earth, and "to" means blue or green. Est. March 5, 1853.

Brown County: Named for Joseph Renshaw Brown, a prominent pioneer, soldier, Indian trader, lumberman, speculator, founder of cities, legislator, politician, and editor. Est. Feb. 20, 1855.

arlton County: Named for Reuben B. Carlton, one of the first settlers in the town of Fond du Lac. He was a farmer and blacksmith for the Ojibway. Est. May 23, 1857.

Carver County: Named for explorer-author Capt. Jonathan Carver, who explored the Minnesota area as early as 1766. He later wrote a book about his travels. Est. Feb. 20, 1855.
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