©2008 Genealogy Trails
Olmsted County Places
Lakes, Streams, and Hills
LAKES AND STREAMS.
Olmsted county is drained by the Zumbro, Whitewater, and Root rivers, flowing to the Mississippi.
The origin and meaning of the first of these names are fully noticed in the chapter of Goodhue county, where a village and township on this river are named Zumbrota. Its earlier Sioux name, Wazi Oju, applied to the river by Nicollet, referring to its large grove of white pines at the village of Pine Island, is also duly explained for that village and township in Goodhue county.
Large affluents of the Zumbro in Olmsted county are its Middle branch, formed at Oronoco village by union of the North and South Middle branches, Cascade creek, whence a township is named, the South branch, Silver creek, Bear creek, to which Badger run is a tributary, and Willow creek.
Bear creek has its farthest source in a spring on the farm in Eyota which was taken as a homestead claim in 1853 by Benjamin Bear, a pioneer from Pennsylvania, the first settler in that township, for whom the creek received this name.
Whitewater river, having in this county its North, Middle, and South branches, is translated from its Sioux name, Minneiska, borne by a township and village in Wabasha county at the mouth of this stream.
Root river, to which its North branch flows through the south edge of Olmsted county, is also a translation of the Sioux name, Hutkan, spelled Hokah on Nicollet's map, which gave the name Hokah of the village and township adjoining the mouth of Root river in Houston county.
Partridge creek is a small tributary to this branch of Root river from the south in Pleasant Grove township.
The only lakes in this county are two picturesque mill ponds formed by dams, Shady lake at the village of Oronoco, and Lake Alice or Florence at Stewartville. The second "was named Lake Alice by Charles N. Stewart, in compliment to his wife" (as noted in the History of this county by Leonard, 1910, page 270); but in the latest atlas of the state, 1916, it is called Lake Florence.
Source:
MINNESOTA GEOGRAPHIC NAMES Their Origin and Historic Significance
by Warren Upham, Archaeologist of the Society
Published by the Minnesota Historical Society
Saint Paul, 1920
PRINCIPAL STREAMS.
The principal streams running through Olmsted county are two branches of the Zumbro river, the Root and Whitewater rivers, Bear, Silver and Cascade creeks. One branch of the Zumbro rises in Dodge county, and running through the towns of Kalmar, New Haven and Oronoco, into Wabasha county, thence through that county, emptying into the Mississippi river about five miles below the city of Wabasha. The other branch of the Zumbro also rises in Dodge county, running thence into Olmsted county, and through the towns of Salem, Rochester township and city, Haverhill, Cascade and Oronoco, uniting in the town of Oronoco with the middle branch. These two streams afford considerable water-power, the east branch being improved to a considerable extent at the city of Rochester. The other branch, which runs through the western towns, has afforded the motive power to three sawmills in the town of New Haven, and a flouring-mill and other machinery at the village of Oronoco. The Zumbro river is said to have received its name from the Jesuit priests who visited Minnesota at an early period as missionaries among the Indians. It was named by them in French, Les Ambras, signifying the embarrass, or river of obstructions, which name it was called by the Indians, and by the white men who first settled here the name was anglicized to Zumbro.
Root river rises in Dodge county and runs in an easterly direction through the southern tier of towns, Rock Dell, High Forest, Pleasant Grove, Orion and Elmira, through the counties of Fillmore and Houston, and empties into the Mississippi river below La Crescent. This river supplies the power for driving a flouring-mill at the village ot High Forest, another at Stewartville, also a flouring-mill in the town of Pleasant Grove and a sawmill in the town of Elmira, near the village of Chatfield.The principal branch of the Whitewater river rises in the town of Eyota, and runs through the towns of Dover and Quincy, then enters Wabasha county and running eastward empties into the Mississippi near Minneiska. Another branch of this stream rises in the town of Dover, and running thence through the town of Quincy, where it serves to drive the machinery of a large flouring-mill; thence it runs into Winona county and unites with the main branch. Still another branch of this river rises in the town of Viola, and running through the towns of Elgin and Plainview, in Wabasha county, enters Olmsted county again in the town of Quincy, affording fine waterpower at three different points in the town.
Cascade creek rises in the town of Cascade, and runs through the town in a northeasterly direction, meandering through valleys and meadow-lands, empties into the Zumbro near the northern limit of the city of Rochester. A flouring-mill is situated on this creek near its mouth, in the city of Rochester.
Bear creek is formed by springs among the highlands of the town of Eyota, which form the water-ledge or dividing ridge that separates the waters of the Whitewater and Root rivers, and is said to be the highest land in Olmsted county. The creek flows through the towns of Eyota, Marion and Rochester, affording an excellent waterpower after it reaches within the city limits. The stream empties into the Zumbro river near the center of the city of Rochester.
Silver creek rises in the town of Haverhill, and winding its way in a westerly direction, loses itself in the Zumbro river, within the northern part of the city of Rochester.
History of Winona and Olmsted Counties (Olmsted County portion), 1883
HILLS.
The bed rocks, sculptured by rains and streams before the Ice Age and only thinly overspread by the glacial drift, present beautiful valleys and ravines, most noteworthy in Rock Dell township, and in some places form hills or small and low plateaus. College hill is such a plateau, about 75 feet high, in the west part of the city of Rochester; Sugarloaf Mound, more conspicuously seen, rises close south of the railroad two miles east of this city; and Lone Mound is in section 11, Farmington.
Source:
MINNESOTA GEOGRAPHIC NAMES Their Origin and Historic Significance
by Warren Upham, Archaeologist of the Society
Published by the Minnesota Historical Society
Saint Paul, 1920
©2008 Genealogy Trails