The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-12-24


SPIRIT ISLAND IN 1859, FROM OF
Spirit island is soon to be entirely
removed. The rock is to be used to
strengthen the lower Pillsbury power
dam. -': T. :ra. -
Where today it rears its head breast
ing the current of the Mississippi, with
its sides SCARED and waterworn, and its
summit, shorn Of the beautiful trees
that formerly crowned it, elevated some
distance above the river, the Missis-
sippi will soon flow unobstructed.
A. few years ago when one of the
wing dams at the edge of the falls was
broken by uplifting ice, the st. Anthony
Falls Waterpower company utilized
the limestone on the historic island ly-
ing in the main channel just below the
falls to repair it with. The company
did not, however, entirely destroy it at
that time. It had gradually been shorn
Of the beautiful trees which once
| crowned its summit and but few re-
manned when operations began. It was
reduced to about one-third of it's orig
i inal height and eventually became a
table rock, SCARED and weatherbeaten,
but still capable Of resisting the mighty
| current which sweeps against its shores.
| Part of Main Land.
Biologists say that about 200 years
ago it was part Of the main land.
Father Louis Hennepin, who discovered
and named the falls in 1893, does not
mention it because at that time it was
| probably part of the western shore,
| Other explorers who followed him sung
its praises. Captain Jonathan Carver
who visited the falls Nov. II, l766, thus
writes Of it in his journal: -'
cat little distance below the falls
stands small island of about an acre
and half on which grow a large mum
Der of oak trees. -
The Dakota Indians have handed
down from generation to generation ;
! weird tale of a tragedy in which low
ing mother, a polygamous husband
their two children, and the mighty cat
aract figured as the animate and the is
= land as the inanimate object. Becaus'
Of this tragedy they named it "Spiri
Island" by which title it is still known
/ Other Applications.
Other incidents, less remote, in whicl
the island has figured, have for brie
periods given it other names such a
Squaw island and Calf island, the for
mer appellation undoubtedly referrin.
in a remote way to the Indian legend
Historians, however, have jealousl..
l guarded the Indian story Of its christ
ening and have retained the name.
:. Fredrika Bremen, the well-know
l Swedish authoress, contributed to tn
Iris, magazine published in Philadel
9 phia in 1852, soon after her visit a
st. Paul to Governor Alexander Ram
: sey, the legend of Spirit island, en-
titled IA Tradition Of the Falls of 81
y Anthony Condensed, it is as follows
l "There is little island just beloy
the falls, surrounded by their spray
with picturesque rocks and dark cedars
;, looking lonely and romantic, more al
: tractive than the falls thru its peculia
looks and it's story connected with tn
falls and with the people which stil
hovers around them on the territory o
Minnesota, raising tents of one night
;, soon to depart, kindling fires soon t
d be extinguished.
! 1.-THE Red woman's Fate.
! "IH is called the Spirit island, an
h it's tale is that Of many an Indian W.
q man-Sis, in fact, the poetic truth Q
3 womaA's fate among the redmel
q There WAS once hunter Of the tribe Q
. the Daaxotas or Sioux living near tn
falls Of st. Anthony. He had but on
l., wife and loved her and was loved
5, return. They had two children an
q lived lonely and happy, for sewers
l. years. Other Indians set up the
lodges near his and the young men az
IS vised him to get another wife. He tol
2. his helpmeet of his intention, and d.
Is spite her entreaties one night brougf
q home to the lodge younger woma
d and introduced her as the new wife.
q "Early next morning death son
IS was heard on the waters Of the Missi
h sippi and canoe was seen glidin
IS swiftly down the rapids above the Fal
C of st. Anthony, and in the canoe W.
IS sitting woman with two little childre
t folded to her bosom. 1t was An-pe-t
h sa-pa, and in her song she told tt
f cause Of her distress. Her husband an
IT. late.
n Dashed Over Falls.
elm few seconds the canoe was
9 the top of the falls, where it pause
y and then, borne on by the rush of W
le tiers, down it dashed and the roarir
II waves covered the victims with the
white foam. Their bodies were new
seen again, but tradition says that {
misty mornings the spirit Of the India
:. wife, with her two children folded
y her bosom, is seen gliding in can
20 thru the rising spray about the Spi1
island and that the sound Of her deaf