The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1931-05-21
q:LIMPSES OF THREE
CENTURIES OF MINNIE
sofa VALLEY HISTORY
AND HISTORY MAKERS


AND HISTORY MAKERS
CONTINUED. from Page y
=and south and occupied by the Fed
Grated Tribes Of the Dakotahs, hold
ing the largest extent of territory
with the greatest population of any
division of the North American In
dians.
The earliest known events of Min
mesota of which we have definite
knowledge occurred at the lower Red
wood Valley before any of the white
explorers had reached the Mississippi
Valley.
Redwood County Indians have ira
Slitions of struggle for possession OF
the Redwood Valley which eliminated
in the most desperate battle between
Indian tribes that has been reported
at any place in the middle northwest.
The stories of this battle have come
through generations of several Sioux
families from different Sioux tribes.
One of the Indian historians says
that this occurred when the Sioux
were forcing their way westward to
gain possession of the buffalo graz
ing grounds of these western prairies.
The buffalo herds were their most
valuable source of food which they
preserved for use during all seasons.
Their heavy, shaggy coats supplied
winter clothing and warm coverings
for the inside and outside of their
tepee homes. But there were greater
values than this to the Indians in the
possession of the Redwood Valley.
During Indian periods and white
pioneering, the waterways were the
principal routes Of travel.
In Minnesota, the Mississippi VAL
2ey was the main route north and
south and the Minnesota River cross
ed from west to east until joining the
Mississippi and at the west connect
ing with the Red River flowing to the
Canadian north.
The Redwood is about half way on
this east and west route, a central
and convenient stopping place, and
through Sioux history, the most i'm
portant gathering place of their
tribes who were then located from
the Mississippi, out into Dakota.
The Redwood River, for several
miles before it joins the Minnesota,
rapidly descends to over 200 below
the prairie level. 1t has worn it's way
through soils and clays and through
deep beds of sand and gravel and it
runs in a tortuous course over and
Hhrough and around immense lodges
of granite until it's bed is continu-
Gus succession Of rock rapids and wa
,terfalls and quietly moving fishing
pools during ordinary stages of wa
ter.
On it's way from the treeless plains,
to the low bottom lands of the Min
nesota River, the Redwood runs be-
tween a frequently changing success
sion of gentle prairie slopes, smooth
grassy bluffs, high, steep, wooded
hillsides, perpendicular rugged walls
of granite dotted with the rich foliage
of evergreen, cedar trees rooted in
crevices of the rocks, many kinds and
colors of clay cliffs, and stretches of
timber at different levels with num-
erous varieties of native trees.
The Ramsey Creek Valley joins the
Redwood a short distance above it's
junction with the Minnesota, enlarg-
ing this picturesque area.
These three valleys here exhibit
greater number and variety of scenic
features than can be found elsewhere
in so small an area and the acreage
of timber is larger than at other
points in this prairie portion of the
state.
During the Indians vacation time
the most intense summer heat cannot
reach down into the deep shade of the
low levels by the streams, and the
high bluffs and tall trees protect from
dhe winter hurricanes when the snow
drops gently from the raging blizzard
overhead.
when the summer green OF the
prairies changed to faded gray and
the lifeless grass was fuel for the
sweeping fires, that blackened the
surface and supplied the smoky haze
of the Indian summer, the flames
were quenched by the moisture of the
green plants and trees of these
woods; a sure and safe protection
from this annual fire peril of the
plains.
The prairies surrounding the val
leys swarmed with many kinds of
wild fowl and from here was but
short journey east to the Big Woods
and north to the lakes and forests.
1t could not be expected that this
Indians paradise would be relinquish-
ed without a struggle. The Indians
who have told of the big Redwood
hattie do not know what tribes lost