History Behind the Victory Flagpole - July 2010 Behind the Victory Flagpole What time is it - Behind the Victory Flagpole — What time is it?

We all know what time it is--vacation time, for sure. So you may ditch our cozy Camden digs and head for the country, the lake, the cottage or wherever. Grab your swim suit and flip- flops-oh, maybe you'll just go visit friends and relatives. It's your chance to show them you know how their town was named. From A to Z then, here it is:

• Anoka-a Sioux word meaning "on both sides" refers to city's location on both sides of the Rum River, at the point where it enters the Mississippi.
• Albert Lea-taken from Lake Albert Lea, 1835, both named for Albert Miller Lea, commander and topographer of exploring expeditions.
• Alexandria-named for first settler, Alexander Kinkaid in 1858.
• Austin-for Gov. Horace Austin or Austin R. Nicols, first settlers.
• Bemidji-Chippewa called the lake at the city "where the current flows across the wide water," because the Mississippi flows through the lake.
• Brainerd-the maiden name of the wife of J. Gregory Smith, first president of Northern Pacific R.R.Co.
• Detroit Lakes-French for "straight lake," named by early French on account of the long bar in lake.
• Ely-named for Arthur Ely, financial promoter of Duluth & Iron Range R.R. and Samuel B. Ely, a miner from Michigan.
• Eveleth-named for a woodsman who had a lonely cabin in the heart of the Mesaba Range whose name was Eveleth.
• New Ulm-German colony in 1854.
• Faribault-named for Alexander Faribault who established a trading post on Cannon River in 1826.
• Fergus Falls-named for early frontiersman, James Fergus in 1856.
• Hastings-1851, General Sibley's middle name.
• Hopkins-first was known as west Minneapolis, then became a separate village and in 1928 was named for Harley H. Hopkins, homesteader and first postmaster.
• Hutchinson-a company known as the Hutchinson Family Singers traveled over the country giving concerts and founded the town in 1855.
• Little Falls-first called "painted rock" then changed because of rapids which lie within city limits.
• Mankato-named by surveyors of the Mankato Claim Co.
• Marshall-named in honor of Wm. R. Marshall, governor of MN in 1866-70.
• Montevideo-Spanish word meaning "Mount of Vision."
• Moorhead-named for W.G. Moorhead, director of Northern Pacific Railroad.
• Northfield-in 1850 John W. North began a law practice in St. Anthony.
• Owatonna-means straight-It was settled in 1853 around the Straight River Pipestone-after the red pipestone quarries.
• Red Wing-after a succession of Sioux chiefs.
• Rochester-founded by George Heard in 1854 who came from Rochester, New York.
• St. Cloud-in 1853 John Wilson, early settler, admired Napoleon's palace that he built for Empress Josephine, called "St. Cloud."
• Stillwater-l 843-at the head of Lake St. Croix, the "still water."
• Thief River Falls-the early French called it "stealing river"- it originated when a band of Dakota Indians occupied a secret encampment along the river, hence stealing the land.
• Waseca-1857-Sioux word meaning "good ground."
• Willmar-1869-named for Leon Willmar, a Belgian agent for European investors in the St. Paul & Pacific R.R.
• Winona-named after Princess We-Noh-Nah, daughter of Chief Wapasha (Wabasha).

    Now that you have memorized all that, it's time to depart. Happy vacation!

    Editor's note: Doug Pearson's name was misspelled in one spot in the last Flagpole article.  Hopefully only he noticed it!