Snake River (St. Croix River)

The Snake River is a tributary of the St. Croix River in east central Minnesota in the United States. It is one of three streams in Minnesota with this name (see Snake River (Minnesota). Its name is a translation from the Ojibwa "Ginebigo-ziibi" after the Dakota peoples who made their homes along this river. Kanabec County is named after this river.

Course

The Snake River is about 98 mi (158 km) long and with its tributaries drains a 1,009 sq mi (2613 km²) area of Aitkin, Kanabec, Mille Lacs and Pine counties. After initially flowing southward from its headwaters in southern Aitkin County, the Snake flows through Kanabec County, turning eastward near Mora, Minnesota, following a minor fault line. It drains into the St. Croix River 13 mi (21 km) east of Pine City, Minnesota.

Associated lakes and tributaries

Two lakes are associated with the Snake River: Cross Lake and Pokegama Lake. Cross Lake is a translation from the Ojibwa "bimijigamaa" meaning "a lake that traverses (another body of water)", located 13 mi (21 km) from the river's mouth. Pokegama Lake, located 17.5 mi (28 km) from the river's mouth, also gets its name from the Ojibwa "bakegamaa" meaning "a side-lake (of another body of water)".Major tributaries of the Snake River are Knife River, Ann River, Groundhouse River and Rice Creek.

Culture

Along with Knife River, this river served as the main waterway that connected the St. Croix River with Mille Lacs Lake. Chief Kappamappa, as recorded by Henry Schoolcraft, made his home at Chengwatana at the mouth of this river. Near the outlet of the Pokegama Lake is a small creek called Mission Creek, named after a Presbyterian mission known for bringing the first printing press in Minnesota, which it was used to print literature in the Ojibwe language. During the treaty-making periods, this river was inhabited by the "Biitan-akiing-enabijig" ("Border-sitters") who were equally Ojibwa as they were Dakota. The "Biitan-akiing-enabijig" had numerous skirmished among themselves as they defined themselves as either Ojibwa or Dakota, giving a false perspective that the Mdewakanton Dakota Sioux and Ojibwa Nations were at constant war with each other. Eventually, the "Biitan-akiing-enabijig" who defined themselves as Ojibwa became part of the St. Croix Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, and the Snake River sub-band subsequently became part of the St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Minnesota, one of the four constituent tribes of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe.

The North West Company Post fur trade post was established on the river near modern-day Pine City in 1804. The post was used for several years, but was later abandoned and destroyed in a fire. The site was later rediscovered and excavated. The rowhouse and palisade fence were reconstructed and opened up as a living history museum in 1970.cite web|url=http://www.mnhs.org/places/sites/nwcfp/site.html|title=History of the North West Company Fur Post|publisher=Minnesota Historical Society|date=2000|accessdate=2008-09-08]

Together with its tributary Knife River, the 1857 edition of the Mitchell Map identifies this river system as "Portage River" as it served as the waterway that connected the St. Croix River with Mille Lacs Lake and the upper Mississippi River, via a short portage.

ee also

*List of Minnesota rivers
* [http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/canoeing/snakeriver/index.html Minnesota Department of Natural Resources]

References

* Cordes, Jim (1989). "Pine County ... and its memories". North Branch: Jim Cordes.
* Waters, Thomas F. (1977). "The Streams and Rivers of Minnesota". Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press. ISBN 0-8166-0960-8.