Summer 2021 Hometown Messenger

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Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community are working together to ensure all voices are represented in the unique trail project. “It is important to have a well-rounded, accurate portrayal of history. The Shakopee Riverfront Cultural Trail will be a way to build understanding of cultures,” said Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community Chairman Keith Anderson. “We are serving as a cultural consultant to this one-of-a-kind project and can appreciate the city’s recognition of and commitment to this historically and culturally significant area.” THE STORY OF THE RIVER The story starts more than 10,000 years ago when the Minnesota River valley became what it is today. The melting of the last glacier left a wide valley and a meandering river that changed the landscape of southern Minnesota. While today people move by highways, historically rivers have been the main route of travel for animals and hunters. The Dakota first came to the area following game. Later French fur traders came by the river, followed by European-American settlers. “The river is the central thing that brings people to the space that today is the city of Shakopee,” said Bill Walker, supervisor of Three Rivers Park District’s historical interpretation and cultural resource management division. “We are here today because of the river.” The riverfront trail will also be an opportunity to highlight the natural beauty of the river by inviting visitors to explore the role nature plays in moving people and crafting history. The hope is the experience will foster respect and reverence and inspire them to be better stewards. “The river’s story is a story that’s better told by having people at the table who are most directly impacted,”Walker said. “You see all the interconnection when you can stand back and look at that bigger picture.”

An excursion boat on the Minnesota River outside of Shakopee, circa 1900. Courtesy of the Scott County Historical Society.

SHAKOPEE RIVERFRONT CULTURAL TRAIL Location: 2.5 miles from Holmes Street Bridge to The Landing Project Goal: The SRCT will bring people together to (re)discover the Minnesota River’s historical, cultural, and ecological significance, in order to build cross-cultural understanding among those who live in and visit the Shakopee area. The SRCT will become an iconic regional destination that demonstrates the value of incorporating place-based history and cultural heritage into local County Historical Society, City of Shakopee, Scott County, Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community and Three Rivers Park District MANY PEOPLE, MANY PATHS, ONE RIVER The SRCT will explore many themes about the river and the people who made this place their home. The experiential trail will highlight different topics, including: • Dakota homeland in Minnesota • Dakota life along the river in Tinta Otunwe • European-American settlement • Dakota-Settler interactions and relationships • Immigration • River industries • Recreation on/near the river • River environment, plants and animals planning and development. Consortium Partners: Scott

GET INVOLVED Give your feedback or share your story about the river by visiting: www.scottcountyhistory.org/trail

DRAWING VISITORS The Shakopee Riverfront Cultural Trail builds on the ideas presented as part of the 2040 Comprehensive Plan and the city’s Parks, Trails and Recreation Master Plan to recapture the river and area’s history. The consortium partners are currently developing a visitors’ experience plan that outlines what trail users might do, see and learn while traveling along the cultural trail.

The partners hope the trail becomes a destination and a complement to the area’s other recreational attractions. “We look forward to building strong connections that invite visitors to explore not only the rich history of the Minnesota River but also the trails, parks, and other amenities throughout the county,” said Jacob Grussing, who represents Scott County on the consortium committee. Learn more about the trail at www. scottcountyhistory.org/trail.

The history of the Dakota people in the area dates back thousands of years and includes the city's namesake, Ṡ ákpe II.

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