Bassett Creek was named after Joel Bean Bassett, born in Wolfborough, New Hampshire in 1817, and came to the Minneapolis area in the early 1850's. Set up one of the first lumber mills on the west bank in the early 1850's at the mouth of the creek that bares his name. Bassett served in the territorial council and was an Indian agent in the 1860's. Bassett creek originates on the west end of Minneapolis and winds through the Bryn Mawr area until it enters a culvert around Glenwood Ave N and Bryant Ave N. The culvert runs across the north end of downtown until it exits about 100 yards from the Mississippi River across from the north end of Boom Island. Today there are two lovely pedestrian bridges across the small ravine. This would have been the site of the first Bassett sawmill.
Bethune Park was named in honor of Mary McLeod Bethune (1875-1955) originally from South Carolina. The park and school is located at 8th and Humboldt Aves N. In June, 1936 she was the first African-American woman appointed to serve as the head of a federal agency (Division of Negro Affairs).
Bryn Mawr: Literally, big hill in Welsh. There are towns in both Wales and Pennsylvania called Bryn Mawr.
Camden Park was named after Camden, New Jersey.
Folwell Park, Neighborhood was named after William Watts Folwell. He was the head of the University of Minnesota around the turn of the century and a great lover of nature. He also wrote an early history of the State of Minnesota.
Logan Park: From Mitzi Patterson at the Minneapolis Park and Rec Board: Originally called "First Ward Park". Later, it was called "Washburn Park" and in 1893 it was renamed Logan Park. Dr. William Watts Folwell, who was on the Nomenclature Committee in 1893, when asked the reason for the name "Logan" being given, said, "Because Paddy Ryan, who also was a member of the committee, wanted that name." It was named for Major General John A. Logan, who was also a U.S. Senator, for while Paddy was a good democrat, he also was a good politician and that may be the reason for naming the park after a Republican statesman. Thanks also to Nancy Lewis.
Minneapolis: Literally "Waterfall City". The name was coined by Charles Hoag in 1852 when he combined the Dakota word for waterfall (Minnehaha) with the Greek word for city (polis). Originally, Minneapolis was spelled "Minnehapolis," but fortunately, the middle "h" was dropped before the name was officially adopted.
Sheridan Neighborhood: See Sheridan Ave below.
Shingle Creek was named for the shingle mill that once sat at the corner of Lyndale Avenue and Webber Parkway.
Saint Anthony Falls: This was the waterfall that attracted early settlers and business types to this area. Named by Father Louis Hennepin in 1680. The first white man to lay eyes on the falls of St. Anthony, Hennepin is credited with naming the falls after his patron saint, Saint Anthony of Padua. Naturally, the falls had a name before Hennepin named them. The Ojibway called them Kakabikah (the severed rock) and the Dakota called them either Minirara (curling water) or Owahmenah (falling water). Any of these names are better than its present moniker, but since Hennepin was a captive of the Indians when he first saw the falls, I suppose he thought that since his patron saint helped eventually get him out of the Indians' capture, naming the falls after St. Anthony would be a good way to pay tribute.
Sumner Field: Once a park, then a "project" now a future site for an upscale housing development in the old North Hill area (Short North) just north of Olson Memorial Highway (original location approximately Emerson and 11th Ave N). Named for Charles Sumner, a Bostonian elected to the U.S. Senate in 1851. Sumner was a Republican Abolitionist and partisan politician, and was one of the people responsible for impeachment proceedings against President Andrew Johnson.