Mankato's History

Mankato's History

Pre-history.

The early history of Mankato is shrouded in mystery and legend. It is known that the Underwater City was built about 4000 B.C. and many native legends describe "Gods who arrived in the area in great silver glowing disks" who helped the native people build it along with a great pyramid. It is also known that the city was covered with water in about 1256 B.C.

The First White-Wave.

The year 1714 was a remarkable one for the "Great West Territories." It was in that year that a strange event happened. During the early morning of July 4th, loud cries went up from the sleepy little Wooodan Indian village on the banks of the Gopizup Pahill "Yellow River that Flows Uphill" as the Indians (and Parkistanies) called the Minnesota River at that time. (Canadians called it the Minnesota, ehh). A hot air balloon was passing overhead. Terrified, the Indians shot at it. One arrow hit the balloon and "the rest is history" so the story goes.

July Rambler-Mankato circa 1718
Founder of present day Mankato, MN

The balloon slowly fell to the ground and from its basket emerged a blond haired woman known as July Rambler-Mankato. The Indians had never seen such a woman and immediately thought that she was a Papa-oh-mama! or "a blond Goddess!" (originally mistranslated as "yellow-haired merkin")

The news of a beautiful young woman living in the wilderness with a group of Indians spread rapidly. Soon hunters and trappers from all over the area descended on the area. And the town of July Rambler-Mankato (later shortened to Mankato because of trademark problems with American Motors, Co.) was born. From the very beginning this town was different. Not only was it a warm diversion from the area's brutal winters, but it was a haven of peace and friendship. The Indians, long used to visitations by groups of winter visitors, welcomed the hunters and trappers. The Indians opened their Hokums, well-equipped lodges complete with sleeping accommodations, hot showers, and eating rooms. The trappers traded furs, fresh meat, and hard work for a hot shower, comfortable place to stay, good food, and an alcoholic Indian concoction called Wahhotwah "Water of the Fire Belchers." It was true American capitalism!

The Great Fort Blue Earth Fire Story.

Fort Blue Earth circa 1725
First 'white' settlement at Mankato.

Fort Blue Earth was constructed by the British government in 1722. This incensed the peaceful Indians who thought that it was a slap in their faces. "We are all people's fiends (sic)", said Chief Wanamaker. "Why do persons of fair skin treat us like Wahhoos 'unfriendly people'??" Rather than fight, the Indians showed their disapproval by walking around with long faces and sulking. This so disturbed the white settlers that they burned the fort to the ground in 1726!

The Stoddard/Reuter expeditionary digs of of 1906-1907.

Mankato Silver Disk
Pottery etching found during the 1907 dig.

Pedro Stoddard and Garcia Reuter, Jr. arrived in Mankato in 1905 from Tijuana, Iowa. After several odd jobs at the University, Dean Stoddard and Associate Vice-President Reuter made a unique discovery. During the summer of 1906, while digging a cesspool for President de Scy, the two men discovered several ancient blue bottles containing pieces of uniquely etched pottery containing ancient writings believed to be from the original builders of the Underwater City.

Work was stopped on the dig as the temperatures dropped to the high 60's during the "Heavy Winter of '06". A "Great Room" was uncovered during the 1907 dig. Several pottery etchings were found in that room. Several were of the great Mankato Silver Disks. After a series of mysterious deaths among the expeditions diggers, the mysterious "Curse of The Hag" (a.k.a. "FrurSyndrome") was reluctantly revealed. This curse stated that "...all who tread in this room will die of impotency organo-atrophy". Both men died alone and mysteriosly during the winter of 1907. Unfortunately, the location of the "Great Room" remains a mystery to this very day!

More Mankato History is Under Construction/Revision

Coming soon!! The Yaggi Dakota story!

Nazi Germany in Mankato, Minnesota??? Read The Führer Putz Underbot Verks Story!

Return to Mankato's home page.