The Founding of Winona

Winona is named for either the sister or cousin of Wabasha (Wapahaṡa), one of the Dakota leaders with this name who had a village at Wabasha’s Prairie, the future site of the city of Winona. The name Winuna refers to the first-born in a Dakota family who is a girl.

The city of Winona was founded in 1851, just months after the two 1851 treaties were signed. Orrin Smith, credited with founding the city of Winona, was a steam boat captain who was familiar with the region.

The story of Winuna was told by different Dakota people to several early visitors including Zebulon Pike (1805), Stephen Long (1817), William Keating (1823), William Joseph Snelling (1830) and Mary Eastman (1849). The story tells of a young Dakota woman who is matched with a man she does not accept. Her response was to throw herself off what would be named “Maiden Rock” at Lake Pepin. This narrative is reflected in the Socha mural.¹

While this story was shared by Dakota people, newcomers to Mni Sóta Maḳoce were attracted to the tragedy of this story. In reflecting on hearing this story, Zebulon Pike stated that Winona’s suicide “ended her troubles” and he praised her actions as “a wonderful display of sentiment in a savage!” ²

The 1851 Treaties

They knew—or thought they knew—what was best for the Indians, and the end justified the means. By a remarkable coincidence, what was deemed best for the Indians was invariably also to the advantage of the government, the traders, and, above all, the land-hungry settlers.³

The treaties of Traverse des Sioux and Mendota were negotiated in the summer of 1851. Negotiations began with the Sisituƞwaƞ and Waḣpetuƞwaƞ bands. Having less experience in treating with the U.S., these bands were engaged first. After signing the original treaty, each signer was ushered to another document for a signature. This document, now referred to as the “Trader’s Papers,” stipulated that the traders would be first compensated for debts they claimed. These claims consumed the majority of the money set aside for the Dakota -- funds the Dakota would need to live on for the following year.

On July 29, negotiations began with the other two bands, the Bdewakaƞtuƞwaƞ (or Mdewakaƞtuƞwaƞ) and the Waḣpekute. These bands had more experience in treaty-making with the United States. Leaders of these bands had many grievances from previous agreements that hadn’t been addressed or resolved. However, because the other bands had already signed treaties, it gave the Bdewakaƞtuƞwaƞ and Waḣpekute few options.

These two treaties encompassed much of the southern half of Minnesota and placed Dakota people on reservations. The dishonest actions of the United States in these treaties provides important context for what would come in 1862.

Citation 1--Minnesota Place Names, Warren Upham, 2001, pp 631

Citation 2--The Winona Legend, Minnesota History, G. Hubert Smith, December 1932, p 367

Citation 3--The History of the Santee Sioux, Roy Meyer, 1993, pp. 78

Oct. 11, 2017

Iyekiyapiwin Darlene St. Clair
Associate Professor
Saint Cloud State University