With 10,000 Lakes dotting the landscape of our fine state, there are even more beaches-- including one that used to sport a now-spurious name.

So was there really a Swastika Beach here in Minnesota? As it turns out, yes, there was. According to the book, Minnesota Place Names, a small community by that name did, in fact, once exist here in the North Star State.

The book notes that 'Swastika Beach' was on the "southwest end of Fish Lake,' in 'Section 5 of Christiana Township," the book says. That puts it between Windom and Mountain Lake, not too far from Highway-60 in the southwest part of the state.

This BringMeTheNews story also noted the existence of the town with now-horribly racist name in a story, as well, but said that it hasn't been formerly called that since the early 1950's.

However, it should be noted that back before World War II, the swastika itself wasn't noted for symbolizing the Nazi party. In fact, in addition to the community named Swastika Beach, you'll even find the now-awful symbol right here in the Med City, too-- at Rochester's Plummer House.

What?!? Well, as Val found out last year in this story, the now-horrible symbol once meant something quite different. The swastika used to be "Gaelic symbols adapted by Native culture. These are actually symbols of friendship, companionship and peace." That's according to Les Cookman, Plummer House caretaker, who explained why you might encounter it on a tour of one of Rochester's more famous landmarks.

That probably also explains why it was once used as the name of a tiny community in southwest Minnesota, too. But it's still kinda freaky to see written down, isn't it?

Listen to Curt St. John from 6 to 10 a.m. on Quick Country 96.5
and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on 103.9 The Doc

 

 

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