Website NewsCastic notes Minnesota’s ‘Top 10’ (Alpha is in as well)
The website NewsCastic (www.newscastic.com) recently noted the “Top 10” Minnesota towns that sport “a really cool name” – and Odin, Minnesota was one of those recognized.
To select those considered to be the “coolest” names, NewsCastic culled through a list of all 853 cities in the states, scrutinizing them with the knowledge that Minnesota is a state chock full of towns named after lakes, Saints – and Norwegian stuff. In the website’s opinion, the top 10 they selected separated themselves from the rest with their silly, interesting – and even provocative names.
As NewsCastic puts it, “Odin is one of the coolest mythological characters of all time, so it’s not a shocker that people in Minnesota would name a town after the Norse King of the Gods. The actual town of Odin? Significantly less cool. The fact that the most notable thing that happens in Odin is a five-weekend craft fair should tell you all you need to know about this southwest Minnesota city.”
Well . . . there is more to know – about the Norse god – and the village in Watonwan County.
According to Odin, Minnesota history, the name Odin is thousands of years old. Odin (or Oden or Wuoton), was the highest god who ruled in the North (Scandinavia, especially Norway) and among the Germanic peoples. Long ago, the Vikings of Norway believed there were many gods and goddesses who lived in a mythical Norse heaven called Valhalla. In Valhalla, here was a throne where the most important god, Odin, sat. The god Thor sat at his side, and on his shoulders were two birds, Hugin and Munon. The birds could fly all over Valhalla and tell Odin everything that happened. Odin also had a horse, Sleipner – the fastest horse of all. Sleipner had eight legs and could jump over the widest chasms. Odin had just one eye – because he sacrificed the sight in his other eye to be wise. After his eye sank into the “Well of Wisdom,” Odin drank from the water and became recognized for his great wisdom. In Norse mythology, he was known as “All Father.” His wife, Frigg, was one of the warrior groups. After Norway was Christianized in the 900s A.D., Odin and the pagan gods were no longer worshipped – but the old myths remain as wonderful stories told to this day. This story was brought back to Odin, Minnesota by residents Carlton and Violet Brudelie. It was written in the Icelandic language, and translated into English by Paul Kjelstad of Hanska.
Back in 1870, when a meeting of men in the area was held to select a name for the township, one of those attending, Sulfest Langeland, reported the choice of “Odin.”
Above-and-beyond the naming of village and township, the group of Norwegian ancestors (and even some Swedish connections), band together to maintain interest in their little town. Volunteers created a prime softball diamond, accented by the “Odin Dome” shelter house and kitchen. As NewsCastics noted, the Odin Craft Mill swells the population of the town during their series of Fall and Spring Craft Shows. Odin is also home to B & B Specialties, which cooks up the Norwegian culinary treats of rosettes and kumkake, as well as the Odin State Bank. The residents of the town and surrounding area also consistently join forces to hold fund-raisers in support of the Odin Grocery Store and Cafe.
The remaining nine cities dubbed by NewsCastics to have “really cool names” include:
* Alpha – “Lovely, isn’t it? The tiny town of Alpha is located in southwestern Minnesota, and is home to just 116 people. Popular hangouts include the Post Office, the corner of Palmer and Bismark, and the town hall. The most notable thing to ever happen in the city was the time the Google Maps car drove through town.”
* Funkley – “The smallest town in Minnesota also happens to have one of the coolest names. Only the truly funky are allowed in Funkley, which explains why five people live there. I seems like every small town in Minnesota has at least one bar, and Funkley is no exception. And the owner is also the mayor of the town.”
* Starbuck – “The town was named after William Starbuck, a New Yorker who financed the nearby Little Falls and Dakota Railroad. Located in west-central Minnesota, Starbuck is on the western shore of Lake Minnewaska, and like any good small Minnesota town, they have their own Dairy Queen. Unfortunately, they do not have a Starbucks.”
* Good Thunder – “Good Thunder was named after a Winnebago chief, who is described on the town’s website as “a friend of the white people.” In 1978, the city was faced with a crisis when the Milwaukee Wisconsin Railroad discontinued service to the area. So they did what any good small town would do – they came up with a gimmick to get people to visit. The murals on The Good Thunder Feed and Grain Elevator bring in dozens of visitors every year, most of them being bored travelers passing through town on their way to something more interesting.”
* Leonidas – “You’ll find Leonidas way up in the Iron Range, about five minutes west of Eveleth. Not even the collective powers of Greek kings and Google can conjure up something interesting about this city.”
* Zumbrota – “There is only one city named Zumbrota in the entire world, and it resides about 25 minutes northwest of Rochester. The word Zumbrota doesn’t stand for anything, and it’s not the name of the town founder. It’s actually a botched attempt at combining the French name for a local river, with the Dakota Indian word for village. The city is somewhat known for its covered bridge, which is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places.”
* Rollingstone – “Rollingstone is home to the Luxemborg Heritage Museum, which hosted Grand Duke Henri in 1991. It’s open year round, so if you want to see a bunch of Dutch stuff, take a drive down to southeastern Minnesota and visit during Winona County Treipenfest, a festival that is over 150 years old.”
* Nimrod – “Home to the Nimrod Gnats town ball team, and only 69 citizens, this north-central Minnesota town was named after Noah’s great grandson from the Book of Genesis. The Nimrod Jubilee Days take place every Labor Day weekend, and feature fun events such as mud races, a softball tournament, and something called a ‘bull bash.'”
* Climax – “I know what you’re thinking. And yes, you’re absolutely right. Climax was named after a popular chewing tobacco from the 1800s. Oh, you were thinking something else? 267 very satisfied Minnesotans live in Climax.”
