The town and lake of Battle Lake, Minnesoata was named after a big battle between two tribes. Who were the tribes? What can you tell me about the two tribes and the battle? Did anyone ever do any archaeology work on this site? There is an indian mound there, but it looks like it has been dug up.

Dr. dig responds:
Battle Lake, Minnesota, is a railway village in Otter Tail County. Near this lake and East Battle Lake a desperate battle was fought, about the year 1795, by a war party of fifty Ojibways, coming from Leech Lake, against a much greater number of Sioux. A graphic narration of the battle, in which more than thirty Ojibways were killed, is given in Warren's "History of the Ojibways" (Minnesota Historical Society Collections, volume V, 1885, pp.336-343), which is available in your public library.

As far as I know, no site in the region of Battle Lake, Minnesota, has ever been excavated. I will ring around to find out any more. If there has been any digging, it may be clandestine, which would be a terrible pity. If you know the area well and suspect anything suspicious, you might like to contact the office of the State Archaeologist and ask to speak with Mark Dudzig.

For Minnesota archaeology in general, you might like to go to www.FromSitetoStory.org on the web.