CHAPTER XXI. 



THE GEOLOGY OF BIG STONE AND LAC QUI PARLE COUNTIES. 



BY WARREN UPHAM. 



Situation and area. Big Stone and Lac qui Parle counties (plate 29) 

 are in western Minnesota, adjoining Dakota. They lie on opposite sides of 

 the Minnesota river, which forms the boundary between them. Both these 

 counties and also Lac qui Parle river, township and village, derive their 

 names from those of long lakes through which the Minnesota river flows. 

 The name of Big Stone lake alludes to the conspicuous outcrop of granite 

 found in the Minnesota valley one to three miles below the foot of the 

 lake; and the French name Lac qui Parle, meaning the Lake that Talks, is 

 a translation of its aboriginal title, applied to it because of echoes thrown 

 back by its bordering bluffs, or, as some say, on account of the loud sound 

 of waves dashing on rocky portions of its shore. Lac qui Parle village, 

 which is the county seat, two miles south from the foot of the lake, is 130 

 miles, in a direct line, west from Minneapolis, and 140 miles from St. Paul. 

 Ortonville, the county seat and largest town of Big Stone county, situated 

 at the outlet of Big Stone lake, is 34 miles northwest of Lac qui Parle, and 

 about 160 and 170 miles distant, respectively, from Minneapolis and Saint 

 Paul; aTnd its distance north from the southwest corner of the state is 125 

 miles. 



The area of Big Stone county is 536.31 square miles, or 343,234.75 acres, 

 of which 26,737.33 acres are covered by water, including Marsh lake and 

 half the width of Big Stone lake; and the area of Lac qui Parle county is 

 771.93 square miles, or 494,037.40 acres, of which 1,227.57 acres are covered 

 by water, not including the lakes on its northeast boundary. 



