Kossila Oxbow facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kossila Oxbow |
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 Kossila Oxbow
Location in Minnesota
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| Location | Wadena County, MN, United States |
| Coordinates | 46°43′55.8552″N 94°55′19.0194″W / 46.732182000°N 94.921949833°W |
| Type | oxbow lake |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Max. length | 2,450 ft (747 m) |
| Max. width | 390 ft (119 m) |
| Surface elevation | 1,358 ft (414 m) |
| Settlements | Shell River Township, MN |
Kossila Oxbow is a special bend in the Crow Wing River located in Wadena County, MN, United States. It's not just any river bend; it's an interesting example of an oxbow lake that was actually created by a person! This unique spot sits about 1.1 mi (2 km) north of the Mary Brown Bridge and 2.7 mi (4 km) south of Huntersville Park. It's also near the Huntersville State Forest.
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What is an Oxbow Lake?
An oxbow lake is a U-shaped body of water that forms when a wide bend in a river is cut off from the main river channel. Rivers naturally curve and loop over time. Sometimes, two parts of a bend get closer and closer until the river breaks through, creating a straighter path. The old bend then becomes a separate, curved lake, shaped like the U-shaped collar (or "bow") of an ox.
How Kossila Oxbow Formed
Before 1943, Kossila Oxbow was just a regular, unnamed horseshoe-shaped bend in the Crow Wing River. This bend was quite long, about 2,450 ft (747 m) (which is about 747 meters).
However, something special happened shortly after 1943. Instead of forming naturally, the narrow "neck" of this river bend was dug through by people. This created a shortcut for the river, and the old, longer bend became a separate lake. This is how Kossila Oxbow became a man-made oxbow lake!
The Story Behind the Oxbow
Kossila Oxbow was created by a man named Harold Frank Kossila (1881–1985). He was originally from a place called Kauvatsa, Finland.
In 1920, Harold, his wife Eva, and their two sons, Frank and William, moved to the United States. They came from Sedley, Saskatchewan, Canada, and settled in a rural area near Glyndon, Minnesota. There, they managed a farm and Harold started raising cattle. Records from 1933 show that he owned 12 cattle at that time.
Between 1943 and 1945, Harold Kossila bought 120 acres of land along the Crow Wing River in Shell Lake Township. He moved his small farm there. A large, horseshoe-shaped river bend flowed through the western part of his new property. It was this bend that Harold Kossila decided to change into an oxbow lake.
Today, the original farmhouse and bridge from Harold's time are no longer there. However, the land around Kossila Oxbow is still owned and cared for by the Kossila family.
Naming Kossila Oxbow
The name "Kossila Oxbow" was officially recognized between 1976 and 1981. This happened during a project called the GNIS data compilation. This project collects names for geographical features, often from existing maps.
Kossila Oxbow is the only named water feature in Shell River Township.
