Plum Creek (Cottonwood River tributary) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Plum Creek |
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Ingalls Family Dugout Site on the banks of Plum Creek
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 Plum Creek runs northwest from Walnut Grove
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| Native name | Kaŋtaota (Dakota) |
| Country | United States |
| State | Minnesota |
| County | Redwood, Murray |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | 44°10′33″N 95°36′08″W / 44.1757923°N 95.6022311°W |
| River mouth | Cottonwood River 44°14′57″N 95°27′50″W / 44.2492°N 95.4639°W |
| Length | 35.4 mi (57.0 km) |
| Basin features | |
| Progression | Cottonwood→ Minnesota→ Mississippi→ Gulf of Mexico |
| River system | Minnesota River |
Plum Creek is a stream in Minnesota, about 35.4 miles (57 kilometers) long. It flows near the city of Walnut Grove, Minnesota. This creek is especially famous because it's featured in the beloved Little House on the Prairie books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Its waters eventually join the mighty Mississippi River.
About Plum Creek
Plum Creek starts its journey and flows generally northeast. It passes to the northwest of Walnut Grove, a small city in Minnesota. The creek then flows into the Cottonwood River. From there, its waters travel to the Minnesota River, and finally reach the huge Mississippi River. This means Plum Creek is part of a much larger river system that stretches across the United States.
Plum Creek also gives its name to a special group of libraries called the Plum Creek Library System. This network helps share books and resources across many communities.
A Famous Creek: Its History and Name
Plum Creek got its name because of the many wild plum trees that grow along its banks. These trees produce tasty plums, which were a valuable food source for both early settlers and Native Americans.
The native Sioux knew this creek well. They called it Kaŋ-ta-'o-ta, which means "plenty of plums" in their language. This shows how important the plum trees were to the area long before settlers arrived.
This creek became very famous because of the Ingalls family. They were pioneers who lived near Plum Creek in the 1870s. Their experiences were written about by Laura Ingalls Wilder in her Little House on the Prairie book series. Plum Creek is a main setting in the book On the Banks of Plum Creek. It's also mentioned in the sixth book of the series. Many fans of the books visit the area to see where the Ingalls family lived and to imagine life on the prairie.
See also
- List of rivers of Minnesota
- List of longest streams of Minnesota
