Hennepin Co. Board votes to change Lake Calhoun to Bde Maka Ska

MINNEAPOLIS (KMSP) - The Hennepin County Board voted Tuesday to change the name of Lake Calhoun to its Dakota name, Bde Maka Ska, which means "white earth lake." 
   
Efforts to rename the lake started two years ago. Supporters want to distance the lake from its namesake, Vice President John C. Calhoun. Calhoun helped create Fort Snelling, but he was also a strong supporter of slavery and was the author of the Indian Removal Act.  

Signs around Lake Calhoun have already been updated to include its original Dakota name

The Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board unanimously agreed to use the lake's original name earlier this year. The Hennepin County Board approved the renaming the lake at their meeting Tuesday by a vote of 4-3 after hearing public comments earlier this fall. 

Now, the proposal will go to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. The U.S. Board of Geographic Names will also need to sign off on the change before it can become official.