10/16/2007 9:19:00 AM Talk of 'dirty river' leads to exploration on water
Historical prominence exists with North Fork
Norfolk got its name from the North Fork.
As the story often gets repeated, "Norfork" was the original name because it was the simplest compounding of North Fork, as in the North Fork of the Elkhorn River.
Then, as legend has it, postal authorities thought the word had been misspelled, so they changed the spelling to Norfolk.
Lonn Atwood, a Norfolk artist, said it makes sense that Norfolk develop the feature for which it was named.
Atwood said another city also named for a water feature did the same thing in the past 10 to 15 years and could be an example for Norfolk.
Sioux Falls, which has the impressive water falls, only in recent years developed the area next to the falls with sidewalks and other amenities for viewing.
For years, the falls were forgotten and neglected, Atwood said. But now it's one of that city's top attractions, he said.
That same possibility exists for Norfolk with development of a river walk on the North Fork, he said.
Mention the North Fork River, and a lot of thoughts come to mind.
From cafe discussions to letters to the editor, derogatory statements about the North Fork River in Norfolk have been flowing. Oftentimes, these statements get repeated so much they get accepted as truth.
The supposed namesake of Norfolk is known as a "dirty river" or "cow pond" to a lot of people.
After reading and hearing these comments, I began to wonder whether the North Fork could be turned into an inviting area, like river walks in many cities.
I always thought the river looked more like a big creek than a river.
My limited opinions of the North Fork stemmed primarily from driving over the Benjamin Avenue bridge and looking at it from time to time. Occasionally, I would eat at the nearby Burger King or cross the pedestrian bridge by King's Entertainment Center and get a better look.
When I have had my golden retriever, Daunte, along with me while walking over the pedestrian bridge, I always let him jump in the river.
From the first time he splashed around in it several years ago, I could tell there was more water in it than many people suspected. Daunte would submerge himself up to his head in the river but would not go far from the bank or to try to swim across it because of the current.
Then, last spring, came talks of making the North Fork into a place that could be a "destination" - a tourist attraction.
Almost immediately, I could tell most people were skeptical.
I realized from conversations that few people actually knew much about the North Fork.
"Where's it come from?" I'd ask.
"Somewhere up north?" I'd be told.
"Is it really that smelly or dirty?" I'd ask.
"Look at it. It looks dirty. Can't you tell?" I'd be told.
I remember thinking that the river does look dirty, but so does just about every river I've seen.
"Is there really too little water in it to canoe or tube?" I'd ask.
"Why do you think people don't canoe it?" I'd be told or, "Why would you want to canoe it? It's dirty."
I started to believe the myths.
Then this summer, Les Mann, general manager at the Daily News, proposed that he and I do a little exploring.
"How about a canoe trip on the North Fork?" Mann asked. "We could be like Lewis & Clark and some of those big newspapers that have sent reporters to trace their footsteps. We could keep a journal and collect plants and take pictures and do reports."
"You're kidding, right?" I asked.
Then he mentioned that Lewis & Clark took along a big dog on their excursion. We could take Daunte, he offered.
Now if there was any doubt he had my interest, that sealed it.
"That's not a bad idea," I told him, wondering if this would ever get beyond the talk stage.
Little did I know that once we actually set a date, we would make plans. When we took our first trip on Sept. 19, my 105-pound dog proved to be the biggest challenge. He would rock the canoe every time he saw a bird or beaver, wanting to jump out.
Eventually he did cause the canoe to overturn, but those details will be shared later.
So what about the claims that the river stinks and doesn't have enough water to canoe it? Are there really cows in it? Does it dry up outside of town?
From our two trips, I will report on our expeditions on both the North Fork and the flood control channel. Some of the things we heard about the river are true, but I am pleased to report, most were not.
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Coming tomorrow: What did the Daily News modern-day explorers find on their trip on the North Fork?
