What's Up With That? Why is it called Land O' Lakes?

Not too long ago, someone asked how Land O’ Lakes got its name. We figured if they wanted to know, others new to the area might, too.

Here’s the scoop:

Answering the question isn’t as easy as it sounds. There is some controversy surrounding the date the community’s name came into being, what inspired the name and who was responsible for it.

According to Fivay.org, some claim the name resulted from a 1949 contest where the butter company’s name was selected. Others say it originated during an earlier civic association meeting where a woman stood up and said there were “about 2,000 people and about 2,000 lakes.”

The historical marker at the has the naming date set at 1950, but historians say the name actually came into being in 1949.

While the mechanism for the name selection and the exact date remain fuzzy in history, the state officially began recognizing the name in 1950 when it began putting it on map, according to Fivay.org.

To have your question featured in "What's Up With That?" just ask away in our Q&A section. We'll try to get you an answer or another Land O' Lakes Patch reader can chime in.