Plum Creek[1] is a 35.4-mile-long (57.0 km)[2] stream near the city of Walnut Grove, Minnesota. It passes to the northwest of the town, flowing northeasterly to the Cottonwood River, with its waters then flowing to the Minnesota River and eventually the Mississippi River. Plum Creek lends its name to a regional library network.

Plum Creek
Ingalls Family Dugout Site on the banks of Plum Creek
Plum Creek runs northwest from Walnut Grove
Etymology	wild plum (Prunus americana)
Native name	Kaŋtaota Error {{native name checker}}: parameter value is malformed (help)
Location
Country	United States
State	Minnesota
County	Redwood, Murray
Physical characteristics
Source
• coordinates	44.1757923°N 95.6022311°W / 44.1757923; -95.6022311
Mouth
• location	Cottonwood River
• coordinates	44.2492°N 95.4639°W / 44.2492; -95.4639
Length	35.4 mi (57.0 km)
Basin features
Progression	Cottonwood→ Minnesota→ Mississippi→ Gulf of Mexico
River system	Minnesota River

History

Plum Creek was so named on account of the wild plum (Prunus americana) trees along its course.[3] It was known to the native Sioux as Kaŋ-ta-'o-ta ("plenty of plums").[4]

It is known for being close to the homestead of the Ingalls family of Little House on the Prairie fame, and features in the book On the Banks of Plum Creek. It is also mentioned in the sixth Little House on the Prairie book.

See also

• List of rivers of Minnesota
• List of longest streams of Minnesota

References

External links

• Frontier Girl Trail - Plum Creek