Ask Mr. Answer Person: "Is the phrase 'The Minowa Area' still used? Has it been replaced by 'The Driftless Area?'"

Posted: Wed, Oct 31, 2018 12:37 PM

(Jim asks Mr. Answer Person whether the phrase "The Minowa Area" is no longer used to describe this area. He also wonders if "The Driftless Area" has replaced "The Minowa Area."):

Mr. Answer Person says: "The phrase 'The Minowa Area' came into use because it takes 'MIN' from 'Minnesota' and 'OWA' from 'Iowa.' The use of the phrase was popular 40-50 years ago in this area. You can see the term still in three names: 'New Minowa Players,' 'Minowa Heights' and 'Minowa Distributing.' As phrases go, 'Minowa' probably wasn't the catchiest of terms, so it has fallen into disuse.

As for the phrase 'The Driftless Area,' it got its start in Western Wisconsin and spread in popularity to NE Iowa and SE Minnesota. 'Driftless' is being used because it describes the geography of this area--the hills and valleys which are uncommon in the rest of Iowa, but everywhere along the Mississippi River.

Mr. Answer Person can't predict whether 'Driftless' will have more permanence than 'Minowa,' but since there is already 'Off The Driftless,' 'Driftless Gardens,' 'Driftless Discovery' and 'the Iowa Driftless Chapter of Trout Unlimited,' the phrase seems to have taken the lead in marketing Decorah's attractions.