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Lake Calhoun's Name To Remain

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The Minneapolis Park Board recently received an opinion from its attorney stating that the Minneapolis Park Board does not have the authority to rename Lake Calhoun.

The renaming of lakes, rivers and other bodies of water falls under the jurisdiction of the Minnesota Commissioner of Natural Resources. But the Park Board's attorney believes that the Commissioner is powerless to rename any lakes that have held a name for more than 40 years -- per state statute -- as Lake Calhoun has.

A Minneapolis resident, John Winters, researched John Caldwell Calhoun, who the Minneapolis lake is named after. He found Calhoun held every major post in national government except the President, but intensely defended slavery.

For the foreseeable future, however, it looks like Lake Calhoun will keep its name.

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