Because of the dense growth of timber around this locality when it was first settled it was called the Black Forest. Later until 1891 it was known as St. Johns when S. D. Dennis, founder and editor of the Vancouver Evening Colombian, who at that time lived in the district spoke of the beauties of the section in an editorial and called it Minnehaha.

Soon after at a meeting of the school board, Samual Finley Carson made a motion that Minnehaha be adopted as the official name. His motion was approved by the other members of the board.

The first school house was built of logs in 1865 on the Frinch donation land claim, with less than dozen children in attendance. In 1872 a frame building was put up and a cemetery plotted on the R. D. Woodworth place.

The Columbian wrote in 1928 - The present school house of four rooms was constructed in 1906. There is $700 worth of equipment for recreation and other uses, a furnace, electric lights, electric plumping plant, and the latest improved fireplace recently installed. One hundred and twenty-five children attend the school.

When Carson, was the first student to be graduated from the eighth grade here. He was the only student in the class of 1901. Now the average number graduating for a period of five years is fourteen. Thirty-two graduates of the Minnehaha school are now attending Vancouver high school.

The first church in this community was the school house built in 1892 and moved across the street in 1906 to make room for the larger school house.

The first plastered house was built by Mr. McDonald about 1888. The first modern home equipped with a bath, hot and cold water, and electric lights was built in 1913 by F. J. Cotterell. By 1928 there are many homes so equipped with fireplaces and hardwood floors, beautiful lawns, shrubbery, and in fact equal to many homes in Vancouver.

Electricity was first brought here by M. E. Carson in 1904 at a cost of $2000 to operate his brick yard. His was the first home to be electrically lighted.

The Minnehaha Telephone company, incorporated Dec. 1,1906 at the home of M. E. Carson after much hard work by T. Buchman, C. F. Alben, and Mr. Carson. At that time 17 patrons, all share holders, put in telephones while at present there are 102 families enjoying the telephone over a very much improved system. The company is one of the most flourishing of the county, renting a great number of phones, and employing a permanent lineman, collector, and secretary.

Another great step in the progress of this community was the rural route started in 1902 by C. F. Alben.

In 1906 Minnehaha residents decided to organize a grange, and met at the Kissel prunedrier. Twenty-five charter members signed the roll.

Regular meetings were held in the school building with S. G. Schoonover as the first master. Within a year a building was constructed for the meetings of this small organization. This was destroyed by fire in October 1920. Again with two years a bigger and better hall was constructed on the back, making a fine grange home.

The building had a modern system of lights, a well of its own with electric pumps, hot and cold water in the kitchen, drinking fountains on the main floor, dining room, fuel room, and stage. The floor of the main hall was a fine floor for dancing. It was used for all sorts of social and business meetings by the communtiy and Vancouver.