Minnehaha is a census-designated place (CDP) in Clark County, Washington, United States. The population was 11,871 at the 2020 census.
Toponym
This area got its name from a Columbian newspaper editorial in 1891. The editor wrote about Burnt Bridge Creek and called it "Minnehaha, laughing water," from Longfellow's poem "The Song of Hiawatha". The name appealed to the citizenry and they kept it. Before that the area was called the "Black Forest" for its thick timber.
While Minnehaha, a Native American word, is often translated as "Laughing Water", the correct translation is "curling water" or "waterfall", as in Minnehaha Falls, Minnesota. The name comes from the Dakota language.
Geography
Minnehaha is located in southwestern Clark County and is bordered on the west, south, and east by the city of Vancouver and on the north by Walnut Grove.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the Minnehaha CDP has a total area of , of which , or 0.26%, is water.