The name is French for “broken heart”. According to legend, an Indian princess fell in love with a French fur trapper sometime during the 1700’s. However, the fur trapper did not feel the same passion for romance as his young Indian lady friend. After months of trying to seduce the fur trapper, the Indian princess became distraught and filled with depression. The Indian princess felt life was no longer worth living if she could not be with her one and only true love. Devastated and heart broken she went to a nearby lake and leaped into the water. Unable to swim the lake engulfed the life of the Indian princess and she drowned. Shortly after her death the lake then formed into a “broken heart”. Both the city and the lake are now called Creve Coeur after this legendary story. This heart-shaped lake near St. Louis is still there. If you need directions be sure you pronounce the name correctly. It’s “Creeve Core”!
Photo Courtesy Library of Congress
