Minneapolis - St Paul, MN Area - I

We spent 16 days in the Minneapolis - St. Paul area touring the local and short drive sights.  Our campground was east of St. Paul but had easy connections to all the major highways.  Minnesotans love their parks, state, city, local, etc.  We also enjoyed them, staying in the state parks and visiting / picnicking in others.    

Minnehaha Park - Statue of Minnehaha and Hiawatha, characters from the mid-19th century epic poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow "The Song of Hiawatha".

Minnehaha Falls (53') is the hi-lite of the park.  The park is 193 acres and has bike and walking trials.  

Col. John H Stevens - 1st settler in Minneapolis

Steven's house, originally located at Saint Anthony Falls on the west bank of the Mississippi.  From 1850 - 1855 this house served as the civic and social hob.  The city of Minneapolis and the county were organized from its location. 

The first Flour Mill powered by the St. Anthony Falls, was built by C. C. Washburn in 1874. It was declared the largest flour mill in the world upon its completion, and contributed to the development of Minneapolis. On May 2, 1878, a fire destroyed the mill and a new mill was built and opened in 1880 making it the largest flour mill in the world. At the mill’s peak, it could grind over 100 boxcars of wheat into almost 2,000,000 pounds of flour per day. The product which the signs advertise got its name in 1880 when C. C. Washburn and his partner John Crosby of Washburn Crosby Milling Company won top honors for their flour at an international exhibit in Cincinnati. The building is now a museum.

Upper St. Anthony Falls Lock and Dam - 1st lock on the upper Mississippi at an elevation of 799.2 ft.  There are 27 locks between here and St. Louis (elevation 395.0 ft.)  

Lock has lift of 50 ft. allowing river traffic to reach industrial and commercial sections of the city. 

"The Spoon and Cherry Sculpture" at the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden.  Cheryl with her niece Andrea Myers, who lives in St. Paul.  The garden has some interesting art pieces.

Each year the gardens feature miniature golf course with each hole designed by various artists.  Inspired by the Olympics this hole gets you in the "Curling" mood, Eh!  

Looking south on the St. Croix River into the town of Stillwater, MN. This river was once a major logging river.

Interstate State Park, Taylors Falls, MN - established in 1895 in a joint venture with Wisconsin, which lies across the river. It was the 1st interstate park in the nation. The park contains more glacial potholes in its area than any other location in the world.  The potholes were formed by Glacial St. Croix River as it rushed through the area. Giants whirlpools formed in the turbulent river blasting a vortex of sand and silt-laden water against the bedrock.

Deepest pothole is about 60' 

St. Croix River, Wisconsin is on the right.

Don't fall Cheryl!!!    No this is not Cheryl's "cup of tea".

Eddies in the river today, river makes a 90 degree turn at this point. 

On our way home spotted this Bald Eagle in the open field!