Historic Phelps Mill and County Park


Historical & Museum

The Minnesota Governor’s Fishing Opener is a unique time to explore areas that otherwise I may have missed. Enter, the Historic Phelps Mill and County Park. The beautifully preserved mill was initially built 1888–1889, along with a wooden dam, by William E. Thomas, a local entrepreneur who owned a flour and feed business in Fergus […]

June 16, 2021

Lund Boats


Historical & Museum, Retail

One of the best parts about the Minnesota Governor’s Fishing Opener is that the host city or county invites you into areas that would otherwise not be as easily accessible to the general public.  Enter, a tour of the Lund Boat Factory in New York Mills. Lund Boats are a favorite in my family. My […]

May 26, 2021

Mantrap Valley Conservation Club (MVCC)


Historical & Museum, Parks & Geology

Growing up in Minnesota, I spent most of my time in the Northwoods. My parents were adamant about safety, education, and conservation. We were required to take DNR courses on things like lawful hunting and fishing, and recreational vehicle and firearm safety. Enter, Mantrap Valley Conservation Club and Auxiliary. The MVCC is a favorite in […]

July 25, 2020

Lake Superior Railroad Museum


Historical & Museum

Lake Superior Railroad Museum is located in downtown Duluth, in the platforms yard of the original Historic Union Depot, built in 1892, now the Saint Louis County Heritage and Arts Center’s Historic Union Depot. The Depot also houses the Duluth Art Institute, Duluth Playhouse, the Duluth-Superior Symphony Orchestra, and the Saint Louis County Historical Society. […]

September 21, 2019

Treaty Site History Center


Historical & Museum

Just north of St. Peter on U.S. Hwy. 169 is the Treaty Site History Center, the headquarters of the Nicollet County Historical Society. The site’s exhibits explore the history of Nicollet County and Minnesota’s territorial expansion. It also tells the story of the Dakota people, the first explorers, cartographers, traders, and Euro-American settlers. Formerly a […]

August 7, 2019

The SPAM Museum


Food & Drink, Historical & Museum

A few months back, I had posted Explore Minnesota’s Minnesota Bucket List. I had nearly every box checked with the exception of the SPAM Museum in Austin, Minnesota. During the #MNGFO2019, I was finally able to check it off my list! SPAM, if you aren’t familiar, is a brand of canned cooked pork made by […]

May 30, 2019

National Eagle Center


Historical & Museum, Parks & Geology

If you are looking for a day trip away from the city, I suggest planning a trip to the National Eagle Center in Wabasha. Beginning in 1989, the now-center started as EagleWatch, Inc. as a group of volunteers sharing with visitors to Wabasha views of wintering bald eagles from an outdoor observation deck along the […]

April 23, 2019

Judy Garland Museum


Historical & Museum

Judy Garland Museum has been a must-stop for travelers and locals alike since 1975. For those unfamiliar, Francis Gumm who would later become Judy Garland is the jewel of Grand Rapids. She is the star of Wizard of Oz, MGM’s 1939 film that has been seen by over 3 billion people and continues to be […]

February 2, 2019

Rourke Art Museum 


Buildings & Architecture, Historical & Museum

Now that we are faced with darker, shorter days and soon-to-be-dropping temperatures, I have started looking for things to do that keep me inside. Summers in Minnesota are meant to be lived outside and I save anything indoors for the chillier months. With that, I found the Rourke Art Museum in Moorhead to keep me […]

November 28, 2018

Herreid Military Museum


Antiques, Historical & Museum

During the #MNGPHO2018, I headed over the Rock County Veterans Memorial Building which houses Brandenburg Gallery, and the Luverne Chamber of Commerce, and the Herreid Military Museum. The Herreid opened in July 2009 and is located on the third level of the four-story former jail. Floors filled with stories, photos, videos, artifacts, memorabilia, and dioramas […]

October 27, 2018

Blue Mound State Park


Historical & Museum, Parks & Geology

Blue Mounds State Park is in Rock County near the town of Luverne. Named for the linear escarpment of Precambrian Sioux Quartzite bedrock you can see protruding from the prairie polka-dotting the landscape. The old quartzite quarries in the park were owned and operated by the Luverne Granite Company. The stone was used to construct […]

October 18, 2018

Rock County History Center


Antiques, Historical & Museum

When I headed down to Luverne for the Minnesota Governor’s Pheasant Hunting Opener (#MNGPHO2018), I had no idea what to expect. As soon as I got into town, I heard a stranger say to his companion, “Did you see all the nutcrackers at the History Center? We should go there.” I immediately turned my eavesdropping […]

October 16, 2018

Willie Walleye


Historical & Museum

After I went to Big Bog State Recreation Area, I decided I had to see Willie Walleye, the 40-foot, 2 ½ ton fiberglass fish in Baudette. I am a purveyor of all things roadside attractions so taking a trip to see the famed “symbol of the Lake of the Woods” was a must. The idea […]

October 3, 2018

The Twin Cities 400 Tavern


Food & Drink, Historical & Museum

The Twin Cities 400 Tavern in North Minneapolis is an expansive restaurant and bar inside the Marriot. Located in an industrial area off of Broadway, the restaurant was formerly Scalzo’s Italian Grille, and prior to that, the Itasca Room at the Ramada Plaza Minneapolis (now the Marriot). It is named for the Twin Cities 400 […]

July 24, 2018