Minnesota Marvels

by Dregni, Eric

• ISBN13: 9780816636327
• ISBN10: 081663632X
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2001-09-01
• Publisher: Univ of Minnesota Pr

Table of Contents

Map of Minnesota Marvels	xviii
Minnesota Marvels by Region	xxiii
Author's Note	xxvii
Acknowledgments	xxviii
Introduction	xxix
Minnesota Marvels
Akeley
World's Largest Paul Bunyan	3	(1)
Birthplace of Paul Bunyan
Albert Lea
Itasca Rock Garden	4	(3)
Castles and Trolls
Alexandria
Kensington Runestone	7	(4)
Birthplace of America
Austin
The Spam Museum	11	(3)
The ``Miracle Meat'' Mecca
Beaver Bay
Split Rock Lighthouse State Park	14	(4)
On the Lake They Call Gitchee Gumee
Belle Plaine
Home of the Two-Story Outhouse	18	(2)
Historic Privy Skyscraper
Bemidji
Fireplace of the States	20	(2)
Stones from Sea to Shining Sea
The Original Paul Bunyan	22	(3)
Symbol of the American Worker
Bena
Big Fish Supper Club	25	(3)
Drive-In Muskie
Bloomington
The Mall of America	28	(2)
Shopping Space Station
Thunderbird Motel	30	(3)
Totem Pole Dining Room and Pow-wow Lounge
Blue Earth
The Jolly Green Giant	33	(3)
Shoe Size: 78, Smile: 48 Inches Long
Bongards
Humongous Holstein	36	(2)
Milk the Fiberglass Cow
Brainerd
Paul Bunyan Amusement Center	38	(4)
World's Largest Talking Paul Bunyan
Burnsville
Fantasuite Hotel	42	(3)
``Blast Off in Our Space Capsule Waterbed!''
Calumet
Hill Annex Mine	45	(2)
The Open Pit Mine Tour
Chisholm
Ironworld Discovery Center	47	(4)
The Concentrator, the Agglomerator, and the Pelletizer
Cloquet
Frank Lloyd Wright Gas Station	51	(4)
Fill 'er Up with Modernism
Cold Spring
Grasshopper Chapel	55	(3)
Miraculous Salvation from an Insect Swarm
Crosby
Nordic Inn Medieval B & B	58	(5)
Viking Valhalla
Darwin
World s Largest Ball of Twine	63	(4)
Man's Dream Realized
Delano
Blue-Eyed Chicken	67	(2)
``Famous across the Nation''
Duluth
Glensheen Mansion	69	(4)
Murder Estate
William A. Irvin Steamer	73	(2)
The Big Tour
World's Largest Aerial Lift Bridge	75	(2)
Elevator to the Heavens
Embarrass
The Nation's Cold Spot	77	(3)
``Freeze Yer Gizzard''
Eveleth
U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame	80	(3)
World's Largest Hockey Stick
Excelsior
Minnehaha Streetcar Boat	83	(3)
Raised from the Deep
Fergus Falls
World's Largest Otter	86	(2)
Part Jungle Gym, Part Sculpture
Frazee
World's Largest Turkey	88	(2)
Tons of Roast Meat
Garrison
Walleye Capital of the World	90	(2)
Happy Fishing Grounds
Grand Rapids
Judy Garland Tour	92	(3)
Follow the Yellow Brick Road
Hackensack
Home of Paul Bunyan's Sweetheart	95	(3)
Robert Frost Roadside Attraction
Harmony
Crystal Wedding Chapel	98	(2)
Underground Eloping in Niagara Cave
Hibbing
Greyhound Bus Origin Center	100	(5)
``From Hibbing to Everywhere!''
World s Largest Open Pit Iron Ore Mine	105	(2)
Near the Town That Moved
Hinckley
Fire Museum	107	(3)
In the Former ``Town Built of Wood''
International Falls
Grand Mound	110	(3)
Prehistoric Colossus in Frostbite Falls
Kellogg
Lark Toy Museum	113	(3)
``Ticky Tack Tourist Trap''
Lake City
The Home of Waterskiing	116	(3)
Ralph Samuelson: Daredevil of the Waves
Le Sueur
W. W. Mayo House	119	(2)
Microscope Saves the World
Lindstrom
Little Sweden	121	(4)
Valkommen till Lindstrom
Little Falls
Charles Lindbergh House	125	(3)
The Lone Eagle's Hideaway
Madison
Lutefisk Capital, U.S.A.	128	(2)
Lye-Soaked Manna
Menagha
Saint Urho, Scourge of Grasshoppers	130	(3)
Patron Saint of Finland
Minneapolis
Bakken Library and Museum	133	(3)
Electric Eels and X Rays Can Cure Anything
The Band Box	136	(4)
Fasten the Turnbuckles and Serve up Supper
Fort Snelling	140	(3)
Minnesota's First Tourist Destination
Minnehaha Falls	143	(3)
Lovers' Rendezvous
Foshay Tower	146	(2)
Minnesota's Washington Monument
Lake Harriet Trolley and Museum	148	(3)
The Mob and GM Dismantle the Streetcars
Museum of Questionable Medical Devices	151	(4)
From Radium Massages to Electroshock Therapy
Ray Crump's Baseball Hall of Fame	155	(3)
Build It and They Will Come
Minneapolis Sculpture Garden and Loring Park	158	(2)
Cherry Spoon and Glass Fish
Weisman Art Museum	160	(3)
Not Another Brick Lump
Mora
World's Largest Dala Horse	163	(3)
Swedish Craft, American Style
Nevis
World's Largest Tiger Muskie	166	(2)
Into the Mouth of the Beast
New Ulm
Little Deutschland	168	(7)
Lederhosen, Schnitzel, and Beer
New York Mills
Art Park and Philosophy Parade	175	(2)
Home of the Great American Think-Off
Northwest Angle
Fort St. Charles	177	(2)
The Life of an Angle-ite
Olivia
Corn Capital	179	(3)
World Capital Intrigue
Pelican Rapids
World's Largest Pelican	182	(3)
``A Part of All of Us''
Pequot Lakes
Paul Bunyan's Fishing Bobber	185	(4)
Relics of the Giant
Pine City
Perseverance the Voyageur	189	(3)
World's Largest Chainsaw Sculpture?
Ranier
Big Vic the Voyageur	192	(5)
The Protest Statue
Redwood Falls
Lower Sioux Agency Historic Site	197	(2)
``Let Them Eat Grass!''
Minnesota Inventors Hall of Fame	199	(3)
Puffing Cannons to Pacemakers
Roseau
Polaris Snowmobile Tours	202	(2)
Iron Dogs on Ice
Rothsay
World's Largest Prairie Chicken	204	(2)
Nine-Thousand-Pound Fertility Charm
Royalton
Treasure City	206	(2)
Minnesota's Wall Drug
St. Louis Park
Pavek's Museum of Wonderful Wireless	208	(3)
``What Hath God Wrought?''
St. Paul
El Dorado Conquistador Collection	211	(3)
Black Velvet to Hardened Foam
Forepaugh and Griggs Mansions	214	(4)
Haunted Houses
Gangster Tours	218	(3)
Ma Barker, Baby Face Nelson, and Alvin ``Creepy'' Karpis
The God of Peace	221	(3)
Onyx John
Iggy the Lizard	224	(4)
The Science Museum's Mascot
Jackson Street Railroad Roundhouse	228	(3)
Hub of ``The Largest Railway in the World''
St. Paul/Minneapolis
Schmidt and Grain Belt Breweries	231	(6)
A Tale of Two Beers
Sauk Centre
Sinclair Lewis's Hometown	237	(2)
Main Street, U.S.A.
Sauk Rapids
Molehill Rock Garden	239	(4)
Reincarnation Paradise
Soudan
Soudan Mine	243	(3)
Journey to the Center of the Earth
Sparta, Wisconsin
F.A.S.T.	246	(4)
Where the Statues Come From
Stiliwater
Vittorio's Bootlegger Caves	250	(5)
Spelunking in Style
Two Harbors
3M/Dwan Sandpaper Museum	255	(4)
Keeping the World Smooth
Vining
Small Town Sculpture Park	259	(4)
Home of the Swollen Big Toe
Virginia
World's Largest Floating Loon	263	(3)
Decoy on Silver Lake
Wabasha
Anderson House Hotel	266	(3)
Working Sleeper Cats
Walnut Grove
Laura Ingalls Wilder Tour	269	(3)
Little Museum on the Prairie
Winona
Julius C. Wilkie Steamboat	272	(4)
Steam Breaks Speed Records
Wykoff
Ed's Museum	276	(7)
Packrat's Paradise
Minnesota Events
Aitkin
Fish House Parade	283	(1)
Austin
Spam Town, U.S.A., Festival	284	(3)
Blackduck
Duck Days	287	(2)
Crosslake
Drive-In Church	289	(2)
Cuyuna
Woodtick Races	291	(2)
Deer River
Wild Rice Festival	293	(1)
Falcon Heights
Minnesota State Fair	294	(3)
La Crescent
King Apple Grand Parade	297	(2)
Luverne
Buffalo Days	299	(1)
Minneapolis
Aquatennial Milk Carton Boat Races	300	(3)
Art Car Parade	303	(1)
Northfield
Defeat of Jesse James Days	304	(2)
Pequot Lakes
Beanhole Days	306	(1)
Red Wing
Prairie Island Powwow	307	(1)
St. Paul
Winter Carnival	308	(3)
Walker
International Eelpout Festival	311	(1)
Waterville
Bullhead Days	312	(1)
Whalen
Stand Still Parade	313	(2)
Worthington
Great Gobbler Gallop	315	(2)
Bibliography	317	(4)
Permissions for Photographs	321	(2)
Index	323