General: Minnesota

When tourists speak about USA they always mention New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Miami, Boston, Philadelphia and may be few other big cities.
But in this large country there are hundreds of towns, villages and hamlets full of fascination and history; and I wish to take you around the country to discover its beauties that I have visited during the last 40 years.



200 kilometers west of Minneapolis ...
...where the Chippewa river feeds the Minnesota river I found Montevideo, a town of about seven thousand inhabitants.

I have asked to some inhabitants if there is any link with Montevideo, the capital city of Uruguay. Yes, was the answer. The two cities are twinned and every year in Montevideo, Minnesota there is the celebration of the "FIESTA DAYS" (honestly I was unable to understand if Montevideo, Minnesota has been founded ... more

When tourists speak about USA they always mention New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Miami, Boston, Philadelphia and may be few other big cities.
But in this large country there are hundreds of towns, villages and hamlets full of fascination and history; and I wish to take you around the country to discover its beauties that I have visited during the last 40 years.

200 kilometers west of Minneapolis and closed to the border between Minnesota and South Dakota where the Chippewa river feeds the Minnesota river I found Montevideo, a town of about seven thousand inhabitants.

I have asked to some inhabitants if there is any link with Montevideo, the capital city of Uruguay. Yes, was the answer. The two cities are twinned and every year in Montevideo, Minnesota there is the celebration of the "FIESTA DAYS" (honestly I was unable to understand if Montevideo, Minnesota has been founded by somebody from Montevideo, Uruguay).

Montevideo is located in the centre of the western Great Plains of Minnesota, a land rich of brooks and rivers, and is known as the "City of Parks" because there twelve covering in total 50 hectares.
Nine parks are located in the suburban areas, while three are along the Chippewa river that crosses Montevideo. The three parks are called Smith, Lagoon and Wildwood.
The main is the SMITH Park has been built in 1930. Its volleyball facilities and horse riding school are inside aged-old woods. There are also specific areas suitable for pic-nic.
The LAGOON Park has ten areas for camping. The WILDWOOD Park is the right place for hiking and walking inside the woods or along the banks of the Chippewa. All paths are well marked.

Where the waters of Chippewa (without doubt a native Indian name) joins the ones of Minnesota is really a breathtaking sight. Usually Minnesota is a river with rapids but here is calm and you can, specially during spring, canoeing.

Of course there are many other points of interest. If you like, please follow me.

The first stop is at CHIPPEWA CITY HISTORICAL PARK, a museum that include 23 buildings which recall the pioneers age when there was the expansion toward the wild west (west of Mississippi river). Among the buildings we visit the school, the church and some house that have been rebuilt according to the original design (old photos have been used). All around green grass and lush woods.

Few miles away there is the SWENSSON FARM MUSEUM, a seven hectares farm where we visit and old barn, the ruins of a mill and many granite statues (all well preserved). The house is made with red bricks over a granite basement and has 22 rooms.

A short car ride and we reach a former fur trade post called FORT RENVILLE.. It has been built by Joseph Renville (from his last name, surely a French) in 1826 as a meeting place for fur hunters and merchants.

LAC QUI PARLE MISSION, few minutes away from Fort Rentiville, has been erected in 1835 by Catholic Missionaries arrived here to convert to Christianity the local native Indians of Dakota tribe. Inside the building we can see many documents of that time as well as a Bible translated in Dakota language. (This building has been reconstructed in 1942).

Next stop is CAMP RELEASE erected to remember the war between the American army and the Dakotas. Here 1200 Dakotas surrendered to American army.

It is time for lunch and, may be, shopping. So we go to JOSE' ARTIGAS PLAZA that is in the centre of Montevideo. All around shops for handcrafts and souvenirs and several restaurants that offer the true MidWest kitchen.
In the middle of the square a bronze statue portraits José Antigas, an hero of Uruguay Independence war. This statue has been donated, in 1949, by the Montevideo, Uruguay city Council.

After lunch it is time to ride again our car. We drive along the County Road 33 for 12 miles to reach LAC QUI PARLE STATE PARK. The lake has glacial origins and its name means "the lake that speaks". The native Indians of Wahpeton Dakota tribe were also called, in the original language with a word meaning "the lake that speaks". The Wahpeton Dakota built their camp on the Minnesota banks many centuries before the arrival of the "whites". They were, mainly, farmers. Corn, beans and pumpkins were their products.
Today a log house is where it seems that the first tent was installed.
Around the lake there are 10 hectares of wild nature. We can bird-watching or just walk around the green prairie listening the birds and wild gooses sounds. This is a protected area for birds and all other animals.
Ducks, deer, squirrels, rabbits, wild turkeys are just few of local inhabitants.
The lake is full of different species of fishes, if you wish you can fishing.

What we want more?

This is a place to visit if you wish to understand the life of the pioneer era. This is the place to visit if you wish to have some time in wild nature. This is the place to visit for relaxing far away and outside of typical tourist tours.
 

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