Well my much anticipated trip has begun and day one was filled with so much history of the area.
I started by visiting historic Fort Snelling which was originally built to promote and protect fur trade. Luck was on my side since the first person I met was Teresa, an adjunct professor from the University. It was interesting to learn that St. Paul had stations for the Underground Railroad as well as learning how the slave trade of the time impacted our constitution and the 14th amendment. The grounds were wonderful with reenactments taking place. a perfect start for my adventure.
It felt good to walk around and relive the past.
People mentioned that I Must see Minnihaha Falls, so that was stop 2. I met some wonderful people along the way through the Park who were so happy to share information about the area with me. The best was meeting 2 girls who were entering grades 3 and 4 in the fall...they were so sweet and shared some of their knowledge on theatre with me.
From there , it was off to the Minnesota River Center to gather info on the region and plan some hikes out per their suggestions. People have been so kind and friendly; I'm loving it!
What I thought was going to be my last stop for the day was the Mill City museum in Minneapolis. It was so interesting to learn about the importance of wheat to the
area. Did you know that Minneapolis was once the flour Capitol of the world?!
(As I am typing this, I am sitting at a restaurant on the bank of the convergence of the Mississippi and St. Croix rivers....I keep losing focus due to the beauty around me and the delicious food I am eating...) At this point on the river, where the Gold Medal flour mill once stood, is the longest drop of the Mississippi River...50 feet.
A cool event is happening in Minneapolis this weekend; the X-Games! There seem to be skateboarders everywhere!
The 3 rd train is passing by since I sat down to eat which just reinforces the belief of trains still being a big part of movement of goods in this area. Each train had to have at least 60 or so cars each...not like what we see back home.
Last night's dinner cravings brought me to the Midtown Common Market which just showed the diversity of the area. What fun! After meeting up with a few local teachers, I felt I got a good taste on education, native culture, and Native American issues faced by locals...all while having a fabulous time.
Today was an environmentalist day. I hikes a prairie, saw the impact of mayflies hatching ( and we think we have issues with the gypsy moth caterpillars,), which is actually a good thing, explored the rivers from the Wisconsin side (the St. Croix , as well as the Mississippi), and visited small towns (and I mean small...population 66 and 133) along the Great River Road.
I have to say, the highlight of my day, besides the food I am eating right now, is the time I spent interviewing Jessica from the Great River Road interpretive Center. What a wealth of knowledge and information she shared!
Tomorrow will be a travel day as I head down to Prairie du Chien to look at the fur trade and lumber industries and their impact on life along the Mississippi.
It was nice to meet you. Have a great trip! I'll keep checking in on your progress!
ReplyDeleteDan
Mill City Museum, Minneapolis