Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Minnesota River Valley....August 2010
After a nice stay in Sibley State Park I headed south to the Minnesota River Valley camping at Fort Ridgely State Park. This is a very scenic part of southern Minnesota, it has a wide valley with steep tree covered bluffs on both sides. The town of New Ulm on the Minnesota River was settled by Germans and has several celebrations each year to celebrate that heritage. High on the hill south of downtown New Ulm stands the 102 foot tall Hermann Monument which was dedicated in 1897, it has a viewing platform near the top providing great views. Near Mankato is Minneopa State Park which has two beautiful waterfalls and several buildings built by the WPA in the late 1930s, it was Minnesota's third state park, established in 1905. Fort Ridgely State Park, where I camped, became a state park in 1911 as a memorial to the old fort that was built in 1853, the fort was the site of a seige in the U.S.-Dakota Conflict in August 1862. The CCC built several buildings at the park in the 1930s, all of them are still standing. Fort Ridgely was one of the few state parks in southern Minnesota I had never visited, I was pleasantly surprised by it's beauty and the thickly wooded campground offered great birding with many Warbler species and a Pileated Woodpecker.
Minnesota River
Lower Falls and Footbridge at Minneopa State Park near Mankato
Upper Falls Minneopa State Park
Building constructed by the WPA in 1939....Minneopa State Park
New Ulm
Hermann Monument In New Ulm's Hermann Heights Park is 102 foot tall
Stairway to the Dome
Brickwork inside the Monument's Dome
Spire at Martin Luther College from the Monument
Lion on the Monument overlooks New Ulm
The Hermann Statue is 32 foot tall
New Ulm and the heavily wooded bluffs along the Minnesota River
The Shelter House/Beach House at Flandrau State Park on the south side of New Ulm was built by the WPA in 1938
The Schell Brewery is a New Ulm landmark that's celebrating it's 150th Anniversary in 2010
Black-eyed Susan in the Schell Brewery Gardens
Begonias at the Schell Brewery
My campsite at Fort Ridgely State Park was a great place for Birding
Arched Footbridge at the Campground
Water Tower and Maintenance Building....Fort Ridgely State Park
The Commissary Building, restored in the 1930s by the Veterans Conservation Corps is the only remaining building of Old Fort Ridgely
Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrel on the lawn near the Commissary Building
Scene along the highway in the beautiful Minnesota River Valley
Minnesota River
Lower Falls and Footbridge at Minneopa State Park near Mankato
Upper Falls Minneopa State Park
Building constructed by the WPA in 1939....Minneopa State Park
New Ulm
Hermann Monument In New Ulm's Hermann Heights Park is 102 foot tall
Stairway to the Dome
Brickwork inside the Monument's Dome
Spire at Martin Luther College from the Monument
Lion on the Monument overlooks New Ulm
The Hermann Statue is 32 foot tall
New Ulm and the heavily wooded bluffs along the Minnesota River
The Shelter House/Beach House at Flandrau State Park on the south side of New Ulm was built by the WPA in 1938
The Schell Brewery is a New Ulm landmark that's celebrating it's 150th Anniversary in 2010
Black-eyed Susan in the Schell Brewery Gardens
Begonias at the Schell Brewery
My campsite at Fort Ridgely State Park was a great place for Birding
Arched Footbridge at the Campground
Water Tower and Maintenance Building....Fort Ridgely State Park
The Commissary Building, restored in the 1930s by the Veterans Conservation Corps is the only remaining building of Old Fort Ridgely
Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrel on the lawn near the Commissary Building
Scene along the highway in the beautiful Minnesota River Valley
Monday, August 30, 2010
Minnesota's Sibley State Park....August 2010
Last week I took a short vacation to Minnesota, a place I've traveled to in August eighteen of the last twenty-one Summers. I camped in state parks with my first stop being Sibley where I spent two nights. Sibley State Park was established in 1919, it was named for Minnesota's first governor, Henry Sibley, who enjoyed spending time in the area. The Civilian Conservation Corps known as the CCC did extensive work in the park beginning in 1935, they constructed roads and trails and also built several stone and log "rustic style" buildings. The area of the park is on the Alexandria Moraine which runs in a fairly narrow band through west-central Minnesota and is characterized by lakes, high hills, and forest. It's a beautiful place to spend time in late August.
Lake Andrew...swimming beach and boat dock
West end of Lake Andrew
Bee on a Wild Aster
The next three photos are of buildings erected by the CCC in the 1930s. Note the stone drinking fountain, there are many throughout the park.
Water tower
Beautiful workmanship which has stood the test of time.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird near the Visitor Center
A stand of Paper Birch near the Campground
Interpretive Center
Goldenrod
A small lake behind the Interpretive Center
Observation Deck on Mount Tom...highest point in the park
White-tailed Deer along the trail
A view from the top of the Mount Tom Observation Deck
Lily Pads
Water Lily bloom
Lake Andrew...swimming beach and boat dock
West end of Lake Andrew
Bee on a Wild Aster
The next three photos are of buildings erected by the CCC in the 1930s. Note the stone drinking fountain, there are many throughout the park.
Water tower
Beautiful workmanship which has stood the test of time.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird near the Visitor Center
A stand of Paper Birch near the Campground
Interpretive Center
Goldenrod
A small lake behind the Interpretive Center
Observation Deck on Mount Tom...highest point in the park
White-tailed Deer along the trail
A view from the top of the Mount Tom Observation Deck
Lily Pads
Water Lily bloom