8 Picture-Perfect Towns In Minnesota
Minnesota, which gained statehood in 1858, has a famous reputation as the "Land of Ten Thousand Lakes." Located between Canada and four states of the American Midwest, with the Mississippi River forming its eastern boundary, the state has attracted tourists for generations. Its urban centers include Minneapolis, the capital, and St. Paul, which together are called the Twin Cities. Yet Minnesota's smaller towns are sometimes overlooked — and beautiful. For visitors seeking relaxation and culture in lovely natural surroundings, Minnesota's picture-perfect towns might just inspire your next weekend away.
Brainerd
An unusual name can hide unusually pretty surroundings. The town of Brainerd, population 14,600, serves as the county seat of Crow Wing County (an equally interesting place name) located in north-central Minnesota. Developed mostly on the eastern bank of the Mississippi, the town, founded in 1870, has evolved from a rail hub and lumber mill to its current place as a resort destination, with the Brainerd Lakes drawing vacationers and cabin owners from all over.
The Northern Pacific Railroad Shops is Brainerd's historic district, where rail cars were once repaired, and now offers retail space for coffee vendors, brewers, and other storefronts. Classical music fans will want to catch the Lakes Area Music Festival held each summer. For fresh air, numerous Brainerd parks follow the banks of the Mississippi.
Northfield
Northfield, a town of 19,700 inhabitants, is a great college-town getaway south of the Twin Cities. It hosts two universities: Carlton College and St. Olaf College. The two campuses offer flora well worth a detour, especially at Carlton College's Arboretum, with its gentle walking paths. The town's development benefited from local industries in wheat and dairy production, and these days, the town's motto — "cows, colleges, and contentment" — speaks to a certain kind of good life.
History buffs will want to visit in September when the Defeat of Jesse James Days festival occurs. The event re-enacts the historic 1876 bank raid that happened here in Northfield. The Northfield Historical Society maintains the site of the raid today.
Grand Marais
Grand Marais, with a modest population of 1,400, is a quiet harbor village in the state's far, rural northeast corner. Sitting on the banks of Lake Superior, the place derives its name from the French Canadians who helped settle the area prior to US statehood. The name means "Great Marsh" in French. The tourist can soak up the spirits of the past by seeing the same places that Canada's pioneers, known as "voyageurs," or travelers, once lived, traded furs, and explored. These days, Grand Marais is proud of its creative-spirit vibe, which produces an art festival held each July. The town also organizes a "Moose Fest" each October, meant to celebrate (what else?) moose.
Outdoors lovers will love Grand Marais. The town offers the visitor five lake beaches as well as the Devil Track River Canyon, a nearly nine-mile formation whose river moves southeast into Lake Superior. These sites allow for fly fishing and, in the cold season, ice climbing. Grand Marais can serve as an outdoors person's base for the Superior National Forest, which is the largest national wooded area east of the Mississippi.
Winona
Drawing its name from a Native American princess of local legend, Winona, with 25,800 inhabitants, calls itself "the Midwest's best autumn playground." The town settled in 1851, welcomes leaf-peepers and other fall-season tourists each year. The town's Polish Cultural Institute and Museum and the Minnesota Marine Art Museum let visitors dig deeper into local diasporas, creative output, and fine art. Like Northfield, it is a college town twice over, being home to Winona State University as well as St. Mary's University of Minnesota.
For nature fans, the Prairie Island Campground, along the Mississippi, is a great place to pitch a tent. Lake Winona offers a natural haven amid the bustle of downtown.
Stillwater
With 19,300 residents, Stillwater lies along the picturesque St. Croix River on Minnesota's eastern border with Wisconsin. Well-known for its Victorian architecture, the town draws visitors of all kinds. As the site of a territorial convention in 1848, Stillwater's role in Minnesota's later formation as a state in 1858 has led the town to adopt a bold motto: "the Birthplace of Minnesota."
Stillwater's industrial history is worth a visit of its own. The Stillwater Lift Bridge, built in 1931, is a sign and symbol of the town's economic importance. In lighter industry, Stillwater is the birthplace of the pop-up toaster oven, invented by innovator Charles Strite right here in 1921. Nature seekers in Stillwater can choose among river cruises and other activities on the water or dry land along the beautiful St. Croix.
Ely
Ely has a population of 3,200 and sits in rural Saint Louis County by the Canadian border. Also a former ground for French-Canadian voyageurs, the area later drew miners, industrialists, and other fortune-seekers who were then active in the state's Iron Range mines. The Ely Arts and Heritage Center, built on the grounds of the now-closed Pioneer mine and a part of the National Register of Historic Places, sheds light on these histories.
Today, Ely is one of Minnesota's most loved outdoor hubs. Fresh-air junkies of all kinds come through town as it makes a gateway to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, a million-acre lake and forest paradise. Animal lovers should head to the International Wolf Center, a research site open since 1993, and the North American Bear Center, a new facility as of 2007. Tourists can visit both sites.
Red Wing
Red Wing, with 16,700 souls, is one of the state's better-known river towns, owing to its location and its 1858 founding to the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers. The railroad's arrival boosted the town's economy, which later branches into the transportation and aviation industries. The Red Wing Shoe Company, a classic Americana workboot brand featured in Norman Rockwell paintings, is headquartered here. The town has a hikeable, much-photographed bluff over the Mississippi.
For local culture, the town puts on the River City Days each August, not to mention other seasonal festivals. The town's diverse museums range from pottery and ski jumping to the museum of the Red Wing Shoe corporation, which features a giant, 20-foot-tall men's boot, size 638 1/2, built for the company's centennial in 2005.
Owatonna
Owatonna, population 26,500, sits in Minnesota's southeast, beside the Straight River. Incorporated in 1865, the town, whose name comes from the Dakota tribe of Native American peoples, has a historic district that remains visible and beautiful for modern visitors. Owatonna's Village of Yesteryear illustrates past local lifestyles, with an early-1900s school, railroad station, general store, and other features. The town's National Farmer's Bank, built in 1908, is a prime example of the Prairie School of American architecture, with stained glass and elements of nouveau Baroque and Art Deco styles.
For a bit of fresh air, take a walk around Mineral Springs Park. There, a plaque shares the legend of Owatonna, a Native American princess who was allegedly healed by the area's spring waters. The park and Owatonna's story encourage health and strength among the town's tourists today. Otherwise, Kaplan's Wood State Park, named after a Czech settler near the town, offers trails and cross-country skiing around the 35-acre Lake Kohlmier.
Minnesota's Small Towns Are Picture-Perfect
With so much to see and do in Minnesota, a traveler could spend a busy visit — or several — taking in all the state offers. Brainerd and Red Wing are some of the Midwest's quintessential rail towns made good. Northfield and Winona have educated generations of students from Minnesota and beyond. A giant boot awaits in Red Wing. Natural playgrounds, like Grand Marais and Ely, will inspire outdoor adventurers in the future, as they did the voyageurs of long ago. Whatever a visitor's tastes in culture and natural beauty, Minnesota will help them find it.
