It’s been a while since my last post – we were to Lake Tahoe, Shaver Lake, Dublin (ca), LA, Pasadena and Palm Springs visiting friends and family. Well back to writing and some thoughts on our trip through Minnesota. Our first stop was at a striking, wilderness waterfall in an urban setting. Overlooking the Mississippi River, Minnehaha Park is one of Minneapolis’ oldest and most popular parks. The 193-acre park features a 53-foot waterfall, limestone bluffs and river overlooks. The park includes Minnehaha Falls – Minnehaha is a Native American woman documented in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s 1855 epic poem The Song of Hiawatha.

Next stop was Lyndale Park Rose Garden. This is a rose garden in a large park on the north side of Lake Harriet in Minneapolis. It is one half a regular rose garden, with many blooming examples even in September. The other half is more botanical, an annual-perennial garden, with floral displays. Across the road is the Peace Garden, a sort of rock garden that invites quiet contemplation.

Moving on we visited the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden – the 11 landscaped acres of the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden is home to more than 40 iconic sculptures, including Spoonbridge & Cherry and Hahn/Cock. 

Sibley County Historical Museum – in Henderson, Minnesota – The August F. Poehler Home – It was built in 1884 for shop owners August and Emilie Poehler and their six children. Since 1949 the house has served as the Sibley County Historical Society Museum.

The is a Carpenter Gothic-style house in St. Peter, Minnesota. The house was the home of one of the earliest settlers of St. Peter. Eugene Cox was an attorney, St. Peter’s first Mayor, and a representative to the State House and Senate. The home, built in 1871, is one of the few fully restored Italianate homes in Minnesota and was the center of social activity for the prospering riverside town. 

Once off-limits, Minnemishinona Falls is a scenic, off-the-beaten-path sight near Mankato – Minnemishinona Falls, which drops 42 feet over a cliff into the gorge below.  Too bad the water wasn’t flowing strongly when we arrived.

World’s largest -Glockenspiel, (maybe) in New Ulm, – located downtown, the 45-foot tall Glockenspiel’s bells can be heard chiming throughout the day and playing programmed pieces at scheduled times through the day. The Glockenspiel houses 37 bells with a total weight of more than two tons. Twelve figurines depicting characters from the city’s history, rotate on a circulating stage during performances. Not really impressive.