We have visited the Root River area of Southeastern Minnesota before, always involving canoeing and camping. But Frannie and her friends will next be visiting a similar area so this trip had a serious purpose and turned out to be fun!
In trying to learn more about the old 1915 power plant that clings to a 200 foot bluff along the river, we visited the Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center, which has sat on the top of the bluff for the last thirty years. What an amazing place and people were so helpful. They have day and resident programs for schools, team building for corporations, summer camps, and almost any other configuration you can dream up. When we were there, a sixth grade class was experiencing one of three high ropes courses (pictured). Those ropes are about 35 feet up and the students walked on single ropes and logs, guided by other ropes. I don't think Frannie will try it but Ben and Nancy might.
Then, killing time waiting for the museum in Lanesboro to open, we drove through Fountain and stopped at the Fillmore County Museum there. It holds a great collection of things, wonderfully displayed. Especially for Butch, there are several Pietenpol aircraft, known as AirCampers, there. Back to Lanesboro, with a quick stop on the way at an herb farm, and lunch at the Spud Boy Diner, the only wood diner in the country still on its wheels.
At the Lanesboro museum, I was able to look at a number of photographs of the power plant and the accompanying 1700 foot tunnel that goes through the bluff, thanks to a local historian, Don Ward, who has organized photos, newspaper articles and other documents into dozens of notebooks which makes reference so much easier. I found what I was looking for in a notebook labelled "Construction Before 1950."
We finished off a day well-spent with ice cream, t-shirts, and supper at the Pedal Pushers' Cafe.
In trying to learn more about the old 1915 power plant that clings to a 200 foot bluff along the river, we visited the Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center, which has sat on the top of the bluff for the last thirty years. What an amazing place and people were so helpful. They have day and resident programs for schools, team building for corporations, summer camps, and almost any other configuration you can dream up. When we were there, a sixth grade class was experiencing one of three high ropes courses (pictured). Those ropes are about 35 feet up and the students walked on single ropes and logs, guided by other ropes. I don't think Frannie will try it but Ben and Nancy might.
Then, killing time waiting for the museum in Lanesboro to open, we drove through Fountain and stopped at the Fillmore County Museum there. It holds a great collection of things, wonderfully displayed. Especially for Butch, there are several Pietenpol aircraft, known as AirCampers, there. Back to Lanesboro, with a quick stop on the way at an herb farm, and lunch at the Spud Boy Diner, the only wood diner in the country still on its wheels.
At the Lanesboro museum, I was able to look at a number of photographs of the power plant and the accompanying 1700 foot tunnel that goes through the bluff, thanks to a local historian, Don Ward, who has organized photos, newspaper articles and other documents into dozens of notebooks which makes reference so much easier. I found what I was looking for in a notebook labelled "Construction Before 1950."
We finished off a day well-spent with ice cream, t-shirts, and supper at the Pedal Pushers' Cafe.
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