SUMMER TRAVELS – 2008: Minnesota

JULY & AUGUST in MINNESOTA

After leaving Mobridge, our plans were to attend an all school reunion and centennial celebration in Hill City, MN the town where we attended high school (click link). On July 4th a parade was held, and numerous vendors set up their wares in the City Park. I also, set up a table offering my books (The Maverick Series) and my hand crafted pine needle baskets for sale. (see an earlier blog entry regarding these baskets.)

July 5th was the school reunion, which included breakfast and a barbecue dinner, programs, visitation time, and other events. It was rather humorous, as most of us were looking, first, at name cards before faces, since we had all changed over the years!

From there we went to Grand Rapids, Minnesota, where we spent three weeks with family and friends, and fishing and relaxing at campgrounds north of there.

SANDY LAKE RECREATION AREA:
Leaving Grand Rapids, our next stop, was at this recreation area, located off of Highway 65 ten miles north of McGregor, MN. Operated by the US Corp of Engineers, it is situated along both sides of the dam on the Sandy River which forms the reservoir of Big Sandy Lake.

Big Sandy Lake (9,400 acres and 77 miles of shoreline) is located on the canoe route that linked Lake Superior and the Mississippi River. Archaeological evidence indicates that Native Americans had established villages along this route after the glaciers retreated, 10,000 years ago. The Northwest Fur Company established a major fur trading post near here in the late 1700’s. Sandy Lake Dam, completed in 1895, controls the runoff from a 421 square mile drainage area including eight lakes.

Camping sites were spacious and the setting was lovely. Our site was located along the Sandy River, and directly across the road from Big Sandy Lake. Near the park entrance, there is a large mound, which appears to be a burial mound. However, even though used for burials, it is actually an ancient natural glacial mound. And, atop this mound stands a large stone monument, and two old grave stones. The history of the graves and memorial is as follows:
The Monument: The Tragedy of 1850-1851 occurred when treaties between the US Government and the Ojibwe Tribe failed. Details of this tragedy are too great to go into on this post. However, the incident led to the death of about 400 Indians. 150 years after the Sandy Lake tragedy, the descendants of the involved Indian bands gathered to dedicate this memorial to those who suffered and died. This Mikwendaagoziwag Memorial means “We Remember Them”. My information comes in part from a brochure from the Corp of Engineer’s office at the park. More detailed information can be found from the following sites listed in the brochure:
E-mail: pio@glifwc.org Web site: www.glifwc.org or the address:
GLIFWC: P.O. Box 9 Odanah, WI 54861
The gravestones: A plaque at the base of the mound states, that in 1831 Frederick Ayer established a small missionary school at this site. This was attended by both white settlers and Indians until the building was moved to Fon du Lac in 1834. This mound actually contains several graves, but only these two stones remain standing today.

MINNEAPOLIS, MN:
The Seavey family annual family picnic was held on August 10, and we had planned our trip to include this event. Each year a different family hosts this event. This year it was at a cousin’s home in Lino Lakes, a NE suburb of Minneapolis. At least four generations of family members gathered, weather was great and all had a great time.

WINONA, MN:
Located on the Mississippi River in SE Minnesota, Winona was our home for many years. This is where, after our four children were in school, I attended college, earned a Master’s Degree in Art, and taught Art at Fountain City, Wisconsin for 10 years. Winona also was our last home before taking early retirement in 1979.

While in Winona, we stayed at Prairie Island Park and Campground, a large and lovely area located on the banks of the Mississippi River, with a view of the high bluffs on the Wisconsin side of the river.  Our stop here this summer was to visit our oldest grandson and his two darling boys (our great grandchildren), ages 7 and 3. Time with them was short and sweet, especially when we have no idea when we will see them again.

(click on pictures to enlarge)