4.5Glensheen - The Historic Congdon Estate(1.281 reviews) - Interesting family history Sunday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Spent 2-3 hours Speciality Museums • Historic Sites • History Museums
Finished in 1908, this Lake Superior 39-room mansion enjoys a rare, intact collection of original furnishings and art. Because of that, it closely resembles the days when the Congdon family first occupied it. Truly, it is Duluth's answer to Downton Abbey. Situated on a wooded lot, the home boasts spectacular views of Lake Superior as well as multiple gardens including formal, flower, and vegetable. Guests are also encouraged to explore the carriage house, boat house, stone bridge, and pier. Children enjoy the pebbled beach for hours of rock skipping while parents take a sit in one of Adirondack chairs. Be sure to check out Glensheen as part of your must-do Duluth bucket list.See more..
4.5James J. Hill House(510 reviews) - Historical Gem of the Midwest! Sunday: 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM Historic Sites • History Museums
Rugged stone, massive scale, fine detail and ingenious mechanical systems recall the powerful presence of James J. Hill, builder of the Great Northern Railway. Guides lead tours that help you imagine family and servant life in the Gilded Age mansion, the setting of the public and private lives of the Hill family. The James J. Hill House is a National Historic Landmark. The home also includes an art gallery, which features work from the Minnesota Historical Society's collections.See more..
4.5Minnesota State Capitol(390 reviews) - If you have an hour or so in Saint Paul, this is definitely worth your time Sunday: Historic Sites • Points of Interest & Landmarks • Architectural Buildings • Government Buildings
Connect with this landmark government building designed by Cass Gilbert through its amazing stories — and learn about its incredible architecture, art and history.See more..
Site of quarries used by Plains Indian tribes.See more..
4.5Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox(321 reviews) - Minnesota Icon - You have to stop here if you are within a 100 miles of driving distance Spent < 1 hour Historic Sites • Points of Interest & Landmarks • Monuments & Statues
Our day 3 of the Tour of Minnesota end here. It's a seven day 330 bicycle ride around central Minnesota. I've been visiting the lakes of Minnesota since I was a baby 50+ years ago. Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox have been a permanent fixture in the lore of Minnesota. The iconic statutes are always busy with people taking pictures, so be patient. Also know that there is a visitor center 50 ft away where you can get information on Bemidji. There is a cool sculpture walk that starts here and runs through the main part of old town Bemidji.See more..
4.5Historic Fort Snelling(230 reviews) - Educational surprise Sunday: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Historic Sites • History Museums
With a human history more than 10,000 years in the making, the area today known as Fort Snelling means different things to different people. Explore the past through tours, demonstrations, and conversations that expand the diverse stories of the women, men, and children who crossed paths here—from the Dakota, who call the land Bdote, to other Native American groups who lived and worked here, to enslaved people, immigrants, fur traders, and soldiers.See more..
4.5Dorothy Molter Museum(202 reviews) - Very interesting museum of a remarkable lady Sunday: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Speciality Museums • Historic Sites
Through tours of Dorothy’s original cabins, self-guided exploration of our outdoor, natural areas, community programming and a wide selection of mission-driven retail merchandise (including our own Isle of Pines Root Beer made with REAL sugar), visitors will leave with an understanding of who Dorothy was, how she lived in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and a greater appreciation for the Ely Area’s natural and cultural history.See more..
A tour of Mayowood is to experience the personal lives of Dr. Charlie Mayo, co-founder of the Mayo Clinic, and his son, Dr. Chuck Mayo, and gives visitors an opportunity to celebrate their amazing achievements in medicine and human service. The 23,000-square foot, thirty-eight room home was built in 1910 by Dr. Charlie and Edith Mayo. The home is built of concrete construction, the first of its kind in southeast Minnesota. Once a 3,300-acre country estate, the house has seen many changes over the years. Indoors, original Mayo family artifacts tell the story of their many world travels and how the home was used as a house of hospitality to entertain the community and VIP celebrity guests. Outdoors, the home is surrounded by a grand terrace overlooking the Zumbro River along with beautiful botanical gardens and an Oriental Tea House.See more..
4.5Landmark Center(162 reviews) - Step into the past with this beautifully restored building. Sunday: 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM Historic Sites • Points of Interest & Landmarks • Convention Centers
The former Federal Court House and Post Office building (circa 1902)is designated as a National Historic Monument, which serves as a cultural venue for a variety of events including music, dance, theatrical performances, exhibitions and public forums.See more..
4.5Plummer House(137 reviews) - Beautiful House and Green Space Historic Sites
We were walking around the SW historical area and saw signs for the Plummer House. He were curious so we followed the signs to the house. We were pleasantly surprised. It is a beautiful stone and slate roofed mansion built in the early 1900’s. The green space is spacious and beautiful even in March! Bonus is a beautiful tower on the grounds. It wasn’t open to view the inside when we visited but the outside self guided tour was great. A must see if your i. The area.See more..
4.5Fort Snelling State Park(134 reviews) - Pike Island Hike Sunday: 8:00 AM - 10:00 PM Historic Sites • State Parks • Points of Interest & Landmarks
Located on Pike Island, this scenic state park is one of Minnesota's most visited attractions, which features trails for cross-country skiing, hiking and mountain biking.See more..
5.0Forest History Center(124 reviews) - A must if you're in the area. Historic Sites • History Museums
CLOSED for the season til June 2020. Discover the past, present and future of Minnesota's forests through guided tours of a 1900s era logging camp and hands-on environmental learning programs. Board the moored river "wanigan," a floating cook shack, take a seat on the porch of a 1930s Minnesota Forest Service patrolman's cabin, climb a 100-foot fire tower and explore the site's self-guided trails.See more..
4.0Judy Garland Museum(99 reviews) - Great Place To Visit. Sunday: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Historic Sites • History Museums
This modest house in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, was home to Judy Garland for her first four years. The 1920's home has been restored to look and feel as it did when the Gumm Family lived there many years ago. Come see where "Baby Gumm" got her start. We also have a Children's museum with many hands on activities for kids that will get their imaginations going.If you are a teacher, visit our website today to plan a field trip!See more..
CLOSED for the season through May 2020. Charles Lindbergh's 1927 flight from New York to Paris launched an aviation revolution. Tour his boyhood home, explore the visitor center exhibits, including a "Spirit of St. Louis" flight simulator, and walk an interpretive trail along the river. Additional trails are located in the adjacent Charles A. Lindbergh State Park. The site is a National Historic Landmark.See more..
The Northfield Historical Society cares for the historic First National Bank building that the James-Younger Gang attempted to rob on September 7, 1876. The main exhibit recounts the story of the brave citizens who fought Jesse James and the other robbers leading to the end of the James-Younger Gang. Additional gallery space in the museum explores a variety of local history topics. Exhibits are self-guided year round.See more..
4.0Old Central School(72 reviews) - History relived Speciality Museums • Historic Sites
Love this place since my father-in-law went to school here. Now a series of quaint stores in a very attractive historical building. Worth the stopSee more..
4.5Jeffers Petroglyphs(67 reviews) - A must experience Historic Sites • Points of Interest & Landmarks • History Museums
CLOSED for the season through May 2020. Amid the prairie grasses are islands of uncovered rock, where American Indian ancestors left carvings — petroglyphs — humans, deer, elk, buffalo, turtles, thunderbirds, atlatls, and arrows. They tell a story that spans more than 7,000 years.See more..
4.0Harkin Store(57 reviews) - Wonderful stop! Historic Sites • Points of Interest & Landmarks • History Museums
CLOSED for the season til May 2020. Savor the smells and sights of an 1870s general store as you sample the wares or try a game of checkers. When the railroad bypassed the small town of West Newton, the Harkin Store was forced to close with much of the unsold inventory still on the shelves, where it remains today.See more..
This recessed mark in the land that was once a dugout, served as the home of Laura Ingalls and family.See more..
4.5Washington County Historic Courthouse(50 reviews) - A quick tour Sunday: 10:00 AM - 4:30 PM Spent 1-2 hours Historic Sites • Government Buildings
Completed in 1870 The Washington County Historic Courthouse served as the administrative and judicial center of the county for more than a century. In 1971, the Historic Courthouse was placed on the National Register of Historic Places as the oldest standing courthouse in Minnesota. In 1975, official business moved to the new government center and a new vision for this architectural gem was developed which included history-related exhibits and activities. Today, FREE guided public tours are offered Monday through Saturday and include the historic courtroom, exhibit rooms and old 1900 county jail. On a tour, your guide will lead you through some important historic moments in Washington County history while touring the historic courtroom, 1900's County Jail, and exhibit spaces. Donations are accepted. In addition to public tours, the Historic Courthouse also offers private tours, school & large group tours, community events and meeting & special event space.See more..
Built in 1871 The Hormel Historic Home strives to preserve the Home and History of the George A. and Lillian Hormel Family. Today, it serves as a house museum and Peace Garden along with a 220 seat Carriage Hall Event Center. Our house museum is open to the public Tuesday-Friday 10am-4:00pm. Adults are $5 per person and children are free. We feature a kid-friendly tour and scavenger hunt.See more..
4.5Historic Forestville(35 reviews) - A beautiful hike and exploration of MN history Historic Sites • Points of Interest & Landmarks • History Museums
CLOSED for the season til May 2020. Tour a late-1800s store, farm, and homestead with original artifacts as you explore questions about the choices and changes that faced inhabitants of this area—from ancient peoples to today's residents. Round out the visit with a game of croquet or horseshoes on the lawn.See more..
5.0Snake River Fur Post(32 reviews) - Awesome time! Near a nice small town! Sunday: Spent 1-2 hours Historic Sites • Points of Interest & Landmarks • History Museums
Learn about the fur trade and visit the Ojibwe encampment. Step into a reconstructed fur post from the winter of 1804. The Visitor Center houses an expansive exhibit gallery featuring a 24-foot birch canoe, a 30-foot tall stone fireplace, and a gift shop. The site is open Fridays & Saturdays from June through September from 10:00 to 5:00.See more..
This is a good example of what sod houses look like. The gentleman who made them has passed away, his wife continues to run this location and is nice. It’s $4 per person we just gave $20 for 4 of us. I worry that when she passes the houses will go away unsure if their children will keep it going. Our children really enjoyed this. See more..
4.5Wayzata Depot(31 reviews) - Don't Miss This Place! Historic Sites • History Museums
Trains go by the Depot and the Depot is located right next to Lake Minnetonka, a large beautiful lake. Located next to a boat dock with many expensive boats to view. Beautiful flower gardens and historical depot to explore.See more..
The grounds are small and contained, which worked great for me or anyone with bad knees. Peonies were just beginning to bloom and some roses as well. The tour hostess was very knowledgeable and willing to offer loads of extra info to those who asked. Sounds like a popular place to hold events- weddings, birthdays, special dinners, etc. Well worth my entry fee- Senior Citizen rate.See more..
4.5Fort Ridgely(30 reviews) - Friends Presidents’ Day weekend trip Historic Sites • Points of Interest & Landmarks • History Museums
CLOSED for the season til Memorial Day weekend 2020. Built in 1853 as a police station to keep peace as settlers poured into the former Dakota lands, it withstood several attacks in the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862 and became a training ground for Civil War recruits. The site is located within Fort Ridgely State Park.See more..
4.5Village of Yesteryear(26 reviews) - Very Interesting all year long Historic Sites
In 1962 the Society was offered the Saco Church located 7 miles southwest of Owatonna, and with the support of the Steele County Agricultural Society, the Society permanently leased a portion of the southeast section of the fairgrounds to begin a pioneer village. The original layout was similar to the center of Owatonna and its Central Park, which was originally circular. Thus was established the Village of Yesteryear, which has grown in the years since through the additional move of historic structures, as well as museum buildings built on site.See more..
5.0Merchants Bank(26 reviews) - A Frank Lloyd Wright original!! Historic Sites
If you like Frank Lloyd Wright this is worth pulling into Winona to see. Beautifully preserved building that still functions as it was originally designed...a bank.See more..
This is one of those places you have heard about but never went there. We finally did :) It is in a beautiful setting. I was surprised you could go inside the mill since no one is there. Absolutely amazing !!! There are signs on all the machines and floors to explain the process of grinding grains. A good little trip to the past.See more..
I was really impressed with the way this memorial was done. It told Senator Wellstone's story and presented his views very well, without being overly political. Any Minnesotan of either party should visit this memorial.See more..
4.5Wanda Gag House(17 reviews) - Make time to visit Historic Sites
I didn’t know anything about the Gag family or Wanda Gag, but I’m so glad we made time to stop and see the house. The home is a Queen Anne Victorian. There aren’t any furnishings, but the rooms are filled with information about the family, photographs, and art work done by the family. You visit all three floors, including Anton’s attic/studio space. Well worth making the time to visit.See more..
I remember that it has a lot of artifacts & on the outside you take a hike through the grasslands around it. It is located on the north end of St. Peter, Mn. just off Hwy. 169. St. Peter was an outpost, located along the Minnesota River where back in the Frontier Days they had Fur Trade & other Tradesmen items that were sold there See more..
4.0Main Street(14 reviews) - Good example of small town America Historic Sites • Points of Interest & Landmarks Downtown avenue characteristic of small-town America depicted in Sinclair Lewis' book of the same name, "Main Street."See more..
4.5Birch Coulee Battlefield(12 reviews) - Excellent history place! Sunday: 8:00 AM - 8:00 PM Historic Sites • Battlefields • Nature & Wildlife Areas
Site of the Battle of Birch Coulee, one of the hardest fought battles of the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862. Visitors can tour the self-guided trails where markers explain the battle from Dakota and U.S. soldiers' perspectives. Birch Coulee Battlefield is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The historic site is open daily dawn to dusk year round. Trails are not maintained in the winter.See more..
4.5Rock Island Swing Bridge(11 reviews) - nice view Historic Sites • Points of Interest & Landmarks • Bridges
great place for the view of the river easy parking and great walking-bike trail has rest rooms and a very nice picnic shelterSee more..
4.5Northfield Arts Guild(11 reviews) - Your local hub for art and artists Speciality & Gift Shops • Art Galleries • Historic Sites
This is a very special place in Northfield and a wonderful hub for artists and art lovers. They offer classes, theater performances, events and more. Great for families, kids and learners of all ages. The staff is also incredible.See more..
What fun to tour the site with a volunteer guide. Learned so much and even located a relative on the CCC roster! Highly recommend this free experience.See more..
3.5Main Street(9 reviews) - figure carvings in corner building Historic Sites • Points of Interest & Landmarks
This historic street features shops, a theater and buildings made from local stone.See more..
Molitor’s Quarry offers a relaxed setting where you can enjoy your dining experience. A family-friendly environment which provides our guests comfortable indoor dining room and bar seating, and unique outdoor area seating. Our friendly staff and When your dining experience is finished, you may want to look around and discover what else we have to offer, including the Quarry, the pond, playground, and scenic outdoor spaces. Depending on the time of the year we may have varying seasonal activities available, including bonfires, trout fishing , sleigh rides, car shows, and our very own Molitor’s Haunted Acres.See more..
This mine history center is located directly across the street from the Grand Ely Resort. My family walked across the street to check it out and were lucky to run into one of the caretakers there who opened it for us outside of regular hours to give us a tour. Our whole family (adults and elementary aged kids) learned a lot about the history of mining in the area as well as Ely history in general, and had fun seeing lots of pictures and mining equipment and hearing stories of mining days. It’s free (donations accepted) but the normal hours are limited (Tuesday 2-5, Friday 3-6). Highly recommend!See more..
4.0Sibley Historic Site(7 reviews) - History of Territory in the 1800's Historic Sites • Points of Interest & Landmarks • History Museums
Visit some of Minnesota's oldest buildings and explore the early 1800s, when Mendota was a major center of the region's fur trade. Among the buildings is the home of Henry Hastings Sibley, successful fur trader and first governor of Minnesota.See more..
This park houses a 19th century federalist style building on the National Register of Historic Places. It is the Gideon and Agnes Pond House. The Pond Dakota Heritage Society hosts events at the Pond House every Sunday 1-4 pm, on the Dakota people, missionaries, and life and times of Gideon and Samuel Pond, pioneer settlers, e.g, river rendezvou, tapping of sugar maple sap for maple syrup, etc. Someone dresses as Gideon Pond and takes you through the house, The house displays the first newspaper in bilingual English and Dakota languages. The city of Bloomington MN maintains the park. Check event schedule on the city of Bloomington web site under newsletter of the Gideon and Agnes Pond House. See more..
4.5Marine General Store(6 reviews) - Must visit! Sunday: 8:00 AM - 7:00 PM Spent < 1 hour Historic Sites • Points of Interest & Landmarks • Architectural Buildings You can’t possibly pace through Marine on St. Croix without visiting the General Store. It’s the real McCoy! The place is over 100 years old. The deli serves super fresh and delicious soups, salads and bakery items. All homemade. Plenty of locally grown organic vegetables in season. Definitely worth stopping by. It will take you back to the good ‘ol days!See more..
5.0International Falls Public Library(6 reviews) - Great materials for children Spent < 1 hour Historic Sites • Points of Interest & Landmarks
My daughter always wants to go to the library when we are in the falls. We come each summer from Kansas. They have great a beautiful selection of books, but also the nicest sets of science/ stem curriculum for checkout. The often have classes, storytimes, and games available to families as well. It’s the best!See more..
4.0John Lind House(6 reviews) - The home of New Ulm's only Governor Historic Sites The Lind House is a very nice older home that goes back over a century. John Lind was the only Governor of Minnesota who came from New Ulm. The house is open to visitors during working hours and you can stop for a peek but I do not think there are any tours. The local United Way keeps its offices there. It is a wonderful old home and can be rented for small parties. It's located pretty much right smack in the middle of town, just one block off the main downtown intersection and kitty corner from our court house.See more..
