MN Geography Final Project

Peter Halberg

Orientation

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Geological information

Located in the “driftless” bluff country. This region was formed from millions of years

of erosion.

Geological information

Over time the erosion formed many caves, bluffs and sinkholes that are seen today.

Settlement of area

Winona became first major city in 1853 and its strategic location on the river helped the town grow to the third largest city in Minnesota by 1860.

Winona

Winona helped the region by serving as a transportation hub and was a major saw milling area and the fourth largest wheat port in America by 1870.

Pop: 27,592 Steamboat festival

every summer.

Caledonia

Pop 2,868 Wild turkey capital of Minnesota. Near Beaver Creek State Park

La Cresent

Pop: 4,830 known as the "Apple Capital of Minnesota"

because John S. Harris planted the first apple trees in the Midwest here.

Rushford

Pop 2350 The town was flooded out this year.

Things to do around the area

Many outdoor activities are available in any of the local state parks or forests.

Richard J Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest

The Minnesota Legislature established the Whitewater Management Area in 1931.

An interesting activity is designated ATV trails.

Great River Bluffs State Park

3067 acres 500ft bluffs overlooking river Underdeveloped due to rare plants.

Apple Blossom Drive

Has some of the most distinct apple varieties in the United States.

Beaver Creek Valley State Park

1187acre park A Native American village was once present.

Mississippi River

River was original “highway” to Minnesota MN Used to float logs down to St Louis, MO Popular place for boating and fishing recreation.

Mound Prairie WMA

This 346 acre parcel is the first wildlife management area to be established in Houston County.

Hosts the blanding's turtle, a state threatened species.

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Geological information

Ryolite and Basalt dominates the area with massive cliffs over the lake formed by prehistoric Laval flows. These flows also formed agates, which are sought after by collectors.

Geological Information

Not far inland is where the majority of Iron deposits in Minnesota are located.

Pine forests dominate this region.

Settlement of area

The area was primarily settled by miners who either worked in a nearby mine or processing plant.

Many of the small mining towns never recovered from after the mines either slowed production or shut down.

Two Harbors

Pop: 3,745 Two Harbors consisted of two separate

communities called Agate Bay and Burlington. On the twenty-six miles of track between Duluth

and Two Harbors, one can choose options for two to six hour rides through the woodlands and along the shore of Lake Superior.

Two Harbors is a mining town

Two Harbors

Silver Bay

Pop: 1887 The city was founded on May 1, 1954 after

previously being known as the Beaver Bay housing project.

The city's main industry was refining taconite pellets to be shipped

My grandparents retired and moved up there. The town has been on a gradual decline since

mining operations have slowed.

Silver Bay

Beaver Bay

Pop: 181 Established in 1856, it is the oldest settlement

on the north shore of Lake Superior. Hwy 61 runs straight through town

Tofte

Pop 226 One of three townships located in cook county

Superior National Forest

3.9 million Acres The forest contains both true boreal forest, and

a mixed conifer-hardwood forest known as the North Woods, a transition province between the northern boreal forest and deciduous forests to the south.

Tettegouche State Park

Size 9,346 Acres Name stems from the Tettegouche Club, an

association of local businessmen which purchased the park in 1910.

A perfect place to go hiking during the day.

George H Crosby Manitou State Park

Area 3320 Acres Land donated by George H. Crosby in 1955. The Park was named after Crosby and the

Manitou river which runs through the park. The park was intentionally left undeveloped.

Gooseberry Falls State Park

Located 13 miles NE of Two Harbors 18 miles of hiking trails located in the park The park has a series of falls leading towards

Lake Superior.

Gooseberry falls

Superior Hiking trail

275 mile hiking trail runs from Duluth to Canada.

The path is 18-inches wide and is set in the middle of a 4 foot clearing.

In December, 2000, Backpacker Magazine named the Superior Hiking Trail the trail with the "Best Trail/Camp/Shelter conditions," the trail with the "Best Signage" in the country, and one of the most scenic trails in the nation.

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Geological Features

-Relatively Flat area Southern area around lower red lake is primarily wetlands.

-Dotted with many small lakes and is in the lower region of the Bog Area of Minnesota.

Geological Features

Settlement

This area was relatively unsettled until railroads made their way through Minnesota

The area is now primarily settled by farmers due to the flat geological features of the area.

Bagley

Pop: 1392 County offices located in town.

Clearbrook

Pop: 560 Is named from a brook running through the

town Known for growing wild rice. Has three oil pipelines intersecting

McIntosh

Pop: 638 When the "Thirteen Towns", 13 townships in

Polk County, Minnesota, were opened for settlement in 1883, settlers homesteaded the region. King Township, in which the village of McIntosh was located, was one of those 13 townships.

Oklee

Pop: 435 Main industry is Farming

Fosston

Pop 1527 he city of Fosston is reputed to be the adopted

hometown of Cordwood Pete, younger brother of famed lumberjack Paul Bunyan.

Lower Red Lake

located on the Red Lake Indian Reservation.

White Earth Indian Reservation

Home to the White Earth Nation. The White Earth Reservation was created on

March 19, 1867, during a treaty signing in Washington DC.

Red Lake Indian Reservatoin

Pop: 5,162 Highest populated Indian reservation in

Minnesota. Home to the Red Lake Band of Chippewa.

Pine Lake

Pop: 329 Shares name with nearby Pine Lake.

Red Lake River

Begins on lower part of Red Lake and flows westward to Grand Forks.

Has a chain of rapids near Crookston.

Leonard

Pop: 41 Located next to west four legged lake. Was an original railroad town. The railroad left

and the town has been loosing pople ever since.

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Geological Features

-Primarily Flat area suitable for farming.

-Along the northeast edge of the Great Plains.

Settlement of the Region

Settlement

Region settled by farmers after the Railroads came though.

Has a dam located along HWY 75 near Odessa, MN

Granite Falls is the largest city in the area.

Montevideo

Pop: 5383 Established in the 18th century by fur traders. On the edge of Montevideo stands the Camp

Release State Monument. At this site, in the fall of 1862, the Dakota tribes surrendered and released 269 captives to Colonel Henry Sibley.

Granite Falls

Pop 3,070

On July 25, 2000, Granite Falls was hit by a powerful tornado killing one and injuring 12.

Ortonville

Pop: 1916 Contains the municipal airport. Located at southern tip of Big Stone Lake

Benson

Pop: 3,240 Located along the Chippewa River. Early development strongly tied to railroad

companies.

Kerkhoven

Roughly 100 miles outside of Twin Cities. Incorporated in 1881 and was influenced by the

railroads in growth.

Marsh Lake

Minnesota River

332 miles long Name means “sky-tinted water” or “cloudy-sky

water” For over a century prior to the organization of

the Minnesota Territory in 1849, the name St. Pierre had been generally used to identify the river.

Clara City

- Claims to have two residential sub-divisions

- Lots are priced from $2,000 a piece.

-Region dominated by farming.

Works Cited

http://www.caledoniamn.gov/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caledonia,_Minnesota

http://rushford.govoffice.com/

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_forests/sft00033/index.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Crescent,_Minnesota

http://www.cityoflacrescent-mn.gov/cityoflacrescent.html

http://www.rushford.net/main.asp?SectionID=26&TM=14037.41

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_River_Bluffs_State_Park

http://minnesotascenicbyways.com/appleBlossom.html

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/eco/nongame/land_preservation/projects.html

http://endangered-species-1.com/endangered/blandings-turtle-wont-you-help-preserve-this-endangered-species/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Shore_(Lake_Superior)#Geology

Works Cited

http://www.planetware.com/picture/minnesota-superior-north-shore-region-us-mn199.htm

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g28944-c9173/Minnesota:United-States:North.Shore.State.Parks.Photos.html

http://duluthsuperior.railfan.net/northshore_mining.htm

http://www.midwestconnection.com/Lighthouses/lk_superiorLT/TwoHarborsLT.htm

http://www.gbkphoto.com/pages/usa/mn_two_harbors.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver_Bay,_Minnesota

http://images.publicradio.org/content/2007/06/07/20070607_silverbayview_2.jpg

http://superiorhiking.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/gooseberryfalls02.jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:View_from_Eagle_Mountain_Minnesota.jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superior_National_Forest

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tettegouche_State_Park

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_H._Crosby_Manitou_State_Park

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superior_Hiking_Trail

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bagley,_Minnesota

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oklee,_Minnesota

Works Cited

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McIntosh,_MN

http://usa.indettaglio.it/eng/27/035/656058.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montevideo,_MN

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Granite_Falls,_Minnesota#Granite_Falls_2000_tornado

http://www.swiftcounty.com/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={BE713A2C-14A7-4F05-AE77-937CDF6FAE70}

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benson,_MN

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Lake_River

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kerkhoven,_Minnesota

http://www.co.clearwater.mn.us/Government/deptlist/SubPage.aspx?dept=Environmental%20Services&ID=75