Category Archives: All blog entries
The Jefferson Highway: From Palms to Pines? Or Palms to Prairies?
In 1916, at the dawn of the age of automobile tourism, the Jefferson Highway became the first transnational highway in the United States. It connected existing roads between Winnipeg, Manitoba and New Orleans, Louisiana, and was advertised as the “Pines … Continue reading
Gully Day Celebrates The Jefferson Highway
In my presentations on Minnesota’s early resorts and tourism, I have often included comments on the Jefferson Highway. However, with the 2015 centennial celebration of the highway’s conception, I have been presenting separate programs focusing primarily on the Jefferson. This … Continue reading
Jefferson Highway Centennial Programs Well Attended
I recently presented Jefferson Highway programs for the Wadena County Historical Society’s Spring Lecture Series and for the Northern Exposure to Lifelong Learning in conjunction with the Clearwater County Historical Society. I was surprised at the number of people who … Continue reading
Posted in All blog entries, Jefferson Highway, Minnesota Tourism
1 Comment
Austin Page Turners Author Series
I recently had the pleasure of presenting a program in the Ruby Rupner Auditorium at the Hormel Nature Center at Austin, Minnesota. It was sponsored by the Austin Page Turners as part of a vacations theme for their 2015 citywide … Continue reading
Posted in All blog entries, Minnesota Resorts
Leave a comment
Inconsistencies in old maps
If you’re interested in resort history, maps can be a valuable resource for finding information. Early tourists relied on them not only to show how to reach a resort, but to know what amenities were offered. The maps were usually … Continue reading
Douglas Lodge: Classic Blue Ribbon Resort #5
One of my all-time favorite places to visit is the historic Douglas Lodge, located on Lake Itasca at Itasca State Park in north central Minnesota. (Lake Itasca is the official source of the Mississippi River.) While few log structures built … Continue reading