Land of 10,000 Takes: What Makes Minnesota So Cool?

With some of the coldest winters in the US, even reaching a record low of -60 degrees Fahrenheit in 1996, one has to ask, “Why would anyone go to Minnesota?” Though its winters give Minnesota a bad rap, there’s plenty for people to love about the North Star State. Also known as the Land of 10,000 Lakes, there’s actually closer to 12,000, not to mention all of the rivers and streams and access to Lake Superior. Of course, the infamous Mall of America is located in Bloomington, the largest enclosed shopping mall in the country, accessible in winter via the Twin Cities’ skyway system—the world’s largest continuous indoor network of pedestrian pathways. This state can also be credited for a score of inventions that are a part of our everyday lives, as well as innovations in medical advancements! Finally, one of the most unique characteristics of Minnesota is the Northwest Angle, a secluded and desolate patch of land that is sparsely populated, exists thanks to error, and is hailed as The Walleye Capital of the World.

Mall of America

The Mall of America in Bloomington, within the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro, is the largest enclosed shopping mall in the entire Western Hemisphere, and the twelfth largest in the world. More than an ordinary shopping mall, this is the second most visited attraction in the US, after NYC’s Times Square. For an idea of size, the Mall of America is the size of over 78 football fields, or large enough to hold 32 Boeing 747 airplanes. The mall brings in an average of 32-42 million people every year, most of whom come from surrounding states such as Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska, the Dakotas, Illinois, and Ohio. Aside from the typical features you’d expect at a mall, this one has Nickelodeon Universe (formerly Camp Snoopy), an indoor theme park located in the center of the mall, complete with roller coasters, and a number of rides and attractions. This amusement park is also the largest indoor theme park in the US, full of natural foliage, and a miniature golf course with eighteen holes. For a more relaxed outing, The Sea Life Minnesota Aquarium offers a 300-foot-long curved tunnel through 14 feet of water. Admire over 4,500 sea creatures, including sharks, turtles, stingrays, and more. Check out their website here for more info about special events like scuba diving and sleepovers!

Minneapolis Skyway System

While heading to the Mall of America, travelers are bound to see the Minneapolis Skyway System, a collection of enclosed pedestrian footbridges connecting buildings in 80 city blocks of Downtown Minneapolis. This allows people to traverse the city in comfort in spite of harsh winters. Since the skyways are owned by individual buildings in Minneapolis, there are not uniform opening and closing times. The skyways were first planned by real estate developer Leslie Park and architect Edward Baker in the 1960s. After noticing the success of indoor shopping malls, Park created a similar environment for pedestrians to move building to building within the city. When the IDS Center was built in 1972, the segments had a place to connect and unify the system, resulting in the Crystal Court: an atrium that is the central hub for the system. Now the Minneapolis skyways connect towers, banks, hotels, retail stores, and restaurants, as well as apartment complexes, giving residents the ability to head to work and shop downtown without leaving the skyway.

Minnesota Innovations

These very active and famous structures are not the only innovations Minnesota has introduced to the country. This state is the birth place of Post-It notes, Scotch tape, rollerblades, Wheaties, the pop up poster, the heart pacemaker and in-ear hearing aid. The University of Minnesota is known for conducting the first open heart surgery and the first bone marrow transplant. Minnesota earns credit for contributions to the arts as well, and is still home to Old Log Theater (the longest continuously running theater), Chanhassen Dinner Theater (the largest dinner theater), and the Guthrie Theater (the largest regional playhouse in the country).

Geography

One of Minnesota’s nicknames might be “Lake of 10,000 Lakes,” but there are actually a total of 11,842. One of these is Lake Superior, the world’s largest freshwater lake at the end of the St. Lawrence Seaway. Out of its 2,552 miles, 680 miles of the Mississippi River flows through the state. Total, there are 69,200 miles of rivers and streams, flowing in three directions: north to Hudson Bay, east to the Atlantic Ocean, and south to the Gulf of Mexico. This results in 90,000 miles of shoreline, more than California, Florida, and Hawaii combined!

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources manages 3,134,900 acres of land, managing 75 Minnesota State Parks and Recreation areas. The Lost Forty remains one of the oldest stands of virgin pine, with trees dating back over 300 years. The name comes from a surveying error in 1882 that resulted in avoiding any logging in the late 1800’s. Another fascinating area of land is the Northwest Angle, the northernmost part of the contiguous US, protruding from the rest of the country due to an 18th-century mistake.

The Northwest Angle

This 100 square miles of wilderness is thanks to Benjamin Franklin and a map drawn by John Mitchell, which attributed the source of the Mississippi River at the edge of Lake of the Woods. In 1783, the American Revolutionary War was over and the Treaty of Paris signified an agreement between the United States and Great Britian to re-define a new U.S. border. They agreed that the U.S. would extend from the most northwestern corner of Lake of the Woods, thinking it would give Americans access to the entire Mississippi River. However, the Mississippi started south of Lake of the Woods, and later treaties resolved the discovery by having the border continue south from that northwest point of Lake of the Woods back to the 49th parallel. This made the Northwest Angle cut off from the rest of the contiguous U.S., reachable only by crossing water or driving through Canada.

Year-Round Fishing

Now this is one of the most distinct regions of Minnesota, as well as the smallest, with 70% of the land held by the Ojibwa Reservation and an overall population of 149 residents, in an area that is made up of mostly water and forest. However, this description is misleading, as the NW Angle is also known as The Walleye Capital of the World, drawing visitors annually to enjoy World Class Fishing. Lake of the Woods offers such an incredibly fishery with walleyes, pike, lake trout, perch (and so much more), that fishing is a year-round activity. In the winter, visitors can travel to heated fish houses for their catch.

How to Get There

Though it may sound unlikely, the easiest way to reach the Northwest Angle is via crossing Lake of the Woods. In the winter, cars can cross it via an ice road, or by taking a float plane. The most difficult way would be to drive overland from one part of Minnesota to the other. Visitors must cross into Canada, check in at the border station, continue toward the Angle, then cross back into the U.S. at another border station. Both governments require all parties to show all necessary paperwork. To make sure that you are fully prepared for your your visit and drive to the Northwest Angle, please visit here.

Though visiting Minnesota in the winter may not seem favorable, the Mall of America and Minneapolis Skyway System offer residents and visitors a way to keep warm and keep exploring when the temperatures suggest otherwise. No matter the season or the weather, Minnesota’s lakes, rivers, and wilderness offer something for anyone traveling through that has an appreciation for the great outdoors. As you travel along, remember that Interstate Signways made the signs that guided the way.