Hobbies. I’ve never really had much time for them through the course of my life and I’m honestly not sure why as I sit here and write. Too busy trying to make ends meet? Too lazy? The truth, as it is with most everything in life, is probably somewhere in the middle.
Probably shouldn’t be surprised that this was one of the first things I found while walking through the shelter-belt, reliving some old memories. (photo by Chad Smith)
I’ve never really been the adventurous type. Always seemed to want to play it safe and never do anything other people might find unexpected. Then, I moved to the Twin Cities and discovered urban exploring. It’s been a rather eye-opening experience since adding it to my still-growing list of hobbies.
I saw people going to places very few others went to. That spoke to me and I honestly wasn’t sure why at first. Then, as I got a little further into the hobby, it started to dawn on me through the feedback I got mostly through Facebook. “I really enjoy following your explorations,” is something I heard on a regular basis.
This old girl was far and away my favorite old vehicle that I discovered during a Saturday afternoon exploration. (Photo by Chad Smith)
Plus, I got feedback from people I didn’t expect. The City Administrator at Rushford, Minnesota, Tony Chladek, is a busy fella (and does a great job) but he mentioned during a phone call how much he enjoys my urban exploring photography. He said the same thing I get in a lot of feedback; “I really enjoy following you into places not a lot of people go.”
Just how strange IS my brain? The first thing I thought of was a conversation I had about a place we used to like to eat in Watertown, South Dakota. “What was the name of that place that had the old Wagon Wheel out front,” I had asked. “The Wagon Wheel,” came the answer. (Photo by Chad Smith)
The current Secretary of Agriculture in Minnesota, Thom Peterson, is a long-time Facebook friend who also mentioned he likes following my explorations. It was funny how he mentioned it after we’d finished an interview for a newspaper article I was writing.
While going through abandoned places, I find it a lot of fun to try and picture what life must have been like back in the day, all those years ago. How different things must have been three decades ago? And, how similar some things might have been as well.
That’s what hooked me into it. Going places that other people don’t typically get to go. But it’s even more than that. It’s the history behind some of these places that also fascinates me too. Spent an afternoon a while back exploring the Pokegama Sanatorium near Pine City, Minnesota. One of the most interesting things I found there was documentation and medical papers that went back as far as 30 years.
Got a tip from a Facebook friend and fellow urbex (slang for urban exploring) enthusiast about a bunch of abandoned vehicles tucked away in a shelter-belt near the Mazomani Trail that I had recent explored. I sure found a number of vehicles that had been stashed away a long time ago.
Far and away the BIGGEST piece of machinery I found abandoned in the tree line. Thought for a crazy moment I’d found the remains of Optimus Prime. (Photo by Chad Smith)
Man, did walking through a shelter-belt bring back memories of life on the Gerhold Farm. My brother, Travis, and I spent all kinds of time exploring the tree lines around the entire farm. If I remember right, Grandpa John had his own vehicles stashed away among the trees as well.
Talk about some serious nostalgia that made this soon-to-be 50-year-old smile like he was all of fourteen again. Of course, my wife will occasionally say that me and my grown sons can collectively be 14 years old as well. Not sure that’s a compliment?
Hobbies. We all need one or two. If you don’t have one, get one, okay? Hobbies make life more interesting.
Didn’t everyone’s grandparents drive one of these at one point? (Photo by Chad Smith)
Nature always wins in the end, doesn’t she? (Photo by Chad Smith)
What must life have been like when someone was actually sitting behind the wheel? (Photo by Chad Smith)
Victory at last. After an unsuccessful first expedition , I came in from the south and found the Jabs Farm Site located between Jordan and Carver, Minnesota. It’s a long hike through the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge, but it was totally worth it to see the building remnants that date all the way back to the late 1880s.
Here’s a short video I put together of the site.
One thing about the internet, they’ll sure tell you if you’re wrong. Came in from the north on the first trip and ran into a whole lot of water (flooding). Didn’t know there was another way in. But if you ask for assistance, the internet will also offer that too. And by the internet, I’m talking about the people on social media. Thanks to Brendon Maness, my newest Facebook exploring buddy. Took the time to put together directions so detailed, even I couldn’t get lost.
It took a while but I made it to the Jabs Farm on what I’m calling the “Chad Smith victory hike.” (Photo by Chad Smith)
If you know anything about me personally, you know I have the direction sense of a wounded bumblebee. Ever seen a bumblebee fly? Nuff said.
You won’t get to park anywhere close to the site itself. I hiked two miles from where I parked to the site. Since my gym shut down over a month ago, it was a much harder hike than it would have been normally. I’m not a man that was naturally gifted with patience when I wanna get somewhere. The walk to victory was much more brisk than the hike back to the car.
The longest structure at the Jabs Farm. I’m just completely guessing but it’s either a storage area for equipment or animals. Again, just a guess. (Photo by Chad Smith)
The Riedel family originally put the farmstead together sometime between 1860 and 1880. Among the ruins of their old barn, one limestone chunk was engraved with “1880.” They worked the land till the Jabs family assumed control in 1905. They would control the land up to 1979, when the land was turned into the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge.
The old buildings were first put together sometime between 1860 and 1880 by the Riedel family, who sold it to the Jabs family in 1905. (Photo by Chad Smith)
Just think for a minute about the Riedel family putting that operation together through the late 1800s. They didn’t have the state-of-the-art tools that we have today. That had to be some serious back-breaking labor in order to get those buildings up and going.
There was some restoration work done by Minnesota Fish and Wildlife. If you’re like me, your first though was “what?” However, the agency does maintain and protect a lot of abandoned buildings on their lands throughout the state.
The land the Jabs Farm sits on is now part of the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge. (photo by Chad Smith)
It’s a great place to go if you want to be “socially distant” from other folks. I didn’t see much more than a half-dozen folks going in and coming out. Like I said, it’s a trek. Mostly flat with some occasional ups and downs. Victory for this old guy felt pretty good!
Love the limestone they used to build their farm structures. Imagine how long it took the Riedel family to put this together without the top-shelf tools we have available today. (Photo by Chad Smith)
Absolutely love the limestone they used to build the farmstead. (Photo by Chad Smith)
History and hiking is one of my favorite combinations. In this day and age of staying at home as much as possible, it’s become an even bigger favorite. You never know what you’ll find around the next corner in any of the dozens of trails around the Twin Cities metro area. The sights to see and the history behind the location are a remarkable combination.
Indian Mounds Regional Park and the Loop Trail that runs through it was my destination of choice. The park gets its name from the six Native American burial mounds that sits on top of bluffs that overlook St. Paul and the Twin Cities in Minnesota. The views up on those bluffs were spectacular.
Took a hike and enjoyed some history while walking the Indian Burial Mounds Loop Trail. (Photo by Chad Smith)
At least 16 burial mounds were up there on top of those bluffs at one time. Nineteen more mounds were located further down the bluffs near a place called Carvers Cave. The mounds remain scared to the Dakota Tribe to this day. It’s believed by experts that the burial mounds were created between 1,500 and 2,000 years ago.
Back in the mid-1800s, several scientists with an interest in Minnesota history examined the contents of the mounds that were still left. Experts found different types of burials under the mounds.
Here are just two of the Native American burial mounds you’ll see at the Indian Mounds Park while hiking on the Loop Trail. (Photo by Chad Smith)
The most common types were simple burials. According to the historical information I found, people were buried with mussel shells and an occasional projectile point. Smaller bundle burials were found in the upper parts of many mounds, which meant they were buried by later peoples than the original population. Even more interesting, there were a few tombs made out of logs found at the base of at least three tombs.
How high up were the bluffs? Does this give you some perspective? (Photo by Chad Smith)
A couple of the burial mounds had stone cists which were seven inches high and made up of thin limestone slabs which were set upright. Human bones were found in each cist and were accompanied by grave offerings like shells, perforated bear teeth, copper ornaments, a piece of hammered sheet copper, as well as numerous projectile points.
The hike isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s rated as a medium difficulty, which means there are hills. Of course, if you’re going for a workout, it’ll be right up your alley.
Plus, if you like trains, there’s a bunch of trains going by down at the bottom of the bluffs. And I like trains, so it made a fun day that much better.
You’ll find a remarkable view of St Paul and the Twin Cities while hiking down the Indian Mounds Loop Trail. (Photo by Chad Smith)
There’s also a great view of the Mississippi River and lots of boats going by too. (photo by Chad Smith)
Exploring Coldwater Spring Park in the Twin Cities is more than a one-day affair. In fact, turns out it’s going to be at least a three-day opportunity for me as it covers a lot of ground, and that’s okay. The park itself was officially added to the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area back in January of 2010.
So many trails to walk while you’re exploring Coldwater Spring Park. Be prepared for more than one day’s hike if you wanna hit all the trails down there. (Photo by Chad Smith)
The goal of adding it to the recreation area was to get it restored to an oak/savannah prairie complex. They removed 12 old buildings that were on the property, something this urban explorer wasn’t happy about. They did leave several foundations of those old buildings lying around the property, which was interesting to look at.
During the renovation process, which ran from 2011 to 2012 (officially – the work still continues today), officials seeded 12 acres of prairie and one acre of wetlands. More than 1,000 trees, shrubs, grasses, and wildflowers were planted on the property.
This area served as an important crossroads for Native Americans and traders, who used both the Mississippi River and Minnesota Rivers for commerce and travel. During the construction of Fort Snelling, soldiers camped out at Coldwater Spring, making it the first American settlement in Minnesota. The fort was completed in 1825 and the soldiers took up residence there. The area around the spring continued to be busy, attracting traders, Native Americans, and a small village sprang up there to service trade at the site.
I loved walking down by the river at Coldwater Spring. The one thing that jumped out at me is it really looks like last summer’s flooding is finally receding. You could see a lot more of the riverbanks than we could last summer. Thank the Lord! (Photo by Chad Smith)
The spring provided water for the soldiers at the fort up until `920, when the Army turned to the City of St. Paul to supply water to the Fort.
The property was last home to the Bureau of Mines: Twin Cities Research Center. If that doesn’t ring a bell, there’s a reason for that. The buildings for the old center were constructed during the 1950s and 60s. The place developed significant mining safety equipment, mining technologies, and mineral extraction processes that were used around the world. The labs also analyzed the composition of some of the moon rocks brought to Earth by the Apollo Moonshot Missions.
The old structures you’ll find hiking around Coldwater Spring are cool to see.. Some of these things were actually built when the soldiers settled into the park while they built Fort Snelling. (Photo by Chad Smith)
Federal funding for the Bureau of Mines was shut down in 1996. By the next year, those buildings were vacant and falling into disrepair. You know those buildings, the kind that urban explorers like to get into? I was so bummed. The buildings were demolished back in 2011, so no exploring.
There’s a lot to things to see when exploring Coldwater Spring Park. As I mentioned, there are a LOT of trails for scenic hiking there. You’ll see a lot of birds, with the occasional deer or wild turkeys thrown in for good measure. You might even see the occasional coyote darting across the path but don’t worry; they’re more afraid of you than you might be of them.
No idea what this was but thought it looked cool standing over the spring that ran down the hill behind where I was standing when I took the pic. (Photo by Chad Smith)
The other interesting thing is how they’ve incorporated some technology into the outdoors. You’ll have a chance to hear about the extensive history of the park while you’re seeing it, thanks to Ranger on Call, a mobile tour that’s available on your cell phone. You’ll find signs down there with instructions on how to get hooked up to it.
Here’s the link to the Facebook picture album. Enjoy!
Hiking has to be one of my favorite forms of exercise. The Twin Cities has more than its share of great places to hike. This time I was off to the Winchell Trail.
Winchell. You hear the name and the first thing that comes to mind is the old Winchell’s Donut franchise we used to partake in out on the coast. I went out to hike the Winchell Trail earlier this week and found some interesting old relics from years gone by.
Hiking the Winchell Trail in Minneapolis was a great way to blow off some steam. (Photo by Chad Smith)
It’s an five mile out-and-back trail, so don’t plan on going in a big circle. It’s pretty much a straight shot, no matter which direction you head in. The trail itself runs from 44th Street up to Franklin Avenue, right along the west bank of the Mississippi River. The first thing I noticed was that the flooding along the Mississippi River appears to be lowering. I could see a lot more of the riverbank than I had since early last summer.
There’s a bike path up by the road, with the walking trails further down in the trees. The bluffs are absolutely scenic. If you walk the entire trail, you’ll see sandy beaches, an oak savannah restoration project, and what’s called a floodplain forest.
However, the one thing that did NOT make me happy was all the road construction. It’s a freaking TWO-LANE roadway, with one of the lanes blocked off by those little orange things that seem to sprout up every spring. Makes parking down there even more of an adventure (pain in the ass) than it already is. But, I digress.
Hiking along the Winchell Trail and wondered what kind of a wind gust must have blown through to t take this big boy down? (Photo by Chad Smith)
The Winchell Trail is described as a moderate trail designed for all hiking skill level. The out-and-back trail has a total elevation gain of 500 feet.
Looks like a staircase from a Lord of the Rings movie, doesn’t it? (Photo by Chad Smith)
The view of the Mississippi River from the bluffs along the Winchell Trail in the Twin Cities. Bet it looks even better when everything is greened up? Come on spring! (Photo by Chad Smith)
Train Depot exploring is something I seriously enjoy. While I do love exploring abandoned structures, it’s a lot of fun to see some of those old buildings redone for use in the present day. I went looking for an old train depot I had heard about in Northfield, Minnesota. I found it, but the “old” depot wasn’t in the shape I expected it to be in.
The building originally dates back to 1888. The depot had an addition built on to it in 1944. The depot’s south wall and roof was removed when the addition was constructed. The building was scheduled for demolition before it was moved but residents didn’t want to lose some of the community’s history. They couldn’t move the new addition because of the cement floor and cement blocks that made up the wall.
You won’t believe just how fast an older white building that was next to the depot came down. Never seen backhoes move quite so fast in my life! 🙂
Some of the bricks that made up the wall in the new addition were salvaged and are already being used to make a sidewalk path on the new site.
According to the information available at the site, I believe the pathway in the foreground was made out of some of the bricks saved from the new addition that couldn’t be moved to the new site. (Photo by Chad Smith)
A group of residents started the Save the Northfield Depot project and moved the structure last January. The old depot was literally moved from the railroad property to a site across the street. The original site has since been graded and cleaned up since then. The new site was chosen because it’s much easier to see. The previous location hid the train depot behind a much larger building.
The depot won’t just sit there and look good, either. Plans are in the works to use it as an information center for visitors. As a side note, I took a drive through the downtown area and it’s picturesque in many spots. Highly recommend a trip through there sometime. But I digress.
They’ve put in a lot of work to refurbish the old train depot in Northfield. It looks to this guy here that the work is going extremely well. Very picturesque old building that looks great! (Photo by Chad Smith)
There will also be a pavilion that residents can use to host events at, as well as an addition for a transit hub, which is a project the city of Northfield will undertake sometime in the near future. A study is in the works on a proposed passenger rail that would connect south to points beyond Minnesota. Northfield would be one of the northernmost stops on the line. The state has even kicked in some money to help fund the study.
Some of their literature I picked up at the site says they’re trying to raise $65,000 for the interior renovation. . The cost could actually be reduced with in-kind materials and labor. They’re also looking for carpenters, plumbers, electricians, and other skilled workers who wouldn’t mind volunteering a little time on the project.
The elderly couple that were outside doing some work on the grounds when I stopped by said this was designed and built by someone in his mid-teens? If I understood them right (hard to hear through their masks, at times), I’d say that was one uber-talented teenager! (Photo by Chad Smith)
Their website is www.northfielddepot.org. They also have a facebook page at facebook.com/northfielddepot. You’ll also find information on twitter at www.twitter.com/northfielddepot.
Place looks fantastic! The old Northfield Train Depot is well on its way to a completely new look and a new purpose in life as a visitor’s information center in Northfield. (Photo by Chad Smith)
Mill ruins are so much fun to explore. Minnesota seems to have its share of these old buildings scattered around the state. Time to Explore Minnesota. We’ve all seen or heard the commercials from time to time, haven’t we?
Well, as I’ve unfortunately had a little more free time lately (thanks COVID-19), I’ve taken that commercial a little more to heart than I have in the past. And yes, I’m keeping socially distant. Instead of feet, my distance between me and other carbon-based lifeforms stretches for miles, okay?
I saw this even before I reached the abandoned buildings of Old Mill Park. Seriously people? On the trees? (Photo by Chad Smith)
After exploring an abandoned farm that didn’t have much left to it, I was off to Hastings next to see their Old Mill Park. That kind of thing is even more interesting to me after spending a couple days poking around Mill Ruins Park in the Twin Cities. While this one wasn’t as big as Mill Ruins Park, the history was just as interesting.
It turns out this is all that’s left of the old Ramsey Mill in Hastings, built back in the mid-1800s. My first thought as I was walking down the path to the old structures was “man they’re tall!” And I was more right than I first knew. The old mill was no less than four stories tall. Alexander Ramsey and Dr. Thomas Foster built it right next to the Vermillion River.
The four-story-tall structure sits right on the bank of the Vermillion River in Hastings, Minnesota. (Photo by Chad Smith)
The big structure was called a “grist” mill. What that means is it ground cereal grains into flour and what were called “middlings.” Those are the parts that aren’t flour. Middlings are a good source of protein, fiber, phosphorus, and other nutrients. People use them to produce foods like pasta, breakfast cereals, puddings, and couscous for humans, as well as fodder for livestock and pets. How about that? You and I learned something today. I didn’t know what middlings were either.
It’s interesting that Ramsey actually sold his interest in the business in 1877 but the place still retained his name. The mill would operate for another two decades before a fire broke out in late 1894. A Wiki article says it unfortunately may have been arson. It was really too bad because the mill had just cranked up its production to 125 barrels a day, higher than it had ever done before.
The Ramsey Mill was hit by a fire in 1894. While there isn’t much of the physical structure left, there’s still a lot of history there. (Photo by Chad Smith)
I don’t actually know when it shut down officially. The oldest photo I could find online was in 1902, when folks in Hastings were already calling it the “Ramsey Mill Ruins.”
As I was leaving the Old Mill Park, I glanced off to the right and saw the most remarkable little tree that seems to be growing right out of the end of the overhang. Those trees can grow in the strangest places, can’t they?
Exploration abandoned Army base. The idea set me on fire Sunday morning, and by Sunday afternoon we were hustling to find one of the best exploration options the Twin Cities has to offer. Much more successful than the day before.
Let me say off the top, the three of us had tried to find this place before. I got a tip from a fellow explorer through the Abandoned Minnesota Facebook Page and we were off to the races. It’s called the Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant, and there was so much more to it that we ever thought. Here’s the first video, with pics and the plant’s history down below.
A mnopedia.org article says the place was first authorized in 1941, making contributions to the nation’s armed forces for the next half a century.
The most interesting exploration I’ve done to date. The enormous Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant. A lot to see. Lot’s of American/Minnesota story there for the adventurer. (Photo by Chad Smith)
As the U.S. was building up to World War 2, FDR advocated for the U.S. to take the lead as the “Great Arsenal of Democracy.” His aid strategy was laid out in the Lend-Lease Act. It used government-owned, contractor-operated ammo-manufacturing plants to provide supplies overseas.
The Army Ordnance Department authorized construction of what was then called the “Twin Cities Ordnance Plant.” Sporting ammunition manufacturer Federal Cartridge Corporation of Anoka was contracted to run the facility.
Once the place was fully operational, thousands of workers from across the Twin Cities worked around the clock in three shifts
A lot of Minnesotans did an awful lot of work around the clock to support the Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant. Best exploration ever. (Photo by Chad Smith)
I talk several times about the scale of the entire place during our exploration. Just to give you a sense of how large the base was, mnopedia.org says it actually began to function “like a small city.” The base had it’s own security/police force, hospital system, fire department, bus system, and a rail terminal. There were social elements to help the people feel more together, including a plant newspaper, intramural sports leagues, and even its own choir to help maintain morale.
The Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant truly was its own city, with showers, lockers, large cafeteria, and much more. (Photo by Chad Smith)
The initial building we came up to (the subject of the first video) was much larger than we first thought. A couple of the more veteran explorers we’ve run into said it was the actual munitions plant but I have no idea if it’s true or not. It certainly looked big enough, but no matter what, this was the coolest building I’ve been in so far. All it took was a quick duck through a hole in the fence and we were in the front door.
I remember thinking as we walked down the path to that first building, “That’s all there is?” But there was so much more to it. We found what looked like locker rooms, bathrooms, a loading dock near the back, as well as an upstairs to the place. Really a lot of fun! The only thing I didn’t find? Not a single “No Trespassing” sign anywhere.
Those two explorers we talked to said “head east on the path in front of the first building. You won’t believe what you’ll find out there to explore.” They weren’t kidding. I thought the munitions plant building was big. We found a much-larger building to the east, complete with kitchen, multiple full size shower rooms, as well as bunkers, several other smaller outbuildings, and so much more.
One of the things I enjoy most about any exploration is finding old machinery and trying to figure out what it used to do. This one, I have no idea. (Photo by Chad Smith)
By the way, I’ve been looking for a map showing how the buildings were laid out and used. Can’t find one, so if you know differently about something and I’m wrong, drop me a note so I’ll know too?
The most interesting thing to happen when we got to the big building involved long boarders, which I believe are the modern edition of our skateboards we played with growing up. Kylie was taking some video in one of the larger rooms when she heard music playing and had no idea where it was coming from. She played the video back on her phone and as deaf as I am after two-plus decades in radio, I could hear it too.
We’d just watched a found-footage movie called “Sanatorium,” and one of the things the cast found in that big old place was a radio playing music. Why spooky, you ask? It wasn’t plugged in and didn’t have batteries! While I’m not a big believer in the paranormal, I can’t lie and say I wasn’t a little spooked in the back of my mind.
Stairs can always be a little iffy during an exploration but these were rock solid. (Photo by Chad Smith)
The answer itself was decidedly less spooky. There were teenagers upstairs who were hanging out and playing their tunes.
The other thing we noticed was the debris throughout the largest building had been swept to one side of every hall in the place. “Well that’s strange,” I thought. Turns out, there were a couple young guys there with long boards who either found or brought along a big push broom. While it was making the place look much nicer, the smooth concrete floors made for some excellent long boarding, once all the debris was out of the way. Smart!
At the end of World War 2, the plant began gathering up and storing ammunition for the future. The plant cranked up production for the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and every other conflict that took place over the course of its 50-year existence, even drawing a lot of protesters during the Vietnam War.
The street art is another highlight of any exploration as far as I’m concerned. This is fantastic. (Photo by Chad Smith)
Environmental concerns led to an agreement for a big cleanup effort, funded by the Army, which began selling off portions of the property. As near as I can tell, Ramsey County owns the land after buying it in 2013. If there are redevelopment plans in the works, what they plan to build there depends on what source your reading. After doing some research, there are a lot of different ideas on what to do with that place.
However, there is so much land there, wouldn’t it be a little cost-prohibitive? It would be too bad if those buildings went away,. They’d take a lot of American/Minnesota history with them, once they’re gone.
Abandoned places are so much fun to explore. The history, the old structures, and the stories they tell just fascinate me. I have at least three kids in my family that feel the same way I do, so we hop in the car regularly and go looking for neat places to see.
This is what the abandoned Jabs Farm was supposed to look like. However, it wasn’t necessarily what I found on a recent Saturday afternoon. (Picture courtesy of the AllTrails App)
This was a solo trip for me on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. I have an app on my iPhone called AllTrails that shows me great places to hike all around the state. The Mazomani Trail between Jordan and Carver drew my attention because of something called “Jabs Farm.” Another adventurer had posted several pictures of the app that immediately caught my eye.
The Jabs Farm sits in the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge, which automatically makes it a great place to visit. It’s a lovely place to hike (at your own pace), get some exercise, fresh air, and some beautiful pictures.
Hiking the Mazomani Trail looking for an abandoned farm built in the early 1900s. (Photo by Chad Smith)
The farmstead was first built between 1860-1880. In 1905, the Jabs family bought the property from the Riedel family, who initially owned the property. The Valley News says there are still members of the Jabs family living in the area today. The structures themselves are remarkable, a combination of wood and blocks of local limestone that’s produced in the area. I HAD to see this site.
Exploring the Mazomani Trail, which offered a great view of the Minnesota Valley Wildlife Refuge, first established in 1979. Notice a lot more water than would seem normal? (Photo by Chad Smith
The site was owned by the Jabs family for a long time. Back in 1979, the area, including the farmstead, became the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge area. The farm was first restored in 1981, and sat untouched until another restoration project in 2017. Believe it or not, the buildings were redone by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. I had no idea they did things like that, but I am sure glad they did.
Heck, they even brought in a full-fledged archaeologist to oversee the renovations.
The views up high of the wildlife area were striking and I’ve got some pictures to prove it. Walking along the bluffs was beautiful that day, with a slight breeze and temps a little over 40 degrees, but it did feel a little warmer than that. It was nice and quiet. I did run into a few people, along with the occasional rustling of the leaves on either side of the trail that likely heralded a squirrel, woodchuck, or some other member of the vermin, err, rodent family.
So after about a 20-minute hike, I came to a split in the trail. One direction would take me to the other trail head, which I had no interest in. But hey, the other one said “Jabs Farm, 1/4 mile” the other way. Well, I came around a slight bend as the trail angled downward and this is what I found.
The most remarkable thing about this? The buildings were less than a quarter mile away and were nowhere in sight. As near as I could tell, they must have been ALL underwater. Wow. That’s a lot of snowmelt in a short time, I guess.
The trees looked like they’d make a great horror movie setting. (Photo by Chad Smith)
As I get a little more experienced in the urban exploration game, I’m finding out that it does take some patience. Not every place you go is going to be “lit,” as the kids say. Let me offer one final example before I leave you.
I got back to the car and realized I didn’t want to head back yet. It was nice to be outdoors and I wanted to see if I could find another place to explore. Well, I pulled up the “Abandoned” app and scanned for something close by. Turns out, there was (supposed to be) and abandoned barn about 15 miles away. Well hey, I’m an old farm broadcaster/writer. Let’s take a look.
Well, needless to say, the app hadn’t been updated. I wound up in downtown Chanhassen. It happens. Hey, at least it was a nice day.
There’s a hidden gem in the Minneapolis area known as Boom Island Park. I took a walk there the other day and was amazed at how the riverfront and the skyline of the city blended with the green of one of the bigger parks I’ve seen in the metro area. As a guy from small town Rural America, I’m amazed at just how much green there is all over the Twin Cities.
One of the more challenging parts of urban exploration around the metro is just FINDING the place you’re heading to. Thank the Good Lord (not joking at all) for Google Maps (or Apple Maps, if you have an iPhone). You know you’re adapting to city life when you arrive at the park, find it’s been shut off because of a private gathering, and you don’t bat an eye about parking in an open lot that you may or may not be allowed to actually park in. You’re risking getting a car towed for a couple hours of exploration. Works for me?
One thing I didn’t know is that some Minneapolis parks have a lot of places to park your kayaks or boats after spending time on the water.
One of the first things I noticed at Boom Island is just how many spots there are for kayakers/boaters to park themselves after a day on the water. LOVED the little lighthouse in the background. (Photo by Chad Smith)
One of the first things you notice is a lot of walking areas, paved, gravel, and wood around the outskirts of Boom Island. Perfect for urban exploration. (Photo by Chad Smith)
Some of them will even RENT you a kayak. Looked like a lot of fun and something I will be trying again.
As mentioned previously, I walked into Boom Island with the oddest sound in the background. Urban Exploration can lead to interesting (and educational) discoveries. The parking lots were actually roped off because of a Tibetan Festival taking place that day. Being from small town America, as mentioned previously, it was something really new.
However, the most interesting part of the festival, aside from the explosion of color, music and foods, is the fact that almost everyone there smiled at me. Such friendly people. The older I get, the more I’m really enjoying expanding my horizons.
The Twin Cities are an interesting area to live in and explore. They’ve clearly worked hard to put together the best park system possible and I can’t wait to keep exploring it.
One thing I loved about Boom Island was the city skyline across the river from the park. Really blended the urban with the non-urban really well. (Photo by Chad Smith)
I really loved the “observation decks” that are up along the waterfront. Great places to sit and enjoy the view. (Photo by Chad Smith)
Here’s my first look at Boom Island Park, which sits right on the Mississippi River. (Video by Chad Smith)
The park sits on an impressive 22.5 acres right the metro area, right in the St. Anthony West neighborhood.
Here’s a little bit of the music I heard at Boom Island Park in Minneapolis. It’s part of a Tibetan Festival that took place on Saturday, July 6. (Video by Chad Smith)
Fantastic views from Boom Island. (Photo by Chad Smith)
One of the epiphanies of middle age that have hit me recently is the fact that you don’t always have to take an exotic trip to see something new. Sometimes it’s right in your own “backyard.” Time for me to get off my duff and do some exploring.!
Looks like there was a pretty serious lightning strike here? (Photo by Chad Smith)
I’d say there was a pretty serious lightning strike here just to the left?
Seriously, THIS is how someone should take a tour of one of the inner-city parks in Minneapolis! Segway is the only way!
Some final thought here in the video directly above.
Looked like a repurposed railroad bridge that they made into a pretty cool place to walk. (Photo by Chad Smith)
All the way down at the end of a path out of Boom Island, it looks like a direct path down to gang land. (Photo by Chad Smith)
I can just see a train conductor telling his co-pilot to “roll up them windows” going through this neighborhood! (Photo by Chad Smith)
Here’s a link to my Facebook album with every picture and video I took. Enjoy. And if you like it, let me know? I’m thinking I’d like to do more of this kind of blogging. I just need someone to find it interesting.
