Exploring never gets old for me. It was Saturday afternoon and time to get out of the house. Making my way through the smoke from Canada’s wildfires and the really strange streets of the Tangletown neighborhood in Minneapolis, it was time to find the Washburn Water Tower.
It’s long walk to the top but worth it! (Photo by Chad Smith)
The first observation was Tangletown is the right name for that neighborhood. Whoever put those streets together maybe had one too many drinks with dinner. Nonetheless, it was time to find the tower, and for a good reason.
It looked like a structure you’d see somewhere near a castle in any one of the Lord of the Rings movies. But let’s delve into a bit of history first.
The 110-foot concrete cylinder was constructed in 1932 and sits at the top of a hill in Tangletown. A book titled “Secret Twin Cities, a Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure” was the perfect exploring manual. It points out that if you aren’t within a block of the structure, you’ll never see the tower because it’s hidden by a combo of dense residential areas and tall trees.
Look at how intricate that carving is! (Photo by Chad Smith)
The reason for preserving the old structure was the intricate details builders put into constructing the tower, which is no longer used to supply water. Encircling the top of the tower are eight-foot tall, five-ton eagles with spread wings that look ready for takeoff.
A bit further down the cylinder, it looks like knights are standing guard outside the walls of a castle. Closer to the base are 18-foot tall, eight-ton “guardians of health” holding a perpetual vigil with swords. At a time when Minnesota was in the middle of a deadly typhoid outbreak, the guardians were symbolic protectors of a clean water supply.
Photo by Chad Smith
The tower had a capacity of 1.35 million gallons of water, which it faithfully supplied to the neighborhood until the 1990s. Three men from the neighborhood designed and engineered the structure John Daniels was the sculptor, William Hewitt was the project engineer, and Harry Wild Jones was the lead architect.
Get out and get to exploring. The massive medieval tower is located at 401 Prospect Avenue in Minneapolis, and there’s no charge to get up close and personal with the “tower guards.”
“The Eagles have landed!” (In my best Merry and Pippin voice from LOTR!Lonely sentries guarding the Washburn Water Tower
Boom Island Park in Minneapolis is one of my favorite places to explore in the Twin Cities. In fact, it was the first place I went to when I got bit by the exploring bug. Well, now that Derrick moved to Minnesota, it’s time to start showing him some of my favorite places in the Twin Cities (and there are a LOT of them).
Boom Island Park in Minneapolis and what remains of the island it used to be. (Photo by Chad Smith)
The park actually gets its name from the island that it once was. The island was named for the booms that were used to separate logs floated down the Mississippi River to sawmills powered by St. Anthony Falls (another of my favorite spots). Each log cut along the tributaries of the Mississippi River was “branded” by each lumber company that put its own stamp on the end of is logs.
One of the things I love about Boom Island Park is the big city is on one side, the green (it will be at some point!) and the wide open space of the park on the other side. (Photo by Chad Smith)
They were separated using the stamps and directed to the right mill by men working from Boom Island. The sawmills at the falls were eventually replaced by flour mills. What remains of those flour mills makes up Mill Ruins Park, yet another great place to explore in the Twin Cities of Minnesota.
What I love most about the park, besides just how big it is, is the fact that it’s set up next to the Mississippi River. You’ve got the big city on one side, and the open areas of the park on the other side.
My son Derrick appears to be pondered the Mississippi River. He is deep like that :). (Photo by Chad Smith)
The land ceased to be an island a while ago due to a buildup of silt and sawdust. It was bought by the park board with funds from the state legislature through the Metropolitan Council in 1982. The land was bought from a construction company for $2.6 million. That land had been targeted for acquisition in the 1978 plan for the development of the central riverfront as a park by the Riverfront Development Coordinating Board.
At one point, the RDCB even considered converting the land to an island once again, but they decided against it because of the cost. The first phase of the park was dedicated in 1987.
Isn’t this a remarkable old bridge at Boom Island Park? (Photo by Chad Smith)
One of my other favorite parts of the park is an old railroad bridge, originally built in 1901 to Nicollet Island, was converted into a bicycle and pedestrian bridge. The bridge was repaired and restored in 2018.
And here is the old railroad bridge. The MOTHER LODE for this old urban explorer.
Photo by Chad SmithOne of my favorite places to go hiking! (Photo by Chad Smith)What I was most surprised at that day is how many people took hiking trips up and down the tracks. (Photo by Chad Smith)
Minneapolis is one of my favorite places to explore. It’s nice to see the city trying to get back on its feet after drawing national attention due to the days of rioting that hit the downtown area hard. Driving down 394 East and heading into the city regularly, I kept passing this giant structure that really got my blood pumping.
The Basilica of St. Mary’s in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It was built between 1907-1915. (Photo by Chad Smith)
That giant structure is the Basilica of St. Mary’s. Anyone who knows me or follows my explorations, knows I love architecture. It’s one of my favorite things to photograph, especially in the big city where styles can vary widely, sometimes from block to block. St. Mary’s is considered one of the finest examples of Beaux Architecture in the nation.
The big structure was built between 1907 and 1915. They laid the cornerstone of the building was laid at the intersection of 16th Street and Hennepin Avenue. While I don’t pretend to understand exactly what this means, the building was elevated to the rank of minor basilica by Pope Pius XI in 1926. The basilica was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.
Church leaders have done a lot of restoration work as time went by, a costly task because of the structure’s enormous size. By the 1980s, water had begun to leak through dome and into the roof after each snowfall or rainfall. By the mid 1980s, repairs were obviously needed as copper blew off the dome during a storm and plaster chunks fell into the rectory.
St. Mary’s Basilica in Minneapolis. How long did it take for the craftsmen to do something that intricate? (Photo by Chad Smith)
The copper dome and roof were replaced from 1991-1992. The church also restored the paintings and the plasterwork in the dome’s interior.
One of the other highlights of the restoration projects over the years included Christmas Eve in 1998. New church bells forged in the Royal Eijsbouts Foundry in the Netherlands. Christmas Eve was likely the perfect time for those bells to ring out over the city for the first time. I managed to capture a little bit of the bells at the beginning of the video.
My only disappointment with the Basilica had nothing to do with the church itself. I couldn’t get inside and do justice to the interior renovations because of COVID, of course. But I’ll get in there and show it to you someday.
Can you imagine building that type of structure that high off the ground? Amazing… (Photo by Chad Smith)
The front doors at the Basilica of St. Mary’s in Minneapolis. (Photo by Chad Smith)
Communism is an interesting topic that middle-aged people like me haven’t given much thought to since the era of the Cold War. Are you old enough to remember the days of students diving under their desks during safety drills? Evidently, we should have been paying a little more attention to Communism, because it never really went away. It’s here in the western hemisphere. Don’t believe me?
I came across an interesting document that first showed up in front of Congress back in the early 1960s. More specifically, on January 10, 1963, Congressman Albert S. Herlong Jr., of Florida, read the list of 45 Declared Goals for the Communist Takeover of America into the Congressional Record. The purpose was to give his colleagues, as well as the American population, some insight into Communism and their liberal elite ideas and strategies for America that sound ridiculously familiar. They’re happening right in front of our collective faces.
Did you know there’s a thriving and active Communist Party in the USA? Did you know their vision for America includes Socialism? They’re alive and well and fighting to overthrow the free market. (Photo from CPUSA. org)
The list itself was first attributed to Cleon Skousen, a researcher who authored “The Naked Communist.” You really should be shocked at how these have played out in front of us. Some of those 45 steps to Communism have been outdated through the course of history. However, many of them are in play today.
Permit free trade between all nations regardless of Communist affiliation and regardless of whether or not the items could be used for war. We already buy a lot of goods from communist China. There’s also a push from free markets and the European Union to further globalize buying and selling.
Here’s a good one; promote the United Nations as the only hope for mankind. If the charter is ever rewritten, demand that it be set up as a one-world government, complete with its very own military (which it already has). Capture one or both political parties in the United States. They’ve infiltrated the Democratic Party, one that I used to be a member of. If you don’t agree that the Democrats have been taken over, you haven’t been paying attention. As the “Social Justice Warrior Democrats” are pushing for full-bore socialism, this seems to be an ongoing effort. And the “conservatives in Congress don’t seem to feel the need to put a stop to any of it, do they?
Get control of the schools. Use them to promote socialism, soften the curriculum (ever heard the term ‘dumbing down?’), and get control of teachers’ unions. Do you honestly think it’s a coincidence that more and more U.S. college students favor socialism?
Infiltrate the press. Do you think it’s a coincidence that liberal politics gets a lot more positive press than conservative politics?
Gain control of key positions in radio, TV, and the movies. Is it a coincidence that “Hellywood” is pretty much liberal across the board? Doesn’t appear to be.
Present homosexuality, degeneracy, and promiscuity as “normal, natural, and healthy.” Do you see the stuff on TV these days? That would have NEVER been allowed just two decades ago.
Discredit the Bible and emphasize the need for “intellectual maturity.” Ever heard the phrase “religion is a crutch?” That’s where it comes from.
Discredit the Constitution as something inadequate, old-fashioned, and out of step with “modern needs.”
Are you depressed yet? I sure am. You’ll like this one if you live in Minneapolis.
Transfer some of the powers of arrest from the police to social agencies. “Defund the police,” anyone? Oh, and make sure to treat all behavioral problems as “psychiatric disorders,” which no one but psychiatrists can understand or treat.
Discredit the family as an institution. Encourage promiscuity and easy divorce.
Emphasize the need to raise children away from the “negative influence” of their parents. “It takes a village,” anyone?
How about this one, given all the nonsense we’ve seen during the past four months.
Create the impression that violence and insurrection are legitimate aspects of the American tradition; that students and special-interest groups should rise up and use “united force” to solve economic, political, or social problems. Hello… Do Antifa and BLM come to mind? The REAL BLM is a group of “trained Marxists,” according to their co-founder, Patrice Cullors. That’s communism in a nutshell.
As you read these bullet points, do you feel your gut tightening?
Speaking of the liberal elite, it’s long past time to stop voting for the same old people every time we have an election. We have politicians on both sides of the fence who’ve been in Congress since Kennedy was president. Those same people are just NOW going to solve the country’s problems and get us back on track? If they haven’t done so by now, it’s probably time to retire them?
Do you really believe these folks who’ve been in government for so long are actually going to FIX the problems we have in the USA? If they haven’t done it by now, it seems logical to think the chances aren’t good that it will ever happen? Time to vote for new people who aren’t bat crap crazy. (Photo from sun-sentinel.com)
And you, my fellow Christians, take heart. This is Revelations playing out in front of us. We win in the end. The Rapture is coming. I can’t wait. If you haven’t made a real commitment to Jesus, now is the time.
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)
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.
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.
Sunken Cities. The name alone peaks the interest, doesn’t it? It was an interesting trip for a guy like me from a small town. Thought it would be a good idea if I got some culture. The wife bought tickets for the family to head to the Minneapolis Institute of Art to take in the Sunken Cities exhibit. If I understand it right (and I’ll post the official description in a bit), there were a couple big cities right on the northern coast of Egypt. They were huge ports of trade that suddenly seemed to disappear from existence. As near as the experts can figure, rising sea levels combined with seismic activity led to their downfall. Here’s the official history behind the exhibit.
It still blows my mind that major cities, even way back then, could just up and disappear. They were literally Sunken Cities.
Imagine being a scuba diver in the Mediterranean Sea and coming across some of these amazing artifacts. In fact, of all the items on display, the museum figures it’s only about 10 percent of what’s buried down there at the bottom of the sea. There’s much more work than someone can accomplish in one lifetime. Here’s the official description from the MIA website.
Gotta admit, this one creeped me out a little.. “the eyes say ‘Helter Skelter,’ don’t they? ((Photo by Chad Smith
A Pharaoh’s head sculpture found at the Minneapolis Institute of Art’s Sunken Cities exhibit. (Photo by Chad Smith
“More than 1200 years ago, two ancient cities were lost to natural disasters and the rising tides of the Mediterranean Sea. Two decades ago, underwater archaeologist Franck Goddio and his team discovered those Sunken Cties, revealing monumental statues, religious images carved in stone, exquisite jewelry, and delicate ceramics—and a greater understanding of life during the age of the pharaohs. Don’t miss this epic story of their discovery.”
By the way, if this is something you’re interested in, admission to the museum is free but you do need to buy tickets.
This is a wash basin built out of pink granite. Absolutely beautiful to behold. (Photo by Chad Smith)
Again, the ancient Egyptians were amazing craftsmen, weren’t they?
Here’s a link to my photo album I put up on my Facebook page:
