II spu|‘"’1;1tl_0-E _ - a mi“ ~ Qéé B {OM43 LQQ8 *~ .>_-J~._ ‘-_ _~C._ <___ _. _1__ . 5') “3>"T||~'\‘rr|'rFIIlI||| THE GREAT ___ RIVER ~ ROAD U. 5. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE BUREAU or PUBLIC ROADS V U'N§VER3~WK E? fiW~CHE@AN §.§§Ri‘aR§E§ REPORT ON A PROPOSED ROUTE FOR THE GREAT RIVER ROAD (NESSISSIPPI RIVER PARKWAY) THROUGH THE STATE OF MINNESOTA (A distance of approximately 623 miles) November 15, 1956 Wallace A. Johnson F. W. Cron Landscape Architect Highway Engineer NATIONAL PARK SERVICE $1 BUREAU OF PUBLIC ROADS (Sec.ed. 6/ll/58) DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE BUREAU OF PUBLIC ROADS Gatlinburg, Tennessee November 15, l95o Mr. H. J. Spelman Division Engineer Bureau of Public Roads lbho Columbia Pike Arlington h, Virginia GREAT RIVER ROAD (Mississippi River Parkway) Report on Proposed Route through State of Minnesota Dear Mr. Spelman: On December lh, l95h the Minnesota Department of Highways requested advisory services under Section lb of the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 195A in connection with a section of proposed Great River Road extending from the Iewaeminnesota Boundary to Red'Wing, Minnesota. During the period from April 1 to 27, 1955 field studies were made from the Iowa Boundary to Minneiska and from near Old Frontenac to'Wacouta. During the period from September 6 to ll, l955 we com- pleted the field studies from.Minneiska to Old Frontenac. On July 29, 1955 the Ibpartment of Highways through Mr- A. L. Overbee, District Engineer of the Minnesota Federal Aid District, requested advisory services covering a section of U.S. Highway 371 from.Camp Ripley Junction to Brainerd; a portion of Minnesota Highway 152 from Osseo to Monticello; and a portian of Minnesota Highway 55 from Pine Bond to Eendota. In addition we were informally requested to make a general route study from Brainerd to HcGregor. The field'nork for these studies was completed in September 1955. On February 2h, 1956 the Department of Highways again through Mr. Ovorbee, requested a study'on a possible extension of the Great River Road from Lake Itasca State Park to the Canadian Border, passing nest of the Lake of the Woods. The field study for this assignment was made May 2 to 9, 1956. Reports on the above assignments have been submitted as follows: Tim; Q2 Irene. to NE. Spelman Length Date of ..._.._........SeI1 Basset. *Iowa-Nfinn. Boundary to Minneiska 67 Mhy'23, 1955 *Minneiska to Old Frontenac 33 December 15, 1955 *Old Frontenac to Wacouta 7 July 26, 1955 *Pine Bend to Mendota 12 December 30, I955 Osseo to Mbnticello 30 Iecember 5, I955 *Camp Ripley Junction to Brainerd 26 December 27, 1955 Brainerd to Jacobson 78 November 28, 1955 Lake Itasca to Lake of the Woods 133 June 1, 1956 Total Miles 386 *Reports marked by asterisk contain complete recommendations for right of way, scenic control and access control and special parkway features; the other reports have specific recommendations as to the route but treat the other matters in more generalized fashion. On.Nhy'9, 1956 we were requested by the Department of Highways to complete the studies for Minnesota and submit a report recommending one parkway route through the entire State. Field studies for the portions of the route not covered by previous reports were made from September 11 to 20, 1956. Our recommendations are given in the report Which follows and on the series of maps, scale 1" = 2 miles, included. we wish to express our appreciation for the helpful cooperation not only of the Nfinnesota Department of Highways but also the Eepartment of Conservation which has rendered.many favors including the use of a light airplane and pilot, and the Nfinnesota Historical Society which has supplied a most useful account of the historical background. we wish also to express our appreciation for the assistance of the Minnesota District office of the Bureau of Public Roads. Respectfully su.mitted@ ]' I..- I 4» P J I . ‘VIEW * mi’ ~11’; $'/','.§;‘/'‘l..,.-»‘'’/ _' L; t, L, Wallace A3/Johnson F. W. Cron Landscape Architect District Engineer NATIONAL PARK SERVICE BUREAU OF PUBLIC ROADS TABLE OF CON'I‘ENTS Introduction The Recommended Route The Scenic Corridor Control of Access Parkway Geometries Landscape Development of the Roadsides Facilities for Public Use and.Enjoyment Marking the Great River Road The Desirability of Adequate Legal Authority Recommended.Master Plan for Development State Highway Map showing recommended route of Great River Road in Minnesota Strip Map showing recommendations for Great River Road, lake of the Woods, Minnesota to Bemidji, Minnesota Strip Map, Bemidji to Jacobson, Minnesota Strip Map, Jacobson to Little Falls, Minnesota Strip Map, Little Falls to Pine Bend, Minnesota Strip Map, Pine Bend to IowaAMinnesota Boundary Illustrations of Typical Scenes along Great River Road APPENDIX I — Definitions of Terms used in Reports of Great River Road APPENDIX II - Points and Areas of Interest along Great River Road in Minnesota APPENDIX III-A - Mileage Table, Great River Road in Minnesota APPENDIX III-B — Mileage Table by Counties in.Minnesota — Counties Traversed or Visible from Great River Road in.Minnesota APPENDIX III-C Page 15 18 20 21 22 2h 25 25 28 29 30 31 32 33 3h 39 b3 b9 51 52 REPORT ON A PROPOSED ROUTE FOR THE GREAT RIVER ROAD (MISSISSIPPI RIVER PARKWAY) THROUGH THE STATE OF MINNESOTA November 15, 1956 INTRODUCTION The modern motor parkway originated in the metropolitan area of New York City shortly after Eorld'Uar I, and its adop~ tion was confined rather narrowly to this area until 1929 when the first national parkway, the Mt. Vernon Memorial Highway, was built from Washington, D.C. to Mt. Vernon, Virginia. Although.mileage increased very slowly during this first decade of parkway experience, the parkway concept itself and.its underlying principles became firmly established and definitely defined both in popular and professional thinking. The American Association of State Highway Officials defines a parkway as "an arterial highway for noncommercial traffic, with full or partial control of access, and usually 1ocated.within a park or ribbon of park-like development." This definition which is now generally accepted throughout the United States thus recognized three essen— tial elements of the typical parkway: (1) A motor roadway with full or partial control of access, which (2) Passes through a park or ribbon of park-like development, and is (3) Restricted to noncommercial vehicles. The 1930's brought a considerable expansion of parkway construction both on the Eastern Seaboard and.elsewhere. Many of the parkways of this period were originally conceived, partly at least, as employment relief measures. Also this period saw the projection of the parkway idea from.its original conception as a pleasure facility in congested urban and.metropolitan areas to that of a cross country scenic drive, traversing mountains, plains and fields--a se1f—contained destination in itself, rather than a portion of a highway system. The resulting freedom from a built-up urban type of scenery created.wider vistas which in turn required greater widths of right of way to obtain and protect the scenic corridor or ribbon of park-like development so essential to the parkway atmosphere. ‘Where widths of 300 and ORR (MRP) Report - Minn. hOO feet had been all that was needed, or could be purchased with the funds available, in the urban and suburban areas, widths of 600 to 1000 feet were found.necessary for the rural parkways; and could generally be obtained without excessive expenditure due to the lower land values. The Blue Ridge Parkway and Natchez Trace Parkway, both constructed by the Federal Government, are examples of this rural or cross country type of parkway. The rights of way for these roads were purchased by the respective states and given to the National Government which then constructed the roadways and other facilities for public use. The general locations of these national parkways were such that it was possible to obtain nearly complete control of access without disrupting the local highway road pattern. Almost complete scenic control was obtained by taking an average of about 125 acres per mile in the right of way or "scenic corridor." Since these parkways were new facilities built where no roads previously existed it was possible from the very start to rigidly exclude from them all commercial traffic. The Mississippi River Parkway or Great River Road was originally conceived as a Federal parkway similar to the Blue Ridge andllatchez Trace Parkways. To investigate the possi- bility of constructing such a parkway following generally the course of the Mississippi River, Congress in the Act of August 2h, l9h9 (Public Law 262, 81st Congress) instructed the Bureau of Public Roads and.the National Park Service to make a survey and a study of the route. This study was made and.the findings were presented to Congress in a Joint Report by the Secretary of the Interior and.the Secretary of Commerce, entitled "Parkway for the Mississippi" dated.November 28, 1951. It might be appro- priate here to review the findings and recommendations of this Joint Report since they have had a controlling influence on the Minnesota studies and recommendations which follow. The Survey of 1950-51 disclosed that a Federal parkway on the Blue Ridge Parkway pattern following an entirely new route would be prohibitive in cost both for right of way and construction; and would in great part duplicate existing high— ways which are, or could be made adequate, for the reasonably forseeable traffic. Furthermore, such a parkway would miss a great many of the most desirable scenic locations along the River, since these were already preempted by the existing highways. After careful study it was acknowledged that an all-new route was not feasible, and that long segments of the route would have to follow existing highways. These highways GER (MRP) Report — Minn. are necessary parts of the highway system in each state and they should therefore remain under the maintenance and police control of the states. This, as the Joint Report stated, would preclude the establishment.of a National or Federal parkway along the recommended route; but it would.not rule out Federal participa- tion in the cost since sections of the parkway included in any of the several Federal-Aid highway systems would.be eligible for the usual Federal assistance to these systems. Since these highways are now open to all kinds of traffic the maintenance of which is vital to many local communities, the Report also disclosed that one of the principal features of the classic parkway, exclusion of commercial traffic, would.not be attainable for the entire length of any practicable Mississippi River Parkway. Hbwever, the Survey also disclosed that there were many miles of excellent parkway location in proximity to the River where no highways presently exist. Here it was recommended that the parkway be built on new location with full observance of parkway principles including exclusion of commercial vehicles. For either type of location the Joint Report recommended that partial or full control of access be acquired to preserve the traffic capacity and safety of the parkway and its parkway character; and that congested areas of towns and.cities be bypassed wherever possible. The Joint Report states that "The essence of the parkway concept is to provide a park-like corridor which insulates the motor road from.uncontrolled development along the roadsides." National parkways such as the Natchez Trace Parkway and Blue Ridge Parkway provide this insulation by outright Government ownership of a broad band of land through which the motor road is threaded. However, the Survey of l9SO—5l disclosed that outright purchase of such a broad protective band for the Mississippi River Parkway would be prohibitive in cost because of the high value of the land and improvements. Furthermore possession of so much land would be a maintenance burden on the highway department unless it were allowed.to grow up in timber, which would destroy one of the principal scenic attractions of the parkway, the pastoral views over well-tended farms and pastures. It was recommended therefore that close-in protection be provided by taking a reasonably wide right of way, 220 to 250 feet, in fee simple; but that the remainder of the scenic corri- dor consist of scenic easement under which the State seeks to preserve the existing rural scene by purchasing the owner's right to change the use of the land. BY Purchasing such scenic can (war) Report; rinn. controls along the existing highways it was felt that the road- sides could be cleaned up and protected, and thereafter main- tained in parkway atmosphere. The Federal-Aid Parkway Concept Thus as a result of the Mississippi River Parkway Survey of 1950-51, there emerged the Federal-Aid Parkway, a new idea in interstate highway development. Briefly restated the char- acteristics of this new type of facility are: (1) (2) (3) (h) (5) (6) (7) (8) Ownership and control by the individual states Design and construction by state forces with Federal advisory services where requested Federal assistance in financing through the usual Federal-Aid channels Partial or complete control of access Provision of an adequate pro- tective scenic corridor by land controls over the adjacent road- side, these controls to consist principally of scenic easements Marshaling of the scenic, recreational, historic, cultural and geographic resources along the route by adequate interpretive and public-use facilities Utilization of existing highways where these are of parkway caliber or where no reasonably available route of parkway caliber exists New locations in proximity to the River wherever conditions are favorable GRR.(MRP) Report - Minn. (9) Exclusion of commercial vehicles from parkway sections on new locations coupled.with long-range plans to reduce or exclude truck- ing on sections following existing roads where reasonably available alternate facilities can be provided. The Federal-Aid Parkway plan advanced for the Mississippi River Parkway in the Joint Report was presented to the hississippi River Parkway Planning Commission appointed by the governors of the ten Mississippi River States at its annual meeting at La Crosse, lflisconsin on August 22, l952. The Commission expressed its "enthusiastic support" of the plan by appropriate resolutions. Advisory Services made available by the Federal Government The Federal-Aid Highway.Act of May 6, l95h authorized the Bureau of Public Roads to spend up to $250,000 from its own admin- istrative funds "...for the purpose of expediting the interstate planning and coordination of a continuous Great River Road and appurtenances thereto traversing the Mississippi Valley from Canada to the Gulf of'Mexico..." Under this Act the Commissioner of Public Roads has made available to the ten Mississippi River States the services of a highway engineer with extensive parkway and general highway experience; and through cooperation with the National Park Service, the services of a landscape architect experienced in the problems of land planning and development for scenic, recreational and other parkway uses. Minnesota was one of the first states to request an apportionment under this Act and to apply for the advisory services. The apportionment was based upon proposed improvements to U.S. Highway 61 from the Iowa-Minnesota Boundary to Red'Wing, Minnesota, estimated to cost §30,h39,000. The sum apportioned was $2h,l6?.O0. THE RECOMMENDED ROUTE OF THE GREAT RIVER ROAD THROUGH MINNESOTA Selection of the Recommended.Route The recommended route for the Great River Road and a northern extension to the Canadian Boundary at the Lake of the Woods is shown on the five strip maps attached, scale 1" = 2 miles. The very thorough studies of the Parkway Survey of l950-l951.made principally by stereoscopic examination of aerial photographs, were GRR (MRP) Report - Minn. of immense help to the consultants in their selection of this route. Had this preliminary work not been available, the time required for the field studies for this report would have been at least tripled. The following approach was taken in selecting the route: Where there was a trunk highway in reasonable proximity to the River, offering good views and not so heavily built up as to make the purchase of land and access controls prohibitive, the route was recom- mended to follow it. Where swamps or heavily built-up areas made it impossible to find a route of parkway quality in reasonable proximity to the River, the most suitable existing highway, local, trunk or interstate, was selected. Where there was a county or other local road in reasonable proximity to the River and offering good views, this road was included in the route in preference to any nearby trunk highway not in view of the River, even though the local road.might at present be below park- way standard.in alignment, grade and cross section. There are still considerable distances along the knssissippi shore where there are few developments and no existing road of any kind, or where the existing local road lies back from.the River a quarter-mile or more. At these places the consultants have recom- mended a new location lying as close to the River as possible within reasonable geometric standards so as to capitalize the riverside views, make the shore available for recreation and utilize the River as an access barrier. Wherever possible the Great River Road was routed around cities and villages rather than through them. These routes were usually on new locations. GRR (MRP) Report - Minn. The Northern Terminus The Northwest Angle of hinnesota figured prominently in the early history of the border lakes region of Canada and the United States. Fort St. Charles on.Magnuson's Island in Angle Inlet built by the French Explorer La Verendrye in 1732 is an historic site of major importance to both countries. The Dawson Trail which.began at the head of Angle Inlet played an important part in the settlement of the Prairie Provinces of Canada. An accident of geography separates the Northwest Angle from the mainland of Minnesota, and at present it can be reached only by'boat, air, or by poor "winter roads." However, the Government of Manitoba plans to build a road from.the interna- tional boundary to the Trans-Canada Highway, reaching the latter at Falcon lake where a large Government-financed tourist devel- opment is under construction. A connection to this road will in time make the Northwest Angle accessible to motorists. Since no surveys have yet been made for this northward extension of the Great River Road into Canada, the route shown on the strip map in this report is conjectural. It is shown only to indicate that the terminus of Minnesota's Great River Road will be determined largely by the route selected by Manitoba for the northward extension. Those familiar with the country say that the deep peat marshes immediately west of the Lake of the ‘Woods may require a location several miles inland from the Lake. Wherever the actual point of crossing the international boundary may be, the consultants recommend that it be marked.by a suitable entrance feature, possibly one emphasizing the "hands across the border" theme. Here also, a small day-use area may be appropriate in addition to the usual customhouse and other border station facilities. The Great River Road Extension from Canadian Boundary to Red Lake The geography of this region is a product of ancient Lake Agassiz, an impoundment of glacial times which once covered.mueh of the Dakotas, Manitoba and Northwestern Minnesota. The country is flat and sandy and poorly drained with many swamps and.muskegs; in fact the largest muskeg in the Continental United States lies just north of Red Lake. Vestiges of beaches indicating various stages of the ancient lake are visible near Uarroad, at Clear River Tower and along the south shore of Red Lake. At'Uarroad there is an opportunity to develop an excellent municipal waterfront facility to serve the needs of tourists who GRR (NRP) Report - Ninn. wish to boat and fish on the Lake of the Woods or go to the Northwest Angle by water. Beltrami Island State Forest south of'Warroad is an area of plentiful Wildlife--moose, elk, bear, deer, wolf and many others. The area included in the forest was once cleared and drained for agriculture but farming proved unsuccessful and the abandoned lands are now used by the State for growing pulpwood. The old drainage ditches are gradually being blocked by the Conservation authorities to restore the wildlife habitat. The consultants believe that the most appropriate theme for this section of parkway will be land, water and.wildlife conservation. This story can be told by appropriate interpre- tive exhibits at a recommended day-use area of considerable size near Clear River Tower where picnicking facilities should also be provided. At Red Lake it should be possible to introduce the story of Indian life, arts and crafts by appropriate exhibits. For example, an authentic restoration of a pre-Columbian Indian community would.be a fine tourist attraction. Projects such as these should be enterprises of the Chippewa Tribe conducted on tribal lands but accessible from the Parkway over suitable connecting drives . Red Lake to the Mississippi River South from Red Lake the land is rolling, approaching hilliness in places, and.is covered almost solidly with second- growth pine forests. The recommended route follows the Sandy River and Clearwater River to the Continental Divide, and then proceeds by the most direct route to the "Big Bend" of the Mississippi'where the River ceases its northward journey and turns abruptly east. Midway in this section lies Clearwater Lake. An extensive area along the east shore of the lake suitable for day-use development should be acquired for this purpose. There are at present very few improvements in this area. The parkway should.be routed.around the villages of Pinewood and Solway. GRR (MRP) Report -Ihinn. The Great River Road proper from Lake Itasca to Grand.Rapids In 1891 the Minnesota Legislature established a park at Lake Itasca to preserve the source of the Mississippi River in its natural state. One of the first such parks in the United States, Itasca State Park is an area of primary importance on the Great River Road. Day-use and overnight-use accommodations are provided as well as recreational facilities for swimming and hiking. Many Indian mounds are here and the Park has a fine museum. The Park has been suggested as a place to tell the story of lumbering in the Upper Mississippi country. It is surely the proper place to present the story of the search for the source of the "Father of Waters." From Itasca to Bemidji the Mississippi is a small stream winding and twisting through a narrow flood plain. Here there is an excellent opportunity to include both banks of the fledg- ling river in the parkway right of way; and by using a S0+mile design speed the motor road can be kept nearly always in sight of the stream. At beautiful La Salle Lake the consultants recommend that about 1000 acres be reserved as a relief area for Itasca State Park. Beginning at Lake Irving near Bemidji, the Mississippi passes through a succession of lakes which are controlled by dams and operated by the U.S. Government as flood control reservoirs. For nearly a hundred miles the River wanders east- ward over the flat roof of Minnesota through this maze of lakes to Grand.Rapids where it turns southward. In this distance the fall of the River is less than one foot per mile. In this section the recommended route follows U.S. Highway 2 to Wolf Lake where it turns northeastward on new location crossing the Mississippi at the outlet of Lke Andrusia. It skirts the northern shores of Cass Lake and Lake Winnibigoshish and.then follows State Highway hé and U.S. Highway 2 to Grand Rapids. About half of this route would be on new location, much of it lake shore drive of high scenic quality. A suitable bypass route around Deer River is still available; and at Cohasset there is room to locate the parkway motor road between the main street and.the railroad. The best route around Grand.Rapids lies south and west of the town but urban development is spreading so rapidly in all directions that land for a bypass may soon be very costly to acquire. 10 GRR (MRP) Report -Minn. At the Cutfoot Sioux Lakes northeast of Lake Uinnibigoshish there is an opportunity to combine recreation and historic values in a major combination-use area. The consultants recommend that the State acquire control over several thousand acres in this area. Celebrating their victory over the Chippewa in a battle at this place, the Sioux built an.effigy mound in the shape of a turtle. Later the Chippewa returned to defeat the Sioux in a bloody battle on the same spot, and in celebration they built a snake effigy mound around the Sioux turtle. These battles were episodes in an Indian war during which the Chippewa drove the Sioux from.their former woodland habitat into the plains. The Chippewa were themselves under pressure from.other tribes farther east, who in turn were retreating before the invading white men. The story that can be told.here is continental in scope. Grand.Rapids to Brainerd Through this section the Mississippi continues to fall at a rate of less than one foot per mile, and as a result it loops and.meanders'wideLy over its flood plain which here is about one-half mile wide. From Grand Rapids to Aitkin the recommended route follows existing local roads and state highways except for short stretches of new location near Grand Rapids and.Palisade. At Aitken the consultants departed from the route investigated and.reported on in their report of November 28, 1955; and recommended a route following the north shore of the Mississippi rather than one pass- ing through the Cuyuna Iron Range cities. This route, one of those investigated in the Survey of 1950-51, would follow existing county roads with considerable relocation in places or would.be on new location. It would cross the Mississippi north of Aitkin. At Brainerd, along the west shore of the River where the existing highwa and railroad bridges are of ample clearance for the Great River Road to pass under them, an economical and pleasant bypass route is available. At Big Sandy Lake a major combination-use area and inter- pretive center is recommended. Here, the stories of the early fur trade and Indian culture and anthropology can be told'by appropriate exhibits. The Portsmouth Open Pit Iron Mine in Crosby is the recom- mended site for an interpretive exhibit to tell the story of iron mining in the Cuyuna and Mesabi Iron Ranges. This mine pit would be accessible to parkway travelers by a side trip over Minnesota Highway 6 which should be developed to parkway standards. At Rabbit lake on Minnesota Highway 6 a small day-use area is recommended. GRR (MRP) Report - Minn. 11 At Brainerd the route passes the mill of the Northwest Paper Compamy, and.here would be an appropriate place to tell the story of the great paperamaking industry with suitable exhibits. Possibly the cooperation of the company could be enlisted to arrange for educative tours through the mill. Brainerd to St. Cloud From Brainerd southward the Mississippi quickens its pace falling nearly two feet per mile, and at the same time it assumes a much more direct course flowing in a rather narrow trench depressed about 20 feet below the surrounding gently rolling country. The situation here is ideal for a riverside parkway as the curves of the River are gentle enough to permit a road to follow them within reasonable geometric standards. The recommended route follows the west bank of the Mississippi and is almost continuouslr within sight of the River. The absence of existing highways, railroads, commer- cial development, communication lines and other artificial intrusions makes it possible to do an almost perfect job of parkway development here. It should also be possible to exclude trucks from this section as an adequate truck highway already exists on the east side of the River over U.S. Highways 10 and 371. It can be safely predicted that if the Great River Road is built to parkway standards on the west side, it will draw a very large part of the passenger traffic from the existing highway and may obviate the necessity of ever widening that highway. Most of this section should be on new location or should follow existing county roads with considerable relo- cation in places. The recommended route passes the site of Old Crow Wing, a place of importance in the early territorial history of Minnesota. Here, where the Red River Trail crossed the Nhssissippi there was once a thriving frontier town but now only two overgrown cemeteries remain to mark the site. Old Crow Wing is ideally suited for a day-use area; and it is recommended that one be established here. A few miles downstream in the Camp Ripley Nhlitary Reservation of the Minnesota National Guard is the site of Old Fort Gaines, an early frontier post of which a few vestiges remain. A historical exhibit is recommended for this site . GRR (MRP) Report - Minn. l2 South of Little Falls is the Charles A. Lindbergh State Memorial Park. Here, there are picnicking and camping facilities in addition to the famous aviator's boyhood home. The day-use areas of the park are divided from the principal area of interest, the home, by an existing highway. The consultants recommend that the parkway motor road pass farther west than the existing road, thus providing access to the park without cutting it in two. The existing road from Little Falls should be ended at the park boundary. About 2-l/2 miles downstream there exists an unspoiled riverside area suitable for camping and boating, which also pos- sesses some historical importance. It was the site of Lieutenant Zebulon.M. Pike's winter camp during his explorations of 1805-1806 on the Upper Mississippi. The consultants recommended that the overnight camping facilities at Lindbergh Park be transferred to this site, reserving the former for day use only. The two areas suitably connected as herein recommended.by a short length of parkway‘will be a unit and can be so administered. Suitable bypass locations for Little Falls, Sartell and St. Cloud are still available. St. Cloud to Pine Bend From.St. Cloud to Monticello the proposed.interstate highway will follow the present State Highway l52 which, although not in view of the hhssissippi, is n attractive highway with some variety in alighment and grade. By acquiring scenic controls this section of interstate highway should be suitable for the Great River Road.especially if in reconstructing the present road to interstate standards the State does not straighten it out too drastically. An attractive existing wayside at the mouth of the Clearwater River should be preserved, and about 3 miles north of Monticello there is an area along the river, including an attractive island which should be acquired for picnicking, boating and other day 1186 o From.Monticello to Layton a good riverside location is still available at reasonable cost, and should by all means be acquired since the available Mississippi shore within easy driving of the TWin Cities is shrinking rapidly. This location would be partly new and partly along existing county highways. From Dayton to Pine Bend the problem.is one of getting around the Twin Cities metropolitan area with satisfactory access GRR (MRP) Report - Minn. 13 controls and a reasonably clean roadside. The proposed circum- ferential interstate route passing south and west of Mfinneapolis is an obvious choice, and should be suitable for parkway use if scenic easements are purchased to control the view. The north~south section of interstate highway from Minnesota Highway 152 to Nfinnesota Highway 5 offers an especially fine opportunity to design and.build a modern controlled-access facility with parkwayetype geometries and roadsides. Sections of lakeside location are available at Fish Lake and Bryant Lake; and at the former, camping and picnic facilities are recommended together with an information station for south-bound parkway travelers. The information station is to acquaint parkway travelers with the historic, cultural, industrial and other attractions of the Twin Cities area and the travel accommoda- tions available there. Leaving the interstate highway just south of Hendota, the recommended parkway route follows Minnesota Highway 55 to Pine Bend. Another information station for north-bound parkway travelers is recommended in this section. To reach the important historic site of'hendota, Highway 55 should be developed to parkway standards as a spur of the Great River Road. Here on the site of the first permanent white settlement in Minnesota we find the homes of Henry'Hastings Sibley; Minnesota's first State governor, and.of Jean Baptiste Faribault, early fur trader. These old houses, beautifully restored, are in plain view of Old Fort Snelling, "the most important frontier military post on the upper river." These old stone buildings and ramparts are an ideal site for inter- pretive exhibits to illustrate the stories of early exploration and settlement of the Upper Mississippi and the defense of the frontier. Pine Band to Ioweehfinnesota Boundary Through this section the Great River Road lies in the famous "Hiawatha Valley" carved in glacial times by the immense river which formed the outlet to Lake Agassiz. Here, Minnesota's Great River Road is almost continually in sight of the River now converted by navigation dams into a succession of placid pools. This view of the River combined with the bold bluffs jutting into the valley imparts to the scenery a spectacular character not found elsewhere in the State. The existing highways for nearly the entire length of this GRR;jMRP) Report - Minn. lh section occupy the most favorable location for a parkway; and in many places the only feasible location for a road of amy kind. The recommended route therefore generally follows existing highways except where new locations are necessary to avoid cities and built-up areas. Suitable bypass locations are available for Hastings, Red'Wing, Wabasha, Winona and most of the smaller villages. At Lake City, La Crescent and.Browns- ville the recommended route goes through the town for want of a satisfactory alternate location. Inescapable features of the Hiawatha Valley landscape are the Chicago-Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad which shares with the highway a narrow shelf between the bluffs and the River, and several parallel power and telephone lines. Possi- bly a day will come when the power and communication lines ‘will be placed underground. Until that time, minimizing their prominence by shifting them to less conspicuous locations is recommended. The railroad itself is not particularly objec- tionable, especially since in.many places it is lower than the highway and travelers can look out over it. The Mississippi below the Twin Cities is one of the most popular playgrounds of the State. On summer weak ends hundreds of fishermen park their cars and.boat trailers on the shoulders and carry their boats to the water for a day's sport. Municipal boat harbors at Red'Wing, Lake City and ‘Winona do a brisk business as do a number of commercial boat liveries. In the fall the duck marshes along the River are thronged with fowlers. To accommodate these sportsmen the consultants recommend that boat-launching facilities be pro- vided at every suitable site. Such sites should offer as a minimum, room.for off-road parking, a launching basin and culverts or bridges through which the boats can pass under the highway and railroad to the River. A number of the best sites, such as the Spring Lake site near Pine Bend, Uacouta Boat Harbor, the Dutchmanls Coulee site on Lake Pepin, the John A. Latsch State Park enlargement, Dakota'Wayside, the Wildcat Creek site near Brownsville, and the Minnesota Slough area are of sufficient size to accommodate, in addition, picnic and sanitary facilities. An unusual number of values of interest to parkway travelers center around Old Frontenac. It is a place of historic significance and an area of exceptionally abundant and varied bird life. Add the outstanding high level views over Lake Pepin and the opportunity for water sports, and the result is a potentially ideal combination-use area. can jwar) Report - mm. 15 The consultants recommend that a sizeable area be acquired in connection with the Great River Road for this purpose. This area should include the bird life habitat, the principal his- toric buildings now standing in the village, the brow of the bluff between Old Frontenac and'Wacouta, and an area north of Wacouta for the boat harbor and.water sports. Both the State and County have had an interest in the Old Frontenac area and acquisition of some land for park pur- poses is already under way. The Division of State Parks has also made development studies. One of the few places where a considerable area of developable and accessible bluff-top land exists on the Nfinnesota side of the Hiawatha Valley is at Dresbach Bluffs. Here the consultants recomend.a major combination-use area to capitalise the breath-taking, panoramic views some of which are more than 180 degrees in scope. Here also, can be told the botanical and geological story of this unglaciated portion of Minnesota by interpretive devices. Barge traffic on the Mississippi and the locks and dams which.make it possible are interesting to tourists. Of the eight locks and.dams which lie wholly or partly in Minnesota Lock and Dam No. S at John A. Latsch State Park is the most accessible to travelers, and here a parking area is recomended along with exhibits to tell the story of navigation on the Nhssissippi. To a lesser degree Lock and Dam.No. 3 at Prairie Island and Lock and Dam No. 7 at Lresbach could also be tourist attractions. The crossing of a state boundary is always an interest- ing occasion for the traveler. It is also an opportunity for each state to promote its own advantages to the incoming tourist. The consultants therefore recommend that an entrance feature be constructed at the IowaéMinnesota State Line with an adequate off-road parking area and suitable exhibits. THE SCENIC CORRIDOR FOR THE GREAT RIVER ROAD The feature of the recommended plan for the Great River Road.which most distinguishes it from ordinary highways is the wide band of scenic controls which insulates the motor road from.uncontrolled development of the roadsides. The laying out of the boundaries of this protective band cannot be a mechanical operation; each mile of parkway shculd'be individually studied and the scenic controls should be fitted to the landscape. GRR (MRP) Repprt - Minn. 16 For example, where a natural scenic barrier such as the topo- graphic crest of a hill or ridge exists, the control need extend only a short distance beyond it. On the other hand a prominent pastured bluff might be included, even if several hundred feet from the motor road. In the rural countryside the narrow and the wide sections will average out; and it has been found on other parkways that an overall average of lOO to I25 acres per mile of parkway will provide an adequate corridor. The studies of the consultants indicate that this range in areas will also prove adequate in Minnesota; and they recommend that this figure be adopted as a guide for acquiring the scenic controls. Where the scenic corridor lies over state-owned land, as be state parks, military reservations or state forests, the only scenic controls necessary would be agreements from the appropriate State agencies to maintain the lands in a natural state. In forests this wculd.entail "no-harvesting" agreements on strips parallel to the road to permit the eventual development of a border of natural forest. Similarly, agreements should be entered into with the U.S. Corps of Engineers to prevent the leasing of Federal lands in the navigation pools including the offshore islands which front on or require access from the parkway as sites for summer homes. It is the understanding of the consultants that such requests from the State will have precedence over those of individuals; and they recommend that the State take immediate action in order to forestall the granting of leases which.may not run out for many years to come. Throughout most of the length of the Great River Road the scenic controls will have to be purchased from private owners. Here the scenic corridor should consist of two or more of'the following four elements: (l) A "basic right of way" preferably acquired in fee simple, and 220 feet wide (250 feet where service drives or frontage roads are needed) (2) A band of "rural scenic easement" usually at least 3OO feet wide on each side beyond the basic right of way where the parkway passes through farms or pastures GRR (MRP) Report - Minn. 17 (3) Through cities and suburban areas a band of "urban scenic easement" on each side varying in width with local conditions (h) ‘Where the parkway traverses ‘woodlands a band of "marginal land purchase" outside of the basic right of way of variable ‘width depending upon the topography The motor road need not lie in the exact center of the basic right of way, and the bands of scenic easement or marginal land purchase need not be symmetrical on both sides either. Generally where the parkway is following a lake, river or a creek the land between the motor road and the water's edge should be acquired.not only for scenic protection but to slime inate access as well. If the far shore of te River is promin- ently visible scenic controls should be extended over it also. In recommending two kinds of scenic easement the consul- tants recognized that different conditions and.problems exist in rural and urban areas. In open farming country the purpose of rural scenic easements is to perpetuate the rural scene in substantially its present condition. Under such easements the owner can continue to cultivate and use these lands for agri- culture and pasturage but cannot erect scenic nuisances such as billboards and utility pole lines, or change the type of use as from agricultural to residential or commercial. At the time scenic easements are acquired, existing billboards and other nuisances should be purchased and eliminated. In urban areas however, the right to prohibit a change in the use of the land, such as building more houses or putting up a store or filling station, may cost as much as the land itself. Here, a somewhat different type of easement is recom- mended, the intention of which is to prevent the land from being used for billboard advertising, junkyards or other unsightly purposes rather than to preserve the present use. Such control would be similar to zoning, but acquisition of the controls could proceed whether or not zoning ordinances exist. Also, if the restrictions are purchased they will "run with the land" and not depend for their permanence and effec- tiveness upon the actions of zoning boards or other regulatory bodies. GRR (MBP) Report ~ Nfinn~ 18 Wbodlands adjacent to the parkway pose still a different problem. To preserve the woodland character and the parkway atmosphere of the roadside, timber harvesting in adjacent wood~ lands should be discontinued. However, to deny harvesting in woodlands is tantamount to denying all use so far as the owner is concerned so that purchase of scenic easement over woodland may cost as much as the land itself. The consultants recommend that marginal bands of woodland be purchased outright. The ‘width of these marginal bands would vary with conditions. In the bluff country they should generally'extend to the limit of visibility from the motor road, which is usually just beyond the topographic crest. In flat pinelands and scattered woods in rolling country their width may be reduced to lOO feet each side of the basic right of way; Occasionally it may be desirable to purchase lands of low value such as overflowed.marshlands, primarily to extinguish access to them. At places of historic or cultural interest or places suitable for recreation, the consultants recommend acquiring sufficient land to control and protect the principal features and the approaches to them, plus enough land for the necessary interpretive and public-use facilities. CONTROL OF ACCESS The ideal scheme of access control would of course be full control with access permitted only at public roads provided with grade separations. On some sections of the Great River Road especially those near large cities, the demands of traffic may require such treatment. Certainly, at all intersections enough right of way should be taken to permit future construction of grade separations and interchanges. However, at present and for some time to come, full control will be attainable in Mfinnesota only on those sections near the Twin Cities where the recommended parkway route follows the interstate highways. Elsewhere, intersections at grade with the existing public roads will.be the rule, and these may be minimized to some extent by combining two or more roads into one access point or by dead-ending some low traffic roads at the parkway boundary without access. The problem of private access is however the most difficult to solve. Many miles of recommended parkway location follow exist- ing highways which provide the only access to the land for hundreds GRR (MRP) Report - Minn. 19 of farmers and suburban householders. ‘What shall be done to protect the parkway users from.traffic hazards, the roadsides from.deterioration, and yet provide reasonable access to the adjacent land for farm.purposes? One solution is to build a parallel service or frontage road to collect the individual accesses and lead them to the nearest public road intersection. This solution is particularly useful in ribbon developments near cities and it results in complete control of access. A second solution that provides partial control is to collect by means of short frontage roads three or more property owners into one joint private access. This solution may be employed where intersecting public roads are far apart and frontage roads longer than about a halfemile'would be required to take the property owners to a public road intersection. A third solution is to utilize existing or proposed culverts and bridges which are provided primarily for drainage as underpasses for private roads. This solution permits an owner whose property is divided by the Great River Road to cross the parkway without getting on it, and thus may reduce severance damages. A further possibility is grant private access by limiting it to specific agricultural or single-family resi- dence use. This method is particularly useful in open farming country where the access points are distant from public roads and exist only for agricultural purposes to permit the owner to reach his lands for tillage, harvest, pasturage and forestry pursuits. They are used but seldom.and thus present only a small hazard to parkway travelers. Similarly, an isolated single-family dwelling has small hazard potential as long as it remains a single-family dwelling. The control of access in such cases is accomplished b "freezing" the existing land use so that the access point does not develop additional volumes of traffic. By thus accepting a known ad.infrequent hazard, the State can greatly decrease the cost of acquirng access control with only a small loss of effectiveness in that control. This method of controlling access was pioneered in the State of Oregon; and at least one Mississippi River State, Illinois, has used it successfully on freeways. It is a useful tool related to outright access control in much the same manner as scenic easement is related to outright owner— ship of land. However, to be successfully applied, restric- tions on the use of access must be accompanied by adequate authority for the State to barricade and close the accesses of violators. "Agricultural accesses" and "residential GRR (MRP) Report - Minn. 20 accesses" are recomended for the Great River Road where it appears that great expense will be involved in providing frontage roads leading to the nearest public road intersection. On most of the parkway sections studied in previous detailed reports it appears that the total number of access points, public and private, can be held to an average of about two or three per mile; and some sections on new locations adjacent to the River may have fewer than one per mile. Every effort should.be made to keep this figure under four per mile. There should be no unrestricted private accesses to the parkway. These are almost certain to develop into filling stations or other uses generating traffic interference. The most perplexing problems of limiting access along existing roads occur at the approaches to towns and cities where ribbon development is creeping outward from the built-up portions. ‘Wherever conditions are favorable, the consultants therefore recommend avoiding the towns by new locations with usually two access points provided for each town at convenient places over existing highways. At major highway crossings sufficient right of way should be taken to permit separation of the grades should future traffic require it. PARKWAY GEOMETRICS APPLIED TO THE GREAT RIVER ROAD Pleasing roadsides and harmonious geometries, thanks to the wisdom of those who pioneered the parkway idea, have become firmly established features of parkway design. Characteristically "parkway alignment" consists of long sweeping curves connected by short tangents rather than long tangents connected by short curves. This does not mean that in flat country unnecessary curves should be introducted into the alignment; but it does mean that where a curve might logically be used, a tangent should not be forced instead; and of course curves wherever used should be flat enough to permit attainment of the design speed established for the road. Good geometric design for any highway begins with good location, and.the essence of good parkway location is fitting the road to the contours of the land with the least disturbance of the natural scheme. Except in the very flattest country some curvature is necessary to accomplish this. To achieve pleasing geometries it is also necessary to pay some attention to the relationship between alignment and grade especially in hilly country; otherwise, awkward kinks and optical effects will appear at unexpected places. ggg §M@£1 Report - Ndnn. 21 Where the recommended route for the Great River Road follows existing trunk highways, there is generally little that can be done to improve the appearance of the existing alignment and grade especially if these roads are already on high-speed long-tangent locations. However, where the existing alignment is crooked, the consultants recommend that in reconstructing it to higher standards a studied attempt be made to accomplish the improvement by long-radius curves rather than by long tangents. This would apply particularly to parkway sections following county and other local roads. Mbst of the new locations recommended in this report are riverside or lakeside locations. These lend themselves admirably to curvilinear or "spline-line" design. To further harmonize these locations with their surroundings, the consultants recommend that side-borrow and snow-storage ditches be omitted on the side of the parkway toward the water view. In the Hiawatha Valley most of the recommended route follows existing narrow two-lane trunk highways which are pro- grammed for widening to divided four-lane highways in the near future. In many places in this section the topography favors the construction of the two added lanes as a separate one-way road, independent of the existing road in line and grade with a median of variable width, and usually in a position higher on the hillside than the existing highway. The consultants recom- mend such a design as it not only reduces the scars of construc- tion but also enablestravelers on the higher roadway to look out and enjoy an unobstructed view; The circumferential interstate highway between Minnesota Highway 152 near Osseo and Ndnnesota Highway 5 near Bryant Lake offers an unparalleled opportunity to do a first-class job of parkway location and design. The topography while not extremely rough is varied and interesting, and in several places it should be possible to use short lakeside locations. The general direc- tion is north-south; yet it appears quite practical to build the road with sweeping curvilinear alignment and long vertical curves and thus avoid the monotony of long tangents while increasing the length of the road but a negligible amount. LANDSCAPE DEVELOPMENT OE THE ROADSIDES The typical parkway roadside is one of flattened and rounded slopes, blending the irregular contours of the land with the regular geometric slopes of the motor road, and stablized by grasses, shrubs or trees against the ravages of erosion. G (MRP Re ort - Nfinn. 22 Fortunately, such roadsides have been typical of Minnesota highways for many years; and it has long been the custom to conserve topsoil for replacement on the slopes and to preserve woody plant material during construction operations. Seeding of slopes is usually done during or immediately after the grading contracts. These wise precautions in Minnesota as elsewhere will create a favorable environment for plant growth, and nature in a few years will heal the scars of construction and provide a voluntary growth of trees and shrubs to restore the naturalness of the roadside. The consultants recommend that additional man- mameplantings be sparingly used, and these principally for screening out unsightly objects such as utility lines, for pro~ moting the safety of the highway by outlining curves and reduc- ing headlight glare, or for snow control. Screening against the glare of locomotive headlights may be important in a few places. For all plantings native species of the kind growing in the near vicinity should be used as these will readily adapt themselves to the environment and blend with the adjacent roadside. In open farm land the effect of plantings on the view should be carefully studied. This is particularly important in the planing of live snow barriers, for if certain kinds of trees are used they will eventually grow into a continuous and impervious screen, cutting off the parkway traveler's view of the countryside. The consultants believe that there are many places where the use of slat snow fences should be continued to avoid blocking off the view of the summer landscape with artificial plantings. Where planted permanent snow-control hedges are established, the species used should fit into the ecology of the immediate countryside. Through woodland selective cutting is generally better than planting as a means of restoring the edge of the highway clearing to a natural appearance. Selective cutting and pruning are also very effective for opening vistas and for framing or bringing distant landscapes into view. Fbrmal plantings should be limited to urban areas in keeping with the usual symmetrical and formal.metropolitan surroundings. FACILITIES FOR PUBLIC USE AND ENJOYMENT According to the Joint Report, "A parkway for tourists is an instrument of conservation through its running band of land QRR §M@P1 Report :lMiQgg 23 controls but it should also be seen as a way between the out- standing historic sites, parks and scenic areas of the region traversed." The region traversed by Minnesota's Great River Road is exceptionally rich in historic and scenic values, and in addition it passes through the very heart of one of America's outstanding vacation lands. Recreational use of the parkway and its facilities is sure to be heavy and will increase year by year with the increase of population and the shrinkage of other avail- able recreational areas. Adequate provisions for handling the increasing tide of visitors, and interpreting the parkway for them are as necessary as the roadway itself. The Joint Report recommends that combination areas for day and night use should be provided at intervals of about lOO miles. Areas of sufficient significance to be worthy of devel- opment for combination-use areas exist at: Mile 0 - Itasca State Park 70 - Turtle Mbund Area on Cutfoot Sioux Lakes 140 - Sandy Lake 240 - Charles A. Linbergh Memorial State Park and Zebulon Ml Pike site 410 - Old Frontenac 483 - Dresbach Bluffs At each of these places there is a feature of outstanding geographic, geological, scenic or historic interest which would require more than a day to see and appreciate. Most of them also afford excellent opportunities for camping, picnicking, swimming, fishing, boating and hiking. The consultants recommend that these areas be planned for well-rounded programs of interpretation and recreation; and that adequate facilities for camping, picnicking and overnight lodging and food service and adequate sanitary fac- ilities be provided as required to keep abreast of public demand. In their field studies the consultants examined 17 sites along the Great River Road, which they consider suitable for day use. These are shown on the attached maps and in the itinerary, Appendix II. Many of these sites combine historic, scenic and recreational interests, and all should be developed to provide GRR LMRP) Report - Nhnn. 24 pure water and picnic and sanitary facilities. In some of them small boat launching facilities should also be provided and all should have adequate off-road parking. At all other places along the Great River Road, tourist accommodations and services should be provided by private enterprise. Information about these services can be imparted to the tourist at information stations located at appropriate places on approaches to the cities. The purpose of such stations is to furnish the information usually displayed on roadside billboards. They should have off-road parking facilities and space for signs informing the tourist of the goods, services and accommodations available. They might also contain a booth to be manned during the busy tourist season, and public sanitary facilities. At.many other places too numerous to mention individually in a general report such as this, parking overlooks and off-road rest areas should be provided wherever there is a fine view, a small boat launching site, a.minor historic site, a pleasant group of trees or other minor attraction. Locations for these small but important features can best be determined during the detailed design of the parkway. These areas should be attrac- tively designed to provide safe ingress and egress from the parkway, but should not be provided with picnic facilities for reasons of public health and appearance. ____I\/LABKING THE GREAT RIVER ROAD The signing or marking of the Great River Road is a desirable thing to do but only after the land and access con- trols are acquired. Such a policy will protect the State against speculative increases in the cost of acquiring right of way, scenic controls and access, which might come following the increased traffic the parkway is sure to generate. The consultnts recommend against designating any "temporary" parkway locations. A poor shabby "temporary" parkway would be a bad advertisement for the State. "Temporary" locations are also undesirable because they tend to become permanent. Towns and buisnesses along such routes assume a vested interest in them; and it may then become difficult or impossible to move the route to the more desirable "final" location. After the land and access controls are acquiredthe GRR,(MRP) Report - Minn. 25 "park" part of the parkway is an assured fact. There would then be no objection to marking it with appropriate signs even if the roadway and pavement are not up to parkway standards. Public pressure will insure the improvement of the motor raod as traffic volume builds up with use. The selection of a unform marker for the Great River Road is a matter for the ten States to work out cooperatively. In addition to a uniform U.S. highway route number, the consultants would like to suggest the adoption of a distinctive, easily recog- nized but wordless symbol such as the "steamboat" used during the Survey of 1950-1951 for use in connection with directional and informational signs in the various interpretive and public-use areas along the Great River Road. THE DESIRABILITY OE ADEQUATE LEGAL AUTHORITY TO PROCEED WITH THE GREAT RIVER ROAD The consultants feel that the plan for the Great River Road as outlined in the Joint Report of 1950-1951, cannot be fully carried out by the Minnesota Department of Highways under its present legal authority. For example, the Department cannot spend its funds on roads unless they are trunk roads; and.many 4 ‘ JLWJM , r , w, .5 . .. at 1 uxvv ~ , .. I \ M .. A it A R E . 2 R 0. .. \ . an ._ .. . 10 . .. T _ L : e . . D) ~ _ A . . A . .. F it ~ 1 » . s H . 1 _ t . .... . 2 _. .~ . J, -. l I v? _ !. _~\~ K L +1 add. . . < ._ /IF 5 I (I ztl ,... = _ . c it/.A\.fi I .| _ 1 . * , * . . . n . “ e . . V _ 1 . I v 2 -9 3 _ _ lI\bI.$) J1 . 0 _ »_ 4 F A : 0. .. m m. .. A ._ ! I if , . T I 1! I _ . l . 4, ~ 0 . > I A . 1 > . x Q I H . a _ D x/. ¢....~.....? umcmn ncmrns, mun s:nvm:s)-1 k i g; . \ , - - \ - ‘. Min .\ I . 0 -19 I i.,..;| ..\1.!.~‘J . K-.. M V _ \“\L. 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' ‘~ 1 ‘ ‘ “ ~ , ' “ I » ’ ' I " p —' . ~ V = ‘V p , ,_ W1, um. to usual, ran. N'_1_‘<;;3;i~.'e- 1' 4 ' Y 4 I V A A V 4 auxnn (F mm news A , , wmmvm, mm H *1“) :7‘ ~!":\v"‘¢ .. WWII“ CENTER .- um PICNIC Fn:n.1'r1Es)"" " I/"o"‘:S?“' P(IlT84GF'1‘H OPEN PIT MINE INTERPRETIVE CENTER FCR IRQI MINING \ ‘ ~ 1 '7‘ ‘Jig , H ' , FORT G ,-r _ I -2 u1srcmcu. mxmrra, v ‘ ._ STRIP NAP SKIING REIQDEKDITICHS FCR moroam GREAT RIVHI HOLD JACQSQI, MINE. TO LITFIJ FALLS, MDIN. BUREAUGPUBIJC RQDS SCALEl"=2M1L!S GATLIIBURE, mum NM 15, 1956 QMTBCFESHIITS 2 3 sum HAP swarm nncocmmulars rm vmrosn cmr arnm now mm nus, um. 1-0 mm mm, mm. smut cl mm nmns scan 1' = 2 ms cm.nmvnc, mas: ncvmsn 15, 1956 sum 4 or 5 ms "n .\. _ -‘pk; FIS LIKE COYGIIATIQI U3 AREA ARD WT“ STATIOI CIZLRHLTIR HAISIDE I /' I » / }\ 3 2 .7! ~4- 7, 31 cams A. Lnmaxma - manner 14. P cmanm-mi us um ~. T43- _ - ~..... - _._‘ mam canzx son rucm4om cm ;,._ -.__. ‘s U. uuncumo SITE) '3 son ,L_wucR1No sm: ~ mxon mam ~ _ ' -~v;~. I; -6- (mum um B01! .1 _._ ,_ 4 . P . . ,. HCMER sow ' ‘ ‘ _ I L ‘. ' rnc.n;nns)/" bmmfl Ems ‘ ow "mum ou'rcmuu's course A H ( i . . . - _ 3 V uuucamc arr:-" - i I I J‘ ‘ comnunm vs: mm‘ cocnm1w us: A1EA\ non uvrcunc um . , W I S I wmoxm sou mm "' (run (I am marrmuc . " “ . M - ~ r ‘ ‘_ ' ‘ ' - " j - ' I V -Y F _ c ' Yzglfcfilflih BOAT U.S. mow mm am no. 5 mam SLOUGH Gm“ Bums SH" .WA_,5\De_ cosnunm nagging A v_ ,_ ,_ _ V 7 I _ _ ' K 1 I 7/ - _--I HM SIT‘ PARKING mm rm am am. “mum SITE‘ um um“ Cm was .~.,_.~ .) v = . -, ,7 i 7 7. =- ' ' ' ‘ AND PIBNIC AREA‘-k vxsrrms. coon vnw ‘- \ 7 (‘MM’) "71,,’ ' KI " I V . L ' ‘ " , I V ,. . , '_ " ‘ ' ,5 .amrumxmm ;.:l~'1_:,--1 on cu: sou umcunc ncnnu 7 14 mom: son umnmc sun , 1 I I 1! .l,, ADDITIQJ T0 JCHN A. IMSH _, __ .‘. STATE PARK FOR CAMPING, ’ ' PICNICING AND BQAT LAUXXJHDIG FACILITIES ‘ srrrx mm . . ‘ xmwcx rmnm: \\Q ' 7 ~ Y a W \ 2552 MELES T0 {HE Ghf The Source of the Mississippi River at Lake Itasca, Minnesota. This scenic view through the birches is typical of the lake country of Northern.Minnesota through which the Great River Road finds its way. Boating and fishing are popular sports along the Upper Mississippi flowages where the River passes through a succession of impoundments. A typical open pit iron ore mine. Among the greatest excavations made by man, this pit is typical of many in the Cuyuna and Mesabi Iron Range country of Northern Minnesota. 35 'Paper mill in Brainerd, Minnesota. pretive station is recommended here to tell the story of the paper industry of Minnesota. Photo by Chamber of Commerce, Brainerd, Minn. An inter- Looking down a side valley toward the Mississippi River. A view typical of - unglaciated area of Southern.Minnesota. The Government navigation dams and locks of the Upper Mississippi are among the inter- esting attractions of the Great River Road adding life and movement to the scene. Typical view of Great River Road in the Hiawatha Valley. In foreground is US Highway 61 eventually to be widened to 4 lanes. Next is Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul RR with the blue Mississippi beyond. In distance is Trempealeau Mountain, a prominent landmark on the Wisconsin shore. View of wooded bluffs looking southward from Lamoille. At extreme left is Catlin Rock named for famous pioneer artist. Peaks of both bluffs are about 550 feet above river level. Obsolete 18-foot concrete pavement is to be widened and 2 lanes added. 39 APPENDIX I (Sheet l of 4) DEFINITIONS OF TERMS USED IN REPORTS OF GREAT RIVER ROAD (MISSISSIPPI RIVER PARKWAY) Agricultural Access - A private access granted for the exclusive use of a land owner to reach his land for the purpose of planting and harvesting crops, caring for cattle, or for forestry uses. Such an access would be gated and not open to the general public. Combination-use Area - An area of considerable size developed for both day use and overnight use by the public. Would generally be located at a place where there is an outstanding natural, his- toric or recreational feature or features that would require more than a day for the visitor to see and appreciate. A.minimum development would be a picnic area and a campground with modern sanitary facilities. The area should probably be operated and maintained by the department of state parks. Day-use Area - An area of considerable size developed only for daytime use by the public. Would generally be located at a place where there is an outstanding natural, historic or recreational feature that would require no more than a day for the visitor to see and appreciate. A.minimum development would be a picnic area. Modern sanitary facilities would be included. Such an area should probably be operated and maintained by the department of state parks. Frontage §treet or Frontage Road {Service Qrive) - A local street or road auxiliary to, and located on the side of the parkway motor road for service to abutting property and adjacent areas, and for control of access. A frontage road would generally be used to con- solidate a number of public road intersections or a number of private access points into one point of intersection with the park- way road. Access to the frontage road from abutting property would not be restricted. Marginal Land Eurchase - An area of marginal land adjacent to the parkway, the acquisition or control of which is necessary for the scenic protection of the parkway, or control of access to it. Types of land which might be recommended for acquisition as marginal land purchase would be steep wooded bluff faces, marshy areas, forested lands, worn-out or eroded farm lands and islands in the Nfississippi River. It is very frequently true that such lands can be purchased outright at no more than it would cost to control them.by scenic easements. 40 Appendix I - Definitions of Terms (Sheet 2 of 4) Parking Area - A car-parking area constructed for other reasons than to look over the scenery. There generally will be an island or an area capable of supporting plant growth separating the paved parking space from the motor roadway. Parking Overlook - A car-parking area constructed primarily as a place to stop to enjoy the view. Although the parking area may vary in size from a few hundred square feet to several thousand square feet, an unpaved area capable of supporting plant growth will generally separate the paved parking space from the motor roadway. Parking Widening - A parking space constructed contiguous to the roadway, and generally without an island between the paved parking space and the motor roadway. A parking widening would be con- structed only where a parking area is needed but space is limited. The parking widening should be differentiated from the motor road pavement by a change in color or texture of paving. Private Access - A direct connection of a private road to the parkway motor road, or any point where direct access from the parkway motor road to abutting land is permitted other than at public roads. A private access may be provided for the use of one or more families and upon occasion it may be parrel to the parkway road for a considerable distance. Such a parallel private access would differ fram a service drive in that access to it would be permitted only to the person or persons or their legal successors to whom it was originally granted. Protective Planting Strip - A strip of land, generally 50 to 100 feet wide, outside the normal right of way on which to plant a vegetative screen to conceal scenic nuisances. In effect such a strip would be a widening of the normal right of way, and should generally be purchased outright to permit full control. As a rule protective planting strips would be taken only in urban areas. Public Road Intersectigg - The general area where any state highway, county or township road, city street, lane, alley, or other road maintained with public funds, joins or crosses the parkway motor road. In general, only those roads shown on the general highway maps prepared by the state-wide highway planning surveys of the various states would be considered as public roads. All others would be classed as private roads. Residential Access - A private access granted for access to a residence. Such an access would be for the exclusive use of a particular person and his family. 41 (_,_:-MU“_,_',_\,r0.l'-r&-~» =* Appendix I - Definitions of Terms (Sheet 3 of 4) Eight of Way - A strip of land of variable width acquired for or devoted to a highway. In the case of the Nfississippi River Parkway, the right of way is interpreted to be the land that would normally be taken by the State for an ordinary highway of similar geometric characteristics whether or not it were to be used as a parkway. In general it is assumed that the normal right of way for the parkway will have a basic width of 220 feet. Rural Scenic Easement - An interest in or servitude over agricultu- ral or forest land adjoining the parkway under which the owner surrenders his right to change the manner of use of his land. Such an easement would not permit the State to enter upon the land for any purpose without the owner's permission. The owner could con- tinue to cultivate the land and use it for pasture or other normal farming pursuits but could not erect billboards or change the manner of use as from agricultural to suburban residential or commercial. The intention of rural scenic easement is to secure a wide band of scenic protection for the parkway, at the same time avoiding the economic loss involved in taking good farm land out of production. Q Another object is to retain the rural scene of cultivated field and § well-tended pasture without placing a maintenance burden on the high- i way forces. 5 cases at least 300 feet from the right-of-way line unless there is a ,\"~,'_'i.-' ' ' ~ .-' /:_--~'_<.v.'!'.;.‘.'_“.".:r.:—-v.\:‘v":'":’-‘-""A‘I"'§ To be effective scenic easements should extend in most closer natural scenic screen such as a line of woods or a hill crest. Safety Rest Area - An off-roadway space with provisions for emergency stopping and resting by motorists for short periods. A safety rest area would have freeway-type entrance and exit connections, parking areas, benches and tables and may have toilets and water supply, where proper maintenance and supervision are assured. It may be designed for short time picnic use in addition to parking of vehicles for short periods. flrban Scenic Easement - An interest in or servitude over land in urban areas or future urban areas under which the owner surrenders his right to use the land for purposes that would be injurious to the scenic or esthetic qualities of the parkway. Permissible uses of the land would not include outdoor advertising, junk yards, dumps, open excavations and quarries, cheap roadside business and some industrial uses such as those that create odors or have an unsightly appearance. The purpose of such easements is to prevent the erection of scenic nuisances rather than to freeze the rural scene. In built-up urban areas, urban scenic easements would ordi- narily be taken only over a half block or block immediately adjacent to the parkway, but in some instances they might be wider. 42 Appendix I - Definitions of Terms (Sheet 4 of 4) Wavside - An area of limited size developed only for day use by the public. Establishment would be based on convenience to some point of natural, historic or recreational interest that may require from a few minutes to several hours to see and appreciate. Where picnic tables are furnished or recreational activities are encouraged, sani- tary facilities should be provided. It is desirable that such an area be constructed and maintained by the highway department. --_.n_l-an ygle 0.0 7.0 12.5 19.0 33.6 66.0 73.0 to 81.0 84.0 92.0 l04~O 43 APPENDIX II POINTS AND AREAS OF INTEREST ALONG THE GREAT RIVER ROAD (Extension of Great River Road to Canadian Boundary - See Strip Nhp Sheet 1 of 5) United States-Canadian Boundary. Recommended parking area for interpretive and informational signs concerning Canada, the United States, Nhnitoba and.Minnesota. Travelers may leave the United States at this point to drive over future road in Canadian territory to North- west,Angle of Minnesota where a Great River Road combination- use area is recommended. Warroad (3-1/2 miles east over Minnesota Highway ll). Boat launching and marine service facilities. Access point by water to Northwest Angle over Lake of the Woods. Remains of Campbell Beach of glacial Lake Agassiz. Recommended marker . Recommended Clearwater Tower Picnic Area and Inter- pretive Station for forest, water and wildlife conservation. Also marker for Norcross Beach of ancient Lake Agassiz. Roseau River. Beavers and bird interest. Existing secondary road enters largest muskeg in United States, which lies between Upper Red Lake and Beltrami Island State Forest. Recommended interpretive marker explaining formation of muskegs. Lake shore drive along Upper Red Lake. Possible development of Indian culture exhibits by Indiana, together with facilities for picnicking and water activities. An early British fort was located on the shore 2 miles south of where Red Lake River discharges from Lower Red Lake. Herman Beach, highest level of glacial Lake Agassiz. Recommended interpretive station for Lake Agassiz and glacial prehistory. Recdmmended Clearwater Lake Day-use Area. Picnicking and water activities. Continental Divide between Gulf of Mexico and Hudson Bay drainage. Appendix II - Points and Areas of Interest along GRR - Ndnn. Nfile ll4.0 Mile 0.0 16.0 43.0 49.0 52.0 65.0 101‘ 5 44 E.) Crossing of Nhssissippi River at "Big Bend" and junction with main Great River Road at point 16 miles north of the outlet of Lake Itasca. (Great River Road proper beginning at Lake Itasca - See Strip Nhp Sheet 2 of 5 sheets) Itasca State Park, an existing combination-use area under the jurisdiction of the Division of State Parks of the Minnesota Department of Conservation. Interpretive exhibits recommended here to tell the story of the search for the source of the Mississippi River, which ended with Henry Schoolcraft's discovery of Lake Itasca in 1832. "Big Bend" where the Nhssissippi ceases its north- ward course and turns eastward. (Junction with proposed extension to Canadian Boundary at Mile ll4 of that extension.) Crossing of the Mississippi River where it debouches from Lake Andrusia. Recommended interpretive station with picnic facilities. Here are Indian burial grounds and an Indian battleground, the site of a Northwest Company fort and the site where the second printing press in Nhnnesota was operated. Bishop Whipple's Nfission once stood here also. Site of American Fur Company Trading Post. Outlet of Cass Lake. Trading Post. Site of Northwest Company Recommended Turtle Mcund Combination-use Area on north shore of Lake Winnibigoshish and including Big and Little Cutfoot Sioux Lakes. Interpretive exhibits recom- mended to tell the story of Indian tribal warfare, and the displacement of Indian peoples as a result of the swelling tide of European immigration through the eastern seaboard. Another interpretive feature could be the story of canoe travel in the Upper Mississippi area. Cross Nhssissippi River just north and west of Grand Rapids. A small day-use area is recommended in the general vicinity of Grand Rapids. 45 Appendix II - Points and Areas of Interest along?GRR - Minn. 3 Mile 126.0 Jacobson. Cross Nfississippi River. Here the 140.0 to 144.0 172.0 187.0 00 207.0 218.0 219.0 234.4 243.0 Mississippi ceases its eastward course and turns southward. (End of Strip Map Sheet 2 of 5. Begin Sheet 3 of 5.) Recommended SandygLake Combination-use Area and Interpretive Center for the story of the early American and British fur trade with the Indians. Also exhibits of Indian culture and anthropology. Cross to the west bank of the Mississippi just north of Aitkin. Recommended route remains on west side of the Great River from here to the South State Boundary. Junction with Minnesota Highway 6. Four miles south of this point is the Portsmouth open pit iron mine of the M. L. Hanna Company, where an interpretive station to tell the story of iron mining is recommended. The spur road to the iron mine should be developed to parkway stand- ards and a small picnic area should be developed in the vicinity of Rabbit Lake. Recommended boat launching and picnic facilities on backwater of Brainerd Dam. Here, where the parkway is directly across the River from.the Northwest Paper Company's Brainerd plant an interpretive station is recommended to tell the story of the paper industry of Minnesota. Recommended Day-use Area at confluence of Mississippi and Crow Wing Rivers. Interpretive Station for Red River Trail and Old Crow Wing Settlement. Indian mounds in vicinity. One-way service bridge recommended as pedestrian crossing to Old Crow Wing historic site on east bank. Site of Fort Gaines, early frontier post. Recommended historic exhibit near ruins of stone powder magazine. Entrance to Camp Ripley Military Reservation of Minnesota National Guard one-half mile west. (End of Strip Nhp Sheet 3 of 5. Begin Sheet 4 of 5.) Charles A. Lindbergh State Park under jurisdic- tion of Minnesota Division of State Parks. Boyhood home of famous aviator and existing picnic area and campground. Grove of ancient white pines. Appendi; 11 - Points and Areas of Interest algng GRR - Minn. M2 245.0 287.0 298.0 300.0 3290 5 to 330.0 345.0 358 .0 360 .0 364 .0 368.0 371.0 389 .0 46 Winter campground of Lieutenant Zebulon ML Pike during his explorations of 1805-1806. Recommend historic marker, facilities for launching and servicing small boats, picnic area and campground. This area should be operated in conjunction with Charles A. Lindbergh State Park. Existing Clearwater Wayside. Picnicking and day- Recommended River Island Day-use Area. Recommended Fish Lake Information Center and Combination-use Area. Informational exhibits pertaining to Twin Cities. Recommended Bryant Lake Picnic Area. endota Interchange between Interstate Highway and Nfinnesota Highway 55. Access point for parkway travelers desiring to visit.Mendota, the first permanentwwhite settle- :ment_ipkMdnnesata, and Old Fort Snelling. Interpretive eihibits are recommended to tell the story of the early settlement of the Upper Mssissippi Valley at the Sibley House, and the military protection of the frontier at Ft. Snelling. Access over Wfinnesota Highway 55 should be developed to parkway standards. In this approximate vicinity an Information Station is recommended for north-bound travelers to the Twin Cities area. Kaposia, site of Sioux Indian village, mission and burial.mounds. First distant view of Mississippi River and Hiawatha Valley. Mrker recommended. Pine Band. Site of cornfields and village of the Sioux Chief Mdicine Bottle. (End of Strip Map Sheet 4 of 5. Begin Sheet 5 of 5.) Historiczmarker recommended. Recommended Spring lake Day-use Area on backwater of US Lock and Dam No. 2. Boat launching facilities and picnic area. Access road to US Lock and Dam.N. 3. Road follows south boundary of Eggleston-Prairie Island India Reservation within which.is the site of an early trading post and fort. Recomended historic.marker. 47 Appendix II - Points and Areas of Interest along GRR.- Minn. 5 Nhle 405.0 405.0 411.5 416.5 423.0 427.0 446.0 447.0 to 450.0 449.0 453.0 455.0 461.0 465.0 Access point to recommended Wacouta boat harbor (part of recommended Old Frontenac Combination-use Area). Boat launching and servicing facilities and water recreation. Recommended Old Frontenac Combination-use Area and Historic Site. (Land acquisition begun by State.) Recommended Interpretive Station for French colonial occupation of the Upper Mississippi in the 17th and 18th centuries, Christian missions to the Indiana, and social and cultural development of the Upper Mississippi Region. Also migratory bird exhibits. Brown's Hotel, Lake City, an example of typical resort hotel during the days of the antebellum Mississippi River resort traffic. Dutchman ' s Coulee . and picnic area. Recommended boat launching site Read's Landing. Outlet to Lake Pepin, once an important steamboat landing. Recommended exhibit explain- ing formation of Hiawatha Valley and Lake Pepin. Wfinneiska. picnic area. Recommended boat launching site and John A. Latsch State Park under jurisdiction of Nnnesota Division of State Parks. Since the existing park contains no area suitable for picnicking and camping purchase of additional land adjoining the northwest boundary is recommended to provide space for these activities. This is also a good launching site for small boats. US Lock and Dam No. 5. Existing parking area for visitors to dam. Recommended exhibits to tell the story of commerical navigation of the Upper Mississippi. Recommended Straight Slough boat launching site. Site of Rolling Stone Colony. Recommended historic marker. Access to Garvin Heights State Park. Excellent distant views over City of Winona and Mississippi River. Recommended Homer boat launching site. 48 Appendix II - Points and Areas of Interest along GRR - Minn. 6 Mile 469.0 Recommended Lamoille boat launching site. 471.4 Recommended Trout Creek boat launching site. 474~0 Richmond. Near here about 1835, George Catlin, famous painter of Indians daubed his name in red on the rocks and the spot was afterward known as "Catlin Rocks." Recommended boat launching site. 479.0 Recommended Dakota Wayside with picnicking and boat launching facilities. 479.5 Dresbach Bluffs. Recommended Combination-use Area and Botanical-Geological Interpretive Station for unglaciated region. Interpretive features might include arboretum development. Magnificent distant views from crest of bluff. 483.0 US Lock and Dam No. 7. 490.0 Recommended boat launching site at Root River. 494.5 Existing ramp for boat launching to remain until better facilities can be provided at Wildcat Creek. 496.0 Wildcat Creek. Recommended boat launching site and picnic area. 498.0 Bluff Trail Picnic Area. Terminus of recommended foot trail through bluffs. 501.0 Quarry Trail Parking Area. Recommended terminus of interesting foot trail following old quarry road to top of bluff where fine elevated views can be had. 502.0 Recommended boat launching sites on Minnesota Slough. 509.0 Iowa-Minnesota Boundary. Recommended parking areas for interpretive and welcoming signs for Iowa and Minnesota. 49 APPENDIX III—A GREAT RIVER ROAD - MINNESOTA NHLEAGE TABLE Distance : New : Local : Trunk : Interstate: Nile : (Nfi1es) :Location: Roads zflighwaysz System : Remarks (Lake of the Woods Extension) .Manitoba-Minn. 0.0 Boundary 12.5 1?12.5 12.5 19.7 7.2 7.2 31.0 11.3 11.3 39.0 8.0 8.0 46.2 7.2 7.2 81.0 34.8 34.8 103.2 22.2 22.2 107.2 4.0 4.0 108.8 1.6 1.6 114.0 Ext. = "Big Bend" 16.0 GRR 5.2 5.2 (End of Ext. to Mani.-Nfinn. . Boundary) Subtotals 114.0 54.8 24.4 34.8 (Lake Itasca to Iowa-Minnesota Boundary) Lake Itasca, 0.0 Nfinnesota 29.5 29.5 29.5 31.3 1.8 1.8 39.3 8.0 8.0 72.3 33.0 33.0 74.3 2.0 2.0 77.0 2.7 2.7 88.5 11.5 11.5 91.6 3.1 3.1 101.4 9.8 9.8 113.2 11.8 11.8 114.3 1.1 1.1 119.3 5.0 5.0 125.0 5.7 5.7 147.5 22.5 22.5 148.8 1.3 1.3 154.2 5.4 5.4 163.2 9.0 9.0 169.5 6.3 6.3 178.0 8.5 8.5 191.3 13.3 13.3 Aggendix III-A - Mileaee Table 2 Distance : New : Local : Trunk zlnterstatez Mile : (files :aocation: Roads :Hi hwa s: S stem. ' 200.2 8.9 8.9 201.8 1.6 1.6 206.1 4.3 4.3 207.1 1.0 1.0 210.0 2.9 2.9 236.7 26.7 26.7 240.0 3-3 3.3 243.6 3.6 3.6 245.0 1.4 1.4 246.5 1.5 1.5 248.0 1.5 1.5 249.2 1.2 1.2 268.0 18.8 18.8 275.0 7.0 7.0 304.0 29.0 29.0 306.5 2.5 2.5 311.3 4.8 4.8 314.2 2.9 2.9 320.0 5.8 5.8 322.7 2.7 2.7 326.0 3.3 3.3 359.0 33.0 33.0 368.5 9.5 9.5 373.0 4.5 4.5 375.5 2.5 2.5 380.0 4.5 4.5 384.5 4.5 4.5 395.3 10.8 10.8 397.3 2.0 2.0 403.0 5.7 5.7 411.0 8.0 8.0 412.6 1.6 1.6 428.0 15.4 15.4 430.8 2.8 2.8 434.5 3.7 3.7 435.5 1.0 1.0 456.4 20.9 20.9 465.0 8.6 8.6 488.7 23.7 23.7 489.7 1.0 1.0 509.0 19.3 19.3 Iowa-Minnesota Boundary Subtotals 509.0 205.1 66.6 175.3 62.0 GRAND TOTALS 623.0 200.0 91.0 210.0 62.0 Mam-'M1m-B1W~ to Iowa-Nfinn.Bny 51 APPENDIX III-B GREAT RIVER ROAD - I\flNNESOTA (Manitoba~MinnesotaIBoundary to Iowa-Minnesota Boundary) MILEAGE TABLEg_BY COUNTIES : New Local Trunk : Interstate : County : Location : Roads : Highways : System : Totals Roseau 17.7 7.2 24.9 Lake of the Woods 6.2 1.8 8.0 Beltrami 47.9 21.8 23.2 92.9 Clearwater 19.8 10.0 29.8 Hubbard 7.0 5.2 12.2 Cass 1.5 1.5 Itasca 41.3 4.6 22.3 68.2 Aitkin 18.6 2.0 34.9 55-5 Crow Wing 20.0 15.6 2.3 37.9 Nbrrison 25.0 16.0 41.0 Stearns 7.0 10.0 12.0 29.0 Wright 4.8 5.4 3.8 17.0 31.0 Hennepin 2.7 2.3 2.3 30.5 37.8 Dakota 10.5 3.6 13.0 2.5 29.6 Goodhue 16.6 0.7 13.0 30.3 Wabasha 3.8 26.7 30.5 Winona 8.6 29.9 38.5 Houston 1.0 23.5 24.5 Totals 260.0 91.0 210.0 62.0 625 0 52 APPENDIX III—C COUNTIES TRAVERSED OR VISIBLE FROM.THE GREAT RIVER ROAD IN THE STATE OF MINNESOTA Population of City (1950) Population of Name of County Principal City County (195Ql Roseau Roseau 2,231 14,505 Lake of the Woods Baudette 929 4,955 Beltrami Bemidji 10,001 24,962 Clearwater Bagley 1,554 10,204 Hubbard Park Rapids 3,027 11,085 Cass Walker 1,192 19,468 Itasca Grand Rapids 6,019 33,321 Aitkin Aitkin 2,079 14,327 Crow Wing Brainerd 12,637 30,875 Morrison Little Falls 6,717 25,832 Benton Foley 1,089 15,911 Stearns St. Cloud 28,410 70,681 Sherburne Elk River 1,399 10,661 Wright Buffalo 1,914 27,716 Hennepin Minneapolis 521,718 676,579 Anoka Anoka 7,396 35,579 Ramsey St. Paul 311,349 355,332 Washington Stillwater 7,674 35,544 Dakota Hastings 6,560 49,019 Goodhue Red Wing 10,645 32,118 Wabasha Lake City 3.457 16,878 Winona Winona 25,031 39,841 Houston Caledonia 2,243 14,435 Totals: 23 23 975,271 1,569,828 1|IIIIMHWHTWIWWII:nu