Minnesota Geography
Atlas Pages Final Project
Joel A Thorland
Geography 1108 Coon Rapids Campus
Summer 2011
Atlas Pages 19, 51, 66, 25
Atlas Page 19
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Pipestone, and the Pipestone National Monument is
perhaps the most prominent town found on this
page.
The red stone found in the quarries in Pipestone has
been used by Native Americans to carve pipes for
centuries.
By the early 1700's, the quarry had actually fallen
under total control of the Dakota Indians. However,
at this time, the stone found here was still widely
distributed through trade.
Pipestone National Monument
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The pipes used by Native Americans and carved out
of stone found at Pipestone National Monument is
very sacred to all Native American tribes, as the
pipes are often used in prayer. Many Native
Americans believe that the smoke from the pipe
carries an individual's prayer to the Great Spirit.
Native American traditions involving quarrying and
carving stone from Pipestone have survived the ages
and still continue today.
Pipestone National Monument
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
As one can probably tell from its official title. The
quarry at Pipestone is now protected as a National
Monument.
Today, you must have an approved permit in order to
possess or quarry pipestone from the site.

Only members of federally-recognized tribes
may apply for such a permit.

Both annual and monthly permits are
offered.
Pipestone National Monument
Pipestone National Monument

Even to this day, quarrying at Pipestone is a timeconsuming and labor-intensive undertaking.

It can take weeks, months, or even years to
yield productive results from the quarry.
Pipestone National Monument
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The stone in the quarry here is soft and relatively
easy to carve. The colors and shades in which it
was found (often light pink to brick red) only added to
its value.
Recreational smoking among the Indians at this time
was widespread and often practiced in a wide variety
of social settings. These included healing
ceremonies, discussions of peace and war,
commercial transactions, and ritualistic dances.
Every aspect of smoking tobacco among the early
Indian tribes was revered and followed strict
protocol, down to the disposal of the ashes.
Pipestone

The actual town of Pipestone, Minnesota is found
along Highway 75 few blocks South of the National
Monument.

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Pipestone developed later than most of its
neighbors due to its close proximity to the
quarry.
Many buildings from Pipestone's early development
were constructed from Sioux quartzite, and still
remain standing today.
The Calumet Inn, downtown Pipestone, has been
open for lodging since 1888.
Edgerton

The small town of Edgerton, Minnesota is located
approximately 15 miles Southeast of Pipestone.
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
The 2010 Census reported Edgerton to have
a population of approximately 1200 people.
Edgerton has a strong Dutch background and hosts
the annual Minnesota “Dutch Festival” every second
weekend in July.
Edgerton
Split Rock Creek State Park
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Located approximately 10 miles South/Southwest of
Pipestone along State Highway 23.
Split Rock Lake is the largest body of water in all of
Pipestone County.

The park offers swimming, boating, fishing,
and hiking.
Split Rock Creek State Park
Blue Mounds State Park
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Blue Mounds State Park lies approximately 20 miles
South of Pipestone, along Highway 75.
Perhaps the most striking physical feature of the
park is the line of red cliffs rising 100 feet from the
prairie.
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These cliffs looked blue to early passing
settlers, thus the name Blue Mound.
Outcrops of prickly pear cactus, rarely seen in
Minnesota, can be found here, blooming in late June
and July.
Blue Mounds State Park
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There is a 1,250 foot long line of rocks, aligned
perfectly in an east-west direction.

Alignment points to a spot on the horizon
where the sun rises and sets during summer
and fall equinoxes.

To this day, it remains a mystery as to who
constructed this archeological phenomenon
and for what purpose.
Blue Mound also includes a man-made lake, which
happens to be the only lake in all of Rock County.
Also offered; rock climbing, and 13 miles of hiking
trails.
Blue Mounds State Park
Luverne
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The small town of Luverne is located just four miles
South of Blue Mounds State Park along State
Highway 75.
Luverne was established in 1867 from a simple
stable serving the first mail route between Blue
Earth, MN and Yankton, SD
The first passenger train arrived in Luverne in late
1876.
Today, Luverne is home to about 4,625 people, and
is also the County Seat of Rock County.
Page 51
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Depicted on this page is a region in far West-Central
Minnesota.
One of the major towns depicted is Fergus Falls.
Fergus Falls
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Fergus Falls is home to the Ottertail County
Historical Society.
The Ottertail River passes through the center portion
of the town.
It is said that the number of hotels here near
Interstate 94 make it a good home base for exploring
this region of Minnesota.
Fergus Falls
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Town was created in 1857 when Joe Whitford was
sent to locate a site for a new community by his
employer, James Fergus.

Along the way, Mr. Whitford encountered an
Indian family who spoke of a place where
there were great falls and rapids.

Mr. Whitford named the town Fergus Falls in
honor of his employer.
Fergus Falls

In 1870, Fergus Falls was purchased by George B.
Wright for around $100.


Mr. Wright envisioned creating a new hub for
trade in Fergus Falls and built a dam on the
river in order to power a sawmill.
By March 1, 1872, Fergus Falls officially became a
village recognized by the State of Minnesota and
also the County Seat of Otter Tail County.
Fergus Falls And Otter Tail County
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Located near the very fertile Red River Valley, rich
farmland, wooded hills, and over 1,000 lakes
combine to make agriculture and tourism major
industries here.
Fergus Falls includes a retail trade area of
approximately 100,000 people to make it a regional
center for shopping, education, recreation, medical
treatment, and entertainment.
Today, Fergus Falls boasts a population of over
13,000 residents.
Fergus Falls

Fergus Falls contains 22 parks covering over 550
acres.
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One of the attractions is a five-block walking
path along the Otter Tail River near
downtown Fergus Falls.
Five lakes lie within the actual city limits with over
1,000 lakes less than an hour's drive away.

We can then come to the conclusion that
approximately 10% of Minnesota's lakes lie
within an hour of Fergus Falls.
Pelican Rapids
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The small town of Pelican Rapids is located
approximately 15 miles north of Fergus Falls, along
Highway 59.
Pelican Rapids
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Settlers first arrived in Pelican Rapids in 1868 to
locate and establish trading posts for the British
Northwest Company who was interested in trading
with nearby Chippewa Indians. Word spread quickly
of the beautiful scenery here, and the town was
quickly developed.
Rail arrived in Pelican Rapids in 1882, a line running
from Fergus Falls.

This line was to continue North, past Pelican
Rapids. This never came to fruition, and the
rail line was essentially a dead-end until its
removal almost 100 years later.
Pelican Rapids
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Pelican Rapids was incorporated and officially
recognized by the Minnesota government in 1883.
Pelican Rapids lies in close proximity to the opening
to Maplewood State Park, just six miles East.
Visitors to Pelican Rapids can view the “world's
largest pelican” which is near a suspension bridge
connecting two of the city's parks.
Pelican Rapids
Pelican Rapids
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Also worth noting, Pelican Rapids was the site of an
important archeological discovery in 1931.
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Workers repairing a frost boil in Highway 59
discovered and set aside two bones and two
artifacts.

These remains turned out to belong to a
skeleton of a Minnesota woman, some
10,000 years old.

Recorded as the oldest human skeleton ever
discovered in all of North America!
Maplewood State Park
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Just seven miles East of Pelican Rapids, along
Highway 108, lies Maplewood State Park.
Maplewood State Park is well-known for its brilliant
oranges, reds, and golds displayed by the trees in
the Fall.
Maplewood State Park also offers eight major lakes
and several ponds for fishing, boating, and
swimming.
Maplewood State Park
Maplewood State Park
Atlas Page 66
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Perhaps of the most prominence on this page is the
bustling Minnesota port city of Duluth.
Duluth is located approximately 150 miles North of
Minneapolis along Interstate-35.
Duluth
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Driving North on I-35, and rising above Thompson
Hill, suddenly the mouth of the St. Louis River, the
Duluth Harbor, and Lake Superior in all its grandeur
become visible.
Duluth is revered as Minnesota's most extravagant,
dramatic, and romantic city much of which is due to
its location on the shore of Lake Superior.
–
At one time, Duluth was home to more
millionaires per capita than any other city in
the world.
Duluth
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Duluth was the busiest port in all of the United States
for many years.
Duluth saw the import and export of iron ore from the
Mesabi Range and coal and grain shipped from as
far West as Wyoming and Montana.
Duluth
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Duluth has seen the decline of both the lumber and
mining industries in the region, which has taken a toll
on the economy for quite some time.
–
Some would argue that this contributes to the
somewhat weathered appearance that Duluth
has.
Duluth
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Duluth was originally settled by the Dakota and
Ojibwe Indians.
As early as 1679, it was claimed by Daniel
Greysolon, Sier du Lhut.
–

This is also how Duluth came to be named.
Duluth offers a cooled, lake effect climate as Duluth
often has cooler temperatures than inland Minnesota
cities.
Duluth
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Duluth now boasts a population of 87,000 residents,
with close to 200,000 people residing within a 30
mile radius of the city.
There are 2,342 freshwater miles from the Atlantic
Ocean to Duluth via the Great Lakes and St.
Laurence Seaway.
–

This helps to illustrate the importance of the
import and export abilities that Duluth has.
Duluth was rated by Money Magazine as one of the
top four Midwestern small cities based on livability.
Duluth
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Duluth is home to several colleges and universities.
–
College of St. Scholastica, University of
Minnesota-Duluth, Lake Superior Community
College, and Fond du Lac Community
College.
Duluth
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Industries based in Duluth include but are not limited
to; tourism, healthcare, banking, mining, paper,
communications, education, and shipping.
The harbor sees more than 1,000 ocean-going
vessels annually.
Duluth is the top-volume port on all of the Great
Lakes, with $250 million in annual economic impact.
One in seven residents of Duluth are employed in
healthcare and the healthcare system is first in the
nation for cities of comparable size.
Duluth Tourism
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Duluth's appeal is less based on history and more
based on its strategic position as a gateway of sorts
to the North Woods of Minnesota.
Duluth hosts 3.5 million tourist visitors every year,
accounting for $780 million worth of economic
impact.
Home to more than 4,600 hotel rooms, over 50
restaurants in downtown alone, and, much like
Minneapolis and St. Paul, has an enclosed climate
controlled skyway system connecting facilities and
buildings downtown.
Duluth Maritime Museum
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The Maritime Museum in Duluth is a popular tourist
destination as it is full of exhibits depicting the
shipping industry and other facts of life on Lake
Superior.
The museum also has a monitor listing the ships
arriving and departing from Duluth's harbor.
–
Although the harbor is not as busy as it once
was, it still imports and exports more annually
than any other port on the Great Lakes.
Canal Park, Duluth
Traveling North
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Just 27 miles North of Duluth, along scenic Highway
61, lies the town of Two Harbors.
Two Harbors
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Two Harbors was officially created February 26,
1907 when two separate communities (Agate Bay
and Burlington) reincorporated themselves together
collectively known as Two Harbors.
Two Harbors at one time saw more than 35 logging
camps set up in the vicinity. This occurred in the era
when “white pine was king”.
Two Harbors
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Shipping also an important industry in Two Harbors.
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First shipment of ore left here in 1884 and by
1890 it saw more than 1,000 ships annually.
Two Harbors constructed a lighthouse for
navigational and safety purposes in 1891 and most
of the original buildings here are still standing.
Two Harbors is now the County Seat of Lake County.
At the 2010 Census, Two Harbors reported 3,745
residents.
Split Rock Lighthouse State Park
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Navigation along this portion of the coast had always
been difficult.
–
Ships' compasses were thrown awry by the
iron ore deposits.
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November 1905, disastrous storm claimed
seven ships and 215 lives.
–
Congress was lobbied to establish a
lighthouse in the vicinity. Split Rock
Lighthouse was built within a few years.
Split Rock Lighthouse State Park
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For many years, Split Rock Lighthouse held the title
as the highest lighthouse above sea-level in the
Coast Guard's system.
The lighthouse was shut down in 1969 yet still
serves as a navigational landmark for smaller
vessels.
Federal property here was deeded to Minnesota in
1971 and has been run as a historic site with the
surrounding countryside becoming Split Rock
Lighthouse State Park.
Split Rock Lighthouse State Park
Atlas Page 25
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The most prominent city located on page 25 of the
atlas is perhaps Rochester.
Rochester is just over 80 miles Southeast of
Minneapolis, via Highway 52.
Rochester
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Originally this area was home to various Nomadic
tribes of Sioux, Ojibwe, and Winnebago.
Sioux ceded the land to Minnesota Territory in 1851
through the treaties of Traverse de Sioux and
Mendota which opened the land for essentially white
settlement.
Rochester as we know is was founded by George
Head in 1854, who named it after his hometown of
Rochester, New York.
Rochester
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Olmsted County was created by territorial legislature
on February 20, 1855 and naming Rochester as the
County Seat two years later in 1857.
The railroad arrived in the 1860s with new residents
and business opportunities.
–
1863, Dr. William W. Mayo arrived as the
examining surgeon for draftees for the Civil
War.
Rochester
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August 21, 1883, the Great Tornado destroyed much
of Rochester, claiming 37 lives, injuring more than
200, and displacing many.
At this time there was no medical facility here, so Dr.
Mayo and his two sons worked together to provide
medical care for the wounded.
The Sisters of St. Francis collected $60,000 worth of
donations and opened St. Mary's Hospital in 1889
with Mayo's assistance.
Rochester and the Mayo Clinic


The Mayo Clinic, the largest and perhaps most
prestigious medical facility in the world grew from the
St. Mary's Hospital.
Many dignitaries from around the world have visited
the Mayo Clinic as patients, including former
President George Bush Sr., Gerald Ford, Ronald
Reagan, the Dalai Lama, and King Hussein of
Jordan.
St. Mary's Hospital
The Mayo Clinic
Rochester
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The Mayo Clinic forms the core of Rochester's
economy providing work for over 30,000 people and
drawing over 2 million visitors annually.
Mayo Clinic's many buildings compose almost all of
downtown Rochester.
IBM's Rochester campus is one of their most
important facilities.
Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood
State Forest
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Just a few miles Northwest of Rochester lies the
Richard J. Dorer State Forest.
This state forest was created in 1961 as a memorial
to the state's pioneers and veterans.
RJD State Forest includes bluffs along the
Mississippi River. Also included are the Cannon
River, Whitewater River, Root River, Zumbro River,
and Vermilion River.
Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood
State Forest
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The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
reports the best time to visit the forest is in the early
spring when the ephermals are in bloom, or of
course in the fall, for the brilliant colors of the trees.
There are six recreational areas, seven
campgrounds, and one day use area.
The DNR claims the RJD State Forest is among the
best in the state for birdwatching, motorized trail
riding, horseback riding, and mountain biking.
Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood
State Forest
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
Covering more than a million acres, there really is
something for everyone in this state forest.
Namesake, Richard J. Dorer, was employed by the
DNR and was a crucial element in conservation and
saw the need to reforest and retract a larger plot of
land.
Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood
State Forest
Works Cited
http://www.nps.gov/pipe/index.htm (slides 3,4)
http://attractions.uptake.com/blog/files/2008/12/2884222214_c0ff0dec54.jpg (slide 5)
http://wikitravel.org/upload/shared//thumb/b/b9/Pipestone_Craftsman.jpg/250px-Pipestone_Craftsman.jpg(slide 6)
http://www.edgertonmn.com/information/about_us.php (slide 9)
http://pics2.city-data.com/city/maps3/cms5888.png (slide 10)
http://v15.lscache4.c.bigcache.googleapis.com/static.panoramio.com/photos/original/12148120.jpg (slide 12)
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3655/3290732788_8e0fa70809.jpg(slide 15)
http://www.bestplaces.net/images/city/fergusfalls_mn.gif (slide 17)
http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/00/18/98/87/fergus-falls-river-walk.jpg (slide 18)
http://www.ci.fergus-falls.mn.us/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={FE68ACC8-9CAE-4DB1-ACF8A04EC5A46B67}&DE={0F258707-2390-4455-A051-E48DB25CA62F}(slide 19,20,21,22)
http://www.co.otter-tail.mn.us/maps/cities/pelican-rapids.png (slide 23)
http://www.pelicanrapids.com/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={A9CF08C6-5C83-4CDC-9E1F-FF1B43F9059B} (slide 24)
http://www.co.otter-tail.mn.us/cities/pelicanrapids.php (slide 26, 27)
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/maplewood/index.html (slide 28)
Works Cited
http://www.visitusa.com/minnesota/minnesota-state-park-images/Maplewood-State-Park/spot2_MaplewoodStatePark.jpg (slide
29)
http://www.co.otter-tail.mn.us/maplewood/fall2003_scott.jpg (slide 30)
http://t.qkme.me/3nz0.jpg (slide 31)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f3/LightningVolt_Iron_Ore_Pellets.jpg/250pxLightningVolt_Iron_Ore_Pellets.jpg (slide 33)
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/132/320488280_01250df9b1.jpg (slide 34)
http://www.visitduluth.com (slide 35,36)
http://www.tonyrogers.com/images/2006_0404_canalpark/CRW_9867_900px.jpg(slide 41)
http://www.destination360.com/north-america/us/minnesota/images/s/two-harbors.jpg (slide 42)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two_Harbors,_Minnesota (slide 43)
http://www.bestplaces.net/images/city/rochester_mn.gif (slide 48)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rochester,_Minnesota(slide 49, 50)
http://www.semp.us/images/Biot658PhotoR.jpg (slide 53)
http://www.soldiersfield.com/images/hotelmayo07website_001.jpg (slide 54)
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_forests/sft00033/index.html(slide 56, 57, 58)
http://img.geocaching.com/cache/log/dbc65d59-dc51-48dd-8d3a-b4e9444861b3.jpg (slide 59)
Works Cited
“DeLorme Atlas & Gazetteer Minnesota.” 6th Edition. Copyright 2010
DeLorme.
“The Seven States Of Minnesota.” Copyright 2007. John Toren