Runestone Museum/Big Ole

RUNESTONEmuseum

The Runestone Museum has been inspiring curiosity about local history and heritage for more than 50 years.

The world famous and controversial Kensington Rune Stone was the Runestone Museum’s only artifact when it opened its doors in 1958. Since then, the museum has expanded to include exhibits celebrating native Minnesotans, emigrants and immigrants, Minnesota wildlife and events that shaped the area.

Fort Alexandria, commissioned in 1862, has been recreated with rescued historical structures, such as a nearly exact replica of the stockade built in 1862, an 1889 church, a log cabin built in the late 1860s and an 1885 schoolhouse. The fort is located in the outdoor portion of the campus that is open April-October. Housing rare and exciting artifacts like a Middle Ages Nordic fire steel and a 1920s jingle dress, the Runestone Museum is sure to impress whether you’re interested in history, heritage or the natural sciences.

Both the museum and gift shop are now open with limited capacity. Face mask use and additional safety procedures are in place.

Currently, the museum is open Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

For more information call (320) 763-3160, or visit the museum’s website at www.runestonemuseum.org for the most up-to-date admission prices and hours. Check out the museum’s Facebook page at Runestone Museum Foundation.

KENSINGTON RUNESTONE

It’s a controversy more than 100 years in the making: Did an immigrant Swedish farmer find a buried rock in 1898 that contained an ancient runic message carved by Viking explorers 100 years before Columbus landed in America? Or is the whole thing a hoax, perpetrated by the farmer or some other prankster?

A large replica of the Kensington Runestone is located at a small, wayside rest. Visitors can read the inscription and take a photo by the replica. The replica is located in a small park at the east end of Sixth Avenue in Alexandria.

Explore the controversy for yourself at the Runestone Museum, located at 206 Broadway in Alexandria. RUNESTONE MUSEUM After you take your picture with Big Ole, cross the street for a visit to the Runestone Museum. There you will learn about Big Ole, Vikings and Nordic explorers, and test your skill at matching animal prints in the wildlife exhibit. Along with the Runestone, the museum holds exhibits on Native Americans, early immigrant history, the history of Alexandria, a memorial/gun exhibit, a Minnesota wildlife exhibit, and a handson children’s area.

BIGole

Perhaps one of the most eye-catching landmarks in Alexandria is Big Ole – a 28-foot tall Viking statue that stands at the north end of Broadway.

Born in 1965, the Viking has become a much-beloved resident in the lakes area.

The idea for the statue began in January of 1964 when North Star World’s Fair Corporation in Osseo began working on an addition to the Minnesota display for the New York World’s Fair. The display was to feature the historical Kensington Runestone in an animated scene titled “Minnesota, Birthplace of America.” The new item to coincide with this display was the 28-foot, four-ton Viking statue.

Big Ole was created by fiberglass sculptor Gordon Schumaker of Minneapolis in April of 1965 and was transported to New York just in time for the World’s Fair. When the fair ended, Big Ole was moved to Alexandria, where he stands today.

Originally placed at the north end of Broadway Street in front of the Runestone Museum, Big Ole was moved from the intersection of 3rd and Broadway to a new location one-half block north in 1980 to make way for a new stoplight. He was moved once more in 2002 to his current location at the head of the Central Lakes Trail on the south shore of Lake Agnes.

Throughout the years, Big Ole’s had several repairs made and new coats of paint applied. His beard has changed from gray to yellow to brown.

LAKE CARLOS Built by receding glaciers, Lake Carlos State Park offers a myriad of natural wonders, including a clear and deep lake just perfect for swimming, fishing and boating. Among its 1,231 acres, nearly one-third of Minnesota’s 80 mammals and more than 150 species of birds find a home either seasonally or all year long. It’s the perfect place to view loons, grebes, ducks and heron, making this a bird watcher’s paradise! You may even catch a glimpse of the beaver and deer that make their homes within the park. state park Minnesota State Parks and Trails “I Can!” programs are returning for the 2021 season and are designed for those with no experience. The “I Can!” program is made possible by funds from the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment. Each program will include hands-on instruction from experienced and friendly I CAN MOUNTAIN BIKE! Remember your kids’ joy and triumph when they first learned to bike? Take that joy off-road with this exhilarating program. Cost is $30 for adults and $15 for youth ages 10-18. Participants younger than 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. ‘I CAN!’ PROGRAMS RETURNING IN 2021 The park also features a year-round naturalist that leads several programs throughout the year. Winter or summer, Lake Carlos State Park is a magnet for outdoor enthusiasts. Hiking, skiing and interpretive programs are just waiting for you. Paddleboat, canoes, and kayaks are available to rent during the regular season office hours May - October. In the winter, snowshoes are available for rent at the park office. A thermal flip-over style portable fish house is available to rent on Lake Carlos only. Contact the park office for current rates and availability. The park entrance, 2601 County Road 38 Northeast in Carlos, is located 10 miles north of Alexandria on State Highway 29, then two miles west on Highway 38. The best time to contact the park is 9 a.m.-4 p.m. daily at (320) 852-7200. You can also email the park at lakecarlos.statecrew members. Gear is provided and one-day vehicle permits ($7 value) are included with all I Can! programs where a permit is required. I CAN CAMP! These one- or two-night overnight programs are your chance to introduce your kids to the fun of camping – no experience necessary. Cost for two adults and three small children (max 5 people per tent) is $60 for one night and $85 for two-night programs. Advance registration is required. I CAN PADDLE! Your kids will discover the kind of amazing views only seen from the water during one of these programs designed especially for first-time paddlers. All equipment is provided. I CAN FISH! Share the fun of casting into the water and the excitement when there’s a tug on the line. This program is all about the anticipation and thrill of your kids learning to catch fish. Cost is $7 for adults and children younger than 12 are free with a registered adult. Fishing licenses are not required for this program. ARCHERY IN THE PARKS! Be your own action heroes and go beyond video games! This program lets you share the exact moment when your child first aims for a goal and hits it. This program is free, but a vehicle permit is required ($7/ day or $35/year) Email ican.dnr@state.mn.us (link sends email) to be notified when more information becomes available. park@state.mn.us Be sure to visit the Lake Carlos State Park website at

You can discover much more about Lake Car- www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/lake_carlos/ or its Facebook pagelos State Park by visiting www.dnr.state.mn.us/ for the most recent information on its schedule. state_parks/lake_carlos/

VISITOR INFORMATION

Weather permitting, water will be turned on to the sanitation buildings in the Lower Campground on Friday, May 7 and Friday, May 14 for the Upper Campground.

RV dump and fill station is scheduled to open Friday, May 7.

The Upper and Lower Campgrounds, Lakeview Group Camp, Pioneer Group Camp and the Equestrian Campgrounds are all open for the season. Reservations are recommended.

All four camper cabins (Eagle, Loon, Raccoon, Frog) are open daily. The beach sanitation building and the beach and Lakeview picnic shelters will all remain closed until further notice. The Ranger Station service window is open depending on staff availability. Permits and firewood may be purchased daily between 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Call (320) 852-7200 to talk with staff, or email lakecarlos.statepark@ state.mn.us. Contact the park office to enquire about rentals. All trails are open to hiking, but some areas will be muddy or wet.