Land of 10,000 THINGS TO DO
JULY
13: Noon Hour Concert, Calvary Lutheran Church
13: 2nd Street Stage
14: Sounds of Spirit Lake, Menahga city beach
15: CHI St. Joseph’s Auxiliary Garden Stroll
11-15: Hubbard County Fair, Shell Prairie Agricultural Association
20: Noon Hour Concert, Calvary Lutheran Church
20: 2nd Street Stage
21: Sounds of Spirit Lake, Menahga city beach
21-22: Nevis Muskie Days
22: Historical Society quilt show, Riverside United Methodist Church
27: Noon Hour Concert, Calvary Lutheran Church
27: 2nd Street Stage
28: Sounds of Spirit Lake, Menahga city beach
28-30: Lake George Blueberry Festival
28-Aug. 5: Northern Light Opera Company, “Little Shop of Horrors”
AUGUST
3: Noon Hour Concert, Calvary Lutheran Church
3: 2nd Street Stage
4-5: Crazy Days, Park Rapids
5: Nevis city-wide garage sale
5: Water Ski Show, Halvorson Beach, Nevis
5-6: Antique Tractor & Engine Club Field Days
6: Taste of Dorset
10: Noon Hour Concert, Calvary Lutheran Church
10: Water Wars on Main Avenue
10: 2nd Street Stage
11-12: Northern Knights Run to the Rapids classic car show
12: Northwoods Triathlon, Nevis
12: Legends and Logging Days/Backyard BBQ Challenge
17: Noon Hour Concert, Riverside United Methodist Church
17: 2nd Street Stage
18: Festival of Tables, CHI St. Joseph’s Health
Auxiliary
18-20: Lake Itasca
Pioneer Farmer Show
19-20: Art Fair at the Winery, Forestedge Winery, Laporte
24: Noon Hour Concert, Calvary Lutheran Church
26: Veterans Tribute Program, Howard Maninga’s home, Ponsford
28: Historical Society program on Itasca, Northwoods Bank
31: Noon Hour Concert, Calvary Lutheran Church
SEPTEMBER
13: Historical Society
feat. Jean Cooney, Hubbard County Museum
23-24: Art Leap 2022
OCTOBER
30: Historical Society feat. Will Weaver, Northwoods Bank
31: Trick or Treat Park Rapids
NOVEMBER
24: Community Tree Lighting and Yuletide Sampler
Welcome
The Heartland Lakes area teems with the sights and sounds of the great Minnesota northwoods.
Enjoy our towns and its people while surrounded by pristine lakes and tall pine forests.
This region offers a variety of opportunities – from scenic retreats and outdoor sports to rich cultural experiences, shopping, dining and entertainment.
Jump into the water for swimming, tubing, water skiing or fishing.
Bike the famous Heartland Trail for a day of historic sights and healthy recreation. Explore the scenic North Country Trail.
Play a game of disc golf, tennis or softball or have a picnic at one of the city or county parks. Golfers needn’t go far to find top-rated courses within a short drive in any direction.
With more than 400 lakes, thousands of miles of trails and a wildlife refuge, the Heartland Lakes area is also a gateway to Itasca State Park, home of the Mississippi River headwaters.
Local art galleries and museums celebrate the history and artistic talent of our communities.
Park Rapids and surrounding towns host many summer festivals with parades, music, kids games and more.
From life on the lakes to exercise on the trails, shopping the unique stores or just kicking back with a good book beneath the Norway pines, the Heartland Lakes area offers it all.
Flip through this issue of Summer Scene and you’ll find what you are looking for in lake and pine country. We just know that you’ll enjoy your stay.
10 FUN THINGS
1. Stop by the family-friendly county fair
The 2023 fair, organized by the Shell Prairie Agriculture Association, will be held July 11-15 in Park Rapids.
The Hubbard County Fair includes a variety of entertainment at the grandstand arena, 4-H exhibits in the animal barns and a midway filled with games.
Carnival rides will be open from Tuesday evening through Saturday.
The 4-H Exhibit Hall features livestock, poultry, horses, rabbits, a dog show, 4-H vendors and open class exhibits and vendors throughout the fair.
And don’t forget the fair food! Stop on over for cheese curds, corn dogs, fresh French fries, pork burgers, ice cream and other mouth-watering delicacies.
More details at www.hubbardcountyfair.com.
2. Dance to Muskie Days music
The annual Nevis Muskie Days celebration and music festival will be held Friday and Saturday, July
21-22. All events, including musical performances, are free. Events planned for Saturday include a youth fishing tournament, kids games, an ice cream eating contest and parade. The Muskie Market along the Heartland Trail will feature crafters, artists and flea market treasures. Water wars are tentatively planned for 1:30 p.m. Ojibwe crafts and games for kids will be featured at Shennanigan’s stage near the water tower. The Buffalo River Drum and Dance group will perform at 3 p.m. and the Hooligan Fire Spinners will perform at 10 p.m. Saturday night’s music headliners are Charlie Parr at 8:30 p.m. and Corey Medina and Brothers at 11 p.m. Go to nevischamber.com for updates and a complete list of activities and music.
3. Shop locally like crazy Businesses go all out to make shopping fun for Crazy Days in downtown Park Rapids Friday, Aug. 4 and Saturday, Aug. 5.
4. Blueberry Festival
The Lake George Blueberry Festival celebrates the scrumptious berry Friday through Sunday, July 28-30. This little town’s big event offers an outdoor gospel concert, pie social, antique car show, free kids’ carnival, the Lake George Firemen’s bean feed and, of course, their blueberry pancake breakfast.
5. Sample food at Taste of Dorset
Dorset is known for its annual Taste of Dorset festival, held the first Sunday in August. Folks walk the boardwalk while testing out all kinds of tasty cuisine from outdoor vendors. The tiny town describes itself as the “restaurant capital of the world.” Eat all you want and vote for Dorset’s mayor on Sunday, Aug. 6.
6.
The good ol’ Field Days
Park Rapids Antique Tractor and Engine Club members work to preserve the memory of farming in years gone by through their annual event.
TO DO
in July & August
The club’s 30th annual Field Days will be held Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 5-6 at the showgrounds, located on County Rd. 6 south of Park Rapids. Events both days include sawmill and threshing demonstrations, a tractor parade, dancing to live music at the pavilion, tractor pulls, sawmill activities and straw baling in the field.
7.
Admire classic cars
Car enthusiasts are invited to the Northern Knights Car Club’s annual Run to the Rapids car show on Saturday, Aug. 12 in Park Rapids. Saunter through Main Ave. for the “Show and Shine.” It begins at 8 a.m and runs through 12:30 p.m. Many car owners invite visitors to check out their vintage machines, and many also share stories of how they restored their cherished classics.
8. Legends & Logging Days
Park Rapids celebrates the area’s logging and lumberjack heritage during Legends & Logging Days.
Festivities kick off with water wars at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 10 on
Main Ave. Live music on 2nd Street Stage follows the competition.
On Saturday, Aug. 12, the awardwinning Timberworks Lumberjack Show will perform four times throughout the day. Lumberjacks will demonstrate log rolling, pole climbing, sawing and more on the fourth block of Main Ave.
Other family-friendly attractions are an archery challenge and tomahawk throwing.
The Backyard BBQ Challenge, an open-class grilling contest, returns for the third year. Competitors can win prize money in three cooking classes: ribs, chicken and sides.
9. Explore the pioneering past Go back in time and spend a day or two exploring what life was like in the area in the “good ol’ days” at the Lake Itasca Region Pioneer Farmers Show, Friday through Sunday Aug. 18-20.
The showgrounds, located off Hwy. 200 at the north entrance to Itasca State Park, are a rustic village featuring a country school, church, shops, post office, pioneer homes and more.
Gates open at 7 a.m. daily.
10. Ride the countryside
Hubbard County is an ATV enthusiast’s playground. There are miles of ATV and OHV trails around.
The Martineau Recreational Trails are found in the Paul Bunyan State Forest, near Akeley. These trails are made up of multiple loops, providing miles of incredibly fun, single-track Off-Highway Motorcycle trails including tight, wooded technical trails for more experienced riders, and miles of smooth trails for beginners.
Located on a combination of state forest roads and trails in northern Minnesota, the Round River Drive Trail showcases the diverse terrain of the Paul Bunyan State Forest. Miles of trails twist and turn while climbing in elevation and narrowing past moraines and potholes.
The Forest Riders Trail in the Smoky Hills and Two Inlets State Forest is a 100-mile, scenic ride through Becker and Hubbard counties, on terrain ranging from rolling and hilly to level and smooth.
Hike along a national scenic trail
The North Country National Scenic Trail is one of 11 National Scenic Trails in the U.S. and the only one in Minnesota.
The North Country Trail runs 4,600 miles from New York to North Dakota. Being open to foot traffic only, Minnesota’s footpaths hold unimpeded travel for hikers, berry pickers, hunters, geocachers, cross country skiers and snowshoers. Short day hikes or overnight hikes are possible.
Maps, events and suggested hikes are available at www.northcountrytrail.org
Anyone walking this trail is in for a treat as it meanders through forested hills and valleys interspersed with rivers, lakes, and numerous wetlands. Later in the summer, you can be rewarded by finding wild strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries along the trail.
Do you enjoy hiking and are
you looking for a group to hike with on a regular basis? Join the North Country Trail hiking groups Laurentian Lakes and Itasca Moraine Chapters. The area’s segments of the North Country Trail are maintained by these two chapters.
For information regarding the Laurentian Lakes Chapter, email llc@northcountrytrail.org.
For more information on the Itasca Moraine Chapter, contact Eric Haugland by email at itm@northcountrytrail.org.
At most locations, there is a kiosk or signboard with information about the trail. Hiking distances to the nearest kiosk are also provided.
A “Guide to Hiking the North Country Trail in Minnesota” guidebook is available in bookstores in Park Rapids, Itasca State Park, Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge and online.
Car enthusiasts share their passion
Run to the Rapids car show in Park Rapids Aug. 12
LORIE SKARPNESS
Park Rapids Enterprise
The Run to the Rapids car show will once again transform downtown Park Rapids with cars from years gone by on Saturday, Aug. 12.
Cars will be on display on Main Street and nearby side streets from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Admission is free.
The event is organized by the Northern Knights Car Club. All types of vehicles are welcome and trophies will be awarded.
Lots of time, money
Dave Haggard is a local collector and longtime club member. He has shown cars in the past and said he probably will enter again this year.
He said most people attending the car shows don’t understand the amount of time, money and labor that goes into getting a car ready to show.
“To get a car to that level takes commitment,” he said. “My brother, Mike Haggard, down in the Cities has been working on his Chevelle for 25 years. We have a club member, Sheldon Greis, who has been working on his Ford Fairlane for 17 years and is still not done with it.”
CARS: Page 12
For information on registration for the car show, email vjvcameron@aol.com or register at the C’Mon Inn. Enjoy BBQ and music on Friday, Aug. 11, beginning at 4 p.m.
For updates on the car show and to learn more about the car club, go to the Northern Knights
LET US REINTRODUCE OURSELVES
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CARS
From Page 10
He said at just about every car show he meets someone who connects with a car they used to have or wished to have.
“I’ve got a 1978 Corvette Pace Car that’s as close to the original as possible,” he said. “I took it out recently and a guy pulled up and asked to take a picture. He said he remembered seeing that car on a dealership floor as a kid and loving it.”
Hagaard said Run to the Rapids is also a great place to learn more about cars.
“The best part of having cars for me is sharing them with other people,” he said. “If a young kid comes by and looks at my car, I will tell him to not touch it, but I will let him sit inside to take his picture and that makes him so happy.”
For the love of cars
Haggard’s interest in cars started when he was a boy.
“When I was a kid, my dad and my
uncle were hot rodders and drag racers down in the Cities,” he said. “My dad used to buy cars and fix them up to sell them. I think he did it because he needed the money to feed his kids.”
When he was growing up, Haggard learned about caring for cars from the neighbor across the street.
“His name was Rod Thompson and he took such great care of his cars,” he said. “He taught me how to wash and detail them. So I caught the car bug at an early age. When I got my license I bought cars, street raced them, fixed them and made them faster. Then I’d sell them. I’d always go for some type of performance model. Then I started drag racing at Brainerd for fun to see what kind of performance I could get out of them. I like cars that are fast in a straight line but can also handle corners.
Haggard says his rule is to only buy cars he likes. “That way, if I can’t sell it down the road, I can still enjoy it,” he said.
One of his best purchases is a oneowner 1976 Firebird Formula 4-speed
▶ Dave Haggard said one of his best purchases was this original 1976 Firebird Formula. It will be featured in an upcoming issue of “Hemmings Muscle Machines.”
▼ Haggard’s passion is collecting fast cars in great condition. This 1978 Corvette Pace Car is as close to the original as possible.
(Photos contributed by Dave Haggard)
that was original from front to back.
“A magazine called ‘Hemmings Muscle Machines’ heard I had that car and said it was absolutely the nicest 1976 Firebird they had ever seen,” he said.
They came to do a photo shoot of the Firebird and another car that will be published in the next year or so.
“As a young kid I used to read magazines about cars and look for those that were from places I knew like Duluth or Fargo,” he said. “Now one of my cars is going to be in a magazine.”
He said restoring cars using original parts can be expensive. For example, the Corvette headlight with the right date code cost $65.
“I bought an assembly manual that had every single number of every part in that car,” he said.
These days, his focus is on collecting survivor cars he finds at auctions or online.
“A survivor car is a car that hasn’t had any work done to it,” he said. “I don’t do as many restorations any more,” he said.
“A friend of mine who lives over by Huntersville totally dismantles a car, refreshes it from front to back and puts it all together again.
Car collecting can be an expensive hobby.
“Most of the cars I buy are in the $25,000 to $40,000 range,” he said. “A friend of mine just sold a Trans Am at one of the auctions for over $100,000.
Haggard keeps his cars in the garage with covers on them.
“I take them out and drive them in fair weather,” he said. “If you get caught in the rain it takes hours to go through and detail that car to make it nice again.”
Thrilling chases and making friends
Haggard said he has had a lot of fun finding and buying cars for 35 years.
“You find a car and then you’ve got to pursue the car and find out if it’s in the condition you want it to be in,” he said. “If it is, then you start negotiating with the owner. If you’re lucky enough to make the deal, you have to figure out how to get the car and bring it home, whether that means flying somewhere and driving it home cross country or bringing it home in a trailer. That’s called the chase,
and the chase can be as much fun as the ownership of the car.”
Haggard’s pursuit of cars has also led to lasting friendships. One of those is from Duluth.
“Back in 1991 Mark had a car for sale,” he said. “I saw it in a newspaper and drove to look at his car. We didn’t make a deal, but I told him about the Z28 Camaro I was getting. He said he wanted me to come back and show it to him, so I did. He and I became friends that day. Since then we’ve bought and sold a number of cars together and went on car search trips. Mark was at my wedding and he was there when both of my daughters were born. I have other friends I’ve met through car deals, car shows or car auctions. The people you meet at car club events can create a lifelong bond.”
Road trip memories
Haggard said one of his most memorable car adventures took place
when he flew to pick up a car in Phoenix in 2009.
“My youngest daughter, Jamie, who was 16 at the time, flew with me,” he said. “We picked up the Corvette and drove it home. She said to me the other day that trip was the funnest thing she ever did in her life. What could be more American than driving a Corvette across the country. We drove part of Route 66. We stopped to take pictures along the way. She likes the collecting part and working with me on detailing cars.”
Going through the Badlands, they got caught in a snowstorm.
“Corvettes aren’t the greatest car to drive in the snow,” he said. “We were on a bad road and I had to keep my eyes on the road the whole time so I didn’t go off a cliff. I wasn’t expecting that kind of weather in April.”
His older daughter, Cassidy, also developed an interest in cars. “She drag raced one of my cars and won an event at Brainerd more than 10 years ago,” he said.
Lorie Skarpness can be reached at lskarpness@parkrapidsenterprise.com
“The people you meet at car club events can create a lifelong bond.”
DAVE HAGGARD, NORTHERN KNIGHTS CLUB MEMBER
Logging History
Lumberjacking at the roots of Park Rapids history
BY ROBIN FISH Park Rapids EnterpriseIt’s almost a joke to say the lumber industry lies at the roots of nonIndigenous settlement in the Park Rapids area. A pun, perhaps, on logs of yesteryear submerged in some of the area’s deepest lakes.
Today’s logging families acknowledge that their trade changed the Northwoods forever.
“The reason Park Rapids’ main street is
◀ Some of the people in this scene from Camp One, around 1915-20 near the Coon Lake Trail, are relatives of the Walsh family that continue to work in the logging and lumber industry around the Park Rapids Area.
(Photos contributed by Mike Walsh)
so wide is so they can turn a horse with a load of lumber around on it,” said Kelly Kimball.
Kelly and his two brothers took over Kimball Logging from their father in 1978, and 45 years later he continues to run the business with his sons, Justin and Corey. Their family has been involved in the lumber industry since Kelly’s grandparents moved into the area from Wisconsin.
Justin noted that many local
trails now used for riding ATVs and snowmobiles were first built as logging roads. “We still take care of them,” he said. “When we work on them, we don’t leave them in bad shape.”
“After the big timber was cut and a lot of the big companies, like Weyerhaeuser and Red River Lumber in Akeley moved west, some of the little loggers, like sawmills like my grandpa, they would go get these deadheads, they call them,” said Kelly. “They’re on the bottom of
lakes, and they could fish them out of there somehow. So they actually kept in business doing that for a few more years.”
Even some of the resorts in the area can trace their lineage to the logging industry. According to Mike Walsh, who runs C&M Walsh Logging with his son, Dylan, the Boulder Beach Resort on Potato Lake was built on the site of a logging camp, even preserving the camp’s main lodge. “So there’s a little bit of history there, right at the mouth of the river that goes into Fish Hook,” he said.
Walsh added that there are still remnants of the pylons that used to hold logs in the wintertime, waiting to be floated downstream in the spring. “Today, they’ve been cut off, but you can see them,” he said. “They’re four or five feet below the water’s surface.”
Change in the forest
Walsh’s grandmother was the sister of Kelly Kimball’s grandfather. He also traces his lineage back to multiple generations of lumbermen.
After the first logging boom cleared the area of old-growth white pine and Norway pine, he said, loggers burned whatever was left, and what grew back was mostly aspen.
This new forest needs more management, Justin said, with aspens living only 60-70 years, compared to Norway pines that can live 200 years. On the other hand, he said, “It is nice to see, when we harvest the aspen, drive past it a year later and the trees are already up to six, eight feet tall the next summer.”
Efforts have been made to protect or restore the pine forest biome, the Kimballs noted – particularly at Itasca State Park, though the white pines struggle against disease and deer.
In the early days of logging the area,
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Kelly said, there were hardly any deer in the area. Earlier settlers told them that “once they found a deer trail, they never, ever left it. That’s how badly they needed the deer meat.”
“Because there probably wasn’t much for underbrush or food for (the deer),” Justin added.
Walsh said his father, Chester, grew up in a log house by Little Dinner Lake, north of Two Inlets.
“I do remember him telling stories about how he would never live in a log house because he said when the wind blew at night, it wasn’t chinked real well,” said Walsh. “He said you could wake up and there would be snow right alongside your bed.”
It must not have done lasting harm. Both Chester and his brother, Harris Walsh, lived and worked into their 90s.
Kimball recalled Chester telling him he always wore buckskin mittens in the winter. “He said, in the fall you couldn’t hardly pick up a hammer with them,” said Kimball. “He said, by spring you could thread a needle with them.”
Technology and business
From the time the tall pines came down – late 1800s, early 1900s – the technology of timber harvesting also grew and changed.
Earl Hemmerich’s father, Roy, and Uncle Bill logged at Itasca State Park in the 1940s, when teams of horses and oxen, and sometimes steam engines, were used in earlier days to drag logs out of the woods, sometimes on sleighs running on ice-filled ruts.
“They would have a tank on a sleigh that would start out full of water, and the roads were rutted,” said Hemmerich. “The ruts were actually put in with a rutter for the logging sleighs to run on. Then, they would run water in those
ruts, and (once frozen) it would take away the friction that the sleigh would have.”
Hemmerich said his grandfather, George, who immigrated from Germany to Arago Township, farmed during the summer and worked for a lumber company in the winter, operating the water tank sleigh. Logs were then loaded onto railroad cars or floated down rivers and chains of lakes, taking them to towns like Akeley and Park Rapids that had sawmills. Or perhaps farther.
“It’s amazing how far they would ship logs by the river,” said Hemmerich. “A log starting out from up here could even end up being down in Minneapolis or Winona, or even a mill or two in Iowa.”
His encyclopedic knowledge of lumberjacking equipment extends to all the chains, hooks and skids used to load the logs onto sleighs or wagons, techniques his family demonstrates annually at the Lake Itasca Region Pioneer Farmers Show. They also display vintage logging equipment in a museum on the showgrounds.
In 1946, he said, his father, uncle, and grandfather bought their first two-man chainsaw.
“It weighed 75 pounds or so, and you had an operator on one end with the engine, and the other end held the bar up,” said Hemmerich. “It wasn’t something you’d want to carry around in the deep snow. So, they went back to the
mills, which would manufacture lumber and other building materials. (Contributed)
▼ Roy and Bill Hemmerich and their father, George, use their first two-man chainsaw in August 1946 on the west side of the road by Preacher’s Grover at Itasca State Park. (Contributed / Earl Hemmerich)
crosscut saw for most of the cutting.”
Justin said an older lumberman told him that in those days, fuel was too expensive to use a chainsaw to limb trees, so they would use it to cut them down, then limb them with an ax.
“The old guys talked about that, when they were running with an ax or a Swede saw, it was quiet,” said Kelly. “They could visit as they were working. Then chainsaws came, and that kind of ruined that, for visiting as you worked. Maybe they got more done.”
Robin Fish can be reached at rfish@parkrapidsenterprise.com.
Akeley’s claim as Paul Bunyan’s birthplace
The heyday of the Red River Lumber Company was from 1900-1915.
The largest sawmill in the state was located in Akeley, and town’s population surged between 3,000 and 4,000.
The Red River Lumber Company sat on the shores of 11th Crow Wing Lake.
While there are more than a dozen locations that claim to be Paul Bunyan’s birthplace, including Bemidji and Brainerd, Akeley has a giant cradle next to the statue.
Akeley historian Frank Lamb said the cradle was built after a group of people got together in 1949. As part of the first Paul Buyan Days celebration, they wanted something to show it was his birthplace.
“The reason Akeley is Paul Bunyan’s birthplace is because the first printed word about him happened when the Red River Lumber Company used Paul Bunyan in advertising with a picture of their version of Paul Bunyan telling how the Red River Lumber Company was his logging company,” he said. “Before, the stories about Paul Bunyan were just
by word of mouth. So Akeley was the birthplace of the printed word about him. We claimed him because he had to be born somewhere, even though the stories had been going on for a long time. He must have been a big baby, so we built a big cradle.”
The Paul Bunyan statue was created in the mid-1980s by Akeley area resident Dean Krotzer, with help from his sons and one son-in-law.
Ever since, the area around the statue has been known as Paul’s Patio.
Lamb grew up in Akeley. Now retired, he often volunteers at Paul Bunyan Historical Museum, on the boardwalk behind the statue, that houses much of Akeley’s history.
He said his mother, Frances Lamb, was instrumental in getting the museum up and running.
Learn more about Paul Bunyan and Akeley’s logging history at the Paul Bunyan Historical Museum. Founded in 1984, admission is free.
Memorabilia about Paul Bunyan includes some of the early advertising featuring the famous lumberjack and a
collection of Paul Bunyan Days buttons. The museum contains an interesting collection of pictures and artifacts portraying early Akeley history. When staffed by volunteers, the museum is open daily from 1-4 p.m. from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Visit http://www.akeleymn.com/pbhs for more information.
Love a Loon Fun facts about our beloved state bird
Park Rapids calls itself the “Loon Capital of the U.S.A.”
According to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Minnesota has more loons – roughly 12,000 – than any other state, except Alaska.
The Minnesota Legislature adopted the common loon as the state bird in 1961.
And nothing symbolizes the beauty of northern Minnesota more than the haunting call of the loon.
According to Itasca State Park naturalist Connie Cox, loons arrive in Minnesota as soon as there is open water.
Loons have evolved to spend their lives on the water, except when they are nesting. In particular, loons prefer to nest along undeveloped shorelines with emergent vegetation for cover.
This time of year, both the male and female take turns being on the nest, while the other loon patrolling nearby.
FUN FACTS
► Loons’ bones are thicker and heavier than the bones of many other birds. The extra weight helps loons stay underwater when they dive. It also makes it harder for them to fly.
► Loons sometimes dive 250 feet deep.
► They can swim 400 yards and stay underwater for up to five minutes to escape danger.
► Because their bodies are heavy relative to their wing size, loons need a 100- to 600foot runway in order to take off from a lake.
► Loons can fly more than 75 miles per hour.
► The red in the loon’s eye helps it to see underwater.
► Scientists think loons can live for 30 years or more.
► An adult loon weighs between 8 and 12 pounds.
INTERPRETING THE LOON CALL
According to the Minnesota Conservation Volunteer magazine, produced by the Minnesota Department of Natural resources, scientists have categorized common loon calls into four types.
HOOT: A loon gives a hoot – a soft, short call – to let other loons know where it is or to ask another loon where it is. A parent might hoot to its chick, or one of a pair to another.
TREMOLO: The wavering tremolo call – sometimes called the loon laugh – means a loon is excited or alarmed. Loons also use the tremolo when they fly over a lake to announce their presence to any loons there.
YODEL: Only male loons make this loud sound, which starts with three notes and ends with a couple of swinging phrases. They use it to defend their territory. Each male has a signature yodel. Some people can recognize a specific loon by his yodel.
WAIL: The high, haunting wail helps loons to figure out where they are relative to each other. They call back and forth, using the location of the sound to move closer together.
Information provided by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
Soak up the sun on a city beach
Many of the county’s 313 lakes have public accesses, and the county and some communities maintain parks with swimming beaches.
PARK RAPIDS
Park Rapids offers a variety of opportunities for recreation, including an indoor swimming pool at the high school, a skateboard park and tennis courts.
Heartland Park: Located along Fish Hook River in Park Rapids. Swimming beach, playground, hiking trail, a hacky sack court, pickleball courts, tennis courts, softball field, picnic tables and shelters, restrooms, public access to the river and access to the Heartland Trail.
Deane Park: This three-acre park offers places to relax and picnic and includes a dock on the lake. It’s found on Eagle Point Drive, north of Park Rapids, between Fish Hook River and Fish Hook Lake.
NEVIS
City Beach & Park: Playground equipment, picnic tables, swimming
beach and restrooms. Take State Hwy. 34 to Nevis, north on CSAH 2 and west on Beach Road.
MENAHGA
City Beach & Park:The city owns and maintains a public beach on Spirit Lake known for its white sugar-sand. It is open everyday during the summer months, with lifeguards on duty. A large T-shaped fisihg pier is for the public to use. The pier is sponsored by the Menahga Conservation Club, it is owned by the DNR, and is maintained by the city. A public access for boats is nearby.
Memorial Park Campground: The city of Menahga has a 40-acre Memorial Park located just South of town off Highway #71. The park is filled with stately pines, beautiful birch and hardwood trees. The park offers camping facilities, most of which have water and electrical hook-ups. The park also features two sheltered pavilions and other picnic facilities and a RV dump station. Call City Hall
at 564-4557 for reservation of the pavilions.
AKELEY
City Beach & Campground: Take Hwy. 34 to Akeley, then follow signs. Public access to 11th Crow Wing Lake, shelter, picnic tables, fishing, boat landing and campground.
City Park: Picnic tables, shelter, Paul Bunyan Historical Society Museum, Paul Bunyan’s statue and Paul’s cradle are found at this park along Hwy. 34.
Lake George
Community Park: Swimming beach, baseball field, picnic tables, picnic shelter, playground, toilets and public access. It’s south of Hwy. 71, on Paine Lake.
FARDEN TOWNSHIP
Farris Park: The 20-acre park has tennis courts, a basketball court, a softball field, trails, playground, picnic area, shelter, barbecue grills and restrooms. It’s located in northeastern Hubbard County, in the vicinity of Farden Township Hall.
KABEKONAlake Peace at theendofthetrail
Maximumdepth: 133feet
KabekonaLakeislocated threemilessouthofLaportein HubbardCounty.
It’slocatedwithinoneofthe 75minorwatershedsthatmake uptheLeechLakeRiverMajor Watershed.
KabekonaLakeAssociation (https://www.kabekonalake.org) aimstoprotectandpreservethe lake,itswatershed,shores,and environs.
FISHSPECIES
Acounty-ownedpublicaccess
islocatedonthewestshore ofthelake,offStateHwy.64. Kabekonaprovidesangling opportunitiesforwalleye, yellow perch,northernpikeand smallmouthbass.
KabekonaLakehasbeen designatedas atullibee(Cisco) refugelake.Thislakehas deepwaterthatstayscoldand oxygenatedthroughthesummer, allowingtullibeetothrive.
Lakewhitefisharealsofound inKabekona,anotherspecies thatneedscoldandoxygenated water.
ONALERTFOR STARRYSTONEWORT
Currently,noaquaticinvasive
species(AIS)havebeen identifiedinKabekonaLake.
In2021,starrystonewortwas discoveredat aresort inSteamboatBayonLeech Lake.TheAIShadgone unrecognizedbyresortstaff andpatrons,until acompany washiredtoremoveaquatic plantsandidentifiedit.A DNRspecialistconfirmed theinvasivealgaewaswell establishedthroughoutthe marina.
Thisbright-green,macroalgaemayformdensesurface mats,inhibitrecreation,impede movementoffishanddecrease spawninghabitat.
To avoidspreadingAIS,lake
usersarerequiredtoremove allaquaticplantsoranimals fromtheirwatercraftanddrain allwaterfromtheirboatbefore leavingtheaccess.
SPECIALFISHING REGULATIONS
Thereis aspecialwalleye regulationonKabekonaLake. Allwalleye20-26inchesmust beimmediatelyreleased,witha possessionlimitof4.
Walleyesabundanceis veryhighandmostarea greatsizeforanglersof 12-16inches.
Informationprovided by theKabekonaLakeAssociationandtheMinnesota DepartmentofNaturalResources.
Blueberry recipe bursting with flavor
LORIE SKARPNESS
Park Rapids Enterprise
When wild blueberries are in season take advantage of them to create flavorful desserts. Whether picking your own or buying some that are already picked, they will add a taste of summer to your table.
Blueberry French Toast Casserole
thegirlwhoateeverything.com
1 lb. French bread, cut into 1-inch cubes, about 12 slices
1 cup fresh blueberries
Filling:
8-oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup powdered sugar
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. lemon zest
Milk mixture:
1 1/2 cups whole milk
8 eggs
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
Blueberry sauce:
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 Tbsp. butter
Spray a 9-by-13inch baking dish with cooking spray. Spread half of the bread cubes in the bottom of the baking dish.
For the cream cheese filling, stir together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest. You can do this by hand or with a mixer. Spoon dollops over the bread. Sprinkle 1 cup of blueberries on top. Sprinkle the remaining bread cubes on top.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, maple syrup, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon. Pour over the bread mixture making sure to cover all of the bread. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
When ready to bake, take the casserole out of the fridge while the
oven preheats. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake covered for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
While the casserole is baking, make the blueberry sauce. In a small pot, stir together the sugar, water, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Bring mixture to a boil for 2-3 minutes or until mixture starts to thicken. Reduce heat to a simmer and add the blueberries. Cook for 5-8 minutes or until blueberries burst. Remove from heat and stir in the butter. Serve the casserole warm with blueberry or maple syrup.
•Training and support
BLUEBERRIES Minnesota’s superfood
BY SHANNON GEISENPark Rapids Enterprise
Minnesota has two native blueberries: common lowbush blueberries and velvetleaf blueberries.
According to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, both grow primarily in the northeastern half of the state, but they can be found growing from the furthest northwestern counties all the way to the southeastern corner of the state.
This is a low bush, growing from six inches to two feet high. It often grows in colonies.
Bell-shaped white or pinkish flowers bloom in late May or early June. Berries begin as white, pale blue or green and mature to round, dark blue berries in July and August.
In Minnesota, berry picking is allowed in state parks and in state and national forests, and the rangers might even direct you to a good area.
How to pick blueberries
“You don’t need fancy equipment,” writes Teresa Marrone in Minnesota Conservation Volunteer, a DNR publication. “A one-gallon ice cream pail with a handle works well to hold the fruit. You can set it on the ground and drop berries into it as you pick, and unlike a plastic bag, it won’t snag on sticks and thorns as you walk.”
Marrone recommends hiking boots are great for rough or steep areas.
The best habitat, says Marrone, includes open, coniferous woodlands and sandy or rocky edges of coniferous and mixed-woods forests; sun-drenched hilltops and rocky ridges; forest clearings;
and edges of footpaths. They thrive in areas that have been scoured by fire, where picking can be phenomenal for the next few years.
Blueberries ripen starting in mid- to late July, continuing through August.
Fruits of both native blueberries grow in clusters from branch tips.
“Underripe berries are green, becoming pinkish before ripening to deep blue with a whitish bloom; ripe berries look just like supermarket blueberries but are smaller – typically ¼ to 1/3 inch across. A key ID feature is the short five-pointed crown that is present on the top.
Ripe berries detach easily from the bush,” she writes.
According to Marrone, velvet-leaf blueberries are tarter than common lowbush blueberries.
“Both can be used like domestic blueberries, but because they’re so small they pack together more closely—so you can use a smaller measure of wild blueberries in muffins or similar recipes. Wild blueberries make outstanding jam and pie.”
Slow growers
According to the University of Minnesota Extension, blueberry plants grow slowly, and they may not seem to get much bigger from year to year. It takes a blueberry bush about 10 years to reach mature size, but this also means they will live a long, long time.
For those who plant them in their yard, “it will be 2 or 3 years before you start getting large harvests, but it is definitely worth the wait. The bushes are very attractive and will be a beautiful addition to your yard while you wait for fruit.”
Freeze like a pro
Minnesota Grown, a newsletter produced by the Minnesota Department of Agricultures, advises the following:
► Don’t wash your berries until you use them. This will help prevent spoilage.
► Remove overly soft fruit, stems and leaves. Be gentle with the fruit.
► Drop berries in cold water and swish for 10 seconds before draining. Dry on towels.
► Place berries on a lined cookie sheet with space around each. Freeze for 30 min.
► Transfer to a seal-able container and freeze completely. Enjoy for up to a year.
Go blue
According to Mayo Clinic, scientists have shown that blueberries are loaded with compounds (phytonutrients) that may help prevent chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes and some cancers.
Blueberries may also improve shortterm memory and promote healthy aging. Blueberries are a low-calorie source of fiber and vitamin C — 3/4 cup of fresh blueberries has 2.7 grams of fiber and 10.8 milligrams of vitamin C.
State muffin
As part of a social studies exercise, a class of third graders in Carlton, Minn., proposed that the blueberry muffin become the state muffin. Their bill was signed into law in 1988.
Shannon Geisen can be reached at sgeisen@parkrapidsenterprise.com.
Itasca State Park is jewel of Minnesota
Minnesota’s oldest state park is 132 years old.
Itasca State Park was established on April 20, 1891 to preserve the old growth pine trees that were in danger of being logged.
More than half a million people visit Itasca State Park every year to see the giant pines and wade across the headwaters of the Mississippi River State Water Trail.
Park Rapids is the undisputed Gateway to Itasca State Park and the south entrance is a 22-mile drive from Park Rapids north on Hwy. 71. The east entrance is only a couple miles farther north of the south entrance, and then another mile or so west on Hwy. 200 – you’ll find it easily at the junction of Hwy. 71 and Hwy. 200.
On the drive north from Park Rapids on Hwy. 71 visitors can find several quaint shops and recreation areas to stop at along the way. Also, some fabulous restaurants are
ITASCA: Page 24
ITASCA
From Page 23
located just off of Hwy. 71 that are sure to satisfy any appetite.
Itasca State Park encompasses Lake Itasca, the official source of the Mississippi River, and a scenic area of northern Minnesota that has remained relatively unchanged from its natural state.
Today, the park totals more than 32,000 acres and includes more than 100 lakes. Stand under towering pines
at Preacher’s Grove. Visit the Itasca Indian Cemetery or Wegmann’s Cabin, landmarks of centuries gone by. Camp under the stars, or stay the night at the historic Douglas Lodge or cabins. Explore Wilderness Drive past the 2,000-acre Wilderness Sanctuary, one of Minnesota’s seven National Natural Landmarks.
But the main attraction will continue to be walking across the headwaters of the Mississippi River on stones at the mouth of Lake Itasca. But there are plenty of other activities to do at the park. Other outdoor activities include
July & August HIGHLIGHTS AT ITASCA STATE PARK
taking an excursion boat on Lake Itasca, exploring along Wilderness Drive, biking or hiking along more than 30 miles of designated trails, fishing in one of the many lakes, observing the wild flowers in season as well as birding. Like the entire Park Rapids area, wildlife can be seen throughout the park.
For more information about the park events and schedules, call Itasca State Park headquarters at 218-699-7251, email itasca.statepark@state.mn.us or go to www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_ parks/itasca/index.html.
▶ Go camping. The park has hundreds of campsites available with advance reservations required. After a day of exploring the park, relax around a campfire and roast s’mores, or sit and have a chat with other campers while admiring the surrounding forest. At sundown, listen for loon calls and the chirping of crickets.
▶ Take a hike. There are 49 miles of trails at Itasca. To get a sense for what northern Minnesota was like before logging changed the landscape, hike the half-mile Bohall Trail. There are more giant pines along the Nicollet Trail.
▶ View the Perseids meteor shower. Escape the city lights and watch for meteor showers that peak Aug. 11-13. The meteors are called the Perseids because the point from which they appear to hail lies in the constellation Perseus.
▶ Visit historic Douglas Lodge. This two-story log building built in 1905 is located on the south shore of Lake Itasca, with parking in front and easy access to trails. Relax in the cozy parlor with a sitting area furnished with antiques. Meals are available in the restaurant, and a staircase leads to guest rooms on the second floor.
▶ Enjoy time on the lake. Try kayaking, canoeing or stand-up paddle boarding on one of the park’s 100 lakes. Equipment is available to rent at Itasca Sports located in the park. Lake Itasca Tours also offers excursions of the Chester Charles tour boat. The narrated tour follows the same route taken by Ozawindib in 1832 when he guided Henry Rowe Schoolcraft to the Headwaters of the Mississippi River.
HIGHLIGHTS: Page 26
HIGHLIGHTS
From Page 24
▶ Go fishing. Lake Itasca has a variety of fish, including northern pike, large-mouth bass, sunfish, crappies, perch and walleye, or try fishing for muskie on Elk Lake. The smaller Lake Ozawindib is a popular bass lake, and Mary Lake has crappies and sunfish. Both Lake Itasca and Lake Ozawindib have fishing piers. Check Minnesota fishing regulations for state park lakes.
▶ Cool off at the beach. Itasca State Park has a sandy swimming beach located in the picnic grounds with views of the Mississippi Headwaters. The beach and changing house were developed by members of the Civilian Conservation Corps in the late 1930s.
▶ Take a bike ride. Sixteen miles of paved trails wind through the forest. Parking and access is available at several points along the trail, including the Douglas Lodge area, Jacob V. Brower Visitor Center, picnic grounds and the Mary Gibbs Mississippi Headwaters Center. Itasca Sports, located in the park, offers bike rentals.
New sculptures bedeck Park Rapids trail
City officials unveiled new sculptures at Red Bridge Park and downtown Park Rapids this spring.
Initiated in 2018, the Park Rapids Sculpture Trail is a collaboration of the city of Park Rapids and the Park Rapids Arts and Culture Advisory Commission.
New artworks in the park include “Thread to the Past” and “Down Boy” by Keith Raivo – depicting a crane and a dog – as well as Michael Pettit’s “Dragonfly,” Molly Wiste’s “Girl and Fox” and “Nautilus” by the father-son team of James and Ryan Pedersen.
The trail continues through the downtown area, showcasing “Dot to Dot” by Barb Christiansen, “Starnomoly” by Daniel Durst, “The Eternal Flame” by Isaac Kidder, “”Triangle Play” by Sunghee Min, “Farmhouse Fish” by Tim Nelsen, “Drip Edge” by Craig Snyder, “White Earth Calendar” by Simon Zornes and “Big Money” by Pettit.
The 13 sculptures will remain in place for one year. More information will be available soon at www.heartlandarts.org/pages/sculpture-trail/sculpture-trail.php.
Join the great community gettogether’s 11th summer concert series, 2nd Street Stage, on Thursday nights through Aug. 17.
The Park Rapids Downtown Business Association hosts the free, outdoor concerts from 6 to 8 p.m. with bands, a beer garden and family activities downtown. Bring your own lawn chair.
The beer garden opens at 5 p.m. for a social hour while you find your spot, listen to the sound check and greet neighbors and friends. Support this great event by buying an official 2023 button and receive $2 off all beverages at the beer garden.
To see the complete summer line up, go to www.parkrapidsdowntown.com or follow on Facebook at 2nd St. Stage.
JULY 20 - THE LIMNS
The five-piece band from the Twin Cities harmonizes a blend of rock,
Live music rocks 2nd Street Stage
reggae, funk and folk with high energy and soulful spirit. Their shows are contagious, and their sound will make you get up and move.
JULY 27 - COREY MEDINA & BROTHERS
Medina is a Native American blues artist from Shiprock, N.M., on the Navajo Tribal Nation where he was born and raised. He moved to Northern Minnesota in 2012 and collaborated with Incepticons Entertainment, through which he released his debut album, “Old Dog Crying.”
He now plays, writes and produces full-time with the Incepticons team and travels with his band, “The Brothers.”
Medina refers to the Brothers as representing the relationship he likes to keep with his bandmates, Erick Sundeen on drums and Gary Broste on upright bass, both from Bemidji. Their debut
album, “Better Days,” was released in 2019. Their latest studio release is “SOAK.” They set out to spread light in the dark with their raw, soulful, intimate music and stage presence.
AUG. 3- BOXCAR
From beautiful Duluth, Boxcar plays rail-jumping, whiskey-drinking, country rock and roll.
AUG. 10- THE WHIPS
The Whips have a funk/soul groove. The Kansas City-based band consists of four core members and a revolving door of collaborating musicians.
AUG. 17- JON SULLIVAN BAND
This ensemble includes dueling guitars, sultry keyboards, driving bass and a booming rhythm section, creating soul, funk, rock and blues music.
NLOC to stage ‘Little Shop of Horrors’
Presenting summer musical theater in Park Rapids since 2002, Northern Light Opera Company (NLOC) will be producing “Little Shop of Horrors.”
Performances are July 28 through Aug. 5 at the Armory Arts & Events Center.
Cast members are in rehearsal, crew members are busy creating that little flower shop on Skid Row and the pit orchestra is preparing to share their skills to entertain all.
“Little Shop of Horrors” was a popular 1986 movie about a “nerdy florist who finds a chance for success and romance with the help of a giant man-eating plant who demands to be fed.”
“‘Little Shop of Horrors’ is enjoying a revival. It’s even on Guthrie Theater’s 2024 schedule,” said NLOC co-founders Pat and Paul Dove. “NLOC is fortunate to have very creative directors, casts, musicians, and tech folks to help create another memorable experience for community members and visitors.”
Tickets are available at Beagle & Wolf Book Store in ParkRapids or online at www.northernlightopera.org.
Artists Brad Kahlhamer & Waverly Bergwin to showcase their works from July 1October 1, 2023 (Contributed/ Nemeth Art Center)
Remarkable artwork at Nemeth Art Center
Visitors to the Nemeth Art Center (NAC) will see impressive pieces by internationally renowned, contemporary artists “that are special and unique to this area,” says the new executive director Mark Weiler, yet the space is comfortable and not intimidating.
Admission is free to the NAC galleries, which are open to the public from May through September.
For more than 40 years, NAC has been providing exceptional art opportunities to the Heartland Lakes area.
New York and Arizona-based multimedia artist Brad Kahlhamer
presents his work from July 1 to Oct 1. Shown both nationally and internationally, Kahlhamer’s art ranges from sculpture, drawing and painting to performance and music.
In the NAC’s first-ever artist’s summer residency, Kahlhamer stayed in a cabin north of Park Rapids in June, producing a new collection of works inspired by the setting specifically for the NAC.
As part of his residency, Kahlhamer is teaching several workshops with students at local high schools.
Waverly Bergwin’s intricate wire pieces also will be on display from July 1 to Oct. 1.
Their artist reception is 4-6 p.m. on Saturday, July 1.
The NAC is currently exhibiting its Youth Art Show through July 1. High school students from around the region submitted their artworks.
Located in the historic Hubbard County courthouse at 301 Court Avenue in Park Rapids, admission is free to the NAC galleries. It’s open from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.
For more information, visit nemethartcenter.org or email Weiler at director@nemethartcenter.org.
Sip wine, peruse art at Forestedge Winery
Forestedge Winery, renowned for transforming native Northwoods’ fruits and berries into internationally award-winning wines, hosts its annual art fair on the third weekend of August.
This year’s dates are Saturday, Aug. 19 and Sunday, Aug. 20.
Admission and parking is free. The event features selected artists exhibiting and selling their works. Artistic mediums include pottery, porcelain, jewelry, fiber, leather, wood, painting and more.
Stroll the exhibits and sample wine, which will be sold by the glass, with bottles and cases available for purchase. Area restaurants add unique cuisine and jazz musicians set the tone for the unique summertime event.
Saturday’s hours are 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Sunday’s 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information, contact the winery at 218-224-353 or visit www. forestedgewinery.com. It is located 14 miles north of Akeley on Hwy. 64.
Aune’s Kauppala
Dorset
Antique Stop
Hellohealthy community.
We believehumankindnessisatthe root ofallhealing.Itmeans beingthereforour communitythroughthickandthin. Ever ystep we takeis towardbetterhealth foryou.Servicesoffered:
We believe humankindness is at the root of all healing. It means being there for our community through thick and thin. Every step we take is toward better health for you. Services offered:
•24/7Emergenc y&Level 4Trauma Center
•Physicaland CardiacRehabilitation
•Orthopedics &SportsMedicine
•WeightManagement Center
•Robotics
•HospiceCare
•R adiology
•CommunityHealth
•CommunityDentalClinic