Visit Bluff Country

A guide to Historic Bluff Country

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Winter blues, be gone!

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By Charlene Corson Selbee

Start your day with a freshly baked cookie and a cup of coffee at Cabin Fever Fest.
Photo by Charlene Corson Selbee

Chase away those winter blues in Lanesboro, March 10-12, at the town’s annual Cabin Fever Fest. Three days of memory making fun – solving a mystery puzzle, consuming delicious food, enjoying craft beverages, and listening to live music.

Where to start? First, book a room in the Bed and Breakfast Capital of Minnesota. Second, purchase your tickets to guaranteed-to sell out events.

If you like mysteries, you are certain to enjoy the interactive puzzle room style mysteries at the Scandinavian Inn. Plan on spending about 90 minutes solving a well-designed puzzle.

Check out a theatrical performance “A Murder Has Been Renounced” at the St. Mane Theatre. Take in “The Pillowman” at the Commonweal Theatre.

Need a breath of fresh air? Schedule a guided fishing trip with the Root River Rod Company. Catch and release winter fishing trips are available Thursday through Sunday.

Lanesboro comes alive! Listen to the acoustic sounds of Fukawe AC at Sylvan Brewing on Friday night. On Saturday evening, Ben Scruggs, a Mankato-based musician will perform at the High Court Pub.

Lanesboro is the art hub of southeast Minnesota, so make sure to include a visit to the Lanesboro Arts Gallery for the 2023 Emerging Artist Exhibition. Visitors will also find eight local artists demonstrating and selling their work on Saturday.

Did I mention food? Check out the St. Patty’s Day dinner prepared by guest chef Paul O’Little at Root River 102 or enjoy a traditional midwestern fish fry at the American Legion.

Settle in and enjoy a card game or a board game at the Burmeister game-a-thon at the Sons of Norway Lodge. Attendees are welcome to bring their own board game.

End your evening sitting around a firepit reminiscing while enjoying a hot beverage or snacks at High Court Pub, Root River Inn & Suites, Sylvan Brewing, or Stone Mill Hotel & Suites.

Upcoming Bluff County events

•MN Trout Fishing Opener, April 12-13, statewide

•Lipmasters Fishing Tournament, April 22, Rushford

•Bluff Country Studio Art Tour, April 28-30, Bluff Country area

The Visit Bluff Country Magazine is delivered to more than 1,000 locations in 35 counties in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. This magazine has a mission of promoting tourism in the Historic Bluff Country (Driftless) region.

It was a dark and stormy night

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It was a a dark and stormy night. Mason Keel and Taylor Fishwild, as Nick and Darla Dashell listen in to a conversation among society ladies Miss Mendacio (Bonnie Hulsing), Miss Heinspiele (Pam Butler), and Mrs. Ludos (Sandy Webb) as the stoic maid, Diedre (Val Tindall), looks on. Doruk Evcim, playing Captain Trucage, was unavailable for the photo.
Photo submitted

A Victorian vampire and a zombie nurse. Mix them together with a shifty eyed captain, a sarcastic maid named Diedre, and three society ladies who all like to play games and you have a perfect combination for a comedy murder mystery. It’s a dark and stormy night. Stranded travelers arrive at a spooky house looking for a phone after their car breaks down. Yes, many cliches, but the game is afoot. Watch out for surprises.

Join Lanesboro Community Theater for “A Murder has been Renounced.” Performances are March 3,4,10, and 11 at 7 p.m. Sunday matinees are March 5 and 12 at 2 p.m. at the St. Mane Theater in Lanesboro.

New faces, Doruk Evcim and Taylor Fishwild, join some of the LCT regulars onstage. Delia Bell and Kieran Dixon join the LCT regulars back stage, without whom none of this comedic mayhem could happen.

Kari Berg is back for a second year directing for LCT’s winter production. She has just as much fun as the family of actors on stage rehearsing their lines and figuring out how to tell this story that “turns a cliche on its head,” as playwright Lee Mueller states.

Tickets are $15 (plus 3% if paid by credit card), available at the Parkway Market in Lanesboro and online at www.universe.com. Also some tickets will be available at the door.

Let’s welcome spring with laughter.

It’s a hoot!

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By Charlene Corson Selbee

Prepare to have a hoot at the International Festival of Owls, March 3-5.

The event originally started at a “hatch-day” party for Alice the Great Horned Owl in 2003. The celebration has grown from 300 attendees to over 2,000 visitors from all over the United States, Canada, Jamaica, England, Finland, Italy, Netherlands, Germany, Norway, Nepal, Taiwan, Japan, Kenya, and South Africa.

“Expect to be immersed in owls,” explained Karla Bloem, International Owl Center executive director.

The entire town of Houston, Minn., is actively involved in the celebration. The Cross of Christ Lutheran Church will once again host the favorite owl-face pancake breakfast. Barista’s Coffee House specialty is owl-themed drinks, and SubZero Pizza & Ice Cream will feature owl shaped pizzas on Friday night.

Looking for owl-themed gifts? Visit the vendor show at Houston High School, 306 W. Elm, and the International Owl Center’s Gift Shop, located in the Owl Center, 126 E. Cedar, for a wide selection of owl-themed gifts.
Check out the self-guided Parade of Owls art tour. eleven public owl sculptures are located throughout the town. Watch for the street banners featuring kids’ owl art from around the world. Note that three of the banners feature artwork from Ukraine. Over 2,007 entries from 34 countries and 20 U.S. states were submitted this year.

First place winner, Alexander Xu (age 16) USA in the 2023 International Kids’ Owl Art Contest out of about 2,007 entries from 34 countries and 20 US states.
Photo submitted by the International Owl Center
Roar Solheim from Norway is the 2023 World Owl Hall of Fame keynote speaker on Saturday night. The presentation will focus on Solheim’s encounters with owls and owl people in North America. Owl-themed refreshments will be provided by the town’s Forget-Me-Not Garden club.

Other activities include live owl programs, owl crafts, medallion hunt, kids’ owl art contest, kids’ owl calling contest, birding and natural history bus trip, owl nest box building, owl pellet dissection, and owl prowls.
Some events require registration. The schedule and registration information are available online at festivalofowls.com.

Bloem emphasized, “Sunday programs are much less crowded than Saturday.”

The three-day celebration is the center’s largest event of the year and is a fundraiser for the center.

Upcoming Bluff County events:
• March 2-5, Oneota Film Festival, Decorah

The Visit Bluff Country Magazine is delivered to more than 1,000 locations in 35 counties in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. This magazine has a mission of promoting tourism in the Historic Bluff Country (Driftless) region.

For information on upcoming town festivals and events in Historic Bluff Country, vacation ideas for lodging, recreation, dining, and shopping.

Enjoy the last days of summer

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By Charlene Corson Selbee

Good clean fun at Ag Days. Photo by Stacey Rath

There are still plenty of events to attend before the kids head back to school. The week of August 15, Fillmore and Houston County are home to Ag Days, Houston County Fair, and Fillmore County Relay for Life.

Head to Caledonia August 16–21 for the Houston County Fair. Explore the 4-H exhibits, sample the wide range of fair food, and don’t miss the Super Farmer Ag Olympics. After a four-year hiatus, the rodeo is back and bigger than ever. Nine events, tie-down roping, over 40 calf roping, breakaway roping, steer wrestling, barrel racing, team roping, saddle bronc riding, bareback riding, and bull riding will have rodeo fans yelling and clapping for their favorite contestant.

TJ’s Liquor sponsors a cocktail contest during Spring Valley’s Ag Days, August 17-21. The theme is vodka, with 4-5 judges available to judge the drinks on creativity, taste, and presentation. For kids 15 and under, S&S Bait Shop sponsors a kids’ fishing tournament with prizes awarded in all three age categories. You do not want to miss other activities: the junior class foam party, kickball for kids, mullet competition, and a 1K for the little ones. There will also be a production of “The Wizard of Oz.”

Switch pace and rally for cancer at the Fillmore County Relay for Life, August 19. Spend the evening with friends and family in Fountain, the Sinkhole Capital of the United States, raising awareness and funds for cancer research.

Upcoming Bluff

Country events

•Norman Borlaug Harvest Fest in Cresco, August 26-28.

•Hesper-Mabel Steam Engine Days, Mabel, September 8-11

•Taste of the Trail, Lanesboro, Peterson, Whalan, September 10

•Applefest, La Crescent, September 15-18

The Visit Bluff Country Magazine is delivered to more than 1,000 locations in 35 counties in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. This magazine has a mission of promoting tourism in the Historic Bluff Country (Driftless) region.

For information on upcoming town festival and events in Historic Bluff Country, vacation ideas for lodging, recreation, dining, and shopping, check out the magazine in print or online at www.visitbluffcountry.com.

It’s all about rhubarb

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By Charlene Corson Selbee

If you are looking for rhubarb to buy for cooking, baking, freezing, canning, or rhubarb to buy for planting, the Rhubarb Festival in Lanesboro, Minn., is the place to be on June 4.

Lanesboro, the Rhubarb Capital of Minnesota, hosts the annual Rhubarb Festival the first Saturday in June every year, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in picturesque Sylvan Park. The first festival was held in 2004 in conjunction with the town’s farmers market.

Dig into a fresh homemade rhubarb pie from the Lanesboro Rhubarb Festival.
Photo by Charlene Corson Selbee

The day starts off with the Lanesboro Farmers Market at 9 a.m. Arrive early to get the best selection of fresh rhubarb and rhubarb baked goods such as pies, cakes, cobblers, bars, chutney, and jams. In addition, there will be other fresh local produce, canned goods, baked items, honey, and maple syrup to buy.

Bring your lawn chair and enjoy a day of music in the park featuring country music artists Larry and Robert, Cindy Seabright and Friends, and Janine Sherry’s Classic Country.

Craft vendors will be on hand selling all things rhubarb. There will also be a rhubarb fashion show, goat chill out, and puppet show.

Join in on the rhubarb games – rhubarb toss similar to a bean bag toss, egg-and-rhubarb contest, minute-to-win-it rhubarb-chopstick contest, largest leaf and heaviest stalk contest.

Upcoming events in Visit Bluff Country!

•June 11 – Shooting Star Trail Bike Ride, LeRoy, Minn.

•June 11 – Lake Louise State Park Open House, LeRoy, Minn.

A pilgrimage to connect with your ancestors

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Photo by Charlene Corson Selbee
By Charlene Corson Selbee

Traditionally, pilgrimages are thought of as a journey to a sacred place in a foreign county searching for a higher good that leads to a life-altering experience. Family genealogists go on pilgrimages to learn or expand their knowledge about their roots which leads to personal transformations.
Visitors come to the Bluff Country of SE Minnesota, NE Iowa, and SW Wisconsin to learn more about their ancestors and walk in their footsteps. Bluff Country is a hotbed for family genealogists because European emigrants landed in this area thanks to the mighty Mississippi River and the landscape. The emigrants either passed through this area as they traveled west or settled in scenic Bluff Country.

Kevin Lee, president, Decorah (Iowa) Genealogy Association (DGA), said, “There is a map at DGA that shows where visitors are from. They are from all around the world. Many visitors stay a night or two, so they can conduct research.”

The Houston County Historical Society research library and museum located on the fairgrounds in Caledonia, Minn.
Photo by Charlene Corson Selbee
Sara Sturgis, executive director Fillmore County Historical Museum and Library in Fountain, Minn., expanded, “Seventy percent of our visitors are family genealogists.”

Bluff Country is home to a vast array of resources. In addition to research libraries and museums, there are also enthusiastic experts to assist researchers in their search.

Preston Historical Campus located minutes from historic downtown Preston.
Photo submitted by Preston Historical Society
Starting on a genealogy journey can cause one to pause and ponder where to start. Experienced genealogists recommend starting at home. First, talk with the family elders and record their stories to help guide your journey. Also, look around the house for diaries, family Bibles, artifacts, and photographs, as these are all part of your family’s history and will provide clues that will be useful.

President Stacey Gossling, Winneshiek County Historical Society, in Decorah, Iowa, shared, “The second most searched topic on the internet is genealogy.”

The Houston County Historical research library and museum is located on History Lane.
Photo by Charlene Corson Selbee
It is helpful to check out the online resources before venturing out. Online resources save time, answer questions, and conjure up new questions. Area historical societies offer limited subscriptions to online resources. For example, the Winneshiek County Historical Society has an Ancestry.com subscription that offers limited access and a subscription to Fold3, the premier online collection of military records.

A smartphone comes in handy for taking photos and shooting videos, recording interviews, taking notes, and GPS. However, be prepared to pay with cash because some research libraries do not accept debit or credit cards and charge a fee for assistance and copies or ask for donations. As a reminder, cell service might not be available in all areas of the bluff region, especially in the deep valleys, so have a backup plan.

Do not rush! Make sure to include time to leisurely look through the abundance of documents, files, and photographs. Resources available at research libraries and museums include public records for births, deaths, marriages, naturalization, probates, early land records, clippings, photos, online newspaper database, obituaries, plat maps, business directories, state and federal census records, school records, military records, yearbooks, family histories, township histories, county histories, cemetery records, and newsletters.

Giants of the Earth Heritage Center located in Spring Grove, Minn.
Photo submitted by Giants of the Earth Heritage Center
At the Giants of the Earth Heritage Center in Spring Grove, Minn., they have a video recording of area residents that they have interviewed and recorded, plus they also offer DNA testing.
Do not be afraid to ask questions. Take time to visit with the genealogy experts. It is suggested that you call and make an appointment because many centers have limited hours. Check out their websites first before venturing out, as you can request information online.

Fillmore County Historical Society Center and the Giants of the Earth Heritage Center both offer space for family reunions.

According to the Giants of the Earth Heritage Center website, “The Center has a community gathering space including a large pull-down screen. Families gathering for a reunion can take advantage of a sound-proof filming studio to preserve family stories today that will be available to the young people of the future so they can see and hear preceding generations of the family that they did not get to meet.”

Winneshiek County Historical Society sponsors workshops at the Frankville Cemetery.
Photo submitted by Stacey Gossling, Winneshiek County Historical Society
Don’t forget to visit cemeteries. Cemeteries provide a wealth of family history. Ask at the historical museums and centers for a map of the cemeteries or a list of cemeteries. In addition, the Winneshiek County Historical Society and the Decorah Genealogy Association created a trail of cemeteries to assist visitors in finding the county’s cemeteries. The map includes GPA coordinates.
Ninety-year-old Georgia Rosendahl, an active volunteer at Giants of the Earth Heritage Center, mentioned that the Center has a complete list of cemeteries in the area. Genealogist John Erickson shared, “The museum in Peterson (Minnesota) has an Index of Cemeteries of most of the cemeteries in the neighborhood.” In addition, Findagrave.com is touted as a reliable online resource that includes photos and information.

Family genealogists learning about WWII POWs at the Fillmore County Historical Society Annual Meeting.
Photo submitted by Fillmore County Historical Society
Sheila Craig with the Preston Historical Society (PHS) mentioned that Preston, Minn., has a Historic Outdoor campus that includes a 1902 Milwaukee Elevator, 1939 Milwaukee Road box car, 1951 Milwaukee Road caboose, and a Milwaukee Road motor car. In addition, PHS created a historic walking tour map available on the town’s chamber website.
In addition to maintaining a research library, county historical societies are responsible for the county museums. County museums contain enormous collections of artifacts donated by area families. The Houston County Historical Society (Minnesota) has multiple rooms and a variety of historic buildings to tour.

Caution! Once you start on your pilgrimage to trace your family’s roots, it will become addictive, and it will morph into a much bigger project than you could ever imagine. Moreover, the journey will prove to be unending.

Local Historical Society / Genealogy Resources
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