Road trip to Alexandria, MN and points west

- October 13, 2018

On what has become a yearly outing to explore our little corner of the world, my friend, TB2, and I ventured west of the Twin Cities to Alexandria to see the Kensington Runestone (I recommend reading Larry Millett's Sherlock Holmes and the Runestone Mystery). In between, we stopped at many roadside attractions, so deemed by www.roadsideamerica.com (um, some of the designations are somewhat dubious as you'll, but still fun), and looked like geeky tourists taking pictures of metal farm animals, big hands, mushroom huts and more. The one big miss, at least for TB2, was Pottyville, a collection of outhouses, that we couldn't locate in Glenwood, MN. It seemed to be on private property, and neither one of us wanted to ask. Maybe another time.

First, some more information on the runestone and the Runestone Museum: the runestone was discovered in 1898 by a farmer, and purported to be proof that Vikings settled in America in 1342. Many contend the stone is real, but many others believe it to be a hoax. I just thought it was fun and wanted to see it. The museum was pretty easy to find, and it's $8 for adults, and you go through the gift shop first ( I had to get a Big Ole bobblehead at the end of our visit), and into the museum. The runestone is obviously the hook to get people in, but it may be misleading to think the entire museum is dedicated to it; I think it would be more accurate to also say it's a museum of Douglas County. There are extensive placards, photographs, even a video focused on the Runestone and pro and con arguments about its authenticity. But the rest of the museum is just as interesting as it shows life in Douglas County from the 1800s to the early part of the 20th century. There are some interesting exhibits on local Native Americans, including clothing, tools, weapons, etc. There are some interactive stations for kids. Make sure to check the out buildings that are part of Fort Alexandria, many you can go into, like the church, cabin, general store, and a larger building with a replica of a Viking Ship. It's definitely worth a visit.