Posts that highlight cool places and events along the Mississippi River.
Rising high above the flat Minneapolis terrain, the Foshay Tower is a monument to one man's dreams and the fragile nature of success. The tower opened in August 1929, just weeks before the stock market crash that ushered in the Great Depression. The building was the dream of Wilbur H. Foshay, who soon lost his
Beginning today, the Destination of the Day will highlight places and events in geographic order from the Headwaters Region to the mouth of the Ohio River. Every month I will focus on the river communities in a single state. April belongs to Minnesota. We'll start in the northern Minnesota city of Grand Rapids, where Itasca
Shemwell's BBQ; Cairo, IL Cairo, Illinois has been through some tough times, but through it all, Shemwell's Barbecue, now run by the fourth generation of the family, has continued to put out good barbecue for a reasonable price. The sweet smell of smoking meat fills the small, no-frills interior that feels like a
Carving ice at the Winter Carnival Hey. We're back after fixing a technology failure (a dead laptop--back up those files!), and just in time to remind you that it's not too late to get to St. Paul for the last weekend of the 127th Winter Carnival. This weekend (Feb. 1-3) is packed with
Lucky the Carp If you've tired of spending your New Year's Eve watching a crystal ball do the same thing it does every year in the same place, maybe you need a change of scenery. How about watching the traditional Dropping of the Carp in Prairie du Chien (Wisconsin)? While it may lack
The Inn at Irish Hollow It's that time of year when we need a touch of elegance and pampering to get us through the holidays and into a new year. If that's what you're ready for, look no further than The Inn at Irish Hollow in rural Galena, Illinois. Whether you choose a
