In August 2021, daughter Jill and I traveled to North Dakota – an eight-day getaway to Fargo, Jamestown, Minot, and Bismarck. Click HERE to read a short introduction to our wonderous trip.
This story is the fifth in a series about our journey through North Dakota.
This story is the fifth in a series about our journey through North Dakota.
Minot, North Dakota (Wednesday, August 4, 2021) This was our ‘hump day’ – four days of discovery behind us, four days of exploration yet ahead. Not that this was a throwaway day, mind you, as we visited a national wildlife refuge, tasted the fruit of the vine, and toured a unique park that featured the five Nordic countries.
We left Jamestown early morning, after a light breakfast at the Holiday Inn Express. We traveled 181 miles northwest, mostly on US Highway 52, to Minot (rhymes with ‘why not’), a city in northcentral North Dakota with a rich history in aviation and more.
Had we driven straight through, we would have arrived by lunchtime. Being the intrepid explorers we were, though, there were no straight-through drives for us, as there was always one more place to stop – sometimes planned, sometimes not – as we made our way from one city to the next.
I invite you to buckle up and join Jill and me on the road to Minot.
Had we driven straight through, we would have arrived by lunchtime. Being the intrepid explorers we were, though, there were no straight-through drives for us, as there was always one more place to stop – sometimes planned, sometimes not – as we made our way from one city to the next.
I invite you to buckle up and join Jill and me on the road to Minot.
Arrowwood National Wildlife Refuge
Last evening, before lights out, I Googled our route. Jamestown north to Carrington, and Carrington northwest to Minot. I hoped to find an interesting waypoint to add to our otherwise light itinerary. Eureka…I found it!
“Jill,” I began, “there’s a place we should visit as we head to Minot. About an hour is all we will need.”
Being a bit gun shy from our day of sightseeing in Jamestown (a couple of the attractions were not Jill’s cup of tea, as the saying goes), she cautiously replied, “This isn’t another fort, is it…or more bison?”
“No,” I answered with a smile, feeling that I was already more than halfway to ‘yes’. “It’s a wildlife refuge – almost 16,000 acres of wetlands, forests, and prairie,” I continued as I read from a dot-gov webpage. “It’s located about 30 miles north of Jamestown.”
“Well,” Jill conceded, “I’ve never been to a wildlife refuge, and since we have time in our schedule, sure, let’s go.”
Ahh…that’s my girl!
“Jill,” I began, “there’s a place we should visit as we head to Minot. About an hour is all we will need.”
Being a bit gun shy from our day of sightseeing in Jamestown (a couple of the attractions were not Jill’s cup of tea, as the saying goes), she cautiously replied, “This isn’t another fort, is it…or more bison?”
“No,” I answered with a smile, feeling that I was already more than halfway to ‘yes’. “It’s a wildlife refuge – almost 16,000 acres of wetlands, forests, and prairie,” I continued as I read from a dot-gov webpage. “It’s located about 30 miles north of Jamestown.”
“Well,” Jill conceded, “I’ve never been to a wildlife refuge, and since we have time in our schedule, sure, let’s go.”
Ahh…that’s my girl!
Nestled along the James River in east-central
North Dakota, Arrowwood National Wildlife Refuge
is a treasured jewel of the mixed-grass prairie.
North Dakota, Arrowwood National Wildlife Refuge
is a treasured jewel of the mixed-grass prairie.
~ U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
About 20 miles north of Jamestown, Jill made a soft right at Pingree (generously called a ‘city’ despite having a population of less than 100!) onto 7th Avenue SE, and then a right onto 11th Street SE about 6 miles further on. A few minutes later, she parked “the beast” – our rental car was a Ford Expedition – near the Visitor Center.
The Visitor Center was closed, but the refuge was open. We were free to roam the area (yay!), and that was what we did.
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We started at the triptych-style storyboard, where we learned that Arrowwood was established in 1935 “as a refuge and breeding ground for migratory birds and other wildlife.” As you might imagine, scenery and wildlife vary by seasons. It was too early to view geese and tundra swans, which migrate here in the Fall, but the storyboard promised that we would see songbirds and ducks.
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Jill and I followed the walkway that fronted the Visitor Center, and as we reached the far corner of the building, I spotted what appeared to be a small monument. In fact, we quickly learned, it was a time capsule.
This time capsule, a cache of contemporary items and information, was placed in the ground below the monument on March 14, 2003, to celebrate the centennial of the National Wildlife Refuge System of more than 550 sites across the United States. It will be opened in 2103 to “give future generations a glimpse into the history of wildlife conservation in the United States.”
This time capsule, a cache of contemporary items and information, was placed in the ground below the monument on March 14, 2003, to celebrate the centennial of the National Wildlife Refuge System of more than 550 sites across the United States. It will be opened in 2103 to “give future generations a glimpse into the history of wildlife conservation in the United States.”
With a quarter turn to our left, we faced Arrowwood Lake. This was the northernmost of three lakes within the refuge. (To the south were Mud Lake and Jim Lake.) The sunbaked grass and scrub led our eyes to a placid lake beyond. And with no one else about, it was an oasis of serenity – calm and peaceful.
Soon, though, our reverie was broken by a chattering bird. There, to our left, was a four-story birdhouse high atop a pole. We watched as one bird, then another, and then many more descended from the sky above our heads to roost. Jill and I observed the birds for a few minutes, and then I took a step forward to get a better picture. Off flew the birds in a tizzy, veering one direction and then the other. I withdrew, and soon they flew back to roost, jibber-jabbering in their own way.
“Hey,” one bird said to another. “You see that guy? If he makes another move towards us, I’m out of here!”
“I’ll be right behind you,” replied a second.
Or so I imagined what their gossip was all about.
“Hey,” one bird said to another. “You see that guy? If he makes another move towards us, I’m out of here!”
“I’ll be right behind you,” replied a second.
Or so I imagined what their gossip was all about.
I had promised Jill that we wouldn’t be long, and since it was too early in the day to break a promise, we made our way to the car. Still, though….
“Jill, will you indulge me a bit longer?” I asked with all the charm I could muster.
I cannot say for certain, but I believe Jill rolled her eyes!
“There is a five and one-half mile auto tour route that winds its way through prairie grassland and wetland habitats near Mud Lake,” I continued. “Let’s drive just a portion of it to see what we can see.”
Was that a groan? I thought.
“Jill, will you indulge me a bit longer?” I asked with all the charm I could muster.
I cannot say for certain, but I believe Jill rolled her eyes!
“There is a five and one-half mile auto tour route that winds its way through prairie grassland and wetland habitats near Mud Lake,” I continued. “Let’s drive just a portion of it to see what we can see.”
Was that a groan? I thought.
We were glad we did, as we enjoyed beautiful scenic views that included lots of ducks and other water birds on the lake.
Jill and I backtracked to the Visitor Center, and from there to U.S. Highway 52. Next stop: Carrington, North Dakota, a small town (pop. 2,000) about 40 miles north of the refuge.
I was daydreaming, lost in my thoughts, when I heard Jill exclaim, “Dad…dad…look out your window!” Then she added, “I’m pulling over.” And as she did, I spied what she had seen – a brilliant field of brightly colored sunflowers.
I was daydreaming, lost in my thoughts, when I heard Jill exclaim, “Dad…dad…look out your window!” Then she added, “I’m pulling over.” And as she did, I spied what she had seen – a brilliant field of brightly colored sunflowers.
Perched atop strong stalks and shining bright yellow towards the rising sun,
the heads appear as millions of individual suns heralding the start of another
day in North Dakota. Perhaps they play a role in North Dakota’s ranking
among the happiest states in the nation.
the heads appear as millions of individual suns heralding the start of another
day in North Dakota. Perhaps they play a role in North Dakota’s ranking
among the happiest states in the nation.
~ North Dakota Tourism
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North Dakota, we later learned, was one of the top producers of sunflowers in the United States, and August was the peak of the growing season. On average, sunflowers stood five to six feet tall, and their heads often rivaled the size of a human’s. The young’uns followed the sun as it crossed the sky, while the heads of mature sunflowers drooped downward from the weight of up to 2,000 separate seeds.
This field was an unexpected delight that put big smiles on our faces! |
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Dakota Sun Gardens & Winery
This was the first of two scheduled stops on our itinerary, and perhaps the one I was most excited about – an opportunity to taste the fruit of the vine. Not fermented from grapes, mind you, but rather from locally and regionally grown fruits, including pears, plums, chokecherries, and crabapples. My salivary glands were working overtime just thinking about my first (and second…and perhaps third) taste!
Jill and I were the only visitors when we arrived, and for the next hour, we had the undivided attention of owners Merleen & Bruce Gussiaas, who, in 2010, converted their family farm into an award-winning winery.
Bruce gave us a tour of their wine “factory” – a space behind the tasting room that housed their wine-making equipment – and answered our questions about the fermentation process. Then, Merleen showed us to a table where she had set four bottles of wine and tasting cups.
Let the fun begin, I thought. And it did, with tastes of Golden Chokecherry, Haskap Berry, Aronia Berry, and Pear wines.
Let the fun begin, I thought. And it did, with tastes of Golden Chokecherry, Haskap Berry, Aronia Berry, and Pear wines.
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“Jill,” I said, “taste the chokecherry. It is soooo fruity!”
“Bottom’s up,” Jill replied with a wink. “Good,” she said, “but I liked the haskap more. It was like sipping honey.” I couldn’t argue with her. When we tasted the fourth wine, Merleen asked, “Would you like to taste others?” It sounded like a rhetorical question to me, but I smiled, nodded, and said, “Yes, please.” |
She brought another four bottles…and then four more…and by the time I was done, I had tasted 18 of the more than 20 wines produced by Dakota Sun! (Full disclosure: Jill begged off more wine early on, as she had to drive to Minot).
We purchased three bottles – Chokecherry, Haskap, and Crabapple – and to our surprise, Bruce added two branded wine glasses and two cork screws to our bag. Much appreciated!
Before we left, Merleen and Bruce took us on a tour of their beautiful gardens, which included small ponds and metal folk art sculptures in amongst the beds of flowers.
Before we left, Merleen and Bruce took us on a tour of their beautiful gardens, which included small ponds and metal folk art sculptures in amongst the beds of flowers.
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This was a fun stop – one that exceeded my expectations!
Next Stop: Minot
Soon we were back on U.S. Highway 52, with a two-hour drive to Minot. We passed by one small town after the other – Fessenden, Harvey, Drake, and Velva, to name a few – and as we did, we saw mostly farmland on both sides of the road, punctuated by an occasional grain elevator with a train on the sidetrack.
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“There’s a lot of farming going on,” Jill remarked…which got me to thinking, and soon to surfing the internet.
“Listen to this,” I said.
“The 2017 Census of Agriculture showed that farms and ranches occupied 39.3 million acres of land in North Dakota, which was an amazing 89 percent of the total land in the state,” I read to her from one site. “And North Dakota led the nation in the production of all dry edible beans, navy beans, pinto beans, canola, flaxseed, honey, dry edible peas, Durum wheat, and spring wheat. And it was the number two producer of lentils, black beans, great northern beans, all wheat, and sunflowers."
“Like I said yesterday,” Jill replied, “North Dakota is instrumental in feeding our county.”
When you’re right, you’re right!
I don’t know whether it was the conversation about food or the time that had passed since breakfast, but we were hungry. The state tourism board recommended we have lunch at Kroll’s Diner, a “50s-style restaurant serving up German and American dishes since 1969.” We reached Kroll’s a little after two.
“Listen to this,” I said.
“The 2017 Census of Agriculture showed that farms and ranches occupied 39.3 million acres of land in North Dakota, which was an amazing 89 percent of the total land in the state,” I read to her from one site. “And North Dakota led the nation in the production of all dry edible beans, navy beans, pinto beans, canola, flaxseed, honey, dry edible peas, Durum wheat, and spring wheat. And it was the number two producer of lentils, black beans, great northern beans, all wheat, and sunflowers."
“Like I said yesterday,” Jill replied, “North Dakota is instrumental in feeding our county.”
When you’re right, you’re right!
I don’t know whether it was the conversation about food or the time that had passed since breakfast, but we were hungry. The state tourism board recommended we have lunch at Kroll’s Diner, a “50s-style restaurant serving up German and American dishes since 1969.” We reached Kroll’s a little after two.
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As you can see in the pic above and to the right, there weren’t many patrons, which I attributed to the hour, as Kroll’s had a great reputation for its food and service.
We sat at a booth by the window and perused the menu, which included pancakes, omelets, and other breakfast dishes (available all day), soups and salads, burgers and other sandwiches…and a handful of German specialties. “What looks good to you?” Jill asked. |
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“There’s no doubt in my mind,” I replied. “I have to have the cabbage rolls.”
“Me too,” Jill agreed.
The cabbage rolls were good…but not as good as grandma use to make. We polished off our meals and had a piece of Kuchen for dessert.
“Me too,” Jill agreed.
The cabbage rolls were good…but not as good as grandma use to make. We polished off our meals and had a piece of Kuchen for dessert.
Scandinavian Heritage Park
You will find a world of Scandinavian history like none other –
a magical place with remembrances and replicas
from each of the five Scandinavian and Nordic countries.
a magical place with remembrances and replicas
from each of the five Scandinavian and Nordic countries.
~ Scandinavian Heritage Association
Like many states, North Dakota was a melting pot of many ethnicities, including immigrants from Germany, England, and Ireland. The largest ethnic group, though, was Scandinavians – citizens of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Sweden, and Norway. Today, about 38% of North Dakota’s population is of Scandinavian descent.
Still, Jill and I were surprised to learn that Minot was home to the “only outdoor museum in the world that features all five Nordic counties.” Both of us had visited Denmark, Sweden, and Norway in past years, and so we looked forward to our private tour of Scandinavian Heritage Park, home to a 240-year-old log house from Norway, 27-foot-tall Swedish Dala horse, Finnish sauna, Danish windmill, Icelandic statue of Leif Eiriksson, and more.
We started our tour in the Visitors Center, where we were greeted by a docent. (Bad on me – I don’t remember her name...so I will call her Elsa, a female given name in Scandinavian countries.) After a few introductory comments about the park, Elsa led us on a circuitous path through the 14-acre park.
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Along the way, we encountered Hans Christian Andersen, “Denmark’s most beloved author,” and Leif Eirikssen, Iceland’s intrepid explorer.
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As we walked from the statue of Andersen, Jill poked me in the ribs and said, “Dad, you’re not going to believe this, but I remember when mom and you read The Ugly Duckling and The Little Mermaid to me. I must have been three or four years old.”
In my mind’s eye, I traveled back in time for a moment, and then fondly replied, “Those two books and many more. They were part of series called Little Golden Books, which included The Little Engine That Could, The Little Red Hen, and The Tale of Peter Rabbit. You loved these stories!”
That put a smile on Jill’s face, and her smile put one on mine.
In my mind’s eye, I traveled back in time for a moment, and then fondly replied, “Those two books and many more. They were part of series called Little Golden Books, which included The Little Engine That Could, The Little Red Hen, and The Tale of Peter Rabbit. You loved these stories!”
That put a smile on Jill’s face, and her smile put one on mine.
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Ahead we spotted a tall, pyramidal structure that looked like a pagoda. As a matter of fact, that was my comment to Jill as we walked towards it. Quickly, our Elsa corrected me. “This is a full-size replica of the Gol Stave Church in Oslo, Norway,” she said.
“What does that mean?” Jill asked. “A stave church, built primarily in northern Europe in medieval times, was constructed of wood, ” she replied. “The vertical posts were called staves.” The exterior of the church, which was 40 by 60 feet at its base and 60 feet tall, was stunning! |
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Inside the church was an eight-foot-wide carved panel of “The Last Supper,” as well as intricately carved furniture and doors.
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The brightly colored, 27-foot- tall Dala horse – its name taken from the province of Dalarna – “is a popular form of domestic art since the mid-1800s and the most recognized Swedish symbol in the world,” Elsa noted.
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The last stop on our tour was at the Heritage House, a repository for artifacts of the Scandinavian immigrants who settled in North Dakota. An example was this dress, called a bunad, worn by women from Norway.
These were the highlights from our tour. Rest assured, though, there was much more to see. So, if a trip to Scandinavia isn’t in the offing for you, you might find that a tour of Scandinavia Heritage Park is the next best thing! |
Did I mention that this was (yet) another hot day? Well, it was – 91 degrees midafternoon, and no less cool now at four o’clock.
“Dad, I feel like a wilted flower,” declared Jill. “Let’s check into the hotel and relax a bit before dinner.”
No argument from me.
The state tourism board booked a room for us at the Sleep Inn & Suites. The only positive thing I can say about this hotel was that it was cheap. How cheap? Cheap enough – just $49 a night – that I footed the bill for my own room for our two-night stay in Minot. Our check-in was an adventure, as Jill moved twice and I moved once – no hot water in one room, bad A/C in another, and so on. If you make it to Minot, find another hotel. Nuff said.
“Dad, I feel like a wilted flower,” declared Jill. “Let’s check into the hotel and relax a bit before dinner.”
No argument from me.
The state tourism board booked a room for us at the Sleep Inn & Suites. The only positive thing I can say about this hotel was that it was cheap. How cheap? Cheap enough – just $49 a night – that I footed the bill for my own room for our two-night stay in Minot. Our check-in was an adventure, as Jill moved twice and I moved once – no hot water in one room, bad A/C in another, and so on. If you make it to Minot, find another hotel. Nuff said.
Souris River Brewing Company
We use the most locally sourced and freshest ingredients available
to create…a true North Dakota brewing and culinary experience.
to create…a true North Dakota brewing and culinary experience.
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We had a delightful dinner at this locally owned brewery, bar, and restaurant housed in a rehabbed industrial building near Minot’s central business district.
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I loved to try locally brewed beers when I traveled, and this brew company had plenty to choose from – Bakken Brown, Mexican Milkshake, Spicy Girl, Wicked River, and more. Trey, who was a bartender and assistant brewer, gave us a tour of the brewery before he helped us select two flights of beers.
The numbers on the tray corresponded to numbers on the list of craft brewed beers. I selected Spicy Girl (pineapple habanero ale), The Professor (dark, strong Belgian ale), The Doctor (Belgian-style Tripel), and Lenz Liebling (Kotsch). My favorite was The Doctor, which reminded me of a dubbel tripel I enjoyed when I visited Bruges in 2018.
As we sipped our beers, we met Rick, a self-described regular and long-time resident of Minot. It was a fun conversation as he shared stories about “the good old days.”
Jynette, who was one of the owners, stopped by our table to share the backstory on the brewery. She also answered questions about items on the menu, and with that, Jill ordered the bison burger while I opted for the elk burger. Our burgers came with garnish and a cup of soup. The food was deeelishous, and we savored every bite!
Jynette, who was one of the owners, stopped by our table to share the backstory on the brewery. She also answered questions about items on the menu, and with that, Jill ordered the bison burger while I opted for the elk burger. Our burgers came with garnish and a cup of soup. The food was deeelishous, and we savored every bite!
It was near eight o’clock when we finished our dinners and beers…and we were beat. We thanked Trey and Jynette for their hospitality as we headed out the door.
Destination: the Nuff Said hotel.
We have a full day of sightseeing in Minot tomorrow. I look forward to sharing our experiences and memories with you.
Destination: the Nuff Said hotel.
We have a full day of sightseeing in Minot tomorrow. I look forward to sharing our experiences and memories with you.