Minnesota is hockey country, no question about that. There are over 200 past and present NHL players from here, and the University of MN (Minneapolis and Duluth) have produced dozens of pros as well over the years. And the further North you go, the more prevalent hockey is. Moorhead, Thief River Falls, Roseau, Warroad, Virginia, Eveleth, and plenty of other towns have long been associated with the sport, given the cold weather climate.
Towering over the highway at 44 feet tall, North St Paul has a resident mascot made of concrete stucco and painted white with a 16-ft wide smile. This is the World’s Largest Snowman, and he is right at home here in MN, where winter is the dominant season.
Red Wing Shoes, started in 1905, was the the primary company manufacturing footwear for American soldiers fighting in World War I. It’s based out of the river town of Red Wing, MN, on the Mississippi River in Minnesota’s bluff country. Known primarily for producing work boots, they have added all sorts of different styles and designs, and have expanded to several other brand names as well. In 2007, construction began on the authentic, hand built, Guinness-certified World’s Largest Boot. It is a size 638-D, is about two stories tall, and weights over a ton. It is located at the Red Wing shoe store in downtown Red Wing, MN. You can walk right up to it and up some stairs to a small museum on the history of the shoe company. It is made with the same specs as an actual boot, only magnifed by 600 or so.
While in the area: Red Wing is a very cool, historic river town with a cool little downtown area. Right past the boot is Barn Bluff, which an easy hike to the top gives you incredible views of bluffs, the river, and the town. Also just up the road is Treasure Island Casino, and Frontenac State Park is pretty close too. Just a great area.
This is New Salem Sue. Built in the 1970’s, this 40-ft tall fiberglass statue commonly makes the best-of lists for roadside wonders around the country. It is the World’s Largest Holstein Cow. She sits high up on a butte, facing the interstate, and is visible for miles from either direction. New Salem Sue represents the local dairy farming found in this area, and is without question, one of the best roadside attractions in the Midwest.
The view from New Salem Sue looks across the open prairie of North Dakota and to the rolling, butte country to the west. On a clear day you can see past the horizon to the neighboring counties. It’s worth every second of the drive off the interstate.
New Salem Sue has been begging motorists off the road for decades and for good reason. It’s a roadside classic, a titan of the Midwest, putting this tiny town on the map and will be around for many generations to come.
While in the area: Keep heading west and check out the Enchanted Highway, or the awesome old-west town of Medora.
This one very well may be the first roadside attractions I ever laid eyes on. Although this is not the original (that one burned down in 1998), Big Tom, as he is known, is an awesome Minnesota roadside attraction, bringing people off the highway and past all the turkey barns that give Frazee its turkey distinction.
