Great River Road - MnDOT

Great River RoadDevelopment StudyMinnesota Department of Transportation

January 2000

ÒHow can a roadway, conceived as a tourist route,

contribute to the welfare of the communities it serves

and enhance appreciation of the river

by travelers and neighbors?Ó

Great River RoadDevelopment StudyMinnesota Department of Transportation

January 2000

Great River RoadDevelopment StudyFinal Report

by Short Elliott Hendrickson Inc.

Economics Research Associates

Gartner Consulting

The 106 Group

Submitted to the

Minnesota Department of Transportation

January 2000

Table of ContentsI. Section 1: Executive Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1/1

A. Report Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1/1

B. Study Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1/3

1. Marketing Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1/3

2. Capital Improvements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1/4

3. Economic Implications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1/6

C. Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1/6

II. Section 2: Program History. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2/1

A. Criteria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2/1

B. Mississippi River Parkway Commission. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2/2

C. Funding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2/2

III. Section 3: Project Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3/1

A. Program Status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3/1

B. Proposals Requested . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3/1

C. Consultant Response . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3/2

D. Project Scope and Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3/2

IV. Section 4: Resource Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4/1

A. Scope of Inventory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4/1

B. Methodology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4/1

C. Inventory Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4/3

1. Inventory Categories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4/3

2. General Data Collection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4/3

3. Resource Specific Data Collection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4/3

a. Recreational Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4/3

b. Cultural Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4/3

c. River Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4/3

d. Transportation Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4/3

4. Conclusion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4/9

Great River Road Development Study

Table of Conten

ts

V. Section 5: The Tourist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/1

A. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/1

B. Tourist Survey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/1

1. Survey Methodology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/1

2. Survey Limitations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/2

3. Survey Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/2

a. Trip Characteristics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/2

b. Visitor Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/4

c. Visitor Attitudes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/5

d. Visitor Expenditures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/6

e. Visitor Demographics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/6

4. Survey Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/7

a. Market Segmentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/7(1) Market Defined by Trip Purpose. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/7(2) Market Defined by Geographic Location . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/7(3) Market Defined by Demographics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/7

b. Market Image . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/9(1) Issues of Image . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/9(2) Branding the Great River Road. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/11(3) What is a Brand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/11(4) How to Develop a Brand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/11(5) Branding and Product Development Cycles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/11

c. Promotion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/11(1) Public Relations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/11(2) Collateral Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/12(3) Inquiry/Consumer Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/12

C. Tourist Motivations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/12

1. Guests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/12

2. Loungers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/12

3. Players . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/13

4. Explorers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/13

5. Spectators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/14

6. Pilgrims. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/14

7. Accumulators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/15

D. Travel Styles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/16

1. Transportation Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/16

2. Trip Structure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/16

a. Group-Structured Travel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/16


Table of Conten

ts

b. Self-Structured Travel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/17

c. Unstructured Travel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/17

d. Semi-Structured Travel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/17

E. Tourism Implications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/18

F. Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/18

VI. Section 6: Marketing Strategies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/1

A. Formulating the Strategy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/1

1. Defining the Trip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/1

2. Defining the Concept. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/1

3. Establishing Criteria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/3

B. Great River Road Destination Areas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/3

1. Mississippi Headwaters Destination Areas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/5

2. Mississippi Northwoods Destination Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/5

3. Mississippi Mines Destination Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/6

4. Mississippi Crossroads Destination Area. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/7

5. Mississippi State Scenic River Destination Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/7

6. Mississippi National River and Recreation Area Destination Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/8

7. Mississippi River Bluffs Destination Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/10

C. Canadian Extensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/10

1. East Canadian Extension. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/10

2. West Canadian Extension . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/11

D. Establishing Demonstration Areas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/12

VII.Section 7: Demonstration Areas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/1

A. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/1

B. Mississippi Headwaters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/1

1. Geographic Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/1

a. Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/4(1) The Mississippi River . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/4(2) The Great River Road. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/4

(a) Vehicular Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/4(b)Bicycle Transportation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/5(c) Transportation System Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/5

(3) Attractions and Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/5


Table of Conten

ts

(a) Upstream Anchor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/5(b)Downstream Anchor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/7(c) The Connecting Corridor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/10

b. The Big Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/11(1) The Original Explorers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/11(2) Creating Itasca . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/11

(3) Applying the Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/12

2. The Tourist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/12

a. Motivation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/12

b. Travel Styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/12

c. Geographic and Modal Characteristics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/13

d. Target Markets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/13

3. Market Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/13

4. Capital Improvements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/13

5. Promotional Strategies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/15

C. Mississippi Crossroads. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/16

1. Geographic Description. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/16

a. Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/18(1) The Mississippi River . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/18(2) The Great River Road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/18

(a) Vehicular Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/18(b)Bicycle Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/19(c) Transportation System Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/19

(3) Attractions and Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/19(a) Upstream Anchor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/19

i) Cultural Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/19ii) Recreational Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/22iii)River Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/22iv)Transportation Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/22

(b)Downstream Anchor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/22i) Cultural Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/22ii) Recreational Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/24iii)River Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/24iv)Transportation Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/25

(c) The Connecting Corridor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/25

b. The Big Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/27

2. The Tourist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/28

a. Motivation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/28

b. Travel Styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/28(1) Semi-Structured Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/28(2) Self-Structured and Other Styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/28


d. Target Markets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/29

3. Market Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/29


Table of Conten

ts



D. Mississippi Gorge Demonstration Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/33

1. Geographic Description. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/33


(a) Vehicular Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/33(b)Bicycle Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/35(c) Transportation System Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/35

(3) Attractions and Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/35(a) Upstream Anchor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/35

i) Cultural Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/35ii) Recreational and River Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/38iii)Tourist Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/38

(b)Downstream Anchor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/39i) Cultural Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/39ii) River and Recreational Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/41iii)Transportation Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/42

(c) The Connecting Corridor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/42i) Cultural Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/42

2. The Tourist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/42

a. Motivation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/42(1) Guests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/43(2) Loungers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/43(3) Players . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/43(4) Explorers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/43(5) Spectators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/43(6) Pilgrims . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/43(7) Accumulators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/43

b. Tourist Styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/44(1) Structured and Semi-Structured Styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/44(2) Self-Structured and Unstructured Styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/44


d. Target Markets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/44



5. Route Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/46

E. Mississippi Bluffs Demonstration Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/46

1. Location and General Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/46


(a) Vehicular Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/49(b)Bicycle Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/49


Table of Conten

ts

(c) Transportation System Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/51(3) Attractions and Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/51

(a) Upstream Anchor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/51i) Recreational Sites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/51ii) Retail Establishments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/52iii)Historic Sites and Tours . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/52iv)Entertainment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/53v) Lodging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/53vi) Food . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/53

(b)Downstream Anchor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/22i) Cultural Attractions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/53ii) Recreational Attractions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/55 iii) Commercial Attractions and Travel Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/56

(c) Connecting Corridor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/56i) Frontenac . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/56ii) Lake City . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/57iii)Reads Landing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/58iv)Wabasha . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/58v) Kellogg and Minneiska. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/60

b. The Big Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/60(1) A Fish with a View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/60(2) Applying the Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/60

2. The Tourist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/61

a. Motivation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/61

b. Travel Styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/61


d. Target Markets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/61

3. Market Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/62


a. Improvements to Transportation Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/62

b. Improvements to River and Recreational Attractions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/63

c. Improvements to Heritage Tourism Attractions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/64


a. Travel Aids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/65(1) Public Sector Promotional Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/65(2) Private Sector Promotional Materials. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/65(3) Creating New Marketing Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/66

b. Agency Strategies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/66

VIII. Section 8: Implementation Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8/1

A. Stewarding the Future . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8/1

1. Interest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8/1

2. Organizational Structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8/1

a. Local Organization. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8/1


Table of Conten

ts

b. State Organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8/1

3. Organizational Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8/2

B. Product Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8/2

1. Facilitate Development of Tourism Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8/2

C. Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8/3

D. Marketing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8/4

1. Web Site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8/4

2. Brochure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8/4

3. Kiosks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8/4

4. Cooperative Advertising . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8/5

5. Public Relations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8/5

E. Interpretation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8/5

F. Capital Improvements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8/5

G. Funding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8/7

H. Conclusion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8/7

IX. Appendix

A. Front End

B. Great River Road Visitor Survey


Table of Conten

ts

List of Figures2-1 Major Parkways Proposed by Roosevelt’s Administration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2/1

3-1 Great River Road Routes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3/1

3-2 Motivation Effects Destination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3/2

3-3 Study Area. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3/3

4-1 Typical Map of Recreational Resources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4/5

4-1 Typical Map of Cultural Resources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4/6

4-1 Typical Map of River Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4/7

4-1 Typical Map of Transportation Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4/8

5-1 Intercept Locations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/1

5-2 Trip Purpose. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/2

5-3 Time Planning Trip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/3

5-4 Previous Trips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/3

5-5 Preferred Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/4

5-6 Preferred Trip Length. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/5

5-7 Tolerable Interval Between River Views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/5

5-8 Preferred Driving Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/5

5-9 Type of Expenditure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/6

5-10 Tourist Origins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/7

5-11 Destination Areas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/8

5-12 Great River Road Overlay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/8

5-13 Great River Road Logo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/9

6-1 Mississippi River Destination Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/1


List of Figures

List of Tables4-1 Inventory Statistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4/2

4-2 Protocols for General Attributes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4/3

4-3 Protocols for Recreational Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4/4

4-4 Protocols for Cultural Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4/6

4-3 Protocols for River Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4/7

4-3 Protocols for Transportation Resources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4/8

6-1 Potential Trip Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/2


List of Tables

List of MapsLocation of Great River Road Destination Areas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/4

Location of Great River Road Demonstration Areas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/2

Mississippi Headwaters Demonstration Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/3

Transportation Resources Mississippi Headwaters Demonstration Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/6

Mississippi Crossroads Demonstration Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/17

Transportation Resources Mississippi Crossroads Demonstration Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/20

Mississippi Gorge Demonstration Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/34

Transportation Resources Mississippi Gorge Demonstration Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/36

Mississippi Bluffs Demonstration Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/48

Transportation Resources Mississippi Bluffs Demonstration Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/50


List of Maps

Section 1ExecutiveSummary

The following report dis-cusses the ability of theGreat River Road to sup-

port tourism in Minnesota. Theanalysis is premised on the conceptthat the tourist will be the finalarbiter, the person who ultimatelydecides if the Great River Road pro-gram has been successful or not. Ofcourse this is merely an analyticalapproach. In reality, it will be theindividual communities that willdecide if they want tourism as anindustry. They will determine iftourism enhances their quality oflife and if they want to promote it.They will determine whom to attract,when they want them to visit, andhow many tourists should be invitedinto their community.

It is not the purpose of thisstudy to tell communities that they should increase tourism. Thebasic assumption of this study wasthat communities had already deter-mined that the Great River Road wasvaluable and that one of its primarypurposes was to generate tourismand income from tourists. Indeed,the value and purpose of the GreatRiver Road was established overtwenty years ago in a series of public discussions between theMinnesota Department of Trans-portation and the communitiesalong the Mississippi River. It wasnot the intent of this study to re-visit that discussion but rather toevaluate if the Great River Road program was achieving its goal of promoting tourism.

Report ContentsAn overview of the purpose of

the Great River Road and its guiding

concepts are outlined in Section 2:Program History. The history of theprogram, particularly, how theadministration of the Great RiverRoad has effected the selection anddevelopment of the route and thepromotion of tourism is discussed in this section. The reasons for thestudy, how it was structured, andwhat were its goals are discussed in Section 3: Project Purpose.

The study was ambitious. Althoughit focused on approximately 575 milesof roadway that meandered betweenOntario and Iowa, the complete 1200miles of Great River Road in Minnesotawas within its purview. Due to financialconsiderations, the Minnesota Depart-ment of Transportation requested that the primary focus be on threemajor segments: the National Routefrom Lake Itasca to Point Douglas nearHastings; the State Route downstreamfrom Hastings to the border with Iowa;and the East Canadian Extension fromBemidji to International Falls.

Those resources that contributeto the experience a tourist has whiletraveling on the three selected seg-ments of the Great River Road wereinventoried and analyzed. Resourcesfound on the parallel State Routefrom Lake Itasca to Hastings, theWest Canadian Extension from LakeItasca to Manitoba, and all designatedspurs were typically not inventoriedand analyzed as part of this projectunless they were thought to contrib-ute significantly to the experience of the tourist.

Four categories of resources wereinventoried: recreational resources,cultural resources, river resources,and transportation resources. Theinventory of recreational resourcesincluded 1,225 parks, forests, wildliferefuges, campgrounds, picnic areas,interpretive markers, museums, golfcourses, and festivals. The inventoryof cultural resources included 1,648sites on the National Register of

Historic Places. The inventory ofriver resources included 179 beaches,fishing piers, water access sites, and dams. The inventory of trans-portation resources included 3,224segments of roadway, rest areas,trails, trail heads, and touristregions. All in all, over 6,000 separate resources were inventoriedas part of the project. Over 200,000attributes or pieces of informationwere collected about these resources.This information was stored in aGeographic Information System and transferred to Mn/DOT to beused by future stewards of the Great River Road. A synopsis of the resource inventory is presentedin Section 4: Resource Summary.

The fifth section of the reportdiscusses the tourist. It reports onan extensive survey of 555 peoplewho visited the Great River Road in the summer and fall of 1998. The survey reveals several interest-ing facts about typical Great RiverRoad travelers and their preferences.For instance, it was discovered thattourists like to take short three-dayvacations, two-hour pleasure drives,and over half don’t like to havetheir view of the river interruptedfor more than one-half hour at atime while they travel on the GreatRiver Road. The results of the surveyare reported in the first part ofSection 5: The Tourist.

Understanding the image thattourists have of the Mississippi Riverand Great River Road and how brandidentity is created and promoted isessential for positioning the corridoras a desirable destination. Conceptsfor ingraining a desirable image intothe minds of tourists are offered inSection 5: The Tourist.

An analysis of the surveyrevealed that the market was seg-mented by tourist motivations andtravel styles. Seven different moti-vations were defined including: 1

1Great River Road Development Study


guests, loungers, players, explorers,spectators, pilgrims, and accumula-tors. Guests were people who werevisiting friends and family. Loungerswere people seeking relaxation.Players sought adventure. Explorerswere attempting to expand theirknowledge or skills. Spectators were seeking to be entertained.Pilgrims desired experiences thatwould change their perception oflife and its meaning. Accumulatorswanted to purchase goods or services.

Four different travel styles weredefined based by how people struc-tured their trip. People either wereGroup-Structured, Self-Structured,Unstructured, or a combination ofGroup and Self-Structured calledSemi-Structured. The complete dis-cussion of tourist motivations andtravel styles also occurs in Section 5:The Tourist.

Section 5 concludes with a discussion of Tourism Implications. As a result of the analysis of tourists,six implications for tourism are ad-dressed. These six implications are:➤ Shorten the route. Make the

Great River Road more compre-hensible to tourists. Focus development and promotional efforts on the National Route from Lake Itasca to Hastings and the State Route downstream from Hastings.

➤ Focus on destination areas.Recognize that most tourists spend only three days at a time on vacation. Create short “natural” destination areas based on geography and history. Use the term “Mississippi” in the name of each destination area.

➤ Encourage local control. Encourage the development of local stewardship organizations for each destination area. These local stewardship organizations

should be composed of stake-holders from local, state, and federal agencies and organiza-tions. Encourage stakeholders to develop local Great River Road management plans for their destination area. Give control of promoting the roadto the stewardship organization. Initially, assist local destination marketing organizations in pro-moting the Great River Road.

➤ Match tourist motivations and travel styles with specific des-tinations. Recognize that differ-ent destination areas will attractdifferent types of tourists. Recognize who is attracted to a destination area’s natural and cultural attractions. Recognize that travel styles must also be accommodated if tourists are going to visit the places they would like to visit. Concentrate initial capital improvements and promotional strategies on serv-ing the target market.

➤ Improve route wayfinding.Assist the tourist in compre-hending the Great River Road. Improve route designation markers. Improve the graphic quality of the route markers. Add distinctive mileagemarkers starting with Mile Zero at the Headwaters.

➤ Increase connections with the Mississippi River. The focus should be on the river, not the road. The road is a conduit for people to enjoy the natural and cultural attractions asso-ciated with the river. The local stewardship organization should develop plans for capitalimprovement and promotional projects and programs that would draw people to the river.

Section 6: Marketing Strategiespresents the concept that there arecertain types of trips that are bettersupported in particular locations. It implies that the all of the GreatRiver Road can’t be all things to all people. Using four criteria, itsuggests that it is more useful tosegment the Great River Road intoseven destination areas. The fourcriteria are: ➤ The destination area must be

oriented to the Mississippi River

➤ The destination area must be defined by either natural or cultural history

➤ The destination area must be locally supported

➤ The destination area must incorporate a practical market-ing strategy

The seven destination areas created are:➤ Mississippi Headwaters

(Lake Itasca to Bemidji)

➤ Mississippi Northwoods (Bemidji to Grand Rapids)

➤ Mississippi Mines (Grand Rapids to Brainerd)

➤ Mississippi Crossroads (Brainerd to Little Falls)

➤ Mississippi State Scenic River (Little Falls to Anoka)

➤ Mississippi National River and Recreation Area (Anoka to Hastings)

➤ Mississippi Bluffs (Hastings to Iowa Border)

Brief narratives of each destina-tion area are presented in Section 6: 1

2

Marketing Strategies. The sectionconcludes by suggesting that someportions of some destination areasdeserve to be more thoroughly stud-ied as examples that could be used by other destination areas to en-hance tourism on the Great RiverRoad. These examples became theDemonstration Areas discussed inSection 7: Demonstra-tion Areas.Four demonstration areas wereselected for further analysis:➤ Mississippi Headwaters

(Lake Itasca to Bemidji)

➤ Mississippi Crossroads (Brainerd to Little Falls)

➤ Mississippi Gorge (Minneapolis to St. Paul)

➤ Mississippi Bluffs (Red Wing to Winona)

A discussion of the resourcesthat constitute the demonstrationarea, what type of tourists find itattractive, what capital improvementsare necessary to enhance tourism,and what marketing strategieswould be effective for promoting the area are discussed for each ofthe four areas.

The concluding section discusseshow the ideas presented in the pre-vious sections could be implemented.Recognizing that many agencies andorganizations have a vested interestin the Mississippi River, the GreatRiver Road, community development,and tourism, the study concludes by suggesting that two StewardshipOrganizations be formed. The first is one for each destination area.These would be locally controlledand reflect the interests and valuesof the community. It is suggestedthat these local Destination AreaStewardship Organizations could bedeveloped from existing DestinationMarketing Organizations supple-

mented by other stakeholders. Itwould be important that the localorganization reflect both privateand public sectors and their respective interests.

The second StewardshipOrganization would be a state-levelgroup. It was suggested that thisgroup also reflect both private andpublic interests and be given suffi-cient human and capital resourcesto be effective in developing andpromoting the Great River Road. It was suggested that transformingMinnesota’s Mississippi River ParkwayCommission (MRPC) may be an effec-tive instrument for generating supportfor the Great River Road program.

In particular it was suggestedthat the MRPC be reconstituted andrenamed the Mississippi RiverHeritage Byway Commission ofMinnesota. It is suggested that thewhen legislation reauthorizing theMRPC is presented at an upcominglegislative session, that the MRPC be reconstituted and given theauthority and resources to imple-ment this plan. In particular, it is recommended that the Commis-sioners (or a high ranking agencystaff member) of EconomicDevelopment, Transportation,Natural Resources, and the Directorthe Historical Society be made thecore of the commission and chargedwith implementing the recommen-dations of this report and providingassistance to communities seeking todevelop tourism along the MississippiRiver and the Great River Road. It is recommended that a local repre-sentative involved in tourism devel-opment from each of the destinationareas be placed on the board by theGovernor and confirmed by theState Legislature to better fosterlocal stewardship of the MississippiHeritage Byway. To ensure legislativeinvolvement, it is recommendedthat the commission also include

four at-large members from thestate legislature with constituencyon the river, two from the Houseand two from the Senate.

It was also suggested that itmaybe useful for the MRPC to attainstatus as a 501(c)3 not-for-profit orpublic-benefit corporation to enable itto attain grants from foundations anddonations from concerned individuals.

Study ConclusionsMarketingRecommendations

In conclusion, the report makesseven major recommendations involv-ing the marketing of the Great RiverRoad. The seven marketing recom-mendations are:➤ Use tourism to generate

economic and social benefits.Coordinate the development and promotion with the for-profit private sector of the economy. The Great River Road program has been the domain of public agencies for over sixty years. It has not been seen as particularly beneficial to private sector interests. The public agencies that currently adminis-ter the Great River Road programmust involve the private sector if the program is to enhance tourism and provide meaningful economic and quality of life benefits to local communities.

➤ Focus on the river and the tourist. The river is the most important resource. It is the resource that has the best name recognition. Tourists are the reason that the road exists. They are the customer. Their needs must be anticipated and fulfilled. The river and the tourist create a system, the road is merely the tool that brings them together.


13

➤ Divide the route into destina-tion areas. The Great River Roadis too big for today’s tourist to appreciate. Give it to them in bite-size chunks based on how contemporary tourists travel. Divide the road up based on natural and cultural history and the ability to provide suffi-cient attractions and services for tourists.

➤ Identify and pursue target markets by destination area. Realize that tourists have different motivations and travel styles. Matching the motivations and travel styles of tourists to those destinations that naturallysupport their desires is the most practical way to develop and promote tourism.

➤ Develop local and state stewardship organizations. Reorganize how the Great River Road program is administered. Initiate more local control. It is imperative that local steward–ship organizations identify the visitors they want to attract and how they will accommodatethem. The need to develop and promote attractions and services should be initiated by local peo-ple familiar with the needs and aspirations of their communities.The state stewardship organiza-tion should be designed to be responsive. It should have suffi-cient clout and resources to support local initiatives.

➤ Create a coherent and appeal-ing identity. Recognize that the Mississippi River, not the Great River Road, is the primaryattraction. Emphasize the river in order to tie all destination areas together. Use the word “Mississippi” in naming each

destination area. Encourage changing the name of the Great River Road to the Mississippi River Heritage Byway. Create an overarching Mississippi River Destination Area. Emphasize Minnesota as “The Mississippi Headwaters State” by emphasizing that Lake Itasca is a unique world-class destination. Assist the tourist in comprehending the Great River Road by improv-ing route designation markers and adding mile markers.

➤ Shorten the route. Make the Great River Road more compre-hensible to tourists. Focus development and promotional efforts only the National Route from Lake Itasca to Hastings and the State Route downstream from Hastings.

Capital ImprovementsThe report concludes with

suggestions for five capital improve-

ment programs. The five programsare:➤ Pave all remaining unpaved

segments. Unpaved segments in the Mississippi Headwaters and Mississippi Mines destina-tion areas degrade the whole system. It is imperative that the expectations of a tourist are met along the whole desig-nated route. Tourists are increasingly sophisticated and familiar with other national byways that are typically well-maintained and paved. Unpaved roads are not viewed favorably by most tourists, except for certain types of explorers. Touring bicyclists especially dislike unpaved roadways. Approximately 25 miles of the 575 mile Great River Road is not paved. Paving the remaining unpaved segments should be a primary goal of the MRPC and the two affected destination areas.


14

MILE

131

MILE

131

131

MILE

131

MILE

Mock-ups for unique Great River Road mileage markers. Such markers would make it easier for tourist to follow the road and find the attractions and services they are seeking.

➤ Create a system of unique mileage markers. A mileage marker system unique to the Great River Road would assist the tourist in staying on the route. This is especially impor-tant since the fear of becoming lost is one of the major reasons tourists avoid a particular desti-nation. Currently, it is very dif-ficult to follow the route, even with a map and knowledge of where the road goes. A mileage marker system coupled with improved directional signing at intersections would greatly decrease any foreboding a tourist may have toward travel-ing on the Great River Road.

A system of unique mileage markers would also make it possible for local attractions and services to advertise their location as being on Mile “x” of the Great River Road. Not only would this be useful to the merchant it simultaneously increases the visibility of the Great River Road to residents and visitors. The value of the markers would make it possible for private interests in each des-tination area to create guide-books based on the markers.

➤ Create a system of gateway kiosks in the anchors of each destination area. Design and construct a unique Great River Road Gateway Kiosk in each anchor community. Kiosks should be built, preferably at a travel information center or other major attraction for tourists on the river in Itasca State Park, Bemidji, Grand Rapids, Brainerd, Little Falls, St. Cloud, Minneapolis, St. Paul, Red Wing, and Winona. The exact location should be deter-mined by the local stewardship

organization. Adding kiosks in other communities may be included as determined by the local stewardship organization.

The kiosks would be designed to provide information on publicattractions along the Great RiverRoad. It would also incorporate information important to touristssuch as advertisements for lodg-ing, restaurants, recreation, entertainment, and travel services provided by the for-profit private sector. Interpretiveinformation about the natural history of the Mississippi River Valley and the cultural heritage of the river communities would also be included.

The kiosk, as part of a generalmarketing strategy, would be the hub where several radiating trips to various attractions and services scattered throughout the destination area would be promoted. By using a hub and spoke strategy, not all attrac-tions would need to be on the Great River Road, merely acces-sible from the hub. This will allow the route of the Great River Road to simplified into a spine that will connect the anchor communities and specifically, the anchor kiosks. The anchor kiosks will act as gateways to visiting the whole community.

➤ Complete the bicycle and pedestrian trail parallel to the Mississippi River from Lake Itasca to the Iowa border.It is unlikely that many tourists would bicycle or hike the whole route in one trip from Lake Itasca to the Iowa border. In this, they are like their motorized brethren. Nonetheless,bicyclists and pedestrians are requesting improved facilities

throughout the Mississippi River corridor. Many improvements have been completed. If these improvements could be linked, a complete system of trails par-alleling the river and linking various attractions and services could be created.

Twenty years ago, it was envisioned that the Great River Road would provide such an opportunity. Much of the system was paved with four foot shoulders which was considered adequate for bicyclingat the time. Unfortunately, as a modern bicycle facility, a four foot shoulder is not considered sufficient.

Recently, an organization called the Mississippi River Trail (MRT) has promoted the conceptof creating a national trail along the river. MRT has received federal support for its effort. The Minnesota Depart-ment of Natural Resources has also supported the development of several trails, particularly with the National Park Service (NPS) in the Twin Cities.

It is recommended that the MRPC, the local stewardship organizations, MRT, DNR, NPS, and other agencies and organi-zations work together to com-plete the system. Typically, this could be accomplished by paving the shoulder of the Great River Road or creating an off-road trail where traffic volumes make it unsafe to pedal on the highway. It is recommended that the state-aidstandard 8-foot shoulder not be applied if traffic volumes are low and paving an 8-foot shoulder would adversely impact visual quality or some other environmental or social value.


15

➤ Assist local communities in developing their riverfronts. The Mississippi River and the communities that grew alongits banks are major attractions to a tourist. Redeveloping the riverfront provides a way fora community to conserve andshare with tourists its naturaland cultural heritage. The authenticity and charm of oldbuildings, the commercial activi-ty found in the river and the riverbanks, and the inspiringnatural landscape provide valueto residents and tourists. By improving access to the river,renovating buildings, creatingscenic overlooks, and developingriverfront recreational facilities, a community naturally promotes travel to the Mississippi River,the Great River Road, and everyother river community through-out Minnesota.

Economic ImplicationsThe Great River Road currently

underperforms statewide averagesfor tourist spending. The medianGreat River Road party of 2.5 peopleonly spent $6.00 per day on non-essential shopping or $2.40 per person per day. The opportunity for Great River Road tourists to con-tribute to local economies has notbeen realized. This outcome is notunexpected. Traditionally, only freepublic resources associated withGreat River Road have been promoted.By partnering with the for-profitprivate sector in local destinationareas, the amount of money spentby tourists on consumer articlescould also be increased substantially.

In 1998, TravelScope, a nationalsurvey of tourist spending behavior,concluded that a tourist would

spend approximately $32.00 per dayin Minnesota. A 1998 MinnesotaOffice of Tourism Study concludedthat residents spend approximately$43.00 as tourists and non-residentseach spend approximately $50.00.With 2.5 people per traveling party,the Great River Road should be gener-ating at least $80.00 per party perday for food, lodging, vehicularexpenses, and shopping. It is not.According to the survey (Question 68)conducted by Gartner Consulting,the median party was spending$69.00 per day for these essentialtravel items. At a minimum, averageexpenditures for essentials could beincreased by over 16% with properpromotion.

If more was done to target out-of-state visitors, especially those inupper income brackets who may beattracted to Minnesota's reputationfor pristine wilderness and cleancities, it may be possible to enhancethis percentage increase drama-tically. Similar efforts by otherMinnesota Destination Areas innorthern Minnesota, have increasedthe spending of the average touristto approximately $53.00 per day.This would translate into $132.50for each party traveling on theGreat River Road—a fantastic 92%growth over current levels. Such anincrease in economic activity wouldbe substantial.

SummaryBy implementing these recom-

mendations and improving theadministration of the Great RiverRoad Program, the MinnesotaDepartment of Transportation willbe able to complete what it set outto do with this study: Create a GreatRiver Road that enlivens communitiesand excites tourists.


16

Blue RidgeParkway

Natchez TraceParkway

Great RiverRoad

Section 2Program History

The Minnesota Departmentof Transportation (Mn/DOT)documented the history

and purpose of the Great River Roadprogram in its original Great RiverRoad Route Selection and Develop-ment Guides. These documents, written in the late 1970s and early1980s, explain how the idea of constructing a parkway along theMississippi River was conceived byPresident Roosevelt’s Secretary ofthe Interior, Harold Ickes, in 1938.However, other references cloud thepicture and it is not clear if Ickes’idea was new or if he was merelypromoting an existing concept.

Some authors refer to an earliertime period when explaining theorigin of the roadway. The idea ofthe road, like many roads in theearly twentieth century, may havebeen the idea of private enterpriseand civic boosters who thought

linking river towns along theMississippi would be a sure way topromote visitation and commercialdevelopment. Nonetheless, wheneveror however the idea first originated,by 1938 it was receiving nationalattention and had become a federalprogram.

The essential concept was tocreate a parkway on both sides ofthe river from Lake Itasca to theGulf of Mexico. Some accounts claimthis original concept was for a four-lane highway on both sides of theriver. Extensions of the parkwaywould reach into Canada and thePan-American Highway in Mexico.The Great River Road would be partof a continental road system.

To start, Ickes proposed a parkway to match the Blue RidgeParkway and the Natchez TraceParkway then being developed underhis patronage by the National ParkService. Planning, design, and con-struction of the Great River Road,however, would wait until after theSecond World War.

Mn/DOT continues that after thewar the:

Study of the Great River Roadwas first authorized by Congressin 1949. Two years later, theBureau of Public Roads and theNational Park Service completedthe report. Other studies werecompleted in the 1960s by theNational Park Service and theFederal Highway Administration(FHWA). Recommendations forland acquisition, scenic ease-ments, access control, amenitydevelopment and road alignmentwere included in the agencies’examinations.

Although a significant amount of study was directed to theGreat River Road in the 1960sand early 1970s, funds for development were not availablebecause of high priorities placedon the Interstate System andother National Defense Highways.The 1973 Federal Highway Actauthorized funds but these were

not allocated to the 10 riverstates until 1976. Also in 1976, federal guidelines

and regulations, includingpriorities and new location

criteria were released.

CriteriaSome of these regulations are

crucial to understanding whythings were done the way they were

done. For example, for a project to be eligible it had to be on the federal-aid highway system. This meant thatlocal roads that may be closer to theriver could not be used as the routefor the Great River Road. Furthermore,for the project to be eligible it had to“be located on roads on the approvedGreat River Road location.” Thismeant that if an amenity project wasto be constructed or an historic site

21


Figure 2-1: MAJOR PARKWAYS PROPOSED BYROOSEVELT’S ADMINISTRATION. Harold Ickes, President Roosevelt’s Secretary of the Interior proposed, in 1938, a system of three National Parkways. Only the Blue Ridge Parkwayand the Natchez Trace Parkway were completed as parkways administered by the National Park Service.


restored with Great River Road funds,it had to be adjacent to a designatedroute or spur. This rule created a lotof official spurs and alternative routes.

In addition to these federal regulations, the State of Minnesotacreated some of its own rules relatedparticularly to the designation of aState Route. State Routes, by act ofthe Minnesota Legislature, would belimited to Minnesota Trunk Highways.This would limit the burden oncounty and municipal systems. Italso severely limited where the roadcould be designated and preemptedlocating the road using access toscenic, recreational, or historic locations as the only criteria.

Mn/DOT defined the purpose of the Great River Road:

The purpose of the Great RiverRoad is to provide a scenic,recreational and historic roadwayalong the Mississippi River. Theproposed Great River Road expe-rience will be multifaceted; itwill not only foster a greaterappreciation of our natural and historic landscape but offermajor recreational opportunitiesto the traveler. Essential to itssuccess is the conservation ofexisting natural features such as woodlands and river valleysand preservation of historic sites and landmarks.

The scope was narrowly defined.Improvements were limited to thosethat would be found on a similarparkway developed by the NationalPark Service. In practice, improve-ments would be restricted to thedevelopment of the roadway, theenhancement of outdoor recreation,and the restoration and interpreta-tion of historical sites. Travel services(except for rest areas—which werepart of developing a safe highwaysystem—and scenic overlooks—which

were part of enhancing recreation)were not part of the Great River Roadprogram. Regulations effectively lim-ited participation to non-commercialattractions. Rules even regulatedcommercial signage, requiring thatoff-premise outdoor advertising be prohibited by “local zoning, regulation or ordinance.” Lodging,restaurants, service stations werenot discussed or incorporated intothe development of the Great RiverRoad. The commercial needs of the tourist were not identified oraccommodated. Indeed the federallocation criteria all but ruled outnew commercial development stating that:

The road shall be located so thatunique values of the corridormay be protected. This may beaccomplished by appropriateroute selection, effective controlor elimination of developmentinconsistent with the nature and performance of the highwaythrough zoning or other land use restrictions, the acquisitionof scenic easements and where necessary the direct acquisitionof scenic, historic, woodland orother areas of interest in fee orby other appropriate measures.

The federal concept was todevelop a single National Route on one side of the river alternatingbetween its east and west sides. InMinnesota, the 426-mile NationalRoute would extend from LakeItasca to Point Douglas, nearHastings. The National Route wouldusually be mirrored on the otherside of the river with a designatedState Route. State Routes would also extend from the Headwaters toWinnipeg and Bemidji to InternationalFalls. These routes would be calledthe West Canadian Extension andthe East Canadian Extension, respec-

tively. South of Hastings, anotherState Route would follow U.S.Highway 61 and State TrunkHighway 26 to the Iowa border.

Mississippi RiverParkway Commission

To promote and coordinate the development of the Great RiverRoad, the Mississippi River ParkwayCommission was formed. It includedthe ten river states and two Canadianprovinces, Manitoba and Ontario.The Commission has been in exis-tence since at least 1938 but it may actually predate Ickes’ proposal.Each state, in turn, has a StateCommission. Minnesota has a veryactive commission and is a significantleader in the national organization.The Minnesota Mississippi RiverParkway Commission is composedprimarily of representatives fromMinnesota’s legislative bodies andchampions the activities of Mn/DOTand other agencies assisting commu-nities in promoting the Great RiverRoad and the Mississippi River as atourist destination.

FundingFunding for the Great River

Road Program was categorical until1986. This meant that money wasset aside for the Great River Roadand could not be spent on any othertype of road project. Millions of dollars were available to be dividedby ten states. Each state was allo-cated a certain amount based onseveral factors including the lengthof the road in the particular state.Minnesota had an extremely longsegment of the roadway and receivedproportionally a large share of themoney. When states failed to spendtheir allotment, the other statescould request redistribution.Minnesota was very successful at not only spending its original 2

2

allotment but in receiving a substan-tial proportion of the redistributedmoney. This made the program verypopular with Mn/DOT engineeringstaff and County Engineers whocould get improvements to their low volume roadways funded.

High on the list of eligible pro-jects were planning and preliminaryengineering studies to determineroute selection and amenity devel-opment. Mn/DOT authored a seriesof Route Selection and DevelopmentGuides for the six segments of theNational Route documenting theroute selection process and offeringsuggestions for amenity improve-ments. As part of the route selec-tion process, alternative routes wereevaluated and community meetingswere held. As a result of negotiationswith local officials, National andState Routes were officially desig-nated. Both the National and StateRoutes received approval from theMinnesota and National MississippiRiver Parkway Commissions, thestate legislature, and the FederalHighway Administration.

By 1986, however, the era ofcategorical funds expired. After 1986,all Great River Road projects had tocompete with all other highway pro-

jects for funding. For road improve-ments to be funded, especially roadswith low traffic volumes, considerableinterest had to be displayed by thepublic before road authorities woulddivert money from more pressingtransportation concerns. Since manyof the Great River Road routes wereon previously improved or little usedcounty roads, additional improve-ments were typically not a priorityand funding of Great River Roadprojects waned.

The lack of public support andthe organized hostility by propertyrights activists, slowed enthusiasmfor the project by local and statepublic officials. The tourism indus-try, which had not been consultedin the development of the route,was disinterested and failed to recognize the value of the routeenough to become organized boosters.Subsequently, the general public,public officials, and even groupsinterested in tourism or the riverdid not rally to support continuedgovernment assistance for developinga parkway along the Mississippi.

The advent of ISTEA and TEA-21transportation funding programs—specifically the funds for transpor-tation enhancements and scenic

byways—has spurred new life intothe Great River Road program. Theentire route, in all of its permuta-tions, is eligible for enhancementmonies. The National Route of theGreat River Road from Itasca toHastings and the State Route down-stream from Hastings to the IowaBorder is a designated MinnesotaScenic Byway. This segment is eligiblefor scenic byway funding. Variousprojects, like the creation of newinterpretive markers, have beendesigned and installed as part ofthese new highway funding mecha-nisms. In addition to the interpretivesigns, other proposals for improvingthe roadway have been advanced by Mn/DOT, the MRPC, and variouscommunities along the route. It was, however, apparent to the MRPCand Mn/DOT that the Great RiverRoad was not reaching its potentialas a tourist route in Minnesota.Before additional funds were com-mitted to the highway, Mn/DOTrequested proposals from consul-tants on how to best evaluate theeffectiveness of the current programand various development options.This Development Study—premisedon tourist needs—is the result ofthat request.


23

Ontario

Manitoba

State Route

NationalRoute

WestCanadianExtension

EastCanadianExtension

The Mississippi River ParkwayCommission (MRPC) is composed often members: two state senators; two state representatives; five publicmembers, appointed by the heads offive state agencies (Agriculture, Tradeand Economic Development, NaturalResources, Transportation, and theHistorical Society); and a tenthmember appointed by the other nine. The MRPC, working primarilywith the Minnesota Department ofTransportation (Mn/DOT) in the late1970s and early 1980s, garnered a substantial amount of money todevelop and promote a scenic andrecreational corridor from Canada toIowa. The money was used to evalu-ate and select routes, determine anddesign amenities for travelers, con-struct improvements to the roadwayand adjacent amenity sites, and

promote tourism. In Minnesota,

the GreatRiver Road

corridor consistsof nearly 1200 miles

of roadway, includingparallel segments on both

sides of the river between LakeItasca and Hastings. One side is a State Route, the other theofficial National Route. At Point

Douglas, near Hastings, the GreatRiver Road National Route leavesthe State of Minnesota and continueson the Wisconsin side of the river.

The State Route, however, con-tinues south to the Iowa

border on the Minnesotaside. The State Routealso extends north on two routes toCanada. One, theWestern CanadianExtension, travels to Manitoba andeventually Winnipeg.The other, theEastern Canadian

Extension, continues north toInternational Falls and then intoOntario. (See Figure 2-1: Great RiverRoad Routes). Several spurs, somelong (including one that circles Lake Mille Lacs) and some short(like one that races to the James J. Hill House on St. Paul’s SummitAvenue), add a significant amountof miles to Minnesota’s Great RiverRoad network.

Maintaining this huge network,fell on the Minnesota Department of Transportation and the countieswhose roads comprised the system.Originally envisioned as a programthat fostered tourism and recrea-tional development, interest in theGreat River Road program had wanedwith the withdrawal of categoricalfunds. It was unknown if touristswere being attracted to the road and what benefit agencies or thecommunities they served were receiv-ing by having a state or nationallydesignated road running throughtheir towns and countryside.

What was needed was a thoroughevaluation of the system of touristsand attractions found on the GreatRiver Road. In particular, it was necessary to determine who werethe tourists and potential touristsand how the development, manage-ment, and promotion of attractionsand travel services affected touristsand tourism. From that assessment,a series of implementation strate-gies and priorities could be devel-oped to enhance tourism on theGreat River Road in Minnesota.

Proposals RequestedWorking together, the MRPC and

Mn/DOT solicited proposals to studythe Great River Road. The purposeof the study was threefold. It wouldprimarily:➤ Conduct an inventory of the

roadway and the amenities thathad been proposed and built by 3

1

Figure 3-1: Great River Road RoutesThe Great River Road in Minnesota is comprised of Nationaland State Routes. The National Route extends from LakeItasca to Hastings. A State Route parallels the NationalRoute usually on the other side of the river. Near Hastings,the National Route crosses into Wisconsin but the StateRoute continues to Iowa. There are two Canadian Extensionswhich connect the tourist to Canada.


Section 3Project PurposeProgram Status

The Great River Road represents a major investment by the State

of Minnesota. The investment wasthe result of over sixty years ofefforts by the Mississippi RiverParkway Commission and its partner-ing state agencies. The commissionis a legislatively mandated bodycharged with promoting, preserving,and enhancing the Mississippi RiverValley while encouraging the develop-ment of the Great River Road and its amenities.


the program. Such an inven-tory would document whatthe Great River Road programhad accomplished. The inven-tory would determine if theamenities originally proposedhad been constructed or not;and if they had been constructed,were they still in good shape.The inventory would serve as a basis for justifying a requestfor additional state or federalfunding.

➤ Determine if continuing tomaintain and promote the existing1200-mile route was justified bytourist interest. In particular, itwas requested that the CanadianExtensions be evaluated for theireffectiveness as tourist routes.The necessity for a parallel State Route from Lake Itasca toHastings was also to be evaluated.

➤ Determine if the existing orga-nizational structure was still areasonable way to develop andpromote the Great River Road.

Consultant Response The Consulting Study Team that

was selected to perform these taskswas organized by Short ElliottHendrickson Inc., a firm with Landscape Architects specializing in recreational highway planning and design. The team includedEconomics Research Associates withpersonnel who specialized in com-munity development and heritagetourism. It also included GartnerConsulting, a firm with personnelknowledgeable of tourism trends in Minnesota and The 106 Group, acultural resource management firm.

The work plan proposed by theConsulting Study Team was based on the concept that the user of the roadway—the tourist—woulddetermine what should be inven-

toried; what, if anything, should beedited from the network of highwaysthat comprised the Great River Road;how the Great River Road can bestbe developed and promoted; andhow should it be managed.

It had a simple premise: Howcould the Great River Road be morethan symbols on a map? More thansigns on the side of the road? Howcould the Great River Road enliven a community and excite a tourist?How could a route managed bynumerous authorities achieve acoherence that beckons, engages,and thrills? What would be the electrifying story that communitieswould tell their children and touristswould take home?

Project Scope and Products

The Consulting Study Team suggested that Mn/DOT form anAdvisory Committee to secure information and counsel from

agencies andorganizations who

have been associ-ated with managingresources, advoca-ting communitydevelopment, orpromoting tourismalong the MississippiRiver or Great RiverRoad. It also sug-gested that a seriesof newsletters besent to potentialsupporters and public open housesbe held to assureinput from specialinterests and the

general public. This stake-holder involvement process wouldprovide direction for the study.

One of the major tasks was toinventory resources that touristswould find attractive or importanton the Great River Road including an understanding of the existinghighway infrastructure, recreationalresources, and cultural resources. To eliminate duplication of effortsand to reduce costs, electronicinventories were secured from variousgovernment sources and transferredto a computerized GIS (GeographicInformation Systems) database.Inventories that were not availableelectronically were gathered byreferring to other sources, such asmaps, the Internet, or field reviews.The product was a comprehensiveArcView GIS database of the resourcesand their attributes that constitutethe Great River Road experience in Minnesota.

A survey of visitors to the GreatRiver Road was also performed. Thesurvey was used to determine what

Figure 3-2:Motivation

EffectsDestinationTourists with

different types ofmotivations are

attracted to differentdestinations along

the MississippiRiver.

32

Hastings

State Route

National Route

EastCanadianExtension

International Falls

ItascaState Park

were the characteristics of a typicalvisitor to the Great River Road andhow they perceived their experi-ence. The visitor survey would laterdetermine the basis for a tourismmarketing strategy. In particular,

it identified thattourists with different motiva-

tions were visiting different parts of the Great River Road. This meantthat different development and pro-motional strategies would need tobe used on different markets for different segments of the GreatRiver Road. (See Figure 3-2:Motivation Effects Destination).

As part of the inventory of the existing system and visitor

preferences, the necessity,effectiveness,and benefits

of the many Great River Road

routes were evaluated.Working with the Advisory

Committee and meeting withaffected communities convinced the Study Team that by focusing

promotion and development effortson the National Route between ItascaState Park and Hastings and the StateRoute downstream from Hastings,Minnesota’s Great River Road wouldbe better understood by the tourist,more coherent and manageable foradministrative agencies, and moreeasily promoted by tourism bureaus.

Lastly the proposal by theConsulting Study Team suggestedthat the ultimate product producedby the study would be a Great RiverRoad Tourism Development Council.The purpose of the council would beto ensure that the ideas generatedby the study would be implemented.It had been originally envisionedthat the Advisory Committee wouldmorph into this new role. However,as the project concluded it appearedthat the Advisory Committee hadcompleted its task and that theMississippi River Parkway Commissionitself should be modified to increaseits stature and its ability to commandresources to accomplish its goals.


33

Figure 3-3: Study AreaThe Study Team focused its attention on the East

Canadian Extension from International Falls toBemidji, the National Route from Itasca State Park

to Hastings, and the State Route downstream ofHastings to the Iowa border.

Section 4ResourceSummary

The Mississippi River Valleyis composed of manyrecreational, cultural,

river, and transportation resourcesthat support and contribute to theexperience a tourist has while travel-ing on the Great River Road. Some of these resources were developed orenhanced through funding suppliedby the Great River Road program. The State of Minnesota has estimatedthat it and the federal governmenthave spent tens of millions of dollarsto plan, design, and construct theroadway and enhance the recre-ational, cultural, river resourcesassociated with it. In addition, theState of Minnesota, has spent tensof thousands promoting both theNational and State Routes of theGreat River Road. The MinnesotaDepartment of Transportation, theagency that contributed most of thefunding and led the developmentand promotion of the route, wantedto know if its efforts to develop andpromote the Great River Road havebeen useful in enhancing tourism orif the program should be adjusted tofit the needs of contemporary touristsand local communities. As one of the first steps in this evaluation, an inventory of existing recreational,cultural, river, and transportationresources was conducted.

Scope of InventoryBetween the summer of 1998

and the summer of 1999, theConsulting Study Team conducted an inventory of resources that facili-tate tourism on the Great River Road.Except for private golf courses opento the public, only those resourcesthat were managed by public agencies

were inventoried. Recreational, cultural, river, or transportationresources that could be valued byGreat River Road tourists were cata-logued for the whole corridor fromInternational Falls to the Iowa border.Typically, resources were cataloguedif they were found within one mile of either the river or the Great RiverRoad. In cities with a population over5,000 people, the geographic scope of the inventory expanded to includethose resources that were associatedwith the Mississippi River or theGreat River Road.

When the preliminary inventorywas presented to the Great RiverRoad Development Study AdvisoryCommittee, the committee suggestedthat although the inventory of publicresources was useful, it was insuffi-cient. They counseled that publicresources alone do not satisfytourists. They suggested that iftourism was to be enhanced on theGreat River Road, it needed to bebetter understood. In order to beunderstood, both public and privateattractions would need to be inven-toried and analyzed. The AdvisoryCommittee urged the ConsultantStudy Team to include commercialattractions and services provided bythe for-profit private sector in thestudy. In particular, they suggestedthat the lodging, restaurant, andvehicular services on which touristsare dependent must be considered if the development and promotionof the Great River Road was to beenhanced and tourism increased.

Although including commercialattractions and services in the inven-tory was not possible given the con-tractual scope of the project, theStudy Team did try other methods to assess private-sector support fortourism. Using a national database ofeconomic resources1, the Study Teamevaluated aggregate data on travelservices and noticed several patterns

and clusters of services emergingfrom the data. Not unsurprisingly,travel services were congregated near the larger cities along the riverincluding, Bemidji, Grand Rapids,Brainerd, Little Falls, St. Cloud, theTwin Cities, Red Wing and Winona.These patterns later would be used todetermine if there was a critical massof attractions and services to create a“demonstration area” to serve as anexample of how a particular segmentof the Great River Road could bedeveloped to enhance tourism. Oncea demonstration area was selected,private attractions and services wereincluded in the discussion of how toenhance and promote it.

Methodology The inventory was conducted

using several methods of data col-lection. To avoid duplicating theinventory efforts of other govern-mental agencies, Mn/DOT requestedthat the Consulting Study Teamobtain as much information fromexisting databases as possible.Although many agencies, includingsome counties and municipalities,provided some electronic data, the Minnesota Department ofTransportation, the MinnesotaDepartment of Natural Resources,the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,the U.S. Forest Service, and theMinnesota Historical Society pro-vided the bulk of the electronic data.

Information was also gleanedfrom maps, brochures, and othermaterial printed by dozens of public and private sources. In addi-tion to material from the MinnesotaDepartment of Transportation, theMinnesota Department of NaturalResources, the U.S. Army Corps ofEngineers, the U.S. Forest Service,and the Minnesota HistoricalSociety, information from materialprinted by the U.S. Fish and WildlifeService, the National Park Service,


41

the Minnesota Office of Tourism, theMississippi Headwaters Board, and the University of Minnesota wasused. Information was also collectedfrom printed material promoting specific attractions and services, such as museums and historic sites.Information was also gathered frompublic and private Websites. In par-ticular, Websites maintained by theMinnesota Office of Tourism, theMinnesota Department of NaturalResources, the U.S. Army Corps ofEngineers, and the U.S. Fish andWildlife Service were extremely usefulfor gathering information on publicresources. The Minnesota Office ofTourism’s website was also particular-ly helpful in gathering informationon private services and attractions.

The inventory was supplementedby extensive field reviews. Fieldreviews were initiated in July 1998with a tour of the entire route fromInternational Falls to the Iowa borderby the Mn/DOT Project Manager andthe Consulting Study Team. The ini-tial field review identified severalresources including: publicly ownedtourist-oriented recreational resourcesand river resources, cultural resourceson the National Register of HistoricPlaces, and the attributes of theroadway. Simultaneously, a series ofinterviews, organized by the Mn/DOTProject Manager, with many localConvention and Visitor Bureaus or

Chambers of Commerce were conduct-ed as part of the tour. Informationon public and private attractions andservices that could be added to theinventory was collected during theinterviews. Conversations with facilitymanagers, particularly those at stateand county parks and historic sites,were also conducted and yielded addi-tional inventory information.

During the course of the project,a series of ten Open Houses arrangedby Mn/DOT were also used to gatherinformation directly from the publicabout resources found on the GreatRiver Road. During the Fall of 1999,after the demonstration areas wereselected, members of the Study Team,reviewed the corridors and conductedfurther research on public resourcesand private attractions and services tobetter understand what was needed toenhance tourism in the four selecteddemonstration areas.

These efforts have been cata-logued in a computer database constructed using ArcView®GIS, ageographic information system pro-gram that essentially stores informa-tion in relationship to a point, line,or area on a map. The database hasrecords for over 1400 sites related to recreational and river resources. Ithas records of over 1600 sites relatedto cultural resources. Nearly 94,000pieces of information were gatheredon these 3,000 sites or approximately

31 separate facts were catalogued for each resource. Some facts werestandard and gathered for eachresource, such as its address, whowas the maintaining authority, andif it had received funding from theGreat River Road program. Otherinformation was unique to the particular type of resource. For example, for interpretive markers itsInterpretive Theme was catalogued.For campgrounds, the Number of TentSites and the Number of RV Sites werenoted. About one-quarter to one-third of the information was specificto a particular type of resource.

Transportation resources werealso added to the database. Trans-portation resources are based onMn/DOT’s segmentation of the high-way system. Typically information is by control section. Each controlsection is considered a separateresource. In addition to the high-way itself, rest areas and trails areincluded as transportation resources.All in all, over 3,000 transportationresources were catalogued.

Table 4-1: Inventory Statisticslists the number of resources or sitesinventoried, the number of attributesor facts collected about each resource,and the total number of attributescollected per resource category. Acomplete list of what was inventoriedfor each type of resources follows inthe next part of this section.


42

Table 4-1: Inventory StatisticsThe table shows a summary of the information that was gathered as part of the Great River Road inventory of recreational, river, cultural, andtransportation resources.

Number of Facts Listed Total NumberCategory Resources per Resource of Attributes

Recreational Resources 1,225 28 34,300

River Resources 179 29 5,191

Cultural Resources 1,648 33 54,384

Transportation 3,224 33 106,392Resources

Total 6,276 123 200,267

Attribute Acceptable Data Entries

GIS Shape File Computer code for a point, line, or area on a map

Name Name of the place being inventoried as titled by theMaintaining Authority

Source ID Number or symbol assigned by the Source

Great River Combination of the Source and Source IDRoad ID

Maintaining Standard established acronyms of federal, state, or other Authority authorities, usually also the Source

Location by Site address or Maintaining Authority addressAddress

Location Use city from “location by address.” If address not known,by City then locate site to closest city on Official Mn/DOT Map, or

if located equally between two cities, locate by the city that is upstream

Location by Use zip code from “location by address”Zip Code

Location Use “location by address” road number and highest rankingby Road road designation (use state designated “Minnesota Trunk

Highway 51” rather than the municipally designated“Snelling Avenue”)

Location by Adjacent trunk highway numberTrunk Highway

Location by As designated by Mn/DOTControl Section

Location by As designated by Mn/DOTMn/DOT ATP District

Location Actual site or use “location by address” to determine countyby County

Location of Actual reference point as calculated by Mn/DOTReference Point

Great River Received categorical funds from FHWA? Yes or NoRoad Funding

Telephone Site specific public information number or Maintaining Number Authority‘s public information number

E-mail Site specific general e-mail number or MaintainingAuthority‘s e-mail number

Website Site specific home page or Maintaining Authority‘s home page

River Context IN, if in the water; ON, if on the water; NEAR, if within 1/4 mile of the river; NULL, if further out

Inventory ResultsInventory Categories

The Study Team inventoried four categories of resources: riverresources, recreational resources,cultural resources, and transportationresources. Specifically, it inventoriedthe following:➤ Recreational Resources

• Parks• Forests• Wildlife Refuges• Campgrounds• Picnic Areas• Interpretive Markers• Museums• Golf Courses• Festivals

➤ Cultural Resources• National Register Sites

➤ River Resources• Beaches• Fishing Piers• Water Access• Dams

➤ Transportation Resources• Great River Road• Rest Areas• Trails• Trail Heads• Tourist Region

General Data Collection General information was collect-

ed for each resource using standarddata-entry protocols. It was necessaryto standardize information from vari-ous sources to make it useful forfuture analysis. For example, somedatabases might list the MinnesotaDepartment of Natural Resources as“DNR,” others might list the sameagency as “MNDNR” or even “NaturalResources.” Although humans arequite capable of understanding thatthe Minnesota Department of NaturalResources can be referred to as itsfull name or as several different


43

Table 4-2: Protocols for General AttributesThis table lists the general attributes that were entered for each individual resource. If theattribute was “Not Applicable” for a certain resource (for example, a segment of roadwaydoes not have an address), “NA” was entered into the database. If the data was pertinent butunknown (such as a telephone number that couldn't be found), the attribute was left blank.

Table 4-3: Protocols for Recreational ResourcesThis table lists the type of resource and defines acceptable entries for the attributes thatare associated with that resource. If the attribute was “Not Applicable” for a certainresource (for example, an interpretive marker may not have an address), “NA” wasentered into the database. If the data was pertinent but unknown (such as a museum'stelephone number that couldn't be found), the attribute field was left blank.

Attribute Acceptable Data Entries

Parks Yes or No if there are Picnic Areas, Campgrounds, Cabins,Boating, Swimming, Golfing, Historical Sites, ArchaeologicalSites, Hiking Trails or Bicycling Trails. If yes for HikingTrails or Bicycling Trails, enter number of miles.

Forests Yes or No if there are Picnic Areas, Campgrounds, Cabins,Boating, Swimming, Golfing, Historical Sites, ArchaeologicalSites, Hiking Trails or Bicycling Trails. If yes for HikingTrails or Bicycling Trails, enter number of miles.

Wildlife Yes or No if there is Hunting Allowed. Yes or No if there areRefuges Songbirds, Migratory Birds, Fur Bearing Mammals, Large

Mammals, Hiking Trails, or Bicycling Trails. If yes for songbirds, enter number of species. If yes for Hiking Trails orBicycling Trails, enter number of miles.

Campgrounds Yes or No if Advanced Registration is allowed. Yes or No ifthere are Tent Sites, RV Sites, Showers, Potable Water, orToilets. If yes for Hiking Trails or Bicycling Trails, enter number of miles. If yes for showers, enter quantity. If yes for toilets, enter if Pit, Flush, or Portable. RV sites mustinclude electrical hook-ups to be counted as RV sites.

Picnic Areas Yes or No if there are Parking Stalls, Tables, or Shelters. Enter quantity if data available. Yes or No if there is Potable Water or Toilets. If yes for toilets, enter if Pit, Flush,or Portable.

Interpretive Enter construction date, erecting authority, Marker Type asMarkers defined by MHS. Yes or No if Image or Text is Available from

MHS. Enter Interpretive Theme as defined by MHS.

Museums Define Museum using MHS Interpretive Themes

Golf Courses Public or Semi-Public. Yes or No if Reservations Accepted. Yes or No if there is a Public Restaurant or Pro-Shop.

Festivals Identify primary theme and events.

acronyms or even misspelled, a computer typically cannot recognizethese subtle differences. Conse-quently, it was necessary to developstandard data-entry protocols thatdefined exactly what could beentered into the Great River RoadGIS database. Figure 4-2: Protocolsfor General Attributes is a summaryof the protocols used to enter information about each resource. As additional data is collected and attached to the database by

its future users, it is recommended that these standard protocols be followed.

Resource Specific DataCollection

In addition to the generalattributes, data was collected spe-cially for each type of resource. Forinstance, it was noted how manytent sites were available in a camp-ground. The protocols for catalogingthis resource specific data for recrea-

tional, cultural, river, and trans-portation resources is detailedbelow. This data will be useful to those organizations that will provide stewardship for enhancing and promoting tourism on the Great River Road.

Recreational ResourcesTable 4-3: Protocols for Recrea-

tional Resources is a summary of the types of resources and theirattributes specifically collected for recreational resources. Figure 4-1: Typical Map of RecreationalResources is a map that illustrateshow this data can be displayed from a GIS system.

Cultural ResourcesTable 4-4: Protocols for Cultural

Resources is a summary of the typesof resources and their attributesspecifically collected for culturalresources. Some of this information isnot in the GIS database but is avail-able as a separate database. The GISdatabase has location information.Figure 4-2: Typical Map of CulturalResources is a map that illustrateswhat data is on the GIS system.

River ResourcesTable 4-5: Protocols for River

Resources is a summary of the typesof resources and their attributesspecifically collected for recreationalresources. Figure 4-3: Typical Map of River Resources is a map thatillustrates how this data can be displayed from a GIS system.

Transportation ResourcesTable 4-6: Protocols for Trans-

portation Resources is a summary of the resources and their attributesspecifically collected for recreationalresources. Figure 4-4: Typical Map of Transportation Resources is a mapthat illustrates how this data can bedisplayed from a GIS system.


44


45

Figure 4-1: Typical Map of Recreational ResourcesThis map illustrates how data can be displayedfrom a GIS system.

Campgrounds

Parks

Picnic Areas

Museums

Interpretive Markers

Festivals

Golf Courses


46

Figure 4-2: Typical Map of Cultural ResourcesThis map illustrates the location data thatcan be displayed from the GIS system.

Resource Type Acceptable Data Entries

Structure Enter Property Category (Commerce, Domestic, Religion, Education, Government,(Buildings) Transportation, Social, or Recreational and Cultural) Type (commercial building,

bank, church, courthouse, theater, bar, post office, office building, restaurant, professional building, etc.) and Yes or No if it is on National Register of Historic Places

Bridge Enter Property Category, Type, and Yes or No if it is on National Register of Historic Places

Park Enter Property Category, Type, and Yes or No if it is on National Register of Historic Places

District Enter Property Category, Type, and Yes or No if it is on National Register of Historic Places

Table 4-4: Protocols for Cultural ResourcesThis table lists the type of resource and defines acceptable entries forthe attributes that are associated with that resource.


47

Figure 4-3: Typical Map of River ResourcesThis map illustrates how data can be displayed from a GIS system.


Swimming General information only Beaches

River Access Enter if it is a Boat or Canoe Access. Enter if the Access Ramp is Paved or Unpaved. Yes or No if there are Parking Stalls for a Car andTrailer. If yes, provide quantity.

Fishing Piers Yes or No if there are Parking Stalls. If yes, provide quantity.

Dams Yes or No if there are Parking Stalls. If yes, provide quantity. Yes or no if there are Locks and Shore Fishing.

Table 4-5: Protocols for River ResourcesThis table lists the type of resource and defines acceptable entries for the attributes that are associated with that resource.If the attribute was “Not Applicable” for a certain resource (for example, a fishing pier may not have an address) “NA”was entered into the database. If the data was pertinent but unknown, (such as a dam’s telephone number that couldn’tbe found) the attribute field was left blank.

River Access

Dams

Fishing Piers

Swimming Beaches

Figure 4-4: Typical Map of Transportation Resources This map illustrates how data can be displayed from a GIS system.


Great River Enter National or State Great River Road Route Designation. Enter Mn/DOT Route Identifier. Enter CountyRoad Segments Number assigned by FIPS. Transfer Control Section, Control Number, Data Year, ADT from Mn/DOT database.

Enter Surface Type, Surface Width, Shoulder Type, Shoulder Width and if it is Divided or Undivided fromfield review or Mn/DOT database.

Rest Areas & Travel Enter Class (I-IV). Yes or No if there are Parking Stalls, Tables, or Shelters. If yes, provide quantity. Yes or Information No if there is Potable Water or Toilets. If there are toilets, enter if they Pit, Flush, or Portable. Centers

Trails Yes or No if there are Hiking Trails or Bicycling Trails. If yes, enter number of miles.

Trail Heads General information only.

Tourist & Travel General information only for State Travel Information Centers and local Tourist Information Centers. EnterInformation one of four Marketing Areas as defined by the Minnesota Office of Tourism.Centers

Table 4-6: Protocols for Transportation ResourcesThis table lists the type of resources and defines acceptable entries for the attributes that are asso-ciated with that resource. If the attribute was “Not Applicable” for a certain resource (for exam-ple, a road segment does not have an address) “NA” was entered into the database. If the datawas pertinent but unknown, (such as the address for a rest area) the attribute field was left blank.


48

Rest Areas

Great River Road Segments

Travel Information Centers

Trail Heads

Trails

ConclusionAn extensive amount of informa-

tion about the recreational, river,cultural, and transportation resourceson the Great River Road has beencatalogued in a GIS computer data-base. This database will be useful to those organizations that will beresponsible for maintaining, enhanc-ing, and promoting the Great RiverRoad in the future, particularly theproposed local stewardship organiza-tions. By using this database, localstewardship organizations will beable to determine if they have sufficient resources for the type of tourist they are attempting toattract and if additional capitalimprovements are necessary.

The decision to develop orenhance access to certain resources


49

for tourists must be a local decisionsince it involves choices about com-munity development and the qualityof life residents will enjoy. Althoughthis study does suggest some capitalimprovements for a few selecteddestinations, the suggestions are, in fact, reiterations of proposalsthat were offered by local residents,organizations, or agencies duringthe course of the study. They havenot had the advantage of beingreviewed by the whole communityor governmental agencies and maynot reflect what the community oragencies as a whole would elect toimprove. Nonetheless, the suggestionswhich are presented had the advan-tage of being useful to developingtourism and have been included asrecommendations to begin a dialogue

about how resources and communi-ties along the Mississippi River andthe Great River Road could be devel-oped to enhance tourism.

Understanding what resources are available to attract tourists is animportant component in developing adevelopment and marketing strategyfor the Great River Road. Equallyimportant, however, is understandingwhat are the desires of the tourist.Desire will determine if a particularresource is valued by the Great RiverRoad traveler. Understanding thetourist and which resources theyvalue is discussed in the next sectionof this report.

1 ESRI Database

Grand RapidsBemidji

Itasca State Park

St. Cloud

MinneapolisBloomingtonFort Snelling

Red Wing

Dresbach

Little Falls

Section 5 The TouristIntroduction

The behavior of touristsmust be understood andtheir needs and desires

accommodated, if a community is to improve its position as a touristdestination. This section inventoriesand analyzes the perceptions touristscurrently have of the Great RiverRoad. It suggests how these percep-tions have affected tourism along theGreat River Road and in communitieson the Mississippi River. A discussionof how these perceptions can beused to generate an effective strategyto promote, enhance, and managethe Great River Road is begun inthis section and will be concludedin subsequent sections.

The analysis of the Great RiverRoad tourist is presented in fourparts. To understand howexisting perceptions affect-ed tourism along the GreatRiver Road, travelers wereinterviewed and surveyedat key locations along thestate and national routes.This survey and its resultsare reported under the majorheading, Tourist Survey. Thesurvey and additional researchrevealed the generic reasonswhy tourists are motivated tovisit a particular destination.These findings are presentedunder the second major head-ing, Tourist Motivations.Tourists who are part of astructured group travel verydifferently and have differentrequirements from those who structure their trip them-selves. How tourists structuretheir trips and the effect tripstructure has on tourism isdiscussed under the third

major heading, Travel Styles. Whattourists consider the primary attrac-tions on the Great River Road andwhat factors are currently limitingtourism along the Mississippi Riveris also discussed under this heading.The section concludes with a discus-sion of how these findings affect tourism under the heading, Tourism Implications.

Tourist SurveySurvey Methodology

The Great River Road VisitorSurvey included a battery of ques-tions designed to illuminate travelers’behavior, particularly their attitudesand preferences. It also identified theirsocial and demographic characteristicsand other key factors contributing totrip planning and enjoyment.

Tourists were surveyed on nine-teen days between August and early

November, 1998 at locationsalong the Great River Road

where tourists congregate.

Most survey work was conducted in the late summer or early fall at locations outside the Twin Cities.Unfortunately, the late fall work in the Twin Cities resulted in fewintercepts. Tourists were surveyed at sites located in Itasca State Park, Grand Rapids, Brainerd, Little Falls, St. Cloud, Minneapolis,Bloomington, Historic Fort Snelling,Red Wing, and Dresbach. The sum-mary results represent a typicalGreat River Road traveler. Themethodology used to collect thisdata combined two techniques, apersonal interview and a mail-backquestionnaire.

The personal interview was con-ducted by study team members who“intercepted” potential respondentsat the selected sites. The interviewenabled the study team to describethe purpose of the survey while asking a number of questions to pre-qualify the subjects for furtherresearch. During this “Front End”interview, the study team ascer-tained each respondent’s home

zip code, gender, trippurpose and, most impor-

tantly, whether the trip wouldtake the traveling party 100 milesor more from home. If someone wasintending to travel at least 100 milesfrom home they were classified as atourist for this study.

The mail-back questionnaire,which solicited detailed responses,was given only to tourists. Touristswere instructed to complete the questionnaire that day and return it in a postage-paid envelope to theMinnesota Department of Transpor-tation. A copy of the questionnaire is included in the Appendix.

The two-tiered approach wasefficient in that it: ➤ eliminated wasted effort obtain-

ing and analyzing informationfrom day-trippers and othershort-haul visitors; 5

1

Figure 5-1: Intercept LocationsTravelers were “intercepted” at ten locations alongthe Great River Road. They were interviewed to see ifthey were traveling 100 miles from home. If they were,they were asked to fill out a four-page questionnaireabout themselves and their trip. Out of 1250 ques-tionnaires distributed, 555 were returned.



➤ enabled results from the mail-back survey to be applied to theentire sample population, and;

➤ provided personal contact, whichincreased the response rate.

The methodology resulted in 555useable questionnaires, representinga 44.4 percent participation rate fromthe 1250 people who took the ques-tionnaire. Responses were then tabu-lated so that the study team couldanalyze the relationships betweenvariables and thus shed light onspecific tourists with an affinity for the Great River Road experience.

Survey Limitations The results of the visitor survey

should be understood in context ofthe limitations inherent in inter-preting the data. Several potentialsampling biases exist, including: ➤ A small respondent pool of visi-

tors to the Twin Cities segmentof the Great River Road. Theanalysis of the Twin Cities marketwould be problematic if under-standing the metropolitan visitorwas dependent solely on thesurvey. Fortunately, data fromother sources were used later inthe study to compensate for thismethodological problem.

➤ Influence of the survey samplingsites on the respondent pool. Isthere a bias introduced by thesampling site themselves? Do visitors to the information cen-ters and the other sampling sitestruly represent the population ofpotential Great River Road users?If not, sampling bias has beenintroduced. Fortunately previousresearch suggests that there is no substantial difference betweeninformation center users and ran-domly selected visitors found else-where in a visitor destination.

Reassuringly, the survey’s inter-nal validity checks did suggest thatrespondent bias was not a problem.Comparing responses to questionsdesigned to measure essentially thesame attitude, demonstrated a highpositive correlation, indicating thatvisitors were being accurately mea-sured. Moreover, all but one questionhad a nearly perfect response rate,indicating that the results were notbeing skewed by people only answer-ing selected questions. It, therefore,appears that the survey was valid andthat it did measure a truly randompopulation of typical travelers.

Survey ResultsTrip Characteristics

About 84.4 percent of the surveyrespondents described their GreatRiver Road visit as purely a pleasuretrip; while 6.8 percent cited a busi-ness purpose, the remaining 8.8 percent combined business and pleasure on their trip.

Length of stay varied greatly,with the mean (statistically, the

average) trip lasting nearly a week,6.73 days. The mean, however, wasunduly influenced by one personresponding to the survey who wastraveling for 300 days on a singletrip! In this case, the median (statistically, the middle value) is a more useful measurement forevaluating tourism. The median trip length was three days.

A three day trip is consistentwith how most Americans now vacation—in frequent short bursts.Since the Great River Road cannotbe reasonably traveled in threedays, these findings suggest thatmarketing the road in Minnesotawould be most effective if it weredivided into a series of destina-tions—destinations that could be explored in three days—ratherthan marketed as a single 500 mileexcursion.

Compared to typical out-of-statetravel, Great River Road travelerssurveyed took a fairly laissez-faireapproach to vacation planning.Almost 57 percent put together

their plans in less than a month. Indeed, onefourth planned their tripduring the previous week.On the other hand, 33percent made advanceplans from 2 to 6 monthsbefore departing for theGreat River Road and 10 percent planned theirtrip 6 months or moreahead of time.

The current laissez-faire approach to vacationplanning has severalimplications for marketingthe Great River Roadalthough it is not clearfrom the survey which, if any, would be moreeffective. If people donot plan their trips muchin advance, they tend 5

2

0

20

40

60

80

100

Business Pleasure Both

Per

cen

t o

f To

uri

sts

Trip Purpose

0

20

40

60

80

100

Business Pleasure Both

Per

cen

t o

f To

uri

sts

Trip PurposeFigure 5-2: Trip PurposeMost Great River Road tourists, nearly 85%, were traveling forpleasure.

RepeatVisitors54%

First TimeVisitors 46%

RepeatVisitors54%

First TimeVisitors 46%

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35P

erce

nt

of T

ou

rist

s

Over6 months

0-1Week

2-4Weeks

1-6Months

Time Planning Trip

toward spontaneous unstructuredtravel. To reach that market, theGreat River Road would need to bedeveloped and promoted as a nearbydesirable destination that canaccommodate tourists on a short-notice. For many segments of theGreat River Road, tourist services,such as restaurants and hotels, areinadequate for spontaneous traveling.Nonetheless, where adequate attrac-tions and services have been devel-oped, such as Bemidji, Brainerd, theTwin Cities, or Red Wing, marketingto spontaneous unstructured travelcould prove effective.

Another response to this findingthat people who currently travel onthe Great River Road do not plantheir vacations much in advance,would be to try to increase the proportion of people who wouldrather plan their vacations long in advance of departure. Presently it appears that people who wouldprefer to plan their vacations inadvance either believe that theGreat River Road is not sufficiently

interesting or that there is not enoughuseful travel information availableto them to plan their trips.

Given the attractions and servicesthat are available on the Great RiverRoad and the Mississippi River, it is difficult to imagine that it wouldnot be of sufficient interest to trav-elers. The lack of useful single-sourceinformation on attractions and ser-vices related to specific segments of the river and the road may be key to understanding whythe Great River Road is notpopular among structuredvisitors. Improving andcoordinating promotionalefforts may be key to in-creasing visits by travelerswho plan their trips.

Surveyed visitors relied ontheir own resources to plan theirtrips. Although 40.8 percent ofrespondents belong to an auto club,only 11.5 of the sample used theirservices to help plan their route.Similarly, only 11.8 percent of thesurvey sample received vacationplanning information or assistancefrom the Minnesota Office of Tourism.Perhaps survey respondents felt confident planning their trips on short notice using their ownresources because so many werealready familiar with the regionwhere they received the question-naire. Nearly half (46.2 percent) had previously traveled to the area inwhich they were currently traveling.The remaining 53.8 percent describedthemselves as first time visitors. For those familiar with the area, the median number of previoustrips, at five, reveals that half hadmade more than five trips and halfhad made fewer. The most popularanswer, however, was just one previ-ous trip to the Great River Road.

Familiarity with destinationswas a more frequent finding upstreamof the Twin Cites than it was down-stream. This suggests that the trips


53

Figure 5-3: Trip PlanningA majority of tourists (57%) plannedtheir trips in the month before thetrip. One-quarter planned for theirtrip in under one week.

Figure 5-4: Previous TripsRepeat visitation was slightly higher (54%)than tourists visiting the area for the first time(46%). The graph shows the average for the whole GreatRiver Road. North of the Twin Cities repeat visitation was more common.

Figure 5-5 compares what peoplelike to do with what they actuallydid during their Great River Roadtrip. For example, while few peoplechecked visiting campgrounds as anactivity they engaged in on the trip,it nonetheless ranked fifth amongall preferences. These discrepanciesbetween liking and doing may occurfor several reasons. Some reflect therespondents’ agenda for a particulartrip. Frequently, such discrepanciesare the result of a “halo” effect thatsurveys induce—people want to saythey usually engage in activitiesthat they believe society considers“correct.” Most Americans thinkvacations are to “improve” yourself,either physically, emotionally, intellectually, or spiritually, the

desire to do certain activities, such as camping, is ranked highbut, in practice, is relatively low.The discrepancies could also simplyreflect that certain activities wereeither missing from the Great RiverRoad experience or insufficientlypublicized.

With numerous things to see anddo, how much time are respondentswilling to devote to exploringMinnesota’s Mississippi River? Asshown in the Figure 5-6, about 43 percent of survey respondentsfeel that a weekend is about theright length of time. This findingreinforces the previous conclusionthat to effectively market the Great River Road, it should be dividedinto a series of destination areas.

Given the impor-tance of pleasure driv-ing to respondents,which is a top activityin terms of both pref-erence and participa-tion, the visitors surveyed were notespecially tolerant of losing sight of theMississippi River dur-ing their drive alongthe Great River Road.Most accept shortintervals without ariver view but a thirdof the respondentshave problems if more than 15 minuteselapse.

This finding hastremendous implica-tions for those agen-cies that manage theGreat River Road andmanage or regulateadjacent property.This finding questionswhether those portionsof the State andNational routes that


54

Hik

ing/

Wal

king

-1

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Ple

asur

e D

rivin

g-2

Vis

iting

His

toric

Site

s-3

Vis

iting

Frie

nds/

Fam

ily-4

Cam

ping

-5

Sho

ppin

g/A

ntiq

uing

-6

Sce

nic

Ove

rlook

s-7

Bik

ing-

8

Fis

hing

-9

Gol

f-10

Boa

ting-

11

Sw

imm

ing-

12

Bird

wat

chin

g-13

Oth

er-1

4

Can

oein

g-15

Inte

rpre

tive

Mar

kers

-16

Hun

ting-

17

Gam

blin

g-18

Per

cen

t o

f To

uri

sts

Preferred Activities

Hik

ing/

Wal

king

-1

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Ple

asur

e D

rivin

g-2

Vis

iting

His

toric

Site

s-3

Vis

iting

Frie

nds/

Fam

ily-4

Cam

ping

-5

Sho

ppin

g/A

ntiq

uing

-6

Sce

nic

Ove

rlook

s-7

Bik

ing-

8

Fis

hing

-9

Gol

f-10

Boa

ting-

11

Sw

imm

ing-

12

Bird

wat

chin

g-13

Oth

er-1

4

Can

oein

g-15

Inte

rpre

tive

Mar

kers

-16

Hun

ting-

17

Gam

blin

g-18

Per

cen

t o

f To

uri

sts

Preferred ActivitiesFigure 5-5: Preferred Activities The graph illustrates the percentage of tourists that actually engage in those activities that they claim to prefer. Noticethat although hiking and walking is preferred to pleasure driving, more tourists engage in driving than walking.Curiously, more people read interpretive markers than would be expected given its ranking as a preferred activity.

north of the Twin Cities tend to bereturn trips. Perhaps, consistentwith what is known about tourismin Minnesota, to a personal cabin or a favorite resort. This suggeststhat an effective way to promotethe Great River Road, north of theTwin Cities would be to involve thehospitality industry. South of theTwin Cities, it is probably more impor-tant to frequently remind potentialtourists of what attractions are avail-able using popular media outlets.

Visitor ActivitiesWhile traveling the Great River

Road, survey respondents engaged in numerous recreational, culturaland other activities as shown in the chart below:

30-60Minutes

1-2Hours

Over4 Hours

2-4Hours

Under 30Minutes

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Per

cen

t o

f To

uri

sts

Preferred Driving Time

0

10

20

30

40

50

Under1 Day

1Day

1 Weekend

1Week

Over 2Weeks

Per

cen

t o

f To

uri

sts

Preferred Trip Length

0

10

20

30

40

50P

erce

nt

of T

ou

rist

s

remove the traveler from the river for extendedperiods of time are a good public investment.Another implication is the need to maintainviews of the river. This may mean regulatingland-use between the river and the road, managing vegetation, establishing scenic easements, or adjusting the actual route.

These findings make sense when comparedto the pleasure driving habits of tourists. Anoverwhelming 84.7 percent take pleasure drives,but they prefer relatively short trips as shownFigure 5.8. Nonetheless, tourists seem to viewthe Mississippi River as an attraction worthy of extending their usual short pleasure drive.They are willing to extend their pleasure drivealong the Mississippi into a trip lasting at leastone weekend.

Visitor Attitudes To measure opinions and attitudes about drivingand activity preferences, visitor services, andtourist information gathering behavior, thequestionnaire included fifty statements.Respondents used a five point scale to indicatethe extent to which they agree or disagreewith the statement. Findings of note which

0

5

10

15

20

25

5Minutes

15Minutes

30Minutes

45Minutes

1Hour

Over 1Hour

Per

cen

t o

f To

uri

sts

Tolerable Interval between River Views

Figure 5-7: Tolerable Interval Between River ViewsOver one quarter of the Great River Road tourists wanted to be able to see the riverevery fifteen minutes. Over half wanted to see the river at least every half hour.

Figure 5-6: Preferred Trip LengthMost tourists prefer to spend one weekend on the Great River Road.

Figure 5-8: Preferred Driving TimeShort drives, under two hours, were preferred by most tourists.


55

could influence Great River Roaddevelopment and promotion include:➤ Highway travel is perceived as

a fun activity;

➤ Enjoyment of the drive improvesif it includes a natural corridorfree of unnecessary commercialactivity.

➤ Viewing wildlife in natural set-tings contributes to the drivingexperience for 75 percent oftourists. Some respondents woulddrive out of their way for thechance to see an endangeredspecies;

➤ Interpretive signs provide a usefultool for learning about an area’shistorical and natural history;

➤ Although using the Internet is not a universal practice, nearly30 percent of respondents conducta search about their destinationbefore leaving home;

➤ Flying to a destination is not preferred over driving andrespondents like to drive aroundtheir destination. There is somesupport for using tax dollars to create and manage scenichighways. Scenic drives, eventhose with dramatic scenic vistas, are not viewed as unsafe;

➤ Respondents perceive themselvesas somewhat outdoorsy;

➤ Small towns along the way arepleasurable resources.

➤ Minnesotans are nice and helpful.

➤ Respondents would use an interpretive brochure that tied points of interest to mileage markers.

Visitor ExpendituresHow much money do Great River

Road travelers spend? While expen-diture levels increase with visitor

income, they also reflect the extentto which opportunities to spendmoney—whether on admissions,retail goods, lodging accommodationsor restaurant meals—exist. The surveyfound that each traveling party(which averaged 2.47 persons ofwhom 2.13 were adults) spentapproximately $154 per day asshown in Figure 5-9, which equatesto an average daily expenditure of$72.50 per adult. The data behindthe numbers, however, reveal thatwhile some travelers spent largeamounts of money on shopping and entertainment (especially atcasinos), over 50 percent of therespondents spent nothing in thesecategories. Whether their reticencestems from personal circumstances,trip purpose, or availability ofspending opportunities requires further research.

Visitor DemographicsThe questionnaire concluded

by asking respondents for basicdemographic information. Therespondents live in households averaging 2.49 people including twoadults. This is similar to the average household in Minnesota. The averagerespondent was 55 years old andenjoyed an average annual familyincome totaling $59,000. This isolder than the average Minnesotanand richer than a typical Minnesotafamily. Slightly more males (52.6percent) than females (45.8 percent)completed the questionnaire.

Figure 5.10 is a map depictingthe origin of those visitors thatresponded to the questionnaire. It is apparent that most travelers to Minnesota come from eitherMinnesota or other Midwesternstates. This fact could be interpretedto mean that promotion shouldfocus on these likely sources oftravelers, such as Illinois. It couldalso be suggested that promotion


56

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Foo

d

Gas

/Oil

Out

fittin

g

Lodg

ing

Ent

erta

inm

ent

Oth

er

Sho

ppin

g

Mea

n D

aily

Exp

end

itu

res

($)

Type of Expenditure

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Foo

d

Gas

/Oil

Out

fittin

g

Lodg

ing

Ent

erta

inm

ent

Oth

er

Sho

ppin

g

Mea

n D

aily

Exp

end

itu

res

($)

Type of Expenditure

Figure 5-9: TravelingParty ExpendituresA traveling party of 2.5people spent approx-imately $154.00 perday. Food, lodging, andshopping accounted forover two-thirds of theexpenditures.

should target those places that havethe greatest potential for increasingtheir percentage of tourists whotravel to Minnesota, from states likeGeorgia, Texas, or internationallyfrom Europe or Asia. In either case,promotional materials for peoplewho are less familiar with theMinnesota would need to be created.People that are willing to travelgreat distances want to see greatthings and experience great events.What could the Great River Roadoffer such demanding tourists?

The obvious answer is theMississippi River. The MississippiRiver is a major natural and historicfeature of United States. It is well-known throughout the world.However, the fact that Minnesota isthe source of the Mississippi River isnot as universally appreciated. It maybe possible to position Minnesota,particularly the Lake Itasca Head-waters, as a world-class attraction.The State of Minnesota may want to consider lobbying the UnitedStates Congress to request that the United Nations designate Lake

Itasca a World Heritage Site. LakeItasca could be on every American’sTop 50 National Attractions thatthey must visit in order to under-stand and appreciate our country’snatural bounty and rich heritage. It could rank with Gettysburg, the Golden Gate, Old Faithful, the Liberty Bell, and Yosemite.

There are several other sitesworth visiting from St. AnthonyFalls and the Minneapolis MillingDistrict to Chippewa National Forestto the Mississippi River Bluffs.Nonetheless, it is the Headwatersthat makes the Great River Road inMinnesota unusual in comparison tothe other nine states the Mississippipasses through on its way to theGulf of Mexico. This differenceshould be exploited.

Survey AnalysisMarket Segmentation

Markets can be defined in sev-eral manners. By looking at marketsin multiple ways, a more effectivemarketing strategy can be produced.The study analyzed marketing in

three manners: by trippurpose; by geographiclocation; and by touristdemographics.

Market Defined by Trip PurposeThe purpose of a trip, even

trips defined pleasure trips, cangreatly affect the perception of a scenic route and tourist attrac-tions. The purpose of the trip is

directly tied to what motivates atourist to go on a trip. Is it to visitrelatives and friends? Is it to restand relax in beautiful and tranquilsurroundings? Is it to recreate at afavorite resort? Is it to discover andlearn about history and nature? Is itto be entertained? Is it to be trans-formed or transfixed by breathtakingscenes or inspiring sagas? Or is it tobuy goods and services not found at home?

The analysis of the survey con-cluded that to develop an appropri-ate marketing strategy, it would be necessary to understand the motivations of people for travelingon the Great River Road or visitingthe Mississippi River. Using the VisitorSurvey and additional research, sevenkey motivations were defined. Thesemotivations are discussed in a sepa-rate section.

Market Defined by Geographic Location

Figure 5-11 depicts Minnesota’sTravel Destinations as defined by theMinnesota Office of Tourism (MOT).It is found on the Explore MinnesotaWebsite (www.exploreminnesota.com).Visitors to the website are directedto obtain information by clicking on the destination area of choice.

An examination of the websiteand map reveals several issues related to marketing the MississippiRiver and the Great River Road,including:


57

Figure 5-10: Tourist OriginsThe origins of tourists who responded to the questionnaire are concentrated in the Midwest.

➤ Only two of the destinationareas use the word, “Mississippi”in their name: MississippiHeadwaters for, logically, theHeadwaters area; and MississippiRiver Valley/Bluff Country, forthe area downstream from theTwin Cities. For the areasbetween the Headwaters and the Bluff Country, it appearsthat the Mississippi River, letalone the Great River Road, are not valuable to tourists asmuch as are other attractions,particularly lakes.

➤ Lakes function as a centralorganizational theme, eclipsingthe role of the Mississippi Riveralong much of the Great RiverRoad. The Great River Road passesthrough such destination areasas Bemidji Lakes, Leech Lake,1000 Grand Lakes, BrainerdLakes, Central Lakes, andLittle Crow Lakes.

➤ The word “river” is used in thename of several destina-

tion areas but it isnot consistently used

for those areas with the Mississippi River and theGreat River Road associated

with them. The destination area,River Country, is associated withthe St. Croix River and MinnesotaRiver Country is, understandably,related to the Minnesota River.These names may be easily confused with the multi-stateGreat River Road marketing campaign called “MississippiRiver Country, USA.”

➤ From the perspective of theGreat River Road, not all desti-nation areas are logical. Bemidjiand Itasca, for instance, arelocated in separate destinationareas. If, however, Itasca is tobe promoted to a world-wideaudience, the accommodationsand services (especially theairport) found in Bemidjiwould need to be linkedto the headwaters

➤ A few destination areas(but not all) on the web-site have links to the“Great River Road.”However, only informationabout the segment withinthat destination area isavailable. Since Great RiverRoad Destination Areasmay not correspond toMOT’s Destination Areas,it is critical that linksprovide access to all ofthe Great River Road.

The Minnesota Office ofTourism has worked hard toestablish identities for thedestination areas shown onits web page. The Great River

Road program should not undermineit. The issue is how to display andpromote the Great River Road withinthe official tourist destination areaswithout altering their identities.

Ideally, the Explore Minnesotamap could be redrawn to show theGreat River Road as an overlay dis-trict with a separate link, as shownin the schematic below. Once in that area of the website visitorscould access further informationabout the Great River Road and its unique destination.

Market Defined by DemographicsMarkets are frequently defined

by demographics. The social and eco-nomic status of tourists can greatlyaffect what they want to see andhow they see it. The survey, however,found a significant homogeneityamong visitors: the average GreatRiver Road tourist was relativelyaffluent and older.

This homogeneity suggests thatthere is potential for attracting

new demographic groups.Nonetheless, attracting

youth or

Lake of the Woods

RedRiverValley

Leech Lake 1000

Grand Lakes

IronCounty

NorthCountry/BWCA

VoyageurCountryBemidji

Lakes

MississippiHeadwaters

Otter TailCountry

Brainerd Lakes/ Mille LacsAlexandria

Lakes

Central Lakes

Minnesota River Country

Little CrowLakes

Prairieland SouthernLakes

MississippiRiver Valley/Bluff Country

TwinCities

RiverCountry

NorthShore

Duluth

Gunflint Trail

Figure 5-11: Destinations Areas The Minnesota Office of Tourism has definedstandard destination areas for the State ofMinnesota.

58

Figure 5-12: Great River Road OverlayThe Study Team suggests that the Great River Roadbe made an overlay destination area.


families, is not as eas-ily defined as attract-ing people who havecommon interests andmotivations to travel.That people want tofish, golf, or bird-watchwas determined to bemore useful in develop-ing a marketing strat-egy than targetingtourists because theywere either young ormiddle-class. Again,traveler motivation wasdeemed key to develop-ing a successful mar-keting strategy.

Market ImageThe image that a destination has

in the minds of tourists determinesthe likelihood that a tourist wouldfind the destination attractive enoughto visit. Creating that image is along-term investment in a carefullycultivated process.

The Great River Road is a touristroute that lacks recognition by localauthorities, local residents, and thetourist. Although the evidence isprimarily anecdotal, it was notunusual to find people involved in tourist services, at restaurants,hotels, and even tourist informationcenters that were unaware that theGreat River Road was designatedthrough their community.

The survey found a surprisinglylarge number of travelers on theGreat River Road failed to identifythe Great River Road sign. The survey had six signs that purported to be the Great River Road emblem.Tourists were asked to identifywhich of the six signs used the correct logo. This was the onlyquestion that many people failed to answer (over one-fourth). Onlyone-half of the respondents correctlyanswered the question. Therefore,

approximately 25% of tourists knewthe Great River Road logo. This maybe construed to mean a general lackof knowledge about the Great RiverRoad among tourists.

Issues of ImageIn Minnesota, the approximately

1200 miles of state and federal GreatRiver Road is a victim of its magni-tude. If it is relatively well-known,it is frequently a local roadway.Although originally conceived of as aparkway paralleling the river, it is notperceived as such by Minnesotans, letalone visitors to our state. In truth,the Great River Road is not a park-way; it is too long; its route isinconsistently marked; and it oftendoes not even follow the river.

The Great River Road, althoughamazingly scenic in some locations,follows an unassuming Midwesternriver flowing through typicalMinnesota landscapes. It also passesthrough typical Minnesota towns.Conceived as part of an effort toimprove the quality of the riverexperience, it must be recognizedthat the part of the MississippiRiver experience is to witness aworking river. Wilderness and bucolic scenes are juxtaposed with residential and commercial

developments that also front the riverand the Great RiverRoad. It is importantnot to oversell thescenic qualities of theGreat River Road. It isimportant to be accu-rate in describing thetype of experience atourist can expect tohave while travelingon the roadway.

Part of the problemof marketing the GreatRiver Road is its name.People all over the

world know of the Mississippi Riverbut the Great River Road is virtuallyunknown either domestically orinternationally. It takes considerablepromotional effort to correlate theterms “Great River Road” and the“Mississippi River” in the mind of a tourist. The Mississippi RiverParkway Commission (MRPC) hasbeen trying to do this for over 60years. By incorporating the appella-tion “Mississippi” to each destina-tion area, local destination marketingorganizations could employ the freecache that the river holds in theminds of most tourists. The MRPCrecognizes the validity of thisapproach in their own internationalmarketing efforts which are called“Mississippi River Country, USA.”

The Great River Road is so largethat to a tourist it is nearly impos-sible to comprehend. It is composedof National Routes, State Routes,Spurs, and Amenity Sites. As notedby the Great River Road AdvisoryCommittee, the Great River Road,unlike every other Scenic Byway in the state, was not the result oflocal initiatives. It was designatedon roadways as a result of a top-downprocess instigated by the federalgovernment and supported by theMinnesota Department of Trans-


59

Figure 5-13: Great River Road LogoTourists on the Great River Road were asked to identify the real Great River Roadlogo. Only one-fourth were able to do so.

portation (Mn/DOT). It still lackssignificant local support in manysegments along its route.

To avoid offending anyone, theGreat River Road was designated onboth sides of the river. Although thefederal government would only payfor improving one side, Mn/DOT andthe MRPC frequently allude to theidea that although there are nationaland state designated routes, admin-istratively, especially in terms ofpromotion, there are no differencesbetween the two designations.

That both state and nationalroutes are supported with signs andpromotional materials testifies to thiseven handedness. This egalitarianapproach allows the Great RiverRoad program to garner politicalsupport from as large a constituencyas possible. If the Great River Roadremains a political rather thantourist based program, this doubledesignation will continue to makesense. However, if the road is tobecome self-supporting as a touristdriven (literally) route, it would bemore practical to make the roadmore friendly to the tourist. Whatthis means is that the road mustbecome a single, easily understoodroute, stripped of spurs and desig-nated amenity sites.

To be comprehensible, signagemust be improved and better coordi-nated. To avoid conflicts between

routes, signage should be limited tothe National Route between LakeItasca and Hastings, and the StateRoute downstream of Hastings. Signsshould be placed at each intersectionand at standard intervals with otherroute markers. Where the Great RiverRoad crosses state trunk highways or county roads with average dailytraffic counts above 5,000 vehicles,signs on the intersecting road shouldidentify the Great River Road.

Redesigning the signs is highlyrecommended. The existing sign isnot recognized by tourists. Its textand graphic is difficult to read. Itscolor and layout are not evocative.Although changing the logo and thesign would entail getting agreementwith nine other states, it would beworth it. In contrast, the logo for theMississippi River Trail is evocative,readily seen, and easily understood,even at 55 mph.

Research indicates that anxietyover getting lost is among tourists’largest fears. It is easy to get lost on the Great River Road even fortravelers who know where they aregoing. Signs are infrequent andoccasionally inappropriately placed.

One way to reduce anxiety is to provide regular indications to the tourist that they are on theright route. An effective method for doing this would be install dis-tinctive Great River Road mileage

markers. To assist in promoting theroute, attractions and services couldbe tied to actual locations and indi-cated on tourist maps by mileagemarker.

The biggest issue related toimage may be that the roadway doesnot always follow the MississippiRiver. It has two extensions to bringthe road to Canada, the WesternCanadian Extension that links theroad to Winnipeg, Manitoba and theEastern Canadian Extension thatruns through International Fallsinto Ft. Francis, Ontario. The routeto Winnipeg has not been promotedrecently as the Manitoba governmenthas gradually withdrawn its supportof the program. The Eastern CanadianExtension still has the support ofthe Ontario Ministry of Tourism, anagency that views the road as aninexpensive avenue for inducingAmericans to visit their country.The road is designated the GreatRiver Road on the Canadian side of the border. However, betweenInternational Falls and Bemidji thereare no signs indicating that one istraveling on the Great River Road.Indeed, the highway is designated“The Voyagers Highway.”

Mississippi River starts in ItascaState Park so should the Great RiverRoad. The Canadian Extensions shouldbe re-designated as separate touristroutes.


510

The direction that a Great River Road tourist should follow is not always clear. Does this GreatRiver Road sign indicate that the driver is on the correct route or that he or she needs to turn left?Research indicates that anxiety over getting lost is among tourists’ largest fears.

The Mississippi RiverTrail emblem is moreeasily identified at 55mph than the GreatRiver Road Symbol.

Branding the Great River RoadIn the past decade, it has become

clear that the same principles thatapply to establishing a presence andmarket identity for consumer prod-ucts apply to tourism destinations.Tourism destinations that createidentities for themselves that evokepositive emotional responses in con-sumers nurture ongoing relationshipswith the traveling public, even beforetrips are actually organized andcompleted. The National MississippiRiver Parkway Commission can benefit from the icon status of the Mississippi River and nurture abrand identity as has been achievedby such destinations as Cape Cod,and the Napa Valley.

What is a Brand?A brand represents the totality

of the thoughts, feelings, associa-tions and expectations a prospectivetraveler experiences when exposedto a destination’s name, trademark,products, or symbol. Factors thatstrengthen a brand include:

➤ High emotional involvement byvisitors regarding the destination(for example, YellowstoneNational Park)

➤ Real, consistent quality in theexperience and associated goodsand services, including productsassociated with the destination(e.g., wine produced in theNapa Valley)

➤ Early involvement with the destination relative to either itsemergence as a tourist experience,or relative to the visitor’s travelhistory. Both evoke a sense ofownership and connection;

➤ A distinctive brand personality,as opposed to a manufacturedassertion of quality;

➤ A coordinated identity and mar-keting campaign grounded byeffective positioning (Napa Valleyfor yuppies, South Padre Islandfor fun-loving college students)which is reinforced in the desti-nation’s communication tools.

➤ Clear understanding by theintended audience and, secon-darily, by others. For example,“Scenic Byway” is a brand thatconnotes quality to people whotour as well as people whodon’t. The imprimatur conveysan exceptional visual experience,even if people can’t articulatehow that is accomplished (e.g.,no billboards, wonderful vistas).

A brand is a tangible businessasset that motivates visitation andthus has value. Consequently it hasto be built up in a strategic andlogical fashion because it should be more than a simple slogan. Thedesired branding of a destinationshould determine its slogan, ratherthan the other way around.

How to Develop a Brand?Creating brand identities for

destinations is a process that bothinforms and is informed by parallelproduct development efforts. It drawson what consumers already thinkabout a destination as well as whatthe destination’s brand managers wantthem to think. Without understandingthe former, the branding will lackcredibility and fail; without under-standing the latter, the brand cannotbecome established and move forward.

Branding/Product Development CyclesImportant questions to keep in

mind while determining how to brandthe Great River Road experience are:

➤ What are the target markets forthis experience?

➤ How does the Great River Roadcompare to its competition?Why should visitors choose theGreat River Road over this com-petition? What are its uniquebenefits? (e.g., that visitors can walk across the Mississippiat Itasca).

➤ What are the key elements of anexperience that encompass a hugearray of things to see and do?

The ultimate goal is the posi-tioning the Great River Road brandso that consumers parrot back itsidentity as conceived by its propo-nents, creating an experience thatreinforces the brand and exceedsvisitor expectations.

PromotionPublic Relations

One efficient way to market atourism destination entails generat-ing consumer awareness via “thirdparty endorsement” of the experienceby travel editors and print and elec-tronic media. Techniques include:

➤ Submitting stories, featureideas, special notices, andreports to trade journals (travelmagazines) and the popularpress for broad dissemination to the market;

➤ Providing a library of film clipsand stock photos for broadcastand reprinting, including postingon appropriate web sites;

➤ Working with Minnesota’s Officeof Tourism to organize “fam”(familiarization) trips for traveleditors and writers along withvideo crews. This entails pre-qualifying the participants,identifying on-the-road hosts,and handling transportation and other logistics;


511

➤ Subscribing to media trade publications and maintaining contact lists to develop sourcesfor publicity;

➤ Providing information to associa-tion publications geared towardsindividuals with an affinity forpart of the Great River Roadexperience. (e.g., Judy Garlandfan clubs, Charles Lindbergh aficionados, etc.)

Collateral MaterialsEvery communications message

about the Great River Road, whethergenerated by public relations oradvertising work, generates demandfor more detailed information. Thereis already a lot of printed material,including maps, describing the GreatRiver Road. The management organi-zation needs to ensure consistencyof quality and message and produce:

➤ A “catalogue” of all the thingsto see and do along the GreatRiver Road with special sectionsemphasizing the DemonstrationAreas

➤ A calendar of special events and festivals

➤ Niche brochures to support theGreat River Road’s diverse travelproducts

➤ Materials for school childrenand to supplement existinghistory of Minnesota educational units

➤ Segments incorporated intoState tourism promotionpieces and collateral materials

Inquiry/Consumer ServicesMaintaining the ability to

respond promptly and accurately to

travelers seeking information aboutthe Great River Road experience iscritical to parlaying inquiries intotrips. It probably makes the mostsense for the Office of Tourism pro-motion and database managementpersonnel to incorporate Great RiverRoad materials into:

➤ The database informing theExplore Minnesota website

➤ Training for Toll-Free TelephoneInformation System call centerstaff

➤ Collateral Material FulfillmentCenter

➤ Welcome Centers

➤ Guidebooks for local DestinationMarketing Organizations (DMOs)

Tourist MotivationsTravelers chose destinations based

on how a place satisfies their motiva-tions for traveling and accommodatestheir traveling style. Therefore, toeffectively promote tourism alongthe Great River Road, it is necessaryto determine what motivates peopleto travel, that is, why would peoplevisit Minnesota’s Mississippi Rivercommunities along the Great RiverRoad. As an analytical tool, sevenprimary motivations—reasons thatpeople have for visiting our state—were identified. These seven motiva-tions are:

GuestsGuests come to visit family and

friends. Their motivation for visitinga particular location is to see people,not places. The location is primarilya backdrop—although a locationwith interesting attractions—suchas Washington, D.C.—may generatemore visits from family and friends.A prototypical Guest that may be

induced to travel on the Great RiverRoad would be anyone visitingsomeone in a Great River Town.

The biggest Great River Roadattractions for Guests are the mostscenic, historic, or recreationallyactive portion of the river closest tothe residence of their host. Since oneof Minnesota’s biggest draws is fortourists to visit family and friends, itis important that interesting sites onthe river be accessible to everyonewho lives relatively close to it. Guestsdo not need national attractions,they came to see people, not places.But their hosts want to show theirguests the pride and joy of theircommunity.

To encourage tourism by guests,access to well-maintained scenic,historic, and recreational sites on ornear the river should be preservedand enhanced through-out the corri-dor. State agencies should supportlocal initiatives to preserve andenhance these important resources in each destination area.

LoungersLoungers come for rest and

relaxation. They are on vacation.They want to avoid being stimulated.They are here to unwind. They wantto be pampered or isolated or both.Location is important but individu-alized. What is relaxing to somemay be stressful to others. The


512

appropriate setting can be found ina variety of formats, urbane four-starhotels to a B & B in a quaint smalltown to a rustic cabin in an unchar-tered wilderness. A prototypicalLounger that may be induced totravel on the Great River Roadwould be a someone looking to getaway from the workaday world.

Loungers are looking for a get-away, a place to relax. Staying at abed-and-breakfast is a popular formof a relaxing getaway. B&B’s areavailable throughout the corridorfrom Bemidji to Winona. Fancy hotelswith superb service or even standardhotels with popular amenities suchas a pool and restaurant are anotherdesirable location for Loungers. These,too, are available throughout the cor-ridor. Some loungers like more Spartansurroundings a would prefer a rusticcabin or camp site. Again, except for

in large cities,this type of location is avail-able from theHeadwaters tothe Iowa border.

To supporttourism by loun-gers, DestinationMarketingOrganizationsshould encouragethe developmentand coordinatethe promotion of

public amenities that are associatedwith relaxing activities, such astrails and scenic drives, with thehospitality industry.

PlayersPlayers come to recreate. Typi-

cally, they will be seen on a golfcourse, on the river canoeing, fishing,skiing, or boating, or on a trail bikingor hiking. They physically engagethe environment, usually with spe-cialized equipment. They bring their

own equipment or rentit upon arrival. The loca-tion contributesimmensely to theirenjoyment of the trip.To avoid disappoint-ment, the location mustmatch their expectationsand the requirements oftheir recreational activi-ty. A prototypical Playerthat may be induced totravel on the Great RiverRoad would be an anglerfishing for trophy bass nearClearwater.

Players are seeking a locationthat supports their desired recre-ational activity. Recreational pursuitsthat people are willing to travelgreat distances are usually landscapedependent, such as golf, fishing,canoeing, motorboating, sailing,biking, hiking, and camping. Thevaried landscapes found along theGreat River Road and the MississippiRiver provide excellent opportunitiesfor Players. Different segments ofthe corridor attract different typesof Players.

Golf is increasingly popularthroughout the corridor, althoughthe traditional attractiveness of the Brainerd Lakes area remains avery desirable location for golfers.Fishing is also a popular activitythroughout the corridor. Tourists,particularly out-of-state travelers,may be most attracted to sport fishing between St. Cloud and theTwin Cities. Canoeing the river abovethe Twin Cities would be attractiveto many tourists. Motorboatingdownstream of Minneapolis is quitecommon, attracting tourists. Sailingis limited to the large lakes betweenBemidji and Grand Rapids, thatserve as reservoirs for the river andLake Pepin, adjacent to Lake City.Bicycling along the river or the GreatRiver Road is not well-developed

except for in the TwinCities, particularlybetween the two downtowns. Hiking and camping is well-developed, especially inthe state and nationalforests, parks, andwildlife refuges thatborder the river.

To support tourismby Players, DestinationMarketing Organizationsshould encourage the

development and coordinate thepromotion of public and privateamenities that are associated withrecreational activities including, golf-ing, fishing, canoeing, motorboating,sailing, biking, hiking, and campingby working with the public and pri-vate providers of recreational ser-vices and equipment.

ExplorersExplorers come to discover and

learn. They want to be intellectuallyenriched by their tourist experience.Location is critical. The destinationmust offer a sufficient number andquality of attractions to lure a spe-cific type of explorer, such as historicsites for history buffs, avian habitat for bird-watchers, or museums andgalleries for art-lovers. A prototypicalExplorer that may be induced totravel on the Great River Roadwould be a bird-watcher observ-ing the annualmigration ofswans on LakePepin or anarchitecture student visitingLouis Sullivan’sPrairie Schoolbank in Winona.

The Explorersdesire to under-stand the natural


513

and cultural heritage associated withthe river could be supported through-out the river corridor. Although nopart of the river is void of naturaland cultural heritage, the majorattraction for tourists interested inour country’s natural heritage wouldbe the Headwaters of Lake Itasca.Also attractive, especially to thosetourists interested in wildlife, wouldbe Chippewa National Forest and theBluff Country area between RedWing and Le Crescent. For culturaltourists, the premier location wouldbe the Twin Cities, particularly theSt. Anthony Falls Heritage Districtand Fort Snelling, although severalother sites are intriguing. Some ofthese sites, the Forest History Centerin Grand Rapids, the Northern PacificShops in Brainerd, and the LindberghHome Historic Site in Little Falls, forexample, have tremendous potentialto increase their attractiveness totourists. The Lindbergh site in par-ticular may be subject to nationalattention as a popular biography ismade into a movie about the famousaviator. The new Science Museumand Mill Ruins Park, opening on theriverfront within the next few monthsand the next few years, respectively,will be important attrac-tions for tens of thousandsExplorers each year.

Traditionally, Explorersare the type of tourist to whichthe Great River Road hasbeen marketed. It isan important market.To support tourism byExplorers, DestinationMarketing Organiza-tions should encouragethe development andcoordinate the promo-tion of public amenitiesthat are associated withexploring activities, suchenhancing and promotingcultural and heritage

tourism sites. Marketing directly tothe “buff market”—individuals ororganizations that pursue an interestin a particular item or activity—would be advantageous to increasingGreat River Road tourism. These tar-geted markets include hundreds ofspecialized interests, such as bird-watchers, industrial archaeologists,military historians, bicyclists, andrailroad fans. The potential is almostendless. Destination MarketingOrganizations can bundle theirattractions and services, into pack-ages for tours specifically designedfor particular tourists. DMO’s shouldalso work with public agencies todefine what improvements to thepublic infrastructure, such as boatramps or piers for improving accessto the river for anglers, wouldenhance tourism.

SpectatorsSpectators come to be enter-

tained. They want to see, hear,smell, taste, and touch interestingthings. Location is critical becausespectators want to be assured thattheir senses will be stimulated bythe attractions they visit especiallysince these activities typically charge

an admission fee for the experience.Restaurants,bars, clubs, sta-diums, theaters,auditoriums,parks, and even streets areimportant tradi-tional spectatorvenues. A proto-typical spectatorthat may beinduced to travelon the GreatRiver Road wouldbe a out-of-townMinnesota Twins

fan who has a pre-game meal indowntown or a Guthrie Theaterpatron eating in a restaurant onMain Street in St. Anthony.

The primary location along theMississippi River in Minnesota forentertainment is the Twin Cities.Here, a wide range of venues isavailable to the Spectator from vulgarsports to erudite theater. The recentdiscussions of placing sports stadiumson the river in Minneapolis and St. Paul indicate how attractive theriver is to Spectators. Currently, it is primarily tourist services, such as hotels and restaurants are foundon the river. To support tourism bySpectators, Destination MarketingOrganizations should encourage the development and coordinate thepromotion of public amenities thatare associated with watching sportingand cultural activities. The relocatingof the University Showboat to Harriet

Island is a goodexample of howsuch develop-ment couldoccur.

PilgrimsPilgrims come tobe transformedor transfixed.They want tohave an experi-ence thatchanges theirperception of

life or generates awe. Location isimportant but tends to be idiosyn-cratic. A pilgrim may desire to go toa specific location associated withparticular individual, cause, or event.Sites of battles, sites associatedwith other cultures, sites associatedwith a significant historical figure,or sites of breath-taking naturalviews would all attract pilgrims. Aprototypical Pilgrim that may beinduced to travel on the Great River


514

Road would be a military historybuff visiting the Baatan Memorial in Brainerd, the Military Museum atCamp Ripley, or Fort Snelling in theTwin Cities.

Where a Pilgrim travels is depen-dent upon what they consider inspir-ing. The tranquil early morning mistsof the mystic Headwaters, the powerof water surging through BlanchardDam, the enterprising pioneeringspirit associated with the StoneArched Bridge and the St. AnthonyFalls Heritage Area, or the freeflight of soaring eagles along the Mississippi bluffs could all be inspiring phenomenon to a Pilgrim.

To support tourism by Pilgrims,Destination Marketing Organizationsshould assume that they are attractingPilgrims and that by promoting simi-lar sites together, tourism at eachsite or in different seasons wouldincrease. If people are coming to be awed by Bald Eagles in ChippewaNational Forest, for instance, theymay be awed by the Eagles thatwinter on the shores of Lake Pepin.If they are impressed with St. AnthonyFalls, they may be struck by BlanchardDam, the Little Falls Dam, or thedams that form the system of reser-voirs near the Headwaters. DestinationMarketing Organizations shouldencourage the development andcoordinate the promotion of publicamenities that are associated withsites or activities that appeal toPilgrims, such as scenic overlooksand interpretive trails.

AccumulatorsAccumulators come to acquire

goods or services. Location is criticallyimportant. Obviously, the place werethe economic transaction occursmust provide the product or servicethat the accumulator seeks. Differentaccumulators seek different types ofgoods and services. Some are availableonly in large communities, others

only in smalltowns. Accumu-lators preferlocations with aheighten senseof abundance. A location thatoffers a criticalmass of buyingopportunities tofacilitate com-parison shoppingand to improvethe “hunt” forthe objects oftheir desire. The prototypicalAccumulator that may be induced to travel on the Great River Roadwould be a Mall of America shopperor the “100 Mile Garage Sale” enthu-siast in Red Wing.

The primary attraction for accumulators is the Twin Cities. The metropolitan area is the state’sprimary service center. Almost any-thing that an accumulator wouldwant is located somewhere in theTwin Cities. Ironically, however,retail stores are not prominentalong the Great River Road in theTwin Cities. It would be necessary todirect the Great River Road travelerto metropolitan shopping districts ormalls. It is not the shopping districtsare far from the Great River Road,but signage or other directionalmaterials would be necessary toinduce people to or from shoppingdistricts. In other destinations alongthe Great River Road, the separationbetween commercial activities and theGreat River Road is less pronounced.Indeed, the 100 mile Garage Sale orga-nized by the communities betweenRed Wing and Winona is an excellentexample of how to market to Accumu-lators. This segment of the GreatRiver Road is already known for itsquaint shops and antique stores.

To support tourism byAccumulators, Destination Marketing

Organizations should coor-dinate the promotion ofshopping opportunities,linking various retail out-lets and districts with each

other, preferablyusing theGreat RiverRoad as aconduit.Improving sig-nage betweenthe Great RiverRoad and shop-ping districtswould be valu-able. Touristbrochures couldbe created whichindicate shoppingdistricts located

near the Great River Road and describewhat is available for the Accumulatorto purchase.

These classifications are onlyanalytical tools used to inform adevelopment strategy for the GreatRiver Road. While people do hewtoward one of these behavioralgroups, tourists can be complex andvisit a region for a variety of reasons.For example, people attending aprofessional convention in theirhometown may be considered guestsbecause they want to visit familyand friends; explorers, because theywant to visit a new museum that hasrecently opened; spectators becausethey would like to “do-the-town”with their fellow professionals; andaccumulators when they buy sou-venirs for their spouse and children.

Tourists, more frequently thannot, travel with a party of family,friends, or acquaintances. Destina-tions and itineraries are frequentlychosen because they satisfy theneeds of several members of thetraveling party. A Player thus getsto play golf while the Accumulatormember of the party gets to shop


515

This complexity enriches but neednot complicate the economic ana-lysis; it will, however render theproposed strategies more useful and compelling.

Travel StylesTo effectively promote tourism on

the Great River Road, it is essentialto understand the style in whichpeople travel. Travel style is a prod-uct of two variables: transportationmode and trip structure. Althoughtransportation mode typically has a major affect on travel style, itsimportance in determining whatpeople experience on the Great RiverRoad is less critical than how thetrip is structured.

Transportation ModeAs a tourist route, the Great

River Road is designed primarily for automobiles but accommodatesmotorcycles, buses, and in somelocations bicyclists and pedestrians.The mode of transportation affectsthe pace and flexibility of travel buttheoretically it does not limit whatcan be experienced. Regardless ofmode, the same road is being uti-lized, the same scenery is beingappreciated, the same attractionsare being visited, and the sameaccommodations and restaurants are being patronized.

Although, the distance coveredon the road in any given day, theamount of scenic detail perceived,the extent to which a specificattraction is experienced, and thetype of accommodations and restau-rants patronized may be influencedby the mode of transportation, for a tourist on the Great River Road,the mode of transportation does not need to determine what is expe-rienced. On the Great River Road inMinnesota, similar experiences canbe had by tourists regardless of their transportation mode. Therefore,

the differentiating factor is TripStructure, not Transportation Mode.

Trip StructureAlthough transportation mode

does not effect travel style signifi-cantly, how tourists structure theirtrip will fundamentally affect theirGreat River Road travel experience.Trip structure defines how the tripis conceived and organized. Tripstructure will shade what is per-ceived and tint the impressiontourists will have of the landscapeor communities associated with theGreat River Road. Trip structure willdetermine what is experienced, whenit is experienced, and the extent towhich the tourist will be immersedin the experience.

On the Great River Road, fourdistinct traveling styles based ontrip structure occur:

Group-Structured TravelOn group tours, a tour organizer

determines when, where, and whatwill be experienced. Tourists merelydecide if they are interested in buy-ing a package ofactivities designedby others. On theGreat River Road,Group-StructuredTours would typi-cally be done bymotor coach, or in some cities, onrubber-wheeledtrolley. There are a wide-range ofgroup-structuredtours gearedtowards distinctmarket segments.At one end of thespectrum are mass-market toursthat offer a completely organizedtour of the commonly visited, yetmust-be-seen quintessential sites.For example, a mass market tour of

the Mississippi River could conceiv-ably include a visit to the Headwatersat Lake Itasca. At the other end ofthe spectrum are speciality tours.These tours immerse a tourist in a single area of interest, either geographically or thematically. The Trolley Tours in St. Paul andMinneapolis are an example of thistype of speciality tour covering aspecific geographic location. Toursconducted for bird watchers are anexample of another type of singleinterest speciality tour, the topicalspeciality tour. Bird watching toursalong the Great River Road havebecome increasingly popular down-stream of Red Wing.

The primary attractions formass-market Group Tours would bethe Twin Cities, Mississippi BluffCountry, and possibly Lake Itasca. Ingeneral the mass traveler experienceis best done from the Twin Citiesdownstream. Upstream of Minneapolisthe scenic experience along theriver is simply not as accessible froma vehicle, particularly from buses.Furthermore, the area downstream of

St. Paul has a num-ber of river townsthat appeal to bustour, whereas notas many exist toupstream. The pri-mary attractionsfor specialityGroup-Tours isdependent upon aparticular group’sarea of interest. Byworking with con-vention organizers,interest groups, or associations,the Destination

Marketing Organizations could inducespecific groups to visit the GreatRiver Road in Minnesota. Marketingto groups means influencing thepeople organizing the tour, such as


516

associations or tour coach operatorsor even the people, such as those inMinnesota Office of Tourism, whohelp associations or tour coachoperators develop group tours.

Self-Structured TravelMany people, especially middle-

aged adults with families and otherpressing obligations, elect to struc-ture their tours themselves. Thisgives them flexibility and control.They determine what is importantfor them to see and do on a trip and can tailor the experience tomeet their immediate needs andtheir children’s energy levels. Theyresearch their options either assistedby a travel agent, travel guides, orincreasingly, the World Wide Web.But the tourist picks the itineraryand decides whether to follow it orto adjust it as desired. Some peoplemay emulate mass or speciality tours.Others decide to structure their toursaround personal interests allowingthem to immerse themselves in aparticular topic or locale.

Since the tour would be self-structured, there are no distinct primary attractions for the self-structured tourist except thoserelated to a particular motivation.To support tourism by self-structured

tourists, promotional materials forattractions and services should beorganized and distributed together byDestination Marketing Organizations.Information should be readily availableeither through a simple toll- freetelephone call or on the World WideWeb with links to specific key wordsused by search engines. One keyissue with the self-structure traveleris the current high cost of air travelto Minneapolis, which will limit travelfrom such cost-conscious people.

Unstructured Travel Some people, particularly younger

adults, are interested in experiencinga place unfettered by itineraries andpreconceived ideas about what isimportant to see and do. Some peoplecontinue to travel this off-beat wayas a matter of principal through outtheir lives. They want to have an“authentic” experience. They maywant to see the Mississippi River orvisit a river town but it is a generaldesire usually without a particularnotion about where to go and whatto see. Even if they are headingtoward a particular destination,they remain open to anything andeverything that they happen uponwhile they travel. This off-beat traveling style is mimicked by thespontaneous traveler. Spontaneoustravelers are people who wake upone Fall Saturday morning andrather than putting on the stormwindows, they decide to “take adrive” and find themselves touringalong the Mississippi River on theGreat River Road. The travel experi-ence is unplanned and open-endedbut usually short. Typically, spon-taneous travel will be confined to a day or possibly an overnight trip.

In order to attract unstructuredtravelers, it is necessary to establisha reputation as a desirable locationthat accommodates unplanned travel.This means that it is necessary to

have the idea of visiting an areaconstantly in front of people sowhen the opportunity to go on atrip arises, visiting the MississippiRiver and the Great River Road isintuitively selected as the destina-tion. To successfully market tounstructured travelers, it will benecessary to saturate the popularmedia with information on theGreat River Road and the MississippiRiver, identifying fascinating butnot overly-popular attractions foundalong the river.

Semi-Structured TravelTwo other travel styles which

combine elements of the abovedeserve brief mention in the contextof the Great River Road. They can bedefined as being semi-structured.One is practiced almost exclusivelyby travelers from abroad. Overseasvisitors often opt for a packagedexperience that eliminates the needto deal with the logistics but providesmore flexibility than group touroptions. These “Fly/Drive” packagesinclude air fare, rental car and hotelreservations but afford the visitorsflexibility about how they spendtheir days. This option has not yetcaught on with U.S. travelers.

The final travel style is also an amalgam: the business/pleasure visitor. These people combine a structured element of the trip (theconference or business meeting) withextra unstructured time, often totake advantage of airlines’ discountsfor Saturday night stays. The busi-ness portion of the trip is generallyprearranged and may include visits toattractions as part of an accompany-ing “free time” schedule. Business/pleasure travelers then organize therest of the trip themselves in keepingwith either the “self-structured” or“unstructured” travel modes.

To capture semi-structured travelers, it will be necessary to


517

coordinate the promotion of theriver and the Great River Road withairlines, hotels, and convention promoters. It will be necessary forDestination Marketing Organizationsto bundle packages of attractionsand services together in a simple to understand package. The semi-structured traveler would be particu-larly marketable for attractions andservices offered in the Twin Cities.

Economic ImplicationsThe Great River Road currently

underperforms statewide averagesfor tourist spending. The medianGreat River Road party of 2.5 peopleonly spent $6.00 per day on non-essential shopping or $2.40 per person per day. The opportunity for Great River Road tourists to con-tribute to local economies has notbeen realized. This outcome is notunexpected. Traditionally, only freepublic resources associated withGreat River Road have been promoted.By partnering with the for-profitprivate sector in local destinationareas, the amount of money spentby tourists on consumer articlescould also be increased substantially.

In 1998, TravelScope, a nationalsurvey of tourist spending behavior,concluded that a tourist wouldspend approximately $32.00 per dayin Minnesota. A 1998 MinnesotaOffice of Tourism Study concludedthat residents spend approximately$43.00 as tourists and non-residentseach spend approximately $50.00.With 2.5 people per traveling party,the Great River Road should be gener-ating at least $80.00 per party perday for food, lodging, vehicularexpenses, and shopping. It is not.According to the survey (Question 68)conducted by Gartner Consulting,the median party was spending$69.00 per day for these essentialtravel items. At a minimum, averageexpenditures for essentials could be

increased by over 16% with properpromotion.

If more was done to target out-of-state visitors, especially those inupper income brackets who may beattracted to Minnesota's reputationfor pristine wilderness and cleancities, it may be possible to enhancethis percentage increase drama-tically. Similar efforts by otherMinnesota Destination Areas innorthern Minnesota, have increasedthe spending of the average touristto approximately $53.00 per day.This would translate into $132.50for each party traveling on theGreat River Road—a fantastic 92%growth over current levels. Such anincrease in economic activity wouldbe substantial.

Tourism ImplicationsThere are five key implications

that the analysis of tourism has forthe development and promotion of the Great River Road. Theseimplications are:➤ Shorten the route. Make the

Great River Road more compre-hensible to tourists. Focus pro-motions and development onthe National Route from LakeItasca to Hastings and the State Route downstream from Hastings.

➤ Focus on destination areas.Recognize that most touristspend only three days at a timeon vacation. Create short “nat-ural” destination areas on geography and history. Use the term “Mississippi” in thename of each destination area.

➤ Encourage local control.Encourage the development oflocal stewardship organizationsfor each destination area. Theselocal stewardship organizationsshould be composed of stake-

holders from local, state, andfederal agencies and organiza-tions. Encourage stakeholders to develop local Great RiverRoad management plans fortheir destination area. Give control of promoting the road to the stewardship organization.Initially, assist local destinationmarketing organization (DMO) in promoting the Great RiverRoad.

➤ Match tourist motivations and travel styles with specific destinations. Recognize thatdifferent destination areas will attract different types of tourists. Recognize who isattracted to a destination area’snatural and cultural attractions.Recognize that travel stylesmust also be accommodatedif tourists are going to visitthe places they would like to visit. Concentrate initial capital improvements and promotionalstrategies on serving the targetmarket.

➤ Improve route wayfinding.Assist the tourist in comprehend-ing the Great River Road. Improveroute designation markers.Improve the graphic quality ofthe route markers. Add distinc-tive mileage markers startingwith Mile Zero at the Headwaters.

➤ Increase connections with the Mississippi River. Thefocus should be on the river,not the road. The road is a conduit for people to enjoy thenatural and cultural attractionsassociated with the river. Thelocal stewardship organizationshould develop plans for capitalimprovement and promotionalprojects and programs thatwould draw people to the river.


518

ConclusionBy surveying and analyzing the

behavior of tourists and their percep-tions of the Great River Road and theMississippi River, a rational approachfor accommodating their needs anddesires has been developed. Usingthis understanding of tourists, desti-nation areas will defined and specificstrategies for promoting, enhancing,and managing the Great River Roadwill be developed for selected desti-nation areas in subsequent sectionsof this report.


519

Section 6MarketingStrategies

Marketing is a strategicmethod for determin-ing, producing, and

promoting to perspective customersthose goods and services which con-sumers desire. Marketing is a fourstage process. It is a process that: ➤ Identifies the evolving needs

of customers

➤ Evaluates if customers needs arebeing met by existing productsor services

➤ Initiates the development ofnew or enhanced products andservices to meet dissatisfiedcustomer needs

➤ Designs and produces media toinform potential customers thattheir desires can be met

Marketing determines what acustomer wants and then determinesa way to fulfill those desires. It can,and often does, include promotionbut it is promotion based on inform-ing the customer that what theywant is available. Marketing is simplya process used by the creators ofgoods and services to determinehow to better satisfy the needs of their customer.

Marketing is significantly differ-ent from selling. Selling is when apotential customer is told about thevalue of a product or service in thehope that they will buy it withoutthe seller knowing if the customerhas a need for what is being sold.Selling is an attempt to overcomeperceived “consumer resistance” tobuying a particular item. It frequentlyresults in bombastic advertisementsor subtle appeals to vanity.

Marketing and selling bothrequire persuasion but only market-ing requires that the needs of thecustomer be understood before theproduct or service is sold. Under-standing what people want is the keyto a successful tourism marketingcampaign. What tourists want is asuccessful trip; they want their desti-nation to match their expectations.

Formulating the StrategyDefining the Trip

The expectations of tourists—their ideal trip—can be defined bytheir motivations and travel styles.Using the previously identified sevenmotivations and four styles of travel,twenty-eight different types of tripswere defined using a two-dimensionalmatrix. The matrix, shown as Table6-1: Potential Trip Types, is createdby crossing motivations on one axiswith travel styles on the other. Thematrix lists all of the different typesof trips that a tourist could have on the Great River Road.

Defining the ConceptSome types of trips are sup-

ported by one destination betterthan another. Typically, destinationshave evolved into supporting a only selected range of activitiesand, therefore, certain types oftrips. Those destinations that supportfishing, for instance, have boatlandings, docks, resorts, marinas,boat stores, motor repair shops, bait shops, etc. to support the Self-Structured Player who wants to fish.Such a destination may not typicallysupport other types of trips, at leastnot to the same extent unless it wasa major metropolitan area.

It would be highly unusual thata single destination could supportall twenty-eight types of trips. Itwould not only be highly unusual,

it would be undesirable. Trying to meet everyone's needs wouldundoubtedly lead to leaving everyonedissatisfied. Appropriately matchinga particular type of trip to a specificdestination is the essence of success-ful destination marketing.

The Study Team, borrowing fromthe tourism industry, applied the ideaof Destination Areas to the GreatRiver Road. Based on the analysis of resources, it was obvious thatattractions were not evenly distrib-uted along the river or the GreatRiver Road. Certain parts of the corridor had more attractions thatsupported a particular motivationthan did other parts. For example,the resources found in the LakeItasca area supported exploring;Crow Wing County was well-adaptedfor playing; people visiting the TwinCities expected to be entertained;and visitors to the southern reach of the river tended to look for waysto simply relax.

It became apparent that localcommunities, particularly those withorganizations to promote tourism,intuitively understood this essentialpostulate of marketing: organize adestination to support particulartypes of trips. Many communities on the Mississippi River (or morefrequently, clusters of communities)already consider themselves touristdestinations with unique attractionsthat support particular trips.

The Minnesota Office of Tourismhas, working with local communities,divided the state into dozens oftourist destination areas. Many ofthese existing destinations, however,are not necessarily oriented to theMississippi River or the Great RiverRoad. One possible way of emphasiz-ing the river and river communities,would be to create a new destinationarea that overlays the existing desti-nation areas. As previously explainedin Section 5, an overlay would not


61

Unstructured Self-Structured Semi-Structured Structured

Guests Flexible, serendipitous Flexible but organized Flexible or inflexible; Inflexible and organizedtrips to attractions trips to attractions serendipitous or trips to attractionsvalued by local residents valued by local residents organized trips to valued by local residentsand their visitors seeking and their visitors seeking attractions valued by and their visitors seekingshared experiences. shared experiences. local residents and their shared experiences.

visitors seeking sharedexperiences.

Loungers Flexible, serendipitous Flexible but organized Flexible or inflexible; Inflexible and organizedtrips to attractions trips to attractions serendipitous or trips to attractions valued by tourists valued by tourists organized trips to valued by tourists seeking relaxation. seeking relaxation. attractions valued seeking relaxation.

by tourists seekingrelaxation.

Players Flexible, serendipitous Flexible but organized Flexible or inflexible; Inflexible and organizedtrips to attractions trips to attractions serendipitous or trips to attractionsvalued by tourists valued by tourists organized trips to valued by tourists seeking adventure. seeking adventure. attractions valued seeking adventure.

by tourists seekingadventure.

Explorers Flexible, serendipitous Flexible but organized Flexible or inflexible; Inflexible and organizedtrips to attractions trips to attractions serendipitous or trips to attractionsvalued by tourists valued by tourists organized trips to valued by touristsseeking to expand seeking to expand attractions valued seeking to expand skills or knowledge. skills or knowledge. by tourists seeking skills or knowledge.

to expand skills orknowledge.

Spectators Flexible, serendipitous Flexible but organized Flexible or inflexible; Inflexible and organizedtrips to attractions trips to attractions serendipitous or trips to attractionsvalued by tourists valued by tourists organized trips to valued by touristsseeking to be seeking to be attractions valued seeking to beentertained. entertained. by tourists seeking entertained.

to be entertained.

Pilgrims Flexible, serendipitous Flexible but organized Flexible or inflexible; Inflexible and organizedtrips to attractions trips to attractions serendipitous or trips to attractionsvalued by tourists valued by tourists organized trips to valued by touristsseeking experiences to seeking experiences to attractions valued seeking experiences tochange their perception change their perception by tourists seeking change their perceptionof life and its meaning. of life and its meaning. experiences to change of life and its meaning.

their perception of lifeand its meaning.

Accumulators Flexible, serendipitous Flexible but organized Flexible or inflexible; Inflexible and organizedtrips to attractions but trips to attractions serendipitous or trips to attractionsvalued by tourists valued by tourists organized trips to valued by tourists seeking to purchase seeking to purchase attractions valued seeking to purchasegoods or services. goods or services. by tourists seeking goods or services.

to purchase goods or services.


62

Chart and concept © Copyright 1999 Short Elliott Hendrickson Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Table 6-1: Potential Trip TypesThe matrix defines what types of trips comprise the potential market. By crossing the seven motivations with the four travel styles identified in thereport, twenty-eight different types of trips or markets were identified.

Travel StylesTo

uri

st M

oti

vati

on

s

conflict with the existing structure of destination areas. It would ratheraugment the promotion of theMississippi River and the Great RiverRoad by creating a new destinationarea oriented to the Mississippi River.

Establishing Criteria The Study Team suggests that

four criteria be used to establishGreat River Road Destination Areas.The four criteria are:➤ The destination area must be

oriented to the Mississippi River.Many attractions may exist in acommunity or vicinity but if theGreat River Road is to be a vehiclefor encouraging tourism, it is essential that attractions beoriented to the river. This isespecially important if experi-ences by tourists in one desti-nation area are to excite thetourist into visiting other Great

River Road Destination Areas. In practice, this means

that the name ofthe destination area

must include the word,“Mississippi.”

➤ The destination area must begeographically defined, prefer-ably by a unique geographicalattribute associated with theMississippi River. The MississippiRiver traverses many differentlandscapes in Minnesota. Bydefining the destination area by its geographical character, it becomes authentic. In practice,this means that the name of thedestination area should includea delimiting biogeophysicalcharacteristic. In the absence of a defining natural attribute,a dominant cultural attributeshould be incorporated into the name.

➤ The destination area must belocally supported. The peoplethat would be affected mostfrom increased tourism need to direct their own destinies.They need to determine ifimproving tourism is importantto their communities, whatattractions and services shouldbe enhanced, and how theseattractions and services should be managed and promoted.Ideally, this is a locally-controlled, public-private partnership. State and nationalagencies and organizationsshould assist but only as directed.In practice, this means that alocal stewardship organizationshould lead the the effort todevelop and promote the GreatRiver Road.

➤ The destination area must incor-porate a practical marketing

strategy. It must be reasonablyscaled for a tourist to compre-hend and administrative agenciesand organizations to develop,manage, and promote. It mustmarket its attractions accuratelyto the most interested audience.In practice, this means againthat a local stewardship organi-zation should lead the effort todevelop and promote the GreatRiver Road.

Great River RoadDestination Areas

Using the four criteria, theStudy Team tentatively identifiedseven Great River Road DestinationAreas. The seven destination areasare suggestions of the Study Teambased on the four criteria and itsunderstanding of tourism associatedwith the Mississippi River and theGreat River Road. If local steward-ship organizations believe that defining their boundaries differentlywould improve recognition of theriver, result in a more organicallydefined destination, garner bettersupport locally, and would enhancethe practicality of marketing efforts,then the boundaries of the desti-nation area should be redefined.

These seven areas are only sug-gestions. By suggesting these sevenas Destination Areas, it is hopedthat local tourist promotion orga-nizations, natural and culturalresource management agencies, community development organiza-tions, and other local stakeholderswill forge new Destination AreaStewardship Organization as out-lined in Section 8: ImplementationStrategies.

The role of state agencies andthe state Mississippi River ParkwayCommission should be to advise andsupport the efforts of the stewardshipcommittee of each destination area.


63

Figure 6-1: Mississippi River Destination Area.The Mississippi River is a internationallyknown destination. By making it a separatedestination area, those tourists interested inthe Mississippi River would be readily direct-ed to information about the river, river commu-nities, and the Great River Road.


64

Location of Great River Road Destination Areas

North

Winona

St. PaulMinneapolis

RedWing

LittleFalls

Brainerd

Bemidji


MississippiCrossroads

MississippiBluffs

MississippiNorthwoods

MississippiMines

MississippiState Scenic

River

MNRRA

ItascaStatePark

GrandRapids

St. Cloud

35

90

90 90

35

94

494

35W

2

169

94

169

61

61

169

169

53

53

10

Mississippi HeadwatersDestination Area

The Mississippi HeadwatersDestination Area connects theHeadwaters at Lake Itasca with theCity of Bemidji. This is the source of the Mississippi, the source thatnumerous European and Americanexplorers tried to find for hundredsof years. The true head of theMississippi was undiscovered untilHenry Schoolcraft was led there byhis American Indian relatives. Today,the meandering stream winding itsway through mile after mile of marshis still sought by modern self-struc-tured explorers searching for the solitude found in this wilderness.

Itasca and Bemidji are the primaryattractions. Itasca primarily for the

Headwatersand its naturalresources andBemidji for itsgoods and services. TheMinnesota Officeof Tourismdefines this segment of theGreat River Roadas being in twodestination areas:Mississippi Headwaters and BemidjiLakes. For developing and promotingthe Great River Road it will be nec-essary for these two destinationareas to coordinate their steward-ship efforts.

A more detailed discussion ofthis destination area is provided in Section 7: Demonstration Areas.

Mississippi NorthwoodsDestination Area

The Mississippi NorthwoodsDestination Area extends fromBemidji to Grand Rapids followingthe Mississippi on a series of countyroads. This destination area is domi-nated by large lakes connected bythe Mississippi River. These lakeshave been turned into reservoirs by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineerswhich operate a series of damsdesigned to regulate the flow ofwater on the Upper Mississippi.Regulating the flow of water isimportant to the commerce and wel-fare of the cities downstream. This

was especiallyimportant whenthe river was theprimary means of communica-tion, transporta-tion, and energy. Major attractionsinclude the lakesCass, Winnibi-goshish, and

Pokegama. Chippewa National Forest,Schoolcraft State Park, Edge of theWilderness National Scenic Byway,and especially the popular ForestHistory Center, are attractions valuedby tourists.

Much of this segment of theGreat River Road traverses the LeechLake Reservation. Gaming casinos runby the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe are


65

Above: Many tourists visit the Headwaters ofthe Mississippi to enjoy the experience ofwalking across the mighty river. Below: In theHeadwaters Area, the Mississippi is a smallriver that winds its way through mile after mileof marsh.

From top to bottom: In Chippewa NationalForest, virgin pine groves remain. Edge ofthe Wilderness National Scenic Byway con-nects to the Great River Road in GrandRapids. The Forest History Center providesan excellent interpretive story of logging inthe Northwoods. The Northwoods DestinationArea is punctuated with open areas.

attractive to many tourists. A newmuseum and cultural center,planned by the Leech Lake Band, is planned for Battle Point HistoricSite commemorating the last battle(1898) between American Indiansand the United States Army in thecontiguous United States.

The Big Story for this segment ishow people for thousands of yearshave lived in the northern forests;how the forest provided a covetedhome and valuable products; and how the relationship betweenpeople and the forest has changedover the years. The typical tourist would be a self-structured Explorer,Pilgrim, Player, and possibly Loungertraveling from Bemidji or GrandRapids. Unstructured Guests mayalso be found along the Great River Road.

The Minnesota Office of Tourismdefines this segment of the GreatRiver Road as being in three desti-nation areas: Bemidji Lakes, LeechLake, and 1000 Lakes. For developingand promoting the Great River Roadit will be necessary for these des-tination areas to coordinate theirstewardship efforts. It is importantto note that Mn/DOT, in its RouteSelection and Development Guidefor this segment believed that mosttourists would use only “day userecreational facilities” presumablybecause the tourist would be stayingelsewhere, probably either Bemidjior Grand Rapids.

Mississippi MinesDestination Area

The Great River Road in theMississippi Mines Destination Areaextends from Grand Rapids toBrainerd. It starts in the MesabiRange and extends to the CuyunaRange. Here is where the river finallymakes up its mind about whichdirection it will travel for the nextthousand miles. Having tried north

and east it now heads south. Well,mostly south, it is as if it is stillconsidering the possibility, as ittwists and turns creating oxbowafter oxbow, about the wisdom of going west.

The river sometimes shallow,sometimes deep, cuts through thesandy plain of Glacial Lake Aitkinforming sand bluffs 50 feet high.This was once a busy river. It is the point where the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Watershed met the Mississippi Watershed. SavannaPortage State Park commemoratesthis ancient passageway used origi-nally by American Indians and laterby Fur Traders. From 1750 to 1850this area was controlled by theDakota and Ojibwe who competed tosupply the European and Americantraders with furs. Steamboats andlogging followed after the fur bearinganimals were depleted. Aitkin andPalisade were two of the twenty-fivesteamboat landings in this segmentof the river. Many of these landingsare used as boat ramps today. Therailroads and mines followed thesteamboat era but they, too, leftafter the resources were exhausted.

Several state forests, Crow Wing,Hill River, Savanna, Golden Anni-

versary, and Pillsbury remain asreminders that this area once sup-plied and continues to supply rawmaterial to a growing world. CroftMine Historic Park is a similarreminder from the mining era. There are several campgrounds inthe forests and in the state parks.Berglund Park, a campground andpark on the Mississippi River inPalisade was developed as one of the first Great River Road amenitysite in Minnesota. Big Sandy Lakeand nearby Mille Lacs Lake attracttourists, particularly people withcabins and anglers. A casino operatedby the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, isa significant tourist attraction inthe area.

This destination area is theleast developed of the Great RiverRoad Destination Areas. In AitkinCounty, of the nearly 50 miles GreatRiver Road, approximately 21 milesof it are unpaved. This unpaved seg-ment severely restricts the interesttourist have in the area. Improvingthis road is the primary priority oflocal Great River Road supporters.Like the Mississippi Northwoods, the Mississippi Mines DestinationArea is primarily attractive to self-structured Explorers, Pilgrims,


66

The Mississippi Mines Destination Area has many excellent views of the river. Local Great RiverRoad Supporters would like to pave 21 miles that are currently gravel in Aitkin County.

Players, and Loungers traveling fromGrand Rapids, Brainerd, or perhapscommunities near Mille Lacs Lake.Unstructured Guests, particularlythose staying in cabins of friendsand family, may also be found alongthe Great River Road in this destina-tion area.

The Minnesota Office of Tourismdefines this segment of the GreatRiver Road as being in three destina-tion areas: Iron Country, 1000 Lakes,and Brainerd Lakes/Mille Lacs. Fordeveloping and promoting the GreatRiver Road it will be necessary forthese destination areas to coordinatetheir stewardship efforts.

Mississippi CrossroadsDestination Area

The Mississippi CrossroadsDestination Area extends fromBrainerd to south of Little Falls. It is located in one of Minnesota’spremier destination areas: theBrainerd Lakes Destination Area.Most tourism in this area is orientedto lakes, especially near Brainerd.Near Little Falls, interest in the riverincreases. Little Falls is oriented tothe river, unlike Brainerd. Bothcities have wonderful stories to tell about how this area has servedas a major crossroads.

The first stories are those relatedto the American Indians who usedthe river as conduits for communi-cation and trade. Later stories are

connected to when the Red River Ox Cart Trains would ford the rivernear the town of Crow Wing. Whenthe railroad came, the Ox Carts and Crow Wing vanished. Brainerdbecame the hub of activity and theagricultural economy grew. Later, asfarmers transformed their farms intoresorts, the train gave way to thefamily car. Recently, Baxter hasseen growth because of how itaccommodates the automobile.

The Big Story in the CrossroadsDestination Area is that transporta-tion effects the location and patternof settlement. Where the transpor-tation corridor crosses the riverdetermines the location and layoutof the area's major cities.

The major attractions in this area

are the lakes and the resorts. CrowWing State Park is a popular attrac-tion. The Northern Pacific Shops inBrainerd have tremendous interpre-tive potential. In Little Falls, sitesassociated with Charles Lindberghhave national appeal. The riverattracts anglers and the hydroelectricdams, demonstrating the river’s rawpower, attract many sightseers.

The typical tourists are Playersand Loungers. They are typicallystructured, unstructured, semi-structured, or self-structured. TheMinnesota Office of Tourism definesthis segment of the Great RiverRoad as being in one destinationarea: Brainerd Lakes/Mille Lacs.

A more detailed discussion ofthis destination area from Brainerdto south to Little Falls is providedin Section 7: Demonstration Areas.

Mississippi State ScenicRiver Destination Area

The Mississippi State Scenic RiverDestination Area extends from southof Little Falls to Anoka. Most of theriver in this destination area hasbeen designated part of Minnesota’sWild and Scenic River System. TheMinnesota Department of Natural Re-sources is currently updating its


67

A variety of tourists visit the Crossroads Destination Area.

Above: The power of the Mississippi River isevident at the three hydroelectric dams in theMississippi River Crossroads Destination Area.Left: The boyhood farm of Charles Lindbergh,now an historic site and state park, is a nationaltourist attraction.

management plan for theriver from St. Cloud to Anoka.The agency has designatedthe river as “Scenic” fromSt. Cloud to Clearwater and“Recreational” from Clearwaterto Anoka.

Although there are scat-tered development, especiallyresidential development,occurs throughout the corridor, the typical land-scape is rural with a woodedembankment separatingfarm fields from the river.Development increases nearcities, especially the TwinCities. There is little publicland in this area adjacent tothe river. Although LakeMaria State Park, SherburneNational Wildlife Refuge, SandDunes State Forest, and Elm CreekPark Reserve offer tremendous out-door recreational opportunitieswithin a few miles of the river, none are on the river. There are,however, numerous boat access,fishing piers, and a few smaller picnic sites. The river in this destination area is known for its excellent sport fishing.

Historical sites, are concentratedin communities such as St. Cloud,Clearwater, Monticello, and ElkRiver. One of the most prominenthistoric sites is on the State Route,the Oliver H. Kelly Farm. It is a 189-acre living history museum operatedby the Minnesota Historical Society.Kelly was founder of the Patrons ofHusbandry, usually called simply,the Grange. The Grange was a frater-nal order of farmers who promotedimprovements in rural life. The Grangeprovided educational and communityservice programs to farmers and ruraldistricts. It advocated legislativeremedies for their predicaments. Therailroads and their pricing policieswere a particular target. After years

of struggleattempting tofoster competi-tion for the rail-roads, organizedfarmers wereinstrumental increating a systemof locks anddams on theMississippi Riverto provide for thehauling of agri-cultural products. Using the river

for recreation is probably the majorattraction for tourists in this Destina-tion Area. Unstructured and Self-Structured Players and Guests areprobably the largest users of theriver and the Great River Road inthis destination area. Explorers andPilgrims may be interested in under-standing how people use the landand the river. This could be an inter-esting story to tell to tourists andresidents, especially as agriculturaluses become more urban in this destination area.

MNRRA Destination AreaThe Mississippi National River

and Recreation Area (MNRRA) hasbeen defined by the National ParkService. As a marketing title, thename may be too cumbersome andthe acronym too obscure to beeffective. It is recommended thatthe local stewardship organizationmodify the name of the destinationarea to something more evocative.

The MNRRA extends from theconfluence of the Crow Wing Riverwith the Mississippi River nearDayton and Ramsey to the conflu-ence of the St. Croix River with the Mississippi River near Hastings.This 72 river-mile segment runsthrough the heart of the Twin CitiesMetropolitan Region. This destinationarea has been established by an actof Congress and is administered bythe National Park Service in coordi-nation with a multitude of local,state, and federal agencies.

The MNRRA is a large, complexunit of the National Park Service(NPS). The National Park Service hasprepared a Comprehensive Manage-ment Plan that includes land andwater use controls; management of natural, cultural, economic, andrecreational resources; management of visitors, including interpretation


68

The Kelly Farm is avaluable tourist sitefor people seekingto learn about history.

Surprisingly to many residents and tourists, there are many places to engage the MississippiRiver in the Twin Cities, such as Point Park in Anoka

Above: In St.Paul, recreational

and industrialuses share theriverfront. Left:

In downtownMinneapolis,

the Great River Road transversesa well-interpretedriverfront historic

district.

and education; and a plan for parkfacility development.

The National Park Service hasidentified the need to improve accessto the river, both for pedestrians usingriverfront trails and facilities, andboaters using the river, as a develop-ment priority. It has also identifiedseveral interpretive themes thatwould explain the value of the river to tourists and residential visitors. These themes are: ➤ The Mississippi is one of the

world's great rivers

➤ The Mississippi River is a diverse,yet interdependent ecosystem

➤ Both geological and social forceshave shaped the river

➤ The Mississippi has been the hometo human beings for 12,000 years

➤ The Mississippi River is a workingriver

➤ The Mississippi River is anational treasure

➤ We must be responsible stewardsof the Mississippi River

There are literally hundreds of attractions in this area that are of interest to nearly all types oftourists taking all kinds of trips. TheStudy Team focused on examining asmaller area with a critical mass of tourist attractions and services—the Mississippi River Gorge as aDemonstration Area.

The Mississippi River GorgeDemonstration Area, which extendsfrom downtown Minneapolis to down-town St. Paul, was created as a repre-sentative subset of the larger andmore inclusive MNRRA DestinationArea. The area is characterized by a gorge, a landform found uniquelyon the Mississippi River in the Twin

Cities. St. Paul is the site of the original head of navigation andMinneapolis is home of NorthAmerica’s second most powerfulwaterfall. (Niagara Falls is the first.) St. Paul became a majortransshipment point and Minneapolisbecame a major milling and manu-facturing town.

The Great River Road passesmostly on parkways along the blufftop, occasionally diverted to theflats below the bluffs. Between St. Anthony Falls and the landingsin St. Paul, the river is boundedmostly by a natural landscape withonly pedestrian and bicycle pathsimpinging on the native image.Upstream of the Falls and downstreamof the landing, the river is moreaccessible and industry vies for ariverside location.

The Minnesota Office ofTourism defines both the destinationarea and the demonstration area asbeing in one destination area: TwinCities. People on all kinds of tripsvisit the river and the Great RiverRoad in the Twin Cities. Many ofthese visitors, however, come to beentertained as Spectators. Spectatorsare probably the largest group oftourists that visit the riverfront. Howtheir needs are being met and whatcan be done to enhance their experi-ence is discussed in greater detail inSection 7: Demonstration Areas.


Bike paths and historic railroad bridges complement each other in Hastings. A bike path adja-cent to the river from Anoka to Hastings is one of the goals of the National Park Service. 6

9

➤ Neither extension was orientedto the Mississippi River or evenits watershed.

➤ Neither extension could bedefined using a unique geo-graphical or cultural featureassociated with the MississippiRiver.

➤ Neither extension, as part of the Great River Road, had local support. There wassupport for tourism but, again,it was not oriented to theMississippi River or the Great River Road.

Mississippi River BluffsDestination Area

This destination area extendsfrom Hastings to the Iowa Borderdominated by bluffs and an unusuallywide river. The Great River Road,traveling through quaint historictowns and impressive wildlife habitat,beckons the tourist. Loungers strollthrough rivertown antique shops.Players boat, hunt, and fish thewaterway. Explorers watch eagles ordiscover the rich history of the area.Most tourists are on self-structuredtrips although a few, mostly thoseon their way to casinos, travel instructured groups. Local destinationmarketing organizations have createdstrong marketing campaigns andhave coordinated improvements, like the proposed National EagleCenter, in Wabasha that would promote tourism.

The Minnesota Office of Tourismrecognizes this area as its own des-tination area, Mississippi Valley/Bluff Country. The area is describedin greater detail in Section 7:Demonstration Areas.

Canadian ExtensionsThe two Canadian Extensions were

not selected as destination areas.They did not fit the four criteria forselecting destination areas, namely:

➤ Neither extension could bepractically marketed as part of the Great River Road without confusing the tourist or diluting the marketingefforts of other communitiesthat are actually on theMississippi River.

Using the criteria establishedfor selecting destination areas, thetwo Canadian Extensions should notbe promoted as part of the GreatRiver Road. Nonetheless, since they currently are designated as part of the Great River Road, theywere examined for their inherentattractiveness to tourists as part of this study.

East Canadian Extension The East Canadian Extension

connects International Falls toBemidji by following U.S. Route 71.Although various promotional material, including the Minnesota’sOfficial State Highway Map, indicatethat it is part of the Great RiverRoad, there are no Great River Roadsigns along the route. The routedoes not follow the MississippiRiver. Most of the segment is not


610

The Steamboat, Mississippi Queen, approaches Red Wing.

Above: Scenic Views of the Mississippi River,like this one from Frontenac State Park, aresignificant tourist attractions. Right: Boating isa popular activity in the Mississippi BluffsDestination Area.

even in the Mississippi Watershed. Major attractions include state

and national forests, Big Fork River, Grand Mounds Historic Site,the northern border lakes, andVoyageurs National Park. No men-tion was found in promotionalmaterial for this destination areaabout the Mississippi River or theGreat River Road except for materialproduced by Ontario for theCanadian tourist.

The East Canadian Extension is located in the Voyageur CountryDestination Area, as defined by theMinnesota Office of Tourism. Signsidentify the route as only theVoyageurs Highway. To a tourist in Minnesota, this label is moreappropriate than the calling it theGreat River Road.

Although this segment of the Great River Road has tourismpotential, it is not oriented to theMississippi River or the Great RiverRoad. A more productive marketingstrategy would be to promote theVoyageurs Highway as a route con-nected to—but separate from—the Great River Road. It is, therefore,the recommendation of Study Team,that the East Canadian Extension be dropped from further Great RiverRoad promotional efforts and that con-sideration be given to de-designatingthe segment.

West Canadian Extension The West Canadian Extension

connects the Headwaters to Winnipegby following state and county roadsto Warroad and north into Manitoba.This segment is in the Bemidji Lakesand Lake of the Woods destinationareas as defined by the MinnesotaOffice of Tourism. Like the EastCanadian Extension, the route doesnot follow the Mississippi River noris most of it even in the MississippiWatershed. This segment of the GreatRiver Road was not examined as partof the Great River Road DevelopmentStudy because it appeared that theManitoba provincial government wasnot especially interested in promotingthe Great River Road. The impressionthat the provincial government

lacked interest was based on the fact that Manitoba has not supportedor participated in the NationalMississippi River Parkway Commissionfor years. Nonetheless in the province’stourist promotional material, theGreat River Road is listed as one of the province's scenic roads. Thispromotional material notes that theGreat River Road connects Manitobawith the “continent‘s greatest river,the Mississippi.”

Like the East Canadian Extension,this destination has tourism potentialbut it is not oriented naturally tothe Mississippi River or the GreatRiver Road. Therefore, a more naturaland authentic connection betweenMinnesota and Manitoba—such aspromoting our common heritage byinterpreting stories of the Red RiverOx-Cart Trail—may enhance tourismmore than trying to artificiallyextend the Great River Road toCanada. Although, the route doesconnect Itasca State Park with threeof Manitoba's most popular provincialparks—Whiteshell, Birds Hill andGrand Beach—it is still the recom-mendation of Study Team, that theWest Canadian Extension be droppedfrom further Great River Road pro-motional efforts and that consider-ation be given to de-designating the segment.


Voyageur National Park and the Rainey LakeVisitor Center are major attractions along theEast Canadian Extension.

Grand Mounds Historic Site is evidence thathumans have occupied the region and usedthe area’s rivers for thousands of years.

Above: A typical landscape found on TH 11 is the West Canadian Extension Destination Area.Inset: Similar structures such as the one on US 89 north of Pinecreek make the West CanadianExtension attractive to tourists interested in history. 6

11

EstablishingDemonstration Areas

The earlier discussion of touristmotivations and traveler styles iden-tified the types of experiences thatvisitors seek when planning trips.Clearly, certain locations along theGreat River Road are better at pro-viding the experience desired by aparticular tourist than other loca-tions. Different destination areas,therefore, appeal to tourists of dif-ferent stripes. It is also clear thatsome destination areas appeal to awider range of visitors and possessgreater concentrations of the attrac-tions and services needed to supportsignificant levels of tourism. Thesedestination areas (or portions thereof)were selected as “demonstrationareas.” The four selected were:➤ Mississippi Headwaters

➤ Mississippi Crossroads

➤ MNRRA

➤ Mississippi Bluffs

The Demonstration Areas areexamples—precedents—for otherdestination areas along the river to emulate. Each has a satisfactorylevel of viable attractions and hospi-tality services to generate signifi-cant levels of tourism and each hasa distinctive river-oriented identityfor creating successful marketingcampaigns. The four DemonstrationAreas are examined in detail in thenext section of this report.


612

Section 7DemonstrationAreasIntroduction

Four Destination Areas wereselected to demonstrate how thegeneral strategy for developing andmarketing the Great River Road couldbe applied to specific geographicalmarkets. The four Destination Areasthat were chosen to become Demon-stration Areas had characteristicsthat made them good prototypicalexamples. These distinctive charac-teristics were:➤ Each Demonstration Area has a

geographical identity in relationto the Mississippi River that isdistinct from the other threeareas.

➤ Each also has a propensity toattract tourists with motivationsand travel styles distinct fromeach other.

➤ Each has a good range of attractions and services orientedto tourists and actively promotestourism.

Together, the four DemonstrationAreas represent a wide range ofresource and tourist attributes. Byfocusing on these four representativedestinations, it will be possible totransfer both general and specificdevelopment and marketing strategiesto other Destination Areas.

As located on Figure 7-1: GreatRiver Road Demonstration Areas, thefour demonstration areas are:

• Mississippi Headwaters betweenLake Itasca and Bemidji

• Mississippi Crossroads betweenBrainerd and Little Falls

• Mississippi Gorge betweenMinneapolis and St. Paul

• Mississippi Bluffs between Red Wing and Winona

To create the marketing strategyfor a particular demonstration area,it was necessary to answer sevenquestions:1. Where is the demonstration area

located?2. What existing resources could

potentially attract tourists?3. What story excites the tourist

and unifies the community? 4. Who would be likely to visit

these attractions?5. Why would they visit?6. How can their visit be enhanced?7. How can tourism be effectively

promoted?

The first question, “Where isthe demonstration area located?”was answered by defining the extentof the demonstration area, the loca-tion of its anchors, and its generalgeographical character. The secondquestion, “What existing resourcescould potentially attract tourists?”was answered with a description ofthe river, the road, and the associ-ated attractions. The third question,“What story excites the tourist andunifies a community?” was answeredby identifying one definitive aspectof the demonstration area. Thefourth question, “Who would belikely to visit these attractions?”,was answered by correlating motiva-tion and travel style with visitationto particular attractions. The fifthquestion, “Why would they visit?”was answered by determining thebenefit a tourist would receive byvisiting the demonstration area. The sixth question, “How can theirvisit be enhanced?” was answeredby identifying potential capitalimprovements that would enhancethe tourism experience. The finalquestion, “How can tourism beeffectively promoted?” was answered

by outlining optional promotionaltactics and defining how to measuretheir effectiveness.

Mississippi HeadwatersGeographic Description

The Mississippi HeadwatersDemonstration Area extends betweentwo distinctive anchors, Itasca StatePark and the City of Bemidji; onenatural, the other urban. ItascaState Park is the primary anchor forthe Headwaters Demonstration Areaand the Great River Road in theState of Minnesota. It is the start,the “Mile Zero,” of the Great RiverRoad. The park features a naturallandscape dominated by Lake Itascaand the presence of the Headwaters.To the Great River Road tourist, theother anchor, the City of Bemidji, is, geographically, the “First City onthe Mississippi.” Bemidji is an urbanoutpost in the middle of unmitigatedwilderness. The two anchors providean interesting contrast betweenwilderness and urban environments.

Between the two anchors theGreat River Road traverses a glacially-formed landscape with slightlyrolling topography and vegetatedwilderness. It has little reference tohumanity or the river. This wildernessis dominated by extensive wetlandsand boreal forest. Furtive glimpsesof the Mississippi River can beenjoyed by the tourist from thethree bridges between Itasca andBemidji. Typically, however, theriver is concealed by endless marshor woodland.

Except for the roadway, pastures,an occasional farmstead, a solitaryrestaurant, a forsaken church, and a few picturesquely abandoned anddissolute buildings, no evidence ofhuman occupation of the landscapeexists between the state park andthe exurban outskirts of Bemidji.The area appears to be an unfetterednorthern wilderness. 7


Location of Great River Road Demonstration Areas

North

Winona

St. PaulMinneapolis

RedWing

LittleFalls

Brainerd

Bemidji


MississippiCrossroads

MississippiGorge

MississippiBluffs

35

90

90 90

35

94

494

35W

2

169

94

169

61

61

169

169

53

53

10


72

BELTRAMI CO.HUBBARD CO.

CL

EA

RW

AT

ER

CO

.H

UB

BA

RD

CO

.C

LE

AR

WA

TE

R C

O.

HU

BB

AR

D C

O.

CLEARWATER CO.BECKER CO.

ItascaState Park

Bemidji BemidjiStatePark

LakeBemidji

LakeItasca

MississippiHeadwatersInterpretive

Center

Coffee PotLanding

IronBridge

LakeIrving

Sc enic

River

Wil

d Rive r

Mis

s is

sippi

Riv

er

12

7197

7

3

940

2

38

200

2

2

71

Mississippi Headwaters Demonstration Area

North0 .75 1.5 3 Miles

Interstate Route

U.S. Route

State Route

County Route

Anchor

Junction

Great RiverRoad Route

2

12

197

35E


73

ResourcesThe Mississippi River

The Mississippi River, meanderingthrough the boreal forest and marshesof northern Minnesota between LakeItasca and Lake Bemidji, begins its 2,348-mile journey to the Gulf of Mexico as a narrow stream—a mere 20 feet wide—at Lake Itasca.Approximately 62 river miles fromLake Itasca, the Mississippi Riverenters Lake Bemidji still as a modestriver, only 120 feet wide. This is theMississippi Headwaters DemonstrationArea, the first Destination Area andthe first Demonstration Area on theGreat River Road.

The river in the MississippiHeadwaters Demonstration Area isdifferent from the other Demon-stration Areas. Here, the river isnarrow, wild, and hard to follow but it rewards the persistent touristwith a wilderness experience, anexperience comparable to Minnesota’spremier wilderness experience, theBoundary Waters Canoe Area.

Although the river is typically a gentle flowing stream, there areseveral locations where Class 1Rapids exist along this stretch as itrifles through narrow valleys flankedby steep spruce-covered riverbanks.The river drops 260 feet in elevationbetween Lake Itasca and Lake Bemidji,an average drop of four feet permile. Water quality is ranked out-standing by regulatory authorities.The Mississippi Headwaters Boardhas designated the first 50 miles of the river, from Lake Itasca to IronBridge Landing on Beltrami CountyRoad 7, as a “Wild River.” The fifteenmiles from the Iron Bridge Landingto Bemidji have been classified as a “Scenic River.”

This is a challenging section totravel by canoe or kayak. It cannotbe traversed by motorized boat.There are no navigational markerson the river to guide river recre-ationists. In marshes, the river canquietly slow and disappear in thevegetation, especially in low waterconditions. Although it is approxi-mately a thirty-mile, one-half hour drive on the Great River Roadbetween Lake Itasca and Bemidji, acanoeist requires at least two days,frequently three, to travel the 62 mileriver route.

The Great River RoadVehicular Transportation

The Great River Road follows thegeneral northeast path of the riverbut ironically, in this Demonstrationarea where the river is the most wild,free-flowing, and curvilinear, theGreat River Road is rigidly constrained,straight, and angular. The road onlycrudely mimics the direction of theriver, jogging in a staircase patternuntil it reaches Bemidji, In thisregion with limited roads, it isrestricted to tracing the lines andcorners established by the originalgovernment land survey. Nonetheless,even with its jogs, the road is onlythirty miles long, half the distancethe river travels between Itasca andBemidji.

In the Mississippi HeadwatersDemonstration Area, the Great RiverRoad and the Mississippi River paral-lel each other from a distance. Theriver meanders through the country-side mostly invisible to a tourist onthe Great River Road. Only at thefive locations where the Great RiverRoad crosses the river is the Missis-sippi truly visible. Nevertheless, inBemidji, from the bridge with themost traffic in the demonstrationarea, the river appears to be con-structed over a short channelbetween two lakes not the MightyMississippi and the Great River Roadappears to parallel a lake, not a river.

The federally designated routebetween Itasca and Bemidji is almostentirely on county roads. From theHeadwaters Interpretive Center, theGreat River Road travels north outof Itasca State Park on ClearwaterCSAH 38. It crosses the junctionwith TH 200 and becomes ClearwaterCSAH 2 continuing north for sixmiles to Clearwater CSAH 40. Theroad follows Clearwater CSAH 40 for two miles east to the HubbardCounty Line. East of the CountyLine, the road continues on Hubbard


74

Left: A much photographed marker desig-nates the origin of the Mississippi River as itflows from Lake Itasca. Below: Even experi-enced canoeists find the Mississippi Riverbetween Lake Itasca and Bemidji challengingto navigate because the channel is difficult tofollow as it flows through obscuring marshes.

CSAH 9 east for 5.5 miles to thejunction with Hubbard CSAH 3 atBecida. The road continues onHubbard CSAH 3. Hubbard CSAH 3jogs for six miles through northernHubbard County, first north, theneast, then north again, ending atthe Beltrami County Line. From theBeltrami County Line to downtownBemidji, the Great River Road is des-ignated on Beltrami CSAH 7 to itsjunction with TH 197. (TH 197 isthe only State Trunk Highway desig-nated part of the Great River Roadin the Headwaters DemonstrationArea.) TH 197 skirts the southernshore of Lake Bemidji to the junc-tion with First Street and BeltramiCSAH 12. Beltrami CSAH 12 bringsthe Great River Road around thesoutheast shore of the lake, northto the junction with BeltramiCounty Road 19. Although the GreatRiver Road continues downstream onBeltrami CSAH 12, the DemonstrationArea ends at the junction withCounty Road 19.

The road crosses the river fivetimes in the Mississippi HeadwatersDemonstration Area. The most poten-tially notable of these crossings arein the locations that anchor theDemonstration Area, Itasca StatePark and Bemidji. The first time the Great River Road crosses theMississippi on Clearwater CSAH 38 in Itasca State Park, the Mississippipasses unceremoniously under the

road in a culvert. In Bemidji, theGreat River Road crosses where theriver is but a mere short channelbetween Lake Irvine and Lake Bemidji.The channel is lost in commercialdevelopment and is currently notemphasized as an attraction.

Bicycle TransportationRoads are not strictly for motor-

ized vehicular transportation. TheGreat River Road especially was conceived to provide a route forrecreational bicycling. The originalGreat River Road Design Guidelines,established in 1981, called for a four-foot paved shoulder or an eight-footoff-road trail where practical toaccommodate bicycling. Design standards have changed significantlysince those original guidelines wereestablished. Currently, a ten-footshoulder or eight-foot off-road trailare considered minimal for State-AidFunded County Road projects. In prac-tice, a ten-foot surface is preferredfor off-road multi-modal trails also.

Except for a trail around LakeItasca and the sidewalks (which are meant only for pedestrians) inBemidji, there are no off-road trailsthat parallel the Great River Road orthe Mississippi River in the MississippiHeadwaters Demonstration Area.

Transportation System SummaryAccording to Mn/DOT data all

roads are adequately wide and paved,except for one two mile stretch of

county gravel road. Shoulders are ofvarious widths, generally wider inBeltrami County near Bemidji andquite narrow between Itasca StatePark and the Beltrami County Line.Sidewalks and off-road trails arelimited to the two anchors.

Attractions and ServicesFully developed attractions exist

primarily at the anchors of theDemonstration Area, Itasca StatePark and the City of Bemidji. A fewattractions, such as river accesspoints and rest areas, have beendeveloped between the two anchorsas part of the original federal fundingof the Great River Road. Nonetheless,the Mississippi River HeadwatersBoard considers recreational oppor-tunities in this segment of the riveras being limited. The same board,suggests that cultural resources,particularly those related to AmericanIndians, are plentiful, but under-developed for tourism. The followingdiscussion details attractions first inthe anchors and then the connectingcorridor between the anchors.

Upstream AnchorThe Mississippi Headwaters

Demonstration Area begins at thesource or headwaters of the MississippiRiver, Lake Itasca about 30 miles southand west of Bemidji, Minnesota. Accessto the “Source of the Mississippi River”has been enhanced by the creationof paths, bridges, and a stepping-stone walkway. In the 1930s, theDepression-Era work program, theCivilian Conservation Corps (CCC),created the stepping-stone walkwayand rustic marker to demarcate theorigin of our continent's largestriver. Prior to this, the river hadmerely meandered out of Lake Itasca unannounced.

The Work Progress Administration(WPA) planners, recognizing thatpeople would be willing to travel to


75

The City of Bemidji and the Minnesota Department of Transportation are developing plans for anew bridge across the Mississippi River. A trail and streetscape improvements are also part ofthe reconstruction project being designed by Short Elliott Hendrickson Inc.


76

The Great River Road Development StudyTransportation Resources

“Mississippi Headwaters Demonstration Area”Itasca to Bemidji

Lake Itasca if it provided a memorableexperience, decided to create a placeand an event that would be capable ofetching itself into every visitor’s soul.

The stepping-stones, strategicallyplaced at the point where the riverflows out of the lake, allows nearlyanyone who is ambulatory, the abilityto “walk across the Mississippi River.”This claim—that one has humbledthe Mighty Mississippi by simplystepping across it—is a traditionalright-of-passage for most Minnesotansand an enjoyable boast for out-of-state visitors.

The legacy of the Depression Era has been maintained and enhancedby the management of Itasca StatePark by the Minnesota Departmentof Natural Resources. Several otherDepression Era structures, likeDouglas Lodge and the Forest Inn,and the Bear Paw cabins which offeran authentic “northwoods lodge”experience to the tourist arethoughtfully preserved.

Accommodationsprovided by theDNR include thehotel in DouglasLodge, rustichousekeepingcabins, groupcabins, and familycabins. Addition-ally, there arehundreds of

camping sites for RVs and tents. Agrand dining room in Douglas Lodgeoverlooking Lake Itasca providesfashionable dining for the visitor.Snacks are also available.

Bicycles, canoes, and motorizedfishing boats are readily availablefor rent. Hiking trails are common.Hiking, bicycling, canoeing, andfishing are among the park's mostpopular activities.

Wilderness Drive connects thepark’s major attractions. It connectspremier interpretive attractions forboth motorized and non-motorizedtravel. In addition to the headwaters,the drive offers several virgin grovesof red and white pine. One particu-

larly beautiful stand, PreachersGrove, evangelistic crusades wereheld overlooking Lake Itasca duringthe 19th Century. State record Redand White pine trees are accessiblefrom the drive. Wildflowers, especiallyspring ephemerals, are delightfulstandard fare. Wildlife sightings,including bear and eagles are notuncommon. Bird watching, star-gaz-ing, and photographing nature aresimple activities easily enjoyed inItasca State Park.

A variety of guided nature ori-ented activities are scheduled forinquisitive children and adults.There are several interpretive markersdiscussing these explorations. Otherinterpretive stories are told through-out the Park. Several natural andhistoric sites are explained by interpretive signs or by guides.Archaeological sites involvingAmerican Indians are less likely to be interpreted, although an IndianCemetery exists in the park.

Itasca State Park, as the UpstreamAnchor of the Mississippi HeadwatersDemonstration Area, engages thetourist in a remarkably unique nat-ural environment.

Downstream AnchorThe downstream anchor for the

Mississippi Headwaters DemonstrationArea is the City of Bemidji. Bemidjiis an urban setting, a contrast toItasca’s wilderness. Bemidji is theregional service center and theregional center for governmentalagencies. There are 11,000 peopleliving in Bemidji with thousands of tourists who annually visit this“First City on the Mississippi.”

The quintessential symbol ofBemidji, the painted giant concretestatues of Paul Bunyan and Babe theBlue Ox located on the waterfrontat the Tourist Information Center,are ideal icons for this northerntown and tourist destination.


77

Top: Walking across the Mississippi River inItasca State Park has been a right-of passagefor generations of Minnesotans and a proudboast of visitors since the stepping stoneswere installed by the Civilian ConservationCorps in the 1930s. Above: A variety ofaccommodations are available in ItascaState Park, including camping, hotels, andthese housekeeping cabins.

Bicycle trails and other recreational facilitiesare popular in Itasca State Park.

According to the text on a popularpostwar postcard, Paul and Babewere one of the six most photographedobjects in the Post-War United States.

Although the icon itself hasbecome a roadside attraction, thestatue represents the importance ofthe lumber industry in defining theidentity of the region and its people.It is logical and practical that thesetwo mythic characters greet thetourist at the entrance to Bemidji’sTourist Information Center.

The history of the lumber indus-try and Bemidji, is relatively new,approximately 100 years old. It couldbe interesting to tourists, especiallyExplorers, if interpretation was prop-erly presented. Several sites associ-ated with the lumber industry arestill extant in Bemidji.

The lumber industry dominatedBemidji from the 1890s through the1920s, when most of the accessiblelarge timber was being harvested.Lumbering had been part of theMinnesota landscape for over 50years before it reached Bemidji. Thelogging of Bemidji’s hinterland hadto wait for railroads. Although itwas on the Mississippi River, the

shallowness and narrowness of theriver from Itasca to Grand Rapidsrequired loggers to ship by railroadrather than the river. The GreatNorthern arrived in 1898 to haullogs from the headwaters to thedownstream markets. The Soo Linefollowed in 1910. Although the riverwasn't used directly, the river, oractually its water, was important inthe development of the Bemidji’slogging industry.

Lake Bemidji was used as a large mill pond.The shore fromdowntown to the outlet of theMississippi wascovered withmills. The nar-row peninsulabetween LakeIrvine and LakeBemidji was par-ticularly filledwith railroadsyards and mills.A devastatingfire in the 1920sdestroyed muchof this infra-structure. Themills and rail-

road docks were not reconstructedsince they had been at the end oftheir commercial life.

Evidence of past commerciallogging activities can be found inseveral surviving buildings includingthe Great Northern Railway Depotand the Soo Line’s Union Depot. The Union Depot, built in 1910, has been redeveloped as a popularrestaurant and bar. Plans for renovat-ing the 1913 Great Northern Depotare being developed. The primaryevidence of the influence of therailroads, however, are not historicbuildings. It is the continuing pres-ence of the railroads themselves.

The successors to the Soo Line

(Canadian Pacific) and the GreatNorthern (Burlington Northern SantaFe) still use the rail corridor as amajor east-west route and switchingpoint. Trains lay over; trains rollpast; and monstrous stacks of pulpare loaded and unloaded into waitinggondolas and flat cars. Except forthrough-trains on the mainline, thelong-standing commercial activity of railroads near Bemidji's waterfrontis disappearing as the City transfersindustrial activities to a new IndustrialPark on the edge of town.

Evidence of the old millingoperations is more rare. The bestexample of the mills that dominatedthe shoreline is at Nymore Beach.Here the foundational ruins of oneof the mills still exist as a sentinelon a sandy public beach. The ruinsare not interpreted and must appearas massive discordant litter to manyrecreationists using the beach.Younger visitors may be more for-giving, viewing them as an interestingclimbing structure and in keepingwith their recreational desires.

It is Lake Irvine and Lake Bemidjithat make the City of Bemidjiattractive to residents and visitors.Lake Irvine and Lake Bemidji are thefirst large lakes that the Mississippiflows through. Indeed, the nameBemidji is derived from the originalObjibwe appellation, Pemidjigumaug,meaning “the river that crosses thelake.” After the demise of the log-ging industry, recreational activitiescame to dominate the shoreline ofLake Bemidji. Rides on seaplanes,speedboats, and paddlewheelers werethe rage from the 1930s through the1960s. A small amusement park witha Paul Bunyan theme still occupiesthe shoreline next to the TouristInformation Center. The TouristInformation Center, although newconstruction, was inspired by an old boat house used in the earlierera. The boat house was part of a


78

Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox have been greeting visitors toBemidji since 1937.

waterfront complex that included anextravagant dock that housed a gazebothat was used for public concerts. Thedock, gazebo, and boat house had allbeen removed by the time the GreatRiver Road was designated to go bythe lake. Nonetheless, the idea ofreconstituting a public recreationalarea has persisted to the present day.

Plans for Nymore Beach, theriver channel, and the waterfrontwere originally developed in 1980 by the consulting firm of Wehrman-Chapman. The Minnesota Depart-ment of Transportation includedthese plans in its Great River RoadDevelopment Guide. Many of theideas illustrated in the originalDevelopment Guide, such as a newTourist Information Center, havebeen constructed.

Recently, theCity of Bemidjiand the MinnesotaDepartment ofTransportationhave been devel-oping plans forreconstructingthe Great RiverRoad along thewaterfront.These plans,

developed by the consulting firm of Short Elliott Hendrickson, includetransforming the waterfront andriverfront into an area for recreationfor residents and tourists. The ideais being nurtured by the City ofBemidji and partially funded byMn/DOT. Lighted, waterfront trailsand a new bridge over the Mississippiare important tourist-related facilitiesbeing developed as part of a largertransportation project. The trails areconsidered part of a larger communityeffort to create a continuous trailaround the lake, connecting Bemidjiwith Bemidji State Park. Docks,community entry signs, and boule-vard plantings complete the trans-portation phase of the development.

Today tourists find a variety ofsleeping accommodations includingmany national and regional chainswith standard recreational featuressuch as swimming pools and exer-cise rooms, most moderately priced.Convention halls and meeting roomsare at a premium, however. Tent and RV camping is accommodated in Bemidji State Park. Close to thestate park is a well-respected tradi-tional lodge and cabin resort, Rutger’sBirchmont Resort, occupying thenorth shore of the lake. On theeastern shore, a few Bed andBreakfast establishments haveopened on Bemidji's fashionableLake Boulevard.

A variety of restaurants areavailable from the standard national

fast-food outlets to buffets to locally-owned establishments with moderatelypriced full-course menus. Grocerystores are plentiful.

Bemidji is alive with activitiesfor the resident and tourist. Thestreetscape of downtown has beenenhanced with pavers, lights, ban-ners, seating, planters, and otherurban accouterments. Music isbroadcast from integral speakers onstreetlights. In winter, every treedowntown and along the lakeshore isadorned with twinkle lights creatinga spectacular winter wonderland.The arts community is thriving. An Arts Center is located in the oldCarnegie Library, situated as the ter-minal vista as one approaches LakeBemidji on the 5th Street segmentof the Great River Road. The PaulBunyan Playhouse, a local equitytheater company, occupies the old


Top: Plans for Bemidji's Travel InformationCenter were incorporated into Mn/DOT’s orig-inal Great River Road Development Guide inthe early 1980s. When the the City of Bemidjideveloped the site in the early 1990s, theTravel Information Center was placed closerto the existing statues and the lake. Above:The new Travel Information Center in Bemidjiis a staffed facility guiding tourists to localattractions and services.

Top: Several urban design streetscape ele-ments have been proposed for improving theaesthetics of the Great River Road in Bemidji,including the construction of graphic cross-walks to improve pedestrian safety along thelakeshore. Below: On Lake Bemidji, accom-modations range from camping, to resorts,and even Bed and Breakfasts.

79

Adaptive reuse of older structures, like theconversion of an old movie theater into a play-house and the former library into the BemidjiCommunity Arts Center, have kept downtownactive and interesting to residents andtourists.

downtown movie theater, the Chief.Inspired by the statues of Paul andBabe, a dozen new sculptures wererecently unveiled throughout down-town. A map for a walking tour ofthe sculptures is distributed at theTourist Information Center.

Northwoods artifacts and souve-nirs are available at several shop-ping establishments that cater tothe tourist. Bemidji Woolen Millsactively seeks the tourist for pur-chasing their "Made in Bemidji"clothing and blankets.

Fishing and hunting remain oneof the most common reasons for vis-iting Bemidji. There are many baitand hunting shops that provideequipment and provisions for localand visiting sportsmen. Access toLake Bemidji is good and available at several locations for fishing

and ice-fishing.Access to LakeIrvine is lesswell maintainedbut is availablenear the outletof the MississippiRiver. The re-construction of TH 197 mayinclude improv-ing the access to Lake Irvine.

Other out-door activities are becoming drawsfor tourists. Golfing, in particular, is increasing in popularity. Bemidjiboasts three good golf-courses.Observing nature is another increas-ingly favored recreational pastime.Bemidji State Park promotes its BogWalk, a boardwalk through a bog, as a major attraction to tourists.Trails, which are beginning to forma system around Lake Bemidji, areused extensively by bicyclists andwalkers. Snowmobile trails are popu-lar and are being planned to facili-tate stopping at favored downtownrestaurants. Picnic grounds in severalcity parks and Bemidji State Parkprovide leisurely activities for familiesand groups.

Bemidji has few traditionalmuseums for tourists to visit. TheHeadwaters Science Center providesprograms for local school childreninterested in exploring the area's

natural history.It is in theprocess ofsearching for anew site possiblycloser to theMississippi. Anew site mightallow it to expandits program toinclude activitiesof interest totourists. Although

information is limited, a similar situation apparently exists with an extensive collection of AmericanIndian artifacts housed at BemidjiState University.

The Connecting CorridorThe river, recreational, and

cultural attractions in the corridorbetween the anchors are limited to a few turn-outs along the road.The most notable is at Coffee PotLanding where the river is a defini-tive stream, perhaps forty feet wide.Coffee Pot Landing is the onlydeveloped rest area between LakeItasca and Bemidji. It provides theonly opportunity between the twoanchor destinations for the touristto get out of their vehicle, launch a canoe into the river, picnic at theriver's edge, or take a hike. It hasan unpaved parking lot, a handwater pump, a picnic table, and a pedestrian bridge over the river. It lacks a toilet.

Other less developed turn-outsexist or have been created throughuse. These typically occur at wherethe road crosses over the river. TheIron Bridge Landing is a typicalexample and is the best candidatefor turning an existing turnout intoanother minor rest area. A potentialturn-out was previously identified byMn/DOT that would overlook LaSalleLake. LaSalle Lake is nestled in a


Fishing remains a popular recreational activity in the HeadwatersDemonstration Area.

710

picturesque landscape and althoughit is not on the river, it does providean understanding of the headwater’sgeographic context. Unfortunately,it is very close to Coffee Pot Landingand may be redundant. Additionalscenic turn-outs could be developedat more appropriate spacing wherethe Great River Road crosses theMississippi River.

The Big StoryThe Headwaters of the Mississippi

River engages a person’s imagination.This is the source, the true head, of the Mississippi River. The longestmost powerful river in North Americaand one of the largest rivers in theworld. The story of finding the sourceis heuristic, it provides insight intowhat motivated early visitors andwhat might motivate the moderntourist. Indeed, exploration storiesare still told in popular historiesand in international guidebooks on the Mississippi River.

The Original ExplorersThe quest for the source of the

Mississippi River was one carried onover centuries and one written bycurious European and American

explorers with sometimes curiouspersonalities. Unsurprisingly, thesource seems to have been wellknown by Indians, who actuallyserved as guides on most of theEuropean and American expeditions.

One of the most colorful, literally,of these early explorers was thenamesake of Beltrami County,Italian Giacomo Constanino Beltramiwho arrived on the first steamboatto Fort Snelling. He was determinedto become an explorer. He was guidedby the Ojibwe to a lake that he calledLake Julia, after a Medici countess.This lake is thought to be LakeBemidji approximately 60 miles fromthe river's true source. A painting of the first steamboat arriving atFort Snelling displayed on theJonathan Paddleford in St. Paul,shows Beltrami on deck with hissignature large red parasol.

The Mississippi Headwaters Board’sMississippi Headwaters Guide Bookcredits another Italian, Tonti as beingthe first Caucasian to have actuallyseen the headwaters. Tonti, escortedwith Father Hennepin to Mille Lacs in1680, is thought to have left Hennepinand traveled with Dakota guides tothe source of the Mississippi.

The Guide Book also suggeststhat a century later, a trader,William Morrison, visited a lake in1804 named by the French as Lac La Biche. It is thought that Lac LaBiche is actually Lake Itasca.

American Army Lt. Zebulon Pike who was clearing the Britishout of newly acquired AmericanTerritory, reached Leach Lake in1805 and declared it the source of the Mississippi. He was about 80 miles from Itasca.

Michigan’s Territorial GovernorCass organized an expedition in1820 which concluded that thesource had been discovered about100 miles downstream from Itasca in a lake the expedition named Cass Lake, after their patron.

Henry Rowe Schoolcraft is popu-larly credited as the first non-nativeto discover the actual source of theMississippi. Schoolcraft, who hadbeen on the expedition with GovernorCass, returned in 1832 with OjibweChief Ozawindeb, who took him tothe Lake Itasca. Cass was related toOzawindeb through his marriage toa British-Indian wife. The expeditiononly took one week. Most scholarsbelieve the speed and accuracy of the exploration indicates thatOzawindeb knew exactly where theheadwaters were located. Indeed, as the Mississippi Headwaters GuideBook suggests, the site was well-known to American Indians.

Creating ItascaThe name, Itasca comes from

the Latin words, “veritas,” meaning“true;” and “caput,” meaning “head.”Schoolcraft combined these words,dropping the first and last syllables,to form Itasca. Schoolcraft alsotransformed a classical Greek mythinto a folktale about an Indianmaiden stuck in the underworld,crying for her lover left on the surface. Her tears become the


711

In the connecting corridor between Lake Itasca and Bemidji, there are several places—frequently adjacent to bridges—to access the Mississippi River.

Mississippi River. The legend hasn’tstuck in the popular mind but theequally manufactured name, Itasca,has been accepted. Ironically, mosttourists probably believe the nameis of authentic Indian origin ratherthan fabricated from Latin.

Applying the StoryBeing the location of the source

of the Mississippi River makes Minne-sota extremely unique. It allowsMinnesota to position itself sepa-rately from the other nine GreatRiver Road states. Lake Itasca is oneof North America's natural wonders—the True Head of this continent'smost amazing river.

Intuitively, tourists recognize thatto understand America and Americans,they must understand our nation'slandscape. The Mississippi River is a dominant geographical feature. Itdivides the country between eastand west and it is one of a handfulof American geographical featuresthat is recognized internationally. If we weren’t the “Land of 10,000Lakes,” we'd probably be the “TheMississippi Headwaters State” Capi-talizing on this natural gift, it maybe possible to re-position LakeItasca as one of America’s Top 50Natural Landmarks that tourists“must see” if they are to have acomplete understanding of ourcountry. At a minimum, it shouldbe possible to re-position the

Mississippi River Headwaters as apreferred destination for trips to the Midwest and a required stop on trips to Minnesota.

The TouristMotivation

The type of tourist that hasbeen traditionally attracted to theHeadwaters Demonstration Area isthe Explorer, Player, Lounger, andPilgrim. The area does not particu-larly attract Accumulators and

Spectators. Surprisingly, a 1998 surveyof visitors to Clearwater, Hubbard, andBeltrami counties, conducted for theMississippi Headwaters Board, indi-cated that many tourists are Guestsof residents. It is assumed thatGuests significantly contribute totourism but the relatively lowindigenous population base limitsthe ability to increase the numberof Guests visiting the demonstrationarea substantially.

As a demonstration area, theMississippi Headwaters has manysimilarities with and attracts some ofthe same tourists as the MississippiCrossroads Demonstration Area.Those resources that supportPlayers, such as fishing, golfing,bicycling, and hunting are presentin both destinations. Nonetheless,the Mississippi Headwaters Demon-stration Area can differentiate itselfby its appeal to the Explorer andeven the Pilgrim.

Travel StylesMost tourists visiting the

Mississippi Headwaters DemonstrationArea are self-structured. They haveelected to see Itasca or Bemidji on

their own volition. A few are part ofstructured or semi-structured tours.Unstructured visits by tourists is the least common tourist style seenin the Mississippi HeadwatersDemonstration Area.

A limited amount of tour busesdo visit Itasca State Park. A few yearsago structured tours from Canada to Bemidji were frequent when theCanadian dollar was stronger thanthe U.S. dollar. These CanadianAccumulators came to shop for bargains in Bemidji’s stores. Unfor-tunately, that has been less frequentof an occurrence in recent years.Tour buses on the Great River Roadbetween Itasca and Bemidji arerarely, if ever, observed.

Semi-structured tourists are rarein the Headwaters DemonstrationArea primarily because semi-struc-tured events are relatively rare.However, semi-structured conferencesare a major attraction in the CrossroadDemonstration Area. It may be pos-sible to lure semi-structured tourists—who happen to be Explorers orPilgrims rather than Players—toItasca and the Headwaters. It mayalso be possible to arrange structuredtours from the same destinations.Spousal tours may be particularlywell-suited. European Fly-Drivepackages would also work well.

Unstructured Tourists are not asignificant factor in tourism in theHeadwaters Demonstration Area. Itis too remote to attract significantnumbers of spontaneous travelers.Its population is too small to gener-ate significant spontaneous travelfrom residents. Guests, staying inBemidji, may be induced to travelon the Great River Road to Itasca as an enjoyable side trip. The onlycritical mass of unstructuredtourists that could be reasonablytapped are the students of BemidjiState University and their visitingfriends and family. 7

12

Explorers, such as this group of canoeists whoare landing in Bemidji after canoeing fromLake Itasca, would be a good target market forthe Headwaters Demonstration Area.


Geographic and ModalCharacteristics

Tourists arrive mostly from the Twin Cities but also from theDakotas and Canada. The touristtypically arrives by automobile andis greeted by Paul, Babe, and theTourist Information Center. Some, anincreasing number, arrive by airplane.

Several flights with reasonablefares fly in and out of Bemidji'sInternational Airport daily to theTwin Cities. For approximately anadditional $60.00 round-trip a personcan connect through MSP to Bemidjifrom any of Northwest Airlines hun-dreds of flights daily into the TwinCities from all over the world. Rentalcars and limited taxi service is avail-able at the airport.

Target MarketsThe primary tourist that would

be naturally attracted to the Missis-sippi Headwaters DemonstrationArea would be a self- structuredExplorer arriving by automobile and touring by automobile, bicycle,or canoe.

Secondary markets, include theunstructured Guests or the BemidjiState University student who wantsto explore the world in which theyfind themselves located. If they lacka car, this market may be inducedto explore the Great River Road bybicycle. This secondary market alsoincludes the semi-structured andstructured Explorers and Pilgrimsattending a convention in theBrainerd Lakes Region who wouldwant to see the source of theMississippi River.

The third market, which is morespeculative, but potentially has higheconomic rewards for the State ofMinnesota, is to promote the fly/drivesemi-structured model of bringingExplorers to the Headwaters Demon-stration Area, rent them a car,accommodate them in Itasca,

Bemidji, or both, and finally providingthem with appropriate tourist infor-mation so they can do the exploringthemselves.

Market SummaryThe primary target market tourist,

the Self-Structured Explorer visitingthe Mississippi River Headwaters atItasca State Park by automobile orbicycle, would find the demonstrationarea satisfying. The opportunity forexploring a unique natural resourceand following in the footsteps ofhistorical explorers satisfying. Themajor attractions in the UpstreamAnchor include: Itasca State Park,particularly the Headwaters andHeadwaters History Center; DouglasLodge and the Forest Inn; WildernessDrive, especially Preachers Grove andother unique natural attractions;and the park's hiking and bicyclingtrails. The major attractions in theDownstream Anchor include: Pauland Babe statues and the touristinformation center; Lake Bemidjiand the trails and parks associatedwith it near downtown; downtownrestaurants and bars; range of sleep-ing accommodations; sporting goodsstores, Bemidji State Park, and theairport and rental cars.

The Self-Structured Explorercould readily explore from LakeItasca to Bemidji by automobile,bicycle, or canoe. The landscapebetween the two anchors would provide an appropriate wildernesssetting for an Explorer. “Outfitting”requirements would be easily satisfiedin a wide range of stores in Bemidji.Bemidji serves as an accessible gate-way for those Explorers arriving by car or airplane. Rental vehiclesare readily available at the airport,including Minivans and Sport UtilityVehicles to accommodate a widerange of Explorers. Renting bicyclesis less available, primarily restrictedto a few bicycle shops in Bemidji

and Itasca State Park where stayingin park boundaries is required. Nobicycle shuttle service is available.Canoe rental and canoe shuttle ser-vices are available.

Capital ImprovementsCapital improvements should

first be oriented to establishing theMississippi Headwaters DemonstrationArea as a destination for Explorers.First by supporting travel by Explorersthat structure their own itinerary;followed by promoting travel byExplorers that travel in structuredgroups. By following a strategy ofaccommodating Explorers, theMississippi River and the Great Riverwould become more noticeable tothe local residents. Since a signifi-cant amount of tourism in theMississippi Headwaters DemonstrationArea is derived from Guests, makingresidents more aware of the riverand road should increase unstruc-tured tours of the Great River Road and its associated attractions by Guests.

Suggested capital improvementsto enhance the tourist experienceinclude several that are associatedwith the highway and could beimplemented by state and countytransportation agencies with assis-tance from other governmentalagencies as necessary: ➤ Add distinctive mileage markers

to enhance route identity andimprove wayfinding, startingwith Mile Zero in Itasca StatePark. Mileage markers wouldclearly identify the route,reducing traveler anxiety. Itwould visually integrate theroad, attractions, and servicesinto a tourist-oriented system.Mileage markers would facilitate the development of private-sectorauthored tourist guides, includ-ing interpretative maps, guide-books, and audio tours. Public


713

and private attractions and services could describe theirlocation using a mileage marker.By benefitting attractions andservices, the use of the systemwould be assured and awarenessof the Great River Road as adestination would be enhanced.

➤ Install Great River Road routeand directional makers at everyjunction with a state trunkhighway and county roads withover 5,000 ADT. In particular,add directional signs on TH 200,TH 2, TH 197 and any countyroad with over 5,000 ADT,informing drivers of the junctionwith the Great River Road.

➤ Pave 2 mile stretch of gravelroad creating 12-foot lanes and4-foot paved shoulders.

➤ Add 4-foot shoulder to accom-modate bicycling between Itascaand Iron Bridge Landing. Add 6- or 8-foot shoulders from IronBridge Landing to TH 2 (futureschool site) for bicyclists andpedestrians. From TH 2 to downtown create an off-roadtrail for bicyclists and pedestrians.In downtown, create sidewalksfor pedestrians and on-roadbicycle routes.

➤ Signify the importance of ItascaState Park and the City ofBemidji to the Great River Roadtraveler by creating appropriategateway monuments. Workingwith DNR, create a “Great RiverRoad Starts Here” monumentor street graphics in ItascaState Park. Working with theCity of Bemidji, establish aGateway Monument near thejunction of 1st Street and TH 197.

➤ Work with the City of Bemidji to

add an informational sign thatcan be read from a moving vehicleon TH 197 or an interpretivemarker near the lake, thatexplains “Lake Bemidji” isderived from the Objibwe word“Pemdijgumaug” which means“The River that crosses the Lake.”

➤ Work with the DNR and the Cityof Bemidji to add Great RiverRoad Anchor Kiosks atHeadwaters History Center inItasca State Park and at theTourist Information Center inBemidji. Use these kiosks to orient travelers to all of theother features that can be seenoff of the Great River Roadspine, highlighting especiallythose attractions and services in the individual anchor.

➤ Standardize and improve signsto existing rest areas and futureattractions between Itasca andBemidji, especially existingsigns to Coffee Pot Landing and Iron Bridge Landing. Addsign to Gulsvig Landing.

➤ Improve existing rest area facili-ties at Coffee Pot Landing andIron Bridge Landing forExplorers, especially bicyclists.At Coffee Pot Landing paveparking lot, improve landingand picnic area by repairingsteps, paths, and picnic table;maintaining well and hand-pump, bridge, and hiking trail;standardizing signs; and byadding bike racks, an interpre-tive marker, and a small picnicshelter as a haven from rain. At Iron Bridge Landing improvethe turn-out by separating itfrom the road and adding apaved parking lot, a well andhand pump, bike racks, a picnictable and small shelter, inter-

pretative markers, and signsidentifying the rest area.

Create a rest area by addinga turn-out for scenic vista at LaSalleLake separating it from the road andadding a well and hand pump, bikeracks, a picnic table and small shel-ter, interpretative markers, andsigns identifying the rest area.

➤ Improve trail system aroundLake Bemidji connecting GRR toLake Bemidji State Park, partic-ularly improve the pedestrianand bicycle trail adjacent to theLake Bemidji and TH 197. Addinterpretive markers to trail system.

Capital improvement projects for public recreational facilities aregenerally outside the jurisdictionof Mn/DOT to fund but deserve consideration as projects that wouldenhance the experience of the GreatRiver Road tourist. As recreationalprojects near highways, joint-develop-ment agreements between Mn/DOTand the provider may be a practicalway to reduce construction costs. It is not uncommon for parking lots,for instance, to be paved at a signif-icant savings when an adjacentroadway is being paved. Typicallythese projects are funded by thosefederal, state, and local agenciescharged with providing recreationalfacilities. Such projects include: ➤ Improvements to the recreational

facilities at Nymore Beach,Diamond Point Park, and theMississippi Riverfront in Bemidji.

➤ Improvements to the boat accessto Lake Irvine near its outlet tothe Mississippi River. Improve-ments to the boat access atLake Bemidji at Nymore Beachand Diamond Point Park; andimprovements to the canoe


714

access to the Mississippi Riverbetween lakes Irvine and Bemidji.

➤ Improvements to the dockingfacilities at Nymore Beach,Diamond Point Park, theMississippi River, and theTourist Information Center.

➤ Construction of additional dockson the southern beach of LakeBemidji as proposed by the TH 197 Public AdvisoryCommittee.

Capital improvement projectsrelated to interpreting or preservingcultural resources are typically notfunded by Mn/DOT unless a trans-portation function can be identified.Several projects that would enhancethe tourist's understanding of cul-tural resources have been proposedby the community. Projects thatmay include an association withtransportation include: ➤ The renovation, adaptive re-use,

and interpretation of theNorthern Pacific Depot.

➤ Restoration and interpretationof the WPA scenic overlooksconstructed of cut fieldstone on Paul Bunyan Drive (TH 197)and Lake Boulevard overlookingLake Bemidji.

➤ Adaptive re-use and interpretationof Midway Bridge as a pedestrianbridge over the Mississippi afterTH 197 is reconstructed.

Cultural resources projects that have been discussed by thecommunity and would be of benefitto tourists but probably would notbe eligible for funding from Mn/DOTinclude: ➤ The development of an

American Indian Museum orHeritage Center in Bemidji.

➤ Renovation and interpretationof WPA structures in ItascaState Park.

➤ Interpretation of Nymore Beachruins.

Several projects that would beutilized primarily by residents butwould improve the experience oftourists have been proposed by thecommunity. Typically none of theseprojects would receive financial sup-port from Mn/DOT but could receiveverbal support as important additionsto Great River Road tourist facilities.These projects include:➤ The development of the Science

Museum in Bemidji

➤ The development of an outdooramphitheater near the waterfront.

Promotional StrategiesStrategies for enhancing

the experience of the Great RiverRoad tourist could involve alteringmanagement or promotion of attrac-tions and services in the MississippiHeadwaters Demonstration Area.These strategies could be imple-mented by Federal, State, Local governmental authorities or privateassociations.

Several strategies could beimplemented by state agencies.Those that could be implemented by Mn/DOT include: ➤ Verifying the existence and

adequate condition of GreatRiver Road route, directional,and mileage makers each springprior to Memorial Day and thebeginning of the tourist season.

Those strategies that could beimplemented by DNR include: ➤ Working with tour bus operators to

provide adequate parking, restau-rant and lodging services increasevisitation by structured tourists.

➤ Increasing overnight lodging inItasca State Park or promotingshuttle services between it andlodging in Bemidji.

➤ Promoting to Tourists in Bemidjithat they visit Itasca State Parkfor the Headwaters and for theintriguing meals served atDouglas Lodge that featurefoods and beverages unique to Minnesota meals.

➤ Increasing the range and numberof food services in Itasca StatePark, especially near the bicycleand boat rental center and theHeadwaters History Center.

➤ Utilizing local manufacturedgoods, such as using blanketsform Bemidji Woolen Mills inDouglas Lodge and the Bear Paw Housekeeping Cabins.

➤ Promoting bicycling on theGreat River Road between Itasca and Bemidji or betweenthe two state parks.

➤ Developing (or encouraging theprivate development of) canoeand bicycle rental and retrievalservices between Lake Itascaand Bemidji or between the two state parks.

➤ Distributing Great River RoadMississippi Headwaters mapillustrating the MississippiHeadwaters Demonstration Area to tourists at the two state parks.

Those strategies that could bedeveloped by the Minnesota Officeof Tourism (MOT) include: ➤ Positioning the Headwaters of the

Mississippi as one of America'smost important natural attractionsand an easily attained destination. 7


➤ Re-establishing the preeminenceof Paul and Babe as quintessentialtourist attractions.

➤ Developing with NorthwestAirlines ways to increase passenger traffic between the Twin Cities Airport (MSP)and Bemidji International.

➤ Study the feasibility of developingfly/drive options between theHeadwaters and MSP.

Those strategies that could beimplemented jointly by Mn/DOT,DNR, and the MOT include: ➤ Creating a Great River Road

Mississippi HeadwatersDemonstration Area map forpublic distribution throughagencies and private venuesthroughout the region. Thiswould include TouristInformation Centers, stateparks, regional bicycle shops,lodging accommodations, andcar rental agencies at BemidjiInternational Airport.

Several strategies that could beimplemented by the City of Bemidjior its tourism promotion or businessorganizations:➤ Promote winter visitation to see

Bemidji as the “City of Lights.”

➤ Discuss creating a tradition ofacting historic plays with PaulBunyan Players. Suggest thedevelopment of an outdooramphitheater to stage storiesabout Schoolcraft’s discovery of the source of the Mississippi,the tales of Paul and Babe, orother plays interesting totourists that help codify theregion’s rustic headwater’s identity. These could be a rotating annual performancesthat become widely known

and attract many people.

➤ Use this outdoor amphitheater,adjacent to the lake or river fora “Headwaters Music Festival.”

➤ Expand and continue to show-case the public art. Rotatepieces. Promote and advertise in art regional magazines.

➤ Use local accommodations andrestaurants to promote theseartistic events. Such as a standardrestaurant placemat that is amap of all the public art inBemidji.

➤ Work with local manufactures to create items with a distinct“Mississippi Headwaters” feeluseful to tourists or touristproviders such as commissioningBemidji Woolen Mills to createunique blankets for local hotelsor the "housekeeping" cabins in Itasca.

Mississippi CrossroadsGeographic Description

The Mississippi CrossroadsDestination Area is in Crow Wingand Morrison Counties in centralMinnesota. Anchored by Brainerdand Little Falls, the destination areaextends along the Great River Roadfrom TH 25 in Brainerd to MorrisonCSAH 26 near Royalton. This area is dominated by lakes, lake cabins,and resorts. Historically, the river in this destination area has beenused as a commercial commodity.Although recreational use of theriver has increased in the last half-century with the creation of severalriver-oriented state, county, andmunicipal parks, in practice, touristsare blithely unaware of the river orthe Great River Road.

Ironically it is in the older

urban core that substantial portionsof riverfront have been convertedinto parkland or open space. Touristswould find these recreational facili-ties more attractive if recreationalopportunities were complementedby more and better travel services in the adjoining commercial districts.Unfortunately, to a tourist comparingfacilities found on nearby lakes,attractions and services related tothe Mississippi River and the GreatRiver Road, underperform. Indeed,attractions (such as water access,parks, trails, historic sites) and travel services (such as hotels andrestaurants) specifically oriented topromoting tourism on the river orthe Great River Road, are rare andminimally developed.

In Brainerd and Little Falls, theriver flows past houses, then down-town businesses, then more houses.The houses become more infrequent,located on larger lots, the furtherone is from the commercial core ofthese two cities. In the rural corridorbetween the anchors and downstreamfrom Little Falls, land adjacent tothe river is primarily agriculturalfields or woodlots. Except for CampRipley Military Reservation, mostland is owned privately, providingsites for housing, business, or agri-culture. Camp Ripley occupiesapproximately one-fifth of theriver’s shoreline in the demonstrationarea. However, as a military reserva-tion, it typically is not open to thegeneral public. Less than five percentof the shoreline is publically-accessi-ble. Here, only ninety minutes fromthe wilderness of the Headwaters,evidence of human occupation dominates the landscape. The quin-tessential emblem of human domi-nance—the taming of a wild riverwith a hydroelectric dam—is almostpedestrian in this demonstrationarea. There are five power damsbetween Brainerd and St. Cloud,


716

MORRISON CO.STEARNS CO.

MORRISON CO.BENTON CO.

CROW WING CO.MORRISON CO.

CR

OW

WIN

G C

O.

CA

SS C

O.

Crow WingState Park

LindbergState Park

Brainerd

LittleFalls

CampRipley

CrowWingLakeM

issi

ssi pp i

M

i s sissi p p i River

Crow Wing River

Riv

er

210

10

371

371

115

371

76

2776

10

2626

21

10

213

224

Mississippi Crossroads Demonstration Area

North0 1.5 3 6 Miles

Interstate Route

U.S. Route

State Route

County Route

Anchor

Junction

Existing Great RiverRoad Route

Proposed Great RiverRoad Route

2

12

197

35E


717

three in the demonstration area:one in Brainerd; one in Little Falls;and one near Royalton. TheMississippi has become not only aworking river, but a human artifact.


The Mississippi River is a notice-able force in the Mississippi CrossroadsDemonstration Area. It is no longersubtle. It does not hide in marshesor in lakes. It travels in a channeland is reasonably large, hundreds of feet across, as it passes approxi-mately 50 islands, an unusuallyhigh number for a river in Minnesota.

As the river passes through threehydro-electric dam sluice-gates, itdemonstrates its raw power. Typically,these demonstrations of power occur in cities because cities firstharnessed and continue to utilizedthe energy. Both Brainerd and LittleFalls have dams. Ironically, the largesthydroelectric dam on the UpperMississippi is the Blanchard Damwhich straddles the river in a com-pletely rural setting about five milesfrom Royalton.

These three dams are undiscov-ered attractions and would comparefavorably to other more commonlyvisited dams in the Twin Cities. TheBlanchard dam is huge; the falls atLittle Falls immense. Both beg com-parison with St. Anthony Falls inMinneapolis. Blanchard actually

generates more power; Little Fallshas nearly as much generatingcapacity. Although St. Anthony Fallshas the natural capacity to generatemore power than either, it is theonly falls on the Upper Mississippithat can make this claim.

This capacity to generate energyis caused by an unusually significantfall in elevation. Between Little ElkCreek near Little Falls and Two River near Royalton, the river fallson average 6.5 feet per mile fortwenty-two miles.

Between Brainerd and LittleFalls are several large tracts of publicland, including Belle Prairie MorrisonCounty Park, Crow Wing State Parkand Camp Ripley Military Reservation.In these areas, the river is tranquil,unmolested by human enterprise.The river appears wild and scenicrolling quietly through the forestedor agricultural countryside. Waterquality is considered satisfactory forfishing and recreation. Efforts toimprove water quality are underwayby reducing agricultural runoff andindustrial discharges. This part ofthe river is known for its good fish-ing. Motorboats can readily navigateits waters, although shallow riflesmay have many boaters preferringto frequent the pools created by the three dams.


The designatedNational Routeof the GreatRiver Road fol-lows the generalpath of theriver, runningsouth in onelong shallowbow fromBrainerd to BellePrairie, archingin reverse to

Little Falls. Except for the roads inthe vicinity of the two anchors, thedesignated Great River Road is onstate trunk highways: TH 25, TH 210and TH 371.

The Demonstration Area beginsin Brainerd at the junction of TH 25and TH 210. The National Route follows the TH 210 or WashingtonStreet, to East River Road. It continueson East River Road downstream toeastbound College Drive and east-bound Quince Street before it turnssouth onto TH 371. TH 371, alsoknown as the Paul Bunyan Highway,remains the Great River Road down-stream to Little Falls.

This National Route, which byfollowing municipal roads that windthrough Brainerd closer to the river,is less direct than the State Route.The State Route, also arriving fromupstream on TH 210, simply turnssouth on TH 371 from westbound TH 210. The State Route runs totallyon the east side of the river on TH 371 between Brainerd and LittleFalls and on Highway 10 (US Route10) downstream to Royalton. TheFederal and State Routes are con-current between Little Falls andBrainerd because Camp Ripley prohibits access to the river fromthe Westbank between Crow WingState Park and Belle Prairie.

In Little Falls, the downstreamNational Route exits from TH 371 on CSAH 76. It enters downtownLittle Falls as 4th Street on thecity's more retail-oriented east side. At the junction with TH 27, or Broadway Avenue, the Great RiverRoad continues west over the river.Turning south, it continues down-stream on CSAH 52 which is alsoknown as Lindbergh Drive. CrossingPike Creek, CSAH 52 becomesMorrison County Road 224. TheGreat River Road continues on CR 224 until the junction with CSAH 26, where the demonstration


718

The power of the Mississippi River is evident at the hydroelectric damin Little Falls.

area ends, two miles west of Royalton.The Great River Road crosses

the river only once in this destina-tion area, on Broadway Avenue inLittle Falls.


ized vehicular transportation. TheGreat River Road especially was con-ceived to provide a route for recre-ational bicycling. The original GreatRiver Road Design Guidelines, estab-lished in 1981, called for a four-footpaved shoulder or an eight-foot off-road trail where practical to accom-modate bicycling. Design standardshave changed significantly since thoseoriginal guidelines were established.Currently, a ten-foot shoulder oreight-foot off-road trail is consid-ered minimal for State-Aid FundedCounty Road projects. In practice, a ten-foot surface is preferred foroff-road multi-modal trails also.

Except for sidewalks in Brainerdand Little Falls (which are meantonly for pedestrians), there are nooff-road trails in the MississippiCrossroads Demonstration Area. The only designated bicycle route ison Lindbergh Drive from downtownLittle Falls past Lindbergh StatePark and Historic House site to PikeCreek. This bicycle route, however,is exclusively on the roadway,except for a separate bridge overPike Creek.

On TH 371, the large volumecars and trucks moving at or overthe posted 65 mph, inhibits use bybicyclists even though there is four-lanes and a ten foot paved shoulderbetween Belle Prairie and LittleFalls. North of Belle Prairie wherethe road narrows to two lanes, simi-lar untenable conditions also exist.Although the speed limit is slightlylower, 55 mph, traffic volumes arestill high and dangerously close.

Downstream from Little Falls on

Morrison CountyRoad 224 trafficis minimal andbicycling is more enjoyable.However, theshoulders aregravel and thisalso tends toprohibit bicy-cling to onlyexperiencedcyclists.

Transportation System SummaryAccording to Mn/DOT data all

roads are adequately wide andpaved. Shoulders are of variouswidths and typically not paved oncounty and municipal routes.Sidewalks and off-road trails arelimited to the two anchors.

Attractions and ServicesVarious cultural, recreational,

and river attractions and travel ser-vices appealing to tourists occurthroughout the demonstration area.The discussion of these attractionsand services is divided into threeparts: those attractions and servicesfound in the two anchors of thedemonstration area, Brainerd andLittle Falls, and those found in therural corridor outside the anchors.

Upstream AnchorThe City of Brainerd is the

upstream anchor. The quality andquantity of its cultural, river, andrecreational attractions and theavailability of travel services is critical to the success of thisdemonstration area. Generally,recreational attractions and travelservices are superb but not orientedto the river or the Great River Road.River and cultural attractions aretypically underdeveloped.

Brainerd has been one ofMinnesota’s premier tourist des-

tination areas for generations. Aresort industry dominates the lakesfound in the region. Lately, the devel-opment of tourist services has movedwest and north along Highway 371into Baxter. This movement isexpected to accelerate when a new route for TH 371 will bypassdowntown Brainerd.

Brainerd and Baxter are in manyways similar. Both have promotedstrip development adjacent to thehighways carrying tourists to theirdestinations. Both have a history of being oriented to the region’slakes and the lake-bound tourist.Although much attention is paid toproviding travel services to tourists,little attention is paid to attractionsassociated with the Mississippi River.

Nonetheless, Brainerd does havea downtown and the river. Baxterhas neither. Brainerd has an oldermore varied history than Baxter.This history is primarily associatedwith railroads. Indeed it was therailroad that created Brainerd and theBrainerd Lakes Resort phenomenon.By utilizing the river and its railroadhistory, Brainerd could distinguishitself from its flashier neighbor.

Cultural ResourcesBrainerd has several important

historic sites that it has linked as aheritage trail illustrating the historyof the city. Significant sites include


Resorts, such as Grand View Lodge, have been attractive to tourists forgenerations.

719


720

The Great River Road Development StudyTransportation Resources“Mississippi Crossroads”Brainerd to Little Falls

historic downtown buildings, theNorthern Pacific Shops east of down-town, and an historic residentialarea surrounding Gregory Park northof downtown.

Brainerd has always been animportant crossroads, and to thisday it is a gateway to the centrallakes region. When coming intotown on either Highway 371 or 210,a prominent landmark is the historicwater tower. Located at the inter-section of the two main highways,the tower is roughly in the center oftown and currently houses a touristinformation center. Built during1918-1921, the water tower is sig-nificant because it is an early, andperhaps the first, tower to utilizereinforced concrete for water stor-age. It is well-lit at night, clearlydominating the sky.

Brainerd was platted in 1871 asthe point where the Northern PacificRailroad Company would cross theMississippi River. For many years, thecity served as the switching pointbetween Minnesota's two terminalports, St. Paul and Duluth, and themainline running west to the PacificCoast. The Northern Pacific built alarge complex of shops, offices, andstorehouses, and by 1880 the com-pany employed over 1,000 people in Brainerd. As late as the 1920’s,approximately 90 percent of thefamilies in Brainerd were dependent

on the railroads. The shops complexstill stands today, retains its originalhistoric feel, testifying to the sig-nificance of railroad transportationto the city.

To the west of the NorthernPacific Railroad shops, there is thehistoric commercial area aroundLaurel Avenue in downtown Brainerd.In particular, there is a fine com-mercial block on the north side ofLaurel between Sixth and Seventhstreets. As with other communities,the presence of the railroads ensuredthe inflow of supplies and materialsnecessary to develop the city’s economy as a local trade center. The railroad also provided a meansof shipping out wood products,which was another mainstay of the Brainerd economy.

Although thelogging industrywas beginningto decline in the area by the 1910’s,wood productsremained impor-tant. One of theleaders in theindustry was theNorthwest PaperCompany, whichbuilt a mill in

1917 to take advantage of thewaterpower from the Brainerd dam.The current dam was built in 1950,following the wash out of the origi-nal 1888 timber version, and it his-torically provided power for the cityand for the Northwest Paper Company.Chemical pulp, processed at the company’s Cloquet plant, was shippedto Brainerd where it was combinedwith ground-wood pulp to makenewsprint. In addition to its impor-tance to Brainerd, the plant is sig-nificant for the introduction of new, more efficient technology that became the industry standard.

With revenue generated by therailroads, commerce, and milling,Brainerd residents developed a com-munity. Gregory Park, which datesto the first city plat, was an attrac-tive area for community events andcelebrations. Cut-stone entry gatesand the reaching shade of the pineand hardwood trees on the propertywelcome visitors. It is not surprisingthat the area around the park was a desirable location for residentialdevelopment. The Gregory Park residential area includes roughly a two-block radius around the parkand contains a variety of residentialstyles that reflect the city's socialand ethnic heritage. There are also a number of public buildings in


The Northern Pacific Railroad Shops are a significant cultural resourcein the Crossroads Destination Area.

Gregory Park is a lavish display of the wealth that the railroads created in Brainerd.

721

Brainerd that illustrate communitydevelopment. As the county seat forCrow Wing County, Brainerd housesa prominent courthouse (1919-1920)that was designed by the Alden andHarris architectural firm as a classi-cally inspired, City Beautiful monu-ment. A block east on Laurel, theCity Hall (1914) employs classical ele-ments, though much more sparinglythan the courthouse. Situated betweenthe Gregory Park residential areaand downtown, the Carnegie Library(1904) was also inspired by classicalarchitecture – a columned porticoleads into a central domed space.

Recreational ResourcesThe primary recreational attrac-

tions found in Brainerd include theNASCAR BrainerdInternationalRaceway. NASCARracing is thecountry's secondlargest spectatorsport. Thousandsof people areattracted toBrainerd annu-ally to theseraces. Otherrecreationalattractionsinclude: PaulBunyan LandAmusement Park, Crow WingCounty Historical Society Museum,Paul Bunyan Nature Learning Center,and the Lakes Area Children's Museum.

Although, the riverfront inBrainerd is bounded by open space,little of it is developed for recreationaluse. Kiwanis Park, on the Great RiverRoad at the junction of East RiverRoad and College Drive is a popularpark with a carry-in access, picnictables and a shelter, playground,and two fishing piers. HistoricGregory Park also provides space for

passive recreational pursuits such as picnicking or strolling throughornamental gardens.

Several annual events and cele-brations occur in Brainerd includingan Old Farm Show Days in August,the Crow Wing County Fair, and theBrainerd Taste of the Lakes Festival.

River ResourcesIn downtown Brainerd there is

little that has been developed toattract a tourists to the river.Upstream from downtown and thePotlach Dam, a boat access, fishingpier, swimming beach in Lum Parkprovide good access to the impound-ment called Rice Lake. Below thedam, in addition to the facilities inKiwanis Park, there is a boat landing

at EvergreenLanding.

TransportationResources Tourist Informa-tion, housedinside the city’ssignature watertower is availableat the junctionof TH 210 andTH 371.

Commercial lodg-ing is plentifuland varied fromlarge historic

lodges to quaint bed and breakfastinns. Dozens of hotels, inns, andresorts are listed in brochures pro-duced by the Minnesota Office ofTourism (MOT). MOT also lists overten commercial campgrounds and RVparks available to the tourist in theBrainerd vicinity. Most of the com-mercial lodging is oriented to lakes,not the river, nor the Great RiverRoad. Reservations during peaktourist seasons are usually necessary.

The nearest public campground

is the Lum Park Municipal Campgroundand downstream in Crow Wing StatePark. Lum Park Campground onlyallows RV camping. Crow Wing allowsboth tent and RV camping. Bothpublic campgrounds are oriented to the river.

Restaurants are also plentifulwith varied offerings from standardinexpensive fast-food fare to uniqueregional cuisine served in expensiveelegant settings.

Gas stations and roadside servicesare readily available.

There are no public rest areas or waysides oriented to the traveleroperated in Brainerd along the GreatRiver Road.

Downstream AnchorLittle Falls is the Downstream

Anchor. The quality and quantity ofits cultural, river, and recreationalattractions and the availability oftravel services is critical to the success of this demonstration area.Generally, the area has many superbcultural and an inviting variety ofriver and recreational attractions.Travel services, however, are limited.

Cultural ResourcesThe main historical attraction in

Little Falls is the Lindbergh House,the boyhood home of Charles A.Lindbergh, Jr. world-renown aviatorand conservationist. The residencewas owned by his strong- willed,pacifistic, and progressively-mindedfather, Representative Charles A.Lindbergh, Sr. who represented thisarea in the United States House of Representatives during Wilson’sAdministration. Run by theMinnesota Historical Society, the Lindbergh House is an out-standing public interpretation siteof the Lindbergh family and theircontributions to the national andinternational events that shaped the 20th Century.


722

Most tourists that currently visit Brainerd arecoming to relax or be entertained, such asrace car enthusiasts at Brainerd InternationalRaceway. How can they be induced to see theMississippi River or travel on the Great RiverRoad?

Charles Lindbergh, Jr., accordingto many of his contemporaries, em-bodied the ideal American character:brilliantly innovative, doggedly persistent, and scrupulously honest.Perhaps best known for his feats ofaviation, he also supported techno-logical innovation and conservationof natural resources.

A recent best-selling biographyabout Lindbergh is being developedinto a major motion picture by world-famous director, Steven Speilberg,according to the manager of the historic site. If Speilberg, known forhis fidelity to historical characters,portrays the influence of the Missis-sippi River and Little Falls had onshaping young Lindbergh's personalityand conservation ideas, this seg-ment of the Great River Road maywitness a phenomenal increase invisitation following the release ofthe movie.

Across the road from the historicsite is Lindbergh State Park, alsopart of the father's original estate.The park has many excellent examplesof rustic style log and stone struc-tures constructed by the WorksProgress Administration during theGreat Depression.

Adjacent to the two Lindberghsites is the Charles A. WeyerhaeuserMemorial Museum, home of theMorrison County Historical Society.

The museum pri-marily providesinformation onthe general his-tory of LittleFalls and MorrisonCounty with anemphasis on theforest industryand the genealo-gy of early set-tlers. The muse-um references—but does notaccentuate—the

contributions of the Weyerhaeuserfamily to the development of theregion despite its name.

In town, the Northern PacificRailroad Depot, located on the westbank of the river, is visible from theGreat River Road. The Northern Pacificrouted its mainline through LittleFalls in 1889 connecting factories in Little Falls with larger markets,increasing the city's prosperity. Thedepot's interpretive potential comesnot only from its association witheconomic expansion but also fromits architect, Cass Gilbert, the archi-tect who designed the MinnesotaState Capitol. Although a prolificdepot designer, most of Gilbert’sother railroad buildings have beendemolished ordramaticallyaltered. TheShingle Styledepot exhibitsinfluences fromRichard NormanShaw and H. H.Richardson, lead-ing architects ofthe time.

LikeBrainerd, theriver and therails built LittleFalls; unlikeBrainerd, the

river supplied the primary industryand the railroads played a support-ing role. Little Falls was platted in1855, and while small lumber andflour mills had previously utilizedthe fall of water at the rapids, itwas the construction of a dam andhydroelectric plant in 1888 that ledto rapid growth. Companies usingthe great generating potential—second in Minnesota only to St. Anthony Falls in Minneapolis—flourished.

The Little Falls HydroelectricDevelopment dam was partially constructed in 1888 and finalizedduring the 1910's. The dam complexincludes channel dams designed by Ralph D. Thomas, a prominenthydroelectric development designer.Although heavily altered throughthe years, the dam and power plantare visible from the riverfront.

Lumber magnate FrederickWeyerhaeuser and his associateschose Little Falls in 1891 as the site for their Minnesota operations,including the Pine Tree LumberCompany and the Hennepin PaperCompany. They selected Little Fallsbecause of the hydroelectric powerprovided by the dam, the storagecapabilities for logs floated on theMississippi River, the city's rail


The boyhood homestead of Charles Lindbergh, the world-renownaviator and conservationist, is a major tourist attraction.

The Northern Pacific Railroad Depot is nicely located on the MississippiRiver and would be an excellent location for a kiosk orienting travelersto the Great River Road. 7

23

Above: Tourists are already attracted toLittle Falls as a Fall 1999 “Ride for the Cure”fundraising event illustrates. Left: TheMinnesota Fishing Museum in Little Falls isgeared toward teaching children and adultsabout one of Minnesota's favorite recreationalsports.

access, and its location relativelynear the northern pine forests. Inaddition, numerous smaller.

On the east side of theMississippi, Weyerhaeuser's Pine TreeLumber Company Office illustrates theimportance of the lumber industryto Little Falls. While the officebuilding still stands, the 127-footbrick smokestack and the almost100 acres of mill buildings that onceflanked the river and dominated theview of Little Falls are now gone. Theoffice building evokes a simplicityand efficiency in design, qualitiesthat Weyerhaeuser strove for in themill's operation. In addition to theoffice, the Weyerhaeuser and Musserestates, built in 1898, illustrate thevast fortunes created by the loggingindustry and are exuberant examplesof the Colonial Revival Style. Locatedat 608 Highland Avenue, the com-bined estate is currently owned bythe City and serves as the LindenHill Conference and Retreat Center.

The Little Falls CommercialHistoric District is an excellentexample of how the establishmentand expansion of rail service, com-bined with the river, benefittedlocal companies. The Little Falls

Commercial Historic District includes32 buildings that contribute to itshistoric value, 24 of which date tothe economic boom that followedthe railroads and dam building.There are eight other buildings inthe District related to its expansionfollowing the construction ofregional highways. Together thestructures in the Little FallsCommercial Historic District present“a uniform collection of late nine-teenth and early twentieth centurycommercial buildings which comprisesthe core of Little Falls’ historic commercial center.” With carefulrestoration of these buildings, LittleFalls has the potential to combinecommercial opportunities with publicinterpretation that would be attrac-tive to heritage tourists.

The Minnesota Fishing Museumhas a large and impressive collectionof items related to the historicaldevelopment of inland fishing includ-ing boats, motors, rods, reels, andtackle. Located in a temporary facil-ity on TH 27 two blocks west ofLindbergh Drive, it is currently indeveloping plans for a new museumbuilding and searching for a newsite on the Mississippi River.

Recreational ResourcesLittle Falls has several parks

that border both sides of the riverwith parking lots, walking paths,and picnic facilities to accommodatetourists. Except for these passiveparks and trails associated with the river, there are few permanentrecreational attractions. Severalrecreational events, however, may beof interest to the tourist including:➤ The Arts and Crafts Fair and

Antique Auto Show held down-town on the weekend afterLabor Day.

➤ The Morrison County Fair heldannually in late summer inLittle Falls. The fairgrounds feature a racetrack and field for horses.

➤ The Great River Arts Associationsponsors exhibits and perfor-mances throughout the year,including Sunday afternoonconcerts in Maple Island Parkduring the summer.

➤ The Heartland SymphonyOrchestra performs throughoutthe year in both Little Falls and Brainerd.

➤ The Stroia Ballet Company alsooffers performances throughoutthe year including the NutcrackerFantasy annually at Christmas.

➤ Little Falls House Concerts, folkmusicians performing at a varietyof venues, is another artisticevent that may be of interest to specific tourists.

River ResourcesObservable from LeBourget Park

(named after the French town whereLindbergh landed after his record-breaking 1927 Trans- Atlantic Flight),the Little Falls Dam operated by


724

Minnesota Power is an amazing exam-ple of the river's power when itssluice gates are open. Tours of thedam are available by arrangement.

Situated on the west bank ofthe river near the Northern Pacificdepot, Larson Boat Works is a LittleFalls landmark. With 10,000 lakescreating a market, Minnesota ishome of several boat manufacturers,many of which, like Larson BoatWorks, are owned by the same par-ent company, Genmar. Genmar isone of the most successful boatmanufacturers in the nation. Formsfor constructing boats of all sizesare intriguingly stored outside themassive plant. Tours of the manu-facturing plant are available byarrangement.

Both carry-in and boat accessramps are available in this parkbelow the dam. Above the dam, twoboat access ramps are situated onboth riverbanks in North End Park.River overlooks and trails are avail-able at the Lindbergh Historic Siteand Charles A. WeyerhaeuserMemorial Museum.

Transportation ResourcesThe Little Falls Chamber of Com-

merce operates a Travel InformationCenter in the renovated NorthernPacific train depot designed by CassGilbert. The center is open week-daysonly. The nearest MOT operated

Travel Information Center and Mn/DOTrest area is a jointly operated facilityon TH 10 is in St. Cloud. There areseveral municipal parks that serveas waysides in Little Falls near theGreat River Road.

Commercial lodging is limited toless than a half-dozen establishmentsaccording to the MOT listing. Thisincludes recent construction whichhas increased the number of roomsavailable to travelers. The increasedcapacity has been on the TH 10/ TH 371 Bypass rather than downtownLittle Falls or the river. As such,these rooms probably serve the longdistance traveler rather than someoneseeking Little Falls as a destination.The only existing downtown river-front lodging, an inviting periodarchitectural piece that had beenknown for good meals, has beenclosed for several years and isfalling into disrepair. Camping isaccommodated by the DNR at PikeCreek Campsite and Lindbergh State Park.

The community supports a fewmodest restaurants downtown. Noneare currently oriented to the riveror offer unusual specialized cuisine.Standard, inexpensive fast-food fareis also infrequent on the Great RiverRoad in Little Falls.

Gas stations and roadside ser-vices are readily available on theeast side of the river in Little Falls.No travel services are available onthe Great River Road after it crossesover to the west side of the river.

The Connecting CorridorAttractions and services available

to tourists outside the anchors ofthe destination area are essential to promoting travel along the GreatRiver Road. Without attractions orservices adequately sprinkled alongthe route, tourism would remainfocused only on the anchors. Fortu-nately, there are adequate attractionsoutside the anchors in the MississippiCrossroads Demonstration Area.Travel services, however, are limitedto a few undeveloped turn-outs.Nonetheless, this lack of travel ser-vices outside the anchors does notinhibit tourism. Travel services, ifavailable more readily in Brainerdand Little Falls, would cover mostneeds for accommodations and food adequately.

Cultures have met and exchangedproduce and ideas for centuries, evenmillennia, here, in the MississippiCrossroads Demonstration Area. For thousands of years people havebeen attracted to the rich and varied

resources foundhere, where threebiogeographicalregions converge:prairies from the west; borealforests from thenorth; and decid-uous forests fromthe east. In theMississippi Cross-roads Demon-stration Area,transportationhas alwaysdetermined the location 7

25

LeBourget Park in Little Falls was named afterthe town in France where Lindbergh landedafter his transatlantic flight. It is a favorite spotfor residents and visitors to stroll.

The Little Falls Chamber of Commerce operates a Travel InformationCenter out of this historic train depot designed by Cass Gilbert, thesame architect who designed the Minnesota State Capitol.


19th Century, one branch of the Red River Ox Cart trail crossed the Mississippi River at Crow Wing.The advancement of the railroaddestroyed transportation by riverand ox cart. The decision of theNorthern Pacific Railroad to crossthe Mississippi River at Brainerd,rather than at Crow Wing deter-mined the fate of both communities.This story of how nature and cul-tures intertwined to create settle-ment patterns is interpreted at CrowWing State Park south of Brainerd.

This state park, just downstreamfrom Brainerd, has great potentialto illustrate the importance of theMississippi River to early residents,and there are a number of interpre-tive markers in the park. The mark-ers include discussions of the trad-ing posts and missions, as well asthe ghost town, Crow Wing. Locatedat the confluence of the Crow Wingand Mississippi rivers, the area was ameeting point for American Indiansand fur traders from the late eigh-teenth century through the firsthalf of the nineteenth. Even as the fur trade declined in the 1840’s,

Crow Wing developed as an outfit-ting point for travelers on the RedRiver ox cart trails and by the 1850’sfor the growing number of loggers.With the removal of local tribes tothe White Earth Reservation after1868 and the decision of the NorthernPacific to cross the Mississippi atBrainerd, old Crow Wing quicklydeclined and disappeared. Thoughno buildings remain to tell the storyof Crow Wing, there are manyarchaeological sites in the area.

Downstream from Old Crow Wingis Fort Ripley Landing. Near theconfluence with the Nokasippi River,this is one of two areas betweenBrainerd and Little Falls where theMississippi River can be seen fromTH 371. However, the river can onlybe seen from late fall to early springwhen leaves are off the trees thatscreen the river from the highway.The landing provides an access formotorboats and an unpaved parkinglot for vehicles.

Just east of TH 371 is anintriguing Scientific and NaturalArea, the Ripley Esker. The three-mile long esker is a remnant of anstream trapped underneath the iceof a monstrous glacier. Depositingsediment as it flowed, the streamcreated a long serpentine hill. TheMinnesota Geographical Survey, inassociation with Mn/DOT’s Office of Environmental Services recentlyplaced an interpretive plague over-looking the eskar.

Camp Ripley MilitaryReservation is adjacent to the GreatRiver Road but not its entrance whichis on TH 115. The camp houses theMinnesota Military Museum, anextensive collection of artifactsassociated with the original FortRipley and Minnesota's involvementin our nation's military. Displaysdepict the evolution of the combatgear from settlement through theCivil War, the World Wars, Korea and

of human settlements.Rivers have been the initial

transportation corridors for everyculture that entered the area. Theevidence is ancient. Paleo-Indiansoccupied a site near the confluenceof the Little Elk River with theMississippi thousands of years ago.Other Indians, including the modernDakota and Ojibwe, followed. TheFrench occupied the Little Elk Riversite in the mid-1700’s as part of anetwork of fur- trading posts. Forthe French, this site may have beenthe furthest west they came with apermanent trading post. This site,known as the Little Elk HeritagePreserve is two miles north of LittleFalls. Managed by the Institute forMinnesota Archaeology, a privateorganization, the site is availablefor inspection by invitation only.The Institute also conducts classesand has performed actual archaeo-logical digs at this location andother sites (notably Red Wing.)

Later the American settlementof Crow Wing took advantage of theconfluence of the Crow Wing and theMississippi rivers. For decades in the

726

Left: The Little Elk Heritage Preserve is anexcellent location for interpreting how peo-ple have lived along the banks of theMississippi River for thousands of years.Below: Crow Wing State Park, the site of anabandoned town used by ox-cart drivers,provides recreational and educationalopportunities for tourists.


Three photos from top to bottom: BellePrairie County Park provides many day-usefacilities. The Blanchard Dam is the secondlargest dam on the Mississippi River after thedam at St. Anthony Falls in Minneapolis.Converting this abandoned railroad trestleinto a non-vehicular bridge would provide aninteresting path for tourists wanting to bicycleor walk along the river in the CrossroadsDemonstration Area.

Viet Nam Conflicts, to Desert Storm.Camp Ripley Military Reservation isthe second oldest military reserva-tion in the state after Fort SnellingMilitary Reservation. It is thelargest training facility in NationalGuard Units in the country. Uniqueand interesting stonework marks theentrance to the reservation. Although,typically not open to the public, the 53,000 acre camp preserves thepre-settlement ecology of the regionquite well and may be of interest to visiting soldiers. A deer-hunt fordisabled veterans is held annually at the camp.

Belle Prairie County Park is alarge park for day uses. It has aextensive picnic facilities, a play-ground, motorboat access, swingingbenches with wonderful views of theriver, and drinking water. No campingis allowed. Near the park, it is possi-ble to get glimpses of river whentrees have lost their leaves.

The Blanchard Dam, the largesthydroelectric dam on the UpperMississippi, is operated by MinnesotaPower. Located south of Little Falls,the dam creates a massive poolupstream. Minnesota Power maintainsa boat landing on the east bank ofthe pool. Sport fishing is superb.

An abandoned high railroadtrestle, a few hundred feet down-stream from the dam, provides an

intriguing pedestrian crossing andfantastic views of the river and dam.An undeveloped turnout has beencreated primarily through use bypeople fishing, picnicking, and gen-erally exploring.

The Big StoryThere are several stories in the

Mississippi Crossroads DemonstrationArea that vie for the attention oftourists: ➤ The fascinating history of the

glacially-formed landscape.

➤ The unusual dominance ofislands in the river.

➤ The unique confluence of threemajor North American biomes:the eastern deciduous woodlands,the northern boreal forests, andthe western prairies.

➤ The evolution of transportationcorridors.

➤ The history of human settlement.


Above: The Ripley Esker is an example ofnot only an interesting geological formationbut a little-noticed program of the MinnesotaDepartment of Natural Resources—theScientific and Natural Areas program whichpreserves unique wildernesses throughoutthe state. This esker was interpreted withfunding from Mn/DOT. Left: Camp Ripley isused by National Guard troops from through-out the nation. Orienting service personnel tothe Mississippi River and the Great RiverRoad may induce them to return with theirfamilies on vacation.

727

Can these stories be woven into a single overarching story thattourists would find interesting? Byfocusing on human use of the riverand how technology has changedthis use, it seems possible to create asingle theme for organizing tourism.The Big Story is that this demon-stration area is a crossroads: a geo-logical crossroads where glaciersstopped and created moraines, out-wash plains, eskers, and hundreds of lakes as they retreated; a topo-graphic crossroads where after 300miles of meandering through lakesand marshes, the river is finallydefined by a continuous channeland dotted with nearly 50 islands; a biological crossroads where threedistinct biomes converge; an historiccrossroads for water transportation,a place where many streams andrivers converged and people, forthousands of years, did too; a cross-roads for changing patterns of landtransportation, a place where oxcarts forded the Mississippi and railroads and highways constructedbridges; and a place where societiesdecided to change their relationshipwith transportation and therefore,the river, and thus modify their settlement patterns.

Although this concept of cross-roads is multi-faceted, the pivotalidea is that this is a place whereitems, properties, attributes, andideas converge.


The type of tourist that hasbeen traditionally attracted to theCrossroads Demonstration Area isthe Player, Lounger, and Spectator.The area does attract someAccumulators, Explorers andPilgrims. Guests to cabins andhomes of family and friends are asignificant addition to the tourismbase.

As a demonstration area, theMississippi Crossroads has many sim-ilarities with and attracts some ofthe same tourists, particularlyExplorers and Pilgrims found in the Mississippi Headwaters Demon-stration Area and the Spectatorswhich dominate the MississippiGorge Demonstration Area. However,the primary attribute that differen-tiates the Mississippi CrossroadsDemonstration Area from the otherdemonstration areas, is its cateringto Players.

Those resources that supportPlayers, such as fishing, golfing,bicycling, and hunting dominate the area. Spectators are enthralledwith the Brainerd InternationalSpeedway. While Loungers appreciatebeing pampered in countless resorts.Nonetheless, the Mississippi Cross-roads Demonstration Area can diversifyits image even more by aggressivelyincorporating those resources thatwould appeal to the Explorer andeven the Pilgrim. Many of theseresources, such as the MinnesotaMilitary Museum and the Lindberghhome are associated with the river,not the lakes which currently bringmost of the tourists who come to play.

Tourists StylesMost tourists visiting the

Mississippi Crossroads DestinationArea are either on a semi-structuredor self-structured vacation. Somevisit the area on a completely struc-tured tour. Given the need for reser-vations at most accommodations,relatively few are thought to visitthe area in an unstructured manner,unless they are visiting as Guests.

Semi-Structured StyleMany tourists visiting resorts

are in a semi-structured event. Manyarrive for conferences and otherbusiness meetings. Time devoted tobusiness and playing is frequently

regulated by the organizer's agenda.Indeed, organizers pick this venuebecause they realize business rela-tionships and business frequentlyoccurs outside meeting rooms oncourts and links. They want toensure adequate time is allocatedfor meeting and playing together.

Free time, when available, istypically at the beginning and endof the conference. Even the timeallowed for spouses of attendees toenjoy the area or recreational facili-ties can be regimented by the orga-nizers. Therefore, to attract touriststo the Mississippi River and the GreatRiver Road, it will be essential topromote the river to meeting hostsand organizers.

Self-Structured and Other StylesThere are many private family

cabins, resorts, and hotels that caterto individual and families. Someresorts and hotels that offer confer-ence facilities also attract signifi-cant self-structured clientele. Theresorts and hotels are very popularand typically require an advancereservation of several weeks, if notmonths in popular seasons, prior to arriving.

Lindbergh State Park and CrowWing State Park offer tent and RVcamping, typically a self-structuredtravel style. The campgrounds aretypically full only on weekends,even in the summer. Campers mayreserve camping sites and most doon popular days. To reduce costs,the Department of Natural Resourceshas limited camping in LindberghState Park to the period betweenMemorial Day and Labor Day.

Since accommodations are diffi-cult to get without a reservationreason, most tourists have reserva-tions and have therefore providedtheir own structure to their owntrips. Nonetheless, the MississippiCrossroads Destination Area is has


728

a significant population base and itis also within a two hour drive ofthe Twin Cities. This permitsunstructured day tours by Guests,Players, and Explorers.

The self-structured and unstruc-tured tourists have elected to seethe Crossroads Demonstration them-selves. Nonetheless, unless they arestaying in one of the State Parks orpartaking in a day trip that bringsthem to an attraction located onthe river, they are unlikely toengage the Mississippi River or the Great River Road.


Tourists arrive mostly from theTwin Cities and other Minnesotancities by automobile. Wisconsin andIllinois also provide visitors. Thetourist typically arrives by automo-bile and can orient themselves atthe Tourist Information Centers inBrainerd or Little Falls. Some, anincreasing number, arrive by airplane.Airports exist in both Brainerd andLittle Falls, although only Brainerdhas scheduled commercial flights.

Several flights with reasonablefares fly in and out of the BrainerdAirport daily to the Twin Cities. Forapproximately an additional $40.00round-trip a person can connectthrough MSP to Brainerd from any ofNorthwest Airlines hundreds of flightsdaily into the Twin Cities from allover the world. Rental cars and taxiservices are available at the airport.

The Target MarketThe primary tourists that

would be naturally attracted to theMississippi Crossroads Destination Areawould be a self-structured or semi-structured Player or Lounger stayingat a resort, hotel, or campground andarriving by automobile. Another pri-mary tourist would be the Spectatorat the speedway’s NASCAR races.

Attracting Players andSpectators to the Mississippi Riverand the Great River Road is dauntingbut not impossible. To attract Playersand Loungers, the river and roadmust be positioned as a welcomeddiversion from the recreational pur-suits and the relaxed atmospherefound on the lakes and in theresorts. The easiest Player to trans-fer from lakes to the river may bepeople who are here to fish. Sportfishing is particularly good in thissegment of the river. Loungersmight be induced to visit the riverand the road by effectively promotingcultural events, like riverfront orches-tra concerts. Inducing Players andLoungers to visit the river may onlybe possible if adequate opportunitiesto recreate and relax next to theriver are developed.

Defining the river and road as ascenic drive may sufficiently attractPlayers, Loungers, and Spectators tothe Mississippi River and the GreatRiver Road. Spectators, especiallythose who are car buffs and NASCARenthusiasts, may find driving theGreat River Road and frequentingother river oriented attractions andservices an enjoyable introductionor conclusion to the racing event.By introducing Players, Loungers,and Spectators to the Great RiverRoad and the Mississippi River, itmay induce them into becomingExplorers or even Accumulators for a few hours.

Secondary markets, include theunstructured Guest visiting a friend’sor relative's private cabin or a TwinCities resident out on a day tripbeing an Explorer, Player, or Pilgrim.

A speculative third market,could be developed which wouldpromote the fly/drive semi-struc-tured model of bringing Players tothe Crossroads Destination Area,rent them a car, accommodatingthem in a lakeside resort but pro-

viding them with appropriate touristinformation about the MississippiRiver and the Great River Road.

Marketing SummaryThe primary target market are

the self-structured or semi-struc-tured Players, Loungers, andSpectators looking for a diversionfrom their standard routines. Thebenefit to these tourists, is anexpansion of their recreationalopportunities. The benefit to theresort owners, where the Players and Loungers are currently staying,is an enhanced location with awider range of recreational opportu-nities to offer visitors. The majorattractions to Players is the excel-lent sport fishing available on theriver. The recreational opportunities,particularly hiking and bicycling,found in riverfront parks, especiallyin Crow Wing and Lindbergh StateParks, would also be of interest toPlayers. Of interest to Loungers andSpectators would be the scenicdrive, cultural events and celebra-tions in Brainerd and Little Falls,and selected historic sites, particu-larly the Lindbergh Home. Playersmay find the Minnesota FishingMuseum in Little Falls intriguing.


first be oriented to establishing theMississippi River and the Great RiverRoad as a destination for Players,Loungers, and Spectators. First bysupporting diversionary travel byPlayers, Loungers, and Spectatorsthat structure their own itinerary;followed by promoting travel bystructured groups. By following astrategy of accommodating Players,Loungers, and Spectators, theMississippi River and the Great RiverRoad would become more noticeableto the local residents. Since a signif-icant amount of tourism in the area


729

is derived from Guests, making resi-dents more aware of the river androad should increase unstructuredtours of the Great River Road and its associated attractions by Guests.

Suggested capital improvementsto enhance the tourist experienceinclude several that are associatedwith the highway and could beimplemented by state and countytransportation agencies with assis-tance from other governmentalagencies as necessary: ➤ Add distinctive mileage markers

to enhance route identity andimprove wayfinding. Mileagemarkers would clearly identifythe route, reducing traveleranxiety. It would visually inte-grate the road, attractions, andservices into a tourist- orientedsystem. Mileage markers wouldfacilitate the development ofprivate-sector authored touristguides, including interpretativemaps, guidebooks, and audiotours. Public and private attrac-tions and services coulddescribe their location using amileage marker. By benefittingattractions and services the useof the system would be assuredand awareness of the GreatRiver Road as a destinationwould be enhanced.

➤ Install Great River Road routeand directional makers at everyjunction with a state trunkhighway and county roads withover 5,000 ADT. In particular,add or improve directional signson TH 25, TH 210, TH 371, TH 27, and any county roadwith over 5,000 ADT, informingdrivers of the junction withGreat River Road.

➤ Re-designate the National Routein Brainerd to run concurrentlywith the less confusing State

Route, TH 210 and TH 371. Froman Anchor Kiosk at the TouristInformation Center at the lanmark Water Tower, directtourists to the river.

➤ De-designate the National Routeon TH 371 south of TH 115.Designate TH 115 past the CampRipley as the Great River RoadNational Route to MorrisonCounty Road 213. FollowMorrison CR 213 to West RiverRoad in Little Falls. Follow WestRiver Road downstream to TH 27, or Broadway Street,which is the existing GreatRiver Road. These segments ofTH 115, Morrison County Road 213,and West River Road have supe-rior views of the river than theexisting National Route on TH 371. Designate these seg-ments as the National Route.

➤ To accommodate bicycling,improve sidewalks and on-roadtrails on TH 210 and TH 371 inBrainerd. South of Brainerd create an off-road trail parallelto TH 371. Add 6- or 8-footpaved shoulders to TH 115 andMorrison County Road 213 toaccommodate bicycling betweenTH 115 and West River Road.Create an off-road trail on WestRiver Road to TH 27. Improvesidewalks and on-road trail onTH 27. Create off- road orimprove on-road trail onLindbergh Drive. Add, wherenecessary, 6- or 8-foot pavedshoulders on Morrison CountyCSAH 52 south of Little Falls toaccommodate bicycling.

➤ Add gateway sign to Crow WingState Park on TH 371. Improveturning-movement safety fromTH 371 at park entrance, if neessary to conform with traffic

engineering standards, or if perceived as necessary bytourists.

➤ Signify the importance ofBrainerd and Little Falls to theGreat River Road traveler by creating appropriate gatewaymonuments.

➤ Work with MOT and the cities ofBrainerd and Little Falls to addGreat River Road Anchor Kiosksat the Water Tower and DepotTourist Information Centers. Usethese kiosks to orient travelersto all of the other features thatcan be seen off of the Great River Road spine, highlightingespecially those attractions andservices in the individual anchor.

➤ Standardize and improve signsto existing rest areas and futureattractions along the route,especially Fort Ripley Landing.

➤ Add rest area facilities and generally improve Fort RipleyLanding by creating views of theriver from TH 371, adding apaved parking lot, a well andhand pump, bike racks, a picnictable and small shelter, interpre-tative markers, and signs identi-fying the landing as a rest area.

Capital improvement projects for public recreational facilities aregenerally outside the jurisdiction ofMn/DOT to fund but deserve consider-ation as projects that would enhancethe experience of the Great RiverRoad tourist. As recreational projectsnear highways, joint-developmentagreements between Mn/DOT andthe provider may be a practical wayto reduce construction costs. It isnot uncommon for parking lots, forinstance, to be paved at a signifi-cant savings when an adjacent road-


730

way is being paved. Typically theseprojects are funded by those federal,state, and local agencies chargedwith providing recreational facilities.Such projects include: ➤ Add standard graphic symbols

for recreational facilities toexisting brown informationsigns that are used to directtraffic to various attractions.For example, add symbols indi-cating that tent camping, RVand trailer camping, hiking, and boat launching are availableat Crow Wing State Park todirectional sign on TH 371.

➤ To avoid disappointing tourists,post notice of closures (seasonor days of the week) on thebrown information signs thatdirect tourists to attractions ifthe attraction is not open dailythroughout the year.

➤ Evaluate with managing agenciesand improve, as necessary, theaccess to the river by canoesand boats. Accesses to be evaluated include those inBrainerd (Lum Park, EvergreenLanding, and the canoe accessin Kiwanis Park), Crow WingState Park, Fletcher CreekLanding, Belle Prairie CountyPark, Little Falls Dam, LeBourgetPark in Little Falls, Pike CreekLanding, and the MinnesotaPower Landing at the BlanchardPool. Working with managingagencies, evaluate the need tolocate and create a new carry-inaccess downstream from theBlanchard Dam.

➤ Improve docks and dockingfacilities in the pools above the Brainerd, Little Falls, andBlanchard dams for both dockingboats and for fishing.

Capital improvement projectsrelated to interpreting or preservingcultural resources are typically notfunded by Mn/DOT unless a trans-portation function can be identified.Several projects that would enhancethe tourist's understanding of cul-tural resources have been proposedby the community. Projects thatmay include an association withtransportation include:➤ The renovation and adaptive

reuse of the Northern PacificRailroad Shops.

➤ Expand existing heritage walkingtour in Brainerd, by expandingthe number of markers, empha-sizing the community's "cross-roads" themes, especially thosethemes related to recreation,the river, and the railroad. Tiethe heritage walking tour intothe Great River Road Anchor atBrainerd's Water Tower TouristInformation Center.

➤ Develop and install interpretivemarkers as part of a similar heritage walking tour for LittleFalls. Tie this heritage walkingtour into the Great River RoadAnchor at the Little Falls’ DepotTourist Information Center.

➤ Create, possibly with Crow WingState Park, and interpretive program that discusses how the evolution of transportationeffects settlement patterns,explaining how Old Crow Wingwas originally dependent onriver trade, then the ox carttrade; Brainerd on the railroad;Baxter on the car.

➤ Develop and improve overlooksof the three hydroelectric damsas part of an interpretive pro-gram for how the dams harnessthe river’s energy.

Projects to improve culturalresource attractions have been dis-cussed by the community and wouldbe of benefit to tourists but probablywould not be eligible for fundingfrom Mn/DOT include: ➤ Developing the Little Elk

Archaeological Site as an inter-pretive site open for tourists.

Several projects that would beutilized primarily by residents butwould improve the experience oftourists could be incorporated into a general strategy to enhance theattractiveness of the community totourists. Typically none of theseprojects would receive financial sup-port from Mn/DOT but could receiveverbal support as important additionsto Great River Road tourist facilities.These projects include:➤ The joint development of shared

parking, contact stations, trails,and interpretive facilities forLindbergh State Park and theLindbergh House State HistoricSite.

➤ The development of an outdooramphitheater near the water-front in downtown Brainerd and in downtown Little Falls.

➤ Improve parking for Crow WingCounty Museum.

➤ Induce commercial developmentof the riverfront, especiallyrestaurants and accommodationsthat overlook the river.

Promotional StrategiesStrategies for enhancing the

experience of the Great River Roadtourist could involve altering man-agement or promotion of attractionsand services in the MississippiHeadwaters Demonstration Area.These strategies could be imple-mented by Federal, State, Local


731

governmental authorities or privateassociations.

Several strategies could beimplemented by state agencies.Those that could be implemented byMn/DOT include: ➤ Verifying the existence and

adequate condition of GreatRiver Road route, directional,and mileage makers each spring prior to Memorial Dayand the beginning of the tourist season.

Those strategies that could beimplemented by DNR and MHS include: ➤ Selling discounted daily or

weekly passes at resorts fortrips to Lindbergh and CrowWing state parks and theLindbergh House Historic Site.This would give the resort ownersanother local attraction toinclude in their vacation packagesand the DNR and MHS extra revenue.

➤ Jointly (DNR and MHS) manageparking services to increase visitation by group-structuredand self-structured tourists ofLindbergh State Park andLindbergh House Historic Site.Promote bus parking with tourbus operators.

➤ Establish discounted MHS ticketsfor campers; discounted campingwith MHS ticket.

➤ Cross promote other localattractions at Lindbergh StatePark and Lindbergh HouseHistoric Site.

➤ If popular, consider adding morecabins to campground.

➤ Promoting bicycling on theGreat River Road between CrowWing and Lindbergh state parks.

➤ Developing (or encouraging theprivate development of) canoeand bicycle rental and retrievalservices between the two stateparks.

➤ Distributing Great River RoadMississippi Crossroads map illustrating the MississippiCrossroads Destination Area totourists at the two state parks.

Those strategies that could bedeveloped by the Minnesota Officeof Tourism (MOT) include:➤ Exploit nationally and interna-

tionally the publicity that willfollow the movie aboutLindbergh by stressing his connections to Little Falls and the Mississippi River.

➤ Developing with NorthwestAirlines ways to increase pas-senger traffic between the TwinCities Airport (MSP) and theBrainerd Airport.

➤ Promote Little Falls as a desti-nation for private aviatorsinterested in Charles Lindbergh.

➤ Study the feasibility of developingly/drive options between MSPand Brainerd.

Those strategies that could beimplemented jointly by Mn/DOT,DNR, MOT, and others include: ➤ Develop a discounted single

ticket for all of the museums inLittle Falls that would admitpeople into the various venuesfor a single price. Try to includethe Lindbergh House HistoricalSite, Lindbergh State Park,Charles A. WeyerhaeuserMemorial Museum, and theMinnesota Fishing Museum.Consider selling the tickets witha purchase of accommodations

at local resorts, inns, and hotelsor a meal from a local restaurant.

➤ Creating a Great River RoadMississippi CrossroadsDestination Area map for publicdistribution through agenciesand private venues throughoutthe region. This would includeTourist Information Centers,state parks, regional bicycleshops, lodging accommodations,and car rental agencies at theBrainerd Airport.

Several strategies could be imple-mented by the cities of Brainerd orLittle Falls or their tourism promotionor business organizations:➤ Promote use of winter visitation

on local snow mobile trailshighlighting attractions alongthe river that remain open inthe winter.

➤ Promote the archaeological digsat Elk River as a "camp" forExplorers.

➤ Discuss creating a tradition ofacting historic plays in an oudoor amphitheater on theMississippi river. Commission oruse existing plays about histori-cal figures, such as James J. Hill,Weyerhaeuser, and CharlesLindbergh to stage stories aboutlocal history and the MississippiRiver. These could be a rotatingannual performances thatbecome widely known andattract many people.

➤ Use this outdoor amphitheater,adjacent to the lake or river forlocal dance, theater, and musicproductions.

➤ Expand promotion of Brainerd’sheritage walking trail; Createone in Little Falls.


732

➤ Use local accommodations andrestaurants to promote localtourist attractions, such as ausing illustrative standardrestaurant placemap.

➤ Develop and promote annualconferences about Lindbergh,Weyerhaeuser, the MississippiRiver or other Great River Roadtopics for discussion at theLinden Hill Conference andRetreat Center in Little Falls.

Mississippi GorgeDemonstration AreaGeographic Description

The Mississippi Gorge Demon-stration Area is located in the heartof Hennepin and Ramsey Countiesencompassing the Cities of Minneapolisand St. Paul. The downtown river-fronts of the two cities anchor theDemonstration Area. Between thedowntowns, the Great River Roadhugs the river, rarely more than ablock away and frequently only separated by vegetation and terrain.The anchors are the original commer-cial heart of not only these cities butof the metropolitan region as a whole.

Indeed, Minneapolis and St. Paulare a gateway to the whole state.Minneapolis-St. Paul InternationalAirport (MSP) is a primary conduitfor tourists entering the state. It is important to recognize that themarketing the Mississippi Gorge or even more generally, MississippiNational River and Recreation Area(MNRRA) as a desirable destination,is not only important for developingthe Twin Cities tourist market but itis critical to the success of marketingthe Mississippi River and Great RiverRoad throughout the state. TheTwin Cities will be the initial con-tact many tourists will have of theMississippi River and the Great RiverRoad in Minnesota.

As the economy of the regionhas changed so has the relationshipthe two cities have had with theMississippi River been altered. Todayit is primarily recreational oriented.Nonetheless, the Mississippi is still a working river and many industrialactivities still occur on its banks.


The gorge is a remarkable land-form. It is the only high narrowchannel bounded by cliffs on bothsides on the entire length of the2,348 mile river. It is picturesqueany time of the year: soft shades of green, yellow, and even red, asvegetation buds out in the spring,become a verdant wall in summer,changing into a virtual Trix bowl of color in the autumn, and turninginto a surreal black and white pho-tograph of silhouetted tree trunksmade crisp and clean in a wonder-land of winter snow and ice.

The cliffs have made the riverless accessible from the residentialareas of the city. Logically, it waswhere the river was approachablethat the original cities developedand the commercial cores remain.

In St. Paul, the city that devel-oped first, the original settlers

located their town on the lower andupper landings, which was as far assteamboats could travel. Furtherupstream large rocks, remnants ofan ancient waterfall that had bythen migrated upstream, litteredthe river and made passage diffi-cult. Upstream, Minneapolis waitedpatiently for the railroad to emergeas the major transportation mode.Nonetheless, its development wasalso deeply connected to theMississippi River and the powersequestered in St. Anthony Falls.


The designated Federal Route of the Great River Road follows theriver closely, staying primarily onlocal municipal streets and countyroads. Occasionally, it uses a trunkhighway such as the Mendota Bridgeand TH 55. Three Interstate Highwaysare used in the Twin Cities:, I-494 is used to cross the Mississippi as itenter Minneapolis; I-35E as it entersSt. Paul from Mendota; and I-494just before it leaves the Capitol City.

The Great River Road inMinneapolis starts on MarshallAvenue near the Minneapolis WaterWorks and winds its way primarilyon the Minneapolis Parkway system


733

St. Anthony Falls, named by Father Louis Hennepin in the 17th Century, has been a major land-mark on the Mississippi River ever since people populated the region. It is the largest waterfallon the Mississippi and is the reason Minneapolis was established. The waterfall represents thesecond highest amount of energy that any waterfall is capable of generating in North America.Only Niagara Falls is capable of generating more power.

HEN

NEP

IN C

O.

RAM

SEY

CO

.

RA

MSE

Y C

O.

WA

SHIN

GTO

N C

O.

RAMSEY CO.DAKOTA CO.

Minneapolis

St. Paul

Missis

s ippi R iverM in

nes ot

a Riv

er

10

55

23

1st St.

W. RiverPkw

y

.

MississippiRiver Blvd.

ShepardRd.

Warner Rd.

37

36

61

61

66

Fort Rd.

MinnehahaAve. 5

35E

13

High BridgeFord Bridge

Mississippi Gorge Demonstration Area

North0 .75 1.5 3 Miles

Interstate Route

U.S. Route

State Route

County Route

Anchor

Junction

Existing Great RiverRoad Route

Proposed Great RiverRoad Route

2

12

197

35E


734

through downtown, past St. AnthonyFalls, on to the Grand Rounds NationalScenic Byway to Minnehaha Parkwhere in meets TH 55 near Ft.Snelling. Crossing over the MendotaBridge, the road follows the riverdownstream to I-35E where it crossesinto St. Paul and on to SheppardRoad. By the lower landing, SheppardRoad becomes Warner Road and theGreat River Road continues to TH 61.It follows TH 61 south to west I-494where it crosses the river again andtransverses through West St. Pauland Inver Grove Heights.

The Great River Road crosses theriver five times in this destinationarea, on I-694, on the BroadwayBridge, on the Mendota Bridge, on I- 35E, and on I-494.


ized vehicular transportation. TheGreat River Road especially was con-ceived to provide a route for recre-ational bicycling. The original GreatRiver Road Design Guidelines, estab-lished in 1981, called for a four-footpaved shoulder or an eight- footoff-road trail where practical toaccommodate bicycling. Design standards have changed significantlysince those original guidelines were

established.Currently, a ten-foot shoulder oreight-foot off-road trail is con-sidered minimalfor State-AidFunded CountyRoad projects.In practice, aten-foot surfaceis preferred for off-road multi-modal trails also.

In Minnea-polis and St. Paul,an extensive,although not complete, bicycle andpedestrian trail parallels the GreatRiver Road. Shoulders exist on mostother routes but traffic volumes andspeeds may discourage all but themost experienced cyclists. Missingsegments include Marshall Avenue in Northeast Minneapolis, TH 61 inSt. Paul, add bike map and Concordin West St. Paul. There are not anytrail facilities on the bridges on I-35E and I-494. A separate trailbridge does parallel the I- 694 bridge.

Transportation System SummaryAccording to Mn/DOT data,

all roads areadequately wideand paved.However, theMinneapolisparkway roadswith 11-footlanes are onefoot narrowerthan is typicalon the GreatRiver Road.Trails and shoul-ders are generallytheoreticallyadequate buttraffic volumes

and speed render them unsafeexcept for the most experienced riders. The use of Interstate Highwaysposes a particular problem for bicy-cle and pedestrian traffic. Where theGreat River Road in on InterstateHighways, bicycle and pedestriantraffic is prohibited and usually ithas not been accommodated forwith constructing parallel trails.

Attractions and ServicesRecreational and cultural

attractions abound by the hundredsthroughout the demonstration area.The discussion is divided into threeparts:, the Minneapolis Anchor, theSt. Paul Anchor, and the ConnectingCorridor between and beyond theanchors.

Upstream AnchorAlthough, Minneapolis empha-

sizes the historic aspects of theriverfront, particularly downtown,historic exploration is not the onlyactivity that occurs along the river.Residents and tourists alike enjoyrelaxing, playing, or being enter-tained along the riverfront.

Cultural ResourcesA good place to start touring

historic buildings in Minneapolis is


Trails currently exist throughout much of the Metropolitan area.Completing the trails and connecting them to the larger MNRRADestination Area would improve recreational opportunities.

Mill Ruins, on the site of the original home of General Mills, and slatedto become an interpretive and visitor center, will be a key component inattracting tourists to Minneapolis’ riverfront.

735


736


“Mississippi Gorge”Minneapolis to St. Paul

the St. Anthony Falls area. Withpublic interpretation at the plannedMill Ruins Park and the heritage trailas well as numerous historic buildingsof national, state and local signifi-cance, this area provides a greatamenity for explorers.

Holding the unique distinctionof the only major waterfalls on theMississippi River, St. Anthony Fallshas been a focal point for humansettlement for generations. The powerof the falls combined with a uniquegeology that permitted the easyconstruction of tail races, made itespecially desirable for industrialdevelopment. Beginning with the con-struction of the Falls of St. AnthonyDam in 1858, the falls became “thecountry’s greatest waterpower indus-trial district...[and] the country’sleading flour milling center” by theturn of the century. Although theprimary use was initially for sawmills, by the 1870s, most lumberoperations had moved upstream, and flour milling predominated. At the Falls of St. Anthony the “new

process” flour milling was developed,which allowed the hard wheat grownin western Minnesota and theDakotas to be milled into a purewhite flour. The water power providedby St. Anthony Falls created jobs,electrical power, some of the world’sfinest flour, and two multinationalcorporations – Pillsbury and GeneralMills. While many of the mill com-plexes were demolished followingthe shift of the milling industry to cities like Chicago and Buffalo,the power of St. Anthony Falls andthe remaining structures of theWashburn Crosby mills and thePillsbury mills echo the area's pre-dominance as the milling center ofthe Midwest. The well-developedinterpretive program that exists forthe dam and the industrial complexesthat grew around it add an impor-tant and informative element to the Great River Road corridor.

Transportation was also impor-tant to St. Anthony Falls. The flour,beer, and other goods manufacturednear the falls would have gone to

waste without dependable means oftransporting the goods to Easternand Midwestern markets. The raillines and barges carried these goodsnorth to Lake Superior for transportto Canada, the eastern United States,and markets abroad or south to St.Louis, New Orleans, or other majorports. Along with other sites, theGreat Northern Stone Arch Bridgeand the Milwaukee Road Depot illus-trate the role of the railroads. TheMilwaukee Depot is currently beingredeveloped and will include publichistorical interpretation.

The Minneapolis Brewing Company(Grain Belt) is significant as a prop-erty that illustrates the importanceof the agricultural product processingindustry in Minneapolis and theimpact of German immigrants on the agricultural industry of thestate. Founded in 1890 following the merger of four Minneapolisbreweries run by German immigrants,the Minneapolis Brewing and MaltingCompany grew to be one of thelargest breweries in the Midwest bythe early part of the twentieth cen-tury. Prohibition caused the breweryto turn to soft drink production andeventually to close until Repeal in1933. By the 1950s, the sales ofGrain Belt beer brought the companyback to its pre-Prohibition sales. The Minneapolis Brewing Companyclosed its doors in 1975. Althoughnow vacant, the German andRichardsonian Romanesque brewerybuildings convey the heritage andtradition of beer making in theMidwest. The Grain Belt sign hasbecome an icon for the historicindustrial development of Minneapolis’riverfront. Another important groupof historic buildings in Minneapolisis the warehouse district. This his-toric area illustrates Minneapolis’early commercial development of the mid-nineteenth century as wellas the city's development as a major


737

Top: Global companies, such as Pillsbury,started by utilizing the inherent power of theMississippi River. Left: The first bridge overthe Mississippi was a suspension bridge inthe same location as this modern structure.The interpretive panel explains the originalstructure.

wholesale center during the latenineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Not only did Minneapolisdraw in and process agriculturalproduce from the Upper Midwest,the city was a distribution centerfor manufactured goods from theeast to rural areas to the west.Thus, the warehouse district couldcompliment nicely the interpretiveefforts at St. Anthony Falls.

As Minnesota’s largest city, thehistory of the community develop-ment of Minneapolis is complex.Immigrants from all parts of theglobe have come to Minneapolis tocarve out a life from the resourcesand opportunities available in thiscity. One area in particular thatexemplifies community developmentin Minneapolis is the MilwaukeeAvenue Historic District. Locatedbetween St. Anthony Falls and FortSnelling, this neighborhood repre-sents the earliest controlled housingdevelopment in Minneapolis. Plattedand designed in 1883, the housingwas mainly occupied by Scandinavianworkers from the nearby industrialplants or by common trade craftsmen,such as carpenters, blacksmiths, and buttermakers.

Minnesota recognized the needfor an institution of higher learningfor its residents and, after a few initial setbacks, the University ofMinnesota was founded in 1867. TheUniversity of Minnesota Old CampusHistoric District illustrates develop-ment of the campus during the nine-teenth century, including buildingsfor the arts, law, medicine, education,and nursing. The buildings wereconstructed in architectural stylesranging from Queen Anne to Richard-sonian Romanesque to JacobethanRevival. Campus design during theearly twentieth century is illustratedin the Northrup Mall area. Originallyplanned by Cass Gilbert to overlookthe Mississippi River, the mall, as

designed by prominent landscapearchitects Morell and Nichols, retainsa central open space at the campusthat is closely linked to the river.Furthermore, the mall is lined withclassically inspired buildings designedby the prolific Minnesota architectClarence Johnston, Sr.

The development of the MillRuins Park or the redevelopment ofthe Grain Belt Brewery site wouldprovide an excellent location fordeveloping the Upstream AnchorKiosk. Mill Ruins Park may be pre-ferred because the discussion of howMinneapolis has employed the riverwill be discussed at this location.Moreover, the Minnesota HistoricalSociety’s plans for a interpretivecenter include a visitor informationfacility.

Recreational and River ResourcesAccording the National Park

Service the Mississippi River is arecreational river of national caliber.Minneapolis boasts a continuous parkand parkway from Boom Island toMinnehaha Regional Park. Theseparklands are part of the GrandRounds National Scenic Byway and

provide excellentrecreational, his-toric, and scenicopportunities for the tourist. Grand Roundsprovides a scenicparkway for thetourist in a vehi-cle, bicycling, orwalking alongthe river. A clas-sic nineteenthcentury designedlandscape, it was redesignedby InterDesign,a innovativedesign firmheaded by

architect, Dewey Thorbeck, graphicdesigner, Peter Seitz, and landscapearchitect, Roger Martin in the mid-1970s. The architectural, graphic,and landscape architectural designfeatures were coordinated to createan invitingly harmonious design,including the signature red pave-ment, wide concrete curbs, brownsquare sign and light posts, and rustic park amenities.

The park on Boom Island featuresriverboat tours, boat and canoelaunches, fishing, hiking, and picnicking. Central MississippiRiverfront Regional Park featuresboat and canoe launches, fishing,hiking, bicycling, a heritage trail,and picnicking. St. Anthony Fallsitself is interpreted by a guidedtours and a self-guided heritagetrail. The Gorge Regional Park is primarily a linear experience for drivers, hikers, and bicyclists withscattered stops for scenic overlooks,picnicking, and exploring.

The Minneapolis Aquatennial,Independence Day, and even anannual New Year’s Eve Celebrationoccur on the riverfront attractingthousands of people.


738

Things are rapidly changing on the riverfront. Within twelve months ofthis picture being taken the North Star Blankets building has been con-verted into housing. One of the first buildings to be renovated on theriver is now the Hyatt. Note the earlier versions of interpretive markers.

Probably the premier recreationalattraction is Minnehaha RegionalPark where Minnehaha Falls gracesthe landscape. Several ethnic cele-brations occur in the park, notablya large Scandinavian Festival.

The park has extensive trails toexplore the interesting geology ofthe falls and glen. A playground, a large refractory, a band stand, aheritage walk, and overlooks provideample recreational opportunities.Early travelers, including ZebulonPike, sought Minnehaha Falls. Thepark is now in the Minnehaha His-toric District, encompassing not only the falls and glen, but also theVictorian “Princess” Station, theGreek Revival style John H. Stevenshouse (important for its role inearly Minnesota government events),and the Longfellow House. (Longfellowand other 19th century transcen-dentalists inspired the park's originaldesigners. A replica of Longfellow’s

home is located in the park. Thestream running through the parkand several adjacent streets werenamed after Longfellow’s “Song ofHiawatha.”) Later the “fashionabletour” always placed the splendidfalls on their lists of stops. Now surrounded by a large city park,Minnehaha Falls continues to drawpeople for recreational activities.

One potential attraction forplayers and spectators would be the proposed white water park beingcontemplated by various interestsand agencies. The park would utilizean abandoned aqueduct to create awhite water run for kayakers andother daredevils. The costs and bene-fits of such a proposal are currentlybeing examined. Excellent viewingfrom the Stone Arch Bridge and alongMain Street would undoubtably beattractive to tourists.

Tourist ServicesAlthough the Gorge Destination

Area is primarily a park, there areseveral restaurants, shops, and otherentertainment outlets that lineMain Street in Old St. Anthony,across the river from downtown. The downtown side also has dozensof establishments devoted to shop-ping and entertainment but mostare oriented introspectively, not

to the river.Nonetheless, itis the downtownside of the riverwhere hotels likethe Hyatt andNicollet IslandInn which byoccupying oldindustrial build-ings with viewsof the Mississippithat a touristwould feel thepresence of the river.

There have been discussionsabout placing a sports stadiumeither for the Minnesota Twins,Vikings, or both on the riverfront.Many excursion boats travel throughthe Gorge each year. The Universityof Minnesota has traditionally beenhome to the Mississippi Showboat, asummer theater on a boat anchoredin the river next to the University.The Showboat, however, is scheduledto move to St. Paul and Harriet IslandRegional Park in the year 2000.

The Minneapolis Park Board in cooperation with the MinnesotaHistorical Society is developing MillRuins Park. The park will have theability to orient tourists to theGrand Rounds National Scenic Byway and thus Great River Road aswell as Minneapolis, the upstreamanchor of the Mississippi GorgeDemonstration Area.

Downstream AnchorLike Minneapolis, the river in

St. Paul is bounded by parks inter-spersed with industrial development,particularly near downtown. As thehistorical head of navigation, theSt. Paul riverfront is known for itswealth of cultural resources relatedto earlier commercial activities.Although, the riverfront is stillhome to commercial enterprises, it has recently been transformed byan effort to enhance the recreationalopportunities.

Cultural Resources Several residences illustrate the

impact that important individualshad on the development of St. Paul.As Minnesota Territorial governor,mayor of St. Paul, and as an earlygovernor of the state, AlexanderRamsey’s impact on the developmentof St. Paul and Minnesota was exten-sive. The Alexander Ramsey Houseconnects the modern-day visitorwith one of the most influential


739

Top: Commercial attractions and community events abound alongMain Street in old St. Anthony. Guided and Self-Guided HistoricalWalking Tours of the Mill District are increasingly popular. Above:Minnehaha Falls is a beautifully poetic falls in a wonderfully designedpark that provides a relaxed and entertaining time for visitors.

men of Minnesota’s early history.The geographic isolation of the

Historic Hill neighborhood abovethe industrial and business orientedportions of St. Paul and the largelyundeveloped, open spaces made thearea a prime focus for residentialdevelopment during the late nine-teenth century. As transportationand access continued to improveduring the late nineteenth and earlytwentieth centuries, more diversi-fication in the ethnic, social, andeconomic status of the Historic Hillresidents occurred. One of the firstmajor expansions off the HistoricHill area was West Summit Avenue.Developed mainly between 1885 and 1938, the West Summit AvenueHistoric District is “the largestunbroken avenue of Colonial Revivaland Classical Revival-style architect-designed houses in the Twin Cities”The eastern end of Summit Avenuehoused many wealthy and influentialindividuals, including F. ScottFitzgerald, who wrote short storiesand his first published novel, ThisSide of Paradise, at his parents’house at 559 Summit Avenue.Important not only for residentialstructures, the West Summit AvenueHistoric District also includesschools, colleges, and churches thatserviced the residents of St. Paul.

St. Paul also presents a uniqueproperty related to the railroad por-tion of this theme - the James J.Hill house. Hill is known as “one ofthe great railroad builders in theAmerican West and one of the lead-ing financiers of the nineteenthcentury.” Hill purchased his firstrailroad in 1878 (the St. Paul andPacific Railroad) and, along with hissubsequent railroad purchases,formed the Great Northern RailwayCompany. Hill is known for his wisemanagement style and fiscal conser-vatism in running his business, andfor his leadership in expanding mar-

kets in the Midwest and Pacificregions. Both the Hill House and thenearby Burbank-Livingston-GriggsHouse were restored using GreatRiver Road funds.

The former Schmidt Brewery,currently operated by the MinnesotaBrewing Company, illustrates theagricultural processing industriesthat developed in St. Paul. Foundedas the Stahlman Brewery in 1855,the plant was acquired by JacobSchmidt in the 1890s, who rebuiltthe plant to resemble a Bavariancastle with crenelated towers andarched windows. Other portions ofthe brewery are in the modernestyle and illustrate the post-Prohibition expansion during the 1930s.

Another significant residentialarea of St. Paul is encompassed inthe Uppertown area, including theIrvine Park Historic District.Developed during the mid to latenineteenth century, this areaextends southwest from downtownbetween West Seventh Street andthe river. The area is notable for itsexamples of early residential devel-

opment, its range of Victorian archi-tectural styles, its range of housingtypes from workers’ cottages togrand mansions. Due to the diver-sity of its built environment, theUppertown area presents numerousinterpretive possibilities.

The civic properties associatedwith this theme in St. Paul includethe Rice Park Historic District, theHorace Irvine House, and the StateCapital. Rice Park played an impor-tant role in the community develop-ment of St. Paul. It was designatedoriginally as a public square in the1849 plat of Henry M. Rice andJohn R. Irvine. The original basicpublic square has been redesignedover the last 150 years, includingdramatic make-overs in 1898 as partof the “City Beautiful” movementand in the 1965 addition of astepped, concrete bowl and statue.The area around it has been devel-oped with office buildings, a libraryand a hotel. Although the layout ofthe park has evolved with landscapedesign trends, Rice Park continuesits 150-year tradition as a popularSt. Paul tourist destination. The last


Left: Formal parkslike Irvine Park con-nect modern touriststo the propriety of 19thCentury America.

Right: Paul Manship’s statue, Aboy and his dog, graces a smallpark on Summit Avenue. Althoughnot commonly known, Manship, aSt. Paul native, has very highly re-garded art. (One of his most famousstatue, Prometheus is on display inRockefeller Plaza in New York andis seen nightly during the introduc-tion of The David Letterman Show.)

740

properties associated with thistheme for St. Paul are the StateCapital and the Horace Irvine House.The Irvine House, an English Tudormansion constructed for the St. Paulattorney and lumberman, was dedi-cated to the State of Minnesota in1965. Following renovations, thehouse was allocated for use as the governor’s mansion. The StateCapital building holds significanceon many levels. The structure wasdesigned by the famous St. Paularchitect Cass Gilbert, who executedthe capital in the Classic Revivalstyle and included the world'slargest self-supporting marble domeas a primary feature. Housing thestate legislature and governor'soffice, the building is associatedwith the decisions and directions ofthe state government. Finally, theCapital symbolizes the beliefs andideals of Minnesota’s public and allowsfor a tangible representation of ourideas of democracy and freedom.

St. Paul’s industrial heritage isdirectly related to the presence ofwell-developed railroad tracks,accessible water routes, and goodroad conditions. St. Paul’s history as a commercial center is embodiedin the Lowertown Historic District.Extending to Jackson Street, thedistrict borders the Mississippi River and surrounds Smith Park.Lowertown was platted at one of St. Paul’s two steamboat landings in 1851 by Norman Kittson, and itquickly grew into the city's mainwarehouse and jobbing center. Asthe railroads came to St. Paul in the1860s and 1870s, they were naturallyattracted to the established com-mercial area. As a result of thetransportation connections, four and five story brick warehouses andfactories, designed by architectssuch as Cass Gilbert and J. WalterStevens, came to line the streets of Lowertown. During the 1960s and

1970s, the efforts of Norman Mearsand the Lowertown RedevelopmentCorporation paved the way forLowertown’s revitalization and redevelopment

The properties associated withthe Community Development themefor St. Paul can be broken into threemain categories: residential, civic,and religious. The religious categoryis represented by the St. PaulCathedral. The cathedral complex,built over a roughly twenty-fiveyear period, was the brainchild of Minnesota's Archbishop JohnIreland. Ireland helped selectEmmanuel L. Masqueray to designthe new cathedral. Drawing heavyinspiration from St. Peter’s Cathedralin Rome, Masqueray incorporatedByzantine, Greek, and Gothic archi-tectural elements into the cathedral.Looming over the capital mall anddowntown area, the Cathedral of St. Paul fulfilled Ireland's dream ofbeing a symbol of "the strength andsolidity of Catholicism in the UpperMidwest" Chapels dedicated to thepatron saints of Minnesota's ethnicgroups are located next to each otherwithin the structure illustrating eth-nic diversity united in Catholicism.

River and Recreational ResourcesHarriet Island is located on the

western bank of St. Paul and hasserved as a recreational center formost of the twentieth century. It isundergoing extensive renovationand will soon become the region’spremier river-oriented urbanpark. While mostof the structuresfrom the park’searly days havebeen demol-ished, the parkstill retains thefeel of a recre-ational area. The

Harriet Island Pavilion, a ModerneStyle structure constructed by theWPA in 1941 is considered “animportant visual component in the public landscape of the City of St. Paul.”

The revitalized park will includefacilities for recreation and entertain-ment. It is anticipated that manyoutdoor festivals will occur onHarriet Island. The MississippiShowboat is relocating to the park.Excursion “paddlewheelers” will continue to be docked. A uniquefloating restaurant and B&B are alsoanchored next to the park. Fishing,boat launching are permitted.


Lower Left: A park adjacent to KelloggBoulevard in downtown St. Paul providesexcellent views of the river. Below: Thedynamic forms of commercial architectureand the vibrancy of the downtown St. Pauland Minneapolis create an irresistible attrac-tion for tourists

741

Like its sister across the river,St. Paul’s Mississippi Gorge RegionalPark provides beautiful views of theriver from trails and parkways. It isa popular destination for residentsseeking relaxation and exercise.

Indian Mounds Park overlooksthe Mississippi River from a highbluff providing panoramic views of downtown St. Paul and the river.The park contains six prehistoricburial mounds constructed over2,000 years ago.

There are two marinas in St. Paul,the St. Paul Yacht Club on HarrietIsland and the Watergate Marinaacross the river from Ft. Snelling.

The Children's Museum, theScience Museum, the Museum ofAmerican Art provide entertainmentand the opportunity to explore indowntown St. Paul. The OrdwayMusic Theater provides a world-classvenue for classical and other music.The Fitzgerald Theater is home tothe Prairie Home Companion RadioShow which attracts a nationalaudience. The new NHL hockeyteam, the Minnesota Wild, will be housed next to RiverCentre, St. Paul’s convention center.

There are nearly 6000 hotelrooms in the Twin Cities with theplurality being in Bloomington nearthe airport and the Mall of America.

Transportation ResourcesMost of the Great River Road

is on parkway. However, the use of I-35E as the connection betweenMinneapolis and St. Paul via Mendotacomplicates the use of the GreatRiver Road by non-vehicular traffic.

The downstream Anchor Kioskshould be developed in conjunctionwith the new Science Museum ofMinnesota which will face theMississippi River. The museum will feature displays on the ecology and human use of theMississippi River.

The Connecting CorridorThis area illustrates Minnesota’s

history during the early nineteenthcentury, and it contains the oldeststanding buildings and structures inthe state. In particular, Fort Snellingand the Sibley House are historicsites with strong interpretive programs run by the MinnesotaHistorical Society.

Cultural ResourcesStrategically located at the

confluence of the Minnesota andMississippi rivers, Fort Snellingserved as the first U.S. military out-post in the area, both as a supplydepot and an Army training facility.During the 1820s and 1830s, thefort, along with Grand Portage onLake Superior, was the focal point of Euro-American activity in theregion. While some of the buildingsassociated with Fort Snelling’s earlyhistory have been demolished, itstill contains numerous historicbuildings and has an active interpre-tation program. As a witness to thestate's history from the 1820s to thepresent, the fort is now a populartourist destination for those interest-ed in the story of Minnesota’s past.

Across the Minnesota River on the Mississippi is the MendotaHistoric District. This district, whichincludes the Sibley and Faribaulthouses from the 1830s, was an earlyfur trade center and provides excel-lent interpretation for the contactperiod in Minnesota. The confluenceof the Minnesota and MississippiRivers at Mendota area attractedAmerican Indians, early explorers,and fur traders. Fur Trade agentHenry H. Sibley arrived in Mendotain 1835 and began a long career as a Minnesota entrepreneur and politi-cian. Named first congressional rep-resentative from the MinnesotaTerritory, Sibley was elected as thefirst governor of the newly formed

State of Minnesota. Mendota servedas a central location for the exchangeof furs for trade goods, a traveler’sstop, and was even considered as alocation for the state capital.

Fort Snelling State Park providesabundant opportunities for thetourist especially recreation relatedto understanding nature. The park is located in a river bottom forestinhabited by countless animals.Hiking, cross-country skiing, bicy-cling, swimming, fishing and birdwatching are favorite pastimes. Anew visitor and interpretive centerorient visitors to the park. A newmonument to the 1862 War betweenthe United States and the Dakota is under construction on the sitewhere the Dakota were hung andinterned as prisoners after the war.


The type of tourists that havebeen traditionally attracted to theMississippi Metropolitan GorgeDemonstration Area are Spectatorsand Accumulators. The area alsoattracts some Loungers, Players,Explorers, Pilgrims and many Guests.

As a demonstration area, theMississippi Gorge has many similari-ties with and attracts some of thesame tourists as the other demon-stration areas. But a large andattractive metropolitan area, it alsooffers the capability of attractingtourists corresponding to all seven ofthe standard motivations. Explorers,Loungers, Players, Spectators,Accumulators, Pilgrims, and Guestsare all present in large numbers. Theprimary attribute that differentiatingthe Mississippi Metropolitan GorgeDemonstration Area from the otherdemonstration areas, is its unsur-passed ability to cater to Spectatorsand Accumulators. Resources thatsupport Spectators and Accumulators—such as stadiums, department stores,


742

hotels, and restaurants—are plentifulin a variety of price ranges. Spectatorscan be entertained by sporting orartistic events. Accumulators can be satiated by goods ranging fromlocally produced boutique items and rare international merchandiseto common everyday products andnecessities. Small art galleries, com-munity theater and minor leagueteams exist next to world classmuseums, international theatricalproductions, and world-series winning teams.

Few of these attractions, however, are associated with theriver. The primary attractions locatedalong the river are historic venues.Restaurants, some theater, and in St. Paul, ‘a convention center, science museum, and sport arenaare in close proximity to the river. Both cities have extensive park land next to the waterfront.Recently, in downtown Minneapolisoffice buildings and residentialhousing have been increasingly oriented to the river.

GuestsSpecifically Guests would be

interested in the downtown anchorsand other landmark attractionsincluding, the Mall of America, St. Anthony Falls, the Stone ArchBridge, Ft. Snelling, locks and dams,Grain Belt Brewery, Minnehaha Falls.They would also be intrigued by thegreat vistas from Cherokee Bluffs,Indian Mounds Park, the Stone ArchBridge, Boom Island, and other sitesalong the gorge. The would be enter-tained by the distinctive riversideeateries, riverboat excursions, andnumerous family attractions like,the Science Museum, Bell Museum,and the Children's Museum.

Loungersloungers would enjoy the luxury

hotels and quaint B&B’s in riverside

neighborhoods. They could stroll or bicycle along the many riversidetrails. Be pampered by local paddle-wheel cruises or enjoy an extendedramble on the one of the “Queen”riverboats. Visiting the area's manymuseums would also be relaxing tomany tourists.

PlayersThe opportunity for urban

fishing, kayaking, boating, golfingare here. The Twin Cities Marathonis an event that exposes manytourists to the beauty of theMississippi Gorge. The potentialdevelopment of a whitewater facility at St. Anthony Falls wouldbe attractive to players. Playerswould also enjoy the recreationalopportunities represented by theextensive riverside trail system andover 17,000 acres of parks that linethe river in the Twin Cities. Bicyclingin particular could be an activitythat would attract many players to the Mississippi Gorge.

ExplorersThe extensive opportunities to

interpret nature represented by theparks and open space would beattractive to explorers interested innature. The exploration of historicand archaeological sites would alsobe of interest. Exploring historicarchitecture or ethnic neighbor-hoods would be places that explor-ers would venture. Witnessing theraw power and beauty of the river,as seen in several locations in thegorge, particularly at St. AnthonyFalls and the other six waterfallsthat discharge into the MississippiRiver), would also inviting to explor-ers. To foster exploration, the NationalPark Service has introduced theMississippi Passport which rewardspeople for discovering the naturaland cultural resources associatedwith the river.

SpectatorsSpectators are coveted through-

out the destination area. Spectatorsinclude those who visit to see pro-fessional sports such as the Twins,Vikings, Wolves, or Wild. The Univer-sity of Minnesota sports teams, statehigh school champions games, andeven minor league sports attractspectators. Spectators also come tosee the many art and entertainmentvenues that the Twin Cities have tooffer from the Guthrie to the JungleTheater and the Walker and Weismanto small art galleries. Eating is par-ticularly important to spectatorsand the Twin Cities offers somesuperb dining opportunities right on the river. The restaurants on MainStreet in Minneapolis are excellentin attracting tourists. Festivals occurthroughout the year and throughoutthe community. Several are located onthe river, typically in riverside parks.The Showboat brings spectators toriver every summer to watch plays.

PilgrimsDepending on the interests of a

particular pilgrim, the Twin Citiesoffer several sites that could be valued by tourist. The history buff,for example, would be well-pleased,especially if they were interested inindustrial archaeology, the creationof the modern corporation, earlyexplorations, military history, or the history and culture of AmericanIndians. The University of Minnesotaand other learning institutionsattract pilgrims as do conventions in both cities. Religious institutionsand buildings also generate signifi-cant amounts of pilgrims from theBilly Graham Evangelistic Associationto the Basilica of St. Mary and theSt. Paul Cathedral.

AccumulatorsThe Twin Cities is the regional

shopping center for those who like


743

to purchase goods and services. Theworld's largest enclosed mall, theMall of America in Bloomington isonly miles from the Great RiverRoad. Its Underwater World is amajor attraction that connects visi-tors to the Mississippi River bydescribing the ecology of the river.Neighborhood shopping districts likeGrand Avenue, art galleries in theMinneapolis' warehouse district andin St. Paul's Lowertown attract accu-mulators specifically interested inart. Antiques and other specialitymerchandisers are scatteredthroughout the corridor.

Tourist StylesTourists visiting the Mississippi

Metropolitan Gorge Destination Areacan be on structured, self-structured,semi-structured or unstructured visits.All styles are equally viable in theTwin Cities.

Structured and Semi-Structured Styles

Many tourists visit the Twin Citieson business or for business conven-tions. The structured conventionsfrequently create opportunities forpeople to see the river includingexcursion boat rides, riverfrontmeeting rooms, or riverside hotelsand restaurants. Structured andSemi-Structured tourists typicallyhave free time that they can spendsightseeing and “doing-the-town.”Many arrive for conferences andother business meetings.

Free time, when available, isoften at the beginning, end, or during the evening of the confer-ence or meeting. Even spouses ofattendees are frequently directed toa slate of activities by the organiz-ers. Therefore, to attract tourists tothe Mississippi River and the GreatRiver Road, it will be essential topromote the river to meeting hostsand organizers.

Self-Structured and Unstructured Styles

Self-structured and Unstructuredvisitors faces a wealth of things tosee and do in the Mississippi GorgeDemonstration Area. The challengewill be to convey the Great RiverRoad and the Mississippi River as a cohesive set of experiences to visitors who bumble into part of itor consult guides and other infor-mation sources when designingtheir itineraries.

Mall of America shoppers repre-sent an important subset of touristsvisiting the Twin Cities region. Onceagain, the challenge entails gettingthem out of the Mall and into theregion. Resources include the ExploreMinnesota shop, where materialsshould reveal to megamall patronshow close they are to the River, and group tour packagers seeking to gain competitive advantage byoffering a product that combinesshopping and cultural activities.


Thousands of tourists arrivedaily from all over the world in theTwin Cities by car, plane, train, andbicycle. Midwestern cities predomi-nate but with the Mall of America a significant portion from Asia andEurope also find the Twin Cities adestination. Rental cars, shuttles,buses, and taxi services are availableat the airport. Tourists frequentlyuse rubber-wheeled trolleys andbuses to sight-see.

An out-of-state tourist arrivingby car typically comes by Interstateand finds the Tourist InformationCenters on I-94 and I-35W useful. A Tourist Information Center is alsostaffed at the MSP InternationalAirport.

Target MarketsAlmost all tourists visiting the

Twin Cities would potentially be theMississippi River and the Great RiverRoad clientele. Many already visitriver-oriented destinations. Thelargest return on a promotionalinvestment, however, would be tofocus on the Structured Accumulatorand Spectator. They have come tothe Twin Cities to see it and areprepared to spend money. The focuswould be to alert these tourists toenjoyable riverfront locations whichwould extend their stay or hastentheir return.

Capital ImprovementsMore so than any of the other

areas, the Mississippi MetropolitanGorge Demonstration Area caters topedestrians and cyclists rather thanmotorized traffic. Its compact size,existing riverfront trails, and limitedspace for parking and/or pull-offsall combine to make recreation moredesirable than pleasure driving alongthis section of the Great River Road.Since activities in this DemonstrationArea are aimed primarily at Spectatorsand Accumulators, more must bedone to provide access from theMississippi River to existing andplanned entertainment and shop-ping destinations in and betweenMinneapolis and St. Paul. In light of the existing nature of the urbanriverfront, capital improvementsundertaken in this DemonstrationArea must respond to the need for enhanced linkages between theriver and the cities. Ideas include:➤ Link all existing riverfront trail

systems together and unifyingthem with signage referencingthe Great River Road and theGorge demonstration area

➤ Provide interpretive signs alongthe trail system

➤ Create a Great River Road pres-ence at the Visitors Center to be


744

incorporated into the St. AnthonyFalls Heritage Zone

➤ Promote the Great River Road toresidents by creating affiliatedrecreational events, e.g., a runfor fun between the cities

➤ Designate and sign parking area

➤ Anchor the Great River RoadExperience with visitor informa-tion centers at Mill Ruins StateHistoric Site in Minneapolis andthe Science Museum in St. Paulwhich will be the riverfront destinations most likely toattract visitation independent of Great River Road promotionefforts.

➤ Focus interpretation on how theMississippi relates to Minneapolisand St. Paul, incorporating suchexisting assets as: Sculling, artmuseum, Grand Rounds ScenicByway, Hiawatha legendinspired parks, and Fort Snelling.

Promotional StrategiesThe Gorge Demonstration Area

offers a wealth of things to see anddo. At the moment several obstaclesto enhancing visitation to the TwinCities need to be addressed, including:➤ the Twin Cities' appeal as a

leisure destination and partic-ularly its relationship to theMississippi River remains belowthe radar of the many businessvisitors, Mall of America shop-pers and pass-through travelersbound for other parts of theState.

➤ regional residents, who controlGuests’ itineraries, viewMinneapolis and St. Paul asfunctionally and culturally separate cities, connected

principally by several interstate caliber roadways rather than by the Mississippi River.

➤ these roadways are largely fea-tureless and do little to illustratehow the cities are linked or therole the Mississippi River playedin their evolution and theirhistory.

➤ both communities are makingstrides in enhancing theirwaterfronts, but it is still awork in progress. Word has notyet reached Twin Cities residentsthat there are new and excitingthings to do along the Mississippi

The Great River Road’s alignmentalong the Mississippi River offers analternative link between the twocities that knits them together bothphysically and thematically. It imposesa system for experiencing the TwinCities as an integrated destinationfeaturing two clusters of organizedattractions and services.

The Great River Road makes theregion more attractive as a destina-tion because it creates critical mass,simply by making known and inter-preting the themes and resourcesthat connect them and assigningthem an evocative and accuratename: the Mississippi Gorge.Moreover, it creates a means of marketing the Twin Cities together;currently, each City has its ownConvention and Visitors Bureau,although the Explore Minnesota web site addresses the Twin Cities as a region. Other regional initiatives are emerging, including the recentcreation of a one-price joint ticketproviding admission to ten areamuseums which can be used in conjunction with a $3/day unlimiteduse transit pass to facilitate gettingaround the Twin Cities.

Marketing and promotions activ-

ities geared toward increasing visitation to the Mississippi GorgeDemonstration Area need to drawupon the Twin Cities role as thegateway to Minnesota and theregion's potential to direct visitorsto the rest of the Great River Roadcommunities. Ideas include:➤ Establish a presence at the

Explore Minnesota USA store at the Mall of America

➤ Approach Northwest Orientabout featuring the Great RiverRoad in its in-flight magazineand entertainment video.

➤ Work with the State TravelOffice and two CVBs to establishan identity for the Great RiverRoad with group travel operatorsby participating in missions andtrade shows, for example, theAmerican Bus Association’sannual convention, PowWow, etc.

➤ Enhance linkages with MNRRAand elevate the National ParkService’s profile to capture thevalue of its imprimatur and offset its inability to market;

➤ Create a Great River Road-orientedday tour for people accompanyingothers attending conventions inthe Twin Cities;

➤ Work with the area’s professionalsports teams to create GreatRiver Road days, e.g., promo-tional opportunities incorporatedinto sporting events.

➤ Provide special events gearedtowards concierges at TwinCities hotels.

➤ Identify area charities and workto create benefit events aroundthe Great River Road, e.g., festivals and sports events.


745

Marketing the Mississippi Gorgeshould be aimed at promising aquality experience without over-selling, which creates a risk thatvisitors will be disappointed and,hence, alienated. It should be gearedprimarily to structured and semi-structured groups; with self struc-tured and unstructured groups, withan additional focus on rental car,airlines, hotels, CVBs and meetingorganizers

Route ModificationsTo improve the use of the road-

way by vehicular and non-vehiculartourists, it is necessary that theexisting route of the Great RiverRoad be modified in the MississippiGorge Demonstration Area. Travelingdownstream, no changes are neces-sary from Boom Island to MinnehahaPark. From Minnehaha Park, it issuggested that the Great River Roadcross the Mississippi River on theFord Bridge rather than continue to TH 55 on Godfrey Parkway.

The Ford Bridge supplies one ofthe best views of the river and thegorge. It visually explains the geo-graphic and historic divide betweenthe two cities. It connects Minneapolisand St. Paul directly, which to atourist is logical. It also gives thetourist the ability to see that theTwin Cities is composed of vibrantneighborhood and neighborhoodsshopping districts, like HighlandPark in St. Paul.

After crossing the Ford Bridgeinto St. Paul, it is recommendedthat the Great River Road followMississippi River Boulevard to TH 5(Fort Road) where it would againcross the Mississippi to accessHistoric Fort Snelling. After crossingthe river, the Great River Roadwould immediately exit on to TH 55and the Mendota Bridge, followingthe currently designated NationalRoute until it reaches Smith Avenue.

It would follow Smith Avenue acrossthe High Bridge, crossing the Missis-sippi River into St. Paul once more.It would follow Smith Avenue toWest 7th Street (Fort Road) toChestnut Street. Turning toward theriver on Chestnut Street, the GreatRiver Road would go by Irvine Parkand the new Science Museum ofMinnesota. It would follow ChestnutStreet to Shepard Road where itwould reconnect with the existingdesignated National Route.

Downstream it would follow theexisting designated route throughthe Mississippi Gorge DemonstrationArea. However, other routing problems do occur in the MNRRADestination Area that should beexamined by the local stewardshiporganization. In particular, theexisting National Route uses Inter-states 694 and 494 to cross theMississippi River. This is especiallytroublesome for bicycle and pedes-trian use. It is suggested that alternative routes be found. TheCamden Bridge appears to be a likelycandidate for an I-694 substitute.For I-494, it is recommended that consideration be given to therecently abandoned combination rail and road swing bridge that connects 66th Street East in InverGrove Heights with 3rd Avenue in St. Paul Park. By utilizing thisbridge, non-vehicular traffic wouldbe accommodated and an importanthistoric resource would be preserved.

Mississippi BluffsDemonstration AreaLocation and GeneralDescription

The Mississippi Bluffs Demon-stration Area extends along theGreat River Road between its twocommunity anchors, Red Wing and Winona, on US Highway 61.Commonly referred to as the

“Hiawatha Valley,” it includes communities in Goodhue, Wabasha, and Winona counties, including therivertowns of Red Wing, Frontenac,Lake City, Kellogg, Wabasha, andWinona. The Mississippi River ismuch wider in this portion of theGreat River Road, acquiring thebroad width that people who aremore acquainted with the river outside Minnesota would recognize.In the Mississippi Bluffs Demon-stration Area, however, the valley is more defined than it is furtherdownstream. Here it is distinctive,bounded by bluffs rising up almostimmediately from the water’s edgewith compact rivertowns nestled on terraces between the river andthe bluff.

In this demonstration area,there is a balance between the natural and cultural environments.It is a major attraction for outdoorrecreationists and home to extensivepublic land holdings, including theUpper Mississippi Federal Wildlifeand Fish Refuge, the Richard J.Dorer Memorial Hardwood Forest,and two river-oriented state parks,Frontenac and Great River Bluffs.Fishing, boating, hunting, campingare all pursued in earnest bytourists from Iowa, Wisconsin,Illinois, and of course, Minnesota.

The rivertowns are vibrant com-mercial centers and major touristattractions. Although the railroadsand the highway have long providedtransportation for the valley’s com-munities, their early dependence on river transportation remainsapparent. Tourism is now a majorcontributor to the vitality of theregion. Except in Red Wing andWinona, the economies of the river-towns had been traditionally domi-nated by the regional agriculturaleconomy. Tourism has increased the diversity of local economies andincreased significantly the variety of


746

businesses. Lodging, restaurants, and recreational attractions havedramatically increased in recentdecades, providing residents andtourists with broader opportunitiesto enjoy the region.


The Upper Mississippi Riverdownstream from St. Paul is a work-ing river. Although, commercialbarge traffic may be less than theLower Mississippi, it still is respon-sible for the transport of millions of tons of commodities annually. Itis bulk cargo that gets transportedtoday—coal, gravel, lime, grain. Thetransfer of passenger and generalmerchandise to rail and roadoccurred during the past 150 years.

The demise of the river as aconduit of people and goods occurredapproximately 20 years after theCivil War. The river was a less pre-dictable way to conduct commerce.Passengers and merchandise movedfirst to rail and then to the road-way. The nature of the riverfrontcommunities reflect this transfer.Most wholesale districts are orientedto the railroad; retail to the highway.The river was used primarily as away to dispose of waste.

It was not until the interests of northern farmers (who had beenunable to overcame the oppositionof railroad magnates like James J.Hill) were linked with the interestsof communities in the Lower Missis-sippi, that Congress voted to con-struct a series of dams on the river.Northern farmers wanted to increasecompetition for railroads by creatinga water route to markets. The rail-roads managed to convince Congressnot to support such improvementsuntil a string of floods devastatedthe south. Southern Congressmen,who now wanted dams constructedfor flood control, found allies in

northern Congressmen who wanted a deeper channel and a series oflocks and dams to provide predictablewater transportation. Coupled withthe need to generate jobs duringthe Great Depression, the system of Locks and Dams operated todayby the Army Corps of Engineers wasdeveloped during the early 1930’s.The working river re-emerged.

Today, the river towns are stillprimarily oriented to the highway asa way of transporting people, goods,and services. Nonetheless, the riverhas taken on a new meaning as anicon of community identity and awonderful recreational opportunity.

The Mississippi River downstreamfrom Red Wing flows in a wide valleybounded by dramatically high bluffs.Here the river is virtually a lake orlost in a bundle of rivulets com-posed of a main channel, manybackwaters, and countless islands.

The bluffs on both sides of theriver are impressive. Father LouisHennepin, passing through south-eastern Minnesota in 1683, claimedthat the river “runs between twochains of mountains.” To the uninitiated it is a fair description.Actually the valley is a result oferosion. The river is simply lowerthan the surrounding countryside.The valley is much wider than theriver and formed not by the relativelytame modern stream that existstoday but by a glacially fed torrentthat cut the valley out of stone atthe close of previous ice-ages.

The river runs 64 miles betweenRed Wing and Winona, from RiverMile 726 to 790, as measured by theArmy Corps of Engineers. It has littlechange in elevation, approximatelydropping only 6 feet in 50 milesfrom Frontenac to Winona, the mostgentle gradient found in Minnesota.The elevation is controlled by a seriesof dams operated by the Army Corpsof Engineers. Three locks and dams

occur on the river between RedWing and Winona: Lock and Dam 4,near Alma, Wisconsin; Lock and Dam 5, adjacent to John LatschState Wayside Park, and Lock andDam 5A near Winona.

The present riverine habitat isthe result of the extensive modifica-tions to the river by the Army Corpsof Engineers who maintain the navi-gational channel with its system of dams, locks and wing dams. Theprimary change to habitat has beenthe decrease in cyclic wetlands—wetlands that dry out in summerand fall, and become flooded inspring. The water level is more consistent now, although springflooding is still a major ecologicalevent. Despite this ecologicalchange, the river, particularly its backwaters, are home to largepopulations of wildlife.

This segment of the MississippiRiver that forms the border betweenMinnesota and Wisconsin is a majorroute for migratory birds includingspecies that are of interest tohunters and wildlife watchers such as ducks, geese, swans, hawks,and eagles. It is estimated by theMinnesota Department of NaturalResources that there are 285 speciesof birds in this demonstrationarea—sixty percent of all speciesfound in the contiguous UnitedStates. Fifty mammals are foundbetween Hastings and Iowa, accordingto the DNR. Many have commercialor sporting value, including deer,beaver, and muskrat. There are 23species of reptiles and 13 amphib-ians. There are 113 species of fishdownstream from St. Anthony Falls.The falls inhibits migration of fish.Upstream of the falls, only half thespecies of fish exist. Unfortunately,the presence of contaminants limitsthe suggested ingestion of fishtaken from this stretch of theMississippi River.


747

Mis

siss

ipp

i Blu

ffs

Dem

onst

rati

on A

rea

Nor

th0

1.5

36

Mil

es

Inte

rsta

te R

oute

U.S

. Rou

te

Stat

e R

oute

Cou

nty

Rou

te

Anc

hor

Gre

at R

iver

Roa

d R

oute

2 12197

35E

PIE

RC

E C

O.

PEPI

N C

O.

GO

OD

HU

E C

O.

WA

BA

SHA

CO

.

PEPINCO. BUFFALOCO.

BUFFALO

CO.

WABASH

A CO.W

AB

ASH

A C

O.

WIN

ON

A C

O.

Lake

Pep

in

Lake

Pep

in

M i s s i ss

ippi

Riv

er

No.

3D

am

Fron

tena

cSt

ate

Park

No.

4D

am

No.

5D

am

No.

5A

Dam

Up

per

Mis

siss

ipp

i Riv

erFe

der

al W

ild

life

an

d F

ish

Ref

uge

Hea

dq

uar

ters

Red

Win

g

Lak

e C

ity

Wab

ash

a

Kel

logg

Fron

ten

ac

Win

ona

248

61

60

42

58

61

61

14

43

43

63

Min

neso

ta

Wis

cons

in


748

Wildlife is an important touristattraction. Fishing, hunting, andobserving wildlife is an activity thatmany people enjoy throughout theyear. There is commercial harvest-ing of fish in the Mississippi BluffsDemonstration Area, including carp,buffalo, and catfish. Freshwatermussels (clams) are also being com-mercially harvested. Once an impor-tant commercial commodity neces-sary for button manufacturing, theharvesting of freshwater musselsdeclined with the advent of syntheticbuttons. Recently, the harvesting of mussels has been revived. Musselshells are sold as a commodity toJapan’s cultured pearl industry.(Fragments of the shells are a necessary ingredient for inducingthe development of pearls.) Observingcommercial fishing and clammingoperations may be of interest tomany tourists.

The river, especially Lake Pepinbetween Red Wing and Lake City, isa preferred destination for waterrecreationists. Sailboats, power-boats, yachts, fishing boats, sailboards, and personal watercraftshare the expansive water. Canoeistsand small watercraft are warned tostay near the shore or in backwatersto avoid the dangerous wakes ofcommercial barge traffic. There areseveral public and private marinasand docks. Notable facilities includemarinas in Red Wing, Lake City,Wabasha, and Winona. Overnightdocking is available at these loca-tions although the river's islandsalso form impromptu campgroundsfor boaters.

Although, the Mississippi Riveris important for commercial trade—it is a working river—the recre-ational use of the river has been,nonetheless, fundamental in creatinga new focus on riverfront developmentand river access throughout thedemonstration area.

The Great River RoadThe National Route of the Great

River Road crosses over to Wisconsinnear Hastings, Minnesota. Only theState Route continues on the Minne-sota side of the river downstreamfrom Hastings. The State Routefollows US Highway 61 without

deviation through the MississippiBluffs Demonstration Area. (Becausethere is no National Route on theMinnesota side of the river, through-out the rest of this narrative aboutthe Mississippi Bluff DemonstrationArea, reference to the Great RiverRoad will be synonymous with the“Great River Road—State Route.”)

The road is a major trunk high-way, serving as an important north-south commercial corridor. BetweenRed Wing and Wabasha it is a two-lanehighway with paved shoulders, typi-cally. Between Wabasha and Winonait is a four-lane highway typicallywith paved shoulders. In Red Wing,Lake City, Wabasha, and Winona it is a four-lane highway. It travelsthrough the commercial core of thecommunities of Red Wing and LakeCity as a four-lane road with pavedshoulders. In downtown Red Wingand Lake City, parallel parkingoccurs on both sides of the street.In Wabasha and Winona the GreatRiver Road rides through town onthe US 61 Bypass, avoiding the riverand the historic district.

There are several designatedspurs, or actually loops, in theDemonstration Area. They are usuallymapped on Great River Road promo-tional material but are unsigned. Onespur occurs immediately upstream ofthe Demonstration Area intersectingthe Cannon River between Welchand Vasa, creating an alternativeroute on County Road 7 and TH 19between Hastings and Red Wing.Another is an alternative drive fromRed Wing to Frontenac, following TH 58 out of Red Wing to Hay Creek

and County Roads 5 and 7 back toUS 61 and Frontenac. One, connectsWabasha to Kellogg by following TH 60to the Zumbro River and back to US 61on County Road 81. Between Kelloggand Weaver an alternative route follows Country Roads 18 and 84.Another meanders from Weaver to Beaver, Elba, and Rollingstonebefore returning to US Highway 61.Still another explores County Road23 to Stockton and The Archesbefore returning to Winona on USHighway 14. There are three otherdesignated spurs between Winonaand the Iowa border.

The Minnesota side of the Great River Road is viewed withsome consternation by local residentswho consider the four-lane roadwaydownstream of Wabasha as evidencethat the roadway is primarily atrunk highway not a tourist route.Compared to the Wisconsin side ofthe river, the Minnesota route hasconsiderably more traffic, especiallymore heavy commercial traffic.Mn/DOT has recently identified US 61as needing to be reconstructed intoa four-lane facility between RedWing and Lake City. Local residentshave indicated a concern that theroadway not compromise the attrac-tiveness of the area. Nonetheless,since this segment of US 61 is cur-rently considered a hectic, dangeroushighway by local residents, it isprobably viewed similarly by tourists.As congestion worsens, it will repelthe target market Lounger unlessthe roadway is improved. Therefore,it is incumbent upon Mn/DOT andthe affected communities to developa strategy for maintaining superbvisual quality while increasing thenumber of lanes.

Bicycle TransportationThere is little accommodation

for bicycle or pedestrian trafficexcept for sidewalks in towns and


749



“Mississippi Bluffs”Red Wing to Winona

750

the shoulder on the highway in ruralsegments. The only bicycle trail inthe demonstration area that parallelsthe Great River Road is from down-town Red Wing downstream to FlowerValley Road, a distance of only afew miles. Sidewalks are adjacent to the Great River Road in Red Wingand Lake City and for short distancesin several other smaller communities.A service road parallel to US 61 inWinona acts like a trail for bicyclists.Ten-foot paved shoulders are commonin the area but offer little comfort,especially with inexperienced riders,with high speed heavy commercialtraffic close to the unprotectedpedestrian or bicyclist.

Transportation System SummaryAccording to Mn/DOT data, all

roads are adequately wide and pavedfor vehicular traffic. Shoulders aretypically paved but of variouswidths. There is only one trail and sidewalks are limited to RedWing, Lake City, and short sections in other communities.

Attractions and ServicesThe Mississippi Bluffs Demon-

stration Area is the most developedof all the destination areas for river-oriented tourism. It has an extensiveassortment of attractions and servicesfor the river-oriented tourist. TheHiawatha Valley, as it is referred toby local boosters, is usually promotedas a two-state experience. Mosttourist promotional material suggeststhe advantage of traveling on oneside of the river and returning onthe other. Attractions for both sidesare promoted as complementary andcontributing to the understandingof the river and valley. The twoanchors selected for the MississippiBluffs Demonstration Area, the citiesof Red Wing and Winona, have ampleattractions and services oriented to the Great River Road traveler in

Minnesota. The cities and country-side between the two anchors are notonly very appealing, they have a sim-ilar ability to meet the expectationsof tourists.

Upstream AnchorThe Mississippi Bluffs Demon-

stration Area begins in Red Wing.Red Wing is a well-developed touristdestination and is an excellentupstream anchor with superb recreational facilities, excitingretail, interesting historic sites, captivating manufacturing tours,fun entertainment, good lodging,and great food. Red Wing has itsown tourist web site ([email protected]) and it own marketing logo (not unsurprisingly,it’s a red wing) and slogan “Remark-able Red Wing.” It has an activeDowntown Council composed ofbusiness owners that coordinate the promotion and development ofRed Wing as a tourist destination.In many respects, Red Wing demon-strates how a Great River Road des-tination area could best organizeand enhance itself as a touristattraction.

Recreational SitesThe area's recreational facilities

focus on the river. Barn Bluff, whichdominates the terminal view of theGreat River Road as one enters thetown from upstream, is an appropri-

ate marker for entering MississippiBluff Country. Although Red Wing is surrounded by bluffs, Barn Bluffstands out. The site has been anawe-inspiring tourist and recreationdestination since as early as the1830’s. The breathtaking view of the Mississippi River Valley fromBarn Bluff has inspired painting,poetry, and prose since its days as anineteenth century tourist destina-tion. Henry David Thoreau climbedto the top in 1861 and “wrote glow-ingly of the grandeur and beauty ofthe region” according to a modernpromotional brochure. It is possiblefor an able bodied tourist to ascendto the top of barn bluff for a pan-oramic view of Red Wing and theMississippi River.

In nearby Memorial Park, Sorin’sBluff offers a similar view from springthrough fall and is accessible by car.Memorial Park offers trails for hikingand mountain biking, picnic tables,and caves, for the intrepid tourist.

Covill Park, Levee Park, and BayPoint Park provide excellent opportu-nities to observe the river. Covill Parkhas a swimming pool and aquaticpark, grills, and picnic tables attrac-

tive to tourists.Next to CovillPark is Bill's BayMarina. It is aprivate full-ser-vice marina witha boat launch,65 slips, and agas dock. It hasboat and motorrepair withhaul-out andwinter storageavailable. Levee

Park and Bay Point Park are popularpromenades. Levee Park is a formalpark. Levee Park was established asa City Beautiful gateway into townduring 1905-1906. In conjunctionwith the park improvements, the


751

The Mississippi Queen approaching Red Wing.

Milwaukee Road built a classicallyinspired depot. The Milwaukee RoadDepot, an example of Beaux Artsclassicism completed in 1906, cur-rently serves as offices for RedWing’s Chamber of Commerce and its Convention and Visitors Bureau.Adjacent to Bay Point Park isBoathouse Village. Boathouse Villageis an intriguing collection of float-ing boathouses using “gin-pole”technology whereby a boathousewould ride up and down on thewater while secured to poles. Thisallows docks to remain a constantheight above the height from thesurface of the water.

Golf is a popular sport and RedWing has three respected courses, theRed Wing Country Club, MississippiNational Golf Links, and nearby Mt. Frontenac. Red Wing CountryClub is a semi-private 18 hole course that is open April 15 to lateOctober. Mississippi Golf Links is a36-hole municipal course open fromearly spring to first snowfall. Theclubhouse, bar and pro shop areopen throughout the year. Food service takes a two month break in winter but the course remainsopen for cross-country skiing. Mt. Frontenac Ski Area and Golfcourse is an 18-hole course at thetop of the bluffs with panoramicviews of Lake Pepin. It is claimedthat the ski resort offers the highestvertical drop in southeast Minne-sota. Equipment rental for bothsports is available.

Bicycling is a recreational activitythat encourages tourism. Red Wingis the terminus of the extremelypopular, privately funded, CannonValley Trail. A Trail Head for theCannon Valley Trail is situated nearthe Pottery District. A short exten-sion of the trail system to FlowerValley Road is a precursor of a longerGreat River Road Trail that is cur-rently under discussion with Lake

City and other communities in theHiawatha Valley.

The river between Red Wing and Winona is a paradise for largecruisers and houseboats. Houseboatsare available to rent in both RedWing and Winona. In Red Wing,Houseboats Charters by MarineServices rents boats. A three or four day trip costs about $750.00. A week approximately, $1,200.

Retail EstablishmentsThere is an inviting array of

retail shops for tourists. HistoricPottery Place Mall is a collection ofunique specialty shops, antiquestores, and factory outlets. Al’sAntique Mall has spaces for over 100 dealers is one of several antiqueshops on Historic Old West MainStreet. The Red Wing AntiqueEmporium on West 3rd Street boaststhat it is the largest antique mall inthe Midwest. Fine candy shops, artgalleries, and stores that featureScandinavian and Amish productsare downtown fixtures. RiverfrontCentre, adjacent to the St. JamesHotel caters to the carriage trade.Standard retail enterprises are thriv-ing downtown including grocery,drug, and apparel stores that wouldbe useful to tourists. Gas and ser-vice stations are also present as aresporting goods shops that providefishing and hunting equipment andapparel.

Historic Sites and ToursMany historic buildings in Red

Wing still remain and most havebeen restored in recent years. Theflagship of the community is the St. James Hotel and RiverfrontCentre. They are striking, beautifullyrestored, historic buildings in down-town Red Wing. They were restoredby the Red Wing Shoe Company andillustrate two important aspects oflocal history: commerce and manu-

facturing. Commerce was importantto the initial development of RedWing in the nineteenth century, and its manufacturing operationsassured continued prosperitythrough the twentieth century.Manufacturing developed quickly in the late 19th Century, replacing a waning agricultural economy. Thisprosperity is illustrated in the his-toric commercial area, the publicbuildings and churches around thehistoric mall, and the rich collectionof historic homes.

A walking tour brochure hasbeen produced and is distributed byat the travel information center inthe old Milwaukee Road Depot. Itprovides extensive information onRed Wing’s historic architecture andits heritage. A private firm, RoamingRed Wing Tours, provides a detailedpersonal tour of Red Wing, includinghistorical and scenic sites.

To a tourist, Red Wing is alsoknown as the home of two nationallyknown products, Red Wing Shoesand Red Wing Potteries. The originalbuilding of Red Wing Shoe Factoryon Main Street is still occupied bythe company and additional factoriesare located in an industrial park onthe edge of town. In downtown RedWing, Hughes Shoes is a popularsource for new Red Wing shoes and factory seconds. In RiverfrontCenter, the Red Wing Shoe Museumprovides insights into the company’shistory and popularity while illus-trating how the shoes are made. Thecompany's flagship shoe store is nowin the Mall of America, featuring itsfull line of shoes plus an interactivemuseum of the company's history.

Although Red Wing Potterieswent bankrupt after a long and bit-ter strike in 1967, Red Wing Potterystill attracts tourist interest. Manyof the town's antique shops special-ize in Red Wing Pottery, which stillattracts a significant number of


752

tourists. (Prior to 1967, the potterieswere the town's primary touristattraction. It was not unusual,according to a former company executive, to have the showroomparking lot full of out-of-state carswith people buying merchandise or receiving tours of the factory.)The Minnesota Stoneware Companybuilding, (later merged with the Red Wing Stoneware Company toform Red Wing Potteries, Inc.), iscurrently the Pottery Mall on WestMain Street. The Pottery Mall andthe associated Historic PotteryDistrict are major tourist attrac-tions. The Pottery Mall includes Red Wing Pottery and the OriginalPottery Salesroom. Potters can beobserved throwing and hand deco-rating pottery.

Red Wing Stoneware, in a newmodern building on US 61 north of downtown, continues to marketstoneware using traditional tech-niques and motifs. Tours are con-ducted twice daily in the summer at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. From Fallthrough Spring it conducts toursonce a day at 1 p.m. Typically about30 people attend each tour. Many ofthe visitors are from bus tours fromIowa going to nearby Treasure IslandCasino.

EntertainmentThe Sheldon Theatre is a com-

pletely restored auditorium featuringlive performances of national andregional talent. Restored to its original 1904 splendor in 1987, Red Wing’s “jewel box” will hostperformances from nationallyacclaimed performers ranging fromLeon Redbone to the Guthrie Theaterthis year. It screens several histori-cally important movies, like Its aWonderful Life during the holidayseason and the silent classic Birthof a Nation. Locally produced playsand music are also featured. A night

at the Sheldon is frequently tiedwith lodging at the St. James Hoteland fine dining at local restaurantsinto a complete package for tourists.

In early August, Red Wing hostsRiver City Days, a community festivaland in early October the Fall Festivalof the Arts, attracting thousands of people to the community for each event.

Lodging The 1999 Minnesota Office of

Tourism’s lodging guides suggeststhat there are five motels and fivebed and breakfasts with over 250rooms in the City of Red Wing.Nearby Treasure Island Casino has250 rooms, doubling the anchor’scapacity. Rooms range from quaintlyunique historic accommodations tomodern chain motels. The touristshould be able to find accommoda-tions to fit their budget and travelstyle. One hotel, the St. James, isfrequently mentioned as a preferreddestination in travel articles aimedat Twin Cities audiences. The reno-vation of the hotel and its skillfulpromotion to nearby metropolitanresidents has been a significant catalyst for developing Red Wing as a tourist destination.

The St. James Hotel is one ofthe state’s premiere historic proper-ties. As the town of Red Wing grewinto an economic power in southernMinnesota, city businessmen feltthat a quality hotel was needed for travelers from steamboats andrailroads. Designed by St. Paularchitect Edward P. Bassford, the St. James Hotel was finished in1875 and was soon hailed as thebest hotel along the MississippiRiver in the state. Restored by theRed Wing Shoe company, the ele-gant and formal Italianate buildingis still used as a hotel. The historyof early travel and commerce alongthe Mississippi River is easily con-

veyed by the hotel's riverside loca-tion and its period-decorated rooms.Adjoining shops catering to the car-riage-trade and an elegant restau-rant make the St. James a majortourist attraction.

FoodThere are several interesting

and varied restaurants for tourists toeat. Bars, grills, family restaurants,and fine dining are plentiful. Locallyowned and operated establishmentsand national franchises co-exist.Many are located in renovated his-toric structures. Even national fastfood franchises have interesting locations; the local Hardee’s occupiesa restored Chicago NorthwesternFreight Depot. Groceries can be purchased at supermarkets or convenience stores, even downtown.

Downstream AnchorWinona is an old river town.

At Levee Park, the Julius WilkieSteamboat Museum tempts visitorswith an replica of a vintage steam-boat and an adjoining floodwall celebrates nature’s bounty with aconcrete relief of the river’s wetlandsand wildlife. The two are symbols of Winona’s primary attractions: itshistory and its native environment.

Cultural AttractionsLike her sister cities to the north,

Winona’s development and growthwas related to the opportunitiespresented by the Mississippi River.As the largest of the rivertowns inthis demonstration area, Winona hasthe largest commercial historic dis-trict, as well as a number of otherinteresting historic sites. However,the historic sites are more spread outthan in the other towns, increasingthe challenges for public interpreta-tion, and, as is the case in Wabasha,the Great River Road bypasses thehistoric downtown area.


753

Winona offers a wide variety of properties useful in interpretingboth local and regional history. Agood first stop is the Winona CountyHistoric Society on Johnson Streetin the historic Armory. WinonaCounty Historical Society Museumprovides a good overview of the history of the region. It is locatedon the edge of Winona’s historiccommercial area. Rivaled only byRed Wing as a prime economic cen-ter in southern Minnesota, Winonaflourished due to its access to goodlanding sites along the MississippiRiver and as an early recipient ofrail lines. A commercial district wasalready established by the early1860’s, but most of it was destroyedby a fire. Wasting no time, residentsrebuilt. Development progressedthrough the nineteenth century as lumber and agricultural tradeexpanded as a result of river andrailroad connections. Between theEast Second Street Commercial District,the Third Street Commercial HistoricDistrict, and individual buildingslike the Angers Block and WinonaSavings Bank, Winona maintains one of the most intact and relativelylarge examples of a nineteenth cen-tury business district in the GreatRiver Road corridor. The WinonaSaving Bank (1914-1916) also pro-

could distribute their goods to nearbysmall communities.

Benefitting from the city’s earlycommercial success, Winona has someof the state's most significant com-mercial and residential buildings.Winona’s most affluent residentsbuilt houses in a residential districtsurrounding the open green spaces,gazebo, and fountain of WindomPark. The houses built around thepark represent most of the nationallypopular styles of the Victorian Era.Several notable examples includethe following: The Huff-LambertonHouse was built in the popularItalian Villa style by Henry D. Huff.The exotic Moorish-influenced porchand gazebo were added by the newowner, Henry W. Lamberton, after1873. The house of lumbermanAbner F. Hodgkins is a fine exampleof the Queen Anne style influencedby the Colonial Revival. The J.W.S.Gallagher House presents a moremodern flare to the built environ-ment of Winona through its PrairieSchool style designed by notedarchitects Purcell & Elmslie.

Winona’s civic history is repre-sented by a public library, a court-house, a Catholic church, and awaterworks. The Neo-Classical styleWinona Public Library, built in1899, has long been considered an important cultural center for the city. The murals, statues, and


The rivertowns in the Mississippi Bluffs Destination Area have functioning Main Street commer-cial districts with significant amounts of 19th Century to early 20th Century architecture.

Winona has long been a prosperous commu-nity attracting the founder of Prairie SchoolArchitecture, Louis Sullivan, with commissionsfor commercial structures.

vides a unique interpretive opportu-nity through its association withChicago architect George W. Maherand its unique status as one of thefew Egyptian Revival style buildingsin Minnesota.

Logs from the Wisconsin timber-lands were floated down the Chippewaand Mississippi rivers to Winona,where they were milled into lumber.Within a few years of being incorpo-rated, the City of Winona had grownto become the state's third leadinglumber district after Stillwater andSt. Anthony Falls. Furthermore, theproximity to the productive agricul-tural fields of southern Minnesotamade the city an ideal point for thestorage and distribution of grainreserves. The Grain and LumberExchange of Winona, on E. FourthStreet, served an important role inthe distribution and pricing of suchgoods in the area. The building’sRenaissance Revival style, with itsemphasis on allocating enough wallspace to window openings for suffi-cient light, lends an air of authorityand importance that is retained tothis day. The Winona & St. PeterRailroad Freight House, on CenterStreet, was operated from 1883 to1961 and aided in the expansion ofthe agricultural and lumber industriesby providing a conduit through whichwheat could be purchased andsawmill and grain miller agents

754

art glass combined with the classicalarchitectural design were intendedto lend an air of culture to thebuilding. The RichardsonianRomanesque style Winona CountyCourthouse was built during theheight of the city’s affluence fromthe river trade and “represents theambitious hopes and aspirations ofthe community during this period.”Another significant public buildingin Winona is St. Stanislaus PolishCatholic Church. Polish immigrantsfirst settled in Winona during themid-1850s, and this imposing edificeillustrates the contributions of thesepeople to the social and religiousenvironment of Winona. This ethnichistory is relayed at the PolishCultural Institute, a museum opento the public. An example of earlypublic works is the Winona Water-works. It is an early example of acommunity-sponsored sanitationproject that purified, stored, anddistributed water from the river for residential, commercial, andindustrial use.

Winona is home to some of themost impressive stained-glass studiosin the United States. Consequently italso has some of the most elaboratedisplay of stained glass in Minnesota.The Winona website has a virtualguided tour of several of importantlandmarks. Guided tours can bearranged by theWinona conven-tion and Visitor’sBureau for groupsof fifteen or morepeople. One studio, ConwayUniversal Studios,has been in pro-duction for gen-erations andhosts grouptours.

Programs forself-guided her-

itage walking tours are availablefrom the Convention and VisitorBureau (CVB). Personal guides arealso available for larger groupsthrough the CVB.

Recreational AttractionsWinona has several interesting

bluffs. Sugar Loaf is an appropriateterminus to the Mississippi BluffCountry. With Barn Bluff in RedWing, it creates two well-knowngeological anchors. Similar to BarnBluff, Sugarloaf has served as aprime destination for travelers alongthe Mississippi River for a centuryand a half. The bluff’s dramaticpresence was threatened during the 1880s and 1890s by quarrying of its Oneota Dolomite. Thanks tothe preservation efforts of severalWinona civic groups, the geologicallandmark was purchased and pre-served so that future generations of travelers could enjoy its sculptedbeauty. Sugarloaf’s unique landformis the result of quarrying. The pin-nacle that remains is where thecrane was erected while rock wasmined all around its base. AlthoughSugar Loaf is the basis of many locallegends that explain its unusualshape—it has a peak that towerslike a butte 85 feet above the bluffbelow—it is actually the result of a19th century quarry.

Garvin Heights Park, west of theGreat River Road, has a traditionalpicnic grounds and provides anexcellent twenty to thirty-mile viewupstream and downstream.of theMississippi. The Mississippi can alsobe seen from Levee Park where theMississippi Queen, American Queen,and Delta Queen steamboats dock.Appropriately, as part of Levee Park,the Julius C. Wilkie SteamboatCenter, a full size replica of a riversteamboat, houses a museum dedi-cated to interpreting the steamboatand the steamboat era. Several com-munity events are oriented to theriver including, the Winter Carnival,the Art and River Festival, andSteamboat Days.

Winona has three golf courses.Westfield Municipal Golf Course is a 9-hole public course and countryclub in the heart of Winona. CedarValley Golf Course is an 18 holesemi-private course 10 miles southof Winona. Winona Country Club is a private 18-hole course with reci-procity arrangements.

The river in Winona is a paradisefor large cruisers and houseboats.Houseboats are available to rentfrom Great River Houseboats. Athree or four day trip costs about$750.00. A week approximately,$1,200. There are eight boat landingson the river. Four above Lock and

Dam Number 5,four below. Lockand Dams 5 and6 operated bythe U.S. ArmyCorps ofEngineers arenearby intriguingattractions withobservationsites. With anaverage of 8 million tons of cargo beinghauled on this 7

55

Sugar Loaf in Winona and Barn Bluff in Red Wing are major gateway icons for the MississippiBluff Destination Area.


portion of the river during eacheight-month shipping season (theequivalent of adding about 3,000trucks/day on US 61 for the sameperiod), the locks are in frequentdemand and easily observed working.

The river and other naturalresources, particularly fish andbirds, are important to tourism inWinona. Fishing, beleaguered foryears by pollutants and consump-tion warnings, is considered to beimproving because of enhancementsto upstream sewage treatment facili-ties, especially the treatment plantlocated in St. Paul. Walleye fishingis set for making a strong re-emer-gence according to the DNR. Troutfishing is good in tributary streamsand attracts many anglers. Birdwatching, particularly watchingEagles and Tundra Swans, have created a substantial industry.Winona hotels offer a package tourincluding lodging, meals, an orien-tation by a wildlife expert, and a 4 hour bus tour of swan sites.Excursions into native landscapesare promoted in tourist materialsincluding the three nearby stateparks and national wildlife refuges.

Commercial Attractions and Travel Services

There are several speciality shopsthat cater to the tourist includingantiques stores, bakeries, gift shops,and outlet stores. Winona KnittingMills and Winona Knits are significantattractions. Winona Knits is America’soldest and largest sweater retailerand has a significant following.Another local manufacturer is We-no-nah canoe, marker of premiumcanoes for discriminating canoeists.

Winona is well situated to sup-port tourism with almost 650 roomsin eleven lodging accommodations,three of which have more than 100rooms. There are several public andprivate campgrounds with several

hundred campingsites available inthe immediatevicinity ofWinona. GreatRiver BluffsState Park (formerly O.L.Kipp State Park)has spectacularviews of theriver and fea-tures 31 campsites with picnictables and fire rings. It has one pio-neer group camp that has a capacityfor 80 people and a camping areadedicated to bicyclists.

Winona has a wide range ofrestaurants and a full complementof grocery stores. Over 60 restau-rants are listed by the Winona CVB.They range from standard fast foodto family restaurants to bar andgrills. American, Oriental, andItalian food is available. A handfulof restaurants have either riverthemes, overlook the river, or arelocated in historic buildings, such as the Jefferson Pub and Grill in thehistoric Winona-St. Peter RailroadFreight House.

Connecting CorridorFrontenac

Old Frontenac is oriented to the river, located on Lake Pepin on a bend in the Mississippi. It isremoved two miles from the GreatRiver Road on County Road 2. It isthe site of the first Christian chapelin Minnesota built by the Frenchwho established Fort Beauharnois on the river near here in 1727. Thepost was abandoned after the landwas ceded to the British in 1736.Originally, Frontenac—named aftera governor of New France who hadsponsored many of the early Frenchexplorations of the Mississippi—wasconceived of as a Utopian

Community. Later, catering to fash-ionable elites from New Orleans, St. Louis, and St. Paul, it floweredas a resort during the late 1860'sthrough the 1880's. The LakesideHotel (1867-1939) was the firstsummer hotel in Minnesota and was known as the “Newport of theNorthwest.” This small river townmaintains a remarkably intact groupof buildings from the mid to latenineteenth century with many surviving Greek Revival and GothicRevival style structures still presentin the Old Frontenac Historic District.According to local lore, it was pur-posely bypassed by the railroadsbecause the developers of Frontenacdidn’t want their tranquility dis-rupted by trains. New Fontenac orFrontenac Station was thus born on the railroad and eventually, sustained by the highway, grantingOld Frontenac its desired status as a tranquil backwater.

Recreational activities areaccommodated at Frontenac Ski Areaand Golf Course (previously discussedunder Red Wing attractions) and in Frontenac State Park. FrontenacState Park has 58 pull-in campsites,19 with electricity, and 6 rusticwalk-in camp sites. A primitive groupcamp holds 20 people. It has a dump-station, showers, flush toilets, and apicnic site capable of accommodating40 people with fantastic views on a


Attractive residential structure in Old Frontenac.

756

bluff overlooking the river. It has 15 miles of hiking trails, over 6 milesof cross-country skiing trails, andover 8 miles of snowmobiling trails.Birds, particularly rare Warblers,nest in the area, attracting manybird watchers. In the park, there isevidence of habitation and burialsites from the Hopewellian culture(400 B.C. to 300 A.D.)

Lake CityLake City means recreation.

Lake City provides the best access to Lake Pepin. It is the birthplace ofwaterskiing and home to hundredsof sailboats and large cruisers. Themunicipal marina has overnightdocking facilities and gas. Thebreakwater acts as a municipal fish-ing pier attracting thousands ofanglers each year. Four miles northof Lake City, Hansen’s Harbor hassimilar facilities with a full servicefor sail and power boats, a completeship's store and gas dock, a launch-ing ramp, short term transient slips,seasonal docking slips, and winterstorage. Regattas attract sailors andspectators. Water Ski Days is thecommunity’s annual summer festival.A winter ice fishing contest on Lake

Pepin attracts over 4,000 contestants.The city has hundreds of acres

of parkland, several of which linethe river over looking Lake Pepin.Hok-Si-La Park located on thenorthside of town on the river, isthe city’s largest park. A former BoyScout Camp, several former Scoutbuildings serve as picnic sheltersand activity centers. Camping, trails,picnic tables, a swimming beach,and public boat launch make thearea attractive to boating and vehicular tourists. Several otherparks line the shore of Lake Pepin.A lakeshore sidewalk parallels theGreat River Road connecting theseparks. Lake City is currently study-ing the feasibility of improving thissidewalk and extending it as a trailto Red Wing. At both ends of thelakeshore sidewalk are roadsideturnouts. On the upstream end,Mn/DOT maintains a rest area withflush toilets, picnic areas, and sev-eral interpretive markers. One of themarkers is a Great River Road markerthat discusses mussel harvesting and Lake City's button manufactories.The southern turnout is a simpleWPA-vintage stone overlook with amonument to the invention of water

skiing by Ralph Samuelson in 1922.Lake City has an established walkingtour of historic sites.

Lake City Country Club is anattractive, recently refurbished,semi-private golf course.

Lake City was platted in 1855 as a steamboat landing. By 1871, theChicago, St. Paul, and Milwaukee(Milwaukee Road) Railroad ran alongthe edge of town, solidifying itsposition as a trading center. Itsaccess to the river and railroadmade it a natural distribution pointfor businesses, area farmers, andresidents to buy and sell agriculturaland manufactured products. LakeCity's historic commercial area isrelated to this era of expansion andgrowth. The buildings were primarilyconstructed between 1882 and 1910and possess a continuity in stylisticelements such as brick wall finish,corbelled cornices, limestone foun-dations, limestone window sills andlintels, and general window patternsthat lend a sense of continuity tothe district.

Lake City’s community develop-ment can be interpreted throughthe Patton Park area, which con-tains handsome public buildings and a variety of Victorian residentialstyles. The park itself is a pleasantCity Beautiful monument with aclassically inspired bandstand (ca. 1910). Around the park, thereare the two main public buildings:the Richardsonian Romanesquestyled City Hall (1899) and theBeaux Arts styled Post Office (1916).the historic district embodies therole of public services in the devel-opment of the community. The PostOffice, built in 1916, presents afeeling of tradition through the useof an engaged Ionic order porticosupporting a cornice with dentils.The lines between residential andbusiness areas were often blurredduring the nineteenth century, and


757

Lake City, home of waterskiing, continues to attract visitors who recreate on expansiveLake Pepin.

this sense of community planning is apparent in the district as homesvarying from Greek Revival to QueenAnn surround the civic buildings. A premiere residence in Lake City isthe Patrick Henry Rahilly House. Asa prominent farmer and local politi-cian, Rahilly’s Italian Villa stylehome is considered the prototypefor the style in southern Minnesota.

According to the MinnesotaOffice of Tourism, Lake City hasnine hotels with approximately 170 rooms and two B&B's with fiverooms each. Hok-Si-La park hascamping accommodations. Restaurantsrange from national fast food fran-chises to standard family fare and a few bars. Restaurants such as TheGalley, promote a riverine theme.Zuber’s Grill and Pub overlooks thefascinating Lake City Marina andLake Pepin. Gas stations, grocerystores, and other retail stores arereadily available to the tourist. Theheadquarters and catalog showroomof Wild Wings Gallery is in LakeCity. Nestled in an attractive pinegrove and as one of the nation’s pre-mier wildlife art galleries, it attractspeople from all over the country.

Reads LandingReads Landing is notable for its

natural resources—it is at the head tothe Upper Mississippi River NationalWildlife and Fish Refuge, and baldeagles abound. It has a rich history,as well, though the building stockto illustrate the town’s past is limited.

The small community of ReadsLanding thrived as a primary portfor river boats and as a major lum-bering and milling center in themid-nineteenth century. It was during this economic peak that theReads Landing School was createdin 1872. As with many public struc-

tures in the southeastern portion ofthe state, the Reads Landing Schoolwas Italianate in design and is a

“rare surviving example of the nearlyuniversal mode of first generationbrick school design in Minnesota:the bracketed, Italianate box.” Thedecision by the Chicago, Milwaukee,St. Paul, and Pacific Railroad to runits tracks through Wabasha insteadof Reads Landing led to the steadydecline in the city's population andeconomy. The Reads Landing School isone of the few remaining structuresassociated with the city's prosperousdays in the nineteenth century.

WabashaWabasha was thrust into national

notice with the Grumpy Old Menmovie series. Slippery’s Tavern andChuck's Bait Shop cater to touristsinteresting in seeing the sights fromthe popular movie. Slippery’s featuresa bar and grill with an overview ofthe Mississippi River and originalsets from the movie. It is an integralpart of the community festival,Grumpy Old Men Days.

Wabasha is known for its spectac-ular views of Bald Eagles. An EagleObservation Deck is located on theriverfront. The deck has three inter-pretive panels donated by the USFish and Wildlife Service. EagleWatch,a non-profit interest group, staffsthe deck from November throughMarch and provides binoculars andspotting scopes for visitors. Thedeck draws an estimated 10,000

visitors annually. A $3 millionNational Eagle Center is proposed inWabasha to promote viewing andinterpretation. The project is a part-nership between state and federalagencies and the City of Wabasha.The project is being coordinated bythe National Audubon Society, withassistance from Eagle Watch, Inc.and the City of Wabasha. When theproject is constructed in 2001, itwill be a major contributor to thearea's economy. According to the USFish and Wildlife Service, Americanspay $18 billion annually on bird-watching products and services,three times the amount they spendon professional sports. The appeal of our national bird wil

l draw many tourists to this easily accessible location. From thislocation it will be simple to directtourists to other birding hot spots inthe Mississippi Bluffs DemonstrationArea. There are several turnouts offof the Great River Road, accommo-dating bird watching and providingscenic views of the river valleydownstream form Wabasha on LakePepin. Soar with the Eagles is anannual community celebration.

There are two marinas offering400 open slips and 200 closed slipson the Wabasha riverfront. A munic-ipal dock provides river access tothe public. Beach Park on the riverhas picnic and camping facilities.Coffee Mill Golf and Country Cluboffers a bluff top view of theMississippi valley with no tee timerequired. In the winter, Coffee Millbecomes a full-service 11-run skipark with two chair lifts. It alsooffers half pipe snow boarding. At425 feet of vertical drop it is one of the highest slopes in Minnesota.

Wabasha has a long history as a commercial center. Today it has a growing number of retail storesaimed at the tourist. Several busi-nesses in Wabasha’s Old City Hall are


Reads Landing School.

758

indicative of this trend. Establishedin 1843 as a fur trading post, plattedin 1854 as a steamboat landing,Wabasha developed as a local tradecenter along the Milwaukee Roadtracks after 1871. The WabashaCommercial Historic District main-tains a fine collection of nineteenthcentury buildings that illustrate thecity's development as a commercialcenter. This highly intact group oftwo-story brick buildings on MainStreet maintains its traditional usepattern - small shops and restau-rants with offices or apartmentsupstairs. On the west end of thecommercial district, the AndersonHouse, which dates to 1856, is theoldest operating hotel in Minnesotaand a significant tourist attraction.The Milwaukee Road Railroad Round-house is a unique property in theGreat River Road corridor andthroughout Minnesota generally.

Located outsideof downtown,the roundhousecould help tellWabasha’s storyas well as illus-trate the engi-neering andtechnical aspectsof railroad oper-ations duringthe late nine-teenth century.

Wabasha’slocation near the productive wheatfields of southern Minnesota and theMississippi River created a naturalsetting for the development of anagricultural industry-based economy.The office and grain elevator of theJ.C. Dill Company of Wabasha areassociated with the agriculture andplayed a crucial part in the storageand distribution of grains in the area.While currently used as a veterinaryclinic, the unique variegated buffbrick and original window pattern of the office building are intact, and the grain elevator still functionsand retains all of its original elements.Wabasha remains an important com-mercial center for the local agricul-tural economy. The old Post Officehouses an historical museum.

Wabasha presents a unique residential pattern for interpretivepurposes. In nineteenth centurycommunities, houses were usuallyconstructed of wood. This preference

was both basedon Victorian aes-thetics and onpractical factors,namely the factthat lumbercould easily beshipped on rail-roads or floateddown rivers.Wabasha differedin that, even

prior to the time of industrial brickmanufacturing in the city, local resi-dents sought bricks for the con-struction of their homes. The brickstructures are represented by GreekRevival and Federal styles, built pri-marily for the early merchant classof the city, and the Italianate style,seen in the homes of individualsassociated with the developing agri-culture and railroad economies laterin the nineteenth century. In addi-tion, the Green Bay Hotel was con-structed in 1869 and is an excellentearly example of a small, roadsideinn. Nineteenth century travelersalong the Mississippi River couldtake shelter in this simple inn duringtheir visits to the growing town ofWabasha. The Green Bay Hotel,although physically altered, still tellsa story of early travel and recreationas evidenced by its modest GreekRevival style.

During the late nineteenth century, socially progressive lawswere passed that stipulated thateach county construct a house,farm, or like facility for the relief of the county’s poor people. TheWabasha County Poor House wasconstructed near Wabasha on a 32-acre tract of land that the countyprovided. The two-story brick hospi-tal, which was built in 1879, waseconomically and efficiently designed,with only minor embellishments,


Downtown Wabasha is another example of the continuous use ofcommercial buildings from an earlier era.

759

Below: Even simple buildings, like Wabasha’sGreen Bay Hotel, have interesting stories totell. Bottom: At one time, Wabasha was theflour capital of the world.

such as the brick window hoods.Four years later a detached buildingwas constructed for the housing ofthe Poor Farm’s resident workers and the kitchen/dining room. TheWabasha County Poor House is oneof only a few such structures leftstanding in Minnesota and representsearly attempts at social reform.

Wabasha is a frequent stop ofthe steamboats, the Delta Queen,Mississippi Queen, and the AmericanQueen. Unfortunately, for tourists andtourist related businesses, scheduledstops are only known a few monthsin advance making it difficult topromote their arrival.

In addition to the AndersonHouse, the Minnesota Office ofTourism lists 3 other lodging accom-modations with 28 additional roomsin Wabasha.

Kellogg and MinneiskaKellogg and Minneiska are known

for its carvers and woodcraft. Kelloggis home to LARK Toys. LARK Toys,began as a manufacturer of simplewooden toys but has expanded intoa major tourist attraction, with fiveshops specializing in wood and tintoys and children's books. The fan-tastic hand-carved LARK Carousel isa unique menagerie of twenty realand imaginary animals welcomingriders of all ages. A cafe and antiquetoy museum round out Kellogg’sunique attraction. Minneiska hastwo prominent wood carving shops,one carving carousel animals andtrolls, another carving Scandinavianfurniture. Both are open to the public.

The Eagle View Bar and Grilloffers full service family diningoverlooking the Mississippi Riverdaily except Mondays.

The Big StoryA Fish with a View

The Big Story is the view. The all encompassing, overarching,

panoramic view. The view of theriver, the towns, and how it isframed by the steadfast bluffs. The view that explains the context,frames the composition, and pro-vides wonder and awe. The viewthat tells the story of a majesticriver and the hearty yet visionarycommunities nestled on its terraces.A view that reveals history whileillustrating the industry of contem-porary society. An inviting viewthat offers refreshment, bounty,and rejuvenation.

It is primarily the view seenfrom the bluffs. Other less dramaticviews closer to the river are impor-tant corollaries of the proof andprovide interesting details but it is the larger view that inspires,instructs, and is sufficiently seduc-tive to induce repeat visitation—ifonly to witness the scene during adifferent season.

To see wide, panoramic vistas,is to put life in perspective. To seethe same sights that Father LouisHennepin saw and described over300 years ago, the same solid“mountains” guiding the course of a powerful river, is mysticallyresonating. To understand that over2,000 years ago, a native culturespreading from Ohio throughout theeastern United States, reached this

fertile valley, settled, and called itgood for perhaps as long as 1,000years, provides hope that perhapswe can be as enduring as the Hope-wellians who left behind, 1500 yearsago, those still visible scared mounds.A view of a town, a town perhapsonly 150 years old, but one that has adjusted to the vicissitudes ofnature and society or succumbed to society's fickle use of technology.This ancient geological, archaeologi-cal, and historical evidence providesus with a reassuring steadfastness,provides us with evidence of theveracity of our cherished eternalbeliefs. This is what attracts thetourist, not just the view, but what the view can personally mean.

Metaphorically, near Kellogg, isa large weathervane made of metaland shaped like a fish. This is areplacement for an earlier woodenmodel that was used as a navigationalaid for 19th century river pilots.This “fish with a view” seems likean appropriate metaphor for thetourist experience.

Applying the StoryThe potential to provide per-

spective and insight, both actuallyand metaphorically, to tourists is anopportunity to be valued. Views ofthe river, views of nature, views of


Scenic views of the Mississippi River, like this one from Frontenac State Park, are significant forattracting tourists to the Mississippi Bluffs Demonstration Area.

760

settlements placed in their largerriver context should be developedand promoted. It is the connectivity,the ability to see thirty miles andsee that this community and thatcommunity and that forest and thatstream and this river and our stateand that state are all part of thesame landscape, the same ecologicaland social system—that we are allin this together—e pluribus unum,out of many, one. This is a power-fully unifying and healing messageto a society fraught with distrust,discord, and disunity.

To slow down, to re-connectwith those values we hold scared is what attracts the tourist to thisparticular destination area.


The tourist that would beattracted to the Mississippi BluffDestination Area is primarily theLounger, someone coming to relaxand be refreshed by the experience.Although Guests of family andfriends are a significant addition to the tourism base and Pilgrims,Accumulators, Players, and Explorersfrequently travel on this segment of the Great River Road, it isnonetheless, the Lounger that colorsall motivations in this demonstrationarea. People come here to relax andunwind. Play is less intense—apeaceful day on a boat, is a typicaladventure. Accumulating goods is aleisurely excursion into quiet quaintshops. Exploring comes easy,information is practically spoon-fedfrom drive-up interpretive signs.Even spectating, typically involveswatching the slow cycles of naturalrhythms, returning swans, the turn-ing of leaves. That a pilgrimage wasundertaken only becomes obviousafter the journey is complete. Theprimary motivation is leisure.

Most of the natural and cultural

resources found in the demonstra-tion area support Loungers.

Travel StylesTourists visiting the Mississippi

Bluff Demonstration Area have avariety of travel styles. Self-struc-tured and unstructured tourists arecommon, especially those arrivingfrom the Twin Cities in their ownvehicles. The Visitor Survey revealedthat a significant portion of peopletraveling on this segment of theGreat River Road were on a day tripand planned on returning home tothe Twin Cities that evening. Many ofthese tourists had no pre-arrangedplans and were simply travelingspontaneously. They knew of thebeauty of the Mississippi BluffsDestination Area and the wealth ofattractions and simply took advan-tage of a nice day and some freetime to visit the area. This type oftravel is probably restricted to sum-mer and fall. Fall, in particular, withits colorful displays and apple harvestis anticipated to be a traditional timefor spontaneous travel.

Self-structured tourists typicallystay longer in the destination area.They commonly make reservationsfor a local bed and breakfast ortourist-oriented hotels like the St.James in Red Wing or the AndersonHouse in Wabasha. Self-structuredtourists will also stay at the camp-grounds in Frontenac or Great RiverBluffs state parks. The self-struc-tured tourist organize their travelaround their particular interests:antiquing, artistic events, communityfestivals, observing nature. The Mis-sissippi Bluffs Destination Area hasenough variety to support a wide-range of self-structured tourists.

Structured tourists are also common arriving on buses fromthroughout the Midwest. Many are on casino tours, traveling to casinosin Minnesota from Iowa or Minne-

sotans traveling to casinos in Iowa.Hotels in Red Wing and Winona

have created several packages forsemi-structured travelers. In RedWing, the Sheldon Theatre and localhotels have created semi-structuredbed, meals, and theater packages. Ona variation of the fly/drive package,the St. James Hotel runs a specialfor Amtrak travelers. However, thetraveler has to arrange their ownrail transportation. In Winona, localhotels have formed a semi-structuredpackage that includes a guided tourobserving migrating tundra swans.Packages, weekend getaways or holi-day specials, are a frequent market-ing strategy used to fill roomsthroughout the destination area.

Geographic and Modal Characteristics

Most tourists arrive by automobile;many by bus; and a few by train.Those arriving by automobile comeprimarily from the Twin Cities andRochester. Visitors arriving by auto-mobile also come from elsewhere inMinnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, andIowa. Bus tours originate frequentlyfrom Iowa and sometimes, Wisconsinand Minnesota. Greyhound Bus ser-vices the whole Great River Roadroute. Amtrak, traveling betweenthe Twin Cities and Chicago, stopsat both Red Wing and Winona.Airports in Winona and Red Wingare not served by Northwest Airlinesor its affiliates which limits theirability to become destinations forairline passengers arriving in theTwin Cities. To overcome this obstacle,Red Wing promotes itself as only 45 minutes from MSP.

Target MarketThe primary tourist that

would be naturally attracted to theMississippi Bluffs Destination Areawould be an unstructured or self-structured Lounger who needs to be


761

convinced to extend their day tripinto a longer vacation. A secondarymarket would be the structured orsemi-structured Lounger.

Market SummaryThe primary target market are

the un-structured, self-structured,semi-structured or structuredLoungers, Pilgrims, and Accumulators.The benefit of enhancing the GreatRiver Road for these tourists, is anexpansion of their opportunities to relax and enjoy quite pastimes.The benefit to the private for profitbusiness owners, will be a more consistent population of tourists.The benefit for residents will be an increased variety of recreationalopportunities and increased eco-nomic alternatives.


first be oriented to establishing theMississippi River and the Great RiverRoad as a destination for Loungers,Players, and Accumulators. First bysupporting travel by tourists whotravel spontaneously or structuretheir own itinerary; followed by promoting travel by structured orsemi-structured groups.

Capital improvements are listedby four primary resources types,transportation services, heritageattractions, river and recreationalattractions, and commercial attrac-tions and services.

Improvements toTransportation Services

Suggested capital improvementsto enhance the tourist experienceinclude several that are associatedwith the highway and could beimplemented by state and countytransportation agencies with assis-tance from other governmentalagencies as necessary:Highway Improvements

➤ Any improvements to US 61,especially reconstruction as a 4- lane facility, should maintainthe existing visual quality ofthe the Great River Road.

Parking➤ Improve parking for tour bus

operators.

➤ Sign off-street parking.

➤ Place parking sensitively so asnot to adversely affect riverviews or historic integrity.

Wayfinding➤ Install Great River Road route

and directional makers at everyjunction with a state trunkhighway and county roads withover 5,000 ADT. In particular,add or improve directional signson TH 63, TH 58, TH 60, TH 42,TH 74, TH 14, and any countyroad with over 5,000 ADT,informing drivers of the junctionwith the Great River Road.

➤ Add distinctive mileage markersto enhance route identity andimprove wayfinding. Mileagemarkers would clearly identifythe route, reducing traveleranxiety. It would visually inte-grate the road, attractions, andservices into a tourist-orientedsystem. Mileage markers wouldfacilitate the development ofprivate-sector authored touristguides, including interpretativemaps, guidebooks, and audiotours. Public and private attrac-tions and services coulddescribe their location using amileage marker. By benefittingattractions and services the useof the system would be assuredand awareness of the GreatRiver Road as a destinationwould be enhanced.

➤ Signify the importance of RedWing and Winona to the GreatRiver Road traveler by creatingappropriate gateway monumentsto “Mississippi Bluff Country.”Consider creating additionalscenic byway monuments inother cities, particularly in LakeCity and Wabasha.

➤ Although the designated GreatRiver Road spurs and attractionsbring people to interesting sites,they are actually counterpro-ductive. Existing signing of asmall number of attractionsimplies that only a few sitesdeserve a visit by the GreatRiver Road tourist. All officiallydesignated spurs and attractionsshould be de-designated andany official Great River Roadsignage removed. It is recom-mended that communitiesinstall their own wayfindingsystem. Coordinating thiswayfinding system so similarsigns are used in each communitywould establish the MississippiBluffs as a single, coherent destination area.

➤ Standardize and improvewayfinding signs in each community and to each attrac-tion. Work with MOT and thecities of Red Wing and Winonato add Great River Road AnchorKiosks at their TouristInformation Centers. Use thesekiosks to orient travelers to allof the other features that canbe seen off of the Great RiverRoad spine, highlighting especially those attractions and services in the individualanchor. Add similar kiosks in ther communities on TH 61 to orient the tourist to publicand private attractions and services.


762

Trails➤ To accommodate bicycling,

improve sidewalks and on-roadtrails on TH 61 in Red Wing,Frontenac, Lake City, Wabasha,and Winona. Between cities create a 10-foot off-road trail to accommodate bicycling,roller blading, and walkers.

➤ Trails adjacent to the GreatRiver Road are non-existentexcept for a short segmentimmediately south of Red Wing.The shoulder of the Great RiverRoad is a poor substitute for atrail, except for very experi-enced bicyclists. The CannonRiver Trail, a privately financedfacility, is one of the state’smost popular trails but it endsin Red Wing. An extension tothe what is probably the state’smost popular public trail, theRoot River Trail, has beenauthorized by the StateLegislature. It would connectWinona with Lanesboro,Minnesota’s premier bicyclingdestination. Connecting theCannon River Trail with theRoot River Trail via a MississippiTrail would be a valuable con-nection. As a first phase of thisproject, Lake City, with the support of Red Wing, is exploringthe possibility of extending atrail from Red Wing to Lake City.

➤ Great River Bluffs State Park hasdeveloped a campground orientedto bicyclists. Extending a bikewayto Frontenac State Park anddeveloping similar facilitiesthere would induce more bicycletourism.

Improvements to River andRecreational Attractions

Capital improvement projects forpublic recreational facilities are gen-

erally the jurisdiction of federal,state, and local natural resourcemanagement agencies and signifi-cantly enhance the experience ofthe Great River Road tourist. Asrecreational projects near highways,joint-development agreementsbetween Mn/DOT and the providermay be a practical way to reduceconstruction costs. It is not uncom-mon for parking lots, for instance,to be paved at a significant savingswhen an adjacent roadway is beingpaved. Typically these projects arefunded by those federal, state, andlocal agencies charged with providingrecreational facilities. Such projectsinclude:➤ tourism is enhancing access to

the river. One good way toattract attention to the riverwould be to enhance privateriver excursions. Linking RedWing, Lake City, Wabasha,Winona, and selected cities inWisconsin by boat would be fascinating for the Lounger.Scheduled inter-communityshuttles could bring people backto where they embarked ontheir journey if they didn’t want to return by boat. Theseshuttles could also provideinter-community transportationfor local residents. This mightbe extremely useful forteenagers or elderly people.Public docking facilities mayneed to be improved to accom-modate the excursions.

➤ Evaluate with managing agenciesand improve, as necessary, theaccess to the river using boatramps and public docks. Rampsand docks to be evaluatedinclude those in Red Wing,Frontenac, Lake City, Wabasha,and Winona.

➤ Many people in Minnesota and

Wisconsin have their own boats.Maintaining and enhancing publicaccess to the river will be crucialin attracting Players andLoungers to the Great RiverRoad and the adjacent rivercommunities. Many of thesepeople may arrive via the river.Currently the St. Croix Riverabove Hastings is a favorite destination of the area’sboaters. Extending the normalrange to include the Mississippibetween Red Wing and Winonawould be a reasonable goal.Municipal or private transientdocking, currently in short supply in many communities,would need to be expanded toaccommodate increases in boattraffic. Free docking with a purchase from a local hotel,restaurant, or shop would beadvantageous to promoting the community.

➤ The riverboats, Delta Queen,Mississippi Queen, and AmericanQueen make stops in severalcommunities along the river butnot in any predictable manneryear to year. It would help promote these excursions andthe river communities, if thearrival of these boats could beorganized on a more regularschedule. Winona, Wabasha,Lake City, and Red Wing remain ood candidatesfor stops.

➤ Add gateway signs to FrontenancState Park, John Latsch StatePark, and Great River BluffState Park from TH 61. Improveturning-movement safety fromTH 61 at park entrance, if nec-essary to conform with trafficengineering standards, or if perceived as necessary bytourists.


763

Overlooks➤ The defining tourist experience,

a visit to the top of the bluffs,is not well-orchestrated for theGreat River Road tourist. Scenicoverlooks are typically not signedoff the route. Views from bluffsin Red Wing, Frontenac, Wabasha,and Winona are excellent butdifficult to find or subject tofees. Additional overlooksshould be developed, particularlybetween Frontenac and Wabasha,and between Wabasha andWinona. Interpretive signage at these sites would be valuedby tourists. Developing theseoverlooks and access to themwould require a capital invest-ment by public agencies.

➤ Identify, develop or improvescenic overlooks throughout the corridor. Improve access orwayfinding to existing overlooksin Red Wing, Frontenac,Wabasha, and Winona

➤ Identify, develop, and sign overlooks for Watchable Wildlife.

Improvements to HeritageTourism Attractions

Capital improvement projectsrelated to interpreting or preservingcultural resources are typically notfunded by Mn/DOT unless a trans-portation function can be identified.Several projects that would enhancethe tourist's understanding of cul-tural resources have been proposedby the community. Such projectsmay include:Rivertowns➤ Expand existing heritage walking

tours in rivertown communities,by adding or expanding thenumber of markers and empha-sizing the community's ties tothe river and scenic views of it.Tie the heritage walking tours

into the Great River Road Kiosks at the TouristInformation Centers.

Downtown Streetscapes➤ Improvements to community

aesthetics have been creditedwith establishing a communityidentity and revitalizing agingcommercial districts. Streetscapeimprovements must include therestoration of historic storefronts,frequently the community’smost important commercialasset. Improvements to sidewalks,particularly providing adequatewidth for commercial pedestriantraffic, handicapped accessramps at corners, and short,well-marked pedestrian crossings,are also critical for creating adowntown attractive to tourists.Sufficient parking, includingoff-street and on-street parkingis a necessary component forinducing visitation. Parking forbuses is required if tour busesare to be lured to the community.The addition of street furniture,such as awnings, benches,lights, paving, kiosks, bikeracks, and planters are neededto provided the amenities thattourists desire. The addition ofboulevard plantings, particularlystreet trees and the use ofperennial or annual flowers create a manicured, invitingcared-for scene in the summer.In spring, fall, and winter banners, twinkle lights, or asound system have proved valuable in creating a similarinviting atmosphere.

➤ Red Wing is an example of an excellent streetscape program.Its lush and colorful hangingflower baskets in particular haveattracted attention from com-munities throughout the state.

Lake City’s banners, celebratingthe invention of waterskiing,are simple, yet effective.Although elements may be similar,it is important that each com-munity creates a distinct identityfor itself based on its historicaland social context.

➤ Red Wing, Wabasha and Winonahave downtown commercialdistricts listed on the NationalRegister of Historic Places.These properties are eligible for20% preservation tax credits.

➤ Lake City’s downtown has beenrecommended as eligible for listing on the National Registerof Historic Places and is currentlyrecommending design guidelinesfor property owners. If a nationalregister nomination is pursuedthis will enable buildings ownersto received the 20% preservationtax credit. If the historic buildingsin town are restored appropriatelyand interpreted in an interestingand engaging way, travelersalong the Great River Roadwould be more inclined to stopand visit the town.

Interpretive Sites➤ Develop the Red Wing’s Oneota

Archaeological Site as an inter-pretive attraction.

➤ Work with the Prairie IslandMdewakanton DakotaCommunity and other AmericanIndian communities to identifyways to present the extensiveheritage of the American Indianin the Mississippi River Valley totourists.

Improvements toCommercial AttractionsRiver Orientation➤ Induce commercial development


764

of the riverfront, especiallyrestaurants and accommodationsthat overlook the river.

Lodging➤ The most significant capital

improvement that would assistunstructured and self-structuredLoungers would be to increasethe number of rooms availablefor overnight accommodations.These rooms should be orientedto provide views of the river.Although this is strictly a private-sector initiative, public-sector resources, such as assistance with access roads and utilities, is crucial in thesuccess of these enterprises.Increasing the number of roomswill also enhance the desirabilityof the area for convention orga-nizers and tour operators. Thiswill increase the likelihood thatsemi-structured and structuredtourists will visit the area.

➤ If popular, consider adding cabins to state park campgrounds.

➤ Add bicycle camping atFrontenac State Park.

Promotional StrategiesTravel Aids

Currently there are several different groups with varied promo-tional strategies, geared to gettingpeople to visit the Mississippi BluffCountry Destination Area. Theirefforts are not coordinated.Coordinating promotions wouldincrease the effectiveness of eachpromotion and the perception thatthe Mississippi Bluffs is a desirabledestination for tourists.

Public Sector PromotionalMaterials

To coordinate public sector promotional materials have:

➤ The Minnesota Department of Transportation and theMississippi River ParkwayCommission developed abrochure and and a bookletabout Great River Road attractionsor distribution through Mn/DOT,MOT, and Travel InformationCenters. The brochure fits in astandard rack and is free. It isan two-sided, six-panel brochurefeaturing a map and a narrativeabout the route. The map fea-tures major roads, cities, theState and National routes, thedesignated spurs and key parksand recreation areas. The narra-tive focuses on the history andhistoric attractions. The onlymention of commercial attrac-tions is for the many roadsideproduce stands that line AppleBlossom Drive. Few scenic orrecreational attractions are listed.Scenic attractions are limited toidentifying good views of theriver. Those recreational attrac-tions listed are primarily relatedto camping, some to fishing.The booklet is similar but pro-vides more detailed information.It is not free and is sold throughMn/DOT, MOT, Travel InformationCenters, and private retailers.

➤ The Minnesota Department ofNatural Resources has severalpromotional and informationalpieces including PRIM (PublicRecreation Information Map)Maps, Mississippi Canoe RouteMaps, and individual maps foreach state park. It also has aboat access map for the wholestate. The information is goodbut again, limited, reflectingonly those resources that theagency by law manages.

➤ Other agencies review their pro-motional material. Similar cri-

tiques could be made aboutbrochures produced by othergovernment agencies. In partic-ular, there is no sense that theyare being created for the samearea so taken together theystart to give the tourist a morecomplete picture of the destina-tion. The biggest drawback withbrochures produced by stateagencies is that they focus onlyon one state. People in this destination area consider thewhole valley as one destinationarea. They market the area ointly not as rivals.

Private Sector PromotionalMaterials

To coordinate private sector pro-motional materials recognize that:➤ This problem of coordinating

promotional materials is notisolated to the public sector,however. Numerous travel guidesare produced by the private sec-tor for this destination area.The Mississippi Valley GuideMagazine is produced by TheBuyer Ex-Press Shopping Guidein La Crosse; the Best of theMississippi is produced by theWinona Daily News; and Applause:Arts and Entertainment of theRiver Region is produced by the publisher of the Red WingRepublican Eagle. Obviously,there is a significant market fortourist information that eachpublication finds it profitableto produce its own publication.Red Wing’s and Winona’s publi-cations have the most completeand thorough information ontheir respective communitiesproviding details about publicand private attractions. Bothhave limited information on the other anchor community.Generally, the Red Wing publica-tion provides information about


765

communities downstream toWabasha. The Winona publica-tion generally provides inform-ation about communitiesupstream to Wabasha. The La Crosse publication coversboth Minnesota and Wisconsincommunities. It is probably themost even-handed and givesreasonable detailed informationon attractions. Nonetheless theinformation is general andexcept for advertising, lacksarticles on commercial attrac-tions and a calendar of events.Applause is published monthly,the others are published quarterlyby season. Compiling pertinentinformation into a single publi-cation is probably not practical.But coordinating their looks,defining their geographic areas,and what their editorial contentmay be in tourist’s and the destination area's best interest.

Creating New Marketing Materials➤ The cartoon maps that found in

the recent issues of these publi-cations provide a tourist withan excellent overview of thedestination area. Developing asimilar map and using it forplace mats in local restaurantswould be a simple way of mar-keting the valley as a singledestination area.

➤ Distributing Great River RoadMississippi Bluffs map illustratingthe Mississippi Bluffs DestinationArea to tourists where they stayovernight, at hotels, at a B&B,or at the two state parks.

Agency StrategiesSeveral strategies could be

implemented by state agencies.Those that could be implemented by Mn/DOT include:

➤ Verifying the existence and ade-quate condition of Great RiverRoad route, directional, andmileage makers each springprior to Memorial Day and thebeginning of the tourist season.

➤ To avoid disappointing tourists,post notice of closures (seasonor days of the week) on thebrown information signs thatdirect tourists to attractions ifthe attraction is not open dailythroughout the year.

Those strategies that could beimplemented by DNR include: ➤ Selling discounted daily or

weekly passes at hotels for tripsto Frontenac and Great RiverBluffs State Parks. This wouldgive the hotel owners anotherlocal attraction to include intheir vacation packages and theDNR with extra revenue.

➤ Promoting bicycling on theGreat River Road between thetwo state parks.

➤ Developing (or encouraging theprivate development of) canoeand bicycle rental and retrievalservices between the two stateparks.

Those strategies that could beimplemented by tourist promotionorganizations: ➤ Exploit nationally and interna-

tionally the publicity that willfollows the Grumpy Old Menmovie series.

➤ Promote Winona as a destinationfor private aviators. Red Wing as a Metro-reliver.

➤ Assist Red Wing and Winona indeveloping Train/Drive packages.

➤ Creating a Great River RoadMississippi Bluffs DestinationArea map for public distributionthrough agencies and privatevenues throughout the region.This would include TouristInformation Centers, stateparks, regional bicycle shops,lodging accommodations, andcar rental agencies.

➤ Promote use of winter visitationon local snow mobile trailshighlighting attractions alongthe river that remain open inthe winter.

➤ Use outdoor amphitheaters,adjacent to the river for localdance, theater, and music productions.

➤ Expand promotion of heritagewalking trail.

➤ Use local accommodations andrestaurants to promote localtourist attractions, such as ausing illustrative standardrestaurant placemap.

➤ Develop and promote annualconferences about migratorybirds or other watchablewildlife.

➤ Develop package tours for thestructured tourist.


766

Section 8ImplementationProgram

This final section sets forth recommendations for expanding tourism and

advancing community developmentalong the Great River Road. Whilesome recommendations address imple-menting specific initiatives, otherspropose establishing policies and prac-tices to help set priorities and makeinvestment decisions in the future.

Stewarding the FutureOver the years, a variety of public

and non-profit organizations haveassumed responsibility for stewardingthe Great River Road in Minnesotaincluding the Mississippi River ParkwayCommission (MRPC) and the Minne-sota Department of Transportation(Mn/DOT). For the Great River Road toattract tourists to Minnesota, however,an organization needs to direct itsdevelopment and ensure continuity,particularly in regard to marketingactivities. This organization must havethe resources—funding, staffing, andclout—necessary to implement thisplan and guide ongoing Great RiverRoad Initiatives.

InterestsThe stewardship organization

must weave together the diverseinterests of a wide array of stake-holders including:➤ Minnesota state commissions,

councils, and agencies, such as:• Mississippi River Parkway

Commission• Department of Transportation• Office of Tourism• Department of Natural Resources• Minnesota Historical Society• Minnesota Indian Affairs Council• Mississippi Headwaters Board

➤ National commissions and federalagencies, such as:• Army Corps of Engineers• Fish and Wildlife Service• National Park Service• U.S. Forest Service• Mississippi River Trail

➤ Tribal Councils

➤ Local Units of Government• Counties• Municipalities• Watershed Management

Organizations

➤ Associations• Convention and Visitor

Bureaus• Chambers of Commerce• Homeowner Associations• Business Associations• River Interest Groups• Recreational Interest Groups

Organizational StructureTo be effective, stewardship

must be local and statewide.Therefore, it is recommended thatstewardship occur at both the localand state levels.

Local OrganizationA local stewardship organization

needs to be formed for each Destina-tion Area. It would be a microcosmof the state organization, except itwould more accurately reflect localinterests. It would weave togethertourism promotion and communitydevelopment efforts focused on theGreat River Road. The local steward-ship organization would providedirection for capital improvements.It would create marketing plans andmaterials. A representative from thelocal stewardship organization wouldattend the state meetings and act as a conduit for coordinating themarketing and development of theGreat River Road.

State OrganizationMany of the stakeholders previ-

ously listed have been representedon the existing organization thatdevelops and promotes the GreatRiver Road, the Mississippi RiverParkway Commission. Many others are represented on the existing Great River Road Development StudyAdvisory Committee guiding thedevelopment of this plan.

It is the suggestion of the StudyTeam that the new statewide stew-ardship organization be initiated byreformulating the Mississippi RiverParkway Commission (MRPC). It issuggested that the when legislationreauthorizing the MRPC is presentedat an upcoming legislative session,that the MRPC be reconstituted andgiven the authority and resources toimplement this plan. In particular,it is recommended that theCommissioners (or a high rankingagency staff member) of EconomicDevelopment, Transportation, NaturalResources, and the Director theHistorical Society be made the coreof the commission and charged withimplementing the recommendationsof this report and providing assis-tance to communities seeking todevelop tourism along the MississippiRiver and the Great River Road. It is recommended that a local repre-sentative involved in tourism devel-opment from each of the DestinationAreas be placed on the board by theGovernor and confirmed by the StateLegislature to better foster localstewardship of the Byway. To ensurelegislative involvement, it is recom-mended that the commission alsoinclude four at-large members fromthe state legislature, (two from theHouse and two from the Senate)whose districts include or arebounded by the Mississippi River.

It may be useful for the MRPC to attain status as a 501(c)3 not-for-profit or public-benefit corporation 8



to enable it to attain grants fromfoundations and donations from concerned individuals.

Deciding on a name for thisstatewide stewardship organizationmay prove difficult. Adopting thecurrent name– Mississippi RiverParkway Commission– may be themost expedient solution. The StudyTeam, however, recommends thatthe name be changed to theMississippi Heritage BywayCommission of Minnesota. (Such aname change would be the first stepin changing the name of the GreatRiver Road itself. The name wouldbe intuitive to both commissionersand the tourists using the route.)Nonetheless, for this report, thestatewide body will continue to bereferred to as the Mississippi RiverParkway Commission or MRPC.

Organizational PurposeUltimately the MRPC should

become a key regional player byvirtue of its willingness to:➤ Capitalize on the Great River

Road’s opportunities vis-a-vistourism development, marketingand wise economic growth.

➤ Coordinate activities and facilitatecommunication among publicsector and private sector playersin the regional tourism industry,creating fruitful partnerships.

➤ Provide a regional voice fortourism and the state and locallevels on behalf of area public,private and non-profit entitiesserving visitors.

➤ Provide visitor products andcommunity development servicesthat are not now available and/or that can be furnished moreeffectively on a regional basis.

➤ Create a membership structure

and implement an equitablereality-based funding system

➤ Support those who provide services that improve theregion’s ability to cater totourists and increase cost efficiency

➤ Create a graphic system ofregional tourism maps and signage(wayside and wayfinding) forimplementation by local entities.

➤ Implement this Plan

As the Great River Road developsand matures as a destination, thestewardship organization’s responsi-bilities will also include:➤ Support the coordination of

tourism product development by MOT

➤ Support regional marketing andpromotion of the Great RiverRoad experience

➤ Advance the cause of Great RiverRoad tourism at the state level

➤ Identify sources of funding foritself and its partners

➤ Cultivate regional communicationand coordination on tourismmatters

➤ Work with Great River Roadcommunities to improve localservices and amenities that bene-fit residents and visitors alike

➤ Provide technical assistance orfacilitate access to appropriateresources, including financialassistance

➤ Obtain funding from federal,state, corporate, private, andfoundation sources to advancethe Great River Road

Product DevelopmentProduct development focuses on

ways to enhance the existing packageof attractions along the Great RiverRoad, including facilitating theintroduction of new attractions that can draw additional visitors or extend lengths of stay. This isessentially a process of communitydevelopment. Enhancements thatare undertaken for the developmentof tourism must fit with the visionthe community has for itself. Someof these recommendations pertain to the entire region while otherspromote specific initiatives. Newattraction development, as well asexpansion of existing attractions,will be supported by development ofappropriate infrastructure, signage,and marketing activities.

In general, the MRPC should provide technical assistance to GreatRiver Road communities, within theestablished destination areas. Assist-ance could occur in the developmentof tourism products, organizing specialevents, fostering community devel-opment and placemaking, improvingtourist services, and supporting localand regional promotional efforts.

Facilitate Developmentof Tourism Products

Help existing and planned com-mercial attractions expand their facil-ities by providing access to technicalassistance, e.g. via workshops andseminars on such subjects as:

• Interpretation and Exhibit Design

• Marketing• Potential Partnering

Opportunities

Provide assistance to communitiesorganizing special events, e.g., byfacilitating efforts to:

• Identify potential local themes and resources

82

• Maintain calendar for intra-regional coordination

• Create logistics manual• Identify and maintain shared

resources, e.g., tents• Negotiate joint service

provision, e.g., insurance• Advise on contracting and

procurement issues

Further placemaking activity,including historic preservation anddowntown revitalization by:

• Provide grantsmanship assistance

• Identify sources of matchingfunds

• Promote and explain tax credits• Make explicit tourism/commu-

nity character link and helpcommunities articulate visions

• Advocate built environment-enhancing land use controlsand regulations, e.g., signageordinances and zoning

• Promote other communityimprovements that contributeto sense of place, e.g., publicarts projects

Improve provision of tourist ser-vices by attractions and commercialestablishments by:

• Support hospitality and merchandising training

• Institute awards program toprovide regional role models

• Link to existing resources forentrepreneur/small businesstraining

• Identify missing links andpotential providers

• Support marketing/promotionstraining

• Implement regional trivia contests• Coordinate peer support groups

Work with interpretive partnersand demonstration communities toenhance the presentation of theregional story by:

• Enhancing the efforts of part-ners to increase the type andquality of things to see and do

• Developing a broad constituencyfor recreational and heritagetourism

• Establish productive partner-ships with entities from thepublic sector (federal, stateand local), the private sector(existing attractions and hospitality providers) and the non-profit realm

• Attracting additional marketniches

• Reinforcing the Great RiverRoad’s identity

• Furthering regional marketinggoals

• Promoting the Great RiverRoad experience to residentsas well as visitors, therebyencouraging them to explorethe region and spend moneyat home.

Work to increase tourism fundingfor the region by:

• Support regional marketingand promotional efforts

• Link with other tourism pro-motion agencies to facilitatecooperative and other regionalmarketing activities, e.g.,establish and maintain a website and coordinate fam toursand travel writer visits.

• Completing the developmentof a Corridor ManagementPlan for the Great River RoadScenic Byway and applying forNational Scenic Byway status.

Ensuring that the Great RiverRoad reaps the benefits availablethrough TEA-21 and other federalscenic byway funding programs represents an important short-termpriority for the stewardship organi-zation. The designation createsinterest for interstate travelers

which may entice tourism travelinto communities along the GreatRiver Road. Finally, this initiative is cost-efficient, requiring devotionof staff time but little in the way of capital investment.

InformationThe network of roadway linkages

across the Great River Road willoffer little assistance to visitorsunless a consistent and distinguish-able system of signage is availableto guide these tourists to areaattractions. A regional approach tosignage is crucial to welcome visitors,notify them of opportunities withinthe region, and provide directionand guidance for their travel withinthe region. Some existing signs forspurs, amenities, and state routesmay be sacrificed to implement thisprogram. These sacrifices are pro-posed with the strong belief thatidentifying and promoting the entireregion will produce benefits whichmay be greater than the benefitsaccruing to the existing individualattractions. Funding for a new MasterSignage Program as outlined belowmust be secured and support for theoverall program galvanized at eachlevel of government.

A signage summit is proposed toconsolidate regional support for theconcepts and details proposed. Withthis political support and fundingsecured, another piece of the infor-mation network can be created (i.e.guidance, directional and identifica-tion signs that assist travelers infinding attractions).

The Master Signage Programshould address installing Great RiverRoad kiosks at the anchors of eachdestination area. These kiosks wouldidentify the destination area, majorand minor attractions, and recrea-tional and travel services available inthe vicinity. As previously discussednew route markers, with punchier


83

graphics, should be utilized notonly on the roadway but on inter-secting trunk highways, scenicbyways, and well-traveled countyroads. The program should alsoinclude the development of amileage marker systems to supportattractions and services available to the tourist. Mileage markerswould assist tourists in staying on the byway while enhancing theability of attractions to market theirlocation. The program could alsoinclude the identification of privateand public Great River Road Individualattractions and services would becomemembers of the Signage Programand thereby provide continuingfunding for new signs, maintenanceand other improvements.

The signage system initiativerepresents an enormous value-addedopportunity for the Great River Roadin the short term. It is recommendedthat this be one of the first tasks bythe newly reconstituted MRPC.

MarketingTourism is an industry. Conse-

quently, it requires a business-likeapproach to marketing, includingcorrecting such significant deficienciesas lack of funding and research, andfailure to coordinate and implementprograms designed to increase tourismand visitor spending. The modestmarketing spending, not only on theState and Regional level, but also bylocal attractions, has put the tourismbusiness at a serious competitivedisadvantage. This disadvantage willonly intensify in the future as moreand more destinations—locally,nationally and internationally—increase the spending and sophistica-tion behind their marketing efforts.

The Great River Road can com-pete effectively on the national andeven international stage. However,to do so it must receive additionalState support, devise its own funding

sources for marketing, and maintaina lean yet highly focused business-like approach to promoting tourism.The MRPC needs to nurture strongworking partnerships with all state,regional and local tourism promotionagencies in order to pursue suchstrategic initiatives as developing aregional web site strategy, brochures,and kiosks.

Web SiteA web site for the Great River

Road should reflect the individualdestination area, its position in the marketplace, and allow for easyaccess to individual attractions andinformation. A good database cansignificantly decrease distributioncosts because promotional messagescan be sent to highly qualifiedprospects at very advantageous rates.

The first step in this process isto understand just what kind of aweb presence the Great River Roadenjoys now. What has the stateincorporated into its web site? And what individual attractions and businesses in the region have a site? How can these sites belinked together? From there a plan to enhance the area’s presenceon the Web can be developed,including how the MRPC needs toadvertise, work with partners, linkto other sites and maneuver withinthe growing league of large virtualtravel agencies. To be effective thewebsite must incorporate the servicesprovided by the private sector that a traveler on the Great River Roadwould utilize.

BrochureAnother effective strategy is

to expand the development and distribution of regional brochures.Great River Road information should be incorporated into exist-ing brochures for communities andattractions. Brochures mailed to

potential travelers or distributed atvisitor welcome centers along majortraffic arteries prove effective ininfluencing travel behavior. Whilebrochures distributed at welcomecenters may influence travelers tospend more or alter the places theyvisit, they do not motivate visitorsto extend their stays. Consequently,it is important to reach travelersboth prior to their trip planningprocess as well as during their trip as they visit or pass through a particular area.

Multiple product brochures carry the advantage of shared cost for both production and distributionof literature. Distribution savingsare particularly acute when directmail is involved in promoting anarea. Providing more options with a multiple product brochure canhelp generate more business forindividual products and the regionas a whole.

KiosksThe development of interpretive

community kiosks provides interac-tive devices linked to a database orweb-site which provide informationabout attractions and hospitalityservices. These have the advantageof being easily updated. They alsoallow the tourist to receive detailedinformation, including images ofprospective attractions and makereservations on-line.

The MRPC should involve experts from the Minnesota Office of Tourism to determine if thiswould be an effective method forpromoting tourism along the GreatRiver Road. If electronic kiosks arenot practical, standard informationalkiosks would be sufficient. To assistin wayfinding and branding, thekiosks should be designed as a complementary set regardless of which technology is used to display information.


84

MILE

131

MILE

131

131

MILE

131

MILE

Cooperative AdvertisingIncreasing the use of cooperative

advertising/marketing materialsdevelops and promotes value orientedtravel packages for tourists. Travelerswill purchase well-conceived pro-motional packages and even changeplans and stay longer as a result. The private sector should be respon-sible for development of packagesthat enhance the area’s position,and the MRPC should serve as afacilitator in the packaging and marketing process.

Public RelationsExpanding public relations

activities to develop and promotenewsworthy events and stories willenhance the positioning of theGreat River Road region.

InterpretationBy helping direct and coordinate

interpretation throughout the region,the MRPC can ensure that the piecesof the ‘story? hang together, thatsuitable places tell suitable parts of the story, and that endangeredresources are preserved (includingthe potential to collect oral histo-ries from the area’s senior residents).Moreover, such activities as writingcapsule histories of each village andtown create an opportunity to formpartnerships for future endeavors,from upgrading existing attractionsto encouraging collections donations.In addition to furthering educationalgoals vis-a-vis residents and tourists,such activity also improves theskills available at the local level, for example, at small town histori-cal societies.

Capital ImprovementsSeveral suggestions for capital

improvements have been offered aspart of the discussion of individualdemonstration areas. These can be

generalized and augmented toinclude the interests of those destination areas that were notexamined in detail as demonstrationareas. The Study Team makes thefollowing suggestions for the MRPCand the local stewardship organiza-tions to pursue:

➤ Pave all remaining unpaved segments.

Unpaved segments in the Mississippi Headwaters and Mississippi Mines destination areas degrade the whole system.It is imperative that the expectations of a tourist are met along the whole designated route. Tourists are increasingly sophisticated and familiar with other national byways that are typically well-maintained and paved. Unpaved roads are not viewed favorably by most tourists, except for certain types of explorers. Touring bicyclists especially dislike unpaved roadways. Approximately

25 miles of the 450 mile GreatRiver Road is not paved. Pavingthe remaining unpaved segmentsshould be a primary goal of theMRPC and the two affected destination areas.

➤ Create a system of unique mileage markers.

A mileage marker system unique to the Great River Road would assist the tourist in stay-ing on the route. This is espe-cially important since the fear of becoming lost is one of the major reasons tourists avoid a particular destination. Currently,it is very difficult to follow theroute, even with a map and knowledge of where the road goes. A mileage marker system coupled with improved direc-tional signing at intersections would greatly decrease anyforeboding a tourist may have toward traveling on the Great River Road.

A system of unique mileage


85

Mock-ups for unique Great River Road mileage markers. Such markers would make it easier for tourist to follow the road and find the attractions and services they are seeking.

markers would also make it possible for local attractions and services to advertise their location as being on Mile “x” of the Great River Road. Not only would this be useful to the merchant it simultaneously increases the visibility of the Great River Road to residents and visitors. The value of the markers would make it possible for private interests in each destination area to create guide-books based on the markers.

➤ Create a system of gateway kiosks in the anchors of each destination area.

Design and construct aunique Great River Road GatewayKiosk in each anchor community. Kiosks should be built, preferablyat a travel information center or other major attraction for tourists on the river in Itasca State Park, Bemidji, Grand Rapids, Brainerd, Little Falls, St. Cloud, Minneapolis, St. Paul, Red Wing, and Winona. The exactlocation should be determined by the local stewardship organi-zation. Adding kiosks in other communities may be included as determined by the local stewardship organization.

The kiosks would be designed to provide information on public attractions along the Great River Road. It would also incorporate information important to touristssuch as advertisements for lodg-ing, restaurants, recreation, entertainment, and travel servicesprovided by the for-profit privatesector. Interpretive information about the natural history of the Mississippi River Valley and the cultural heritage of the river communities would also be included.

The kiosk, as part of a general

marketing strategy, would be the hub where several radiating trips to various attractions and services scattered throughout the destination area would be promoted. By using a hub and spoke strategy, not all attrac-tions would need to be on the Great River Road, merely acces-sible from the hub. This will allow the route of the Great River Road to simplified into a spine that will connect the anchor communities and specifically, the anchor kiosks. The anchor kiosks will act as gateways to visiting the whole community.

➤ Complete the bicycle and pedestrian trail parallel to the Mississippi River from Lake Itasca to the Iowa border.

It is unlikely that many tourists would bicycle or hike the whole route in one trip from Lake Itasca to the Iowa border. In this, they are like their motorized brethren. Nonetheless, bicyclists and pedestrians are requesting improved facilities throughout the Mississippi River corridor. Many improvements have been completed. If these improvements could be linked, a complete system of trails paralleling the river and linking various attractions and services could be created.

Twenty years ago, it was envi-sioned that the Great River Roadwould provide such an opportu-nity. Much of the system was paved with four foot shoulders which was considered adequate for bicycling at the time. Unfor-tunately, as a modern bicycle facility, a four foot shoulder is not considered sufficient.

Recently, an organization

called the Mississippi River Trail (MRT) has promoted the concept of creating a national trail alongthe river. MRT has received federal support for its effort. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has supported the development of several trails, particularly with the National Park Service (NPS) in the Twin Cities.

It is recommended that the MRPC, the local stewardship organizations, MRT, DNR, NPS, and other agencies and organi-zations work together to com-plete the system. Typically, this could be accomplished by paving the shoulder of the Great River Road or creating an off-road trail where traffic volumes make it unsafe to pedal on the highway. It is recommended that the state-aid 8-foot shoulders standard not be applied if traffic volumes are low and paving an 8-foot shoulderwould adversely impact visual quality or some other environ-mental or social value.

➤ Assist local communities in developing their riverfronts.

The Mississippi River and the communities that grew along its banks are major attractions to a tourist. Redeveloping the riverfront provides a way for a community to conserve and share with tourists its natural and cultural heritage. The authenticity and charm of old buildings, the commercial activityfound in the river and the riverbanks, and the inspiring natural landscape provide value to residents and tourists. By improving access to the river, renovating buildings, creating scenic lookouts, and developing riverfront recreational facilities, a community naturally promotes


86

travel to the Mississippi River, the Great River Road, and every other river community through-out Minnesota.

FundingThe MRPC should maintain an

inventory of the myriad state andfederal programs that offer fundingfor qualified projects consistentwith its mandate and mission. Inaddition, public and private founda-tions can often be tapped for fund-ing; implementing a system fortracking these programs’ eligibilityguidelines, submission deadlines,matching provisions, and otherrequirements is the only way to preserve the utility of this informa-tion for the MRPC, Great River Roadcommunities and their partners. Inaddition, the MRPC can increaseaward probability by providinggrantsmanship assistance on both a direct and indirect basis. In additionto State of Minnesota programs, theStewardship Organization shouldtrack such funding sources as:➤ United States Department of

Agriculture – money availablefor rural community facilities;funds for eco-tourism, marketingand tourism development inrural areas.

➤ Department of Housing andUrban Development – funds forcapital projects as part of theCanal Corridor Initiative

➤ National Endowment for theHumanities – Grants to individualsand institutions support programsfor research in the humanities,educational opportunities forteachers, preservation of textsand materials, museum exhibi-tions, media programs, and public discussion and study; also collaborative research projects, fellowships, seminars,and institutes.

➤ National Trust for HistoricPreservation—PreservationServices Fund – consultant services, feasibility studies, and education.

➤ Johanna Favrot Fund forHistoric Preservation – grants of $5,000-25,000 for activitiessuch as obtaining professionalservices, producing marketingand communications materials,sponsoring conferences, andimplementing educational programs.

➤ TEA-21 – Projects to protect and enhance the environment,promote energy conservation,and improve quality of life;scenic and historic preservation,community planning, improve-ments to livability of communi-ties: social cohesion, physicalconnections, urban design andpotential for growth; coordinating

land use and transportationdecisions.

➤ Mississippi River Trail and theMillennium Trails project – designation of national, stateand community trails, develop-ment of pedestrian and bikepaths, connecting people, theirland, their culture and theirhistory.

ConclusionIn its role as the Great River

Road’s voice for a regional approach to tourism and community develop-ment, the MRPC can provide value-added services that enhance theexisting menu of available financialand technical assistance. Its role as a facilitator of new initiatives,partnership broker, informationprovider, and, moreover, keeper of a region-wide vision for heritage-based revitalization and tourism,offers a means to sustainable commu-nity development that emphasizesstewardship and respect for theregion’s cultural and natural resources.


87

hank you for agreeing to be part of the Great River Road study sponsored by the Minnesota Department ofTransportation. You are one of only a select number that have received this questionnaire. Your responses are critical tothe study’s success. The questionnaire should take approximately 15 minutes to complete. It is important that theperson receiving this questionnaire is the one that fills it out. Please complete the questionnaire this evening andplace it in the provided envelope and mail (no postage required!).

Your responses are confidential. The number in the upper corner of the questionnaire identifies the road segmentwhere you were contacted. There is no way we can connect the completed questionnaire to you.

Thank you for taking the time to help us. Responses to this questionnaire will be used to improve visitor servicesalong the entire length of the Great River Road in Minnesota. By completing the questionnaire and mailing it backpromptly you will help decide what needs to be done to make your travel experience in Minnesota more enjoyable.

SECTION 1The questions in this section are intended to provide general information about your trip.

1. Please circle the symbol that you believe represents the official designation for the Great River Road.

2. Are you now, have you been, or will you be more than 100 miles away from home on this trip?❏ YES❏ NO

3. What is the main purpose of your trip?❏ BUSINESS❏ PLEASURE❏ BOTH

4. Please write in the name of the nearest city or town where you are spending the night._________________________________________________________________________

5. Have you ever traveled to the area before where you were presented with this questionnaire?❏ YES (if yes how many times ___________)❏ NO

6. What is the length of this trip in days?___________ (number of days)

7. When did you begin to plan for this trip?❏ WITHIN THE LAST WEEK ❏ WITHIN THE LAST 6 MONTHS❏ WITHIN THE LAST MONTH ❏ MORE THAN 6 MONTHS AGO

8. Do you belong to an automobile club?❏ YES❏ NO

9. Did you use the services of an automobile club (even if you are not a member) to help plan your route for this trip?❏ YES❏ NO

10. Did you use the services of the Minnesota Office of Tourism when planning for this trip?❏ YES❏ NO

Great River Road ISITOR Survey

11. To explore the Mississippi River in Minnesota I would be willing to drive (check one):❏ LESS THAN A DAY ❏ ONE WEEK❏ ONE DAY ❏ TWO OR MORE WEEKS❏ ONE WEEKEND

12. To maintain interest while traveling the on the Great River Road I would tolerate losing sight of theMississippi River for no more than (check one): ❏ 5 MINUTES ❏ 45 MINUTES❏ 15 MINUTES ❏ ONE HOUR❏ 30 MINUTES ❏ MORE THAN ONE HOUR

SECTION 2Questions in this section are intended to provide information on the types of activities preferred by visitors to Minnesota.

13. Please check all the activities engaged in today (note it is important to check only those actuallyengaged in TODAY even if they are not your favorite activities) ❏ BICYCLING ❏ CAMPING ❏ GAMBLING❏ HIKING/WALKING ❏ CANOEING ❏ BIRD-WATCHING❏ SWIMMING ❏ VISITING SCENIC OVERLOOKS ❏ VISITING HISTORIC SITES❏ FISHING ❏ READING INTERPRETIVE MARKERS ❏ BOATING❏ HUNTING ❏ GOLFING ❏ IN-LINE SKATING❏ DRIVING FOR PLEASURE ❏ SHOPPING/ANTIQUING ❏ VISITING FRIENDS & FAMILY❏ OTHER (please list ) ____________________________________________________________________

14. Of the above activities please list the three you like to do the most.____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

15. Do you ever simply drive for pleasure?❏ YES❏ NO (please go to question 17)

16. When driving for pleasure most of my trips will be approximately❏ 30 MINUTES OR LESS ❏ MORE THAN 2 HOURS TO 4 HOURS❏ MORE THAN 30 MINUTES TO 1 HOUR ❏ MORE THAN 4 HOURS❏ MORE THAN 1 HOUR TO 2 HOURS

Section 3Questions in this section are intended to identify visitor preferences for a variety of travel related services, activi-ties or experiences. Please answer the questions by circling the number in the column next to each question,using the scale below, that best describes your feeling toward the statement.

Completely Agree Neither Agree Disagree CompletelyAgree nor Disagree Disagree

1 2 3 4 51 2 3 4 5 17. When traveling by highway I enjoy the drive/ride.1 2 3 4 5 18. I always take the most direct route to my destination.1 2 3 4 5 19. On the way to my destination the only time I stop is for food, gas/oil, or a bathroom break.1 2 3 4 5 20. When I reach my destination I prefer to park the car and only use it for necessary travel

(e.g. groceries).

1 2 3 4 5 21. When possible I choose the slower, more scenic route to my final destination rather than thefaster more direct route.


1 2 3 4 51 2 3 4 5 22. I prefer to travel at a high rate of speed provided the roadway is safe.1 2 3 4 5 23. While traveling, billboards are an important way to find out about the services and activities

available to me.1 2 3 4 5 24. While driving I prefer to listen to local or talk news radio which provides me with some

interesting information about the area I am driving through.1 2 3 4 5 25. I wish there were more restaurants near the highway.1 2 3 4 5 26. I wish the food was better at the restaurants found along the highway.1 2 3 4 5 27. I often stop at historical sites to find out more about the history of the area I am passing through.1 2 3 4 5 28. For me to enjoy the drive I want a natural scenic highway corridor free of unnecessary

commercial activity (e.g. businesses, billboards etc.)1 2 3 4 5 29. I often stop at national museums or historical sites along my route.1 2 3 4 5 30. I often stop at state museums or historical sites along my route.1 2 3 4 5 31. I often stop at local museums or historical sites along my route.1 2 3 4 5 32. Interpretive signs along a highway are useful ways for me to learn more about the historical

and natural history of the area I am passing through.1 2 3 4 5 33. I do not enjoy driving.1 2 3 4 5 34. I don’t care what a road is called as long as it is fast and safe.1 2 3 4 5 35. If a road is designated as a scenic highway I will choose it even if it means increasing the

amount of time it takes me to get to my destination.1 2 3 4 5 36. I am interested in the activities available to me at the destination not the activities available

to me along the way.1 2 3 4 5 37. Secondary highways should be designed to make trips slower and more scenic.1 2 3 4 5 38. Before leaving home, I collect information about the area I will be traveling through.1 2 3 4 5 39. When staying at commercial lodging establishments I make travel reservations at least 24 hours

in advance to ensure that I will have a place to spend the night.1 2 3 4 5 40. I prefer to fly rather than drive to my destination.1 2 3 4 5 41. When driving in unfamiliar areas I choose secondary routes to find out more about the area’s

resources, activities, people etc.1 2 3 4 5 42. I consider myself to be an outdoors type person.1 2 3 4 5 43. Once I arrive at my destination I drive for pleasure in the local area.1 2 3 4 5 44. Highway taxes should be used to create and manage more scenic highways.1 2 3 4 5 45. I consider driving with family and friends to be an enjoyable experience.1 2 3 4 5 46. Before leaving home I use the Internet to find out more about areas I will be passing through.1 2 3 4 5 47. Before leaving home I use the Internet to find out more about the destination I will be visiting.1 2 3 4 5 48. Viewing wildlife in their natural environment is an important part of the driving experience.1 2 3 4 5 49. I stop to read interpretive signs located along the road when traveling 1 2 3 4 5 50. I never drive for pleasure.1 2 3 4 5 51. When in unfamiliar territory I avoid driving in urban areas.1 2 3 4 5 52. Scenic highways are a safety hazard as too many people are distracted by the scenery

and do not pay attention to their driving.1 2 3 4 5 53. Small, local historic sites are more interesting than national sites.1 2 3 4 5 54. I find small towns located on secondary highways to be more of a pleasure than a nuisance.1 2 3 4 5 55. The Mississippi River is one of the most polluted in the nation.1 2 3 4 5 56. I consider myself a history buff.1 2 3 4 5 57. Minnesota people are nice and helpful.1 2 3 4 5 58. Some day I hope to drive the entire length of the Mississippi River.1 2 3 4 5 59. I would make use of a website that provided a detailed look at the activities or attractions

found along a highway route.


1 2 3 4 51 2 3 4 5 60. Highways that are designed with turnouts for scenic vistas or historical sites pose no safety threat.1 2 3 4 5 61. I would go out of my way when driving if it meant that the chances of seeing a threatened

or endangered species was high.1 2 3 4 5 62. Communities with historic attractions should be linked by some type of highway system.1 2 3 4 5 63. During my trips I will often stop spontaneously to engage in some activity

(e.g. golf, bird-watching, shopping, etc. ) along the way.1 2 3 4 5 64. Industrial tours are of interest to me.1 2 3 4 5 65. When vacationing I stop at a road side rest or Travel Information Center to find out more

about the area.1 2 3 4 5 66. I would use an audio tape tour to find out more about an area I am traveling through.1 2 3 4 5 67. I would use an interpretive brochure/map that locates points of interest by mile marker

or numbered sites to find out more about an area I am traveling through.

SECTION 4 This section deals with expenditure information. Please record the total number of dollars your group (the total number of people in the vehicle) spent in each category during the last 24 HOURS.

68. Within the last 24 hours my group spent:$ ______________ LODGING$ ______________ FOOD$ ______________ GAS/OIL$ ______________ ENTERTAINMENT (includes gambling)$ ______________ SHOPPING (gifts, clothes, handicrafts etc)$ ______________ OUTFITTING/BAIT$ ______________ OTHER (please list ____________________________)

69. How many people, including yourself, are traveling with you in one vehicle?___________

70. Of the total in the question above how many are 19 years old or older?___________

SECTION 5This last section asks for demographic information so that we can better understand who is using the highwaysin this area. Please make sure you complete all questions and remember your answers are strictly confidential.

71. How many people, including yourself, are in your household?___________

72. Of the total in the question above how many are 19 years old or older?___________

73. What is your age?___________YEARS

74. What is your gender?❏ MALE❏ FEMALE

75. What is your total household income (round off to the nearest $1,000)?$__________

76. What is your Zip Code?___________

Thank you for taking

the time to complete

this questionnaire.

Please seal it in the

enclosed, postage-paid

envelope and mail it

as soon as possible.

AcknowledgmentsThe Great River Road Development Study involved scores of dedicated people serving in various capacities. Many

volunteered their knowledge and time primarily because they loved the Mississippi River and the Great River Road.In particular, the effort was guided by the unflagging assistance from a talented Advisory Committee. Without theguidance and insight provided by the Advisory Committee, this study would not have reached its final scope orresulted in anything other than predictable pedestrian musings. By keeping the study focused on the river and the tourist, the Advisory Committee has created a document that will serve as a blueprint for people and organi-zations trying to improve the experience of a tourist and enhance the quality of life of those people who call theMississippi River valley their home.

For all of their talented assistance, grateful acknowledgment is made to the following individuals:

Mr. Bob Brown, State Aid Engineer, Metro Division, Minnesota Department of Transportation, Roseville

Mr. Craig Collison, Transportation Planner, Northwest Transportation District, Minnesota Department ofTransportation, Bemidji

Mr. John Edman, Executive Director, Mississippi Parkway Commission of Minnesota, Minneapolis

Mr. Dennis Erickson, Construction and Operations Division, St. Paul District, United States Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul

Mr. Ron Erickson, Educational Programs Manager, Mississippi National River and Recreation Area, National ParkService, United States Department of the Interior, Minneapolis

Mr. Andy Golfis, Secretary, Mississippi Parkway Commission of Minnesota, St. Paul

Mr. Dick Haskett, Assistant Director of Tourism, Minnesota Office of Tourism, Department of Trade and EconomicDevelopment, St. Paul

Mr. David Kelliher, Legislative Liaison, Minnesota Historical Society, St. Paul

Ms. Sue McDonald, Director of Interpretive Programs, Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge, United States Fish and Wildlife Services, United States Department of the Interior, Bloomington

Mr. Bob Mayhew, P.E., Project Manager, District 6, Minnesota Department of Transportation, Rochester

Mr. Marvin Moriarty, Deputy Regional Director, United States Fish and Wildlife Services, United States Department of the Interior, Bloomington

Mr. Jim Pederson, Legislative Liaison, Minnesota Historical Society, St. Paul

Mr. Dan Ray, Program Officer, The McKnight Foundation, Minneapolis

Mrs. Margaret Sherman, former Board Member, Mississippi Headwaters Board, Palisade

Mr. John Strohkirch, Development and Acquisition Manager, Parks and Recreation Division, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, St. Paul

Mr. Steve Voss, Transportation Planner, District 3, Minnesota Department of Transportation, Baxter


Ack

now

ledgemen

ts

This Great River Road Development Study was instigated and directed by three dedicated employees of the State of Minnesota:

Mr. Dennis Adams, Unit Chief, Environmental Studies Unit, Office of Environmental Services, Minnesota Departmentof Transportation, St. Paul

Ms. Allyson Brooks, Historian, Cultural Resources Unit, Office of Technical Support, Minnesota Department ofTransportation

Ms. Carol Zoff Pelton, Project Manager, Landscape Unit, Office of Environmental Services, Minnesota Department ofTransportation, St. Paul

The Great River Road Development Study was conducted by a team of consultants including:

Economics Research Associates, Inc.Elaine Carmichael, Lead EconomistDavid Versel, Assistant Economist

Gartner Consulting Bill Gartner, Lead Investigator and Analyst

Short Elliott Hendrickson Inc.Veronica Anderson, Lead Resource Investigator and Administrative AssistantBecky Blue, Lead GIS AnalystGus Blumer, Resource InvestigatorDan Carlson, GIS TechnicianCraig Churchward, Project ManagerWendi Conley, Word ProcessingBrad Digre, GIS TechnicianSue Herlund, Word ProcessingJennifer Kunz, Graphic DesignerCandis Nord-Sheptak, Planning Graphics DesignerMichelle Pelvit, Administrative AssistantTammy Orf, Database AdministrationTricia Rezin, Graphic DesignerMark Salzman, Urban DesignerApril Warwick, Lead Graphic Designer

The 106 GroupAnne Ketz, Project AdvisorDavid Ketz, Project ManagerAndrew Schmidt, Lead Cultural Resource Investigator

All photographs, unless noted otherwise, are by Craig Churchward or Andrew Schmidt. Text is by CraigChurchward, except the discussions of cultural resources in the four demonstration areas found in Section 7 which are by Andrew Schmidt or the economic development discussions in Sections 5, 6, and 8 which are by Elaine Carmichael and David Versel. Veronica Anderson was instrumental in keeping the project moving ahead and Becky Blue doggedly developed the GIS database. April Warwick developed the graphic format and laid out the entire report.


Ack

now

ledgemen

ts

Several communities, agencies, or organizations sponsored open houses or provided valuable assistance. The studyteam appreciates the welcome and information they received from International Falls, Itasca State Park, MississippiRiver Headwaters Board, Bemidji, Schoolcraft State Park, the Forest History Center, Grand Rapids, Brainerd, Crow WingHistorical Society, Little Falls, Charles Lindbergh Historical Site, Charles A. Weyerhauser Memorial Museum, CampRipley, St. Cloud, Breckenridge Chapter of the Izaak Walton League, St. Anthony Lock and Dam, Historic Fort Snelling,St. Paul, Red Wing, and Winona.

This work is a direct result of the vision, dedication, and enthusiasm of Carol Zoff Pelton.


Ack

now

ledgemen

ts

Great River Road - MnDOT

Documents

Transcript of Great River Road - MnDOT