BLACK HAMMER TOWNSHIP — A trout stream bank stabilization project that started as an experiment on a Root River tributary has become a tested conservation practice in Houston County’s bluff country. This summer, for the sixth consecutive season, a Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa crew will harvest invasive cedar trees from nearby bluffs, and then anchor them to … [Read more...]
You’re invited to a (big) Lanesboro party!
By Steve Harris When the popular American humorist Dave Barry turned 50 he listed 25 things he learned in his first five decades. Number 10? “There comes a time when you should stop expecting other people to make a big deal about your birthday. That time is age 11.” Well, I don’t agree with Dave Barry. Most people don’t. Especially the good people of Lanesboro, Minn., who … [Read more...]
Chatfield pool opening celebrated
The new Chatfield swimming pool opened on June 7. On an unusually cool June 13 evening, Mayor Russ Smith stood before the new pool for a special dedication to celebrate the culmination of months and months of planning. He credited the Pool Committee (Julie Henry, Alesha Worden, Kari Fredricks, Greg LaPlante, Ed Harris, Kari Njos, Shari Harmann, Michelle Thompson, and Melissa … [Read more...]
Chatfield Brass Band celebrates 50 years of making music
It’s been 50 years since Jim Perkins started the Chatfield Brass Band with just 16 members. At the time, it was an all male brass band, but has since transitioned to a concert band that currently includes men and women of all ages. To celebrate the milestone, the Chatfield Brass Band will hold a special Anniversary Celebration Concert on June 29 at 2 p.m. in the Potter … [Read more...]
Arbor Day Foundation names Lanesboro Tree City USA
Lanesboro, Minn., was named a 2018 Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation in honor of its commitment to effective urban forest management. Lanesboro achieved Tree City USA recognition by meeting the program’s four requirements: a tree board or department, a tree care ordinance, an annual community forestry budget of at least $2 per capita and an Arbor Day observance and … [Read more...]
ALS Golf Tournament one of longest running ALS events in Minnesota
When Lindsay Eide married her husband Chad, she knew she was marrying into a family that loved to golf. Since she also enjoyed golfing, it was a perfect fit. In 2010, Eide had an idea to turn the Eide family’s passion for golfing into a fundraiser for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis or ALS. Also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative … [Read more...]
First winner of the summer!
Nikki van den Heever of Cresco, Iowa, stands next to her brand new kayak she won in a recent contest. On May 31, 2019, Visit Bluff Country Magazine conducted the first prize giveaway drawing of the summer, which was a brand new kayak. As the magazine celebrates 34 years as the premier tourism publication of Historic Bluff Country (a.k.a. The Driftless Area), they will be … [Read more...]
The Plant Lady
Jessi Jablonski Spring has finally arrived! April showers brought May flowers, along with some flooding. The intermittent stream in the back corner of my property has been bubbling along every time I walk by it. The natural landscape of this area is so interesting; gorgeous exposed bluffs telling their stories through erosion, rolling hills with both meadows and woodlands, … [Read more...]
New rail commemoration display at Preston Trailhead – ribbon cutting and caboose open house Sunday, June 30
The Milwaukee Road in Preston and “A Day on the Railroad” are two of the headlines of a new interpretive display sign being unveiled and dedicated on Sunday, June 30 in Preston. The sign is a project of the Preston Historical Society (PHS) and is located adjacent to the historic rail campus being developed by PHS at the Preston DNR Trailhead. The sign was jointly funded by … [Read more...]
Memorial Day storms
According to Fillmore County Sheriff John DeGeorge, at least three tornados were reported to have touched down in western Fillmore County on Memorial Day afternoon, the first confirmed at 1:39 pm. The first tornado appears to have started in Howard County, Iowa, traveling northeast through York Township, Minn. At least four farm sites sustained damage to buildings. The … [Read more...]