Weird Minnesota Landmarks

Roadside Tourist Attractions from Paul Bunyan to the Spam Museum

© Naomi Rockler-Gladen

Jun 4, 2007

When you're in the mood for traditional tourism, Minnesota's got it all-- beautiful lakes, cultural attractions, and the massive Mall of America. But Minnesota's got a wacky and whimsical side as well. Drive around the Land of 10,000 Lakes and you'll find more than your share of weird roadside attractions! Here's a guide to some of the strangest Minnesota travel destinations for adventurous tourists.

1. The World's Largest Ball of Twine. Located in Darwin, a central Minnesota town of about 300, this roadside creation was the work of a farmer named Francis A. Johnson, who spent 39 years winding this 17,400 pound ball of twine. It's now displayed in a roadside gazebo with Plexiglas sides so visitors can get the best possible views of the twine ball. Now, it's important to mention that Johnson's twine ball isn't actually the largest, as there's a larger one in Kansas now, but that twine ball was wound by multiple people. Johnson's is the largest twine ball anywhere created by a single man. In your face, Kansas!
2. Paul Bunyan Statues. Paul Bunyan is the mythical lumberjack who was so big that he created Minnesota's 10,000 lakes with his footsteps-- with the help of Babe the Blue Ox, of course. The most famous Paul Bunyan statue is in the north-central town of Bemidji, Minnesota. This 18-foot Paul was erected in 1937, and later that year the city built babe the Blue Ox. Paul used to have a shotgun too, but it deteriorated and was removed. Bunyanphiles can also visit the talking statue in Paul Bunyan Land, located in Brainerd, Minnesota.
3. The Spam Museum. Located in the southern town of Austin, Minnesota-- the home of Hormel, who makes Spam-- this museum is the campy homage to that slimy red meat in the square can. Oh, and it's free! Visitors can learn all about the history of Spam, view a collection of old Spam advertisements, and take a Spam trivia challenge.
4. Ed's Museum. This museum is a loving tribute to a total slob. Located on the Southeastern corner of Minnesota in a town called Wykoff, this museum is the collection of all the debris collected over the years of an eccentric store proprietor named Edwin Krueger. Ed never threw anything away, so the museum has quite a collection of early-to-mid 20th century artifacts. Visitors can also visit Sammy, Ed's cat, who died in 1986 and now is stored in a sealed cardboard box.
5. The Kensington Runestone. Alexandria, a hospitable central Minnesota town with dozens of lakes, has a bit of an odd history. A farmer unearthed a huge slab of rock covered in runes in the late 1800s, and after some questionable archaeological analysis, the runestone was declared to be evidence that the Vikings setlled in Minnesota in the 1400s. The debate rages on as to whether the Runestone is evidence of the Vikings or a hoax, but you can visit it at Alexandria's Runestone Museum. Hoax or not, Alexandrians take pride in their runestone, and Alexandria proudly calls itself the "Birthplace of Civilization" and sports a 28-foot tall statue downtown of an imposing Viking named Big Ole.

See also:

Things to Do in the Twin Cities

This gazebo contains Darwin's twine ball.

The Spam Museum

Paul Bunyan & Babe the Blue Ox (in Bemidji)

The Kensington Runestone

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