Alexandria Lakes Minnesota Articles

Where southern prairie meets the northern forest, and receding glaciers once carved their way through the granite landscape, Alexandria is a scenic & recreational paradise. 
Just off I-94, the county seat for Douglas County lies almost exactly halfway between the Twin Cities and Fargo, and provides convenient access to business, work and commerce. The Alexandria Lakes Area offers the best of all worlds: unlimited access to the outdoors, friendly atmosphere, small town hospitality, bustling business, and big city conveniences and opportunities.  The lavish landscape creates a mythically perfect blend of lakes, rivers, forests, rolling hills, meadows, and open prairie. This scenic backdrop of year-round beauty provides unlimited opportunities for recreation, tourism, business, industry, shopping, and culture.

“The small town feel with the amenities of the larger cities are here for us…something for everybody! A  regional shopping center, a regional medical center, a regional airport, federal, state, and local government centers… only 2 ½ hours from the cities We’re blessed with a little of everything, plus the natural beauty of the lakes, of course! Alexandria is easy to get to, yet hard to leave. But don’t take my word for it. Come and see for yourself!” – H. Dan Ness, Mayor City of Alexandria.

If Vikings roamed the Midwest in the mid-14th century, then Alexandria is the “Birthplace of America”. It says so right on Big Ole’s shield, the 28-foot, 4-ton Viking Statue that greets visitors traveling north on Main Street.

Modern settlers drifted into the area after the signing of the Traverse des Sioux treaty in 1851.

In 1858, the same year that Minnesota became a state, Alexander and William Kinkead built a log cabin and a hotel on the shores of Lake Agnes, and named the area “Alexandria”. In 1866, the county’s borders were officially set and Douglas County was named for Sen. Stephen A. Douglas who helped get the county established. 

Recreation

The Alexandria area boasts over 300 lakes, with swimming, boating, fishing, nearly every kind of water sport you can imagine, as well as an abundance of city, county, and state parks featuring a variety of amenities, picnic areas, and both indoor and activities for the entire family.

The indoor Lake Area Recreation Center is a 35,000 sq. ft. facility that houses a gymnasium, aerobic/multi-purpose room, cardiovascular exercise room, weight room, and a gymnastics center. There are several health clubs that provide services ranging from tanning, a body spa, whirlpool, aerobics, racquetball courts, and a variety of weight and fitness equipment.

Most outdoor facilities are open year round for fun and recreation.  In the summer, you can catch a tan at any one of a number of parks and beaches.

Thousands of cyclists and hikers enjoy the Central Lakes Trail that winds along the old Burlington Northern railroad, through 55-miles of pristine woods, rivers and streams, lakes, farm land, hardwood forests, and prairies, with opportunities for shopping and rest in the communities on or near the trail. 

For winter fun, Andes Tower Hills Ski Area, the Runestone Community Center, and Noonan’s Park provide cross-country trails, downhill skiing, and snow tubing, skating rinks, and over 500 miles of snowmobile trails.

About the only sport you can’t do in Alexandria is surfing, and they’re probably working on that!  From bingo to bowling, football to Frisbee golf, Alexandria has it all. 

At the Viking Speedway, you can watch Go Kart, NASCAR and dirt racing all summer long.

America’s best college-bound players compete at Blizzard Hockey. Beetles Baseball its home at the Knute Nelson Memorial Park, named after the United States senator from Alexandria, where you’ll find a steady stream of Minnesota Twins, Major League, and Hall-of-Fame stars, other celebrities, and a whole lot of fans who just love baseball.

Go horseback riding, learn martial arts, play racquetball, try out the shooting range, skate board in the park, play golf, or take a lesson at the Golf Academy. Play tennis at the beach, rent a canoe, or just pamper yourself at the Body Spa.  There’s plenty of ways to relax and have fun!

And, of course, there’s fishing! Alexandria Echo Press reports that a local fisherman just landed 9 & 10-pound walleyes within days of each other on Lake Osakis. He calls it a “fantastic fishing lake” where “you can go after crappies, sunnies, walleye, northern, perch and bass and catch them all”

Arts & Education

Alexandria also offers arts and culture, from history at the museum, to ballroom dancing at the local dance club. Or, you can browse over to the Douglas County Library, where pre-school children fall in love with the songs, rhymes, films, and craft activities of Story Hour.

Professional summer stock theatre and Theatre L’Homme Dieu perform seven different plays throughout the summer season. The Alexandria Area Arts Association Community holds year round community theatre and concert events.  And, the Carlos Creek Winery offers tours year round tours of the largest grape vineyard in MN, and stables filled with purebred Arabian horses.

Alexandria’s schools have a well-established tradition of educational excellence. An Early Education Center, elementary schools, junior and senior high, multiple Christian schools, and an active Learn at Home Group serve nearly 5,000 K-12 students in a district where students consistently surpass state averages at all grade levels in reading, math, and writing.

Extra-curricular programs are offered at all levels, featuring choir, band, and other fine and performing arts, academic and athletic teams, varsity sports and numerous school clubs and leadership opportunities.

Higher education programs are offered at the award-winning Alexandria Technical College, which has a solid reputation for quality instruction and service to its students, and a Customized Training Center available to local business.

Parents and volunteers are encouraged to be “partners in education” involved in the education process at all levels. This collaboration innovatively positions Alexandria students for a dynamic and prosperous future.

Shopping & Community Development

Downtown Alexandria has a wide variety of restaurants, interesting stores, and antique shops. The Viking Plaza Mall has over 40 merchants, major department stores, including Herbergers and JCPenney, and the Midway Cinema 9. In fact, if you watch movies like American Gangster, Miami Vice, or Perfect Storm, then you’ve seen Alexandria born veteran actor John Hawkes, who’s also starred on TV shows like 24, the X-Files, and HBO’s Deadwood.

Two TV stations, and local non-profit, viewer supported organization provide Alexandria with local news, weather, and sports. Eight different radio stations provide listening pleasure from Classical to Classic Rock, including News Radio, Oldies, Country, Christian Hits, Adult Contemporary, and Smooth Jazz.

The Alexandria area contains a rich variety of more than 250 organizations which provide activities and social interaction for hobbyists, professionals, civic, social, and service organizations not counting schools, churches, and health care organizations which provide another several hundred opportunities for activities and services.

Alexandria area churches are the source of social activity, culture, education and community service. Many stand as historical and architectural landmarks adding to the charm and personality of Alexandria.

Alexandria’s strong, vibrant, economy is represented by large companies like Douglas Machine manufacturing, and the 3M Abrasive Systems plant, and supported by groups like the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce, the City Government, and Alexander Area Economic Development Commission, all helping to develop long-term sustainable growth and expansion in the area.

The Real Estate market in Alexandria is surprisingly strong, due to the high proportion of lakeshore property in the area. While the rest of the state was hit hard in 2007, residential sales in Alexandria dipped only slightly, and lakeshore sales actually grew in total dollar revenue.

Chandler Field is the Regional Airport where you can also buy, rent, or sell your private airplane. 

Regional medical facilities, the Alexandria Clinic and the Osakis Medical Center, are modern and well-equipped, providing preventative, interventional, and supportive services in a compassionate, thoughtful, and efficient manner.

Events

Alexandrians know how to celebrate often, and they do it big! Early spring starts with the NPRA Rodeo in April, followed by a year jam-packed with fun, festivity, and excitement for everyone.

By far the largest community celebration is “Awake the Lakes”, a Memorial Day weekend celebration with family fish fry, entertainment, games, and concerts honoring Norwegian and Swedish ancestry.

In June, nationally recognized and hailed as Minnesota’s largest band competition, the annual Vikingland Band Festival draws over 30,000 spectators and 2,300 performers from seven states, Canada, and Norway.

In July, Art in the Park brings national artisans to the City Park to show their work. And, the Briggs Motley Craft Show brings more artisans to the Runestone Community Center in the spring and fall.

The summer Festival of the Lakes is a classical concert series that brings a variety of world-renowned musicians to Alexandria throughout the summer. And, the Carlos Creek Winery features a Grape Stomp festival in the fall.

A place of history, mystery, excitement, and fun! Alexandria is definitely west-central Minnesota’s premier destination. It’s easy to love!

 Randy Fischer began his real estate career in 1982, serving the Alexandria area. In 1984, he co-founded Counselor Realty, Inc. in Alexandria and has become one of the most prolific agents in the area. To date, he has completed more than 1500 closed unit sales worth over $200,000,000.00.

According to Randy, his success springs from his understanding of the values, needs, and issues the people of Alexandria and the surrounding communities-an understanding gained while growing up on his family's dairy farm, serving his country in Marines, raising a family and owning a local business. He is an agent with strong roots in his community and a deep commitment to his clients serving them with integrity, experience, and enthusiasm.

LakeshoreDreams.com had the opportunity to speak with Randy and learn a little more about himself and his beloved Alexandria.

LD:  How did you first get into the real estate industry?

Fischer:  Easy. A man asked me if I wanted to sell real estate and I said yes.

LD:  What do you feel is the biggest challenge of your job?

Fischer: I definitely find keeping up communication very difficult. I'm on the phone with clients and developers almost non stop. To give you an idea, I run through 5,000 minutes a month on my cell phone. That's not even counting the calls that I get at the office. It's definitely the trickiest part of my job, but a necessary one.

LD: When you're not working. What do you like to do to unwind?

Fischer: I like to hunt, mainly ducks, geese, and deer. I own some land around here and I like to hunt on that whenever I get the chance.

LD: What do you like most about working in Douglas County?

Fischer: What I like most about Douglas County, Alexandria in particular, is the fact that there is no traffic. I can drive 5 minutes in any direction and be out in the countryside. I'm completely out of the city, surrounded by lakes, trees, and farms. I used to live out in Orange County, CA and by far there is no comparison. Here it is quiet and peaceful and the people are very friendly here.

LD: Are there any new projects being planned in your area?

Fischer: There is always something new being planned or built out there. Residential, commercial, you name it. Since '82 the market hasn't been stagnant.  The market here is strong, always growing and providing new jobs and new opportunities. It was like this when I started in '82 and quite honestly it has helped me make a very good living for myself.

For more information on properties in the Alexandria Lakes region please visit Randy Fischer's listing page on LakeshoreDreams.com.

"Easy to find. Hard to leave," that's what the locals say about their slice of Minnesota paradise. Formed by receding glaciers over 20,000 years ago, the Alexandria Lakes Region has breathtaking natural beauty with its lakes, forests, and rolling hillsides.

The city itself has had a storied history growing from an early pioneer settlement, to a civil war era outpost, to the bustling town that stands there today. Some historians even believe that Viking explorers might have passed through and settled in this area as early as 1365. While this claim is being debated to this day, there is no denying that there are plenty of fun things to do and see while in Alexandria.

Lake Miltona is a 5,838 acre lake located ten miles north of Alexandria in Douglas County. The lake offers diverse habitat and structure; including extensive shallow flats, submerged islands and bars, and depths over 100 feet. Despite having a heavily developed shoreline, the water quality and clarity of this popular recreational lake are considered very good. This quality is maintained by an abundant and diverse community of water plants. These aquatic plants provide important spawning and cover habitat for many fish species. They also help protect the shoreline from wave and boat traffic induced erosion.

Muskie and walleye populations are strong in this lake and the abundance of bluegill and largemouth bass should provide ample fishing opportunities.  

South of Lake Miltona is Lake Ida, a lake known for is great sunfish, bass, and walleye fishing. This lake covers 4,289 acres and has a maximum depth of 106 ft.

Lake Carlos is a 2,520-acre basin located about five miles north of Alexandria. It is the largest and deepest lake within the Alex chain with a maximum depth of 163 ft.  The lake fully supports recreational use and is popular for both angling and other water-based recreation. Boaters can access other lakes within the chain via navigable channels. Lake Carlos State Park is located along the north shore of the lake and provides camping sites, a nice swimming beach, and a boat ramp. Most of the shoreline is heavily developed with residential housing, but the water quality and clarity remain in good shape.

Lake Carlos supports a stable, well-balanced fish community. Largemouth bass, bluegill, black crappie, and northern pike are abundant and provide ample fishing opportunities. Anglers can expect high catch rates for all of these species. The lake is well known to bass anglers. The Alex chain hosts several largemouth bass tournaments throughout the year.

Lake Mary is a 2,371 acre lake that lies 5 miles southwest of Alexandria. Although heavily developed, the water quality and healthy abundance of aquatic and shoreline vegetation makes this lake an ideal spawning and nursery grounds for a wide variety of fish like bass, sunfish, and northern pike. A large rock, gravel bar located on the north end of the lake is the preferred spawning area for walleye. The abundance and variety of these fish make Lake Mary a popular fishing spot for tourists and local residents. However, it is imperative that the native vegetation be preserved so the fish community will continue to thrive.     

Christina Lake is the place all bird lovers must visit. This large (3,978 acres) shallow basin is located near the town of Ashby in west central Minnesota, approximately 23 miles north west of Alexandria. The lake is nationally recognized as a critical staging area for migrating waterfowl, especially canvasbacks. Lake Christina is designated as a Wildlife Management Lake and is managed for migratory waterfowl. The lake is closed to fishing.

Lake Osakis  is a 6,270 acre lake located 12 miles east of Alexandria bordering Todd and Douglas county. Lake Osakis is managed primarily for walleye with sunfish and northern pike being species of secondary management importance. Pike and bass populations have been on the rise in recent years, but the yellow perch population remains low for reasons yet to be determined. Bullheads and bowfin (dogfish) are also relatively abundant in Lake Osakis and should provide unique opportunities for anglers targeting non-game fishes. Large individuals of both species are present. In fact, the state record yellow bullhead was caught from Lake Osakis in 2002. 

The Alexandria area has a wealth of events and things to do during the summer, but for theater lovers there's no better place to go than Theatre L'Homme Dieu.

Theatre L'Homme Dieu on Lake L'Homme Dieu is a nonprofit professional summer theatre operated since 1961 by St. Cloud State University in partnership with a group of Alexandria citizens. It has two goals: To produce excellent professional theater and to provide a valuable experience for students.

Plays are performed and directed by actors and directors from Minneapolis and St. Paul. St. Cloud State students perform behind-the-scenes tasks and occasionally make their way on stage. All shows will have two week runs from Tuesday through Saturday evenings, curtain time at 7:30 p.m.

Another fun thing to do in Alexandria is attend the Vikingland Band Festival, always on the last Sunday in June. The 2006 event featured 18 of the finest high school marching bands in Minnesota.

The Awake the Lakes festival takes place Memorial Day weekend. Events include the Midwest Rides Carnival, a ribfest, a beer garden, live music and on Friday a fireworks display. On Saturday the events include the "Show 'N Shine" car show, "Breakfast with Big Ole," kayak rides on Lake Agnes, artisans, food vendors and entertainers at Fort Alexandria, kids fishing on the City Park dock, sidewalk chalk art downtown, the carnival rides, a brat supper, a beer garden and live music until midnight. Sunday brings only the carnival, while Monday sees the Memorial Day parade at 10 a.m.

And don't forget the Grape Stomp in September. There's a wine and cheese reception and a variety of musicians on three stages playing everything from bluegrass to classic rock. There are also more than 200 food and craft vendors. Two-person teams are needed to compete in the Grape Stomp -- one grape stomper and one juice collector. Stomp well and you could win a prize.

Alexandria was started in 1858 by the Kinkead brothers, Alexander and William. William was commissioned to survey a government road from St.Cloud to Fort Abercrombie. In 1858, the brothers formed a town site company with investors from eastern Minnesota. In 1859, Alexander Kinkead established a U.S. Post Office and served as the postmaster, thus the town site received its name.

No discussion of Alexandria would be complete without its two most interesting inhabitants: Big Ole and the Kensington Runestone.

Alexandria is often called the birthplace of America.That designation comes from the Kensington Runestone.

In the fall of 1898, Olaf Ohman, a farmer near Alexandria found a large stone with strange carvings.

The stone is a native rock called graywacke and measures 31 inches long, 16 inches wide and 6 inches thick. It weighs 202 pounds. The stone was brought to Kensington about four miles away and was exhibited in the window of the local bank. Thus it was identified as the "Kensington Runestone."

H. R. Holand of Ephriam, Wisconsin, a well-known Norwegian scholar and historian, translated the runes:

"8 Goths and 22 Norwegians on exploration-journey from Vinland over the west. We had camp by 2 skerries one days-journey north from this stone. We were and fished one day. After we came home found 10 men red with blood and dead. Ave Maria. Save from Evil. Have 10 of our party by the sea to look after our ships 14 days-journey from this island Year 1362."

Various 14th century Scandinavian implements -- three battle axes, a firesteel and a spearhead -- have been found in the vicinity of the route the party must have taken to reach Alexandria.

The Kensington Runestone is now on exhibit in the Runestone Museum in Alexandria.

Big Ole the Viking is also on display in Alexandria.Ole, 28 feet tall and weighing four tons, was built in 1965 for the New York World's Fair where his display was billed as "The Birthplace Of The Nation," a reference to the Kensington Runestone. In two days, more than 250,000 New York fairgoers viewed the Viking. On December 21, 1965, the statue arrived in Alexandria where it was placed downtown.

Big Ole was repainted in 1985, 1991, and 1996. In 1991, he acquired a more youthful look when the color of his beard and hair was changed from gray to blonde.

High winds in 1996 put a sway in Big Ole and he was laid flat for repairs. Alexandrians and Big Ole fans ponied up $27,000 to repair him.

Ole is also present each Thanksgiving at the annual Christmas Lighting Ceremony. Crowds gather at the foot of Big Ole to watch Santa flip the switch that turns on all the Christmas lights up and down Broadway.

Contributed by John Fitzgerald. John is a freelance writer based out of Buffalo Hills, MN. 

For Lakeshoredreams.com, the counties grouped in Alexandria MN include:

Traverse County MN, Grant County MN, Douglas County MN, Big Stone County MN, Stevens County MN, Pope County MN

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