Western Minnesota Articles
Spicer and New London City Guide
Spicer and New London
Located on the shores of Green Lake, Spicer and its next door neighbor, New London ideal country retreats. Kandiyohi County boasts over 100 lakes, most of them around these two towns. So naturally, Spicer is home to over a dozen top-notch lakeside resorts and a healthy selection of campgrounds. Visitors are also located near the beautiful Glacier Ridge Trail, where you can enjoy the scenic beauty of the surrounding farmland, pastures, and spotted wood.
While you're visiting you might want to stop by Spicer Castle Bed and Breakfast for a good old-fashioned murder mystery. Guests are assigned roles to play and are charged with one simple task-to throw suspicion off themselves and survive long enough to learn who committed the heinous crime. It's a great way to leave yourself behind and meet new friends at the same time.
New London is a small lakefront community offers you more than just access to great fishing, canoeing, and boating. Its thriving downtown area offers a unique blend of big city variety and small town charm that will surely keep you coming back for more.
During the summer, be sure to watch the award winning Little Crow Water Ski Team as they wow audiences every Friday at Neer Park with their amazing human pyramids and other death-defying stunts.
The fun continues on the water with New London Water Day in July. This annual festival celebrates with a grand parade, kids fishing derby, food, and fun for the entire family.
The New London Music Festival attracts all sorts of musical acts from around the area. Any kind of music lover will be able to find something to enjoy or know the joy of discovering something completely new.
Remember to visit the Monogolia Historical Society and Museum, which houses an impressive genealogical library dating back to 1859. Housed within the historic Lebanon Lutheran Church, this museum also house a wide variety of unique items including a linotype newspaper, handmade wooden tools, and a wicker undertaker's basket. You can also get a taste of pioneer life exploring an 1869 Sakariason cabin.
Willmar City Guide
The first settlers came to our area in 1856, followed by the railroad in 1869.
Willmar was named for Leon Willmar, a Flemish land agent for the
St. Paul and Pacific Railroad.
Willmar is the home of the Kandiyohi County Fair. Held each August, this celebration offers a little something for everyone, from baking to flowers, livestock to antique tractors. The kids will love the rides and you'll enjoy all the food, music, and entertainment the locals have to offer.
Speedboat enthusiasts will enjoy the Mikkelson Boat Collection which houses the premiere collection of Falls Flyer speedboats in the world. From classic models all the way up to the modern muscle boats, this private collection run by Paul Mikkelson is open to the public on Saturdays from 9 to 4 or anytime by appointment.
Those who want a more intimate look at pioneer life should visit the Sperry House, a large farm house partially restored to reflect life in the 1890s, and provide a glimpse into the typical lives of a turn of the century pioneer family. The Schwanke Museum houses over 46 years of roadway and farm field history. 300 classic tractors, cars, trucks, and fire trucks call this museum home making it one of the largest collections in the state.
The arts are also alive and well in Willmar being anchored by The Barn Theatre and the Willmar Area Symphonic Orchestra.
Willmarfest combines four distinctly different festivals into one unique downtown celebration. Aquafest features lakeside ski shows. Frameries Fest honors Willmar's two sister cities Frameries, Belgium and Valanka, Russia with food, music, and traditional crafts and dances. Kaffe Fest celebrates the cities coffee drinking Scandinavian heritage.
Willmar has over 300 acres of parkland, which includes 37 parks and a public beach at Robbins Island. Recreation abounds with 9-hole and 18 holes golf courses; 7 lighted baseball/softball diamonds; 27 tennis courts – 12 of which are lighted; a 6 screen movie theater; roller rink; 24 lane bowling alley; bike paths throughout the City; indoor shooting range and archery; racquetball and exercise facility and civic center arena.
Western MN Region Profile
This county, established in 1858, bears the Dakota name or one or several of its lakes meaning "where the buffalo fish come." During the spawning months of May and June, these impressive specimens leave the large rivers where they live most of the year and mass migrate to the lakes at the heads of the small streams. One particular species, the ictobus cyprinella, often can weigh in at 30 to 40 pounds!
Victor E. Lawson, county historian, writes:
"The name Kandiyohi was first made known to white men by Joseph Nicholas Nicollet, who in 1836-41 explored the region now comprising Minnesota. . . . He did not personally visit this section, but secured his information about the sources of the Crow from Indians. . . . It was not until 1856 that white men acquired any definite knowledge as to the extent and character of these lakes. In that year four different parties of townsite promoters visited the region now embraced within the boundaries of our county and gave separate names to the different lakes which attracted their attention. The name Kandiyohi was appropriated by one of these companies, and two of the lakes in the southern group were by them named Big and Little Kandiyohi. When a new county was organized the historic Indian name was adopted."
At first, Kandiyohi County was divided into two counties, each encompassing 12 congressional townships. The northern half was called Monongalia County, while the southen half was called Kandiyohi. The name Monongalia was derived from the county so named in Virginia (now in West Virginia), being Latinized from the Delaware Indian word Monongahela, "river with the sliding banks," given to the stream that unites with the Allegheny at Pittsburgh, forming the Ohio River. These two counties existed until 1870 when the two counties merged to become the Kandiyohi County known today.
The Great Outdoors
Hunting, hiking, skiing, fishing, snowmobiling...the possibilities are endless. No matter what the season, you'll be able to find a way to have fun and enjoy Mother Nature's splendor all at the same time. Here are some places to get you started.
*Parks
Sibley State Park
One of Minnesota's top 20 attractions, Sibley provides access to 2,500 acres of a rich mosaic of colorful prairies, lush hardwood forests, bountiful wetlands and cool, clear lakes. Over the course of the year, park naturalists teach over 300 different nature programs including hikes, slide presentations, lectures, and demonstrations that help visitors explore natural wonder of the park and its inhabitance as it changes through the seasons.
Sibley also offers ample opportunities for relaxation and relaxation offering facilities for baseball, horse shoes, boating, horseback riding, and winter activities such as cross country skiing and snowmobiling.
* Trails
Glacial Lake Trail
Hit the trail and have fun experiencing the rolling hills, prairie, wetlands and farm land! This 22-mile trail starts at the Willmar Civic Center and ends at Kandiyohi County's northern border near Hawick. Built on the old Burlington Northern Railroad bed, 12 miles are blacktopped for biking, roller blading and hiking. An adjacent path available for horseback riding. The entire trail is open for snowmobiling and cross-country skiing. The trail goes through Spicer and New London.
For Lakeshoredreams.com, the counties grouped in Western MN include:
Lac Qui Parle County MN, Yellow Medicine County MN, Chippewa County MN, Swift County MN, Kandiyohi County MN, Renville County MN, Redwood County MN, Mcleod County MN, Meeker County MN, Stearns County MN
