Historical Markers
People walking on a path in a vibrant park - historic parks and gardens

On foot · County in Minnesota

Historic Parks and Gardens in Blue Earth County, MN

Parks, squares, gardens and parkways on the record near you, public ground with a history of its own.

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Photo: Jared Davidson on Unsplash

Architecture is history you can still walk into. Blue Earth County is one of 87 counties in Minnesota. The trick is knowing which doors have a story behind them.

People walking on pathway near body of water during daytime - historic parks and gardens
Photo: Andy on Unsplash
Two people sitting on a park bench under mossy trees - historic parks and gardens
Photo: Jonah Townsley on Unsplash
Grand glasshouse structure overlooks vibrant flowerbeds with people strolling - historic parks and gardens
Photo: Lincoli Xavier on Unsplash

On the record near Blue Earth County, MN

The 12 nearest

31 listed sites on the record match historic parks and gardens within 120 miles of Blue Earth County, MN, out of 81 listed sites of every kind within 25 miles. 25 listed sites carry Blue Earth County as their county.

  1. Ramsey Park Swayback Bridge63 miles from the center of Blue Earth County · Structure · Redwood Falls · listed 1980National Register of Historic Places
  2. Pilot Knob State Park, Portals (Area 5a)64 miles from the center of Blue Earth County · Structure · Forest City · listed 1990National Register of Historic Places
  3. Washburn Park Water Tower64 miles from the center of Blue Earth County · Structure · Minneapolis · listed 1983National Register of Historic Places
  4. Pilot Knob State Park: Portals in Area 5b65 miles from the center of Blue Earth County · District · Forest City · listed 1995National Register of Historic Places
  5. Pilot Knob State Park, Observation Tower (Area 2)65 miles from the center of Blue Earth County · Building · Forest City · listed 1990National Register of Historic Places
  6. Pilot Knob State Park, Picnic Shelter (Area 3)65 miles from the center of Blue Earth County · Building · Forest City · listed 1990National Register of Historic Places
  7. Pilot Knob State Park, Amphitheater (Area 4)65 miles from the center of Blue Earth County · Structure · Forest City · listed 1990National Register of Historic Places
  8. Pilot Knob State Park, Trail Area (Area 6a--6c)65 miles from the center of Blue Earth County · District · Forest City · listed 1990National Register of Historic Places
  9. Highland Park Tower68 miles from the center of Blue Earth County · Structure · St. Paul · listed 1986National Register of Historic Places
  10. Peavey Plaza68 miles from the center of Blue Earth County · Site · Minneapolis · listed 2013National Register of Historic Places
  11. St. Anthony Park Branch Library71 miles from the center of Blue Earth County · Building · St. Paul · listed 1984National Register of Historic Places
  12. Como Park Conservatory72 miles from the center of Blue Earth County · Structure · St. Paul · listed 1974National Register of Historic Places

Distances are straight-line from the center of Blue Earth County, MN. Many sites are private property or working buildings - view them from the public way. See them on the map.

Historic Parks in Blue Earth County, step by step

  1. 1

    See every listed site of this kind in the area

  2. 2

    Sort by distance and pick the closest few

  3. 3

    Read the record for the year, the builder and the use

  4. 4

    View from the public way and note what has changed

  5. 5

    Collect the set and move on to the next county

What people in Blue Earth County, MN ask first

How much does it cost to visit these sites in Blue Earth County, MN?

Most listed sites can be seen from a public road or sidewalk at no cost, and the app is free to use. Some sites are private homes, working churches or museums with their own hours and fees. The record for each one says what it is, so you know before you go.

Where does the information on these sites come from?

From published records: the National Register of Historic Places, the Recorded Texas Historic Landmark program, and the Georgia Historical Society and Georgia Department of Natural Resources marker program. Every site on the page names its source.

Are these buildings open to the public?

Some are, many are not. Churches, courthouses and libraries usually keep regular hours. Houses, barns and mills are often private and best seen from the road. The record for each site tells you which kind it is.

What does it mean when a site is on the National Register?

It means the property was documented and accepted as historically significant. Listing honors the site, it does not open it to visitors or stop an owner from using it.

How a visit works in Blue Earth County

  1. Step 1

    Find the place

    Every stop starts as a pin with real coordinates. In Blue Earth County, MN the map shows what is listed around you and how far each one is, so the first decision is where to go, and it takes a few seconds.

  2. Step 2

    Read the story

    The record behind each marker is kept whole: what happened there, when, who was involved, and why it was worth a sign. You read it standing where it happened, which is the part a textbook cannot give you.

  3. Step 3

    Get there under your own power

    Walk it, run it, hike it, ride it or drive it. Stops in Blue Earth County, MN are chained into routes that fit the way you move, so a lunch break, a long run or a Saturday drive can all pass through history.

  4. Step 4

    Collect it and come back

    Each stop you reach counts toward a badge, and a photo or a correction you send makes the record better for the next person. The map remembers where you have been, so the next trip starts where the last one ended.

The rules that make it work

The record comes first

Every site on these pages comes from a published register or marker program, with its source named. Nothing is listed that is not on the record.

Read the whole story

A marker is a few lines on a post. The story behind it is longer, and it includes the hard parts. Both are worth the stop.

Movement makes it stick

People remember the places they walked to. A route through five markers teaches more than fifty marker pages read on a couch.

Local beats famous

The marker two streets over usually has a better story than the one in the guidebook, and nobody else is standing in front of it.

Respect the ground

Many sites are private homes, working churches or cemeteries. View from the public way, follow posted hours, and leave it as you found it.

Every visitor can improve it

Markers go missing, get moved, or carry mistakes. A photo or a location fix from the person standing there is how the record stays right.

More ways in around Blue Earth County, MN

People gathered on the porch of a white colonial house - historic homesHistoric HomesA group of people sitting on steps outside a historic stone church, enjoying a sunny day - historic churchesHistoric ChurchesA person standing on a stone bridge in a cemetery - historic cemeteriesHistoric CemeteriesA couple walking under a covered bridge - covered bridgesCovered BridgesSteel truss bridge over river with two people - historic bridgesHistoric BridgesA group of people standing on a dock by a lighthouse - historic lighthousesLighthousesTwo people sitting on a bench in front of a building - historic courthousesHistoric CourthousesPeople sitting in the Terminal Bar inside the historic Union Station in Denver - historic train depotsTrain Depots

Historic Parks near Blue Earth County

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