Minnesota State Park Open House Day is June 1

The Carlton County Historical Society and Jay Cooke State Park invite you to the “Great Minnesota Picnic” during the Minnesota State Park Open House event from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, June 1.

Bring your picnic and commemorate Minnesota’s Sesquicentennial anniversary. Special guest speakers, historic displays, family scavenger hunts and music will be held throughout the day.

No vehicle permit is needed for this open house event; and there is free admission to all Minnesota state parks and Minnesota historic sites on this day.

Events ongoing from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. include:

• Living History Picnic Players – See how Minnesotan’s picnicked back in 1858 during this re-enactment of a mid-19th century picnic. Join in on historic lawn games.

• Voyager Camp – Discover the life of a fur trader at this historic camp.

• Exhibitors – Minnesota Power, Lake Superior and Mississippi Railroad, Fond du Lac Cultural Museum, Carlton County Historical Society, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources–Wildlife, Fisheries, Parks & Enforcement.

Special events include:

• Scavenger Hunts at 11:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m.

• Civil War Quartet – Live music from the mid-1800s, at 11 a.m.

• Welcome Ceremony at noon.

• “The Great Northern Railroad,” with guest speaker Pat Dorin, at 12:30 p.m.

• The “Amazing History Trivia Race” at 1 p.m.

• “Hard Work and a Good Deal: The Civilian Conservation Corps in Minnesota,” with guest speaker Barbara Sommer, at 1 p.m.

• “Between the Waters: Tracing the Northwest Trail From Lake Superior to the Mississippi,” with guest speaker Larry Luukkonen, at 1:30 p.m.

• “The History of the Fond du Lac Tribe,” with guest speaker Jeff Savage, at 2 p.m.

• Midsummer Festival Maypole Raising, at 2:30 p.m.

A calendar of events and full schedule can be found at www.mnstateparks.com.

Other naturalist programs at Jay Cooke State Park this weekend include:

Friday, May 30, from 8-8:45 p.m. – “Eagles: Rulers of the Sky” – Come learn about the majestic eagle and learn why this bird soars above the rest.

Saturday, May 31, from 1-2 p.m. – “Lady’s-Slipper Hike” – This hike across the St. Louis River will lead to a scenic hillside of yellow lady’s-slipper flowers. Along the way you’ll discover the plants and animals that make this park unique.

Saturday, May 31, from 8-9 p.m. – “The Bears Around Us” – The most asked about creature in the park is one that is rarely seen. Come discover the world of the black bear and how to make living with these incredible animals “bearable.”

Tags: northland, outdoors, places