A DAY TRIP TO MANKATO, MINNESOTA

Listen-up you cousins!!  Get your Price History books out and see if you can find the Price that I found from Minnesota's history.
Tuesday, June 27th, our excursion was a trip to Mankato to find the Hubbard House (1871) and learn about the flour mills that made Mr Hubbard well known to that area in the late 1800's and early 1900's.
Upon arriving there we found that the house was only open Thursday through Sunday.  Sounds like another excursion gone bad!!  We did take pictures of the exterior and the Carriage House next door with it's flower gardens.

Hubbard House which houses the Historical Society

Hubbard Carriage House 

Then we went back a few blocks to check out a used book store and an Antiques shop. Interesting but nothing earth shaking.  We then stopped in the Wagon Wheel Cafe' for lunch. The food was good and the prices were even better.  I wondered if that was because this appears to be a college town.

Driving around, a bit later we found their History Center and Museum.

And amazing enough, one of the first things that I ran across was this Bible.

I took notice of this about the Welsh
settling in Minnesota.

I am not into genealogy research or this would probably be the area for some in depth research. I miss my brother, Wayne.  He was the Price History enthusiast.

As history began in this area, travel sources were many and progressed as time moved on. 

Interesting, but much the same as other towns emerging across the country with the most common, the "Five and Dimes", the most interesting for the youngsters. The Department stores and business offices expanded the town.

A local artist's work was on display also and she has since donated her works to the museum giving them the profits.

Marian Anderson's work

This cabin reconstructed in the museum
was another point of interest.

After returning home and looking over the literature that we picked up, I realized that I missed out on the Betsy-Tacy House which was the childhood home of children's book author, Maud Hart Lovelace (1892 - 1980).  I did see some of her books in the Antique Shop but did not know the local connection. So now that I know of it, I wish that I had looked closer at the books..
We know from the literature that there is much more history in Mankato to go back and look for. I am sure that we will be here again and probably for a month each time, since Ben lives near here.  It just leaves more for us to do.  We shouldn't get bored.
One more day under our belts.
Today began with rain from most of the night and all morning.  Then the sun came out. But when we returned from a run to Hastings for Walmart and Gary's meds, the thunder began again.  The sun is still out so it has appeared to have bypassed us, though the weather warnings have been on all afternoon for thunderstorms, hail and tornadoes in southern MN (all around us), and also in southwestern Wisconsin.  Hope that it continues to pass us by!!