#Weymu40 – The Mighty Mississippi

View of the Mississippi River from the grounds of The Charles A. Weyerhaeuser Memorial Museum 2014.
View of the Mississippi River from the grounds of The Charles A. Weyerhaeuser Memorial Museum 2014.

The Charles A. Weyerhaeuser Memorial Museum is located next to a national landmark: The Mighty Mississippi River. That’s no accident. The river has been critical to the historical development of people from prehistoric times through today. When sites were being scouted to find a location for the museum, sites along the river were given primary consideration.

We were fortunate to end up with a site that not only overlooks the Mississippi; the museum is at the confluence of the Mississippi River and Pike Creek. Because the museum is situated on a high bank, it’s easy to see how this spot, with its prime view downriver, served as a look-out point for the Ojibwe and others prior to European/American development.

Due to the museum’s location on the river, it is part of the Great River Road, a designated route meant to draw visitors along the Mississippi. A couple of weeks ago, members of the Mississippi River Parkway Commission visited the museum in order to test out a form to capture important landscapes along the river. The view of the river from the museum’s gazebo was considered a landscape worth preserving. (We heartily agree!)

While there has long been signage marking the Great River Road, this spring a new series of signs has been placed along the road. They’re simple signs that say “MRT,” which stands for Mississippi River Trail. The MRT marks a route for bicyclists and pedestrians along the river.

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Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of The Charles A. Weyerhaeuser Memorial Museum.

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