Itasca State Park
IUCN Category IV (Habitat/Species Management Area)
Map of the U.S. state of Minnesota showing the location of Itasca State Park
Location:	Minnesota, USA
Nearest city:	Park Rapids, Minnesota
Coordinates:	47°14′23″N 95°12′27″W / 47.23972, -95.2075
Area:	32,000 acres (130 km²)
Established:	April 20, 1891
Total Visitation:	496,651 (in 2006)
Governing body:	Minnesota DNR

The source of the Mississippi River on the edge of Lake Itasca

Itasca State Park is a state park in Minnesota, United States, and contains the headwaters of the Mississippi River. The park spans 32,690 acres (132 km²) of northern Minnesota, and is located at 47° N. latitude and 95°W. longitude, about 21 miles (34 km) north of Park Rapids, Minnesota and 25 miles (48 km) from Bagley, Minnesota. The park is part of Minnesota's Pine Moraines and Outwash Plains Ecological Subsection and is contained within Clearwater, Hubbard, and Becker counties.^[1] Itasca State Park was established by the Minnesota Legislature on April 20, 1891, making it the first of Minnesota's state parks and second oldest in the United States, behind Niagara Falls. Henry Schoolcraft determined Lake Itasca as the river's source in 1832. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. An estimated 500,000 people visit Itasca State Park annually. The World Conservation Union or International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) is an international organization dedicated to natural resource conservation. ... Image File history File links Red_pog. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Counties/Parishes/Boroughs, Cities, and Towns Other countries Politics Portal      A U.S. state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of... Capital Saint Paul Largest city Minneapolis Area  Ranked 12th  - Total 87,014 sq mi (225,365 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 400 miles (645 km)  - % water 8. ... Capital Saint Paul Largest city Minneapolis Area  Ranked 12th  - Total 87,014 sq mi (225,365 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 400 miles (645 km)  - % water 8. ... Park Rapids is a city located in Hubbard County, Minnesota. ... April 20 is the 110th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (111th in leap years). ... Year 1891 (MDCCCXCI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is the agency of the state of Minnesota charged with maintaining natural areas such as state parks, state forests and recreation areas. ... Image File history File links The source of the Mississippi River on the edge of Lake Itasca in Itasca State Park, Minnesota. ... Image File history File links The source of the Mississippi River on the edge of Lake Itasca in Itasca State Park, Minnesota. ... This is a list of Minnesota state parks. ... Capital Saint Paul Largest city Minneapolis Area  Ranked 12th  - Total 87,014 sq mi (225,365 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 400 miles (645 km)  - % water 8. ... The headwaters of a river are small streams that create it. ... The Mississippi River, derived from the old Ojibwe word misi-ziibi meaning great river (gichi-ziibi big river at its headwaters), is the second-longest named river in North America, with a length of 2320 miles (3733 km) from Lake Itasca to the Gulf of Mexico. ... Latitude, usually denoted symbolically by the Greek letter phi, , gives the location of a place on Earth north or south of the equator. ... Longitude, sometimes denoted by the Greek letter λ (lambda),[1][2] describes the location of a place on Earth east or west of a north-south line called the Prime Meridian. ... Park Rapids is a city located in Hubbard County, Minnesota. ... Bagley is a city located in Clearwater County, Minnesota. ... Clearwater County is a county located in the state of Minnesota. ... Hubbard County is a county located in the state of Minnesota. ... Becker County is a county located in the state of Minnesota. ... The Minnesota State Legislature is the legislative branch of government in the U.S. state of Minnesota. ... April 20 is the 110th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (111th in leap years). ... Year 1891 (MDCCCXCI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... For other uses, see Niagara Falls (disambiguation). ... Henry Schoolcraft Henry Rowe Schoolcraft (March 28, 1793–December 10, 1864) was an American geographer, geologist, and ethnologist, noted for his early studies of Native American cultures, as well as for his discovery in 1832 of the source of the Mississippi River. ... Lake Itasca and Elk Lake Lake Itasca is a small glacial lake, approximately 1. ... A typical plaque showing entry on the National Register of Historic Places. ...

History

Approximately 8,000 years ago, Native American hunters pursued wild animals for food in the Itasca State Park region. These early people ambushed bison, deer, and moose at watering sites and killed them with stone-tipped spears.^[2] The Bison Kill site along Wilderness Drive in the park gives visitors historical insight about this period. Native Americans are the indigenous peoples from the regions of North America now encompassed by the continental United States, including parts of Alaska. ... Species B. antiquus B. bison B. bonasus B. priscus Bison is a taxonomic genus containing six species of large even-toed ungulates within the subfamily Bovinae. ... Binomial name Odocoileus virginianus Zimmermann, 1780 Subspecies Odocoileus virginianus clavium Odocoileus virginianus leucurus Odocoileus virginianus virginianus The white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), also known as the Virginia deer, is a medium-sized deer found throughout most of the continental United States, southern Canada, Mexico, Central America and South America far... Binomial name Alces alces (Linnaeus, 1758) Moose range map The moose (so named in North America, derived from Eastern Abenaki moz)[1] or elk (in Europe), Alces alces, is the largest member of the deer family Cervidae, distinguished from the others by the palmate antlers of its males. ...

A few thousand years later, a group of people of the Woodland Period arrived at Lake Itasca. They lived in larger, more permanent settlements and made a variety of stone, wood, and bone tools. Burial mounds from this era can be seen today at the Itasca Indian Cemetery. The Woodland period of North American pre-Columbian cultures lasted roughly from 1000 BCE to 1000 CE. The term Woodland was coined in the 1930s and refers to prehistoric sites between the Archaic period and the Mississippian cultures. ... A tumulus (plural tumuli or tumuluses, from the Latin word for mound or small hill) is a mound of earth and stones raised over a grave or graves. ...

In 1832, Anishinabe guide Ozawindib, led explorer Henry Rowe Schoolcraft to the source of the Mississippi River at Lake Itasca. It was on this journey that Schoolcraft, with the help of an educated missionary companion, created the name Itasca from the Latin words for "truth" and "head" (veritas caput). In the late 1800s, Jacob V. Brower, historian, anthropologist and land surveyor, came to the park region to settle the dispute of the actual location of the Mississippi's headwaters. Brower saw this region being quickly transformed by logging, and was determined to protect some of the pine forests for future generations. It was Brower's tireless efforts to save the remaining pine forest surrounding Lake Itasca that led the state legislature to establish Itasca as a Minnesota State Park on April 20, 1891, by a margin of only one vote.^[2] Through his conservation work and the continuing efforts of others throughout the decades, the grounds of Itasca had been maintained. Anishinaabe is a self-description often used by people belonging to the indigenous Odawa, Ojibwe, and Algonkin peoples of North America, who share closely related Algonkian languages. ... Henry Schoolcraft Henry Rowe Schoolcraft (March 28, 1793–December 10, 1864) was an American geographer, geologist and ethnologist, noted for his early studies of Native American cultures, as well as for his discovery in 1832 of the source of the Mississippi River. ... A missionary is traditionally defined as a propagator of religion who works to convert those outside that community; someone who proselytizes. ... Jacob Vandenberg Brower (1844-1905) was a prolific writer of the Upper Midwest region of the United States who championed the location and protection of the utmost headwaters of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. ... An historian is someone who writes history, a written accounting of the past. ... See Anthropology. ... Please wikify (format) this article or section as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ... Loggers on break, c. ... Lake Itasca in Minnesotas oldest state park A Minnesota state park is an area of land in Minnesota preserved by the state for its natural, historic, or other resources. ...

Established in 1909, Itasca Biological Station and Labs (IBSL) is one of the oldest and largest continuously-operated inland field training centers in the United States.^[3] This site serves as a research facility for the University of Minnesota College of Biological Sciences. Each year CBS students attend "nature of life" which is held by the lake, allowing the study of a diverse, undisturbed environment from the organismal level to that of an entire ecosystem. Molecular Cellular Biology Building on East Bank Molecular Cellular Biology Building East Bank The College of Biological Sciences (CBS) is the biology school for undergraduates and graduates at the University of Minnesota. ...

Landscape

Lake Itasca, the official source of the Mississippi River and a scenic area of northern Minnesota, has remained relatively unchanged from its natural state. Most of the area has a heavy growth of timber that includes virgin Red or Norway pine, some of which are over 200 years old.^[4] The Red pine is Minnesota's oldest and largest state tree. Binomial name Pinus resinosa The Red Pine (Pinus resinosa), is a North American pine, occurring from Newfoundland west to southeast Manitoba, and south to northern Illinois and Pennsylvania, with a small outlying population in the Appalachian Mountains in West Virginia. ... Binomial name Pinus resinosa The Red Pine (Pinus resinosa), is a North American pine, occurring from Newfoundland west to southeast Manitoba, and south to northern Illinois and Pennsylvania, with a small outlying population in the Appalachian Mountains in West Virginia. ... Binomial name Pinus resinosa The Red Pine (Pinus resinosa), is a North American pine, occurring from Newfoundland west to southeast Manitoba, and south to northern Illinois and Pennsylvania, with a small outlying population in the Appalachian Mountains in West Virginia. ... This List of U.S. state trees includes official trees of the following states and U.S. possessions: See also Lists of U.S. state insignia National Grove of State Trees External link USDA list of state trees and flowers Categories: | | ...

The Itasca terrain is sometimes referred to as "knob and kettle."^[2] The knobs are mounds of debris deposited directly by the ice near the edge of glaciers or by melt-water streams flowing on or under the glacier's surface. The kettles are depressions, usually filled with water, formed by dormant ice masses buried or partially buried under glacial debris. The retreat of the ice around 10,000 years ago left behind 157 lakes of varying size that cover 3,000 acres (12 km²) of Itasca State Park. The glaciers deposited moraine, a combination of silt, clay, sand, and gravel that covers the landscape to a depth of around 680 feet (207 meters).^[5] The park also integrates 27,500 acres (111 km²) of upland and 1,500 acres (6 km²) of swamp. A glacier is a large, persistent body of ice, formed largely of compacted layers of snow, that slowly deforms and flows in response to gravity. ... Kettle lakes in Siberia, adjacent to the Gulf of Ob (image right). ... Moraine at Mono Lake, California, United States Moraines clearly seen on a side glacier of the Gorner Glacier, Zermatt, Switzerland. ... Silt is soil or rock derived granular material of a specific grain size. ... The Gay Head cliffs in Marthas Vineyard are made almost entirely of clay. ... Patterns in the sand Sand is a granular material made up of fine rock particles. ... Gravel being unloaded from a barge Gravel is rock that is of a certain grain size range. ... In Geology an upland is generally considered to be land that is at a higher elevation than the alluvial plain or stream terrace, which are considered to be lowlands. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

Biology and ecology

The Itasca area's old-growth pine forests are almost as famous as the Mississippi headwaters. The area is currently one of the few places in state that has preserved these ancient pines from destruction. These pine forests were the main concern of Brower when he pushed to preserve the area as a state park. Logging operations in the late 1800s and early 1900s depleted the large pine forests found in the park. Logging ended around 1920.^[6] Old growth forest, sometimes called late seral forest or ancient forest is an area of forest that has attained great age and exhibits unique biological features. ...

Pine restoration has been attempted dating back to 1902, but with limited success.^[1] Fire suppression in the area has eliminated wildfires in the park since the 1920s. Fire is necessary to the regeneration of white, red, and jack pines in the area because it opens the forest floor and canopy for new trees to grow. An overpopulation of white tail deer also stunt the regeneration efforts of these pines, as deer browse young pine seedling and prevent them from maturing into trees.^[6] The 2003 Okanagan Mountain Park Fire was a large forest fire that took place in British Columbia, Canada in 2003. ... Fire in San Bernardino, California Mountains (image taken from the International Space Station) A wildfire, also known as a forest fire, vegetation fire, grass fire, or bushfire (in Australasia), is an uncontrolled fire in wildland often caused by lightning; other common causes are human carelessness and arson. ...

A combination of jack pine and northern pin oak dominated the park before European settlement. Among the numerous varieties of trees Itasca accommodates are: Quaking aspen, bigtooth aspen, paper birch, red pine, white pine, as well as a mix of northern hardwoods. Current vegetation of the park now include: eastern white pine, red pine, aspen-birch, mixed hardwoods, jack pine barrens, and conifer bog. Logged areas of white and red pine are now home to a combination of aspen and birch trees, with aspen being the most dominant species of tree in the park today. The four principal forest communities in this locale remain to be aspen-birch, red pine, white pine, and northern hardwoods.^[6] Binomial name Pinus banksiana Lamb. ... Binomial name Quercus ellipsoidalis E.J.Hill The Northern Pin Oak or Hills Oak (Quercus ellipsoidalis) is an oak in the red oak section Quercus sect. ... Binomial name Populus tremuloides Michx. ... Binomial name Betula papyrifera Marsh. ... Binomial name Pinus resinosa The Red Pine (Pinus resinosa), is a North American pine, occurring from Newfoundland west to southeast Manitoba, and south to northern Illinois and Pennsylvania, with a small outlying population in the Appalachian Mountains in West Virginia. ... Binomial name Pinus strobus L. Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus) is a large pine native to eastern North America, occurring from Newfoundland west to Minnesota and southeasternmost Manitoba, and south along the Appalachian Mountains to the extreme north of Georgia. ... The Sopranos episode, see Pine Barrens (The Sopranos episode). ... Orders & Families Cordaitales † Pinales   Pinaceae - Pine family   Araucariaceae - Araucaria family   Podocarpaceae - Yellow-wood family   Sciadopityaceae - Umbrella-pine family   Cupressaceae - Cypress family   Cephalotaxaceae - Plum-yew family   Taxaceae - Yew family Vojnovskyales † Voltziales † The conifers, division Pinophyta, also known as division Coniferae, are one of 13 or 14 division level taxa within the...

The park is home to fourteen plants placed on the state endangered species list, these consist of: ram's-head lady's slipper (Cypripedium arietinum), olivaceous spike-rush (Eleocharis olivacea), bog adder's-mouth (Malaxis paludosa), slender naiad (Najas gracillma), and sheathed pondweed (Potamogeton vaginatus).^[7] Binomial name Cypripedium arietinum R.Br. ...

Fauna

Three terrestrial biomes, coniferous forest, deciduous forest, and prairie all intersect in the Itasca region and allow habitat for numerous vegetation and animals.^[1] Itasca is home to over 200 bird species encompassing: loons, grebes, cormorants, herons, ducks, owls, hummingbirds, woodpeckers, chickadees, nuthatches, kinglets, vireos, tanagers, finches, and warblers. Residing among the many trails in the park are over 60 types of mammals. The park is home to six rare animal species, most notably the bald eagle and gray wolf.^[6] Pine forests are an example of a temperate coniferous forests Temperate coniferous forests are a terrestrial biome found in temperate regions of the world with warm summers and cool winters and adequate rainfall to sustain a forest. ... Deciduous means temporary or tending to fall off (deriving from the Latin word decidere, to fall off) and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally. ... Prairie grasses Prairie refers to an area of land of low topographic relief that historically supported grasses and herbs, with few trees, and having generally a mesic (moderate or temperate) climate. ... Global distribution of Gaviidae (breeding and winter ranges combined) Species Gavia stellata Gavia arctica Gavia pacifica Gavia immer Gavia adamsii The Loons (N.Am. ... Genera Podiceps Tachybaptus Podilymbus Aechmophorus Poliocephalus Rollandia Grebes are members of the Podicipediformes order, a widely distributed order of freshwater diving birds, some of which visit the sea when migrating and in winter. ... For other uses, see Cormorant (disambiguation). ... Genera See text. ... Subfamilies Dendrocygninae Oxyurinae Anatinae Aythyinae Merginae Duck is the common name for a number of species in the Anatidae family of birds. ... Families Strigidae Tytonidae Ogygoptyngidae (fossil) Palaeoglaucidae (fossil) Protostrigidae (fossil) Sophiornithidae (fossil) Synonyms Strigidae sensu Sibley & Ahlquist Owls are a group of birds of prey. ... Subfamilies Phaethornithinae Trochilinae For a list of species, see: Alphabetic species list Taxonomic species list Hummingbirds are small birds in the family Trochilidae, native only to the Americas. ... Genera Melanerpes Sphyrapicus Xiphidiopicus Dendropicos Dendrocopos Picoides Veniliornis Campethera Geocolaptes Dinopium Meiglyptes Hemicircus Micropternus Picus Mulleripicus Dryocopus Celeus Piculus Colaptes Campephilus Chrysocolaptes Reinwardtipicus Blythipicus Gecinulus Sapheopipo For other uses, see Woodpecker (disambiguation). ... Genera see text The tits, chickadees, and titmice, family Paridae, are a large family of small passerine birds which occur in the northern hemisphere and Africa. ... Species 22 species, see text The nuthatches are a family, Sittidae, of generally very similar small passerine birds found throughout the Northern hemisphere. ... Species See text. ... Genera Vireo Hylophilus Vireolanius Cyclarhis The vireos are a group of small to medium sized passerine birds restricted to the New World. ... Genera many: see text The tanagers are a large group of small to medium-sized passerine birds restricted to the New World, mainly in the tropics. ... Genera Many, see text Finches are passerine birds, often seed-eating, found chiefly in the northern hemisphere and Africa. ... There are three groups of passerine birds, order Passeriformes, which are called warblers. ... Orders Subclass Monotremata Monotremata Subclass Marsupialia Didelphimorphia Paucituberculata Microbiotheria Dasyuromorphia Peramelemorphia Notoryctemorphia Diprotodontia Subclass Placentalia Xenarthra Dermoptera Desmostylia Scandentia Primates Rodentia Lagomorpha Insectivora Chiroptera Pholidota Carnivora Perissodactyla Artiodactyla Cetacea Afrosoricida Macroscelidea Tubulidentata Hyracoidea Proboscidea Sirenia The mammals are the class of vertebrate animals primarily characterized by the presence of mammary... Rare species is an organism which is very uncommon or scarce. ... Binomial name Haliaeetus leucocephalus (Linnaeus, 1766) Bald Eagle range Subspecies (Linnaeus, 1766) Southern Bald Eagle Audubon, 1827) Northern Bald Eagle or Washingtons Eagle Synonyms Falco leucocephalus Linnaeus, 1766 The Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), also known in North America as the American Eagle, is a bird of prey found in... “Gray Wolves” redirects here. ...

The white tail deer overpopulation has caused problems within the park. According to 1998 statistics it was estimated that the density of white tail deer is around 15 to 17 per square mile compared with the 4-10 per square mile in similar areas in Wisconsin. The cause of the deer boom was the addition of man-made open spaces and a deer protection zone put in place from the early 1900s until the 1940s. Annual deer hunts have been held since 1940 in an effort to curb white tail deer population.^[6] Binomial name Odocoileus virginianus Zimmermann, 1780 Subspecies Odocoileus virginianus clavium Odocoileus virginianus leucurus Odocoileus virginianus virginianus The white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), also known as the Virginia deer, is a medium-sized deer found throughout most of the continental United States, southern Canada, Mexico, Central America and South America far... Binomial name Odocoileus virginianus Zimmermann, 1780 Subspecies Odocoileus virginianus clavium Odocoileus virginianus leucurus Odocoileus virginianus virginianus The white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), also known as the Virginia deer, is a medium-sized deer found throughout most of the continental United States, southern Canada, Mexico, Central America and South America far... Official language(s) None Capital Madison Largest city Milwaukee Area  Ranked 23rd  - Total 65,498 sq mi (169,790 km²)  - Width 260 miles (420 km)  - Length 310 miles (500 km)  - % water 17  - Latitude 42°30N to 47°3N  - Longitude 86°49W to 92°54W Population  Ranked...

Climate

Main article: Climate of Minnesota

Itasca State Park lies in northern Minnesota; a location that can be affected by three major air masses. An arctic air stream extends south from Canada during the winter months; Pacific air that follows strong west winds move over the area and during the summer month a tropical air stream flows north from the Gulf of Mexico. These various air masses have a strong effect on the climate of the area around Itasca State Park.^[6] Minnesota is a state in the Upper Midwestern portion of the United States. ... In meteorology, an air mass is a large volume of air having fairly uniform characteristics of temperature, atmospheric pressure, and water vapor content. ... Gulf of Mexico in 3D perspective. ...

The winter climate produces extremely cold temperatures, with an average minimum temperature for Itasca being -4 °F (-20 °C).^[8] This cold weather is accompanied with large amounts of snowfall, averaging around 54.6 inches (138 cm) annually. A combination of the arctic air with heavy snowfall and wind can create severe blizzard conditions in the area.^[6] Look up Blizzard in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

In the summer, the Pacific and tropical winds from the Gulf create warm to hot temperatures, with the highs during July averaging 78.4 °F (25.8 °C).^[8] However, a clash of cool, dry polar air from Canada and the moisture from the southern tropical Gulf air can lead to showers and thunderstorms. The average annual rainfall in the Itasca area is 27 inches (68.6 cm).^[8] It has a relatively short growing season, with the first frost usually occurring in late September to early October and the first frost-free days not occurring until mid-May or early June.^[6] Frost on black pipes Frost is a solid deposition of water vapor from saturated air. ...

Recreation

Itasca State Park's recreational activities cover all four seasons of the year.

Spring reels in the fishermen for the May fishing openers of Walleye, Northern Pike, Bass, and panfish. The park is in full bloom including a vast array of wildflowers. Birding is also a popular spring activity as the varying species return from migration. Look up spring in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Binomial name Sander vitreus (Mitchill, 1818) Subspecies S. v. ... Binomial name Esox lucius Linnaeus, 1758 Northern pike The northern pike, Esox lucius, is a carnivorous fish of brackish and freshwaters of the northern hemisphere. ... Striped bass (Morone saxatilis) Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) Bass (IPA /bæs/) is a name shared by many different species of popular game fish. ... In the US, Panfish are fish that are small enough to fit whole into a skillet for cooking. ... Categories: Stub | Flowers ... Birding or birdwatching is a hobby concerned with the observation and study of birds (the study proper is termed American origin; birdwatching is (or more correctly, was) the commonly-used word in Great Britain and Ireland and by non-birders in the United States. ...

Lake Itasca is a popular location for summer activities in Minnesota, with 496,651 visitors in 2006.^[7] Fishing, canoeing, boating, and kayaking equipment are always accessible. On land recreation is comprised of golfing, biking via the Heartland Trail, horseback riding, and trailriding on ATVs. Numerous historical sites are available to view. The Headwaters of the Mississippi are one of the most visited sites featured at the park. Tourists can visit the new Mary Gibbs Visitor Center and the exhibits at the Jacob V. Brower Visitor Center. The park also offers a 100' climb up the historic Aiton Heights Fire Tower. Summer is a season of the year that is defined as beginning on June 21st, and ending in September in the Northern Hemisphere. ... This article is about the sport of golf. ... ... horse, see Horse (disambiguation). ... A group of “quad” all terrain vehicles This article is primarily about land-dwelling ATVs. ...

Fall unveils the beautiful array of colors amidst the variety of trees throughout the park. This is another recommended season to bike, hike, or even take a leisurely walk through the designated trails. The park offers 33 miles (53 km) worth of hiking trails.^[6] Autumn colours at Westonbirt Arboretum, Gloucestershire, England. ...

Winter lures in the ice fishermen, who gather in what seems like a little village in itself on Lake Itasca. The snowmobilers can travel hundreds of miles of groomed snowmobile trails, while the skiers use 30 miles (48 km) of cross country skiing trails (both novice and skilled level) that are maintained regularly. Winter is one of the four seasons of temperate zones. ... A snowmobile tour at Yellowstone National Park, note the mixture of exhaust and snowdust in the air (NPS Photo) A 1997 Arctic Cat ZR 580 EFI Snowmobile A snowmobile (in the Canadian north and Alaska is known as a snowmachine) is a land vehicle propelled by one rubber track with... Cross-country skiing (aka XC skiing) is an adventure and fitness activity as well as a competitive winter sport popular in many countries with large snowfields, primarily in Europe and Canada. ...

Park facilities

Scattered around the boundaries of Itasca State Park stand a variety of historical and tourist attractions. Constructed over a 37-year period from 1905 through 1942, development was undertaken by two Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camps as well as two Works Progress Administration (WPA) camps. Architects for this later development were from the Minnesota Central Design Office of the National Park Service with Edward W. Barber and V.C. Martin serving as principal architects for the park buildings.^[4] Log construction was generally used because timber was easily available in the area. CCC workers on road construction, Camp Euclid, Ohio 1936 The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was a work relief program for young men from unemployed families established on March 19, 1933 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in his first hundred days. ... WPA Graphic The Works Progress Administration (later Work Projects Administration, abbreviated WPA), was created on May 6, 1935 by Presidential order (Congress funded it annually but did not set it up). ... The National Park Service (NPS) is the United States federal agency that manages all National Parks, many National Monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations. ...

Rustic style design

Itasca's rustic style design is the largest collection of log-constructed buildings in the state park system. It provides a very uniform appearance to the park, setting it apart from all others. Douglas Lodge, built in 1905, is the oldest surviving building and the first to be constructed in the Rustic Style.^[9] This structure is located along the south shore of Lake Itasca and was built using peeled logs harvested from the surrounding forests. Funded by State legislature in 1903, it became the first building to house the park's visitors. Originally, it was called "Itasca Park Lodge" or "State House", but was later named after Attorney General Wallace B. Douglas, a prominent figure in the battle to save the timber in Itasca State Park at the turn of the century.^[9] At the time, very few governments were setting aside land for conservation, which shows the significance of this encounter. Douglas Lodge has provided tourist facilities since 1911 and remains functional today after undergoing renovations in the years following its grand opening. In most common law jurisdictions, the Attorney General is the main legal adviser to the government, and in some jurisdictions may in addition have executive responsibility for law enforcement or responsibility for public prosecutions. ...

The Clubhouse, assembled in 1911, overlooks Lake Itasca. The interior contains ten dormitories placed around a two-story Rustic Style lobby. Over the years, the Clubhouse encountered few problems in the maintenance department other than minor deterioration in the lower logs, which were replaced in 1984.

The Old Timer's Cabin is also found on the shores of Lake Itasca, located north of the Clubhouse. This was the first CCC-constructed building to appear in the park. The CCC originally referred to the Old Timer's Cabin as the "Honeymooner's Cabin" because of its small stature.^[9]

Forest Inn is one of the largest creations by the CCC in the state park system, standing 144 by 50 feet. It took a crew of 200 CCC members to produce the finished product, complete with both split stone and log components. The stone used in the walkways were scrap pieces from the quarries and stone works of the St. Cloud area and the logs used on the cabin came from the pine and balsam fir within the park vicinity.^[9] This entry incorporates text from Eastons Bible Dictionary, 1897, with some modernisation. ... Saint Cloud or St. ...

Mississippi headwaters

The headwaters of the Mississippi River are clearly defined by a 44-foot-long outlet dam at the north end of Lake Itasca.^[9] This setup allows tourists to wade in shallow water or cross over it by way of the bridge constructed of logs. In 1903, a 24-year-old park commissioner named Mary Gibbs played a significant role in saving the tall pine forests and shoreline of the Mississippi River Headwaters by standing up against those interested in logging the area. In honor of her efforts, the Mary Gibbs Visitor Center, which encloses a restaurant, gift shop, various displays and exhibits of the park's features, and an outdoor plaza now exists. [[ == Headline text == This article does not cite its references or sources. ...

Archaeological and cemetery sites

Itasca State Park currently contains more than 30 known archaeological and cemetery sites. The study of archaeological remains in the Itasca area was started by Jacob V. Brower in the late 1800s. Survey work on archaeoloical remains place human activity in the Itasca area as early as 8,000 years ago. Human activity spans over several historical periods, from Early Eastern Archaic, through the Archaic and Woodland periods.^[6] An archaeological site is a place (or group of physical sites) in which evidence of past activity is preserved (either prehistoric or historic or contemporary), and which has been investigated using the discipline of archaeology. ... In the sequence of North American pre-Columbian cultural stages first proposed by Gordon Willey and Philip Phillips in 1958, the Archaic period was the second period of human occupation in the Americas, from around 8000 BC to 1000 BC although as its ending is defined by the adoption of...

The Itasca Bison Kill Site is the oldest arcaeological site within Itasca State Park. The site dates back to the Early Eastern Archaic period. The discovery took place in 1937 during the construction of the Wilderness Drive. It is located near the southwestern shore of Lake Itasca by Nicollet Creek. An intial finding of the remains of human-made artifacts prompted the University of Minnesota to conduct an extensive excavation of the area in 1964 and 1965. Excavation of the area revealed a large of amount of bones from an extinct species of Bison hence the name of the site. Human tools, such as knives, spears and scrapers were discovered in the vicinity.^[6] I archaeology, an artifact or artefact is any object made or modified by a human culture, and often one later recovered by some archaeological endeavor. ... Washington Avenue Bridge at night The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, almost always abbreviated U of M, and sometimes referred to as The U by locals, is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system. ... Species B. antiquus B. bison B. bonasus B. priscus Bison is a taxonomic genus containing six species of large even-toed ungulates within the subfamily Bovinae. ...

The Itasca State Park Site was discovered and excavated by Jacob Brower in the late 1800s. The site consists of ten burial mounds, dating back approximately 800 years, along the northeastern shore of Lake Itasca. An effort was made in the late 1980s to rebury American Indian remains that had been removed. This act was in collaboration with a statewide effort to rebury the several thousand remains that had been excavated.^[6]

Several other major sites exist in Itasca, including the Headwaters Site, which is located along the northeast shore of Lake Itasca, and a village site discovered by Jacob Brower in the late 1800s. Significant portions of this site have been converted into trails, parking lots and visitor service facilities. Archaeological remains have also been discovered at the Headwater's West Terrace Site along the west bank of the Mississippi near Lake Itasca, the Bear Paw Campground Site which lies adjacent to Lake Itasca, as well as Pioneer Cemetery which is located on the eastern shore of Lake Itasca and contains the remains of early European pioneers.^[6]

See also

• Lake Itasca
• List of Minnesota state parks
• Mississippi River

Lake Itasca and Elk Lake Lake Itasca is a small glacial lake, approximately 1. ... This is a list of Minnesota state parks. ... The Mississippi River, derived from the old Ojibwe word misi-ziibi meaning great river (gichi-ziibi big river at its headwaters), is the second-longest named river in North America, with a length of 2320 miles (3733 km) from Lake Itasca to the Gulf of Mexico. ...

Footnotes

The U.S. National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) in Asheville, North Carolina is the worlds largest active archive of weather data. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the CE era. ... May 3 is the 123rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (124th in leap years). ...

References

• Cholewa, Anita and David Biesboer. Common Plants of Itasca State Park. Minnesota: Bell Museum of Natural History, 2005
• Itasca. 2007. Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. 18 Apr. 2007.

<http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/itasca/index.html>.

• Itasca State Park. 2001. Minnesota Historical Society. 19 Apr. 2007. <http://www.mnhs.org/places/nationalregister/stateparks/Itasca.html>
• Itasca State Park. 2004. Visit Bemidji. 18 Apr. 2007 <http://www.visitbemidji.com/itasca_state_park.html>.
• Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Itasca. 2007. 22 Apr. 2007 <http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/itasca/narrative.html>
• Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Itasca State Park Management Plan. Minnesota, 1998.
• Snow, Kristin. Management of Pine Regeneration in Itasca State Park. Minnesota, 1999.
• "The Wildest Classroom in Minnesota." Itasca Biological Station and Laboratories. 26 Mar. 2007. Regents of the University of Minnesota. 7 May 2007.<http://cbs.umn.edu/itasca/>.
• Welcome to Itasca Lakes Country. Itasca Area Lakes Tourism Association. 19 Apr. 2007. <http://www.itascaarea.com/>

External links

• Itasca State Park
• Itasca Photo Gallery