Barn Bluff - Red Wing, MN
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MNSearchers
N 44° 34.083 W 092° 31.156
15T E 538172 N 4935080
Barn Bluff is a bluff along the Mississippi River in Red Wing, Minnesota. The bluff is associated with Dakota legend from hundreds of years ago. During the 19th century, the bluff functioned as a visual reference for explorers and travelers.
Waymark Code: WM4KAG
Location: Minnesota, United States
Date Posted: 09/02/2008
Views: 27
The bluff overlooks the downtown area and towers about 400 feet above the Mississippi River with an extensive view of Lake Pepin to the south. It is one of hundreds of bluffs in the Driftless Area, which covers parts of Wisconsin, Iowa, and Illinois, in addition to the southeastern toe of Minnesota.
Stephen H. Long climbed the bluff during his 1819 mapping expedition, describing it as, "the sublime and beautiful here blended in a most enchanting manner." Explorer Jonathan Carver, describing the view from Barn Bluff, wrote, "The most beautiful prospect that imagination can form Verdant plains, fruitful meadows, and numerous islands abound with the most varied trees. But above all, reaching as far as the eye can extend, is the majestic, softly flowing river."
The bluff was used as a limestone quarry for about 40 years until citizens protested the defacing of the bluff. The quarrying operation was shut down in 1908. In 1910, the land was donated to the city as a park.
The name of Barn Bluff, according to Upham, "is translated from its early French name, La Grange, meaning the Barn, which refers to its prominence as a lone, high, and nearly level-crested bluff, quite separated from the side bluffs of the valley, and therefore conspicuously seen at a distance of many miles up the valley and yet more observable from boats passing along Lake Pepin. Maj. Long in 1817 ascended this hill or bluff, called in his journal "the Grange or Barn," of which he wrote: 'From the summit of the Grange the view of the surrounding scenery is surpassed, perhaps, by very few, if any, of a similar character that the country and probably the world can afford. The sublime and beautiful are here blended in the most enchanting manner.'"
Street address:
Jct. of US 61 and US 63
Red Work, MN USA
County / Borough / Parish: Goodhue
Year listed: 1990
Historic (Areas of) Significance: Event
Periods of significance: 1800-1824, 1825-1849, 1850-1874, 1875-1899, 1900-1924, 1925-1949
Historic function: Landscape
Current function: Natural Feature/Park
Privately owned?: no
Season start / Season finish: From: 01/01/2008 To: 12/31/2008
Primary Web Site: [Web Link]
Secondary Website 1: [Web Link]
Hours of operation: Not listed
Secondary Website 2: Not listed
National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed
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Visit Instructions:
Please give the date and brief account of your visit. Include any additional observations or information that you may have, particularly about the current condition of the site. Additional photos are highly encouraged, but not mandatory.