Located in Minneapolis, this place becomes quite haunted as soon as dark arrives. Where this club sites, once used to be the site of a Greyhound bus station. There have been many homeless people who have died there and some still linger to haunt the place. In the woman’s bathroom, a girl hung herself. When one enters stall five after dark, her ghost will appear. If that’s not all, there have been reports during concerts/performances at the club, equipment have been thrown off the stage.

#2 Saint Mary’s College: Heffron Hall

In Winona, MN, two priests had feuded over who would be the head of the church and one man killed the other in this hall. Here people will hear moaning in this hall from the deceased priest. People will also experience part of the hall being cold while the other is hot when the air or heat is on in the building. A girl once claimed that while she was brushing her teeth, blood came out of the faucet.

#3 Haunted Skating Rink

This skating rink, located in St. Cloud was built in the 1970s on a swamp. A number of locals begged for this skating rink not to be built for it held sentimental value. The builder ignored them and decided to build it. As the story goes, a young boy named Gilbert ventured too close to the swamp and he was found by his father laying face down in the water… It’s said that Gilbert is responsible for many haunting that take place in the skating rink.

# 4 Glensheen Mansion

Glensheen mansion is located in Duluth Minnesota. Legend says that an elderly woman and her nurse were brutally murdered by the woman’s crazy lover. They now haunt the house. Black, eerie shadowy figures walk about the basement, and lights turn off and on.

#5 Braemar Golf Course

Braemar golf course is located in Edina. An apparition named Jim is said to haunt this golf course. He was a black homeless guy who once had lived on this land before it was cleared for the course. It’s said that balls go into the holes and come back out and even when they roll in a straight line they suddenly veer off to the right or left.

#6 Tavern

The tavern is located in Brainerd. Back in the 1800’s two Indians were picking berries one day when some angry white townspeople found them and took them to the center of the town. The people accused them of raping and killing a girl outside the tavern. They were killed for this, but years later a white man had confessed about doing the bad deed. People have heard cries of the Indian people within the bar.

#7 Lake Alimagnet Trails

Found in Apple Valley, this is a place of clown figures that haunt the trails. It seems that he is not harmful, but stares at you as an intent to scare you away from the trails as the sun sets…

#8 University of Minnesota – Washington Avenue Bridge

Located in Minneapolis, this bridge connects the east and west bank of the campus. There have been a number of suicides off the bridge into the Mississippi River, most by students. Late at night while walking across this bridge you can hear footsteps following you. If you turn around, they will stop, but continue when you begin to move… there have also been several flags on the bridge that have been ripped down by an unseen force while under surveillance so they had to be removed.

#9 Chanhassen Dinner Theatre

Found in Chanhassen, this was built over a house that burned down with a woman still inside. She haunts the theatre. There is also another ghost of an actor who was killed bicycling home from work one night. Both are said to haunt the place and can be seen back stage.

#10 Spirit Mountain

Spirit Mountain can be found in Duluth. One day a person died on the ski hill and now they haunt it. There is music that plays over the speakers and it sounds like the shed hisses at you when you pass it. Also you can see someone standing in the shed.

Lumberjack Steam Train, Laona, Wisconsin

Situated in northeastern Wisconsin's Northwoods within miles of the state border with Michigan, this steam engine travels three miles one way from Laona, Wisconsin, to a historic lumber camp complex known as Camp Five. The ride takes from ten to fifteen minutes and is made four times a day from Monday to Saturday. The 1916 steam locomotive pulls behind it two passenger coach cars and three cupola style cabooses which can hold 18 passengers each. Once at the museum complex, the visitor should take at least two hours to explore before boarding the train to return to Laona. Besides the lumber camp museum, the family can enjoy a self-guided ecology walking tour along an old lumber road, the farm animals and barn, the blacksmith shop, and a 30-minute narrated motorized forest tour. For an additional amount of money, the visitor can take a 30-minute river wildlife and pontoon boat tour of the Rat River. In July and October 2008, the camp will hold a cowboy reenactment, and during the last two Saturdays of September and the first Saturday of October, the camp celebrates a fall festival. Camp Five was a logging camp back in the late 1890's. The Connor Lumber and Land Company started a farm on the museum site in 1914 to provide draft horses for the camps and home-grown food for the lumberjacks. This lumber camp farm was so unique that Camp Five was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. You can find out more by visiting the camp5museum.org website.

This video gives a tiny sample of the lumberjack steam train.

Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad, Spooner, Wisconsin

At one time Spooner, Wisconsin, had 22 passenger cars a day which went through town on the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad tracks. Even though CNW closed its Spooner depot in 1992 (my father was the last clerk at the depot), within five years the Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad purchased twenty miles of that abandoned track. The result is a scenic train ride passing through some wonderful Wisconsin countryside. The ride begins at the Spooner depot. Riders have their choice of either a 30 mile round trip lasting two and one half hours from Spooner to Springbrook or a 90 minute round trip from Spooner to Veazie Springs. The longer train ride crosses one trestle, the Bean Creek Bridge located between the communities of Springbrook and Earl. Other sights include glimpses of Green Lake and the Namekagon River. Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad operates two diesel locomotives and their rolling stock includes a first class 64 seat diner loungs, a 64 seat buffet lunch diner, a 56 seat diner with a full kitchen, and a car which serves as a snack bar and gift shop. By reserving in advance for additional money, an individual can ride in the cab with the engineer for half the trip. Regular train rides include the sightseeing excursions, Elegant Dinner, the Happy Hour (adults only), the Sunday Brunch, the Dinner Buffet, and the Pizza Trains. The Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad also celebrates special events some years with the Sweetheart Express, the Mother's Day and Father's Day Brunch, the Fall Color, and Great Pumpkin Trains. During Spooner Rodeo weekend in early July, there are train robbery reenactments and in 2008, the M.T. Pockets Gang will even meet the train and escort passengers to their campsite for a special Barbeque. The special events change each year. The WGNR also has the only still-operational wedding chapel car in the United States available for wedding ceremonies either held in a stationary position or moving, with a meal or without. If you are planning to be around the Spooner area and want to take a scenic train ride, consult the Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad website at spoonertrainride.com.

Milwaukee Road 261, Minneapolis, Minnesota

In 1993, a determined group of rail fans saw their dreams fulfilled: the steam locomotive Milwaukee Road 261 once again rode the rails. Besides the steam engine, the 261 group maintains three 76 seat coaches, a “Skytop Lounge” car, and a 46 seat café/diner/ lounge car. In August 2008, this historic steam locomotive will take passengers on a one way trip from Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This trip is normally done in June but flooding in 2008 prevented the train from operating as planned. While in Wisconsin during the month of August, the 261 will do a small number of shorter round trip excursions from Milwaukee to Sturtevant, the Wisconsin Dells, and New Lisbon. The return trip to Minneapolis will be toward the middle of August. In September, the 261 will do two short Minnesota excursions and one circle trip from Minneapolis to LaCrescent, crossing the Mississippi River to LaCrosse, Wisconsin, and traveling north to a crossing that will take it back across the river and to Minneapolis. The passenger on the 261 can choose from three ways to travel. Coach tickets are the cheapest and can not be reserved. You must purchase food and beverages. First class seats can not be reserved either but the price includes food and beverages. The premium seats must be reserved and are on either a historic tailcar or a Super Dome car. The price includes food and beverages. A $1000 donation that will go toward further restoration of the locomotive allows the visitor to ride for half a day in the locomotive cab. More information, including neat photos, ticket prices, and an excellent history of the Milwaukee Road 261 locomotive, can be found at 261.com.

This video shows the Milwaukee Road 261 on its way to LaCrescent and can be found, along with other footage, on You Tube.

In winter Minnesota's temperature averages to be about zero degrees F. In the summer it averages to be seventy-four degrees F. Minnesota doesn't have any mountains only hills. All in all, Minnesota proves to have spectacular climate and history just as great.

Minnesota has intriguing history which starts way back in 6,000 B.C. these people evolved into Mound Builders. Later in about 1362 Vikings came. Sioux Indians later appeared and outgrew the Vikings and the Mound builders. Minnesota was found by French explorers named Pierre Esprit Raddison and his brother in law M'edard Chouart Sieur Du Luth (Duluth is now a large city by Lake Superior) in 1679. France had also claimed other states like Iowa and Illinois.

The French sold their land to Britain who had a war with the Americans called the revolutionary war. The Americans won that war and got the Louisiana Purchase which included all the states east of the Mississippi including Minnesota. Another fact is that Paul Bunion came from Minnesota. In conclusion, Minnesota's history is awesome, but wait until you hear about its wildlife.

In addition to small birds and animals common in the Midwest, Minnesota has many large animals as well. Back in 1990 black bears numbered 20,000. Also, a population of 1,750 timber wolves. Small fur barring animals such as raccoons, muskrats, striped skunks, gray and red foxes and weasels are present allover Minnesota. Bobcats are found in low densities.

Five species of squirrel and two species of flying squirrel are found in forests, while the gopher (the State animal) hangs out in open spaces. The state also has many fish to go in all of the lakes. Some of the fish are walleye, trout, salmon, muskellunge, largemouth bass and sunfish. The rare paddlefish and the long lived sturgeon are both found in St. Croix River. Those are just a few of the 153 species of fish found in Minnesota.

The main part of the economy in Minnesota is the cooperatives, which is a sponsor for buying and selling, mainly for the farmers. Most of the cooperatives where originally immigrants from Denmark or Finland, today many people are cooperatives. Agriculture is also an important part of Minnesota's economic activity. The agriculture to Minnesota is based on wheat, soybeans, hay and flaxseed. Minnesota ranks 5th in the number of farmland, nearly half of the state is farm. Minnesota has great economy and just as great entertainment and sports.

Minnesota has a ton of entertainment and excellent sports teams. Also, Minnesota is home to the NHL (National Hockey League) hall of fame. Minnesota has a baseball team named the Twins, a football team named the Vikings, a basketball team named the Timber Wolves and a hockey team named Wild. The Twins is named after the twin cities (Minneapolis and St. Paul); the Vikings are named after the Vikings that came in the 1300s. The Timber Wolves are named after the amazing population in the 1990s and Wild is named after al of the wildlife in Minnesota.

Some of the fun places you can go to are Mall of America, the Metro dome, the Wheat Mill or the Como Zoo. Those were just a few of the things you can do in Minnesota.

Minnesota is a great place to go to and has more then one interesting fact. To wrap things up, Minnesota has super climate, amazing history, massive wildlife, great economy, and excellent entertainment and sports, that is why I am proud to have Minnesota as my topic.

Statistics:

• Capitol - Saint Paul.
• Population - 4,919,279 people.
• State Hood - May, 11, 1858 32nd state.
• Motto - L'Etolie du Nord .
• Song - “Hail! Minnesota”.
• Tree - Norway Pine.
• Area - 84,068 sq miles.
• Total Water Area - 4,780 sq miles.
• Bird - Common Loon.
• Flower - Pink and White Lady's Slipper.
• Elevation - Eagle Mountain 2,301 feet above sea level.
• Nickname - Land of 10,000 lakes.
• Name means - “Cloudy Water” from the Sioux Indians.
• Rochester is home of the Mayo Clinic.
• The Hockey hall of fame is located in Minnesota as well as four pro sports teams.
• Paul Bunion came from Minnesota.
• Between the 1860s and theearly1900s Minnesota was the leading lumber producing state.
• Minneapolis and St. Paul became big cities because of a man named Edmond La Croix, he found out how to purify white flower in the early 1870's .
• Lake Itasca is the source of the Mississippi and was found by Henry L. Schoolcraft.
• Roger Maris came from Minnesota.