Red Wing, Minnesota

[Jennifat]

Yesterday I decided to check out Red Wing, Minnesota, which is regarded by many as one of the most beautiful towns in the state.

Located on the Mississippi River an hour south of the Twin Cities, the town was founded in 1857 and is one of the first settlements opened to white settlers in Minnesota. During the era of steamboat travel on the Mississippi, Red Wing was regarded one of the most important stops along the river, and today owes much of its existence to its river town heritage.

The forecast for the day had been predicted to be sunny and 80º, so I was terribly disappointed when it never got above 50º and stayed overcast and gloomy—which admittedly aren’t the best conditions for photography. Despite that, I decided to climb the town’s most visible landmark, Barn Bluff, which towers 400 feet above Red Wing and commands incredible views of the town, the Mississippi River, and the surrounding landscape.

Red Wing, Minnesota
Population: 16,459
Seat of Goodhue County
March 31, 2012

[Mplsuptown]

Red Wing is a beautiful town though it does often have a stench to it. My sister doesn't live far from here and I have to go through RW to get there, or when I have to visit most any of my relatives for that matter. Lots of architectual gems. I haven't been up on top of Barnes Bluff for over 30 years. Forgot how high up it feels when you're up there.

[TampaMike]

Red Wing is an awesome town. Always take 61 from Minneapolis to Winona and go through Red Wing, think I've only stopped at the Dairy Queen there once and haven't walked through the town, obviously I am missing a great looking town.

[Jennifat]

Originally Posted by Mplsuptown

Red Wing is a beautiful town though it does often have a stench to it.

Since you mention it, I do recall smelling various odors in town. I'm not familiar enough with Red Wing to know which types of industry they've got there, but I did notice a sulfur-ish smell at times. I also noticed the occasional waft of manure, but I figured it was just that time of year for farmers preparing their fields.

In any case, Red Wing is indeed very charming! I'll have to go back in the summer when it's sunny and looking its best.

[araman0]

Just took the train up to Minneapolis this past weekend, which had a stop at Red Wing. From what I could tell it looked like a very dense town, given its size. I highly recommend the train trip - the ride along the Mississippi is beautiful.

[ColDayMan]

Wonderful town!

[Jennifat]

Originally Posted by araman0

Just took the train up to Minneapolis this past weekend, which had a stop at Red Wing. From what I could tell it looked like a very dense town, given its size. I highly recommend the train trip - the ride along the Mississippi is beautiful.

I've heard many good things about the Amtrak ride between the Twin Cities and La Crosse. I'll have to make the trip sometime!

Oddly enough, the quickest way to Red Wing from the Twin Cities is through western Wisconsin on Highway 35. The drive is spectacular, and alternates between stark, treeless farmland and deep, forested bluffs and valleys. It's a gorgeous area to drive through!

[Mudhen419]

thanks for sharing the great photos

[Mplsuptown]

I remember my grandmother once took many of her grandchildren including myself up to St. Paul via the Amtrak from Red Wing...this was way back in the early 70's. Looking back I thought it was a pretty cool thing for her to have done. I think there was around 10 of us kids all under 12. As frugal as she was I'm betting though those tickets were probably free that day.

[Paddington]

Reminds me of upstate New York.

[Chadoh25]

Cute town!

[Avian001]

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned the fact the Red Wing was home to two nationally-known companies: Red Wing Shoes, and Red Wing Pottery.

Those two business were the driving force behind the city.

Red Wing Shoes was the primary US military supplier of boots during World War I. They continue to produce footwear and the "world's largest boot" is on display in the company HQ.

Red Wing Pottery was one of the nation's most prolific stoneware companies and its wares are still among the most collectible of US potteries. It still produces stoneware today.

[WalPaulista]

I´m having good surprises checking out to see other cities than usual.

Charmful buildings, good overall volumetry, and no aerial wires!

Something I notice a lot when looking at American cities in general is the use of stones/bricks instead of ordinary cement/alike used in most cities in my state.

[Jennifat]

Thanks for checking my my threads, WalPaulista!

Originally Posted by WalPaulista

Something I notice a lot when looking at American cities in general is the use of stones/bricks instead of ordinary cement/alike used in most cities in my state.

Here in Minnesota, most towns were built in the mid- to late 19th century, well before concrete was used popularly in architecture. Of course, you'll find lots of modern concrete buildings in small towns here...but they're often disguised with a facade made of brick or some other decorative material.

[ikops]

I like the hilly countryside.

[WalPaulista]

Thanks, Jennifat,

I am planning to start in the construction market here and am looking for inspiration for a more classical architecture instead of the ultra-functional look currently in vogue here...

[Jennifat]

Originally Posted by ikops

I like the hilly countryside.

Thanks, Ikops. Red Wing is in a beautiful area of the state called the Driftless Area, where the glaciers from the last ice age split and didn't get a chance to flatten the land.

Originally Posted by WalPaulista

I am planning to start in the construction market here and am looking for inspiration for a more classical architecture instead of the ultra-functional look currently in vogue here...

Oh, trust me—we have loads of that kind of utilitarian architecture here, too. Take a look at Google Street View in any suburban area (or anywhere, really), and that's most of what you'll see. Cheap is king around here.

[Mannesmann]

Very nice town, but too many traffic lights in that quiet downtown.

[Jennifat]

Originally Posted by Mannesmann

Very nice town, but too many traffic lights in that quiet downtown.

Red Wing actually gets very heavy traffic, because US Highway 61 passes right through the center of downtown. It's the main highway along the Mississippi River from the Twin Cities all the way to New Orleans.

These were taken on a very cold, gloomy day in March. In the summer and fall, Red Wing is packed with tourists and day-trippers. If I came back for another photo tour in October, you'd think it's a different town.

[xzmattzx]

Nice pictures. Red Wing looks like a nice little town. Is the Mississippi River that narrow up there? I guess it makes sense, being closer to the origin, but the impression given is that the "mighty Mississippi" is the biggest, widest river of them all. I remember seeing it for the first time when I went to St. Louis in high school, and it wasn't any wider than the Delaware River is here in the Wilmington metro area. The Delaware River in Wilmington might be wider than the Mississippi in St. Louis.