All this summer, we are showing you places in Minnesota, where you can get to using just one tank of gas. This week, WCCO's Susie Jones takes us to Stillwater, where residents are getting ready for "Lumber Jack Days" which begins July 17th and runs through July 21st. Stillwater’s annual community festival began as a salute to the city’s heritage in 1934, celebrating it's 85th incarnation in 2019.
RELATED: See all of WCCO's "One Tank Trips" here.
It seems fitting that people in Stillwater, would celebrate "Lumber Jack Days" as that is how it all started back in the 1850's. Stillwater Mayor Ted Kozlowski talked to WCCO's Susie Jones about the effects of lumber in the area. "All the lumber baron and giant Victorian mansions we have around town were all built because of the lumber industry", said Kozlowski. "Now I like to say, we've got a ton of character and characters in this town."
Long a destination for those searching for antiques, or a good meal, Stillwater is a quaint destination town in Minnesota. "We've got great restaurants and great shops. We just happen to on a gorgeous river", said the Mayor.
The lift bridge project won't be done until November, but people are already enjoying the new St. Croix River Bridge, including resident Ron Raser. "You can park on the Wisconsin side and come down the bridge, and go all the way to St. Paul", said Raser about the bike trail.
Stillwater is famous for the Lift Brige for sure, but also for their Bed and Breakfasts and small hotels. Those include the Lowell Inn, which still attracts thousands of people from all over. The hotel was established in 1927 and is on the National Historic Register.
There's a new hotel that's open too, called the Lora Hotel. Mayor Kozlowski told Susie it was no simple project creating. "It was definitely a renovation project for the books. It was a very challenging project and they did a phenomenal job."
It's located where the old Vittorio's restaurant used to be, and before that a brewery back in the caves underneat the river bluffs. "It was originally the Joseph Wolf Brewery. So they'd use the caves, because it was always nice and cool, to store beer, make beer, all those things. Before the days of refrigeration it was kind of an ideal location", said Kozlowski.
Susie ran into Andrea Vazec coming down the stairs. She said, "I've never done all of them. I know lots of people who do. I've run and done a few of them at a time. But usually I'm just trying to go out for a longer run."