Snug in the Souris River Valley at the junction of US-2 and US-83, Minot (pop. 36,567; rhymes with “Why not?”) grew so rapidly after the Great Northern Railroad came through in 1887 that it was dubbed “Magic City,” though perhaps “Event Capital” would be more apropos today, for despite the city’s importance in other areas, most people visit during the huge state fair (third week in July) and during October’s burgeoning Norsk Hostfest, “North America’s Largest Scandinavian Festival.” The fairgrounds, along the grandly named Burdick Expressway (Business US-2) a half mile east of downtown, also hold the small Pioneer Village and Museum (daily in summer only), the usual assembly of turn-of-the-20th-century buildings and artifacts gathered from all over the county.
On US-83 south of town, Minot’s newest attraction, Scandinavian Heritage Park (daily; free; 701/852-9161) at 1020 S. Broadway is set in a pleasant, tree-shaded city park, and includes all sorts of things tracing—guess what?—Minot’s Scandinavian heritage: a 230-year-old house from Sigdal, Norway; a Danish windmill; a statue and eternal flame honoring famous Scandinavian skiers like Casper Oimoen and Sondre Norheim; a number of waterfalls, and a statue of that famous Viking wanderer, Leif Ericsson. Towering over the whole ensemble is a beautiful (and huge!) wooden replica of the medieval Gol Stave Church in Oslo, Norway, and right along US-83 there’s a 20-foot-tall red Dala horse, symbolizing Minot’s Swedish heritage.
In summer, when daytime highs hover in the mid-90s, Minot’s most enticing attractions are the expansive gardens of Roosevelt Park, along the banks of the Souris River between the fairgrounds and downtown Minot. Named, like everything else in North Dakota, for Teddy Roosevelt—there’s a larger-than-life statue of him, astride a horse in full Rough Rider regalia—the shady green space also holds a large swimming pool ($2.50) with a 350-foot-long water slide, a slacker’s dream of a skateboard park, a rideable miniature train ($2), and a 20-acre zoo (daily; $5) with a Northern Plains habitat.
To rent bikes and explore the trails of Roosevelt Park, try Val’s Cyclery (701/839-4817) at 222 E. Central Avenue.
Minot marks the junction of US-83 and the Great Northern route along US-2, which runs cross-country from Seattle to Acadia National Park in Maine.
