Amid a splash of fall colors, the new visitor center at Grand Portage State Park will host its grand opening on Saturday, September 25. The facility will serve as a highway rest area, a state travel information center, and park visitor center.
The project was a partnership of the Grand Portage Band, on whose land the park is located; the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources; the Minnesota Department of Transportation; and Explore Minnesota Tourism. The facility replaces the seasonal Grand Portage Bay rest area and travel information center, which was open for about five months a year.
Construction workers broke ground on June 15, 2009, for the 5,800-square-foot building, which will provide year-round services to travelers. The facility also includes exhibits showcasing the lifeways of the Grand Portage Band of Chippewa.
At the grand opening, family-oriented activities will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with a building dedication at noon. Activities will feature a pipe ceremony and ribbon-cutting, along with local drummers and dancers.
Officials participating in a building dedication ceremony will include: DNR Commissioner Mark Holsten; MnDOT Commissioner Tom Sorel; Norman Deschampe, tribal chairman of the Grand Portage Band of Chippewa; Laurie Martinson, DNR deputy commissioner, and Courtland Nelson, director of the DNR’s Parks and Trails Division. Many tribal leaders and elected officials also will be present and involved in the day’s events.
During the event, naturalists and volunteers will be stationed along the half-mile trail to High Falls, which is accessible to visitors of all physical abilities. Visitors of all ages will be able to work on make-and-take projects at each location. These educational projects will touch on topics including Lake Superior, traditional wild rice harvesting, fall colors, black bears, moose and wolves. Visitors can bring a picnic lunch or purchase food, including Native American fry bread, from local vendors who will be on site that day.
The travel information center will be staffed by the Grand Portage Band. A new trail to the falls, a new observation deck overlooking the Pigeon River, and a 30-foot “gathering shelter” to be used for programs and picnicking, have also been constructed at the park.
Find more information on Grand Portage State Park HERE.