This week brought us the annual announcement on the 10 Most Endangered Historic Places in Minnesota, selected by the Preservation Alliance of Minnesota. I love that these places and things get some oh so late attention, and some of them get saved and preserved by this elevation of awareness. So the best is Bena's (population 102) Big Fish, it was built in the early 50's is a BIG fish, and it started out as drive-in restaurant, now is a dilapidated storage shed. It is the biggest Muskie in the state. Other "winners" are a ballpark in Chaska, an old hotel in Crookston, and an empty jail in Duluth! The Big Fish of Bena is one of the "7 Wonders of Minnesota, according to Eric Dregni, who wrote "Minnesota Marvels; Roadside Attractions in the Land of Lakes". Besides the Bena Big Fish, the other "wonders" of Minnesota are: Kensington rune stone, the Spam Museum, the talking Paul Bunyan statue, the St. Urho statue in Managha, the twin ball in Darwin, and the Jolly Green Giant in Blue Earth. Now who could ask for more in their home state?
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