Another Story About Us!

A nice afternoon on the Wisconsin side of Lake Pepin

BY STEVE DATE, TRYING TO PAY ATTENTION
July 15, 2011

We took a little drive yesterday down the Wisconsin side of Lake Pepin, which begins just over the bridge from Red Wing, Minnesota, about an hour southeast of the Twin Cities. Inspired by Emily and Kyle’s stories of trips to the “Pizza Farm” and a nice article in the Minneapolis StarTribune by Rick Nelson, we felt it was time to take a few hours to stop and visit a few places we had previously only sped past on trips to somewhere else.

A House Planted by Love

The house that writer Susan Alllen Toth and architect husband James Stageberg built--or shall we say "planted"--along the bluffs near Stockholm, Wisconsin.

This vibrant house is for sale and Stockholm would welcome anyone who claims it for their own. Hmm.. perhaps someone could buy it and rent it out as a romantic, rainbow getaway for newly-legalized marriages?

You could check out their book, "A house of one's own: an architect's guide to designing the house of your dreams / James Stageberg, Susan Allen Toth. Pack a picnic (see upcoming events here and location suggestions here) and take a look.

Stockholm News: How to Create The Perfect Picnic, Part 2

One of the best parts of a day trip or a drive around Lake Pepin is finding the perfect picnic spot. The bluff country all along Highway 35 is unique for it's coulees, valleys, hills and winding country roads. You can start at almost any county road and see where it leads you or you can set out on a hunt for a place to spread your blanket, open your basket and see how much sweeter it is to eat under the sky and trees.

One of our favorite tricks when hunting the perfect picnic spot is to take advantage of the beautifully landscaped cemeteries in the area. Cemeteries are popular places in historical regions like Western Wisconsin. These little spots that remain among the fields and pastures are peaceful spots where local families can visit their loved ones. What a lovely way to spend some time in and around Stockholm, Wisconsin.

Here are a few we've found:



Stockholm residents and visitors are fortunate to have a really nice little campground right on the shores of Lake Pepin. We see day trippers, overnighters, summer vacationers and people just looking for a nice spot to lay a blanket.

Of course you can grab a bottle of local wine or beer, a snack, a piece of pie or a full gourmet picnic with everything you need right in town.

Of course you can do what we do and find your own way--discover and explore the wonderful world of Stockholm, Wisconsin. You might just stay a little longer than you expected.

Visions of Stockholm

Sometimes we see pictures and souvenirs that visitors have posted on their websites or in image galleries. It's a real treat to see our town through other peoples eyes and when we find a good one, we'll share it here. Let us know if we used something of yours without permission!

This is from someone called "Roger LeCodger" and apparently he and some friends stopped in for some pie on Father's Day. His Picasa galleries shows a man with a love of motorcycles, long trips and friends with a good sense of humor. We're glad he found a reason to spend some time here.

Roger LeCodger photo gallery