I live in Winona, MN… a town of about 30,000 in the upper Mississippi River Valley. In this area, the river kept the glacier that flattened out most of the state at bay. It’s called a coulee because the river is lined on both sides with tall, beautiful bluffs where bald eagles do dare to fly and nest among the many species of deciduous trees that are 4-season gorgeous.
Built on a sandbar that extends into the Mississippi, Winona is the only city where the Mississippi river runs west to east, rather than north to south.
Because of the coulee, Winona is also protected from the harsher weather that folks who live on the Minnesota prairies or “on the ridge” (the top of the bluffs) experience.
If you think ice comes in white only, have a look at Winona (area) during winter. Ice floes cascade down the bluffs and display in every color of the rainbow as tall evergreens stand guard over bare birch, hickory, walnut, maple, oaks and many more stately trees.
In spring the bluffs light up with every color of green you can imagine. Song birds return and the hills are alive once again.
Summer is time to take advantage of the waterways. Because of Winona’s dedication to the environment, rivers as well as area lakes abound with fishermen (and women), water sports enthusiasts, and swimmers. Its also the time to stand at river’s edge and watch in wonder as small riverboats push huge barges up and down the river… and of course to see the grandeur of the large riverboats like the Mississippi Queen and the American Queen as they dock for an afternoon visit.
During autumn, tourists still flock to Winona to drive along highway 61 (the road Bob Dylan wrote the song about) and take in the spectacular autumn colors that come from the trees having one last ‘dress-up’ fling before winter returns.
Maybe it’s because of the beauty of this area but the people here are among the friendliest, most good-natured, and warm-hearted that I have met anywhere. Everyone is welcome in Winona and the welcome is sincere.
Rochester, MN, the home of the Mayo Clinic is less than an hour away and Wisconsin is just on the other side of the river, a distance of two miles. LaCrosse, Wisconsin is less than a half hour away and is itself, a beautiful (but much larger) town.
Although winter weather here is at times harsh and summer can be hot and humid it’s a small price to pay for the luxury of living here.
I come from the Minnesota prairies and have lived here for only since 2001, but being born in RedWing, MN (another town just up river), I think the river and the bluffs are in my blood.
Winona is my Camelot. — “No, never will I leave you- at all.”
a simple site to hold my brightest memories and my darkest dreams. Most is poetry, some is prose… some is fact, most is fantasy. I’ll leave it to you to decide which is which...
Linda Jenkinson