When planning your next trip through the North Star State, don’t miss these Minnesota road attractions like Hermann the German in New Ulm and the Jolly Green Giant in Blue Earth. You can also see the former World’s Largest Ball of Twine in Darwin, among other quirky attractions on the list. Be sure to plan some extra time on your ride to stop at any of these famed tourist spots.
Hermann the German
This monument was inspired by a hero of traditional folklore in Germany: the historical legend of Hermann the Cheruscan, a Teutonic chieftain who led an army of allied Germanic tribes against the invading Romans in 9 A.D.
When 19th-century German immigrants settled in New Ulm, they brought their culture and legends with them. After the city of Detmold in Germany erected a statue to honor the hero, The Order of the Sons of Hermann in New Ulm endeavored to create a sister statue in their new hometown.
In 1897, the copper statue of Hermann the German and the column-supported cupola and pedestal were complete, standing at 102 feet tall in total. The statue itself is 32 feet tall, and visitors can access the landing under the statue by climbing a spiral staircase.
Paul Bunyan and Babe, the Big Blue Ox
Located in Bemidji, Minnesota, an artist built an 18-foot-tall statue of Bunyan in a red plaid shirt and blue jeans in 1937. The 10-foot-tall ox joined him in 1939. The National Register of Historic Places added the statues to its registry in 1988.
World’s (Former) Largest Ball of Twine
Francis A. Johnson began winding twine into a ball in 1950 and finished the project in 1979 when it measured 12 feet in diameter and weighed 17,400 pounds. It held the title as the World’s Largest Ball of Twine from the Guinness Book of World Records until 1994, when another ball of twine in Cawker City, KS, beat the record. However, the Kansas twine ball doesn’t have a Weird Al song about it.
The Jolly Green Giant
In 1978, the Green Giant Company commissioned a 55-foot-tall fiberglass statue of the Jolly Green Giant to commemorate connecting the east and west sections of I-90 in Blue Earth, MN. This was the first time anyone would be able to see the brand’s iconic spokesperson from any angle, meaning the company and artist worked closely together to design every aspect of the statue.
The SPAM Museum
Re-envisioned as the SPAM Museum in 2001, this 14,000-square-foot museum in Austin, MN, includes exhibits on the history of SPAM, informational tours, and gift shop. Don’t miss out on your opportunity to purchase several hard-to-find flavors of SPAM from around the world.
Big Ole, a Viking
A transplant from the 1964-65 World’s Fair in New York, Big Ole made the trip to Alexandria, MN, at the end of the fair. This 28-foot-tall Viking suffered years of weathering and abuse before restoration in 2015-2016. He now resides in a park across the street from the Runestone Museum.
Pelican Pete
Built in 1957 for the Jubilee Celebration in Pelican Rapids, Pelican Pete is a 15.5-foot statue inspired by the statues of Paul Bunyan and Babe the Big Blue Ox in Bemidji. In 2007, the town made several four-foot-tall friends for Pete to commemorate his 50th anniversary.
Call Law Tigers for Motorcycle Law in Minnesota
Don’t miss visiting these Minnesota road attractions, including Hermann the German, Paul Bunyan and Babe the Big Blue Ox, and more on your next trip through Minnesota. If you need legal help, contact Law Tigers, motorcycle lawyers who ride, at 1-888-863-7216 for a free case evaluation. Never leave home without your free rider benefit kit.
