Cascade River State Park

Cascade River State Park
The Cascade River
Map showing the location of Cascade River State Park
Map showing the location of Cascade River State Park
Location of Cascade River State Park in Minnesota
Map showing the location of Cascade River State Park
Map showing the location of Cascade River State Park
Cascade River State Park (the United States)
LocationCook, Minnesota, United States
Coordinates47°42′35″N 90°31′20″W / 47.70972°N 90.52222°W / 47.70972; -90.52222
Area5,050 acres (20.4 km2)
Elevation732 ft (223 m)[1]
Established1957
Governing bodyMinnesota Department of Natural Resources

Cascade River State Park is a state park near the northeastern tip of Minnesota, US. The park is in a rocky and rugged location where the Cascade River descends to meet Lake Superior. It has many different types of wildlife including various birds and mammals.

Cascade River State Park is also connected to the Superior Hiking Trail.

The site was originally named Cascade River State Wayside. It was developed by the Civilian Conservation Corps starting around July 1934. One of the projects was a huge 535 feet (163 m) overlook wall, built from locally quarried gabbro.[2] The roadside development plans were drawn by Arthur R. Nichols and Harold E. Olson. The project was considered a model for roadside development. The development work was supervised and inspected not just by National Park Service employees, but also by members of the Minnesota Highway Department, staff of the Minneapolis Park Board, Civilian Conservation Corps individuals, members of the Minnesota Legislature, and some Canadian officials.[3] The wayside was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 4, 2003.[4]

  1. ^ "Cascade River State Park". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. May 1, 1991. Retrieved February 23, 2011.
  2. ^ Gardner, Denis P. (2004). Minnesota Treasures: Stories Behind the State's Historic Places. St. Paul, Minnesota: Minnesota Historical Society. pp. 262–266. ISBN 0-87351-471-8.
  3. ^ "MN/DOT Historic Roadside Development Structures Inventory: Cascade River Overlook" (PDF). December 1998. Retrieved March 27, 2013.
  4. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.