Columbus Landing

I decided that now that I have a world-wide audience of some number, today would be a good day for me to play Chamber of Commerce representative from my hometown of Alexandria, Minnesota.  To most Americans we celebrate this Monday as Christopher Columbus Day — celebrating the discovery of the North American continent from when Christopher Columbus sailed from the European Continent and, for most historians, made the first step on the continent from a European born person.  That step was in the present day Bahamas on an island he labeled San Salvador and took place on October 12, 1492.

However, if you come from my community of Alexandria, Minnesota, you believe that Viking visitors sailed from the north thru Hudson Bay eventually into the Red River of the North and left artifacts claiming they were here in 1362. . . 130 years before Columbus.  At my school, in my childhood, we celebrated Leif Erickson Day as a potential rival to Columbus in discovering the North American continent.

Big Ole
Alexandria, Minnesota

Much of the heritage we have in Minnesota stems from the thought that the Vikings were North America’s first European visitors. . . you need think no farther than the name of our NFL Football team — The Minnesota Vikings.  At the end of the main street in my community of about 30,000 people stands “Big Ole” .  . our statue that is tribute to the area’s role in the Scandinavian discovery of North America by the Europeans.  Big Ole proudly states on his shield, “Alexandria – Birthplace of America”.

The stone artifact that was found about 20 miles from my home over a century ago is controversial. . . but it is dated 1362.  Want to learn more. . . here is the wikipedia page on The Kensington Runestone.  Here is the link to our local museum.

The Kensington Runestone

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