than 200 feet deep through which the stream winds on toward 

 the Minnesota river. Here there are abrupt descents vary- 

 ing from 65 to 250 feet, which in some places can be climbed 

 with difficulty but in others are perpendicular and sometimes 

 even slope backward. At such places the state has protected 

 the sightseers by building iron fences. There also are stair- 

 ways by which these walls may be scaled. Rustic bridgs of 

 logs at frequent intervals and a small footbridge scaling the 

 rocks between the two falls have been built to make sight- 

 seeing easy. 



Rocks Are Picturesque. 



Other natural attractions are rocks of picturesque and rare 

 formation, and a heavy growth of timber of many varieties on 

 side hills and on the picnic grounds. These include oak, 

 laple, basswood, butternut, elm, mackberry, hickory, birch, 

 >plar and even a few cedars. 



There are as yet no bears, monkeys or the like for little 

 >lk to feed, but natural residents in the person of red and 

 ty squirrels are numerous and tame enough to take care of 

 11 little dainties that visitors may have to dispense. In fact, 

 icy are so bold that picnic baskets will be raided if the own- 

 s are not watchful. Other attractions for young folks are 

 swings, horseshoes and the like. There are tying posts and 

 feed boxes for teams and a shady stretch set aside for park- 

 ing carriages and automobiles. 



The legislature in 1905 passed the bill creating Minneopa 

 irk and appropriated $5,000 to buy ground surrounding the 

 falls and stream. In October, 1905, Governor Johnson, with 

 the state auditor and attorney general, met with Thomas 

 Hughes of Mankato and other representatives of the Mankato 

 Board of Trade and made an inspection tour of the proposed 

 park and arranged the purchase of 35 acres surrounding the 

 falls. A few months later enough more ground was bought 

 to make the total area of the park 70 acres. Because of lim- 

 ited funds, however, improvements of the park came slowly. 



17 



