My day began with birdsong. On beautiful Wabana Lake, near Grand Rapids, I looked out my cabin window just after sunrise. I watched as some ducks waddled toward the water and songbirds fluttered around a bird feeder.
Birch Bay Resort is known for its beautifully furnished cabins and sporting opportunities, including swimming, canoeing, kayaking, paddle boating, fishing, hunting, and nature walks. I am more of an observer regarding recreation, but I enjoy this pristine location in the Chippewa National Forest for its peaceful setting.
After a morning hike around the property, I headed for nearby Grand Rapids to follow another path—the Yellow Brick Road.
Photo by Marilyn Jones
City Legend
The Judy Garland Museum is a beautiful museum dedicated to the Hollywood star. Past the Wicked Witch of the West, the original carriage used in “The Wizard of Oz,” and Dorothy’s test dress worn by Garland, displays, and exhibits project the glory and glamour of Hollywood.
Photo by Marilyn Jones
Born Frances Ethel Gumm on June 10, 1922, in Grand Rapids, she began performing as a child with her two older sisters in a vaudeville group, The Gumm Sisters. She later signed a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer as a teenager. She appeared in more than two dozen films for MGM.
Fans of all ages treasure her Dorothy Gale performance in “The Wizard of Oz.” Garland eventually attained international stardom as an actress in both musical and dramatic roles, as a recording artist, and on the concert stage.
After viewing her professional career, I entered Garland’s childhood home, which was moved to the location and connected to the museum by a passageway lined with more Garland memorabilia.
Photo by Marilyn Jones
The house offers a view of how Garland and other middle-class Midwesterners lived in the 1920s. It is also the place guests learn a lot about Garland’s childhood.
From the kitchen and dining room to the living room with its piano and upstairs to the bedrooms, I got a real sense of where Garland grew up.
The museum, shares building space with the Children’s Discovery Museum, perfect for energy-filled little ones with a dino play area, Treesa Talking Tree, a performance stage, and many other attractions to delight children of all ages.
More to Explore
There are several other attractions in the city and county. Itasca County History Museum, for example, is a small museum that packs a lot in its space. Exhibits and displays celebrate iron mines in the region, the logging industry, and the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), where young men worked during the Great Depression, resulting in improvements to state and national parks. Native Americans and veterans are honored.
Photo by Marilyn Jones
I also learned about “Grace,” Minnesota’s official state photograph. It was taken around 1920 by Swedish American Eric Enstrom. He took a picture of a white-bearded visitor in his studio in Bovey. “Grace” gained international recognition.
After leaving the county museum, I headed for downtown and Old Central School. Here, former classrooms are gift shops and house another attraction, Story Art & Museum.
The museum features several hundred figures designed and created by artist Faith Wick. Wandering along a library-style exhibit room, I pass by more than 40 settings, including Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio, and Aladdin; fairy tales, folk tales, nursery rhymes, classic stories, fantasy, and history in miniature scale.
After this enchanted forest of imagination, I drove to Annabella’s Antique Mall in Bovey. In addition to antiques and collectibles, employees are happy to show visitors the prohibition speakeasy in the basement and the underground escape tunnel cleverly hidden behind what looks to be a cupboard.
Photo by Marilyn Jones
I enjoyed my time in Grand Rapids and Itasca County. But there is so much more for anyone who loves exploring the great outdoors. Surrounding the area are recreational opportunities, including fishing trips, winter skiing, and snowmobile trips. Lakes, forests, and trails provide the perfect backdrop for leisure and sports adventures in the Northwoods.
People are friendly, and the service is excellent. I am glad I had the opportunity to visit.
When You Go
You will find several great restaurants and shopping opportunities in Grand Rapids. Rapids Brewing Co. offers “beer, bourbon, and food.” Live entertainment and casual dining, including pizza, are excellent. For Judy Garland fans, this is also the theater location where she first performed with her sisters in the Vaudeville singing act. Central Square Mall has an excellent craft mall with one-of-a-kind treasures at reasonable prices.
