Quietly Beautiful - Wildly Connected
Natural resource options abound in Chippewa County, whose entire western edge is the Minnesota River. In addition to the many recreational parks, the county offers three wildlife management areas, including the well known Lac qui Parle Wildlife Management Area (WMA), stretching along both sides of the southern shores of Lac qui Parle Lake. The WMA is a goose hunting and wildlife paradise. Anyone who enjoys abundant wildlife will take pleasure in hiking through the WMA.
Thousands of birdwatchers and wildlife enthusiasts hike and bike the Wildlife Management Area every year! Birdwatchers enjoy the many songbirds and waterfowl, as the WMA is a nesting and migratory stopover. The sight of whitetail deer, prairie chickens, or ducks at dawn will delight almost any time of year. Bald eagles have even taken up residence in this majestic area.
Home to the Fiesta City Speedway showcases the unique thrills and dizzying array of high-speed races to get your adrenaline pumping. And that’s just the beginning! For the little ones, check out the youth archery area, visit the 4-H Imagination Station or compete in turtle races. The fair also features live entertainment, a variety of fair food delights, beer gardens, a reptile zoo, tractor pulls, animal exhibits and more.
Whether you’re looking to pitch a tent along the river, hook up your camper, or rent a cabin in the woods, Chippewa County is the place to stay!
Lac qui Parle Mission was a site for Christian missionary work to the Dakota for nearly 20 years. After Renville’s death in 1846, the mission was taken over by the “irreligious” Martin McLeod. The mission’s relationship with the Dakota soured, and in 1854, the missionaries left Lac qui Parle for the Upper Sioux Agency.
During the Dakota War of 1862, the Dakota tribes surrendered to Colonel Henry Hastings Sibley on a bluff overlooking the valley and the present-day site of Montevideo. The monument, which is located on the edge of Montevideo within the Camp Release State Memorial Wayside, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.
The Olaf Swensson Farm Museum is a National Registry Site featuring a 22-room, turn-of-the-century brick farmhouse on 17 acres. On site is a historic barn which was preserved in 2003, gristmill remains, and the family burial plot.
Lac qui Parle State Park is just west of the Mission Church 
site, and just northwest of Montevideo. Here you will find lakes that formed when the glaciers receded. This created naturally occurring dams, causing the formation of wide bodies of water along the length of the Minnesota River. Approximately 50,000 people visit this 530-acre year-round park yearly. There are many opportunities for hiking, biking, swimming, horseback riding, snowmobiling, and cross-country skiing, along with boat and canoe access to the river. Camping and lodging are available by reservation.
Look for one of Minnesota’s largest cottonwood tree – over 140 years old! You’ll find it near the Lac qui Parle Mission Church.
The Montevideo Veterans Home reflects a prairie-style inspired design that integrates natural materials such as wood and stone into the spaces. The public spaces include a town center featuring a small coffee shop/cafe, theater/meeting room, family dining room, meditation room/chapel, and club room.
The 72 residential units all have private baths and are split into two sections and four “neighborhoods” of 18 residents each, avoiding long institutional-feeling hallways. The Veteran’s Home has brought in over 150 new full time jobs to the county!
(C) Contributed / Wold Architects
Address: 629 North 11th street, Montevideo, MN 56265
Phone: (320) 269-7774
