AA Learn more about in-home care options for your loved ones
Given the choice, most of us want to stay in our homes. Sometimes, people need help to remain at home. That's where Always Best Care Senior Services comes in.
They say that your golden years are the best years of your life. For most older Americans, that's how it should be - a time to relax, reflect, and live life in a familiar place. After all, senior citizens in the U.S. have worked tirelessly to build a better economy, serve their communities, and raise families.
However, as seniors grow older, sometimes they cannot live independently without someone by their side to provide care. Unfortunately, some older Americans aren't able to rely on their adult children for help. The reality in today's world is that family members do not have the skills or time to dedicate to caring for their parents. That's where Always Best Care Senior Services comes in.
Our in-home care services are for people who prefer to stay at home as they grow older but need ongoing care that family or friends cannot provide. More and more older adults prefer to live in the comforts or their home rather than in an assisted living community. Home care in Mound, MN is a safe, effective way to give your loved ones the care they need when they need it the most.
Since 1996, Always Best Care has provided non-medical in-home care for seniors to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle as they age. We are proud to have helped tens of thousands of seniors to maintain a higher level of dignity and respect. We focus on providing seniors with the highest level of home care available so that they may live happily and independently.
Unlike some senior care companies, we genuinely want to be included in our clients' lives. We believe that personalized care is always the better option over a "one size fits all" approach. To make sure our senior clients receive the best care possible, we pair them with compassionate caregivers who understand their unique needs.
The Always Best Care difference lies in life's little moments - where compassionate care and trustworthy experience come together to help seniors live a fruitful, healthy life. Whether you are an aging adult that can't quite keep up with life's daily tasks or the child of a senior who needs regular in-home care services in Mound, MN. Always Best Care is here to help.
“Always Best Care comes in to help my dad a shower at night. When the”
Always Best Care comes in to help my dad a shower at night. When the guy came out to interview, he was really good and helpful, but it was just hard to find someone to help with dad been a little bit bigger and heavier. They like the person that they had come out a couple of times. The caregiver is good.
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TESTIMONIALS
“Always Best Care comes in to help my dad a shower at night. When the guy came out to interview, he was really good and helpful, but it was just hard to find someone to help with dad been a little bit bigger and heavier. They like the person that they had come out a couple of times. The caregiver is good.”
Gloria285054
How does In-home Senior Care in Mound, MN work?
Home is where the heart is. While that saying can sound a tad cliche, it's especially true for many seniors living in America. When given a choice, older adults most often prefer to grow older at home. An AARP study found that three out of four adults over the age of 50 want to stay in their homes and communities as they age. When you begin to think about why, it makes sense. Home offers a sense of security, comfort, and familiarity.
The truth is, as we age, we begin to rely on others for help. When a family is too busy or lives too far away to fulfill this role, in-home senior care is often the best solution. Home care services allow seniors to enjoy personal independence while also receiving trustworthy assistance from a trained caregiver.
At Always Best Care, we offer a comprehensive range of home care services to help seniors stay healthy while they get the help they need to remain independent. As your senior loved one ages, giving them the gift of senior care is one of the best ways to show your love, even if you live far away.
To give our senior clients the best care possible, we offer a full spectrum of in-home care services:
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Personal Care Services
If your senior loved one has specific care needs, our personal care services are a great choice to consider. Personal care includes the standard caregiving duties associated with companion care and includes help with tasks such as dressing and grooming. Personal care can also help individuals with chronic conditions like diabetes or Parkinson's or Alzheimer's.
Common personal care services include assistance with:
Eating
Mobility Issues
Incontinence
Bathing
Dressing
Grooming
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Home Helper Services
Sometimes, seniors need helpful reminders to maintain a high quality of life at home. If you or your senior has trouble with everyday tasks like cooking, our home helper services will be very beneficial.
Common home helper care services include assistance with:
Medication Reminders
Meal Preparation
Pet Care
Prescription Refills
Morning Wake-Up
Walking
Reading
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Companionship Services
Using this kind of care is a fantastic way to make life easier for you or your senior loved one. At Always Best Care, our talented caregivers often fill the role of a companion for seniors. That way, older adults can enjoy their favorite activities and hobbies while also receiving the care they need daily or weekly.
According to AARP, more than 53 million adults living in the U.S. provide care to someone over 50 years old. Unfortunately, these caregivers experience stress, exhaustion, and even depression. Our respite care services help family caregivers address urgent obligations, spend time with their children, and enjoy other activities. Perhaps more importantly, respite care gives family members time to recharge and regroup. Taking personal time to de-stress helps reduce the risks of caregiver burnout.
When it comes to non-medical home care, our goal is to become a valuable part of your senior's daily routine. That way, we may help give them the highest quality of life possible. We know that staying at home is important for your loved one, and we are here to help make sure that is possible. If you have been on the fence about non-medical home care, there has never been a better time than now to give your senior the care, assistance, and companionship they deserve.
Advanced Healthcare Technology
Benefits of Home Care in Mound, MN
Always Best Care in-home services are for older adults who prefer to stay at home but need ongoing care that friends and family cannot provide. In-home care is a safe, effective way for seniors to age gracefully in a familiar place and live independent, non-institutionalized lives. The benefits of non-medical home care are numerous. Here are just a few reasons to consider senior care services from Always Best Care.
Age in Place
According to AARP, 9 out of 10 seniors prefer to age in place within the comfort of their own home. With in-home care, seniors have a way to stay at home, receive the care they need, and maintain a sense of independence, improving overall wellness.
Peace of Mind
If you or a member of your family have assumed the role of caregiver for your senior loved one, you know how stressful the job can be. Between caregiver burnout and constant worry, being a family caregiver is hard. In-home care relieves your burden and gives you peace of mind knowing that your senior family member is in expert hands.
Socialization
Unlike many senior care facilities where the staff and residents rotate frequently, seniors can foster new friendships and build bonds with their caregiver. Seniors who socialize on a regular basis are often happier, which fosters positivity and leads to increased wellbeing.
Personalized Care Plan
No two seniors need the same kind of in-home care assistance. That is why each of our care plans are tailored to meet our client's individual needs. We offer plans that cover everything from light housekeeping to more involved duties like transportation to doctor's appointments. Our Care Coordinators will work closely with you to develop a personalized plan to ensure your senior's needs are exceeded.
Always Best Care offers a full array of care options for clients at all levels of health. With our trusted elderly care services, your loved one will receive the level of care necessary for them to enjoy the highest possible quality of life.
Aging in Place: The Preferred Choice for Most Seniors
While it's true that some seniors have complicated medical needs that prevent them from staying at home, aging in place is often the best arrangement for seniors and their families. With a trusted caregiver, seniors have the opportunity to live with a sense of dignity and do so as they see fit.
In-home care makes it possible for millions of seniors to age in place every year. Rather than moving to a unfamiliar assisted living community, seniors have the chance to stay at home where they feel the happiest and most comfortable.
Here are just a few of the reasons why older men and women prefer to age at home:
Comfort
How much does a senior's home truly mean to them?
A study published by the American Society on Aging found that more than half of seniors say their home's emotional value means more than how much their home is worth in monetary value. It stands to reason, that a senior's home is where they want to grow old. With the help of elderly care in Mound, MN, seniors don't have to age in a sterilized care facility. Instead, they can age gracefully in the place they want to be most: their home. In contrast, seniors who move to a long-term care facility must adapt to new environments, new people, and new systems that the facility implements. At this stage in life, this kind of drastic change can be more harmful than helpful.
Healthy Living
Institutional care facilities like nursing homes often put large groups of people together to live in one location. On any given day, dozens of staff members and caregivers run in and out of these facilities. Being around so many new people in a relatively small living environment can be dangerous for a seniors' health and wellbeing. When you consider that thousands of seniors passed away in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, opting for in-home care is often a safer, healthier choice for seniors. Aging in place has been shown to improve seniors' quality of life, which helps boost physical health and also helps insulate them from viral and bacterial risks found in elderly living facilities.
Independence
For many seniors, the ability to live independently with assistance from a caregiver is a priceless option. With in-home care, seniors experience a higher level of independence and freedom - much more so than in other settings like an assisted living community. When a senior has the chance to age in place, they get to live life on their own terms, inside the house that they helped make into a home. More independence means more control over their personal lives, too, which leads to increased levels of fulfillment, happiness, and personal gratification. Over time, these positive feelings can manifest into a healthier, longer life.
Cost and Convenience
More independence, a healthier life, and increased comfort are only a few benefits of aging in place. You have to take into consideration the role of cost and convenience. Simply put, it's usually easier to help seniors age in place than it is to move them into an institutional care facility. In-home care services from Always Best Care, for instance, can be less expensive than long-term solutions, which can cost upwards of six figures per year. To make matters worse, many residential care facilities are reluctant to accept long-term care insurance and other types of payment assistance.
With Always Best Care's home care services, seniors and their families have a greater level of control over their care plans. In-home care in Mound, MN gives seniors the chance to form a bond with a trusted caregiver and also receive unmatched care that is catered to their needs. In long-term care facilities, seniors and their loved ones have much less control over their care plan and have less of a say in who provides their care.
Empowers Seniors
Affordable Care Plans
In-home care is a valuable resource that empowers seniors to age in place on their own terms. However, a big concern for many families and their loved ones is how much in-home care costs. If you're worried that in-home care is too expensive, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn that it is one of the most affordable senior care arrangements available.
Typically, hiring an Always Best Care in-home caregiver for a few hours a week is more affordable than sending your loved one to a long-term care facility. This is true even for seniors with more complex care needs.
At Always Best Care, we will work closely with you and your family to develop a Care Plan that not only meets your care needs, but your budget requirements, too. Once we discover the level of care that you or your senior need, we develop an in-home care plan that you can afford.
In addition to our flexible care options, families should also consider the following resources to help offset potential home care costs:
Veteran's Benefits
Aid and Attendance benefits through military service can cover a portion of the costs associated with in-home care for veterans and their spouses.
Long-Term Care Insurance
Many senior care services like in-home care are included in long-term care insurance options. Research different long-term care solutions to find a plan that provides coverage for senior care.
Private Insurance
Home care can be included as part of a senior's private insurance plan. Read over your loved one's insurance policy carefully or speak with their insurance provider to determine if in-home care is covered.
Life Insurance
Depending on the life insurance plan, you may be able to apply your policy toward long-term care. You may be able to use long-term-care coverage to help pay for in-home elderly care.
During your Care Plan consultation with Always Best Care, your Care Coordinator will speak with you about in-home care costs and what options there may be to help meet your budget needs.
Compassionate Care. Trusted Caregivers
When you or your senior loved one needs assistance managing daily tasks at home, finding a qualified caregiver can be challenging. It takes a special kind of person to provide reliable care for your senior loved one. However, a caregiver's role involves more than meal preparation and medication reminders. Many seniors rely on their caregivers for companionship, too.
Our companion care services give seniors the chance to socialize in a safe environment and engage in activities at home. These important efforts boost morale and provide much-needed relief from repetitive daily routines. A one-on-one, engaging conversation can sharpen seniors' minds and give them something in which to be excited.
At Always Best Care, we only hire care providers that we would trust to care for our own loved ones. Our senior caregivers in Mound,MN understand how important it is to listen and communicate with their seniors. A seemingly small interaction, like a short hug goodbye, can make a major difference in a senior's day. Instead of battling against feelings of isolation, seniors begin to look forward to seeing their caregiver each week.
Understanding the nuances of senior care is just one of the reasons why our care providers are so great at their job.
Unlike some senior care companies, our caregivers must undergo extensive training before they work for Always Best Care. In addition, our caregivers receive ongoing training throughout the year. This training ensures that their standard of care matches up to the high standards we've come to expect. During this training, they will brush up on their communication skills, safety awareness, and symptom spotting. That way, your loved one receives the highest level of non-medical home care from day one.
Taking the First Step with Always Best Care
The first step in getting quality in-home care starts with a personal consultation with an experienced Care Coordinator. This initial consultation is crucial for our team to learn more about you or your elderly loved one to discover the level of care required. Topics of this consultation typically include:
An assessment of your senior loved one
01
An in-depth discussion of the needs of your senior loved one to remain in their own home
02
Reviewing a detailed Care Plan that will meet your senior loved one's needs
03
Our caregivers are trained to spot changes that clients exhibit, like mental and physical decline. As your trusted senior care company, we will constantly assess and update your Care Plan to meet any new emotional, intellectual, physical, and emotional needs.
If you have never considered in-home care before, we understand that you and your family may have concerns about your Care Plan and its Care Coordinator. To help give you peace of mind, know that every team member and caregiver must undergo comprehensive training before being assigned to a Care Plan.
When you're ready, we encourage you to contact your local Always Best Care representative to set up a Care Consultation. Our Care Coordinators would be happy to meet with you in person to get to know you better, discuss your needs, and help put together a personalized Care Plan specific to your needs.
MOUND, MN. - Mound, Minnesota, residents are confronted with a brutal reality: despite having some of the highest water bills in the state, their tap water is unsafe to drink. The city's water supply contains high manganese levels, which can harm one's health, especially for the elderly and young children. Residents have been looking for a solution to this issue for...
MOUND, MN. - Mound, Minnesota, residents are confronted with a brutal reality: despite having some of the highest water bills in the state, their tap water is unsafe to drink. The city's water supply contains high manganese levels, which can harm one's health, especially for the elderly and young children. Residents have been looking for a solution to this issue for the past two years, but nothing has been found.
The problem is that not only are we paying excessive amounts for our water bills, but you can't drink the water that you're paying for," Mound resident Heidi Peterson said of the water situation.
Like thousands of others in Mound, Peterson and her family have been forced to use bottled water as an alternative. The family still uses tap water to shower, brush their teeth, boil eggs, and wash their clothes, but they worry that drinking it could harm their health.
I don't know of any public utility provider that doesn't have a drinkable-at-the-faucet goal for the level and quality of service they provide," city manager Eric Hoversten stated.
"We are currently not meeting that objective." However, he said the city does not have the resources to pay for the filtration plant necessary to lower the manganese levels in the well water. The filtration plant is expected to cost $36 million.
The city is asking the legislature for help, but even if funding is approved, the problem will not be solved for another three years. Residents are urged to write to legislators to voice their concerns, and Mayor Jason Holt is working with legislators on this.
Another Mound resident, Lisa Rosenthal, was able to install a costly filtration system in her home; however, she is concerned about those who cannot afford alternatives.
It's a serious problem that really needs to be dealt with," she stated. "Drinking is harmful to your health and unhealthy. In addition, the majority of people who live in Mound have fixed incomes."
Peterson stated, "My hope is that someone kind of comes to the rescue," expressing her optimism. She wants to know when the water problem in Mound will be resolved.
Sadly, Mound is not the only community experiencing this issue. Sixty-six other Minnesota communities, including Lino Lakes and Ramsey, have informed residents that their water contains elevated manganese levels. Residents of Mound hope their water problem will soon be resolved because it affects the entire state and needs to be addressed.
Community, family mourn the loss of 6-year-old found dead in Mound
County jail records show the boy's mother and a 27-year old man were taken into custody.MOUND, Minn. — It's been two horrific days for the family of a child found dead inside the trunk of a car in Mound, Friday."Eli was a very happy, energetic 6-year-old boy," said Josie Josephson. "He loved his dad immensely. His eyes would light up ...
County jail records show the boy's mother and a 27-year old man were taken into custody.
MOUND, Minn. — It's been two horrific days for the family of a child found dead inside the trunk of a car in Mound, Friday.
"Eli was a very happy, energetic 6-year-old boy," said Josie Josephson. "He loved his dad immensely. His eyes would light up when he saw his dad."
Josephson is the fiancé of Tory Hart, Eli's father. She remembers the exact moment she heard the news.
"Great sadness and disappointment this happened, when this shouldn't have," she said.
County jail records show the boy's mother and a 27-year old man were taken into custody. Court records show the boy's mother had also recently engaged in custody disputes with Eli's father.
"Although Eli wasn't biologically my own, I fought side by side with Tory to try to get him custody of him; in my heart he was my own son," she said. "We expressed our concerns numerous times."
NEW: A small memorial sits outside Shirley Hills Primary School in Mound. It’s been two days since a 6-year-old, identified by family as Eli, was found dead inside the trunk of a car during a traffic stop. @kare11pic.twitter.com/dIDo5AG2xd
It's a tragic event Mound Mayor Ray Salazar says has rocked his small town.
"Our hearts go out to the family," said Salazar. "For myself, and I'm sure I share with all of our great citizens in our city, it's a horrible, horrifying situation ... You can't imagine the pain that this family must be going through, Tory, Eli's family."
And now, a community is in mourning.
"I feel we failed as a community, the most vulnerable, a 6-year-old little boy, who was forgotten," said Mound resident, Jane Anderson.
For Josie Josephson, she's praying no other family has to experience a similar pain. "I'm going to continue changing things so this doesn't happen to another child, and fathers' rights are protected, and heard," she said.
School counselors and staff will be available in all Westonka school buildings to support students, staff and parents.
There is a GoFundMe page to help the family with expenses, which has already reached more than $33,000 as of Sunday night.
An investigation into the incident is ongoing, but Orono PD says there is no further threat to the public.
Charges for both suspects are still pending.
Development pitch in Mound draws criticism
Emma Lohman For Laker Pioneerhttps://www.hometownsource.com/laker_pioneer/community/development-pitch-in-mound-draws-criticism/article_d47392ca-9e19-11ec-9dab-4f07a3833cf7.html
The Mound City Council spent the majority of its time at its Feb. 22 meeting fielding questions and comments from community members who oppose a proposed apartment complex near Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church (OLL). Among other things, residents expressed concerns about road access, traffic congestion, parking and the size of the complex.The Northland Mound project is a proposed 104-unit apartment building to be located on a property generally southwest of the intersection of Commerce Boulevard and the Dakota Rail Regional Trail ...
The Mound City Council spent the majority of its time at its Feb. 22 meeting fielding questions and comments from community members who oppose a proposed apartment complex near Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church (OLL). Among other things, residents expressed concerns about road access, traffic congestion, parking and the size of the complex.
The Northland Mound project is a proposed 104-unit apartment building to be located on a property generally southwest of the intersection of Commerce Boulevard and the Dakota Rail Regional Trail on the shoreland of Lake Langdon. In addition to 14 privately held properties which were part of the Kennedy’s Subdivision of Lot 56, Lynwold Park, Lake Minnetonka, the project applicant is proposing to acquire three parcels from the city of Mound and to vacate a platted, but never constructed right-of-way called Juniper Road.
The Mound Planning Commission voted to amend the city’s 2040 Comprehensive Plan and rezone the property in question from residential to mixed use at its Nov. 6 meeting and held a public hearing about the project on Jan. 4. The project was first presented to the Mound City Council for approval on Feb. 8 for a public hearing, but it was tabled in order to provide time for the applicant, Northland Real Estate Group, to work with adjacent property owners regarding traffic circulation and to evaluate whether the project could be modified to have fewer units.
One of the main concerns residents expressed is that the city has not allowed for sufficient public comment regarding the project. Mayor Ray Salazar explained that residents can always come to the podium to express their opinions or send emails to the council.
Residents also shared their worries about how the building will be accessed, as well as their fears that the amount of traffic will increase and that those who live in the apartment complex will use the church as overflow parking and as a thoroughfare. In addition, Councilmember Paula Larson said she believes that there needs to be more transparency in the process for when developers come to town.
Currently, there is a private easement agreement between the property owners and OLL who have been granted the right to cross and have access into the area behind Commerce Blvd. At the Feb. 8 meeting, the council heard from City Planner Rita Trapp about a study done in 2016 which showed minimal impact in the amount of traffic and that there are 127 planned parking spaces for the project.
In the past, there have been several projects that have been proposed for the lakeside property, but none of them made it to the approval stage. Councilmember Sherri Pugh noted that Mound is a small town and there are not a lot of development sites left.
The next step in the process will be for the developer, Brian Farrell, to meet with Father Peter Richards and John Biglow from OLL and the owner of another nearby building owned by Paddle North on March 2 to discuss a traffic plan.
If no formal extension is received from the developer, the council must make its decision on whether or not to approve the project by March 31.
In other news, the council voted to approve bids for the watermain replacement on Lynwood Boulevard from Birch Lane to Southview Lane, which is budgeted for $615,000. The council also voted to approve bids for the replacement of the lift station on the west end of Island View Drive and associated force-main that runs through the right of way up to the intersection of Drummond Road and Roxbury Lane, which is budgeted at $570,000.
Indian Mounds Regional Park
Saint Paul Minnesotahttps://www.stpaul.gov/facilities/indian-mounds-regional-park
About Indian Mounds: A Sacred Burial PlaceThe landscape of Indian Mounds is a sacred place of burial. It is a cemetery built by ancestors of living people. The place has deep significance to the Upper Sioux Community, Lower Sioux Community, Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community, Prairie Island Indian Community, Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin, Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska, Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate, and other descendants of those who are buried here. It is home to the only known remaining burial mounds within the Minneapolis-Saint Pa...
About Indian Mounds: A Sacred Burial Place
The landscape of Indian Mounds is a sacred place of burial. It is a cemetery built by ancestors of living people. The place has deep significance to the Upper Sioux Community, Lower Sioux Community, Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community, Prairie Island Indian Community, Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin, Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska, Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate, and other descendants of those who are buried here. It is home to the only known remaining burial mounds within the Minneapolis-Saint Paul urban core.
BBQ grills Picnic area (2) picnic shelters Playground Restroom building Scenic overlook (2) tennis courts
Permit and Rental Information
Please call the Park Permit Office at 651-632-5111 for more information or to reserve facilities or permit events. Office hours are 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. The possession of alcohol is prohibited in the park.
The Indigenous burial ground that is currently called “Indian Mounds Regional Park” has been a sacred site and place of burial for over a thousand years. It is significant to living Indigenous Peoples as a cemetery where their ancestors are buried. It is a place of reverence, remembrance, respect, and prayer. When the City of Saint Paul established a park in this location in 1892 with the purpose of protecting the historical setting and spectacular views, connections of contemporaneous Indigenous Peoples to the sacred site were not understood, considered, or valued. Over the last century the condition, name, and use of the landscape as a park have become beloved to the surrounding community. Yet many non-Indigenous people have wondered about this powerful landscape without knowing how to learn more about it. Through public gatherings with generous sharing by Indigenous Peoples and members of the public, strong support for protection of this sacred site has been revealed.
The Cultural Landscape Study and Messaging Plan is an initial step to update the City’s practice for preservation awareness, and understanding of sites significant to American Indians. The project team conducted rigorous research to provide a basis for a shared understanding among diverse project collaborators. The Study presents a comprehensive framework for acknowledging the sacred site and the living Indigenous People whose ancestors are buried there while:
Minnesota’s Blue Mounds State Park: Come for the quartzite cliffs, stay for the bison herd
Mary Lainehttps://www.minnpost.com/mnopedia/2016/10/minnesota-s-blue-mounds-state-park-come-quartzite-cliffs-stay-bison-herd/
This content is shared with MinnPost by MNopedia, the digital encyclopedia created by the Minnesota Historical Society and supported by the Legacy Amendment's Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.Blue Mounds State Park, named for a long, high Sioux quartzite cliff, is located in southwestern Minnesota on the Iowa and South Dakota borders...
Blue Mounds State Park, named for a long, high Sioux quartzite cliff, is located in southwestern Minnesota on the Iowa and South Dakota borders. The cliff, one and one-half miles long and up to ninety feet high, appeared to be blue in color to the early Euro-American immigrants who saw it from a distance. A unique herd of bison, the largest North American mammal, makes its home in the park on 533 acres of native tall grass prairie, which escaped plowing due to poor soil quality.
Located on 1,830 acres, the park is in an area known as Coteau des Prairies (in English, a hilly prairie upland). As high as 2,000 feet above sea level, the plateau runs from southeast North Dakota, through southwest Minnesota, and into northwestern Iowa. Dating to 1,700 million years ago, numerous Sioux quartzite outcrops and boulders, colored pink, red, white, and purple, can be seen in the fields.
The old quartzite quarries in the park were owned and operated by the Luverne Granite Company. The stone was used to construct many local buildings, such as the Rock County Courthouse (1882), the old city hall (ca. 1890s), Trinity Episcopal Church (1891), and the Hinkly House in Luverne (1892).
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Before white immigrants came, the eastern cougar, elk, pronghorn antelope, grizzly bear, bison, prairie dog, and prairie chicken all inhabited the southwestern Minnesota prairie. Because of habitat changes caused by settlement, only bison, commonly known as buffalo, now live in the park.
In 1961, the current herd of North American plains bison (scientific name Bison bison) began when three bison were relocated from the Fort Niobrara Wildlife Refuge near Valentine, Nebraska, to the park. Many of the bison in commercial herds in the United States carry cattle genes; however, DNA testing, using blood and tail hair, shows that the Blue Mounds herd is among the most genetically pure in the country. To promote healthy herds, increase genetic diversity, and prevent inbreeding, park staff participate in a national conservation program that exchanges bison among pure herds. The pasture in the park can sustain about seventy-five mature animals, and park visitors can view them from an observation platform.
Running across 1,250 feet on top of the Blue Mound is a mysterious wall—as much as five feet in height in some places—composed of rocks and small-to-huge boulders. The sunrise and sunset on the spring and fall equinox closely align with the wall’s east-west orientation. Theories about the wall’s origin and purpose include that it was an early white-immigrant-constructed wall; a Minnesota equivalent of England’s Stonehenge; and a barrier to help Indians stampede bison off the cliff during hunts. Surveys and excavation of the wall in the 1980s, however, concluded that the wall was built after the mid 1800’s. In the 2010s, the issue remains unresolved.
Beginning in 1938, workers in the WPA (Works Progress Administration) built five structures in the park: a latrine and the upper and lower dams on Mound Creek, which created Upper and Lower Mound Lakes. The rustic style of the structures features native materials such as locally quarried quartzite. Rustic-style architecture, as defined by the National Park Service, is labor intensive, finely crafted, and uniquely American.
The Upper and Lower Mound Lakes were once the only lakes in Rock County. In 2014, over eleven inches of rain destroyed the lower dam. This caused Lower Mound Lake — then the only recreational lake in Rock County — to drain. In 2016, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources decided not to make repairs to the dam that would have restored Lower Mound Lake.
Visitors to the park enjoy hiking on three main trails, biking, rock climbing, spotting bison, camping, birding, and exploring for flora and fauna. Campers can spend the night in a tipi and snowmobile in the winter. Native prickly pear cactus grows in the quartzite outcrops, and birders may spot the uncommon blue grosbeak. Mound Creek is home to the Topeka Shiner (Notropis tristis), a small minnow that is on the U.S. Fish and Wild Life Service’s endangered species list. The park is the only place in Minnesota where the lined snake (Tropidoclonion lineatum) is found.
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