Rochester in Olmsted County, Minnesota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Geology of Minnesota
July 28, 2021
1. Geology of Minnesota Marker
Inscription.
Geology of Minnesota. . The diversified scenery of Minnesota - of which the Rochester area is one phase - is due to the location of the state in the approximate center of the continent. Situated midway between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, Hudson Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, the state has within its boundaries three principal divides in the watersheds of North America. Minnesota lacks the rugged topography and high elevations found in most continental divides. Its highest elevation, 2,300 feet on the Mesabi Range, is in close proximity to its lowest, the surface of Lake Superior, 602 feet above the sea., The general surface of the state slopes from the north-central portion near Itasca Park, in four directions toward its distant and opposite corners., The 10,000 lakes of Minnesota cover 5,600 square miles, an average of 1 square mile of water for every 15 of land. This unprecedented supply of water, which has a surface exceeding the water area of any other state, finds its way to the ocean through the Hudson Bay, the Great Lakes and the Gulf of Mexico.
The diversified scenery of Minnesota - of which the Rochester area is one phase - is due to the location of the state in the approximate center of the continent. Situated midway between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, Hudson Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, the state has within its boundaries three principal divides in the watersheds of North America. Minnesota lacks the rugged topography and high elevations found in most continental divides. Its highest elevation, 2,300 feet on the Mesabi Range, is in close proximity to its lowest, the surface of Lake Superior, 602 feet above the sea.
The general surface of the state slopes from the north-central portion near Itasca Park, in four directions toward its distant and opposite corners.
The 10,000 lakes of Minnesota cover 5,600 square miles, an average of 1 square mile of water for every 15 of land. This unprecedented supply of water, which has a surface exceeding the water area of any other state, finds its way to the ocean through the Hudson Bay, the Great Lakes and the Gulf of Mexico.
Erected 1954 by the Geological Society of Minnesota and the Department of Parks,
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City of Rochester aided by a grant from the Louis W. and Maud Hill Family Foundation.
Location. 44° 1.987′ N, 92° 27.295′ W. Marker is in Rochester, Minnesota, in Olmsted County. It is on East Silver Lake Drive 1.8 miles north of 12th Street Southeast (U.S. 14), on the right when traveling south. Located in Silver Lake East. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 705 East Silver Lake Drive, Rochester MN 55906, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Southeast Minnesota. It is also in the American Midwest and in the Corn Belt. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once Ruperts Land and also the territory of the Mississippian Culture.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: History of Silver Lake
Credits. This page was last revised on August 4, 2021. It was originally submitted on August 3, 2021. This page has been viewed 509 times since then and 26 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on August 3, 2021. • Mark Hilton was the editor who published this page.
