We next rolled through Lake City, Minnesota, which sits
right on the edge of Lake Pepin. The views were Absolutely Stunning. The lake
stretched out like a painting, and for a minute I forgot all about prairies.
Back in 1680, French explorer Father Louis Hennepin camped on the shores of this very lake. He named it Lac de Pleurs (Lake of Tears) after witnessing Sioux captors grieving the death of a chief’s son. That heartbreak echoed across the water, leaving a name as poetic as it is haunting.
But don’t worry, not all of Lake Pepin’s history is tragic. Fast-forward to 1922, when a local kid named Ralph Samuelson decided snow skis were too limiting and became the first person to water ski right here on Lake Pepin. Lake City proudly claims the title “Birthplace of Water Skiing,” and they throw a big annual party called Water Ski Days to celebrate that fact. As they should. If you invent a new way to be dragged behind a boat for fun, you deserve a parade.
Lake City was one of those rare places that made me wish we
had more time. Gorgeous scenery, deep history, and just enough quirk to make it
memorable.
