Minnesota's most recognizable landmark is...? (St. Paul, North St. Paul: houses, mall, food)

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by jmgg

Hate to do this to you, but when you get outside of Minnesota the one thing that stands out the most has to be the Mall of America. It has no equal in the U.S.

Gee, in my state of South Dakota you don't suppose it would be Mr. Rushmore? Duh!!! Nothing else close.

Wall Drug's roadside advertising campaign is obviously failing.

[kooks35]

For those within the state I'd probably say the Stone Arch Bridge. Outside is definitely MOA.

[1stpontiac]

I'd probably have to agree that the Metrodome might be the most visibly recognizable landmark to out-of-staters. Maybe the Duluth lift bridge might be the next? I can't think of too many other things that are distinctive enough that someone seeing it without other context would say, "Oh, that's in Minnesota!"

A lake with a loon on it and a canoe in the water should be a dead giveaway, though

[1stpontiac]

Originally Posted by kooks35

For those within the state I'd probably say the Stone Arch Bridge. Outside is definitely MOA.

In all honesty, I grew up in outstate Minnesota, and I had never heard of the Stone Arch Bridge until I moved to the metro last year and started working downtown. I think its recognition would actually be pretty well limited to the Metro.

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by 1stpontiac

In all honesty, I grew up in outstate Minnesota, and I had never heard of the Stone Arch Bridge until I moved to the metro last year and started working downtown. I think its recognition would actually be pretty well limited to the Metro.

Even more specifically, Minneapolis residents.

The outside of the MOA is very recognizable. Living in MN we don't really see it as a big deal but MOA receives more visitors every year than Disneyworld. Internationally people come to visit MOA as well. Out of the region, people won't associate MN with lakes and loons either. If anything, they think snow and polar bears--because people elsewhere think it is snowy, cold and basically the Arctic Circle here. In our travels when people find out we are from MN, they always ask about MOA. Now, I think the most recognized MN anything would be 3M and either Scotch Tape or Post-it Notes, but most people don't know that 3M is headquartered in MN and don't really associate 3M branded things with MN, but everyone will know what a Post-It Note is.

[snofarmer]

Moa is probably the most visited. but I don't see it as having any visually redeeming qualities.
and it does not qualify as a "landmark" IMO.

Lake Superior
Split rock.
Areal lift beige.
the mpls skyline after dark.

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by snofarmer

Moa is probably the most visited. but I don't see it as having any visually redeeming qualities.
and it does not qualify as a "landmark" IMO.

Lake Superior
Split rock.
Areal lift beige.
the mpls skyline after dark.

So what is your definition of a "landmark" then?

Most people in MN would recognize all of those, no one outside of the region would know those on site unless they visited them by chance.

[chilaili]

The Walker Sculpture garden
The St Paul Cathedral
Paul Bunyan & Babe

[shotz90s]

A giant walleye, northern or Muskey. Any one of the many state fish sculptures/statues would pretty much say Minnesota.

[snofarmer]

Everything I posted or has been is a land mark.
But to be a landmark for the state, would be the one that has an appealing appearance greater than a mall. ie a big warehouse with stores inside.

Lake superior is a world known lake and the lift bridge is iconic and has been used for decades in magazines and in propaganda used in the tourist industry.

Originally Posted by golfgal

So what is your definition of a "landmark" then?

Most people in MN would recognize all of those, no one outside of the region would know those on site unless they visited them by chance.