Speech by Richard Olsenius at the "In Search of Lake Wobegon" exhibit in Sioux City, IA, at the Betty Strong Encounter Center, August 2008.

It’s really great to be here this afternoon…and to share with you some of my thoughts and feelings about the photographs made for the National Geographic project to find the real Lake Wobegon. I can’t assume you all know about this a mythical place created by Garrison Keillor nearly 34 years ago. This place that according to Keillor, exists just north of Holdingford in Central Minnesota. Well, a few years have passed now since that search was completed and the report published in the Geographic Magazine in Dec of 2000 followed shortly after by a book, In Search of Lake Wobegon published in 2001. 

 But like fine wine, this collection of photographs for me, has been slowly taking on a deeper more lasting meaning or impression as each year passes. See, many of these people are gone now and we all know how quickly things change, so this collection of work has become a sort of time stamp from a particular part of the world during a particular time. This mythical Lake Wobegon has somewhat of a face now, hopefully sparing some future archeologist the anguish of trying to find this Midwestern Atlantis or El Dorado on a map.  I know people still travel from abroad looking and asking about where is the real Lake Wobegon.

 That is the beauty of photography for me. This seach, this story, these moments now are locked in time forever preserving in some way, the visual recollection of the Wobegon community. John Madson, in his book, WHERE THE SKY BEGAN, describes the Midwest as a "repository of traditional attitudes that are metered out through the root system in subtle and powerful ways. It is a region whose soil base has lent the freedom and stability that people need to reach free and stable conclusions.

I remember one summer evening on this assignment sitting up on a hill as I watched the sun drop below a level, open horizon. The wind had finally died down and it became so quiet I could hear an owl screeching in the distant grove. It was almost dark now as I watched a truck rumble down a back road, sending up a stream of dust that drifted across the pasture and settled in over a nearby cornfield. Where was he or she heading some place important? It didn't matter. As it crossed a metal cattle guard a metallic wraaang... wraaang echoed over the countryside. Its that kind of a moment sticks with me  and for some reason that fuels my love for the Midwest and reminds me it will always be my home. 

I was born in Galesburg, Illinois, a small city bordered by lush cornfields and spliced together by railroads and highways. Galesburg was a stop on the Rock Island Line, a good place for a young boy to savor childhood and dream some day of following the tracks out. Galesburg was also the birthplace of Poet Carl Sandberg, who once wrote,

”Far away where the sky drops down, and the sunsets open doors for the night to come through… Where the running winds meet and change faces and come back to a prairie where the green grass grows all around.”

I still remember summer nights listening to the steam-driven trains working incessantly, putting cars together for a run to Chicago and St. Louis… places that Sandberg loved to write about. Before leaving Minnesota to work at National Geographic in Washington, this was my home and work place for over 40 years.  And I must tell you since moving out to the Washington D.C., the things I miss most is this time of year are, an approaching fall, Indian summer, the dusty smell of fall harvest as the corn and soy beans are picked. Then there is the first snowfall and thanksgiving and the late afternoon  cross country skis trip on Lake Minnetonka just after the sun has set and that wonderful blue light sets in. And most importantly, I always knew just to the west the farms began to open up to the prairie sky. I can tell you that even though we’re temporarily removed from Minnesota, both Christine and I, who is here with me, have our hearts anchored here in the Midwest. 

But let me say a few words about the project before I begin the show. Firstly, I must say, it was an unusual project for Geographic to undertake a story about a place made up, about a mythical place existing only within literature and radio shows. Even more unusual was their permission for me to photograph it in Black and white with a large format camera on 4 x 5 sheet film. A Slow, laborious almost dangerous way to photograph, because you really have only time for a frame or two after setting up all the gear.

It occurred to me more then once that this Wobegon phenomena might prove to be difficult to figure out for some furture archeaologist who happens upon our dusty remains, thousands of years from now. Through their excavations they will try to decipher who we were as a people through our writing and art, and architecture and hopefully they will have the skills to figure out how to get info off these silver disc we call dvd’s or CD’roms. 

 Centuries from now when archaeologists and historians find references to the Midwest, they will consistently come across a mention of the town and lake of Wobegon in hundreds of thousands of books, and newspaper articles, and magazine stories. Yet they will scour through the maps and atlases, they will find no trace of this famous place called Wobegon. They will find St. Cloud and Meier Grove, Sauk Center, Holdingford, Freeport, Albany, Avon, Melrose and others…but they will not find Lake Wobegon. Is this our modern day Atlantis? 

So why undertake such a story. Well, the rational behind the magazine article was for Keillor and myself to go back to the area where Garrison derived many of his characters and impressions, some 30 years ago and see if there any remnants of this society left.  It is an area slightly west and north of St. Cloud Minnesota. My goal was to see if there was in fact any truth to this mythology.  To put a partial face on this mythological land called Lake Wobegon. 

 For me the challenge was illustrate an idea, yet not ruin this wonderful world that exists in so many of our minds. To define gently this place or idea for it’s spirit, it’s landscape, it’s people, it’s weather…and do this all somewhere near and central to Minnesota. 

 But not surprisingly these images, with their feelings or moments are not unique to the mythical Lake Wobegon or Central Minnesota.  Not any more then Wobegon’s Main street or Chatterbox Café or  Our Lady of Perpetual Responsibility. We all know Lake Wobegon is really a part of everyone’s hometown… or at least what we fondly remember but haven’t set foot in for many years.  So here I am telling you about a wonderful assignment that was like a dream, to be able to return to your home ground with camera in hand and to travel in and explore, simply looking for moments we all know exist but are difficult to find.. I am forever grateful to the people of my home state of who shared these brief moments with me. But most importantly, I am grateful to have been raised in this central part of the United States we call the Midwest.

 ST. ANTHONY

There are many small villages like this in Cental Minnesota. This is of St. Anthony a few miles north of Freeport.  You might drive by this village a dozen times and not notice it from the main highway.  But as in so many pictures, the quality of light or the time of day is so important.

I love this picture because of the elements of what small town america is still about.  The farm with its white washed buildings, the church across the road, the dirt road that leads into the town, the houses with tall antennas reaching out to pick up the twin city stations…the building with the license plates, the cornfield and the road down to the rocks and tire marks…this is a very simple picture, but for me there are many levels quietly here.

This picture opened the door to Wobegon and became the cover of the book.

Homecoming couple on car

I had great feelings from the very beginning when I started this story for national geographic.  Besides being back on my home ground, I literally drove up from Minnesota and decided to drive up to Holdingford as my first stop. I parked on a hill nearby andheard the distant drums of a high school band…well I followed those sounds to the high school parking lot where the homecoming parade had just finished. and made this first image of the homecoming king and queen waiting for the parade to leave the campus.

CORNFIELD

So here I was driving along the seemingly endless fields of corn, near the town of Meirer Grove. The wind was up and the smells and sounds of scratching corn stalks that rolled into the distant horizon is what I really connect to. And if it wasn’t for the glaciers that layed down this till of brown sandy soil that features some of the best corn and dairy production in Minnesota…well maybe lake Wobegon would never have been created or settled. It was commerce and hard work and the clearing of land that made room for towns and people such as Lake Wobegon.

ALBANY LAKE THROUGH WILLOWS

And these same glaciers created these dishpan lakes…many hundreds of them.  And these lakes became home to willows and reed grasses and town and during those quiet summer evenings you can hear the sunfish and croppies snapping at bugs on the surface.  

 PETERMIER WITH CRAB POTS

The people here are serious about their lakes and ponds, such as Donald Petermeier whose quest for the perfect leech and minnow pond has kept him and his bait business busy supplying sports and bait shops full with stock. When I think of the perfect life and job, I never thought I’d consider this line of work.  But think about it…moody misty mornings on these idylic little ponds which you only share with a noisy kingfisher or a curious cow.

LAKE BEHIND ALBANY

So to find a small lake behind a small town when the wind settles down and the light become muted and the mosquitoes come out… and the trees become dark and moody…well this comes as close to finding the epicenter of this mythical town.

WAVERLY MAIN STREET – UPTOWN BAR AND GRILL

I find a simple beauty with the small towns that fall between the lakes and the fields. Uncomplicated lines, utilitarian buildings, the relationship of the local bar and the church (usually on opposite sides of the street).  

 MAINSTREE SHOT OF FREEPORT

And How can you do a search for Lake Wobegon and not try to locate the Chatterbox Café?  There are probably many contenders for it, but I found one that said it for me..Charlie’s Café in Freeport.  I know Garrison years ago would sit in  Charlie’s Café and listen to conversations of the farmers morning coffee. I know Garrison writes about the Pioneer Inn on the right there, where during those early long winters he came to Socialize and to only end up at the end of the bar by himself.  He writes that’s where he began to make up the people and the town.

 INTERIOR OF CHARLIES

 So what’s the chance of making a photograph at 7:30 in the morning with a 4 x 5 sitting on the counter pointing at guys who don’t want their picture taken? The owner said A lot of they guys only have coffee,” but it’s a buck or two 365 days a year over many years. You do the math.”

 INTERIOR OF PELICAN LAKE BALLROOM

Ron Schmaina bought the Pelican Ballroom in 1975 from his father who started the ballroom in 1936. “I guess the legs of the old-timers gave out and the young ones found other things to do. Now we serve chicken on Tuesdays and have wedding receptions during the summer,” said Ron 

Here the electricity went out and the cooks are sitting waiting for things to get repaired.

 BEGIN RELIGIOUS SECTION

GRAVESTONE

The theme of religion runs throughout the Wobegon landscape and the two camps of German catholic and Norwegian Lutherans… This near the hypothetical center of Wobegon is the Sacred Heart Church with it’s many portraits of German immigrants who populated the area.  This is the headstone for Caroline Hoeschen, born Caroline Bockholdt. She married Moritz Hoeschen, a Freeport shopkeeper, bor six children, two of home dies in childbirth.  She died in 1908

FRONT YARD MEMORIAL- 

CORPUS CRISTO PROSESSION TO THE STATIONS OF THE CROSS AND THEN THE PROCESSION WENT UP TO OTHER POLISH CATHOLIC CHURCH.

This procession, held in May last two hours with a sermon at the beginning and the end.

 LUNCH AT CATHOLIC SCHOOL OF ST.ANDREWS. – ALL THE COMPUTERS

There are only a handful of these rural schools, whose gyms also provide space for lunch. This is Meire Grove.  They had only 38 students, 7 graduating this year.  With a city of only 139 people, this draws heavily on the local farmers to sustain these small Catholic schools.

The kids begin each day in prayer in the hallway.  The teachers here say the students score better then the public school counterparts.

principle Sister Suzanne Slominksi, or Just sister Susan as she likes to be called is proud of her mackintoshes.

SERVICE – MAN WITH HEAD BOWED

I had heard about this small group of Catholic War Vets from Opole..post 1658.  It’s the last in the Midwest they say. So with little fan fare this group goes to several cemeteries and have a short service.

I wonder if any other generation will have the devotion to remembering like these men and women.  . 

WOMEN WITH FLAGS-

This was the woman’s VFW auxiliary out of Melrose.at Meier’s Grove.

SHOT OF CATHOLIC WAR VETERNS IN FRONT OF BAR..

VFW TYPES AT LUTHEMERS

But back at St. Wendels, the Catholic War vets carry out the tradition of ending each memorial service by a quick drink at the local bar, Such as Luthemer’s.

And naturally they wanted a group photo which was not very good but I always seem to get the moment, that off chance that something more is taking place just after I tell everyone that I’ve got the photo.  I love this photo for the stories I see in each one of these faces.

PETERMEIR BROTHERS IN CAR

I was encouraged by Donald to visit his uncle who he claimed had every snowmobile made.  It was true.  We all went out to Herman’s place, but the image I ended up making was when the two brothers where showing me their car collection.  Son Donny comments later…these guys are in their 90’s and still active.  They have kept their interest in life and I think that’s how you get to be that old. I made a wise comment and said “ So when did you take this out last, thinking it would have been years ago.  So Herman said, “OH well, that would be last Sunday.”

MEN JUMPING OFF THE TRUCK

 HAY RAKE

I am always fascinated by the machinery. I am also fond of the smell of freshly cut alfalfa and the neat rows of raked grass drying in the summer air.

MAN IN GARDEN WITH DOG

This is Leo Thylen and it’s another case of driving by and seeing something out of the corner of my eye and then turning around and talking for an hour and watching the loving care he gives to the garden that he watched his mother plant.  He wasn’t out there for a picture and didn’t care much about what I was up to. But he was proud of this land that he has know all of his life and he let me photograph him doing what he loved.

WORKERS ---But there is much more to this Wobegon then drinking coffee or attending church or taking the grandkids fishing.  There’s the work to be done. 

ROCK PICKERS ON HILL

For in the spring the winter frosts push up the endless boulders waiting to get caught in the teeth of the corn pickers during the fall harvest or spring planting…it cost a 100$ for each knife says Irvin who has his nephews, nieces and friends of the family pick rocks for a few days after school.  I chased that tractor up and down those hills for two days...I remember one of the boys asking the owner, Irvin Kerfled, about a rock the size of a potato... “is this big enough?”  No, leave it, it will bigger next year.

ROCK PICKERS ON CART

 Between fields there is always a break for the kids to swill some pop and trade barbs. I wish I could something profound about the kids of central Minnesota but I can’t.  These are good kids and if anything maybe they know what it means to chip in and help.  Nothing is handed to these kids on a silver platter.

CHILDREN IN BARN WITH COW INSEMINATION 

There’s a lot of education in the barn...like the artificial insemination of a cow.  Kids love to watch.

 BARE SHIRTED MAN.

His name is Matt and he watches his father  baling hay and will take his tractor of hay back to the barn to be put up and saved for winter.  I was driving down the road while the sun is low in the sky. I stopped and asked if I could take a photograph. There was no posing, no prearrange situation…this was exactly as it happened.  Yes, we all know Wobegon is Where all the women are strong and all the men good looking. 

 COWS AT NIGHT PASTURE

The sun had set and I had followed the farmer Irvin Kerfeld out behind the barn where he was letting the cows out to a pasture where they would graze for the night.  I was on a small rise, waiting for them to come down the path. I remember the sound of hoofs against the dirt and rocks and few startled looks from the nervous cows at this man sitting under a focusing cloth waiting for a photographic ambush.

MAN STANDING IN WHEAT

His name is Randy Gertken and I saw him out in his alfalfa field and I set up along the road where he had planted wheat. I really loved the play of different crops with a farmer working in the distance.  Well he stopped his tractor and ran up to me and I stopped him for one shot before I even explained what I was doing.  But times have even changed in Central Minnesota. He said he thought I was pulling a gun out of my trunk and we considering diving into the alfalfa.

It was only my tripod.

ACHMAN REPARING TRACTOR

This is one of the few old time tractor repairman around and he reminded me what Carl Kresbach, the handyman from Wobegon might have been like. John is man of few words. He tolerated me, but I would have loved to be in his mind.

 Swanny White and Famo feed mills in Freeport Minnesota.

  GARY THELAND AT SNOWY WHITE SIFTERS

This is one of last flour mills of this type, old machinery and such. “We’ve got belts running here that we haven’t changed in 20 years” said Gary Thelen, the son of Walt Thelen.  Gary has just bought out his father. Gary is now the third generation of Thelens to run this mill. Gary is in the picture. “If it wasn’t for the natural foods market” said Gary, “we’d have been out of business long ago.”

PORTAIT OF THELAND

This was portrait of Gary, which I really like with the equipment and lighting, But Gary told me it only confirmed to his friend that he sleeps on the job.

This is mostly farming country, but there is an underlying layer of granite, most of which makes it monuments in Washington, D.C.

START OF CELEBRATION SECTION---

PARADE AT GREY EAGLE

And could anything be more predictable then a memorial day, where Wobegonians have waited 6 months for the return of the sun only to have a weekend of cold, wind and rain.

SHOTGUN START AT KINGs LAKE

The big event around Freeport’s appreciation days was the fishing contest on nearby king’s lake.

Father Roger Clausen from Freeport’s Sacred heart church obliged the group with a shot-gun start.

VOL FIRE DEPT WATERBARREL FIGHT – BOWLUS

4th of July in middle America…I didn’t really appreciate this photograph until I made the first print and really looked at all the was going on.  The gauze-like feel created by the mist, the pure joy of the children.  I Know people say that things will never be the same. But I predict that in Wobegon country at least you can’t keep this spirit down.

GRANDFATHER AND SONS FISHING Little SPUNK RIVER

But the Lakes and streams that make up this region have been like for so many children, become a part of their lives they never forget.  Half the time when I’m out looking for pictures I don’t succeed.  But like going back to Albany down a country road you races past a man and two boys by a stream.  And about a half-mile I find myself turning around, parking the car, pulling out the camera gear and try to get just a slice of the mood I felt when I first drove by.

 HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS AT Sylvia LAKE

What can I say about the joy of being young, in your bathing suit and hanging out by the lake. And at night, these kids regroup at gas station in Melrose.

 LUND FAMILY REUNION

So driving around on one of those famous Minnesota weekends, where 

all the little cabins are filled with family and friends, I came upon a larger then normal conglomeration of cars parked all over this cabins lot.

 So naturally I went into reverse and crashed the party.  I was taken in like some long lost cousin for the Lund fest, the 7th annual gather of over 40 Lund’s handing out on Pelican lake for a long weekend.. “It doesn’t get any better then this,” said Gary Lund. “There’s never any problem when we get together, it’s just great fun to catch up on what everyone is doing, and oh yes, to throw a few water balloons too.”

 CREDIT UNION APPRECIATION DAYS – FREEPORT 

COUPLE KISSING WHILE WAITING FOR THE PELICAN LAKE BAND

The same goes for a local band that showed up at the Pelican Lake Ballroom.  I don’t think anything’s changed from when I was 18 and hanging outside the lifted windows at the Glenwood ballroom listening to the Everly Brothers sing, Wake up little Suzy.”

 STREET CORNER KIDS AT BOWLUS

There’s not a lot to do in most of these small towns and the kids know it…but they manage I guess.  There’s a coke machine outside the Bowlus liquor story and if you prefer Pepsi or mountain dew, there’s another one down the block.

HOMECOMING FRIDAY NIGHT WITH COUPLE-

Football and in particular Homecoming weekend with its big football game is something that I rediscovered. The cool night, the field lights cast their lume high into the night sky.  Watching all this from the sidelines…well I can’t explain the pure joy of watching all this play out…all the sites and sounds.

HOMECOMING PRESS BOX

HOMECOMING COURT ON TRUCK

The Holdingford homecoming court posed for me on the FAA truck used in the parade…Painted like a Holstein, it is used during the week by the area’s Artificial inseminator.

Queen Tanya…3rd from right It was fun that week. We stayed up late the night before at crystal wynnemer’s house and we slept over and got up and did each other’s hair. The whole years was great, I was in swimming and yearbook and was voted the class motor mouth.

Kyle with crown “the football team had a pretty good season but we screwed up on our homecoming game.  We weren’t in it mentally. The home dance wasn’t so happy. I danced with my girlfriend and we left early.”

Tanya…I took some woodworking classes and decided to become a carpenter.  I want to build houses. I’ve always like pounding nails.

WINTER COMES - 

GROUP FISHING ON DOCK

It’s always too short, those warm glorious days of summer, but like many Minnesotans…a cold, windy day is no excuse not to fish. There is something in the air that we all sense and I love the anticipation of the first snow.

MAN ON SAGATAGAN LAKE

And suddenly winter is here and that wonderful quiet that can be found on a frozen snowcovered lake.  Many would think you crazy saying that, but if you’ve been there you know what I’m talking about.

 WINTER FARM LANDSCAPE BY LAKE

And then suddenly winter claims the landscape.  Landscapes that had been lost in the trees and undergrowth with little visual appeal suddenly come alive with patterns and shapes and all the emotional stuff that winter seems to pull out of me.

WINTER TREES IN LINE

Winter was one of my favorite times to cruise for pictures when I worked on the

WINTER FENCE-LINE WITH GRAPEVINE

IRVIN KERFELD HOUSE

So many of the wonderful farm homes, like the Irvin and Jennette Kerfeld farm, white sided, huge, right up to the road.  You can see these wonderful homes so much better in the winter.

This particular farm has been in the family now 100 years and Randy, Irvins oldest son is taking it over, but he told me it’s a weird year cause this is the first time in 30 or so years the schoolbus doesn’t stop here anymore.  I’ll guess randy will get married and the bus will be stopping again.

MAN CARRYING BALES OF HAY

During the winter there’s hay to be move and sometimes, picked off the highway after falling off the truck.

HERMAN AND DONALD

This was the first time I met Don Petermeier.  I was driving down a back road near St. Rosa and I saw these two men standing out on pond with a chainsaw.  I have no idea what they were thinking about me trudging across the snow with my 4 x 5 and tripod and towards these guys, but at the same time he was holding the chainsaw.  “It get’s a little slow this time of year,”said Donald, so I go out and explore around for new sites for minnows and leeches. His father herman, now 93, helps don by carrying these heavy traps.

SNOWMOBILE BLESSING

The annual snowmobile blessing in St. Rosa at Sacred heart church.  Officiated By father Kleinscmidt was standing in for Father Hoppe who conviently took this time to go down to florida.  After there are brats, cakes and a raffle to help support the Roving Hillbillies snowmobile club.

GUN CLUB FISHING CONTEST ON KRAMER LAKE

Ice Fishing contest on Lake Kramer, sw of St. Joseph Minnesota.  Sponsored by St. Joseph Rod and Gun Club. Like I found so many times, it seems you can keep Wobegonians off the lake, even though fishing is just an excuse to do 

something else.

There’s always the class reunion, where someone drags in a Harley and pictures are made.  No one admits to actually dressing that way, but it’s all done in fun.

 LINE OF TREES DURING WINTER.  But In Wobegon, there is always optimism and winter gives way and life returns to those who thought it had gone and left them with an impossible heating bill.

ASSOCIATIONS and RELATIONSHIPS SECTION

COWS AT CORNER FENCELINE

But for me to search out those moments where relations are show or evident was my most important search on this story.

MEN CLEANING FISH

After several weeks I finally bought a bicycle to see if it would help me get closer.  And it was a wonderful to approach people or find situations to photograph. Here a found two long time buddies, a retired banker, Arthur Hoeschen and his fishing buddy Lumpy or Linus bonfig.  You tell me where else in the world you could find two guys in back yard cleaning sunnies under a tree with a cornfield as a backdrop?

BOY ON HORSE

...And then there is the relationship to animals. Jake,6 , whose mother says he was almost born on that horse, could not be pried away. I was inside the Linda B’s bar for a Hog roast in St. Rosa and and I saw the Hinnencamp family come up with their team of horses. The next time I looked out the window I saw Jake on this horse vandy.   

FISHING UNDER THE WOBEGON TRAIL

 I found a number of bikes strewn about an overpass on an abandoned railway by Swinghammer Lake.  Underneath I found this secret club who reluctantly let me inside their little hangout for a while.

 MOTHER CUTTING HAIR

In this part of the country kids still get their buzz cuts and their dreams of long wavy hair has to wait for another year.  The whole family took their turn out on the driveway, to get their hair sheared. This was an ordinary night, and really just an ordinary picture, but like so many of these photographs, there is nothing spectacular, or earthshaking. Just people going about their daily lives, trying to make sense of themselves and their world. I feel so honored though to have these images though, in a way I cannot explain.

NIGHT SOFTBALL LEAGUE, FARMING MN.

And on Tuesday nights around the region, you can see the glow of ballfields where the summer leagues take this on with all the seriousness of a world series game.

FATHER HOLDING SON

A moment during a ball game on a warm minnesota Sunday afternoon.

 FAMILY WAITING FOR FIREWORKS

The people, and the landscape I discovered here in Central Minnesota might or might not be the real Lake Wobegon, who will ever know for sure. But I don’t think I’ll have to Continue this search beyond this small section of cental Minnesota. For what embodies the spirit of Lake Wobegon, well it’s all right here

 FIREWORKS OVER BOWLUS ELEVATOR

But is isn’t all work in this land.  Like all of Minnesota, they take their memorial and labor days and certainly like here, the 4th of July at Bowlus, very seriously.  And there were small little town festivals and appreciation days.  I wish I could recite 

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For me my passion since I was 18 or 19 has been to photograph people and landscapes.  I remember leaving the Midwest and moving out to NYC back around 1967 as a college dropout and buying my first 35mm.  I wandered around the village making photographs and really fell in love with the way the camera helped me interact with people. It was so natural for me that I’ve never turned back.

But it wasn’t very long before I felt like a fish out of water in the big city, having no direction or something, away from home where I had been imprinted with horizon, and farmland and lots of  Swedish relatives (my grandparents emigrated from Sweden) but whatever the reason, I came back to Minnesota to go to college and I followed a journalism sequence and one day I found myself applying for a summer internship at the Mpls Star, and got it and spent many years driving out from the Twin Cities into the country looking for pictures or working on picture magazine stories or doing the annual farm tour.

So when I got the call from Kent Kobersteen at National Geographic to work with Garrison on his story about Lake Wobegon,  it felt in a way that had been preparing for it for some 30 years.

QUESTION: So what really inspired this search for Wobegon

Well the rational for this which began as a magazine assignment started with a simple question by GK…after 25 years of news from Lake Wobegon, was there any reality of all this mythology.

So my goal was not to illustrate a story or reinforce the mythology or fiction, but to see if there is any reality in all of this. Does any of the spirit of Lake Wobegon exist today?

So is there a real Lake Wobegon or what, someone asked me

Well I’ll tell you, if you shuttle back and forth through central Minnesota on Interstate 94, pulling off only for gas or an occasional burger…well no it doesn’t exist