An overview of German Park in New Ulm, photographed last Saturday.
IF A PARK COULD BE WRITTEN into a fairy tale, then German Park in New Ulm certainly would serve as an ideal setting for a happily-ever-after story.
Descend the hillside steps into this picturesque park near New Ulm’s downtown business district, and you walk into an enchanting world of flowers and foliage, fountain and photographic opportunities.
I kept my distance from the bridal couple and their families.
However, on the Saturday of my visit, the happily-ever-after part of this story limited my photo ops. Not that I wasn’t tempted to write my own twists into the plot unfolding before me. But I figured the main characters, the bride-to-be and her groom being photographed here, would not appreciate me wedging my way into their storybook wedding day.
Columns add interest and a poetic quality to German Park.
So I skirted the edges of German Park, admiring the flowers and the fountain at a distance. I weaved among the columns, appreciating the beauty and charm of this place, all the while wishing I could photograph freely.
I kept a respectful distance in this, my closest shot of the bridal couple and their families.
At one point a nervous grandma hurried over to snatch up a camera bag as I approached with my camera bag hugging my hip, my Canon EOS 20D looped by a strap around my neck. I wanted to advise her that I wasn’t about to spoil the story, to wind my way up the path toward the happy wedding couple like a wily, wicked witch.
THE END
OK, I was a wee bit sneaky in including the bridal couple in this frame. But I liked how the words tranquility, blessings and ordain from the Preamble to the Constitution seemed to fit the occasion.
One of numerous pavers which enlighten visitors about New Ulm, here the Hermann Monument.
This column informed me of something I never knew, that a deadly tornado ravaged the city on July 15, 1881. That event raised an awareness of the need for a local hospital.
FYI: To learn about the New Ulm tornado of 1881, click here to read an account published in the Saint Paul Daily Globe.
Click here to learn more about the history of New Ulm Medical Center.
Finally, click here to read an earlier blog post about New Ulm’s Goosetown.
© Copyright 2012 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
What a beautiful backdrop for wedding pictures, I chuckled at your stealth-like ways of capturing the bride and groom.
An interesting fact about that tornado. It sounds like the same one that hit Rochester that day, It was an F5, one in a series of tornadoes that hit Southeast Minnesota that day, Hence the Mayo Clinic was born as well.
I knew a like-minded blogger would recognize and appreciate my stealth.
I was aware of the tornado in Rochester and its connection to the Mayo Clinic. However, the New Ulm tornado occurred two years prior, according to info I found online.
Oh… you’re right, I had my years wrong. Probably not the same tornado Ha!
Easy enough to confuse. But interesting how each tornado caused each community to open a medical facility.
Wonderful place.
It is beautiful. I need to stop again when there’s not bridal photography happening.
I am planning on going on a trip to New Ulm sometime! Fun to see your pictures!
Plan a full day for your trip as New Ulm has much to see. A visit to Schell’s Brewery should top your list. Beautiful gardens there as well as an interesting tour and time to sample Schells. Love the Glockenspiel, too, and you must see Hermann the German. I look forward to reading your report from New Ulm.
THANK you for the suggestions! I have heard that New Ulm is a must see.
If you’re planning to stay overnight, best book a room well in advance or reserve a camping spot at Flandrau State Park.
Any hotels you like to stay at?
When is the best time of year to go?
Thanks for the advice. I am usually a fly by the seat of my pants traveler, so it’s good to know I need to make preparations. 🙂
It’s been a long, long time since I stayed in New Ulm, thus I can’t make a recommendation. When to go depends on whether you like organized activities or prefer to visit on your own. Check the visitor’s info online and that should help you decide.