MINNESOTA STATE HIGHWAY 99 rolls through farm country and small towns from northeast of Faribault to Nicollet.
I call it the back road to my native southwestern Minnesota. It’s the route my husband and I take to vary our travel or to avoid U.S. Highway 14 road construction and/or traffic between Mankato and Nicollet.
Usually we are in a hurry , which allows no time to explore. It is a sad fact of much travel these days. But even in haste, I notice details.
When Randy mentioned that the Highway 99 bridge over the Minnesota River in St. Peter is due for replacement, I snapped a photo just as were about to cross it. I love bridges like this with architectural character. The 1931 steel truss bridge is on the National Register of Historic Places and slated for rehab (not replacement) in 2017, according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation website.
Waiting at a stoplight just across the bridge in the heart of downtown St. Peter, I turned my camera lens to a Swedish Imports sign, noting that we really must stop here sometime.
To the west of St. Peter in Nicollet, I photographed a sign for Schmidt’s Meat Market as we drove through town. The market has become a destination for many. We stopped there once. I popped inside, but quickly retreated to the car. Most people like the smokey smell of a meat market. I don’t. But that’s OK. We’re all different, with distinct tastes, likes and dislikes. That keeps the route through life varied and interesting.
© Copyright 2015 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
We see our generation rush by, The farm house and self-service gas stations. Outstanding blog as usual!!
Thank you kindly.
I am scared at changes that sanitize and gentrify what I have known
Love the black and whit images today, Audrey.
Beautiful Captures 🙂 Happy Day – Happy Exploring!!!
Thank you.
Ah Schmidt’s Meat Market…yum; they have great meat. Great B&W photos. Since you are not fond of the smokey smell of a meat market, I won’t recommend Nerstrand Meats just East of you on 246. I love this tiny little meat market in all of is pungent smokey wonderfulness. It is my favorite by far throughout all my travels.
You don’t need to tell me about Nerstrand Meats, Dan, because I’m a fan of their meat. My husband, who is a big meat eater, especially likes Nerstrand hot dogs. I don’t eat hot dogs or sausage; yeah, I’m more a fruit and veggie girl. But give me a Nerstrand ham or pork chop or…
Oh my – yes; their pork chops and ham are wonderful.
Wonderful news. It is good that they are working to preserve these landmarks.
I hope I’m understanding correctly what I read on that website.
Your post reminds me that I am in need of a little road trip…maybe today! Loved the B & W photo’s
If you are road-tripping today, Jackie, drive carefully. Snow is still falling in Faribault. How about there?
I ran out of time…no road trip today. We did get a little more snow through the morning, not sure the total, but I think it is near 8″.
About eight inches here in Faribault also.
Great pictures. I love the old farm house. Mmm my imagination smells smoked ham.
Thank you. I can smell the ham, too. I always wanted to live in an old farmhouse like that.
I’m always happy to see well-done B&W photos. The top one is my favorite. But no snow! Didn’t you get pounded with the storm yesterday?
Thank you, Kathleen. Sometimes images lend themselves better to black-and-white than to color. These did.
These photos were taken on December 19.
And, yes, we are getting lots of snow here in Faribault. It started around 3 p.m. Monday and is still falling as I write.
I recognized the bridge immediately. It’s fascinating how our brains store images.
That it is. The bridge is a great piece of art and architecture.