Tales of the Road: Highway 61

by Cathy Wurzer

Book Overview

Cathy Wurzer unearths stories about historic buildings, abandoned sites, decaying structures, and more as she travels down Highway 61 and into the past, spotlighting famous and fascinating locations, many of them little remembered today.

"I've driven all of 61 from north to south, approximately at the speed limit, and now I know what I missed by not stopping. Slow down. Take a look. You may not come this way again."
--Garrison Keillor

"Tales of the Road: Highway 61 made me want to drop everything I was doing and hit the road. It doesn't get any better than this "
--Russell A. Olsen, author of Route 66 Lost and Found

"Cathy Wurzer (I call her 'Z') and I have travelled a lot of roads in our long association. But none compares to this lovely trip, on my favorite road, with my favorite correspondent."
--Don Shelby

"Cathy Wurzer has cleverly combined history and travel in a well-illustrated, easygoing narrative about Highway 61, one of our most fascinating and historic routes. Drive along with Cathy or do it yourself with this book as a guide. You'll enjoy every mile of Tales of the Road."
--Jason Davis, host of On the Road, KSTP-TV

Cathy Wurzer is the host of Morning Edition on Minnesota public radio and cohost of Almanac on Twin Cities Public Television. She has been honored with three Emmys for her work on Almanac.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0873518292
• ISBN13: 9780873518291
• Release Date: April 2011
• Publisher: Minnesota Historical Society Press
• Length: 128 Pages
• Weight: 1.02 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 7.9" x 8.8"

Customer Reviews

A must for any Minnesotan's Library

Cathy Wurzer is well known to Minnesotans as a host of Minnesota Public Radio's Morning Edition, and is one of Minnesota's best journalists. In this book, Tales of the Road, Highway 61, a companion to a PBS documentary of the same name (which I have not seen), Cathy Wurzer travels the quintessential highway in Minnesota, Highway 61. Memorialized by Minnesota native Bob Dylan, Highway 61 stretches from the Canadian Border at Grand Portage and goes all the way to the Iowa border (although its re-signed as Interstate 35 for a good portion of its route). Wurzer takes us along this entire route, north to south, stopping at the famous locales, as well as the less heralded locations. Even more poignantly, like her visit to the tragic tale of rollingstone colony, only the site and a few ruins remain of one-interesting venues, attractions and historical sites. This is where the power and strength of Wurzer's writing comes through best. Her stories about the famous Split Rock Lighthouse, Tobie's, and the Aerial Lift Bridge are strong writing, interesting and show good scholarship. Its her stories about the venues which are lost or are fading away, venues that, even though I have traveled much of Highway 61, I've never *heard* of, is where the strength of the book lies. The next time this amateur photographer and transplant into Minnesota travels Highway 61, I will be taking this book along, so that I can find the sites and places, and stories that Wurzer has so ably brought to life. Any Minnesotan, local or expat, would do well to have this book as part of their library.

Great Memories/Great Road Trip

Having traveled the upper half of Highway 61 (Minneapolis to the Canadian border) for over over 60 years, I can report that Cathy Wurzer has captured the many places of interest, history, and curiosity along that highway. Many are gone, some enhanced, and some crumbling, but she has used old photos to bring the descriptions and places to life. The book brings back many memories of childhood, youth, and current trips to a cabin off Highway 61 on the North Shore of Lake Superior. After reading the book, I am looking forward to a trip on Highway 61 from the Twin Cities traveling down the southern part of the highway, along the Mississippi River. Again, old photos, good details, and history make this book a joy to read - whether you've traveled on Highway 61 already, or want to plan a road trip with historical sights, places, and contemporary enjoyment.

Good interesting information about places to visit

This book, of which I bought 3 , is so interesting in places we want to see along the highway and love the recommendations.