Maplewood State Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Maplewood Site
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Fall colors at Maplewood State Park
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| Location | Otter Tail County, Minnesota |
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| Nearest city | Pelican Rapids, Minnesota |
| NRHP reference No. | 78001555 |
| Added to NRHP | December 18, 1978 |
Maplewood State Park is a beautiful state park in Minnesota, United States. It is located near the town of Pelican Rapids. This park is a special place where forests meet prairies. It also protects an ancient site where people lived many centuries ago.
Maplewood State Park is famous for its amazing fall colors. Every autumn, its trees turn bright shades of red, orange, and yellow.
Contents
What is Maplewood State Park?
Maplewood State Park covers a large area of about 9,250 acres (which is about 3,743 hectares). It is found in Otter Tail County. The park is part of a hilly region called the Leaf Mountains. These hills were formed by glaciers a very long time ago.
The park is home to many kinds of hardwood trees. These include sugar maples, basswood, American elm, and oak trees. These trees are what create the stunning display of fall colors each year.
History of the Park
Maplewood became a state park in 1965. This meant it was protected for everyone to enjoy. Inside the park, there is a very important archaeological site. This site is called the Maplewood Site.
In 1978, the Maplewood Site was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This list includes places that are important to the history of the United States.
Ancient History at Maplewood
The Maplewood Site shows that people lived here long, long ago. Scientists have found signs that people lived here during two different time periods. The first period was from about 650 to 900 CE. The second was from about 1450 to 1650 CE.
This area was a "transition zone" between forests and prairies. This means it had features of both types of land. It was a good place for ancient people to live because they could find many different plants and animals.
Images for kids
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A lone flower rests among the park's fall leaves
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Vegetation cover map of Maplewood State Park
