Vining MN

Vining,  Minnesota would not be on my list of places to visit. Fewer than 100 people live in the little hamlet beside the highway, near a lake. (Everywhere is near a lake in that part of Minnesota.) We did not drive all the streets. I believe there are two businesses, maybe three on what must be Vining's Main Street.

So why would we stop in Vining MN? Geocaching, of course. We were on our way to Bemidji MN to join the Magical Mystery Tour, a twenty-four hour adventure (starting at midnight and ending at midnight) visiting 8 MN communities, covering about 900 miles, creating 8 events. Our plan was to participate in 4 of those events.

So what brought us to Vining? The Foot.

This 12' tall foot was built by Ken Nyberg using 10-guage steel. He created The Foot in 1988. Why? "I just thought Vining needed something different," he says.

Nyberg, now retired, was a welder and professional construction foreman.

A 20' tall clothespin between the Vining Post Office and

one of the two visible businesses along the Main Street.

The Indian on horseback was created from 1200 pieces of multi-shaped metal.

Located east of the Main Street buildings and next to the gas station and convenience store is the park of more statues.

The giant square knot is 10' tall and weighs more than half a ton.

 

life-size welder

amazing detail 

Some locals were at The Foot when we stopped. They shared Nyberg lives nearby and if we had the time, we should drive out to his shop. More of his creations reside there.

We decided we had quite the variety in the Nyberg Park, so we did not drive to his shop.

I learned the elephant is created from lawn mower parts, mostly blades.

Nyberg is 77 years old. He is a very modest man. Take the time to watch this Interview from 2011.

When asked why he does it, creating scrap-metal sculptures, Nyberg says, "I get to choose what I do and when and how long I work on things. What could be better than that?"

giant hook and chain

knife cutting an apple

Nyberg's daughter Karen, is an astronaut. She has worked on and lived on the international space station, twice. 

my favorite metal art

to show how big the structures are

cricket on the pliers

free standing coffee mug spilling coffee

Nyberg has donated statues to other communities in Otter Tail County, MN. We missed the one in Fergus Falls, nor did we see the Extension Cord or the Door and Doorknob statues. Maybe the next time. One never knows...