How Battle Lake earned the score
Population 882 (US Census 2020).
Situation A quaint northwestern Minnesota lake town, just under a thousand people, with a main street built to charm the summer lake visitor.
Action Concentrated working artists, galleries, creative installations, benches, and a candy shop into a walkable downtown, anchored by Chief Wenonga and Glendalough State Park.
Result Glendalough alone draws 55,566 visitors a year with 7,716 overnight stays, feeding an estimated $1,000,000-plus in low-end visitor sales and a wave of new businesses.
Let’s Meet Battle Lake, Minnesota
Battle Lake is a quaint little town in northwestern Minnesota that is situated near a large beautiful, clean, clear lake. Battle Lake has a population of just under a thousand. It has a beautiful main street decorated to be attractive to the summer lake visitor.
Battle Lake’s Creative City Development
Battle Lake knows it’s niche, summer lake town. Battle Lake tailor’s itself well to its customers. The first creative staples of Battle Lake was Chief Wenonga, a giant statue in the middle of town honoring the great battle between the Sioux and the Ojibwe. While the historic relevance may only be applicable to some, the statue itself is witnessed by all that enter the town.
This is the heart of giant statue territory! Right nearby is the Pelican Rapids Pelican and the world’s largest prairie chicken.
Chief Wenonga is not the only creative city development however. In recent years, Battle Lake has worked with the department of transportation to make the city streets even more inviting. They have made the streets more comfortable for walkers and have started creative installations. The creative installations are made by local artists, everything from statues to decorations straddling alley ways to overly ornate benches. BENCHES!
Roger Brooks would be absolutely thrilled about this. 80% of purchase decisions in a couple are made by females. Benches are the key to allowing men to have a place to relax downtown and enjoy treats from the local candy store, “Granny’s Pantry,” while the ladies peruse the wonderful home good stores in town.
Granny’s Pantry and the candy-by-the-pound draw
Another niche draw is the candy shop in town, Granny’s Pantry. In an old fashion style, you are able to buy candy by the pound, filling a bag with any number of varieties of salt water taffy, gummy candies, jawbreakers, caramels, and more. Talk about getting kids excited to go back to Battle Lake every year!
Glendalough State Park, the biggest pull
The most proper draw however is Glendalough State Park. Glendalough State Park is 2,761 continual acres of undeveloped land (minus a few for the park buildings). The rolling grassy hills of Glendalough contain the largest stretch of undeveloped lake shore in Minnesota. This is not nearly all though, Glendalough has a Monarch migration stop as well as a heritage fishing lake, Annie Battle.
Running Some Numbers
Glendalough, Battle Lake’s biggest pull to the city brings in 55,566 visitors a year with 7,716 overnight stays. So let us do a little math.
Let’s say that 20% of visitors stop for gas, 3 meals, and Granny’s Pantry and 100% of overnight visitors get accommodations for the night. As well, let us say that gas cost is about $20, meal for the family is $30, and a bag of candy is $10 and overnight accommodations are $100. The last assumption is that no one stays for two days. The total revenue generated would be well over $1,000,000 in sales on the low end.
My bet is, in the year since those numbers have been calculated, there has been 4 new restaurants move into town, a coffee shop, two home goods stores, and one trailer with hippy wear that businesses in Battle Lake are succeeding.
Why Other Towns Should Follow Battle Lake’s Lead
This is just another example of how a creative city development can help sustain and grow your town. Not only do creative city developments keep your town generating money but it also keeps the town interesting which retains citizens and overall just builds the appeal of living a rural life but keeping the funk alive.
I grew up in Battle Lake over the summers so I can personally attest to that there is no better place to be in the summer than Battle Lake. You will want to check out the local art gallery, have a drink at the local coffee shop and local musician venue, and go kayaking through Glendalough State Park.