Headwaters Interpretive Center: Preserving the Past While Sustaining the Future of Itasca State Park
Abstract
Itasca State Park has been a popular tourist attraction in
northern Minnesota for many decades. Containing the
Headwaters to the Mississippi River along with some of the
most beautiful natural scenery in the state has lured people
to the park to experience its unique opportunities. In
addition to the popular attractions which the park is well
known for, Itasca State Park has a very rich and diverse
history that must be preserved. The recently constructed
Jacob V. Brower Visitor Center is a start, but there are
many more interesting stories to be told about the history
and opportunities that the park can provide.
This thesis project is comprised of a multi-use facility for
Itasca State Park of which an interpretive center is the main
focus. With a steady increase in the amount of visitors, improvements must be made to the park facilities in order
to keep up with the demand that comes with the increase in
tourism. The main elements in the project are the
interpretive center, a gift shop, a multi-use space that can be
used as a classroom or conference room, a lodge, and a
restaurant. The center is to provide educational functions
as well as recreational opportunities. The interpretive
center includes cultural and natural displays emphasizing
the Native American influences in the area, the discovery of
the Mississippi Headwaters, the ecology of the area, as well
as displays concerning preservation measures that have
been undertaken by the park.